This Place Called Home

One of my least favorite things about being a blogger is that the name blogger sounds way too close to the word booger, and i dont want to be associated with those, thanks though. Another thing I loathe about blogging? So many blogs become a way for people to publicize their inner thoughts, an online journal entry if you will. Well even if you wont, I find myself feeling very weird about reading some people's blogs; it gives me the sensation of having crept into their room while they were sleeping, loosened the bottom drawer of their dresser and having pulled out their personal journal to steal away their innermost thoughts and fears, goals and aspirations. It's kind of an odd, guilty feeling, to be honest.

I hope this blog post wont exude that same feel, but if it does, just pretend that I woke up after you snuck in, and gave you the ok to read to your heart's desire.

I'm home.
Or, yeah I'm pretty sure...Yesterday I finished packing up my Provo apartment and made the 10 hour drive back to the house i grew up in for the majority of my life. The drive went pretty smoothly, even though those ten hours between Utah and California never seem to get any shorter. My drive home was filled with a mixture of relief and enthusiasm, excitement and regret. Taking the offramp off I-80 to get to my house, I felt opened up to a city unaware of what it had meant to me, unaware of my past achievements and existence in its presence.

I woke up early the next morning and went running around Maidu Park. Even though I had lived here for nine years I had never made the loop around the entire park. A minute or so into my run I caught up with a young man, around 26 years old, who asked if I'd run with him. I agreed and we started talking. He was from sacramento proper and was around for a softball tournament. It was so weird, I felt like I was about to start telling the guy how weird it was for me to be home, how I had gotten home the night before and felt really out of place, how I had been studying out in utah and had gotten back from my mission a year ago. Of course none of this stuff would have been remotely interesting to the guy, he just wanted someone to pace himself with. Somehow I felt like he could see through me though, see all the confusion inside of me.

One of my favorite all-time movies is Garden State. I think it captures magnificently the oddity of returning to your hometown after a long time. So much has changed, and yet it's exactly as you left it. Many of the same buildings are still around, but they look at you a different way, as if they are now dedicated to defining the lives of a different generation, a different group of people that call the city home.

End of May JJ

I guess the secret's out, I'm a terrible blogger. But i hate saying that because I feel like it's so cliche. Anyway, I haven't written anything since March, and I decided to get something new on here, however mundane it will probably turn out to be.
On Saturday Millie & I went to the Joshua James show in Provo, UT-and it was pretty good. We got there about an hour late, but luckily he came on stage a few minutes after we got there. We didn't get a good place to sit, and for awhile we had no place to sit, but it was fun. Anyway, this James guy is the real deal. I wish I knew how to put song links up here, or downloads, because he definitely deserves a listen. His style isn't terribly original, but in the overcrowded genre of chilled out pensive singer songwriters he isn't at all generic. You do worry about the guy though, there were times i thought he might shed a few tears on stage. I guess he's just one of those guys that spends all his free time thinking about really deep, confusing things. My favorite songs are the ever catchy and ironic "the new love song," "you're the cocaine," and slow but beautiful "commodore." Joshua James everyone.

March!

Just an awesome little bit of cinematography :)


Happy Up Here from Röyksopp on Vimeo.

Cool Kid of the Week (month? year?) #2

After two failed attempts, two changes in subject, and nearly two months, the second cool kid of the week has emerged. And it just so happens to be her birthday!

Tami Bowerbank (& S. Doxey)


(i looted this pic off of your facebook Tam, i became aware of a serious travesty two seconds ago: we have NO pictures together!)

Last fall I met Tami, and i cant quite remember the circumstances exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was at church. Because I distinctly remember her coming over to our apartment one sunday afternoon just...because. And i was so impressed. Whenever Tami's name gets brought up in our apartment, it's always followed by comments like "she's such a cool girl" and "she just makes you feel like you're her best friend; she's so endearing." And those comments are always right on.

One of my first Tami memories is when we went to a call center last fall to make make calls for prop 8. I was so impressed by her faith and enthusiasm for things she holds dear. And Tami has her priorities straight. You can tell how important Tami's family is to her. One night when she was giving me a ride home from the ice rink, she laughed about what a hard time her family (brother-in-laws specifically) will give her boyfriend one day when he goes to ask permission to marry her. I know thats a funny way to explain it, but it really hit me what a central role her family plays in her life. It's something I had never really thought about before.

Tami is the best photographer I've ever been friends with...and for sure one of the best I've ever met. Her work is horribly real, and every picture I see feels like it's coming out of an old picture album of my youth. She captures the best in everyone. Every picture exudes life; each one says so much.

This is definitely kind of embarrassing, and something i've never told her, but before I knew Tami personally, I used to refer to her as the "Elvish Princess." Truth be told, I'm not exactly sure what that entails, but that's the first thing that came to mind when I saw her! Let's not mince words; Tami is wayyy cute.

The best word I've found to describe Tami is genuine. Sometimes I struggle to explain why, but I think it's because Tami is so real. I'd never expect to find "tami" and "identity crisis" in the same sentence. Whether you like her or not, Tami is so good at being herself...and I'm guessing there's very few people that dont find themselves gravitating towards her. She's so full of light and love that affect all those around here.

Whenever I talk to Tami, I feel like we're old friends aware of some inside joke or secret, and that before long we'll be reminiscing about some wonderful memory we cant help but smiling about. Tami Bowerbank everyone, Tami Bowerbank.

p.s....happy 20th Birthday!

-Roscoe

Cool Kid of the Week #1

So I've had this random blog idea for awhile, and now that I'm in the library with some homework staring me in the face, I decided it's a wonderful time to get started. So this is my idea: I've met a lot of people in my life and I've decided that some people are cool. Really really cool. This weekly (hopefully) post will be a shoutout to cool people I currently know. cool huh?

So without any hurt feelings, I decided to start from the most logical point: with the kid that (sometimes) sleeps in the bed across the room from me. (barring a CSI miami marathon)

Mark Princeton Christenson everybody. Behold.

I met Mark over two years ago. It was my first day in the missionary training center, and I had just lugged two hulking suitcases up the stairs when I found him and another guy in my assigned room. We became friends in the MTC and our paths crossed every so often during our two year stay in Italia.

Mark is a stud. People often tend to raise their eyebrow when they find out you're from Utah, but Mark's definitely a stereotype breaker. He's just a guy you cant help but feel good to be around. Mark is the most unpredictably predictable guy I know. Like, you know he's going to watch EVERY episode of CSI if there are 8 in a row, but what surprises you is that you wake up in the morning, and he's actually doing his homework! I dont know how he gets it done, but the man is legit.

Mark also has a growing reputation as being a great cuddler. I gather most of that information from girls (including non-single girls) but I have to concur that Mark has a rather large bosom. And I'm just going to leave it at that.

Mark's a team player and a caring guy. I really appreciate that he's kind of simple too. He's pretty up front about his feelings...and he usually wears them on his sleeve. I dont think I've ever found myself really mad at Mark. He's a quality guy and he doesn't do things that would tear other people down just for his benefit. Mark's an awesome guy to have talks with at 1AM and you're about to go to bed. I hear girls call that "Pillow Talk." He's really devout to things that are important to him. And he like's to eat at Beto's during the wee hours of the morning. Mark Christenson everyone, Mark Christenson.

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