The Other Side of the Tie.

Well hey everyone.

     About a week ago I posted some super depressing crap, that I've since taken down, because it wasn't me. I was in a bad mood and the worst of me surfaced. For those of you who read it, know that I don't really feel that way most of the time. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed. Human as charged. Time with blogs starts.
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     I've come to realize more and more that at my core I don't relate too well to people comedically. I look at all these piece-a-junk comedies coming out, and think things like, "Where did the smart humor go?" and "how many times can really you make jokes about genitalia?".

    Now you may disagree. You may say things like "The new Ted movie looks really good." or "Adam Sandler is still really funny." And that's fine, for you. But just so you guys know what I think is really funny, here's the trailer from what is one of my favorite comedy movies.

     Did you like it? Probably not a lot. And that's how we're different. I love dry comedy. So until this style of movie makes a resurgence, or the comedy scene atleast incorporates more dryness, I probably won't be supporting new comedies. Just that simple. Shift.
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     This week, I decided to change my "dress look" a bit, and I purchased a bow tie. The main reason for the purchase was that I wanted to look AFAP (as fly as possible) for my good friend's wedding coming up in mid-July. Any one who's my friend on Facebook, or follows me on Twitter has already seen the tie. But oh wait! What's this? It's REVERSIBLE? No way, Jon that's one of the most momentous things recently heard. I NEED to see it. Well, blog readers, because you've been so loyal to me, I got a bit dressed up again, and you get a FIRST LOOK at "the other side of the tie", as it were. (Mostly) Ladies and (a few) Gentlemen, the tie.

     I know the picture isn't good, the lighting in my room is shady and the camera's not all that great. But there it is. I absolutely love this tie. It's been my favorite clothing purchase I may have ever made. Well since my Nobody Beats the Biz t-shirt I got a few years ago, but Biz Markie is pretty hard to beat. Well, enough vanity. Here's more things from my brains.

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     Through It All: Apologies are in order. It's been a long, LONG time since I've talked about Jesus in this blog. Most of the reason why is that it was a long time since I had talked to Jesus. I was bitter, and on my way back to depression and suicidal tendencies. But yet again, I've been redeemed. And that's all I can say really. I was pissed because things weren't going the way I wanted. I didn't feel wanted, really, except by my family. I didn't really want friends. I just wanted to introvert. Anyone who knew me a year ago knew what that was like. Stupid, right? But because he Loves me, he put people in my life to get back on track. He's forced me to be relational again, and the cogs turn. I'm still not doing great, in fact I ran into some self loathing and desperate temptations, and that's when God feels nearest. I'm going through some physical pain and discomfort. And today was the first time I thought to pray about it. Honestly, if you were in my body, with my mind, without Jesus, you'd think my life sucked. But I have him. He's mine. And remembering that the days of my life will be my greatest challenge. Because the world doesn't want to me to have him. And neither do his enemies. I will press on as I can.

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      Put Those Ears to Work: As I mentioned earlier, I'm involved in weddings this summer. One of my duties for my good friend's wedding is that I get to run the music during the reception. Why I was chosen for this I don't exactly know. But I love it. Wedding music is some the best and worst music out there. And I'm putting the playlist together. I get to incude some of my all-time favorites, but I also get to throw in songs that my friend and I have shared. That we have memories over. Songs that we danced to as kids, or jammed to on car trips. I get to play them as he dances with his new wife, as he takes his first steps on the adventure that's been given to him. I get to share in that. Music may be the greatest force out there, next to Love, water,  Carly Rae Jepsen, and Shaquille O'Neal (who, by the way, has a rap album), and my role is to use that force to help people celebrate my oldest friend's marriage. I get to facilitate fun. And intitiate intimacy. And I'll be loving every minute of it.

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     Thanks for reading today. You're pretty nice.

A Trickle of Authenticity

The beginning of my post.

