Here is little snippet of what my "to do" list looked like recently. I've checked these all off by now:

What I've been listening to:
1. This Beautiful Republic's not-yet-released CD "Perception." Great sophomore disc from these internationally known Christian rockers from Toledo.
2. Kutless: To Know That You're Alive. Nothing noteworthy here.
3. Chris Tomlin's "Hello Love," not due out until mid-September. Great worship music from the man who has basically reinvented the genre.
4. Jimmy Needham's "Not Without Love." Nice light Christian pop-rock.
5. Third Day's "Revelation," you can always count on these guys for great music with a great message.
6. Above the Golden State, self titled, new band on Sparrow, very solid pop.
7. Seabird's "'Til We See the Shore," on Credential, excellent new Christian band from Cincinnati, the singer's voice and the group's keyboard gives them a Coldplay kind of sound. Very impressive at time, although there are some weak spots on the disc.
8. Nine Inch Nails' "The Slip." I'm reviewing this for the paper. Stay tuned, we'll have the full review on Sunday.
9. Adam's Road, a self-titled double-disc by a group of six musicians who all happen to be ex-Mormons.

What I've been reading:
"Dangerous Surrender" by Kay Warren, inspiring story about how awareness of the AIDS crisis changed the life and focus of Kay Warren, wife of mega-pastor Rick "Purpose Driven Life" Warren.
Newsweek article from a few weeks about on Abe Lincoln and Charles Darwin, both born on the same exact day (Feb. 12, 1809). Which one's contributions were more important? Newsweek says Lincoln. I'm not sure you can measure such a thing.
"Early Dylan," photographs by Barry Feinstein, Daniel Kramer and Jim Marshall, birthday gift from my daughter Lisa who shares a love of Dylan's music. Great B&W photos from the 60s.
"Night" by Elie Wiesel, just finished it last weekend. Horrific but important book on the Holocaust.
"The Punch" by John Feinstein, who was my editor in college at the Duke Chronicle. Taught John everything he knows ;-)

What I've been watching:
1. The Kite Runner, terrific movie about Afghanistan and its proud people under decades of oppression, from the Soviets in 1979 to the Taliban in the 1990s.
2. Across the Universve: Fabulous fantasy flick by Julie Taymoor, creator of the Lion King on Broadway, brilliantly using Beatles tunes and lyrics to tell a sketchy but amusing tale. The cinematography and music are spectacular.
3. Curb Your Enthusiasm: One of my favorite sitcoms of all time, although it gets a little raw at times since it's on the uncensored HBO cable channel.
4. "Love at First Sight," a 20-minute short film by Ryan Smith, son of Michael W. Smith, for a new project he's working on. Will be writing about this soon.
5. Balls of Fury, a pathetic and disappointing comedy despite the presence of Christopher Walken. Don't waste your time or money, you'll get more laughs hitting your big toe with a hammer. (I watched it because a friend, whom I will not name, highly recommended it and actually went to the theaters four times to see it. I've lost a lot of respect for this person!)

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If you haven't read my stories on The Shack, here's a link. I hope you get a chance to check them out.
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Sylvania, Ohio
August 5, 2008