The greatest albums ever

Best albums ever, perhaps, according to me...

(just so you know I love live concerts made into albums)

Simon and Garfunkel - Concert in Central Park

The interaction you get to hear between the two artist on stage is amazing. Like they say, "there is nothing like a neighbourhood concert". Simon and Garfunkel give us stories, it is like every song is another narrative, it makes you feel at home.They were and still are amazing.

Babyface - MTV Unplugged 1997

Mainly a song writer for R&B ans soul artist, babyface is a musical genious. Besides that, the songs that he records himself, comparatively there are only a few are masterworks, in which he cuts deep by talking about pretty significant issues. Songs like How Come, How Long, and Change the World are just... brilliant.

David Crowder Band - A Collision

They are just awesome, they combine, old school traditionals, hymn's, and their own songs with key-tar's, synth's, weird voice overs and Jesus. Let's say it's a beautiful collision of melodies, words, creativeness, and meaning.

Bob Dylan - The 30th anniversary Concert Celebration

Bob is brilliant, on this double-disc great legends come together with him and vocalize some of his greatest tunes. People like Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, Johny Cash, Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, Lou Reed, and of course Bob Dylan himself give a new character to each song, it is really refreshing, in an old folk songwriter kind of way.

Nelly Furtado - Folklore

She reached her artistic and musical peak with this album. Songs like Try which became quite popular are honest and brutally open stories. Saturdays the best song on that album (according to me) is a one-time recording without any practicing in which the laughing and mistakes are not cut out, it shares the story of her youth helping her mother clean hotels on saturdays. Please old Nelly come back, I don't like the promiscious girl you are trying to be.

Thanks Felix.

50 Things I Love

In no particular order


1. Hamilton, and its rough urban texture

2. Coming home to a meal of fish, fried patatoes, and green beans

3. Looking at anything by Frank Lloyd Wright

4. Listening to some live music at the FRWY

5. The excitement that is found in a service planning meeting for CITB

6. Sunday lunches, sometimes simple, sometimes extravagant, always delicious

7. Giving a tour of the Academic building at RUC during a Campus visit Day

8. Any form of a smoothie - there is nothing like fresh fruit being mashed and chilled

9. Reading books that unsuspectingly show my God's truth somehwere in creation

10. Learning from people and worshipping as one church through the True City movement

11. Prayer time on Tuesday evening with the CITB prayer team.

12. Trusting God - though it can be o so hard...

13. Walking in Union Station in Toronto - and exiting on Front St. right across The Fairmont Royal York

14. Talking to family who I have unfortunately not talked to in a while

15. Coming back to Holland - every country has its own smells, sounds, tastes, texture, etc

16. The outlook in life of being able to root in Hamilton

17. Seeing old pictures from High School or Grade School

18. Exploring new cities - Recently that has been New York and Vancouver

19. Road Trips

20. The beauty of the Thunder Bay area

21. McFlurry's with Smarties, Oreo's, and Caramel

22. Being part of a church community such as First

23. P-eer Luck - a combination of prayer, peers, food, and beer in one evening, you should try it

24. Scott Mission Camp - A summer that was hard for me, but I learned a lot

25. The fact that God willing I will be an uncle soon!

26. The Salomon R. Guggenheim building - even if it is under construction when you are there...

27. Indian food - Masala grill, Thunder Bay anyone?

28. Coffee - see previous post

29. Friends - sitting and talking, praying, making puns, being challenged all in a good place

30. Proffesors who engage students to think in ways that might hurt you and change you

31. Community - investing in people, place, God, a neighbourhood

32. Pancakes - any variety, any time altough Finnish pancakes at the Hoito in Thunder Bay are superior

33. Praising God through prayer, song, voices, art, movement in a worship service

34. Putting things into perspective

35. Listening to a Jazz concert on the top of a mini-van just outside the park

36. Simon & Garfunkel - I hope they will do another tour so I can actualy see them

37. Sitting by a fire (inside or outside)

38. Sidewalks, parks, squares, gardens- they are the best places to meet new people

39. Handing in a paper that I know is good work

40. The fact that I have no clue what I am going to be doing 10,5, or even 2 years from now (although it will probably be in Hamilton see #16)

41. Snow - and the endless possibilities it brings (snowboarding, sleading, snowball fights, being in wonder of the beauty of creation)

42. Earth Hour and the back to simplicity community it brings

43. Coffee dates, to keep in contact with each other and to keep accountable

44. Nature - walking through it, under it, within it - seeing beauty

45. The ability to see amazing art, theatre, and music at Redeemer on a constant basis

46. Looking through old photos - brings back memories

47. Summer reading - what a great concept

48. Being grateful that after a crashed computer - your hard-drive is still alive

49. The upcoming month seems exciting - becoming an uncle, finishing 3rd year, summer starting, blue jays game, Rogier visiting, etc.

50. Any suggestions... I am sure I missed something even though I did it in four intervals

- Inspired by Comment Magazine

Coffee

This year I have grown a great appreciation for coffee. I love a nice bold cup of coffee from *bucks, Second Cup, of the FRWY (freeway) especially. Even more so I have fallen in love with the smell and taste of a home brewed cup of coffee. Whether it means that Steve puls out one of his amazing espresso creations or it a home brewed cup of coffee from our beautifull blue coffee press - the taste is superior. As you walk into the room you can start anticipating the taste and the aroma of the coffee. Especially when we have fresh ground coffee, it makes me excited.

And although home made coffee is an art in itself and taste amazing, this looks pretty good as well.