the dreaming tree

well friends, i’m at a crossroads. i can afford to buy one new cd, and it comes down to the new ben folds or the new ryan adams. what’s a boy to do? speaking of new albums, i have the dave matthews band cd in hand now (i preordered and it didn’t come before i went to florida) and i’m still trying to make up my mind. it came with a bonus cd with b-sides and live stuff; one of the live ones is from the new album and it grooves, but the album version seems too reigned in, instead of just letting each member flow within it. since i’ve only heard the one new song live, i can’t really judge the others fairly, but i have a feeling it’ll be a similar story. what the dave matthews band can do with a song live is incredible, so maybe i shouldn’t be that worried about the studio album. hopefully they’ll release another live cd soon with lots of these new songs on it and i’ll be able to hear them in all their glory. i also wish they had chosen a song other than “crash” for the millionth time as a live bonus track. i never understood the allure of that song. anyway, i don’t know everything…

your friend,
david

p.s. i won’t have pictures up for ya’ll till saturday at the earliest. i hope you can endure without the walrus till then.

the week in florida was great and i’ll have pictures later. but i want to talk about something else: i’ve realized how self-absorbed i really am. i wanted all the girls on the beach to stop and look at me, so convinced i am that i look that good. i have so much pride that i convince myself i am worthy of attention, and when i don’t get it, i become upset. i’ve come to expect compliments. i deem many things stupid, because i imagine i know so much, yet i’m practically failing school and don’t know when i’ll graduate. i let down so many people, especially my parents. and worst of all, i don’t really believe and trust in the gospel.

the thing i love about reformed theology is that it paints a true picture of my desperate need for Christ, and that was reinforced over and over this past week in florida, both in song and speech. i’m broken, a sinner. i need a savior. Jesus was killed that i might have life. and not only do i not have to do anything, i can not do anything. it is only by God’s grace that i even recognize my absolute need for him. and i need to be reminded every hour of the day, lest i lean on myself again. i have been distant from Jesus and from his church, and it has eroded my heart into unbelief. i have not been loving. i confess that i have sought only my own good. i could literally go on and on about this, but i will spare you, the reader. the good news is that i have been redeemed by Christ and i am a child of God. all praise and glory to him forever and ever.

hello small portion of the blogging world that will read this page and (might) care,

i’m going to florida this week for the annual [reformed university fellowship] ruf summer conference. for the occasion, a friend and i have grown walrus moustaches so that we will attract the most desireable women. our plan is sure to fail, but it’ll be a fun time anyway. and when i return, i shall have gained much wisdom…maybe.

your friend,
david

last night i dreamed that i played softball against randy johnson (he was pitching). we won in 11 innings, and he was so upset after the game that he wouldn’t even come out of the dugout to shake hands with us. i even got a few hits off him. also, he was wearing his yankees uniform, which looked funny to me for some reason. as for the real softball games i played last night, we won the first 25-24 and lost the second 23-7. i hit pretty well, going 4-4 in the first game and 1-3 in the second, with a total of 4 RBIs and 3 runs. by the end of the second game, though, i was really ready to leave for some reason. softball can just get on my nerves, especially when our defense is terrible and i can’t do anything about it playing first base (where the ball is rarely hit). he put me there cause i’m tall and can stretch far and cause i can scoop the ball pretty well on bad throws. i shouldn’t complain about it, though. and my arm is still killing me. soo…ouch.

so…dilemma. i really want to move to arkadelphia for the summer so i can be with my new band and we can rehearse and play shows and hang out, as bands do. my parents really think that’s a terrible idea and want me to stay in fayetteville so i can take summer school, and further, if i do move to arkadelphia they will not provide any financial assistance, whereas if i stay in fayetteville they help with rent and food, as well as paying for summer school. having to be financially independent all-of-a-sudden is pretty huge for me, even though i am 24. i’m an idiot with money. but also, i don’t think i can deal with being in school all summer long. i’m already about to go insane. of course, this wouldn’t be an issue if i had been responsible and graduated when i was supposed to. ahhh…my life.

get ready. tonight’s post will not mean anything to you. i just want to report that deas vail rocked my face into the earth. i hope to find it again sometime next week. if you didn’t know, my band played tonight and deas vail was also on the bill. we played pretty decently for only our second time outta the gate, so i was satisfied. and the evening was overall a great success for me, cause i got to see three great bands, as well as plant more seeds into the sensation that will be father maple. look out…we’re coming for you. but in the meantime, i highly recommend you listen to deas vail.

i wish i had a friend like scooby-doo. sure he’s always scared and never does anything right, but he’s loyal…and as long as he doesn’t poop on my carpet, it’s all good. we could be best friends. scooby, where are you?

Have you ever…
(x) snuck out of the house
(x) gotten lost in your city
(x) seen a shooting star
(x) been to any other countries besides the United States
(x) had a serious surgery
( ) gone out in public in your pajamas
( ) kissed a stranger
( ) hugged a stranger
( ) been in a fist fight
( ) been arrested
(x) done drugs
(x) had alcohol
(x) pushed all the buttons on an elevator
( ) made out in an elevator
( ) swore at your parents
( ) been to a casino
( ) been skydiving
(x) broken a bone
( ) been high
(x) skinny-dipped
(x) skipped school
(x) saw a therapist
(x) played spin the bottle
(x) gotten stitches
( ) drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour
( ) bitten someone
( ) been to Niagara Falls
(x) gotten the chicken pox
(x) kissed a member of the opposite sex
( ) kissed a member of the same sex
( ) crashed into a friend’s car
(x) been dumped
(x) shoplifted
(x) been fired
(x) had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back
( ) stole something from your job
(x) lied to a friend
( ) had a crush on a teacher
( ) been to Europe
( ) saved somebody’s life
( ) had your life saved by someone
( ) married
( ) gotten divorced
( ) had children
( ) saw someone die
( ) been to Africa
(x) driven over 400 miles in one day
(x) been to Canada
(x) been to Mexico
( ) flown a plane
( ) purposely set a part of myself on fire
( ) eaten sushi
( ) been skiing
(x) been front row at a concert
(x) gone backpacking in the mountains
( ) been on a blind date
(x) ridden in a taxi
(x) been in love

i’d rather be in a band with a decent underground following than one with a single top 40 hit to its name.

i don’t really have anything to write about. school is plodding along and i can’t wait for summer to be here. i’ll be playing music all summer long. i still have to find a job in the wee town of arkadelphia, but i’m not too worried, cause i’ll be playing music all summer long. i wish i could say i was graduating, but i’m a moron and haven’t taken care of things the last couple of years…so here i am. i need a rockstar wife who doesn’t care about what i did in college (or what i didn’t do).