brodie: perfectly imbalanced

say anything

I just finished watching a movie called "Say Anything" with John Cusack. This was, of course, by Lonnie's recommendation. I thought the movie was good, although not quite as great as "Grosse Point Blank". Lonnie said that John Cusack's character in the movie, reminded him of me....although I can't see it. Although, some of the things that Lloyd (John Cusack) went through were pretty funny and kinda similar to my life. I did like how Lloyd was not content with staying in his class, and going for the girl who was beyond him. I also liked the scene where he was contemplating, post break-up, that he hanged out with girls too much. So he decided to hang out with the guys at the local 7-11, but he realized that they were shallow. Anyways, it's a movie worth watching once or twice, but it isn't one to live your life around.....not like I do that with any movie anyways.

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 12:15 AM 3 comments

funny stuff

posted by brodie @ 11:10 PM 1 comments

damp hair and a soaked jacket

That is what I had to live with today. Today wasn't a bad day, and I LOVE the rain, but I don't have proper rain attire (aka: shoes, jacket/hood, umbrella) so I braved the rain. I actually stuffed my jacket, socks, and shoes in the film negative dryer at the photo lab, while nobody was watching, but it didn't help much.

Speaking of photos, I tried to develop my Sufjan pictures, but none of them really came out. I think it was the fact that the light was different colors and my camera kept on wanting to use the flash....it's like the camera had a mind of it's own. It didn't want me to take pictures without the flash on, and now I really don't have a good picture of Sufjan. Actually, I do have one picture that's kinda blurry, but looks cool, so I might keep that one on my wall.

This wall has not developed yet, because I am not actually living in a room at the present time. But, I have managed to buy various posters, as well as take some good pictures. Also, I know that several people have walls dedicated to friends, and I have tried it before, but my pictures usually fall off the wall (i use tape). So if anyone knows a cheap method of applying pictures to a wall, comment me.

The strange urge has come over me to blog about my love for Sufjan Stevens (again). After going up to Nashville to see him and his Illinoise band, I have been listening to nothing but Sufjan. My favorites off of his Illinoise cd would have to be:

1. The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!
2. Come On! Feel the Illinoise!: Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition/Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream
3. Concerning the UFO Sighting near Highland, Illinois
4. Casimir Pulaski Day
5. They are Night Zombies!! They are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!

If you think those song titles are weird, check out number 2 on the cd. So that is my favorite 5 of Sufjan, and soon, I might put my favorite Nickel Creek on here, for all of you to see.

So, my day has been fraught with danger and excitement! How about yours? I doubt that you can top my rain story. Yes, it is awesome....and I am making no sense at all right now, so I will sign off now. Good night to all and to all a good night!

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 11:13 PM 3 comments

the dark room calleth

I have to leave to go to school soon, but I am not enitrely looking forward to today. Why? Well, developing pictures in the dark room is sort of boring and really tiring. However, it is nice to see some of your work turn out. Also, I have soccer practice today, which is going well except for the fact that they lost their last game. So we need to practice some fundamentals with the kids before our next game. That's it for now!

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 9:50 AM 0 comments

verification

For those who post on my blog, you'll have to do a little code verification to get your comment posted. It's really easy for you and it gets rid of those spammers for me. Hooray!

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 8:37 AM 1 comments

Ahh! Wasps!

Tis almost time for me to get some sleep, but I decided to write once more before I shut my eyes. I just wanted to take up this small place to thank God for all friends and family. You guys are all great!

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 12:17 AM 0 comments

let's make some illinoise!

I have just returned from my 3rd trip to Nashville, and as one of my friends mentioned, there has never been a time that we have spent in Nashville that was bad. This last trip might have taken the cake. The reason is this man right here:



Friday night, Caleb, Jon, Derek, and I went to a Sufjan Stevens concert. Although it seems that only 50% of the group liked the show (Jon and I), all of us had a great time. Sufjan and his band came out in cheerleading attire and lead the crowd in cheering for different places and people from Illinois. It was pure excitement and orchestrated brilliance rolled into one. The songs were moving, yet they gave a show like none other. The song I liked the best was called "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us". It starts out slow, but as soon as the trumpet parts hit you, you feel washed away by the strange sadness of the song. The whole show was excellent and I will be glad when I get to feel the joy of Illinoise again!

-brodie

P.S. ~ Nickel Creek is up next!

posted by brodie @ 7:41 PM 1 comments

ojos cerrados

I was trying to find something to write about on this early morning when I happened upon a quote on a friend's blog. It read, Living is easy with eyes closed. After thinking about the said quote, it reminds me of how this is how I live my life sometimes. Although I would have to say that I usually tend to live with eyes opened just a little bit. I do this because I am scared. I don't want to open my eyes and face harsh realities that may bring me down, but life isn't supposed to be about living easy, especially for Christians.

