Sweaty Dude

I heard this opening drop to Jillian Michaels' radio show from a couple of years ago and HAD to share it. Love this!! It's totally true!

"There's always that guy, by the way, at the gym next to me on the StairMaster. You know, the guy who...sweat is POURING off this guy all over the equipment. Like, okay, first of all, dude, A TOWEL - we need to start there."

Listen to this episode:
http://www.mediafly.com/MediaPlayer/Episode/Jillian_Michaels_107

Winter

I'm not a huge fan of winter. I much more prefer the warm, summer sunshine :) But, there are a few things that I love about it.

Fires


Sweaters


Basketball


Family


Parties


What do you love about this season?

More To This

This was in a blog that I read daily, and I could not help but pass it along. Great questions. Great answers.
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/09/simplicity-of-prayer-for-beginners.html

Long have we labeled prayer as only the petitioning, the coming with the lists and the ardent entreaties.

But if that is all prayer is, then why did Jesus pray? Why would very God pray? God need not beg of God. Prayer must be more than asking, supplication; that can’t be why Jesus prayed.

To give us an example? Yes, surely. But more.

Could prayer ultimately be about a Son wanting Father? A Son missing intimacy with His Father? A Son longing for the communion of relationship within the Godhead?

A Child coming and pressing close to Father with the prayer, “I need your face. Turn to me.”

I Just Wanna...

"Dream Away" by Skyler Stonestreet

Songwriting

There is nothing more humiliating, nothing more painful than exposing the deepest, darkest parts of your heart to strangers. And yet, I do this every day as a writer and performer. There is something about the pain that is rewarding; the masochistic, repetitive exchange of numbing and feeling that draws me in for more. It is haunting. This revealing of myself is my own superpower: the fact that I can cause myself pain and defeat and delight and freedom all in a matter of three minutes. It goes beyond that, however, into the small room in which I write. Thinking back on my own former victories and failures. Something about digging up everything I’ve stuffed in the back pocket of my mind drives me. It is this that encapsulates songwriting. Don’t believe anyone who would tell you otherwise. I do not believe they know.

“Being a writer is one of the most masochistic endeavors. I love to hate it. It's a crossword puzzle with no answer in tomorrow's paper.”
"What is it that drives a highly motivated overachiever to look at his own potential destruction as excitement and as a potential release?"
–John Mayer

"You Are For Me"

by Kari Jobe

"Daughters"

by John Mayer

Chandrasekhar

A friend of mine, that I have mentioned before, is one of the greatest minds I know: Robby Lester "the Ghostwrite". Here's one of his songs that is just so, so good. It's from his Anxiety/Fabled album.

"Chandrasekhar" by the Ghostwrite (http://www.myspace.com/theghostwrite)
From inside here I don't feel like talking about anyone at all, to anyone at all.
This rotation will have to stop.
We waiting for headlights, pleading, come and end this all.
Cynically begging, will the pavement invite anyone at all?
Quietly thinking, questioning absolutes.
Is this fallible?
I know I'm fallible.
Can we have a code phrase for giving up?
Like five sinking ships, two imploding stars.
Thirty-three hours isn't much, but if this temporized, I'd be five sinking ships, two imploding stars.

Brilliant much? I wish I could write like this!
KL

Show with Andrew Stone

Once again, Charmaine kickz butt :) ...and Andrew Stone is a genius! Thanks for coming to hear my set.




That's My God

Psalm 105 (New Living Translation)

1 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.
 2 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. 3 Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
 4 Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.
 5 Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
 6 you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

7 He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land.
 8 He always stands by his covenant—the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
 9 This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac.
 10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
 11 “I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession.”

12 He said this when they were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
 13 They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
 14 Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf:
 15 “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.”

16 He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply.
 17 Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
 18 They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
 19 Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,[a]
the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
 20 Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
 21 Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions.
 22 He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.

