Flip Flops, Freezing, and Fatasies

Today I wore flip flops.  

My toes woke up this morning in blatant protest of the winter and wanted to be free.  The revolted and I, as their democratic leader, had no choice but to oblige their request since I was out-numbered.  This revolt got me thinking about how nice spring is and how I love the warm weather.  Don't get me wrong, I love the winter and its sparking, clean, white and new essence, but I also love the green glow of spring and how the afternoon sun warms the grass.  Spring also gets me thinking about surfing.  

Recently, on the Facebook, I received a request from Kam Sheffield, my best friend growing up.  I was excited to see that he and his younger brother had both gotten into surfing and that they went to the same place where I went when I was down there.  I stole a picture.  This interaction started me on my surfing phase that comes around every year at this time.  

I love surfing.  I feel it to be the best recreational activity out there.  Everybody should go surfing once in their lifetime.  

So, all of this started a small revolt by my toes today.  I complied and they went off gleefully shouting while turning pink and numb on my way to work today.  It was worth it.  

Here is a video that I like about surfing.  Thanks!

Sleep, Wonderful Sleep...

Today I slept until 10:30 to wake up to a breakfast that our elders quorum was putting on.  It was a beautiful thing.  I woke up at 8:13 feeling quite tired and lethargic.  I had little inclination to get up and be more productive, so I dozed off and dreamed a bit more, periodically half waking up to curl, stretch, and curl again on my other side, sighing in blissful comfort and slumbering once again.  Nuzzling my pillow with my head, making a nice nest where I could incubate my thoughts and let them work and grow in dark peace.  

Needless to say, there is a great comfort that is felt while sleeping.  Feeling safe, secure, warm.  That is what we are all looking for really.  And it was raining.  That is so great.

Check out the new poll.  The winner will receive a blog post dedicated to that subject.  Be honest.

Hall of Doors...

Times are exciting for me.  There is much going on that is new, good, and benevolent in my life.  Doors have opened simultaneously leading to new and exciting paths and I feel that as I walk down the hall even more, I will find that more and more doors will open.  

The problem with open doors is that you can see what is inside, but only so much.  

These decisions that I am making now, will affect my life for significant amounts of time and will also hold consequences proactive and retroactive.

For example...

If I take an internship this summer, even a short one, I will work unpaid for at least two months but gain experience that is relevant and important.  I will have to dedicate the little money I have to sustain myself during the experience and will not have money to buy a camera which is also important to my steps becoming a filmmaker.  I will have the opportunity to meet many different people that will have connections to helping me down the road but will loose the opportunity to stay with people that I care about here.  

The above example is just a small example of some of the other doors that are opening to me. 

Most of the doors require a commitment of a year or more, significant financial strain (that is ok with me), going to different countries or at least areas of the United States on and off for months, etc.  

My head is full and I feel overjoyed but I also feel like I want to cry. 

Something that adds to this stress is the fact that I didn't have enough time for the first time this semester to do the 100 pages of reading for my class.  I only got through about 60 and I felt like I couldn't take anymore after a meeting about one of these opportunities and I have deadlines, homework, projects, and responsibilities that are knocking at my own door ready to cave in on me.  

You ask for opportunities and they will come.  I am grateful but frightened at the large steps that are ahead.  

I know probably only 3 people will read this, and I hope that they know I care about them and am grateful for their friendship/love/support for me.  

Hey at least it is raining today, that is nice.

Thanks!

Paper, Rock, Scissors...

I was looking through an old book of original Peanuts comics and I found this.  

It seems familiar...

This is what it says since it is backwards.  

Lucy, "I won again!  Did you mark it down?"

Charlie Brown, "Yes, I marked it down!!!  Go ahead... start another game!"

Recents: Sundance, Draper, MLK, and Harry Potter

So, I haven't written for awhile so I am going to catch you all up on what has gone on.  So this is what went on.

I went to the Sundance Film Festival on Friday.  This was great.  Becky and I rode in cars and busses for most of the night to be able to go.  It was a great amount of driving, but I feel that it was worth it (and I couldn't have asked for better company).  We saw Ashton Kutcher, or however you spell it, and probably some other famous people that I didn't recognize because I don't have my thumb on that pulse.  It was fun.  Old Partner was a great film and we saw a short film after about rural Irish farmers and their places.  That was really cool.  All done with just a digital SLR and a normal digital and a voice recorder.  Super innovative.  Anyways, here are some pictures.

