well, it’s about time that i get American Idol off of the top of my list here, am i right?… we all know who’s won and we all probably agree that the most shocking thing about it is that i picked it right… anyway, congrats to Kris and all his fans, hopefully his album won’t include any songs as bad as No Boundaries…

Moving on, there are a number of things that i want to talk about, but we’ll have to take them all one at a time and see what happens… first, some basketball, spies and a lesson in persistence…

N.B.AMAZING
- now playing: Amazing – Kanye West

if you haven’t been watching the NBA playoffs, you’ve been missing some of the best sporting events of the year… i’m sure that the hockey playoffs are just dandy and that the baseball season has its share of excitement, but right now, you just cannot beat the drama taking place every night in both of the conference finals series…

you’ve got the clear favorites in both conferences (Lakers and Cavs) squaring off each night against veritable underdogs (Nuggets and Magic) proving to be formidable rivals… and almost every game has come down to the last thirty seconds or less… i’m not generally the guy who’s yelling at the television or reacting emotionally to games, but the other night when LeBron hit that last second three-pointer to even the series at a game a piece, i jumped up in excitement… amazing… now that’s how to finish a game… i’m a few games behind the action right now, but i’m enjoying every game as i watch them… add in the completely ridiculous outfits that Craig Sager always wears as if he’s lost a bet and i can’t wait ’til the finals regardless of who’ll be matched up…

REDEEMING THE FIFTH
- now playing: Redemption – Switchfoot

Also on my TV screen is the “new classic” spy series, Alias… I’m one of the suckers who picked up the full series on DVD packaged as a special Rambaldi artifact and i’ve been reliving the magic of the show over the last few months… i know that the series has taken a beating because it completely lost the plot during the fourth season, but even as annoying as that season was, transforming the show from a serialized suspense/drama into an episodic series, the season 4 finale was spectacular and season five has, thus far brought the show back around…

I’m currently seven episodes into the fifth season and it’s as compelling as it was the first time around… it’s probably not as good as Lost has been, but it’s certainly one of the best shows in television’s recent history… the weirdest thing for me right now is that i keep expecting Weiss to start reading everyone’s mind…

BREAKING THE TAPE
- now playing: The Distance – Cake

somewhat unrelated and somewhat entirely related (i’ll let you be the judge) i’ve been doing a lot of file organization, cleaning up the music folders on my hard drive and cleaning out my email archives so that my server host doesn’t stop liking me because i use too much space…

anyway, in the process of cleaning out my old emails – and i do mean old – i stumbled across a series of emails from a rather difficult time in my life… a time when ties were cut and feelings were hurt and endings were realized… i probably dug up things that should remain buried, but i did notice a number of similarities between then and now… and, looking back, i’m starting to understand more the importance of finishing well…

the words of Paul haunt me as i think of how i’ve failed to finish well in the past… how i’ve chosen to fade out rather than burn out… (even though i’ve often felt burnt out)… how i haven’t necessarily run in such a way as to receive the prize… or always lived a life that’s worthy of Christ… and i think ahead… of how i can change… i think of how God intends these circumstances for good… and how a diligent worker will stand before kings… and how i can change and get there… just a lot of thoughts in my head…

IT’S OVER

kind of heavy there for a blog entry, but these things happen… coming soon, i’ve got a handful of EPs to talk about, i’ve got a stack of books to talk about… i’ve got some other stuff to write and i’ve got some things to do… lots to look forward to…

peace… love… bdg…

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i’m getting a little tired… okay, i’m extremely tired of all the games in play when it comes to finding a job… anyway… first up today are a couple of marketing items that i’ve discovered recently that have what i consider to be fundamental flaws… and i’m going to share those with you now…