23 Then Israel arrived in Egypt; Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham.
 24 And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies.
 25 Then he turned the Egyptians against the Israelites, and they plotted against the Lord’s servants.

26 But the Lord sent his servant Moses, along with Aaron, whom he had chosen.
 27 They performed miraculous signs among the Egyptians, and wonders in the land of Ham.
 28 The Lord blanketed Egypt in darkness, for they had defied his commands to let his people go.
 29 He turned their water into blood, poisoning all the fish.
 30 Then frogs overran the land and even invaded the king’s bedrooms.
 31 When the Lord spoke, flies descended on the Egyptians, and gnats swarmed across Egypt.
 32 He sent them hail instead of rain, and lightning flashed over the land.
 33 He ruined their grapevines and fig trees and shattered all the trees.
 34 He spoke, and hordes of locusts came—young locusts beyond number.
 35 They ate up everything green in the land, destroying all the crops in their fields.
 36 Then he killed the oldest son in each Egyptian home, the pride and joy of each family.

37 The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled.
 38 Egypt was glad when they were gone, for they feared them greatly.
 39 The Lord spread a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness.
 40 They asked for meat, and he sent them quail; he satisfied their hunger with manna—bread from heaven.
 41 He split open a rock, and water gushed out to form a river through the dry wasteland.
 42 For he remembered his sacred promise to his servant Abraham.
 43 So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing.
 44 He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops that others had planted.
 45 All this happened so they would follow his decrees and obey his instructions.

Praise the Lord!

To Feel Loved

by BB
http://www.myspace.com/butterflyboucher

"Make Believe" by Kelsey LeAnne


Lyrics:
It's ok
I'll just forget you in the morning
No sweat
We'll never have to face the sunrise
There's more
But let's not chance the bad for the good
Never fear
I cannot hide, cannot hide in these tears

Fly higher
Never looking back, never shouting out those secrets kept inside your burdened heart
Dig deeper
Into holes that never seem to end, maybe this is all just make-believe

It's all right
We'll just say something to distract you
You are
A hero in my eyes
Please stop
Do not take another handful
I must
Help you lie

All the forms
Of conformation
The sickness makes me fight
For condemnation's sake
It's all a game
Of wit and brain and contemplation
You and I
Will never win

© 2009 KelseyLeAnneMusic All Right Reserved.

Cash for Clunkers: Smothering Innovation?


(Written by Hank Green: 7/31/09)

Congratulations America! When we give you free money, you take it! And that is the only lesson learned from the "Cash for Clunkers" legislation. The stated environmental goals, of course, were thrown out of the window ages ago. But we gave Americans (and car companies) more free money to sell and buy the inefficient vehicles of today so they won't need to buy the efficient vehicles of tomorrow.

Here's how Cash for Clunkers should've worked. You bring in an old, extremely inefficient and polluting car or truck. The government gives you some money for taking that car off the road, allowing you (who would otherwise not be able to afford it) to get a more efficient used car, or an extremely efficient new car. New cars, originally, had to be extremely efficient.

Then the environment took a back seat to the auto industry and, unfortunately, it wasn't wearing it's seatbelt when the whole thing slammed into a brick wall.

So, with the environment flying through the windshield, suddenly you can get a cash for clunkers credit for a 15 mpg truck or an 18 mpg SUV or, and honestly this is the worst of it all, a 22 mpg car! Of course, the government has mandated a fleet-wide efficiency of 27 mpg in just two years for cars. So, yeah, we've basically set ourselves up to have a bunch of extremely inefficient cars on the road for the next ten years while new, efficient cars sit on dealer lots, not getting sold because everyone interested in a new car bought one on July 30th 2009. Just one year before true alternative vehicles hit dealer lots. Just two years before the fleet-wide average was bumped up 5 mpg. So basically, what I'm trying to say is *facepalm*.

Welcome to the government trying to spur innovation and, instead managing to stifle it extremely effectively.