Isn't Becky cute? And nuts, but it is fun...

Anyways, it was fun, and we are going back this next Saturday to see the animated shorts program.  It will be much less driving and such.  

The next day, Becky invited me to the Draper Temple open house.  It was really nice to go and see everything.  I don't go into sealing rooms very much, and it was really touching to see the bride's room where they get ready and cry and stuff.  It was endearing.  The gospel is true and families can be forever.  That is the only way to go.

Then today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  What a great day and a great day for us tomorrow when we receive our first black president.  Human rights have come along way, and as I am discovering in my development classes, they still have quite a ways to go. 

But we are heading the right direction.

Speaking of directions, I have a few to choose from.  I am holding off applying to any internships because of other opportunities that have popped up.  I receive emails on a weekly basis asking me to help out on different projects.  "We are looking for an editor...", "Seeking for help for development and shooting of...", "Hey, can I talk to you about this thing that I have been wanting to do...".  You know, things like that.  It is nice to be wanted, but also to be paid.  That is yet to come I guess.  I am just happy that there are so many doors open and opening to me right now. 

So, that is about all that I have to say.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot.  I read the first Harry Potter book.  Despite preconceived notions, I was suprised to see how fun it was to read.  The writing really takes you there and moves quickly and it is fun.  So my goal is to read the books, at least until the sixth before the movie comes out this summer.  

On the topic of goals, I am doing great with my goals for the new year.  I am keeping up on my homework.  I am working hard at my major.  I am reading and writing both for school and for fun.  I am playing music.  I am doing my best to date (thanks for being nice to me Becky).  And I am quite happy, healthy, and hopeful.  Thanks to all for your support and for you love.  You all are what is most important to me and I thank you.

Dream 1-16-09

Last night I had a dream. It is all a bit vague now, but it had alot to do with money. I had a decision to make. Choose money, or love. I remember feeling completely struck by the question, thinking, "Why on earth would I choose money over love?".

I remember there being flashed before me two parallel yet distinct views.

One swept me across the earth to islands that I had purchased in Bali, and to my town house in rural France, exclusive parties and events along in New York, Los Angeles, driving a Mercedes Benz, being with friends who did care but were transient in my life. And feeling empty.

The other was crammed intimately into a small house in south Provo with bills that were stacked full onto the kitchen table, the smell of curry, my books falling all over the small space, the time issues of having multipul jobs, a lovely wife who nuzzled safely onto my shoulder and the new child that, together, we were holding. And feeling filled.

I woke up (late for work) emotional. It was a wonderful feeling. The former feeling exciting and novel. The latter, intimate and endearing. The difference between the two was the end feeling. It was nice to be reminded about what is really important here and now and to remember to work towards that.

Dreams are pretty neat things, even vague ones.

Productive Thurs...

Things I did productively this today and it is only 1:20

-Woke up on time (got 8.5 hrs of sleep)
-Read scriptures
-Read homework
-Responded to emails
-Balanced fincances
-Cleaned Kitchen
-Ate good Breakfast
-Showered
-Read more homework
-Wrote homework
-Showered
-Shaved
-Ironed shirt
-Bought cologne so I don't stink like smoke as some people say
-Found a suprise
-Found another suprise
-Went to bank
-Ate lunch
-Finished homework
-Unstrung, Restrung and tuned guitar
-Worked
-Wrote this post.

This is kind of scary to me. I enjoy being productive and all but upon writing this list I was struck with the awful realization that I am growing up and getting boring. I decided that I am going to act like a kid tonight and the rest of this weekend. It is time for fun.

Goodbye Song

I have decided that this blog will also be a forum for some of my songs.  I will record them and you can listen.  Enjoy.  (In the future I will try to record them at a higher quality)

GOODBYE SONG

1- Well, I got a call on my phone

    Turns out I'm leavin' home

    Or at least what I always thought it was, oh it was.

    And I don't got much to say

    Except I'm leavin' behind my old ways

    And you know I'm coming back more a man, more a man.  I wanna tell you to

Ch- Please don't cry no tears,

       I'm leaving but I'll be coming back next year

       And I will rush straight to your arms, your loving arms..

       Goodbye is not all I'll say

       I'll remember you every night when I pray if

       You promise you'll remember me.