Well, it's a rainy evening. I'm alone, under a blanket, next to the beagle (who's finally returned to us after living with my roommate's parents for a few weeks), and I'm about to make myself some coffee for the evening. I'll probably read a book tonight. Not sure which one. Feels right, ya know. This will be a bit of a bi-polar blog, I'm guessing. There are some ups and downs running through my head. Full disclosure. Blog time.
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I've been discovering more and more that I'm a really bad sport. I kind of always knew. When it came to video games, I would get mad when I lost, as most people at some time or another do. But I've come to realization that beside the fact that I had a strange, weak, build growing up, that one of the reasons I never played sports (and really don't still to this day), is that I'm a bad sport. I'm a bad athlete with a bad attitude. Which means that regardless of whether I play or not, I'm mad about it in some way. The most recent thing I've noticed is that it's transcending into sports that I watch. When OKC lost last night, I was pissed. Not just upset or wishing they had won, but straight pissed, and a little hopeless. And it's game two. With the a 1-1 record. Of the best of 7. Two questions. How sick is that? And who have I become? I'm beginning to realize that since I never really gave two craps about physical competetiveness as a child, that it's all flooding in at once. Something needs to change. I just don't know what. If you can help, I'd appreciate it. Go Thunder. Suck it, Heat.
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I recently switched from the newest Firefox to the newest Internet Explorer. I have to say, IE9 is pretty great. It's fast, pretty, and has lost of cool shortcuts and features. I will say I miss all the Firefox Add-Ons, but maybe IE will get some more now. Figured that was worth noting. Onward.
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As some of you might know, I've been down lately. I had a blog all about it. And as things come on the mend, I've been taking advice from a good friend.
     "Be authentic, Jon. Be relational."
That's what he tells me. And to be honest, it's my biggest struggle. When I get really really authentic, I get vulnerable. And things don't seem to work well when that happens. But I'm getting there. I honestly want my authenticity to flood my life. Friends have been abounding the last few days. People have approached me relationally, and held out a hand. People I'd never expect. And that helps. Being authentic takes a while. And I think we all just need to be reminded that a flood of any kind starts with a trickle. And that's where I am.
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Put Those Ears to Work - Pop Music Depression: Okay, so you might've noticed that this music section actually has a theme this time. This has been something that's been on my mind for a bit. Pop music today is too happy. It's mostly partying. Yeah, yeah I know you can say "Oh, what about Adele!? Her stuff is sad." Well, that's one person. Most of pop is about partying. I do like to party, BUT, I miss Pop from every other decade before this, that included significantly more morose. I want to challenge you people to listen to heartfelt, heartbroken pop and then come back to party stuff, and just tell me which one feels more real. I'm going to list some here that I'd recommend, and then rant about one new song in particular that really rustles my jimmies. Here's dat list.

Lightning Crashes - Live

I'm So Tired of Being Alone - Al Green

Only the Strong Survive - Jerry Butler

Still in Love With You - Thin Lizzy

Yesterday - The Beatles

By the Time I Get to Phoenix - Isaac Hayes

Okay, well after listening to that last one on YouTube, I'm completely torn apart. And in that, I'm not going to rip in to One Direction like I was planing. That will come later. But in trying to not be too serious, I'm gonna include a section of one of my favorite romantic movies, which I may watch tonight if nothing else happens.

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Well, there's more I want to say. And I will in my next blog. I forgot how powerful music can be, and I'm gonna take some time to listen. Thanks for stopping by. Until next time, friends. Until then.

The end of it.



The Hipster Issue Pt. II: The Hipster in You.

Oh hey erbuddy.

That was dumb. Sorry. I'm in a strange place right now, physically. A place I'd never really thought I'd spend much time again, much less blog from. Gentleman and Ladies, my old room in my parents house.

Not a whole lot has changed since I moved out, including the huge mess that I left 3 years ago. But I will say, I find a lot of the stuff in here really odd, because I never really grew up when I was living at home, and a fact I once hated, I now embrace. A huge pile of old, dusty comics sit on a top shelf, behind a geode I got in the Black Hills probably 5 years ago, my closet shelves full of old Gundam Wing figurines, Transformers, and Star Wars memorabilia, in the corner by my door, a huge pile of ancient vinyl records, that I'll probably never listen to, and to cap it all off, an old, noisy electric reed organ sits at my desk, to which I can barely get to because of the books and Super Nintendo games that line the floor in front of it.