Brandon Heath - "Wait and See"

Whoa!

Obedience to Jesus Christ lines us up with how He created things to be and increases our joy even in our sadness, difficulty, pain, and sorrow. Disobedience, where we somehow alleviate the guilt of that disobedience by increasing spiritual activity in another place, just assures that that increased spiritual activity is futile. Because, anything that God would lead you to do out of it, you've already pretty much proved you have no intention of doing. So, saying, "I'm not going to do this, but I am going to spend time, tithe more, do this, whatever," all that does is negate the spiritual power of what you've decided to add.
-Matt Chandler (From 'Games People Play' 7/11/09)

My Secret!

I have been super active since I shot out of the womb from basketball, gymnastics, t-ball, volleyball, swimming, running...you name it, I did it! As I grew older and matured I started using antiperspirant. Studies have shown the more active you are, the more you perspire, and this was very true with me, haha. I have tried so many antiperspirants, but the one that I've found that really works well is Secret Clinical Strength for women. This stuff is awesome! It has a great scent and lasts longer and protects better than anything I've ever used. It's a little pricey, but if you're like me and need something that will really get the work done it's worth the extra bucks. Hope this helps!

http://www.secret.com/ClinicalStrength.do

I Suggest...

Hey guys! It's been a while since I'VE talked to you. I know that I've been posting other folk's art and writings, but I hope that's okay with you? I do, however, read a LOT of blogs (instead of writing in my own) and recently feel across a young lady that I had previously posted about: Christa Black. You can go take a look at my post about her if you missed it. [http://kelseyschneider.blogspot.com/2009/03/christa-black.html] Her blog is http://christablack.blogspot.com/ and, wow, let me say - this girl has quite the story. I encourage you to go give it a read. That's all from me today. If you're not following me on Twitter yet here's my page: http://twitter.com/MissKelsey - Thanks, you guys, for checking in! I love you all more than you know :)
Kelsey

Pickens Walks Away from World's Largest Wind Farm


Written by Megan Treacy

After months of delays due to financing difficulties, T. Boone Pickens is walking away from a plan to build the world's largest wind farm in the Texas Panhandle. While money played a large part in the decision, the nail in the coffin came from an announcement that $5 million worth of new transmission lines for wind energy in Texas were not going to be built anywhere near the planned site of the wind farm.

Pickens originally planned to build his own transmission lines as well, but tough economic times have scaled back his ambition.

The good news is that Pickens and his team still plan to develop smaller wind farms around the Midwest, including spots in Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Kansas, and Texas.

While Pickens is an unlikely eco-hero, we've been rooting for him to get these big projects up and running. We can only hope that these setbacks aren't permanent and we'll see the return of his large-scale wind energy plans in the near future.

RIP, Michael

"Man In The Mirror" - A Michael Jackson Cover - by Gabe Bondoc

Bendable, Self-Healing Concrete is Hundreds of Times Stronger


Written by Philip Proefrock on 24/06/09

Any engineer would look at this image and say, "That can't be concrete!" But it is; and it could represent a way to make bridges and other structures safer and longer lasting.

There is a lot of work being done to improve concrete, right now. And while it is not the most beloved green building material, it has properties that make it eminently useful for engineers and architects for a number of purposes. Given that there is not going to be a sudden moratorium on using the stuff, it's better to have improvements that can keep from having it go from useful building material to landfill.
Professor Victor Li at the University of Michigan has developed a self-healing concrete that can help alleviate the need for demolition and replacement of concrete after it has been subjected to heavy stress. By devising a concrete that controls the way it cracks under stress, the concrete can withstand tensile strain hundreds of times more than ordinary concrete. Beyond its remarkable flexibility, this concrete can then heal itself, as well.

"In Li's lab, self-healed specimens recovered most if not all of their original strength after researchers subjected them to a 3 percent tensile strain. That means they stretched the specimens to 3 percent beyond their initial size. It's the equivalent of stretching a 100-foot piece an extra three feet—enough strain to severely deform metal or catastrophically fracture traditional concrete."