Music Interlude

2-  Well I'll think of you when I play my songs

      To help the time pass it won't seem so long

      And I will keep on singing just for you, just for you

      The moon will shine over both our heads and I'll

      Think of the words that were sincerely said

      And I will remember the moments that last forever

Ch-

Instrumental Bridge

3-  And I will come back and things might be the same

      But you will see that I have changed, still

      Somewhere deep inside I'll still be me, Plain old me

     And right now it's so hard to go

     I'm leaving everything that I've ever known

     But I will still have our memories.

Ch-

Fin.

Language...

Some thoughts on language accompanied with new goals:

I love language.  I suck at language.  I like to hear other languages, especially those with Latin roots because I can understand them a bit more.  I know Spanish and can pick up some very basic Italian and Portugues.  I want to learn French.  Why?  Spanish and French are the languages that are most needed in the development sector.  If you know those languages and English, you can do some good in the world.  Also, despite past thoughts and feelings about French, it is one of the most beautiful languages spoken and probably the most fun to speak.  They way your lips move is so much fun.  

A series of events (development classes for my minor, facts, brother in law, films, Becky is doing it and she is cool so...) have made me decide to seriously try to start to learn French.  I have no time for classes, BUT as we speak I am downloading French lessons in podcast form from iTunes.  I am not going to be good at French, but hopefully I will be able to learn a bit more.  Thought that I would share that.  Any help and encouragement is appreciated.

New Blog Look...

So, I am just learning how to do a blog.  I was looking at mine today and decided that it looked like crap so I tried to change it.  I don't know HTML things or where to find neat designs so this is what I have.  Tell me what you think and how I might be able to make it more visually dynamic.  I have new things on the side, including polls, pictures, soon to be quotes, and a link to my YouTube channel.  

I want to know what you (the whole 2-3 people who actually read this) want to see on my blog and we can see if we can reach some sort of agreement.  Also if you have suggestions or links to make it cooler, do tell. 

Thanks!

Sundance 09 tickets...

Well, it is done.  I am on my way.  Here is the story.

The Sundance film festival is the super bowl of film.  It is the premier film event.  It is also very difficult to get tickets to, relatively.  You see, it is a labrynth of hoops and time tables with deadlines, restrictions and barriers set up along the way so that only those who seek, will find. 

I did my research, my time tables, and jumped those barriers and it came to a climax last night.

I had known that tickets go on sale on the 12th of Jan (today Monday) to the general public.  I had already missed the deadlines for "locals only" and all of that fun, but it didn't matter.  That is until the clock struck 12 midnight and it was Monday Jan 12th and I couldn't find where to purchase them online.  I read innumerable pdf's about the subject and searched wide and far for links with out success.  I was worrying because not only my enjoyment was contingent on my getting tickets, but others enjoyment as well (and I'd hate to do that to her).  I needed to get tickets.  I learned that one of the premiers had already sold out (Art and Copy), and I also learned that others were selling out quickly.  I decided to undertake the event full charge in the morning.

I woke up bright and early after about 5 hours of sleep to get back to work.  Again, I found nothing leading me to an online purchase site.  I decided that I must act, or the opportunity would be lost.  I was going to Park City to stand in the box office line and purchase my tickets manually.  Then in a moment of inspiriation, I looked at box office locations and saw that there was one up the canyon at Sundance ski resort.  I went up, waiting for the box office to open (much to my chagrin, there was no line at all as previously thought) and purchased my tickets for the perfect times I needed.  This was the result...

A huge smile behind the amazing brilliance of being able to go to this world class event.

Financially I was unable to purchase all that I wanted but I got what I needed and it was amazingly easy.  Plot a schedule, see if tickets are available online and go to Sundance and purchase what you want.  They are very helpful.  It really isn't so hard.

So now I can go up with Becky and we can both experience this.  We are going to the world premier, let's repeat that, WORLD PREMIER!!!!!! of the beautiful film Old Partner and also the Animation Spotlight.  I am so stoked.  Now if I can just get my camera working right...

Maxfield Concert 1-9-09

My favorite local band, goodmorningmaxfield, formally known as maxfield and currently known as fictionalist, just had their CD release party.  It was quite the extravaganza.  But, as always, a bit of backstory.

