i am special

I hate the term indie. I'm just about half-convinced that indie is the most vague, ridiculous, and oft-times inaccurate music genre that we've come up with out of the ever-persisting need to feel special. It's pretty much just the new word for alternative. But don't worry my philosophical friend. You can be special and use normal words at the same time.

R-right n-now I feel like telling you about some contemporary music that strikes my fancy. Some people label these three artists as being alt-country (......?) or americana or whatever, but I'm just going to go ahead and say they all make me feel warm and happy. Like a snuggie. So bundle up nice and cozy on your sofa and check 'em out vato! (you can go ahead and click the links on the pics if you'd like)

Calexico- Here's a band that'll be fun yet difficult to describe. They're a genre of their own. You'll just have to hear them to understand. I think their name fits their sound just about too perfectly. But let me attempt to use a bunch of words in order to detallar what they are. Okay, close your eyes. Just do it. Now envisage that you're driving with the window down on the freeway in the middle of the desert. There's not a lot of traffic and the sun scorches the desolate terrain that surrounds you. Eventually you approach an exit to some city near the U.S.-Mexico border. You take the exit, park the car, and proceed to take a walk. You are surrounded by a diverse array of gente. Spanglish scatters the conversations between the groups of people you pass by on la calle. You look to the left and see a mysterious cowboy staring at you from his caballo, loaded pistol at his side. The subtle undertones of a jazz band blows through the dry wind between distant coyote howls and static AM radio ranchera. And... there you go. That's what Calexico sounds like. (Must albums: "Feast of Wire" and "Carried to Dust".)

Neko Case- This chica's voice could travel through the vacuum of space. She makes me think of canyons or mountains or something else big and magnificent and echo-ey. This ginger's defintitely got soul power. Her sound has evolved quite impressively through the years. She started off with a lot of twang but she's managed to take her country-ish sound to less-confined places. Neko's a fine lyricist and her songs don't tend to stick to any typical structure. (Must albums: "Middle Cyclone" and "Fox Confessor Brings The Flood".)

Justin Townes Earle- I happened upon one of Justin's albums unexpectedly and found myself pleasantly surprised to have discovered someone who actually knows where country came from. His sound definitely fits that particular genre. The son of Steve Earle knows how to make rock 'n roll, folk, country, and the blues all find their happy place in the same room. (Must albums: "Harlem River Blues" and "Midnight At The Movies".)

For more look up these artists: Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt, The Jayhawks, Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan ("John Wesley Harding"/"Nashville Skyline" records).

A little country-ish music won't kill you. So don't be afraid. I won't tell anybody. I love you friend.

Fare thee well White Stripes

"Dead leaves on the dirty ground when I know you're not around..."

may 2011

This'll be grood.

are you my mother?

So one time a chinchilla and a koala bear decided to have a baby.

And that's where my dog came from.

let's study the scriptures together!

Today I feel like preaching some Gospel.

During my Compton transfer, the very last 6 weeks of my mission, I had some very edifying personal and companionship studies. These past couple days a scripture has weighed upon my mind which I remember to have more fully realized during that sacred period of my life. It's found in the Book of Mormon, 3Nephi 28:11. Jesus Christ is speaking to the 3 Nephites, describing to them the joy of redemption:

"And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me: and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me."

It's a simple, concise piece of scripture. And it's also one of the most powerful and comprehensive verses I've ever come across. This scripture is also particularly significant because it happens to be the last recorded words that Christ said when He was physically present among the Nephites in the ancient Americas. So this was His parting thought. As such it's definitely worth some of our time for serious thought and study.

Consider this--- in Moses 6:57-62 we are taught the Doctrine of Sanctification. We learn that all men everywhere need to obey God by repenting and being baptized by water (based on His laws). After that outward manifestation of willing obedience one can receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost-- the Spirit. The Spirit is a personage and is also the power through which the blood of Christ is applied. We learn this in Mosiah 4:2-3--- that when the Atonement of Christ is fully applied one can receive 1. forgiveness of one's sins (justification) and 2. purification of one's heart (sanctification). Further we learn there that this application is fulfilled through the reception of the Spirit (read what the people ask for and then see what they are given). Sanctification includes not only becoming cleansed from sin but also losing the desire to sin. In other words it means to experience a mighty change of heart and to become HOLY. As one consistently comes unto Christ, applying His Atonement through obedience and repentance-- (the sacrament and the temple ordinances playing a vital role in this)-- line upon line, precept upon precept, the soul is perfected in Christ and will one day become holy, without spot-- worthy to dwell in the presence of God.

It's really more simple than I made it sound. The Holy Ghost is the greatest gift we can receive in mortality because it leads the soul to eternal life, which is the greatest of ALL the gifts of God. Because of Christ's Atonement we can receive the Spirit and through the process of making, keeping and renewing our covenants we can have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. So, the Father gives us the Holy Ghost because of Christ. (I want to add here that when one worthily partakes of the sacrament ALL covenants entered into with the Lord are renewed. Fact.)

Finally I want to talk more about covenants- particularly the role of the temple and the covenants made there (not explicitly of course). In D&C 109:14-15 we learn that in the House of the Lord we grow up and can "receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost." Continue to verses 22 and 23 and we can learn that our covenants are like armor. I don't want to spoil the impact of this doctrine for you-- so just go ahead and open up your copies of the Book of Mormon to Alma 43:19-21, followed by 1Nephi 14:12-14 and later D&C 38:38 and just bask in some personal revelation from on high.

Okay. So that's what I understand and that's what I've been thinking about lately. And really in essence that's the central doctrine I was taught throughout my mission in Southern Cali. President Edwin Sexton brought it to my attention and the Holy Ghost grafted it into my soul. I just wanted to share that with you and lo hago en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

icky

White Americans, what?
Nothing better to do?
Why don't you kick yourself out?
You're an immigrant too!
Who's using who?
What should we do?
Well, you can't be a pimp
And a prostitute too.
-Jack White III

Stories like this make me mad. Click here and read. I hate it when I hear about good people that get kicked out of our country because they happen to be illegal immigrants. The people in this article would've willingly become law-abiding U.S. citizens if the system wasn't so retarded. I've met many good law-abiding(mostly) people that fled to our country seeking a better life, and it would be a crime against morality to deport them. Yes, I've also met a few drug dealers and gangsters from down south and perhaps they should get deported, but that's another story.

"And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you this land, for your inheritance. And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered my people--- Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver."
-Jesus Christ, 3Nephi 20:14-16

Si no te gusta, vaya!

trippin'

My fam and I tripp'd to St. George o'er the weekend. We had a good time. We hiked and ran and jumped and ate sushi. And we took pictures of ourfineselves doing cool stuff. Here is an example:

That's definitely what I'd look like getting thrown back by the force of a massive nuclear explosion. Or maybe by the force of an angry Jedi. Or that's what I'd look like getting dropped down from a ghettobird to go fight myself some crips 'n bloods. Here's another example:

That's what my Dad would look like jumping from the top of a cliff in the desert to tackle a wild buffalo. Or perhaps a mammoth. Or an angry Jedi.
One more:

That's what my Mom, Sister and I would look like if we were Power Rangers. Or Tusken Raiders. Or maybe Charlie's Angels.

Well, that was fun.