The new concrete needs only exposure to moisture and carbon dioxide in order to heal the microscopic cracks that are formed after the concrete has been stressed. The cracks expose dry cement in the structure, and this reacts with CO2 and moisture to form calcium carbonate 'scars' which quickly heal the concrete.
"The professor says this new substance could make infrastructure safer and more durable. By reversing the typical deterioration process, the concrete could reduce the cost and environmental impacts of making new structures. And repairs would last longer."

Link: Michigan Today (thanks KGS!)

I'd Be Lying

Go ahead: Let this play in your ears as you start your day. It is an absolutely beautiful, innovative, refreshing song. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.



won't you let me give you a hand
i have an extra I'm not using
won't you let me lighten your load
i mean after all your legs are shaking
and i can understand
all i need is your hand
oh won't you take the fall
it is me after all

won't you let me match your stride
i can slow down if you want to
we can handle it side by side
what do you say girl don't you want to
and i can understand
all i need is your hand
oh won't you take the fall
it is me after all

I'D BE LYING
IF I RAN ANOTHER WAY
I'D BE LYING
IF I RAN ANOTHER WAY
AND SO I'LL STAY

but won't you let me be your man
I'm strong enough you know that i can
be the one to ease your mind
ease your mind
and i can understand
all i need is your hand
oh won't you take the fall
it is is me after all

(chorus)

(1st verse)

there's not much
that you can do
to get me to
run away from you

(chorus)

I WANNA BE THIS SOMEDAY!

Acts 2

I read Acts 2 today and was completely overtaken by this verse!!

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

Be blessed - Bless others

Priceless Treasure

Priceless treasure, Jesus the Christ
The jewel of my searching demands my life

So I bow to You, and I kneel to You, You have my heart

Oh, marvelous Savior, You came down from heaven to us
Oh, beautiful treasure, You made us His daughters and sons
Oh, that we could reflect You, show You to the world that You love
Jesus the Christ

You are my gain in death or in life
My quest is to know You, my god, my delight

Jesus, whom have I in heaven, but You
And having You, I desire nothing on earth




http://www.charliehall.com/
http://www.youtube.com/TheCharlieHallBand
http://www.myspace.com/TheCharlieHallBand
http://www.twitter.com/charliehallband

Denton

I have come to this conclusion:
Denton is the adopted little brother of the DFW.
Its birth parents are CO and CA.
Arkansas may have held its hand once.

Psalm 139

I sat down and read this chapter today. It was pouring out of my soul, and I had to sit down and soak it up.

He knows me. He will not leave me alone. He has hemmed me in before and behind. He will slay those who come against Him.

I am truly overwhelmed at the vastness and richness of this passage. He guided me to it even today, and placed His words upon my heart. When I am sure there is no hope He reminds me that He has a perfect plan for me. I am weak and broken, but He is my strength. The joy of the Lord is indeed my strength.

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust. I stand completely satisfied in Him, wanting in nothing.

What a joy! What a hope! What a peace!

OMGPOP

Ok, so I have a good number of friends that I've recommended this site to, and they all seem to love it. I thought I'd passed it on to my blogger friends. It's called omgpop. It's mini gaming and social networking mixed together. You can play their versions of tetris, pictionary, mini-golf, bomber man, word twist, and a lot more! Go check it out, and see if you like it! If you do, add me as a friend: smushums456

Peace guys!




http://www.omgpop.com
http://iminlikewithyou.com
http://blog.omgpop.com

Ok, It's Alright With Me

Black Magic

There's this girl. Her name is Meagan. Her posts make my day.
http://alittleblackmagic.blogspot.com/
Check her out!

The God of Gum

I've been chewing this gum religiously for over a year now. I LOVE it!