CHERRY, 7, CHERRY, JACKPOT

now playing: The Glory of It All – David Crowder Band

the first example comes from the world of soda pop… (or whatever YOU call it)… you may not know this about me, but there’s something about me that compells me to try a new flavor or brand of soda so long as it sounds reasonably yummy… i get frustrated if they’re hard to track down, but i’ve been known to visit a number of different stores trying to lay hold of a coveted bottle or can of this new flavor…

with that in mind, Dr Pepper – one of my absolute favorite sodas – has been poking fun at me for years now, releasing flavors to only the diet version… by the way, that’s another rule… no diet soda… anyway, they scored fairly well a while back with their “Red Fusion” version, but since then, the Cherry Vanilla, Cherry Chocolate, and Berries & Cream versions were all available in diet, but never in the real, classic, full-sugared drink that i would actually try… at least not near me…

Enter Dr Pepper Cherry… the latest concoction from the brand i love, and it’s actually available in regular strength… i’ve happily been able to enjoy this beverage and it’s wonderful… it’s advertised as “amazingly smooth” and it is indeed smooth… however, there is a fundamental flaw with Dr Pepper Cherry…

Here’s the thing… Dr Pepper is already a cherry soda… why oh why then are you spending all this marketing into promoting a cherry version of a cherry soda?… how does that make any sense whatsoever?… and why is this the only variation that i’m able to get my hands on? still haven’t tasted Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla or Berries & Cream, but have heard rumors that they are out there… anyway, to say that Dr Pepper Cherry is the new Dr Pepper is like saying Red is the new Red… it is inherently redundant

EATIN’ GOOD?

now playing: The Realness – Cookbook and UNO Mas

Applebee’s, the restaraunt of choice for the small town of Dillon, Texas, has made an error in judgement by branding their new line of hamburgers “RealBurgers”… the reason for this is, i think, pretty obvious… if these new hamburgers are “real,” then what on earth were they serving us before?… i mean, it BEGS the question, right?… if these are real than what was unreal about the others?… enough said…

THE COLONEL’S SECRET

now playing: What Would You Do If I’m Not Supposed to Be – Listener

last but not least, is something that may just have Col. Harlan Sanders rolling in his grave… KFC, a.k.a. Kentucky FRIED Chicken, has introduced GRILLED chicken onto its menu… now, i’m not going to say that it’s a bad thing to broaden your menu and try to perhaps offer a “healthier” option, but, yes… there is a fundamental flaw to the Kentucky Grilled Chicken option…

if i’m going to plunk down my money and eat at KFC – because it’s not exactly the cheapest option for fast food still – i’m not going to order anything other than FRIED CHICKEN… when i want fried chicken, i go to Kentucky Fried Chicken… if i want grilled chicken, well, i get a rotisserie chicken or something to that effect…

having said that… i tried the grilled chicken for free (apparently thanks to Oprah and this coupon on UnthinkKFC.com… it’s good… i’m sure it’s not much healthier than the fried stuff and i’m not sure that i’d choose it over the fried chicken if i were to splurge and buy something there, but it’s good stuff… check it out while it’s free…

MORE DEFERRED

and that’s it for this entry… hope you got a kick out of it… i still have lots of TV to talk about and lots of music… and a number of books… i even got six new books today in the mail, so there’s plenty of fuel on that front…

peace… love… bdg…

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Well, this is weird… i’m back on my new laptop, which is like lightning compared to an old camera’s flashbulb.. but now i’m spread over between the two again and my cable company has chosen today to really act up… can’t something be done about cable companies? where’s that old lady with the hammer now?…

not going to get in to the events of this week, but they’ve taken something of a toll on me… most people say that being on a job search is like a roller coaster… i’d say it’s more like a yo-yo… and right now, i’m walking the dog, waiting for that upward thrust that will summon me back up to a new high…

now playing: Ten Years and Running – MxPx.

