And I'm in Grand Rapids

Which, of course, means that I'm super-pumped. That's because this coming weekend is the Calvin College Faith and Music Festival, and it promises to be the highlight of my year/life.

Firstly, I'll be able to see Lauren Winner talk who has really impressed me with both Mudhouse Sabbath and Real Sex. Simply put she is a phenomenal writer and if she is even half as good of a speaker, then I'm in for a real treat.

Nextly, (I don't care if it's not a real word, I like it), the music is going to be nothing short of amazing. Friday night it's Sufjan Stevens and Anathallo followed by Emmylou Harris and Neko Case on Saturday. Even though I've seen him twice before, I'm still beyond excited for Sufjan. I don't know how much accompaniment he will bring so it may be interesting. I've also been wanting to see Anathallo for a while so that will be really fun. Neko is playing three nights in a row before the fest at my favorite venue in Chicago, (two are sold out already but if you are in the Chicagoland area tomorrow there are still tickets available). I haven't seen her yet either but I really enjoyed the Fox Confessor and the New Pornographers have been a favorite of mine for years. In other words she will be lovely to see. Now I'm not that familiar with Emmylou so that will be the one show were I'll have zero familiarity going into it... unless I check her out beforehand.

Continuing the awesomeness is the showing of the Danielson: a Family Movie on Friday night. I've been wanting to see this since it was making rounds at various film festivals last year.

There are also a slew of workshops that promise to be nothing short of super-sweet.
(Sidenote: I'm at BW3's right now and they are totally playing the song from Ghostbusters that goes "and I guess we're gonna have to take control". This maybe the highlight of my day. Just looked it up and the song is Bobby Brown - On Our Own.) Anyways back to the workshops; you can check them all out here just make sure that you check out all four sections linked on the page. I have no idea which I'll go to yet as they all look amazing.

Finally, Sufjan is giving a lecture. I don't know exactly what that will comprise of yet, but from what I've heard it may be a more intimate performance / talk about his music. Either way this will more than likely be my highlight.

I'll fill you in with all the detail after the weekend!

Currently Reading... Eve's Revenge
Currently Listening to... Bobby Brown - On Our Own

Another update?

Okay!

So one of the things that really hit me from the trip to New Orleans is the plight of the poor and the entitlement of the rich. Walking through the poor neighborhoods and seeing that the homes had still not been either gutted or torn down is ridiculous. It has been over a year and a half! Now, really I can see that much of the rebuilding should not even be considered when the city is in such a prime position to simply go through everything all over again. Then, why hasn't it been done? Why haven't the levees been improved instead of simply rebuilt? I can also see why people do not want to leave the area regardless of how dangerous it is. Their livelihoods are there. It is all most of them have ever know. It culturally defines a good chunk of who they are and that I can relate to. Either way these people who have been displaced for this long should have at least something to rebuild with by this point and the fact that they don't is absurd. And the worst of it as far as I'm concerned? How about the brand new, beautiful, reconstructed white suburbia. Not specifically to point to race as much as class here but it is literally impossible to ignore. Really, the thing that this stirred up in me is my own sense of entitlement. Why was I raised in a culture in which things like higher education, a nice house, and comparatively anything that I wanted were available to me. Now I'm not trying to say that I feel any "white-guilt" about my circumstances, rather I feel true guilt about how I have taken everything that I have for granted. I went to college not to get an education, but because I was supposed to. My education came far down on the list of priorities that I had for myself, as attested to by my work towards it and my grades throughout it.

"Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." -Luke 12:48

Most of what I have been given throughout my life I have squandered. I guess the plus side to this is that I now realize what I have been given; how much more I have been given. I can no longer live in the ignorance of this fact and instead will strive to use and value what I have been given.

Currently Reading... Eve's Revenge - Lilian Calles Barger
Currently Listening to... Bright Eyes - Four Winds EP

Halfway back

Well, I just got back from New Orleans on Saturday, but I'm not back up to snuff as I still have a raging cold that's knocked me flat. On the plus side it is better than it was yesterday.

I'll have a bunch to write on the trip in the next couple of days, as I don't think I'm going to write everything right now.


Right now I'll write of one Jenny Owen Youngs. We went out to Frenchman St. one of the nights that we were in NOLA and saw her perform. It was lovely. She was adorable and had the crowd in the palm of her hand the entire night. I highly recommend both fuck was i and voice on tape from her album. The highlight of the night coming at the end when she performed a stripped down acoustic version of Nelly's Hot in Herre. Absolutely hilarious.

Here's the thing. I want to write like that. I know that I can write well, at least when it comes to everyday events. Creatively, I'm just baffled. I don't know where to start. I don't know how to write as I know how to talk. I can hear melody in my head, but I can't make it come out of my guitar. I know that someday the guitar will output the melody's that I crave, but what I am not as sure of is my ability to write creatively. I know that it will come with practice, but it intimidates me. I don't want to start as I fear the result.

Currently Reading... Eve's Revenge - Lilian Calles Barger
Currently Listening to... Batten the Hatches - Jenny Owen Youngs