Wrigley's 5 Cobalt



Second, Third, and Forth:
Extra - Supermint

Extra - Cool Watermelon

Orbit - Watermelon Mist



(i don't chew cinnamon gum cuz i'm allergic to it, otherwise...)

So, those are my favorites. What are yours?!

Give It Time

One of my favorite, favorite artists came out with a new album a little while back that I can't stop listening to. One song in particular, "Give It Time" is a daily encouragement to slow down, have patience, and live in the moment. I hope you're blessed. Molly Jenson - "Give It Time"

http://www.myspace.com/mollyjenson

Love

80's Music Videos - #5

Mr. Mister - "Kyrie"

80's Music Videos - #4

Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good

(post inspired by miss christa and mister michael)

80's Music Videos - #3

Paula Abdul - "Cold Hearted"

A Change of Pace

Today I want to share with you one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a really long time. It's been one of my favorites for almost a year (which is saying volumes if you know how much music I listen to.) Every time that I hear it my heart is quieted, my mind is shifted, my spirit is provoked, my belly burns for more of Him, my love is reflamed, and my vision is cleared. I know it's merely a melody of earth, but I'd like to think that Bethany was deep in worship when this song poured out from her heart. I hope that you will enjoy it and be blessed as well!






"The Kingdom" - Bethany Dillon

It tapped me on the shoulder today when I got home
I saw everything collecting dust
It made me hope there was something more
I pour over pages, desperate to find out why
The cripple at your table has what I'm longing to find

Teach me how to hum it
Because I don't know the words yet

Help me see the light
I'm reaching through the fight
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom
Arms open wide
Death swallowed up by life
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom

Why are some women barren
While the wicked's house is full
The stories never seem to end
Give me evidence I'm not alone
You said the weak would be lifted up
But maybe just not yet
So while I wait in this flesh and blood
I'll learn to lean in

Help me see the light
I'm reaching through the fight
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom
Arms open wide
Death swallowed up by life
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom

80's Music Videos - #2

Earth, Wind, and Fire - "Let's Groove"

80's Music Videos Series - #1

A Flock of Seagulls - "I Ran"

Seattle

After spending a couple of days in this great city I am extremely aware that I would never last here.  

1.  I have to have warm sunshine.  The water is brilliant, but I wish for sunshine in compliment. 
2.  My music is too sweet, soft, and honest for this area.  Everything is loud and mean.  Couldn't do it, sir. 
3.  People are hard.  I love people.  It's really tough to keep my head up without them.  The majority of these people will never get to experience the friendliness of Texas.  That saddens me.  I have come to respect Texans so much in the past couple of days.
I want to move out to San Diego soon.  After Nursing School I'll be out here again, but just a bit Southward.
Now, it's off to another museum.  I'm having fun despite my complaints!  Have a beautiful week, friends.

Punk Goes Pop 2

The second round of pop covers gone hardcore comes out tomorrow.  And, baby, I can't wait!




OFFICIAL TRACK LISTING

1. Alesana- "What Goes Around..." (Justin Timberlake)
2. Silverstein- "Apologize" (One Republic)
3. August Burns Red- "...Baby One More Time" (Britney Spears)
4. Mayday Parade- "When I Grow Up" (Pussycat Dolls)
5. A Day to Remember- "Over My Head (Cable Car)" (The Fray)
6. Escape the Fate- "Smooth" (Santana feat. Rob Thomas)
7. There For Tomorrow- "Ice Box" (Omarion)
8. Chiodos- "Flagpole Sitta" (Harvey Danger)
9. Bayside- "Beautiful Girls" (Sean Kingston)
10. Breathe Carolina- "See You Again" (Miley Cyrus)
11. The Cab- "Disturbia" (Rihanna)
12. A Static Lullaby- "Toxic" (Britney Spears)
13. Four Year Strong- "Love Song" (Sara Bareilles)
14. Attack Attack!- "I Kissed a Girl" (Katy Perry)


http://www.myspace.com/punkgoespop2

Christa Black

Christa Black is a very sweet girl and talented musician/songwriter.  She's been a wonderful inspiration to me and she's from West Texas too, kids.  This is a cute little ditty from Miss Christa.  Enjoy!



