mom told me to

Well here is an update at the request of my mom. This month is slammed! My friend Lyle is getting married this weekend! Apt. R reunion! Can't wait for that. Then next week I'm heading up to Indy for FUEL conference at the Wesleyan HQ. This is going to be really great time of catching up with old friends and making some new ones. After that some special friends are coming down to check out SWU and then we are having a sweet costume party at youth group on the 29th!

In other news it is raining here today and it reminds me Ohio. It always seemed to rain in OH and especially in the fall. Here in the south east we have been in a really bad drought so the rain is much needed but none the less it still puts me in that mood. Y'know the one where you take your comforter from your bed to the couch and watch tv before you get ready for your day. When you get into the office you put on some raw acoustic music and try to stay awake. Today I'll be listening to Bon Iver.

Also there will be some new photos on the Flickr site later this week. Katie and I and another couple went to Skytop Orchard in Flatrock, NC this past weekend and picked some good apples. Hope your Fall is going well thus far. Enjoy it.

So....

So the big announcement is on hold. In other news the DNC has been pretty neat to watch. The Republican Nation Convention (is that what they call it?) starts next week. I'm still on the fence about who to vote for, although some new pictures of Obama are pretty sweet.manifesthope
I will have new photos on the flickr site next week so be looking for those. Have a good rest of the week and weekend.

Big Announcement

Stay tuned for a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT from RayPaul Brands!

David Chang

Charlie Rose has been one of my favorite shows for a long time now and last night's episode reminded me why. He was interviewing a chef named David Chang. Chef Chang has created restaurants that people want to go to. I believe he has 3 different one in New York City. One sounds like a fast food noodle bar. I love noodle places so I'm going to make it a goal to go there. As Charlie Rose always asks great questions and one in-particular stuck with me from last night's interview. He asked the chef what was the best meal he had ever had. The chef thought and answered the question and they talked about the meal and the setting. I sat there thinking that is a pretty big question and asked my self the same. What was the best meal I have ever had? A few memories went through my mind; the first time I had Skirt Steak and then the second time I had it at Eddie George's Grill. The first time I had Jeni's Ice cream ( Not a meal but amazing none the less). And Tommy's Pizza.

These meals were all amazing but the one that stood out the most was dish my late cousin Steve made. We were on vacation in Holden Beach, NC and there were a ton of us. Steve had worked in the restaurant industry so he knew what he was doing. It was a Filet Mignon wrapped with bacon and a large shrimp on top with an amazing shrimp cream sauce and grilled to perfection. I can still remember thinking this is the most amazing thing that I've ever put in my mouth. I was a bit younger then but to still be able to remember that feeling, that is what makes it the best meal I've ever had.

So like Charlie Rose I ask you the same question. What is the best meal you've ever had?

Some New Photos

Well June is finally over! What a month. There are a ton of pictures that I still have to go through but I have put up a few from the past two weeks. VBS and both youth camps were incredible! What a time of watching God move through teen's lives in powerful ways.

July is vacation month! I've got a wedding and then off to the beach! I can hardly stand it. I've been listening to Ray Barbee for the last few weeks to get in the mood and it's working. Today I started listening to the Sprout soundtrack. It's gonna be a great next few weeks!

Don't forget to keep up with me on Twitter
Here's the link to Flickr

Photos for a week

This week I'll be taking pictures for the Jr. High Youth Camp at Table Rock. I'm so stoked to be able to just take pictures pretty much all week. It's an honor to be asked to do it and kind of a dream job. A big job but a dream job. I get to try and capture powerful emotions, scenes, and epressions as people encounture God this week. What a huge task. Be sure to check the Twitter and Flickr sites for updates.

Happy Father's day. Dad, your card and gift are in the mail! No for real they really are in the mail this year.


See ya!

June Plans

Wow the first week of June is over already! It's a hot one in the Upstate, temperatures are hovering around in the 90's all week. I've got a window AC unit and I'm working it overtime. This month is going to be hot and crazy as for as my calendar goes and because of this blogging will be limited. You can keep up with me better on my new twitter site.

June 9-13 VBS

June 16-20 JR High Youth Camp

June 23-27 SR High Youth Camp

Also I'll be watching the NBA Finals. Boston is up 1-0. BEAT LA!

Have a good weekend.

Twitter

I'm now also on Twitter. Check it out.

And the # 1 song is.......

Artist: Sixpence None the Richer

Album: Sixpence None the Richer

Reason: Now despite what you might think, this is an amazing album. Aside from "Kiss Me" it has a lot of depth, very creative guitar rifts, smooth bass lines and singable melodies. This album showed me that Christians can write beautiful music and lyrics without being cheesy. It is a thought provoking album that as one critic said "makes you want to curl up with a hot tea on a gray day and read your favorite book". (or something like that)

Favorite Tracks: All of Them

We Have Forgotten

Anything

The Waiting Room

Kiss Me

Easy to Ignore

Puedo Escribir

I Can't Catch You

The Lines of My Earth

Sister, Mother

I Won't Stay Long

Love

Moving On

There She Goes

New Photos!

