When Winter Break Gets Too Long...

Favorite pump-up song: 1) "Bombs over Baghdad" - Outkast 2) "Seven Years" - Saosin

Favorite exercise song: 1)"She's Hearing Voices" - Bloc Party 2)"Like Eating Glass" - Bloc Party
Favorite late-night drive song: "Chicago(acoustic)" - Sufjan Stevens

Favorite new discovery: "Out Dragging the River" - Mason Proper

Bands that can do no evil (aka anything they produce will be amazing): The Shins, Sufjan Stevens, Jeff Buckley, Counting Crows, Guster, Jack Johnson, Josh Rouse

Favorite 8am apartment dance song: "I'm Good. I'm Gone" - Lykke Li

Favorite in love song: "The Luckiest"-Ben Folds/"Question"-Old 97's

Favorite broken hearted song: "Hallelujah" - Jeff Buckley

Favorite nostalgic song: "We're Still Fighting It" - Ben Folds

Favorite "guilty pleasure" band (you wont claim it in public, but you are in love with them): Something Corporate/Jack's Mannequin

Favorite classical piece: "Nocturne In F-Sharp Op. 15, No 2" - Chopin

Favorite band from the 60's: Jimi Hendrix, but Simon & Garfunkel is a close second

70's: Zeppelin

80's: Can I squeeze "Pixies" in here? they were kind of borderline 90's..I guess the same goes for "The Cure." But that's my answer. and Michael Jackson.

90's: Weezer/Jeff Buckley/Counting Crows - take your pick.

2000's: Shins/Jack Johnson

Favorite "who needs love anyway?" song: "Semi-Charmed Life" and "Motorcycle Drive By" - Third Eye Blind (dont ask me why!)

Favorite contemplative song: "Casimir Pulaski Day" - Sufjan Stevens

Favorite foriegn band/singer(non-english speaking): Laura Pausini

Best guitar solo: "One Big Holiday" - My Morning Jacket

Best gangsta' beat: 1)"Through the Wire" -Kanye West 2)"Action Figures" -Cool Kids 3)"Dont Feel Right" -the Roots

Best voice in(or that WAS in) the business: Jeff Buckley

Best lyrics: The Shins

Favorite song about....

California: "Winding Road" - Bonnie Somerville (there are a billion songs about california, and I dont like most of them...this one mentions it and it's an incredible song!)
Utah: 1)"The Great Salt Lake" -Band of Horses 2)"Friend of the Devil" -Counting Crows

Europe: "Holiday in Spain" - Counting Crows

Italy: "Postcards from Italy" - Beirut

Asia:"El Scorcho" - Weezer (that's terrible, I know!)

Blue: I'll put "Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin until I find something better

Yellow: 1)"Yellow" - Coldplay 2)"Big Yellow Taxi" - Counting Crows

Green: "Green Eyes" -Coldplay

Trains: "Rise" -Josh Rouse

Airplanes: "Landed" - Ben Folds

Pirates: "The Hook" -Stephen Malkmus

Friday: "Friday I'm in Love" -The Cure

Unrealized love: 1)"Casimir Pulaski Day"-Sufjan Stevens 2)"Fake Plastic Trees"-Radiohead

mmmm 6 more days...

Christmas

Alright...you got it! The Christmas post is finally here! I wish I knew how to upload my favorite Christmas songs on here, but, sadly, I'm still quite "blogger ignorant." I can still write about my favorite Christmas songs though right? Alright, lately I cant get enough of Amy Grant. Her Christmas music, to me, embodies all that is good about Christmas. It is perfect for a night drive to see Christmas lights, it's perfect for a warm fire and a cup of hot chocolate. It's perfect. Not only does she sing all the best songs, but I love a soloist voice. Especially her's. I'm a big sucker for Sufjan Stevens' Christmas cd as well...it's just so innocent and charming...how could you not love it?

This Christmas for me is definitely an interesting one, as it is my FIRST American Christmas since 2005! My last two Christmases have been in Italy, where traditions are different, but the gap is definitely getting smaller. My best memories of Italian Christmases were eating "Pandoro" Christmas cakes (I'm still not a big fan of Panetone), seeing all the festive Christmas lights in downtown, and going to midnight mass (even though I'm not Catholic). Even though I was so far from home, and we didn't have a Christmas tree or money for gifts, these were some of my favorite Christmas experiences. It was so simple...and I think that was what made it so beautiful. Now that I'm home...the Christmas tree is back and "black friday" now has a name for its outrageousness. I'm so excited, though, for the opportunity to serve. Ok, so I haven't done an abundant amount of service so far, but I really want to. The last two years, giving myself to service and thinking of others instead of myself, I really realized how amazing it really is. Christmas gifts get old, out of fashion, break and tear...but the impact you have on someone else is something that lasts. For me, the only way I've been able to recapture the joy and exuberation I felt as a kid and waking up to see presents surrounding our Christmas tree, is through service. The feeling you get by helping someone else, by bringing light and hope into their life, supercedes any possible gift santa could manage to stick through the chimney. And in the end, I'm sure that's how Christ would want us to remember His birth anyway.