Three years ago, when I was quite interested in playing local music and listening to it, I stumbled upon a wonderful band called maxfield at a UVSC party music thing and I signed up for their email list.  I then attended numerous house shows (one where both of my legs fell asleep and upon trying to stand up I collapsed on three girls in front of me) and other venues of theirs.  I became friends with Andrew, the keyboardist and accordianist, and Stewart, guitar and lead vocals.  After a show, Andrew told me about how they were recording an EP in some persons basement and how they needed a "live" audience.  I thought, sure why not, and I went.  It was fun and long and quite educational.  They then accumulated more of a fan base, added a new drummer, guitarist, and a host of different people. Then I lost contact and by the time I came back, they were performing in the Austin City Limits as one of the top bands.  Now on their third CD and third name, Fictionalist (formally maxfield) is back.  

Always a pleaser these guys are great.  The music they play is much harder than what I usually listen to, but it brings out the rocker in me the way that Led Zeppelin does.  They are fun and amusing.  

Tonight was no exception.  After listening to the first band, which I can't remember the name of but they were pretty good, we were favored with the musical talents of Fictionalist.  There were so many people there and it smelled like sweat and bad breath but it was still quite enjoyable.  It was also incredibly warm there and so upon going outside I froze and chattered.  But over all it was great.  They played my favorite song as the last song, Spinning Wheel.  My camera had a problem half way through but I tried to edit it together so everybody can see it.  It is down below.  Overall, a wonderful, energy packed night.  Two sad things though.  Becky was by and they wouldn't let her in because it turned out that the place was about 100 people over the fire marshal limit.  The second bad thing is is that I didn't see Ben there either and I feel that they both would have enjoyed it and I would have enjoyed their company.  Anyways, there is always next time, and besides that you can listen to them here

http://goodmorningmaxfield.com/

It is their old site but I can't find their new one.

So check them out, go to their concerts because they are quite incredible, and support local music.  Thanks!

ps video and pics not up because my camera died and i can't find the charger.  bad day.  but soon to come.  i am looking...

Sundance 09...

So, that wonderful and magical time of year has come yet again. The 25th annual Sundance Film Festival is starting next week and running for ten days (January 15-25, 2009). As a film student and aspiring filmmaker, I hope to be able to go and learn, network and enjoy what is being presented. Some people believe that Sundance might be a bit to "risque" in many different aspects and people worry because things are not rated. Word of advise, do your research and get over yourself. We do need to be careful about what we watch, but by judging a wonderful and informative film by one word or a touchy subject would be terrible. Anyways, I am on my box speaking and now I am done.

These are the films that I am seeing (hopefully) during the next two weeks. I did my research and I feel great about it.

Old Partner- A film about a Korean farmer and his livestock. Touching, original, sincere from what I can see. Here is the trailer that I found on YouTube today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxVGNx0xeEQ

The next film I want to see is by one of my favorite documentary directors, Doug Pray. He always highlights a creative subculture that is moving, changing and redefining the way that the rest of us think. I feel this film will be no different. Art and Copy is about some of the creative minds behind modern advertising over the past 40 years and how it has driven not only art, but our whole culture. I am really excited about this one because I am doing my best to get tickets to opening night on Monday and maybe I can meet him and talk doc. Anyways, I tried to find matierial to show more of. Sorry, I guess it is pretty secretive so there is not trailer, but you can read about Doug Pray at

www.dougpray.com

I am also satisfying the activist/environmentalist in me. Dirt: The Movie is a film advocating the cause of dirt (aka soil). It feels fun and loose and something important to see because of the amount of advocacy and environmental documentaries that are coming out. I have seen quite a few, but I feel that there will be more and I should educate myself on how they look and how they are done. Here is a link to their quirky and fun website.

www.dirtthemovie.org

I am also seeing the animated shorts program, because I love animation. I feel that it is always pushing stories and creativity and watching those is always creatively enhancing. There is also a documentary shorts program and I am ecstatic to see. These are short docs that I feel will help my own films become better. I will have a better idea about how to successfully do a festival film, which I plan on making within a year. This will be a great experience I feel.

Here is the link to an article about all the shorts programs.

http://festival.sundance.org/2009/news/article/the_2009_shorts_long_on_innovation_and_style/

All in all, I think it will be educational, entertaining, and plain ol' fun. If you want to go or suggest a film that you might want to go with me to, do it. I am up for things, though financially it will be interesting. But, oh well. You work and you spend money and you work some more. It will be worth it.