My Dirty Little Secret

...is...I heart Beyonce!

Uh, take that!  That's right, you heard it from Miss I hate pop music, herself - i even own her new album...!
Why, you ask?  She is a fighter.  She can sang.  She is beautiful.  She brings something a little different, fresher than is already out there.  She can shake it.
Time for you to denounce all association with me...(cough, Sam, cough).

"Diva" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuDE9vRZvg0
"Single Ladies" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVEGfH4s5g&feature=channel

AOTR Competition

 
                         
 

Thanks guys :)
photos:  http://www.quitecharmed.blogspot.com/

The Most Amazing Soap

So, I know that I am about to expose myself as the biggest dork ever (thanks, Sam and TJ), BUT I am just so excited about this soap that I found!  It's called SPA Radiant moisture wrap from Softsoap.  Dude, this stuff smells amazing.  So amazing, in fact, I thought, "I totally wish that they had an air freshener that had this same smell so I could have my house smell like this."  Well, of course they are not going to have an air freshener, but I DID find that they have this same thing in body wash.  Oh, yeah baybay (dork disclaimer - yes I am aware of it)!  Anyway, I thought I'd let you all know about my great new discovery and see if you might try it as well.

My Selfishness, His Righteousness

It is becoming more apparent to me on a daily basis of how self-centered I am.  It’s truly saddening to my heart, the extent of my self-righteousness and want for my own ways to be brought into physical effect.  I am not called to such a thing.  


I AM, however, called to the furthering of the name of Jesus Christ, the Maker of all and the Healer of all.  He is the one who grants me the breath that I breathe, the very same breath that I decide will either further my name or His.  It seems so easy to choose the renown of my King, but SO often do I choose my own!  

And yet, He is forgiving and loving to me.  He is the author and the finisher of the faith that has been so freely given to me.  Man, I don’t even deserve to be alive.  The law says that I am to be put to death for the wrongs that I have committed.  Yet, Jesus, in His utter sovereignty, came down in human form to sacrifice Himself on a cross that I may live and possess life to the highest level.  

The old has gone and the new has come.  I will rejoice in the marvelous things He has done!

We Speak in Different Voices

My speech is slurred, but my heart is quiet.  Too quiet.  Almost gone.  It feels like it's time to give up.  I can feel the fuel rising again.  I will not allow it, yet I desire to embrace it to its full penetrating potential.  The lack of it all is flustering.  I can almost taste the end with my tongue.  The rose is slowly welcoming its own dejection, and the gardener seems to call for it.  It begs.  It groans for release.  Though the fire may lie in expectation, the rose embodies its thoughts into trails of smoke.  The rain will only rust.  The light will only blind.  A fictional life's view is most definite.  But no one will notice the lack of one single rose taken out of the gardener's bed.

I Need...I Do

I need to find a place with great clothes for a great price.  I need...I do!  Help me?

A Defining Prayer

Lord God,

You know how much I despise myself.  You know the thoughts that race and dwell in my mind every day.  Jesus, you are the most beautiful, most deserving thing I've ever known.  Please, somehow allow me to see myself in the same light that You see me.  It's a daily struggle.  You know this, but I will place my trust in You, the author and finisher of my faith.  Give me the confidence and the humility to know that I am Yours and You, my Lord, are mine.  May I live under the knowledge that you have delivered me from a relationship with the world.  Just like in James 4:4, "If your aim is to enjoy the world, you can't be a friend of God" may I accept Your gift and be divorced from the pattern of this dark, cold, selfish world.  You are the one that I will follow.  Not my will but Yours be done.  Help me to see that I, in this divorce, am a friend of the Most High.  Thank you, Jesus.
Amen