Take for example, going to Biloxi. I could have shut my eyes to what was going on over there, and I would be living easy. I wouldn't have to leave my home. I could have stayed here, enjoying the niceties that surround living a life without any problems (or rather fewer problems). It took an interesting conversation with friends, prayer, reading the Scriptures, and some encouragement from the parents to fully open my eyes to what was needed several hundred miles west of here.

I know from many experiences that it is much easier for me to just forget about what could potentially throw my life for a loop, and just sit it out. It may not be right, but I have grown to shy away from those types of situations. One circumstance that has worked out a little differently is my countless relationships with girls. I allow myself to open my eyes a little more than normal. Maybe it's curiosity.....or it might be stupidity. Whatever it is, the outcome is almost always the same. I receive a punishment of sorts by keeping my peepers open, and as a result I slowly close them. After every single thing that goes wrong in relationships I close my eyes, because it's hard to watch blow after blow sting you. Granted, it's not what I should be doing. I do learn from the mistakes that I have made in relationships, and I move on, but sometimes I feel like it would be so much easier to just close my eyes and let the darkness wash over me. But as long as the Lord is guiding me, I am not going to give into the let downs that plague me day in and day out.

Sure, living is easier with eyes closed, but I wouldn't want to miss those things I have seen and those things and people that are up ahead.

-luke

posted by brodie @ 2:15 AM 1 comments

finding the words to say

The tendencies of the mind pull us down, making uncomfortable moments for us to avoid. Some, however, barrel through them with blind eyes, making stupidity their guide.

posted by brodie @ 12:19 AM 2 comments

nothing's bright on this side of the moon

Today had it's ups and downs. I was immensely proud of the kids playing soccer today. Kids will be kids, especially when playing sports, and you can't blame them for doing something wrong. It is, after all, just a game. That was probably the only up in this day. It's funny how one piece of news can change the whole day. I am not going to go into details, because it is a family issue at the moment, but if you could keep my mom in your prayers, I would appreciate it.

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 7:38 PM 0 comments

howl's moving castle

One of the good things about staying up late is that you aren't bothered when you want to use the computer freely. One of the things that I have been following for quite some time is the animated movie, Howl's Moving Castle. It is one of Hayao Miyazaki's films, and I wouldn't expect very many of my readers to know who that is (except maybe for Michael). He directed such films as Porco Rosso (Mr. Jordan's favorite), My Neighbor Totoro (one of my favorites), Princess Mononoke, and as of late, Spirited Away, which won an Academy award. The plot of Howl's Moving Castle is loosely based on a book of the same name by an author named Diana Wynne Jones.

Here is a plot overview that I snagged from another site:



Sophie, an average teenage girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome-yet-mysterious wizard named Howl, and is subsequently turned into a 90-year old woman by the vain and conniving Wicked Witch of the Waste.


Embarking on an incredible odyssey to lift the curse, she finds refuge in Howl's flying mechanical castle where she becomes acquainted with Markl, Howl's apprentice, and a hot-headed fire demon named Calcifer. Sophie's love and support comes to have a major impact on Howl, who flies in the face of orders from the palace to become a pawn of war and instead risks his life to bring peace back to the kingdom.



Although this post may forever brand me as the geek I really am (or is it nerd?), I really don't care. It looks like an enjoyable movie, and one that I will probably enjoy myself (or with Mr. Jordan).

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 1:09 AM 0 comments

i have returned..

...with what will be, less spelling mistakes! Anyways, it turned out that this day hasn't actually been exciting, but I will try to make do. And to be unique, I will catagorize them! Ooooooohhhh!

Sufjan Stevens
Jon, Caleb, and I will be leaving next Friday to see Sufjan and I am pretty stoked about it. I have never really been to a concert or show with a singer or band that is fairly famous, so it should be fun. Hopefully he'll play my favorite song of his, Casimir Polaski Day.

Soccer
Tomorrow I have my first practice and Saturday my first game without Michael. I am a little anxious (seeing as how I am a soccer poser) about how well the kids do, but I am sure that they won't hold a grudge against me if we lose.

Lost
The season premiere of Lost is coming up pretty soon and I can't wait to get caught up in all the plot twists and secrets. This kinda show is exactly the reason why I don't have a girlfriend....i'm such a geek...

That's really all I can think of right now. I'll be happy to fill you all in on anything else if you want to ask me in the comment section....just remember to put your name.