Link to sundance guide pdf download.

http://www.sundance.org/festival/filmguide/

Lunch today: two sandwiches (whitebread because it doesn't go bad, ham, cheese, spinach, mustard, mayo), banana, apple, bbq chips (Baked Lays are so crunchy), a brownie (not pictured) and apple juice.  

I am trying to gain weight this semester and though all attempts have proven futile because of my metabolism, I am going to try again.  The goal is to get from 170 to 180.  I am also trying to work out just a bit to stay good physically during the winter.  Eating lots of food should help this.

Then there is snowboarding class.  Since the government is paying for my school this year, I thought that I would take full advantage of the opportunity that they have given me to learn something new and spend a bit of the money on taking a class that I already know everything about.  HA!  If that isn't sticking it to the man, I don't know what is.  Of course I am taking other classes, in fact, necessary classes that will be incredibly important for my work.  Education, Poverty and Community Development (EDLF 363), Antropology of Development (ANTHR 441), Nonfiction Production (TMA 274) and Children's Media (TMA 392).  But then we have the wild card.  Snowboarding class.

Background

I started snowboarding when I was 12.  I went at least once every year until my mission when I was 19.  I owned a season pass to The Canyons my senior year of high school.  I even went snowboarding for the third time in the  season the day before I went into the MTC with my Dad (thanks Dad!).  I have gone at least 5 times every season since (mostly all night boarding at Brighton).  I worked selling, repairing and tuning snowboards.  I was going to be hired at Sundance to be an instructor, but declined because I didn't want to work Sundays.  I am a fairly experienced snowboarder.  

So why am I taking a class?  Cheap season pass, 20+ times to go this season, good snow, it was pretty much free.  I don't know.  Anyways, I am really excited for this class.  Apparently they separate the class into sections according to skill level.  They have 6 levels with the 6th level saying something like, "We take you, drop you off anywhere, and you come back WITH style.".  So I don't know if this describes me, sure the style does (ha), but I am hoping that there are others with the same mentality as me out there.  We will see next week.  I am excited to see because in all my years snowboarding, I have never really snowboarded with somebody that was at the same level.  This sounds quite puffed up with hubris and it probably is, but it is also true.  I have taught many to snowboard, but then they never quite catch up. 

 Anyways, there will be pictures and stories, I am sure so say tuned. 

Here is a video displaying not only my skill level (minus the 720 and backflip, but everything else I can do, even launch myself off of a large jump and hurt my knee) but also how fun snowboarding is.  An adventure every time.  

The Snowboard Realms 2-5 from tj schneider SNOWBOARD REALMS VI on Vimeo.

Development of Development...

I am signed up for a class about education and development.  Development, I have learned, is a very ambiguous word that basically means how us as a society feel.  Development has been an issue since the start of modern civilization in Roman times.  Aristotle, one of my favorite people, thought on the process of development being the progression of the individual to the family to the villiage to what he called the state.  Each step complicating the happiness of the basic family, but facilitating the progress of such.  The article goes on to describe many different social development theories continuing with Christianity (historically not theologically), the Rennissance, the Enlightenment, Evolutionary theory, Structural-Functionalism, Neo-Evolutionism, Human Capital Theory, Marxist theories (which are always fun), Dependency and finally Liberation.  Each theory seems to become more and more complicated, of course, but also more vague.  It is like classic post-modern thinking, is good really good?  Is it bad?  What is good and bad?  Post-modernists basically argue that everything is relative thus making no conclusions and saying nothing.  It is frustrating.

I admire the people who do say things and who stand by what they say.  We talk

 about Aristotle often in classes because he dabbled a bit into everything, and his thoughts are the basis of scholerly thought as we have today.  I admire his simple response to things based on his, dare I say, testimony that he gained through watching how things worked naturally.  Now I don't think he knew everything, but he had some pretty good ideas.  His ideas about family, story, integrity, social balance and progress are quite interesting.  

I was just going to bed and wanted to write a little about what I am studying for my minor in development and how confusing it can be sometimes and how great Aristotle is.  Thanks for reading!

Here is Aristotle saying good night.            

                                                                                 "G' Night peps!"

Good ol' Aristotle.

Lyrics and Junior High School...