Anyway, today is a great day… ten years ago today, i woke up in a pretty run down apartment building, after not much more than two hours of sleep – stayed up the whole night watching The Waterboy, Money Talks, and Rush Hour among other things – was tired, a bit sick to my stomach, and nervous, but ready… ten years ago today, my life changed…

today i woke up next to the love of my life, in a nice house, ready to face the day and ready for any changes life has to offer for as long as i’m here… ten years and it’s just the tip of the iceberg…

Well, i’m off to enjoy the rest of the day… i’ll write more another time…

peace… love… bdg…

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So the “madness” is underway and, while i did fill out a bracket, i can’t say how well i’m doing with it since i haven’t really paid attention to any of the games or the results… i guess i’m just distracted… or perhaps i’m just not into the early rounds because it’s all so predictable… upsets are are quite rare anymore which makes the tourney just a bit less compelling…

now playing: Let’s Get Upset – DeGarmo & Key

speaking of upsets, i was told that Alexis being sent home this week on American Idol was the single biggest upset in Idol history… i don’t know about that, but then again, i didn’t realize it was an upset at all…

see, i don’t really pay attention to any “sources” or chatter about American Idol… i pretty much watch the performances (while blogging my thoughts in real time), make my predictions, and watch the results (with my remote close by to skip through the group lip-syncs and silly Ford commercials (though, i do like the new Fusion)… i figure that’s enough of a time investment to the show as it is and to scour the internet for more would be going too far… also, i want my picks to be my picks, as pure as possible, uninfluenced by things like dialidol and whatnot… (i’m not saying that it’s wrong for others to partake in these channels of information, just that i find it hard enough to manage my time and i need to draw lines somewhere)…

all that to say that i had no idea that Alexis was predicted to make it deep into the contest… all i saw was a gal who has a slightly better than average voice, who was clearly willing to sacrifice all her dignity (“I’ll dirty it up”) to advance and who turned in two weeks of entirely unimpressive performances… that’s why i picked her and that’s why she’s at home now…

now playing: Mad Season – Matchbox 20

now, speaking of madness, it’s been a pretty maddening week for me as i’ve watched four solid opportunities become naught… and i sat through a three-hour class that was all but worthless… so, if i’m riding a pendulum between optimism and pessimism, i’m swinging a little on the dark side this week… i know there’s more out there and that there’s a door that’s been prepared for me, but i’m starting to get antsy…

anyway, coming up, i’ll be finishing up the Dove features on the front page and trying to get some reviews and other items written up – just gettting back to that whole time management thing – and i have plenty to write about here, including: the last episodes of Lost, The Office, and Heroes, a look at some of these mid-season additions to the tv grid, another book review (Deliver Us From Evelyn by Chris Well), as well as thoughts about dirt, Star Wars, and more… hopefully, it won’t be too long coming…

peace… love… bdg…

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It’s not a hill, it’s a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubting
We’re gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I’ll go crazy if I don’t go crazy tonight
– u2

yeah, that’s about the story of the week so far… last week, good, this week, not so much… more as it develops…

peace… love… bdg…

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So, i’m pretty tired and this week is a blur… the good news is that it looks like i’ll be doing some job interviews next week, the bad news is that it means that i’ve got just a few days to figure out what these potential employers will want me to know and cram it all in my head before i sit down in the same room with them… oh, and i probably have to dress up, too… anyway, all other entries are probably postponed for a little bit… sorry, but i need to get things rolling…

peace… love… bdg…

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just finished watching this week’s episode of Lost and i’m sure i’ll have some thoughts on it tomorrow, but i wanted to quickly touch base and mention some things that i’ve been paying attention to lately, and that will undoubtedly tip my hand as to what you can expect that i’ll write about in the coming days… i’ve got 2 more books to write about – Churched, by Matthew Paul Turner and No More Dead Dogs, by Gordon Korman – and i’m working through three more currently… i’ve been watching Lost, Heroes, The Office and Fringe among other shows on the television… and there are a few movies that i’ve seen recently including Defiance… i’m listening to the new RED album as well as a number of albums that haven’t come out yet and i expect to mention them in more detail later…

okay, that’s the gist… we’ll talk later…

peace… love… bdg…

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now playing: First Day of the Rest of Our Lives – MxPx