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 3:49 PM 1 comments

yawn

I was really tired last night, and it eventually led to a lot of sleep. Usually I go to bed around 1am, but I had worked in the dark room at the school for a couple of hours. For those of you who have never worked in a darkroom before, well it's different. There are no "short days" in a darkroom, because when you want to develop a picture, you want it to turn out perfectly. I was not pleased with the way that all of them turned out, but I can always go back and re-develop some. Yesterday night I helped out Michelle Clabough, an admissions (thanks anonymous!) officer at Flagler, with her booth. After that I came home and conked out. This isn't really a great big post, but at least someone might be interested in my sleeping habits. Just to appease you brodie fans, I'll write something later as well.

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 9:27 AM 1 comments

first trip

For those of you who are wondering why I used the title "first trip" for my blog post, I'll tell you. I just came back from Biloxi, Mississippi last night and realizing that there is a lot of work left to be done, I know that I will be making more trips back there in the future.

When we arrived in Biloxi, it was an eye-opener. Highway 90 was partly underwater, so we had to navigate on some side streets to get to First Presbyterian. Once we pulled into FPC, my first thought was "boy this place is packed" and my second thought was "the building doesn't seem to have taken a lot of damage". The fact of the matter was that the church was indeed crowded with volunteers from University of Florida (Campus Crusade), others from different locations in the South, and even some from Biloxi. We got ourselves situated and drove out to our first house with a local college kid named Patrick. We probably worked on 3 houses that day, and even though it was hot and uncomfortable, nobody complained. It was almost like this unspoken understanding that we all had. We were there to serve God first, and no amount of heat, humidity, or slippery roofs were going to prevent us from showing these people that we helped that we were there to help them. Mr. Ruff did an outstanding job of grouping the men together and using us as tools for God's work. At the houses that were not very well off, he would lead us and the family in prayer. Saturday night, we were walking back from the beach, and he told me that he was proud that us men stepped up and decided to come over to Biloxi. I told him that his leadership was just as commendable.

Yesterday afternoon, we finished up some more work for people. I also took pictures of houses that were completely leveled. Looking at some of those non-existent houses, and looking around at the walls protecting me, it makes me glad to have a house, and thankful to God that he has protected us. At the same time, now that I have seen what has happened in other parts, I understand that God has opened up this opportunity for us to go over there and help them so that they will understand how far God's love reaches.

I doubt that this will be the only time that I go, and I enjoyed the trip thoroughly. I will continue to pray as well, for those who have suffered and those who continue to suffer.

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 9:36 AM 1 comments

where is my mind....

...is the name of a famous Pixie's song from one of their best albums, "Surfer Rosa". It's also something that I seem to be wondering the past couple of hours. I tried to watch "The O.C." with friends to get my mind off of things, but it didn't work all that well. Escaping real-life drama and entering a world of television drama doesn't exactly come to mind as a great escape. However, I did go with Mike to Alabanza, which put my mind at ease.

I feel like listening to some Nickel Creek....specifically the last song on the new album.

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 11:18 PM 1 comments

staring into the black recesses...

..which is my coffee. I am really tired right now, but not tired in a sleepy way. I feel weary. But I can't do anything about me being tired. Just have to move forward. And I have to get ready for school.

-luke

posted by brodie @ 10:21 AM 3 comments

rambling thoughts

I get really bored in some of my classes. My usual habit when bored is to draw. However, today I was compelled to write some poetry (how manly of me!). My usual poetry tends to revolve around unrequited love or heartbreak or something along those lines, but today I wanted to try something a little bit different. I say "a little" because I think love is a subject that can never get boring, especially in a poem. I managed to complete two verses today, but the lines are (in my mind) vastly different from each other. If I could come up with some way to correlate the two verses into a full poem, I would. However, as they stand, they are different entities.

Here is the first one, but it was hastily written, so don't be too hard on it.

The love you feel for those near,
Gives perspective on your life.
Whether good or bad, you tend to fear,
That outside the quiet is strife.

I really don't know what I was thinking about when I wrote that line. I was trying so hard to match it with the next one, but as I said, it was hastily written.

The next verse was one I liked a little better.

There is a place where time ends,
Giving way to thoughts unbridled.
Where laughter and silence become friends,
And all things unknown are titled.

It was quite a stretch for me to rhyme "unbridled" with "titled" but I really love the 3rd line. I came up with this verse after listening to a song called "How it ends" by a guy named DeVotchka. To me, when I listen to music and survey life around me, it just seems like I am in my own little world. In that world, you can think and see more clearly.

Maybe I am rambling to some, but I make perfect sense to myself.

-brodie

posted by brodie @ 11:21 PM 4 comments