Another excuse to stay up later and write some of my thoughts.  So I just posted some of my favorite Christmas 08 moments, and the list is much longer than that but I was sitting here listening to Vandaveer and thinking about music lyrics.  I am not incredibly poetic or well versed but somehow music makes sense to me.  I fits when I write and when I listen.  I was just thinking about this fact and I reminisced in old bands that I used to listen to when I was younger and how those lyrics affected me.  Then the memory of me having memorized all the Weezer lyrics for both of their albums, the blue one and Pinkerton, and then writing versus of Weezer songs in peoples yearbooks in 9th grade according to what I thought of them or their particular circumstance.  For example, to a girl that I had a crush on I might write something like this,

 "I gotta live on an island to find the juice

So you send

Me your love

From all around the world

As if I could love on words and dreams and a million screams

Oh, how i need a hand in mine to feel

Why are you so far away from me?"

I don't know, things like that.  Or I would write 'in the garage ' lyrics to my friends.  I was a strange child.

But then again, not much has changed.  Yes, I don't listen to Weezer hardly at all any more, and I haven't signed a year book for, well, years, but I still feel that songs and song lyrics can say things better than I could ever say.  Maybe that is why we are so attached to them.  The songs are our modern prose.  

I have been really into songs that are rea

lly about nothing but ordinary things.   I was given a free download off of iTunes in their section of free download stuff so I don't know who sings this song, but it is great.

"I apologise

I seemed to have arrived

home with items in my bag from your house."

He goes on to explain what is in the bag and how he feels about the city and love and life in a very simple and relatable way.

Or this song from Damien Jurado.

"Out from my window, across from the city

I have what's considered a good view.

Two blocks from the subway and three from the fountain

where I walk to break in the new shoes."

It is just simple and ordinary, but for anybody who has tried to write a song like this, it is extremely difficult.  We tend to romantisize things, but when they are stripped down and ordinary, I feel that they are still beautiful.  Like girls, they still look great even when they don't wear makeup and stuff.  Anyways, just

 a blurb.  

Here is a picture of me trying to make up songs and being a dork.

Christmas 08 Highlights

Being able to sleep and sleep and not wake up worrying about projects or work.

-Being able to have time to eat good breakfasts every morning.

-Mario Kart with my little brother, Tate.  And other games too.  Always games.

-Talking about women, dating, careers, etc with my mom and dad.

-Playing guitar.

-Chris, "You just need to show more cleavage."

  Travis, "Figuratively, not literally."

  Camille, "It never worked for me."

  Noelle, "What's cleavage?"

-Walking in the snow and playing in it.  Snowball fights with the family.

-Reading.

-Watching other people drive in the snow without a 4x4.

-Eating too many sweets.

-Looking for good presents for others.

-Reading books Reading Rainbow style, with music and everything.

-Planning for the future.

-Catching up with old friends.

-Making lettuce wraps for my family.

-Watching my little cousins reenact the nativity.

-Watching all three Back to the Future movies in two days.  

-ReFinding purpose and hope.

-Being with those I love the most.

New Times Ahead...

So I wish that I was an HTML whiz and I could encode my blog with cool fonts and pictures and stuff to show the excitement of the new year.  Or the drab boredom of starting over yet again.  I prefer the former.  But what is it about the new year that makes it so different from one day ago?  I still don't know but I think that it has to do with our obsession with starting over.  When I was little, I played video games (I still do but only with my little brother Tate).  We were constantly starting over.  We would loose a life or points or whatever and just start over.  It helped us to progress and do better each time.  It seems that life is like that.  We don't literally start over, but we almost do.  I believe, because I have seen it and felt it, that people can change overnight.  One day they can be one person, and the next they change into a completely different person.  I would see this on my mission, with my friends, and with myself.  We find these moments when it is easy to commemorate something and we start over.  People loose weight, stop smoking or drinking, start working a different job, start eating better, start being more productive, start becoming who they should be.  It is really quite a miracle.  

Speaking of miracles, this whole season seems to be full of them.  I don't believe that it is a coincidence that Christ's birth comes right before the New Year.  We soften, become kinder and see the world how it probably should be, then we change.  Individually and collectively.  I feel that it is a miracle that we can even change and become better.  I know that Christ made that possible.  So, in this moment of change and newness that is the New Year of 2009, let us remember who made this possible and try to change, even a little bit, to be more like Him.  I feel that if we do, if I do, it could most possibly be the best year yet.

End of sermon.  Thanks!