-Roscoe

Comforter

Lately I've been noticing the importance of the Holy Ghost in my life. This, the third member of the Godhead, is known also as "the comforter" and "the spirit." It's role is many: it comforts, guides, testifies of truth, and answers our prayers. Many people have felt the Spirit in their lives. After reading an especially touching account of Christlike service and love, I often feel warm, overwhelmed, teary-eyed. These senstations are from the Holy Ghost, telling us that such things are good. A great blessing of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is that after baptism we recieve "the gift of the holy ghost." Simply put, After we promise to live as Christ did and be His disciples (baptism), He promises to bless us with the Holy Ghost, that leads and guides us in our lives and helps us make choices that will bring happiness.

Follow Me.

In the intensely individualistic society in which we live, people are generally looked down upon if they fall into the category of follower instead of leader. American culture is void of the sense of family and camaraderie found in other nations such as those in South America and in Asia. Reflecting on that, I find all the more significant the call of the Savior to follow Him. After imploring of Simon Peter three times "Lovest thou me?" and finally eliciting the humble response "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee," he commanded Peter saying "Follow me."

Many Americans unreasonably feel they have been blessed through education with a heightened sense of moral justness, with an increased capacity to see past perceived prejudices, and with a greater ability to love.

Many Americans consider themselves an authority an all things political, familial, religious and social.

Many Americans shun the call of the Savior and distort and ignore His teachings to favor their own pride, swollen incredibly out of proportion.

But there is another way. A way that brings ultimate peace and clarity to a world whose borders have been hastily blurred by the cheap, brittle eraser of falsehood that masquerades as such virtues as love and liberty.

He knocks, and we have but to open the door, and follow Him.

Reflections from a Roadtrip

Welp, we're on our way back to school from our escapade to Colorado; driving through the rockies, listening to Jack Johnson. Needless to say, the circumstances make it basically inevitable to fall into reflection and thought. I've been thinking a lot about a discussion we had in our New Testament class last week...which lead me to this:

America is a polytheistic society. And it's not a novelty in any sense.

What is it that becomes the center of our worship? What is our credo, or basis of belief? Growing up, I associated with a lot of kids that worshipped the god of music. They lived and breathed and stepped in time to the beats and rhythms pulsating through their permanently attached headphones; the lyrics became their biblical guide to life. Others worship the god of counter-culture, mindlessly opposing anything seen as the societal norm; Which reminds me a bit of all these shenanigans regarding prop 8: when I walk into a restaurant and see a "No gays allowed" sign posted, THEN we can start calling this a civil rights issue. There is so much ridiculous propaganda (going both ways) about the issue, but this isn't about love or hate, it's about defining marriage. I find it incredible to see how quick people are to try and connect current events to past ones in an attempt to justify their position. But alas, I digress....
Some people worship sex, their car, novelty, or their cyber-facebook-self-image. Many Christians, probably unconsciously, now bow down to the bible as their god instead of understanding that it's a book of history and philosophy, prophecy and revelation. Inspired or not, it's a book, not God.

We live in a culture that ridicules people that take a more traditional approach to worshipping God. In our society, so self-conscious of possibly being labled "intolerant," how do so many react? With intolerance.

How thankful I am for prayer. How thankful I am to be able to kneel before a loving Heavenly Father that hears and answers my daily supplications.

Ross

Christlike Love

This past week I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity and time to give some service, and it has felt so good. Having dedicated the last two years of my life to service, I was accustomed to feeling love for others and enjoying the blessings of service. I guess I had kind of forgotten that, though, in the last few months. One thing that solidifies in my mind the divine calling of Jesus Christ is his emphasis on service. I find it so interesting that while the Jews were looking for a king to come in power and liberate them from their state of vassalage to Rome, Christ proved to be a real leader by serving others. In Luke 22:26-27 Christ speaks to his apostles and commands them that "ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest amongst you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. for whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth."

back to basics

Yesterday We went to the MTC with a big group of girls from our ward to make calls at the referral center. It was an awesome experience not only for them, but for me as well! I remember being a little nervous to make calls before the mission, but this time I was much more comfortable and talked to a lot of cool people. I spoke with one lady from texas who was calling for a free "Lamb of God" video for her 19 yr old daughter. I could feel the love she had for her daughter as she talked of wanting her to see it so that she might find more direction in her life.