 If these were my choices of living today, not only would I be a lot cooler, I may just be called a Hipster.

Throw on your onion head, grab a PBR, and get settled in for Part II!
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I decided that since you've obviously read part I (I have no delusions about that) and have an understanding for what a Hipster "is", I want you to see what traits of mine are typically or are beginning to be seen as Hipster by the general population. Just to clarify, this will look just like my typical blog format, just with Hipsterisms in mind. I'm thoroughly enjoying this blog so far, just so everyone knows.
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Put Those Ears To Work: This is an issue very near and dear to my heart. When music all of a sudden shifts to (or I realize that it's) being seen as Hipster music, I tend to shy away from it, which makes me some sort of weird anti-hipster, or double-hipster, if you will. But this particular group, I'm being obstinate about. People, meet Neutral Milk Hotel, and my relationship with them.

In 2006, while really trying to get a grip on my musical taste, I saw The Arcade Fire perform on Saturday Night Live. They were entrancing. I found their sound undoubtedly refreshing, and their subject matter poignant and enlivening. So much to say, I fell in love them. In my thirst to find more music like this, all the places I looked told me to check out NMH. So I downloaded the album In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea. I found it sublime. The melodies in this album are eerily enchanting, and you find yourself humming them as you go about your day. The subject matter is without a doubt some of the strangest, yet at the same time innocent and heartfelt lyrics I've yet to encounter. The album is dedicated to the memory of Anne Frank, a fact which becomes apparent in the songs Holland, 1945 and Communist Daughter. Just within these two tracks you see the use of overdriven drum tracks (which the Hipster embraced in the mid 2000s, this album coming out in 1998) and painted pictures of semen stained mountains, which kind of meld together to bring out a beautiful mess of music, the kind of music that makes me want to live life and love every minute of it. Now since the turn of the decade, this music has become the bread and butter of many a hipster. But I'm not going to relinquish my love for it. I liked it BEFORE the Hipsters did. I won't let anyone forget that, gosh darn it.
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Everything in Moderation: Now you may be thinking, "Oh great, alcohol? Hipsters? Jon's going to tell us about all the crappy beer that he loves." Well, even though there are some really "nast" beers that I can appreciate, this section isn't about beer, or any alcohol for that matter. People, welcome to pipe smoking.

You may not have known yet that the Hipsters are turning to pipe smoking. In fact, I don't think THEY know yet. But guess what, they are. I decided to try pipe smoking in February of this year. After I began Hookah smoking, my friend Matt and I decided it would be fun to try, so we bought some cheap corn cobs and some flavored tobacco. The first try really didn't go so well, and I ended up sucking down an ember and burned my tongue really bad. So a week later, I picked the pipe back up, and with a corrected technique, I found that I got a good amount of smoke, and didn't burn my tongue. The taste was great, the tobacco was cheap, I felt a little buzz, and to top it all off, it's one of the safest forms of "portable" tobacco out there. Well that was four months ago, and since then, I've upgraded to a nice briar wood pipe, and have tried a multitude of tobaccos that I love. For anyone thinking about getting off tobacco or just getting away from cigarettes and cigars, a pipe is a good option. Here's on of my favorite pictures (yes, I have several) of my pipe.

Since buying one, however, I've noticed a surge in people buying pipes. Pipes are now becoming more accepted among youth, and even given as presents to groomsmen in weddings. It is becoming "hip" and "classy", to smoke pipe. In my double-hipsterness, I've decided that I have to stay above the rest of the Hipster pipe smokers out there, and increase my knowledge above the shallow. I've now tried many blends of tobacco, and am looking to purchase my second pipe, along with a pipe case and possibly a pipe rack for home display. I love pipe smoking, and I really don't want people to downplay that passion and see it as the "cool thing to do". I'm sure there were cigarette smokers out there 250 years ago who felt that the widespread of cigarettes effectively "ruined" their hobby. I'd hate for that to happen.
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Well everyone, it's time for me to put some pants on. I hope I can find a clean pair. Until next time, audios, orevuar, and auf weidersehen. (Sorry, I love Lawrence Welk. Call me an old man if you wish)