There are new photos on the Flickr site. Stop by and enjoy.

# 2

Artist: Coldplay

Album: Parachutes

Reason: I have to admit, the first time I heard "Yellow" I thought it was kind of a goofy song. But once I heard the rest of the album on a trip from Boston to Columbus, I was hooked! I just kept listening to it. From the unquic cords that Chris Martin has become famous for to the interesting lyrics that paint "a beautiful wold" Coldplay continues to write well thought out music that takes us on a wonderful journey.

Favorite Tracks: All of them

Don't Panic

Shiver

Spies

Sparks

Yellow

Trouble

Parachutes

High Speed

We Never Change

Everything's Not Lost

# 3

Artist: MXPX

Album: The Ever Passing Moment

Reason: When I first heard this album it blew me away! It had sounds that I had never heard come from this band. They made an album that brought elements from their punk roots and mixed it with great power pop sounds. The guitars sound amazing and the songs are thought out and lead you to their core beliefs of who they are as band.

Favorite Tracks:

My Life Story

Responsibility

Prove it to the World

Is the Answer In the Question?

Next Big Thing

Foolish

Misplaced Memories

# 4

Artist: Sufjan Stevens

Album: Illinoise

Reason: Sufjan, however you say his name, is somewhat of a acquired taste. His song writing ability is what first got my attention. His words paint a picture of where he is. Perhaps the sites you might see if you drove around Chicago or the state of Michigan if you're listening to that album. The instrument selection is very interesting, kind of makes you feel like you've fallen into the dark forgotten band room of your high school, who knows what you'll hear.

Favorite Tracks:

Chicago

Jacksonville

Casimir Pulaski Day

The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

HELP

I'm going on a trip tomorrow and I need to know what album to by for the drive.
Any suggestions?
A few I'm considering:
Tegan & Sara
Death Cab for Cutie
Duffy

My favorite albums list will continue tomorrow.

# 5

Artist: Soulive

Album: Break Out

Reason: I was with my cousins killing time in Barns & Noble and we were picking up random CDs looking for something good. We found Soulive. We didn't buy the album then but we never forgot what we heard that day. 3 years later I heard about them again and bought Break Out as soon as I could. This album has everything. First off Soulive is an incredible group of musicians. They are Jazz/Funk/Soul/Rock. You have to hear this album to believe it. The keyboardist/organist also plays the bass line on the keys. Watching them live, it takes you a minute to figure out that there isn't an actual bass player on stage playing that fast, complicated bass line. You see it but you don't believe it. This album has a lot of guest artists aswell, one of the most note able might be Robert Randolph from Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

Favorite Tracks:

Reverb

Back Again

Break Out

Crosstown Traffic ( featuring Robert Randolph)

New Photos!

This is one of the new photos at my Flickr site. Also my office window was open and guy started mowing the grass. Needless to say I am now covered in tiny bits of grass.

# 6

Artist: Jack Johnson

Album: Brushfire Fairytales

Reason: Oh the many reasons I love this album. It came at such a great time in my life. I was less than a month from graduating from high school. I was just discovering the surfing culture and the weather was turning warm. It was the perfect album for the season. The songs are so simple and there is a raw, striped down feeling to the production. The more I learn about Jack the more I like him as an artist.

Favorite Tracks:

Middle Man ( One of the first Jack song's I heard on the movie Thicker Than Water )

Inaudible Melodies

Flake

Bubble Toes

Mud Football

F-Stop Blues

# 7

Artist: Hillsong United

Album: Look To You

Reason: It is really hard to pick a favorite United album. Because they are worship albums they all have different meanings for me at different times. Looking back this album has so far had the greatest impact on my life of all their albums. "Salvation Is Here" came at a very pivital time. This album is chuck full of great pop rock worship songs, full of energy and deapth. The craftsmen in Sydney did well on this one. The problem with Hillsong United is that each album is better than the last and the latest album "I Heart Revolution" has older songs but they sound better than they ever have!

Favorite Tracks:

Salvation Is Here

What the World Will Never Take Away

Tell the World

Look To You

Shout Unto God

# 8

Artist: Matthew

Album: Everybody Down

Reason: The vocals, the vocals, the vocals. Brian McSweeney, what a voice. The band is from Chicago and you can feel the Chicago rock in a lot of the tracks.

Favorite Tracks:

Everybody Down

The Darkest Night

In Your Car

Over Board

# 9

Artist: Incubus

Album: Morning View (2001)

Reason: The crunchy guitars, the tight drums and the over all production of this album is amazing. I thought the song craftsmanship was stellar as well. The album's art work was really well done too.

Favorite Tracks:

Just A Phase

Blood On The Ground

Are You In

Aqueous Transmission