I've noticed a lot lately that so so so many people lack direction and grounding in their lives. Choices they've made, or haven't made, have been influenced by what many consider "the norm" in today's society. To me it's a little sad, but helps me to be grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that has provided a solid basis for my own life. I often dont have to worry about what kind of decisions I will make or where my life will end up because I already know the answer to a lot of those future questions; I know who I am in the eternal perspective of things. And it's been such a blessing in my life.

Feel the Rhythm

So now that i have gone off on my first political tangent, I may as well show where it all starts from: you got it, faith. In my last post i tried to leave the religious aspect out of the argument, because it's obvious that not everyone shares my own religious affiliation, but i think it's only appropriate to get to the roots from which my opinion stems, which are deeply entrenched in Cristianity. I'm a little hesitant to write that (sadly) because the term is so generic and broad, but in the end, i believe in Christ, me being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, so I would most definitely fall into that category. Anyway, about 10 years ago, the late prophet Gordon B. Hinckley, along with the twelve apostles (leaders of the church) released an incredibly definitive and inspired document entitled "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," the contents of which can be read here:

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html

I suppose i feel particularly strong about the issue because my family has meant so much to me in my life, and I know they have shaped and molded me into the person I am today. If you have any questions PLEASE feel free to ask. Yes on prop 8!

-Rossssssssssssssssssss

Yes on Prop 8

To reiterate for a second what my friend Cait said, prop 8 will most likely have a larger effect on our country than the results of the presidential election. Normally I'm not one to get all fiery about political issues (because i am usually so busy getting fiery about how rediculous politics are) but I'm starting to understand how big of a deal this is. Why should gay-marriage NOT be sanctioned? Because it's just as much an infringement on my rights as gay couples claim it is to theirs; and i think this clip explains that pretty well. And if you are still not convinced about the matter, check out the blog "Classic Savage" at http://caitanderson.blogspot.com . Vote yes on prop 8!

Jumper

I finally made the greuling (?) trek that unofficially defines one's BYU student-ship...and it was actually an awesome experience. After going out to eat amaaaaaazing Italian food at a little place called Gloria's (ormai famosissimo qui a provo) with Hayli, we reconvened at around 9,30-10,00pm to hike up to the Y to celebrate homecoming week! It was a little cold, but really not bad at all. There was a band just finishing a few numbers as we reached the base, and then we hiked up, took some pictures, and soaked in the view of the utah valley for awhile. That night probably constitutes the pinnacle (pun may or may not be intended...) of one of the BEST weeks I've had out here at school so far. We also had a friday night renegade party. RENEGAAAAAAAADE!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Provo Utah:

Currently Listening to: "Long Way Down" -Guster

Home-coming-home!

:)

Poly-Sci Religious Hi-Fi

So, watching the first political debate between McCain and Obama was outright disgusting. I don't even know how to pinpoint what made it so disgusting, but i just remember turning the TV off feeling nauseous; about politics, America, society, you name it. Although i might lean more Republican as far as the issues go, I am finding it hard to root for McCain. Personally, I felt he showed his age and ignorance a lot as he consistently tried to belittle Obama and point out his inexperience. (of course, we could say the same for Obama...he tried to tear down McCain all night by linking him to Bush...but atleast he was clever about it?) Anyway, during this whole mess I keep reflecting on the late Prophet of our church, Gordon B. Hinckley. He died at 97 years of age and every time you heard him speak, you never got the feeling that he was out of touch or "too old for the job." He was a man to be trusted; decisive and endearing. I sometimes dream what life would be like if he was elected president; I can only imagine that he would have ushered in a time of peace and serenity in a world desperately in need. So, during this time of election insanity, I cant help but hum to myself "We thank thee o God for a prophet, who guides us in these latter days."