So i woke up this morning with Genesis 50:20 going through my head… well, that was the second time i woke up this morning, but it was the time i stayed awake… see, this goes along with something that i guess i never ended up posting, but have written somewhere else that i can no longer access…

the gist of that entry was: be careful what you read… i took note once again that often times, i find that the media that i consume speaks directly into the circumstances that i find myself in… case in point, a few weeks ago, i was reading about Judas Iscariot… and what i learned – because, really what is there to learn about Judas? – was more about how Jesus continued to treat him with respect despite knowing that he would eventually betray Him…

Anyway, i suppose that this morning’s episode ( and i wasn’t even reading in Genesis recently ) has more to do with reassurance than anything else… i mean the deed is done… i’m out the door… i’m officially unemployed for the first time in an extremely long time… and it’s not exactly the most enjoyable feeling right now, but then again, God meant it for good… God means it for good… and that’s all good…

So, pardon my dust, but i’m in the rebuilding stage right now, i’ve lost a lot of files and whatnot, and i’m a little preoccupied, but hopefully this will be a wonderful and productive transitional time… ( and hopefully without the whole prison time ) …

by the way, i’m currently reading In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson and it’s about taking risks in life… interesting…

peace… love… bdg…

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now playing: Alive – P.O.D.

okay, okay, i know i need to write more… it’s February already for goodness sakes… and tomorrow is the Superbowl and i’m excited about that, but i’m also nervous because i’m supposed to share my testimony tomorrow at church as well… that’s been a sore spot with me for most of my life…

anyway, i’m gonna try to buckle down here in the next few days or so and cover a variety of topics including three book reviews, a number of television shows to chat about, a ton of music (i finally finished logging all the CDs i have – well, most of them)… and more, more, more…

this entry is just a quick hey there, i’m still alive and well, plugging along one day at a time… and, oh, by the way, oreo cookie bark is the BOMB!

peace… love… bdg…

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So i think the biggest injury of this coming year is going to be Wii Tennis Elbow… but i guess it’s more of my shoulder that’s sore… actually, never mind, i can’t admit that i’m sore from playing a video game… really, it’s just hard to imagine that this year is already two weeks old and this is my first entry for the double-o-nine…

that means, that this can get really long, really quickly… and one of my resolutions – if you want to call it that – is to write shorter, more concise blog entries… i know you don’t have much time to read my ramblings and i appreciate the attention you do offer me, but i want to respect that and also, in theory, the shorter the entry, the more likely, i’ll be to actually write them… of course, that may mean that there will be more short entries, equaling the length of longer ones, but you can pick and choose what you read… anyway… let’s get to something, shall we?

DONE, G!

to the tune of Farewell – Brooke Barrettsmith

my favorite football coach officially announced his retirement yesterday… Tony Dungy called it quits, citing the need to spend time with his family… Obviously, i hate to see him step down, but i certainly understand and am quite happy for him and his family… Would’ve been awesome to see him lead Payton Manning and the Colts to a Superbowl victory over Eli Manning and the Giants in Tampa, but alas, it’s good to have been able to watch him over the years and appreciate the amazing witness he has been in his position…

WIN OR…

to the tune of Victory – Randy Newman

So we’re down to the final four here in the NFL and 3 of the teams are named after birds… and 3 of the teams are Wildcard teams… and 3 of the teams i’d be okay with seeing win… the odd man out on all counts is the Pittsburgh Steelers… i just can’t stand the Steelers… Anyway, i’m pulling for the Cards and the Ravens, but i’m expecting the Eagles and the Ravens… however it ends up, it’s been another great year of playoff football… (Last year’s post-season was probably the best i’ve seen)… it’s sad to see the season go, however… but hey, American Idol started up last night, so all’s not lost…

GO HOME…

i’m heading out for now… got a huge plate laying there before me… and lots of stuff to engage myself in… i’ve got TV to talk about, i’ve got 3 books that i just finished reading over the weekend… i’ve got a couple books that i started working on reading… i’ve got music to talk about… i’ve got a lot to work on and a lot to deal with… until next time…

peace… love… bdg…

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