Rocking Out 2008: Beverly Hills

Were I to use a single word to describe my friend James Brown, "introvert" would not be the word. James wanted to sing this one, and he decided that it would be best to scream it at the top of his lungs "really hardcore". After seeing the video, I'd say "Mission Accomplished." So here is yet another Weezer song. "Beverly Hills"

Hope you all had a great 2008. Let's hope 2009 is every bit as wonderful!

It's Nacho Cat: Last Thing You'll See

If you are a mouse in my house, this is the last thing you'll ever see.

The Best Ending Of Any TV Show Ever

For Christmas, my grandfather got me a Bing Crosby CD, which I'm excited about. Bing Crosby stuff is just so positive. In Rose Bud, I always listened to Bing Crosby or Louis Armstrong while preparing my sermons. I love to try and sing along with it. The CD he got me is one of Crosby's Irish songs. One of which I had heard before, as a different version, not by Bing, at the end of an episode of Space Ghost.

Here is the ending of that episode, which is in my opinion, truly classic. I present to you "Dear Old Donegal". Especially note the credits.

Pick The Tree: Contest Results

It pains me to post this, but the votes are in, and the contest is over. Even though at a Christmas party, the judges selected me as the better Christmas tree, the people on my blog have spoken. After 95 votes, the score is 46 (me) to 49 (Carolina). I'd like to think that's still within the margin of error, but Carolina has been chosen as the winner.

Many thanks to all 95 of you for stopping by and sharing your opinion. Too bad it wasn't me. I guess I'll have to buy her dinner or something. haha

Merry Christmas from the Adams Family

It's Nacho Cat: Meowy Christmas

Most people like Christmas trees because they enjoy looking at them, and they make a convenient place to keep gifts.

Nacho likes Christmas trees because she enjoys playing with the ornaments, and they make a convenient place to take naps and groom yourself.

It's Nacho Cat: Tree Decorating

While Carolina and I decorated the tree, Nacho found some things to explore.

It's Nacho Cat: Balanced

No matter how many times I see her walk on top of fence posts, I will never stop being amazed at how cats can be such natural acrobats. This is one of her favorite ways to pester the next door neighbor's dogs. It isn't my fence she's walking on there!

Rocking Out 2008: Sweet Home Alabama

This is a video of us performing at the show. It was a dress up function, and we decided to go as "The Black Eyed P's" Nyuck Nyuck. It was in a very dark gym, so unfortunately those on the other side of the stage are not visible at all. I thought this one turned out particularly well.

VOTE! Who Is The Best Christmas Tree?

We just had a Christmas party with the young professionals at church, and at the party, there was a competition. Somehow Carolina and I both ended up on different teams, and both of us ended up being "Team Captain". The competition was that each team had 10 minutes to decorate a person as a Christmas Tree. According to the judges, I was the winner.

But Carolina insists that she was robbed. So please take a look at these pictures and vote: Who is the better Christmas Tree? Me or Carolina?

Highlights:
- Carolina has more stuff on her
- She has a halo, and multiple garlands
- Mark has a fancy star on top, and a colorful chain

Please vote on the top right hand side of my blog.

Why I won't get a tattoo

Haha...Oh, I'm such a grammar stickler. This is one reason not to get a tattoo. There's too much potential for error.

I've always thought that people were foolish to get those tattoos in Chinese or Japanese especially. Because if I were a tattoo artist, I would create a list of incorrect ones. So a guy would think he was getting a tattoo that meant "peace" or "hope", but instead it would mean "potato" or "midget". And he would never know the difference. haha

Where's Waldo?

I hope this is not a distasteful thing to post, but I found it humorous.

It's Nacho Cat: Presidential

Carolina took some pictures of Nacho as the leaves were changing in our back yard. I thought this one looked like a good Presidential photo, as they stare off into the distance with an American scene behind them.

Were we to use similar policies for finding terrorists that Nacho uses for finding rodents and pests, Bin Laden would be in bad shape. I say vote 'Nacho 2012'.

Life in an Upper Echelon Divinity Library

Lately I've been cramming for a paper I have due on Friday. I have been taking advantage of the Vanderbilt University Divinity School Library, and have spent many hours in there looking up books and articles relevant to my paper. In just the last couple of days, I've had a few experiences that I thought were worth noting...at least for the sake of keeping a diary of what's on my mind.

1. F-Bomb. Though I've heard it before, and I'm sure I will hear it again, it is weird to be in a divinity library where everyone is presumably studying about God, and to hear people beside you have a conversation about partying hard and utilizing the F-bomb while they talk. Vanderbilt is quite the different environment than the Harding Grad School.
   
   
2. Bathroom Graffiti. I don't make it a habit to whip out my camera in public restrooms. But I was the only one in there, and I saw this on the wall in my stall. If you're wondering what kinds of things people write on the walls of upper echelon divinity library bathrooms, here's a sample.
   
   
3. Little Mystic Man. For a couple of days while I was in the library, I noticed this very tiny man who looks like Genghis Khan's shorter brother. I've seen him the last two times I've been there. He isn't even close to being 5' tall. He has wild long black hair, a long beard to match, and long, dirty fingernails. Vandy places a huge emphasis on diversity, and you'll find people of every race, sex, and nationality there studying theology...except for average white guys. I haven't seem many of them.
   
   So I noticed this guy a couple of days ago. He was sitting on one of the high stools at a computer 2 or 3 down from the one where I was working. His feet didn't reach the foot rest, and were just dangling loosely. He was typing away, single-key pecking with great intensity. Deep down I began to really wonder where he was from and what religion he followed. When you see someone that outlandish at an elite school, you figure they're probably a genius of some sort. So as I watched him work with such ferocity, I was wondering what he was pondering. Was he reaching into the depths of reality and experience he's had from around the world to make some profound observations about the meaning of life? What could have this little guy so worked up? What was he looking for in his research? Would it blow my mind just to try and understand it?
   
   Again, yesterday, he showed up after I did, taking the computer a couple down the row from me. He had a taller friend help him climb up onto the chair, where his feet were once again dangling, and he began pecking away again, with the same intensity as before. I figured he must be on the verge of enlightenment for sure.
   
   I just had to know what he was working on. So I finally managed to find a reason to squeeze past him. When I did, without him noticing, I paused to glare over his shoulder at his computer screen and to learn what was captivating this small mystical person.
   
   He was Facebooking.
   

It's NOT Nacho Cat: Meet Munchy

There's a cute cat that's been hanging around church a lot. He shows up especially on Wednesday nights. We aren't sure if he's owned by anyone or not. He resembles Nacho, and happens to be really friendly like Nacho.

Just as I gave Nacho her legendary name by naming her after the chips I fed her, Carolina fed this cat some Munchies the other day, and has henceforth started referring to this cat as "Munchy".

The other night, Munchy hopped up underneath Jon Austin's truck bed, and didn't want to get out. I managed to snap Munchy's picture. After he started the truck, the vibrations irritated him and he got out. It was funny while it lasted, though.

Rocking Out 2008: Say It Ain't So

Here is us practicing up on "Say It Ain't So." Weezer stuff is just so much fun! I loved that Brian nailed the feedback at the end of the song.

Notice the Cameo appearance by my good friend Jeremy Beauchamp!