Fun in the Sun

I've been reading everyones summer plans. For the first time in my life I wish to be multiple places. I want to be at camp, acting like the crazy idiot that I wish I was, I want to be in texas with my bro, hangin' at baseball and football games and playing music, I want to be in Watertown to be a part of my sister's and little brother's lives, I want to go to China with my best friend, I want so many things. God wants me in IL and, believe me, I want to be there too. I've never felt confused about summer plans. I've never cared. After graduating from glorified high school I feel like I'm lost about so many things.
But at the same time I've never been surer (is that a word) about the stuff I've been learning about . . . God has started to show me the meaningful things in life, a desire for him and a passion for people. The desire to love every liberal and conservative equally. The hope of communicating happiness to those who I have the privilege of touching. So much of this is because I lost my comfort zone. Anyway, I'm rambling now.
peace and love

Goldberg Variations

I'm sitting here, posting instead of going downstairs and talking to people at a graduation party but hey, its all good 'cause I'm listening to the Goldberg Variations by J.S. Bach. This is a work of truly monumental proportions. Bach only wrote two sets of variations for keyboard and this is definitely his best. Its a theme and variations - Bach was supposed to write a set of variations that could put someone to sleep and instead he composed a work that boggles the mind in his use of counterpoint, form and style. He plays the same them 30 different ways - you try thinking of 15 fundamentally different ways to cover the same song and then make every single one of them perfect . . . . its kinda hard.
A lot of people tell me that Bach bores them, and I guess in some ways I understand that (although I never agree with it), but when I sit and listen to the clarity and purity of Bach - his mathematical precision combined with his glorious celebration of life and happiness plus his understanding of the depths of human emotion I am at a loss at how you (the reader) doesn't appreciate the genius it took to construct this work. Bach's genius is on the same level as an Einstein or Da Vinci but the blessing of Bach is that its approachable by any person no matter what level of intellect or musical appreciation - all it takes is a willingness to sit and analyze the music. Anyway, I'm being a music nerd again but you all need to take a half hour and listen to the Goldberg Variations as soon as you can. (note: if you can listen to the Glenn Gould version - if you tend to get bored easily listen to the early set, if you don't mind sitting listen to the late version. If you can't find Gould, any version will be fine).

Peace and Love

summer time

Summer is beautiful. I love summer. Therefore iced tea is good.

Seriously, there's something just right about having a glass of sweet tea (the southern kind) on a hot day - especially when its homemade. So to all you people out there who are sitting inside go brew up some tea, dump 3-4 cups of sugar in it, stick it in the fridge for a while, and then drink it outside on your lawn. Not an experience to be missed.