I added a new category to the Links page. The honor of first link under the ‘Diversions’ category is Post Secret. If you are ever in doubt about the weighing effects of sin on people’s lives, then peruse the postcards. Some secrets are funny and cute; many secrets are painful and burdensome.

This is what happens when you combine listening to iTunes with blog surfing on Xanga sites–Alison Krauss & Union Station Arcade Fire.

Xanga vs. iTunes (29 second MP3)

Enjoy!

Beginning Monday evening and continuing until 3:30 AM Tuesday morning, I installed a new motherboard in my PC and reloaded Windows. Thank you to David for helping with various questions along the way. Tuesday night I spent some more time reinstalling software and transferring backed up files. It is a slow and laborious process.

The only problem I have run into so far is a corrupt DVD-R of MP3′s. I did not lose any of my iTunes purchases, but unless I can come up with a more foolproof way to back up my digital music I will no longer purchase full albums online.

Below are a series of photos chronicling the project. (more…)

The other night I left my car and iPod running as I ran inside the church to pick up snacks for youth group. When I eventually returned an extended remix of Chicago, by Sufjan Stevens, had almost finished playing. A small crowd had gathered to listen.

For the next several minutes I talked to Matt about Sufjan while playing some song excepts. He liked what he heard, so I asked him if he wanted to borrow it. His affirmative response included, “My record collection stops in 1994.”

Thinking to myself, I realized that until recently my CD collection was also stuck in the 90′s. Yes, I have been purchasing new music, but most of the artists were more popular a decade ago than they are today. And while U2 remains relevant, I do not want to become the deadhead equivalent in twenty years. Instead of tie-dyed tee shirts and shaggy hair these folks will be sporting wrap shades and Irish mullets.

Thanks to the blogosphere for turning me onto some great new stuff, as well as to my lovely wife for checking my Amazon wish list when shopping for birthday presents. These three new albums are helping to keep my listening choices fresh and vibrant.

From left to right are Sufjan Steven’s Michigan, The Arcade Fire’s Funeral and Iron & Wine’s Our Endless Numbered Days.

We watched Lemony Snicket’s: A Series of Unfortunate Events with our youth group last night. The movie follows in the footsteps of Harry Potter as a screen adaptation of a popular children’s book series. Like J.K. Rowling’s fantasy novels, I have never read Brian Handler’s amusingly dark tales of the Baudelaires. My wife, who is a more avid reader than me, remarked last night that the film gave up a lot of clues from beyond the first book. They went over my head, but intrigued me enough to add Lemony Snicket… to my reading list.

I usually like to prepare for movie night by reading movie reviews. I also try to find a good set of discussion questions, or make my own. Yesterday’s movie choice involved a last minute switch, so unfortunately I was not fully prepared. We talked about the film anyway—about family, life, death, evil, greed and justice. Afterwards, I did an internet search for discussion questions and found the following in a review from Christianity Today.

1. Some of the characters talk about finding “sanctuary,” or a safe place. What kind of safe places have you found? With whom do you feel safe? Family? Friends? Church? How do those places make you feel safe?
2. Violet believes in coincidence, but Klaus says things always happen for a reason. Do you agree? Why or why not? Which do you think is more comforting? Do you think Klaus finds out the reason for his parents’ death? If so, do you think the reason he finds is a satisfying one?
3. Do you think the film presents a believable portrait of how people deal with grief? How have you dealt with grief in your own life? Do you think films that tell exaggerated tales of woe, such as this one, make those feelings harder or easier to deal with? What role does humor play in dealing with grief?

I would like to watch this film again with anyone willing to debrief it over coffee or tea. In fact, I hope in the near future to get a small group going who are interested in watching movies or listening to music with the goal of fostering Christian discernment.