-Roscoe

p.s. goodbye September 2008!

clueless

Well, after a week or so of not writing, here i am trying to jump back in and it's a little tough! Life's been pretty busy lately....well BYU football cracked the top 10 this week after lots of top 10 upsets...so that's pretty cool. anyway...I finished a book for my new testament class yesterday called Between the Testaments...and it was actually a really good book. It talked all about things from the inter-testamental period; connecting the old and new testaments. I think it's fascinating to realllllly study the bible and understand a little bit better where people are coming from and why they behave the way they do. I know that people tend to think of our religions as adhering solely to our own bible (the Book of Mormon) but the Bible plays such a fundamental part in our religion. It's amazing to be studying it right now and gaining a heightened appreciation for the blessing it is that we have the Bible. It's a book that needs so much studying and explanation though; i can understand how so many people get confused about the bible if they were to just jump into it without knowing anything about the writers or the history of the book. Anyway...time is running out on me...happy sunday!
-Roscoe

Post-Mission Reflections

Three years have transpired since i first laid foot on campus as a freshman here at BYU...and can i just say that things have changed so much? My biggest memories of freshman year are probably comparable to many freshman and colleges across America (sans the alcohol): Late night adventures, late night burrito runs, and very VERY few late nights doing homework. And then i made my mind up to go on a religious mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...the "mormon" church..if you didn't make that connection with my being a student at BYU in UTAH. Yeah, i can't say i really knew what serving a mission entailed, but i really felt like my life had been changed for the better through my membership in the church, my faith in Jesus Christ, and the spiritual foundation it had provided for me. So i filled out the application and got my call to..drum roll please....ITALY! Northern Italy to be exact, where i lived for the last two years. During that time i learned and grew in ways that i never had before. I developed a love of service and a love of people in general (with a special soft spot for italians!). I discovered a reality that is so lacking in our modern society...society that is in love with the immaginary...with the immaterial. I could write for hours about all that transpired during my italian escapades, but i'll save that for a future post. Since i've been back, however, life has been starkly different than the faint memory that still lingers of freshman year. The 4AM adventures are all but unexistant, i have a job...and i'm currently writing from the campus library. 'Nuff said?
Can i just say that it feels so good? i know it's not the typical college experience...but in the end, that's not what really brings happiness anyway. The 4AM excitement was so fleeting, and so outweighed by the tiredness, sickness induced by lack of sleep, and the less than stellar test results. It feels so weird to be back...as a different person...but i'm talmente grato for the situation in which i find myself...and the times when i sit back from my 500 pages of humanities reading, and realize,

I'm happy.

-Roscoe

currently listening to: "Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant (never to early for Xmas)

BYU to the BCS!

After watching BYU destrooooooy UCLA yesterday i was at a total loss for words...i mean usually we end up complaining about our deficiencies on defense, missed field goals, etc. etc. but this one was just thoroughly enjoying to watch. props to the BYU fans for getting up for this one too...I've NEVER heard the stadium so loud...and our team didn't dissapoint! Oh yeah and by the way, the Mountain West dominated the Pac-10 all around yesterday, with UNLV's big win over ASU and TCU taking out Standford. We still have a ways to go...but it's gonna be an awesome season for BYU!

hey hey hey no time to write but soooooooon i'll be posting like a mad man. yeah...go mad men wooooo

currently lisitening to: "eppure sentire" by elisa

Country Twang

Being back to college out in utah has re-awakened me to a slightly discomforting fact...for me at least: gorgeous girls listen to/love country music. To set the record straight, i am a fan of good music in many different forms, but good ol' down south country music has always been hard for me to enjoy. Last week i sat in my room and tried to force feed myself country music for over an hour, hoping that some miracle would instill in me a love for horses and boots and pick up trucks...and consequently open up to me a whole new range of rediculously good looking 100% american girls to associate with. Yeah, no such luck. So far i just cant choke it down. BUT! If it earns me ANY points...can i just say that Josh Rouse has grown on me times a billion lately? If that counts as country music, and if all country music was THAT good, i'd be a huge fan. Josh Rouse everybody, Josh Rouse.

-Roscoe

currently listening to: "Carolina" by Josh Rouse

whaaaaaaaaaaat

So i'm a little late on the scene, but better late than never right? i'm sitting in the back of my truck at 11PM because we have such lousy wireless connection in our apartment...sweet huh? Today was day 1 of my return to normal college life...and it was, well, easy. i only had one class and it lasted 20 minutes. not too bad huh? I was hanging out in the library afterward reading for my new testament class (aka watching The Office on nbc.com!) and i felt soooo weird. like i was reliving a dream that i loved but everything that I loved about the dream was torn away..and yet I had to keep on dreaming it.
Tomorrow i have 4 hours of class and 5 hours of my FIRST day at my new job...exciting? not so much...ma e cosi la vita, giusto?

a presto,
meeeeeeeeeee

currently listening to:
"ti scattero una foto" by tiziano ferro