I don't think my love for Switchfoot will ever change.
Their newest album, Vice Verses, came out today, and it is glorious. As expected for a band that has been existence for a while, they have tried new things on this album while keeping what makes them essentially them - and it works very well. And as usual for Switchfoot, there are songs that call emphatically for us to wake up from our apathy, achingly beautiful worship songs, and songs where Jon Foreman and his bandmates grapple with the difficulties of this life.
Though every track is excellent, my favorites are probably "Afterlife", "Dark Horses", "Vice Verses", and "Where I Belong."
I've already listened to all twelve songs twice today, and I may well listen to a few more again. So good.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Another favorites list
This time, I decided I would make a list of my favorite TV male friendships, since I've been seeing a lot of excellent TV with extremely compelling friendships between guys recently. (Some people ship these duos, I'm aware, but I do not. That said, as far as I'm concerned, you can feel free to ship them if it makes you happy.) Note: I am not including any father-son or father figure-son relationships on here, though I love many of those as well, because I consider them to be in a separate category.
The friendships I'm listing are in no particular order. Here goes.
WARNING: There will be some minor and major plot spoilers for Babylon 5, The West Wing, Sports Night, Life, and Twin Peaks contained within.
1. Londo and G'Kar, Babylon 5
Even though I said this list wasn't in any particular order, I think it's pretty much impossible for me to not put these two first. Who would have ever expected, at the beginning of the show, that these two would end up having a relationship that is at least as compelling as that of Delenn and Sheridan, if not moreso? Their evolution from cordial dislike, to enmity, to understanding (first G'Kar, then Londo), to deep and lasting loyalty to each other, is just plain beautiful. Much of the credit of course is due to Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas, and I was delighted to read an interview with Mr. Jurasik from after the show that revealed nothing but praise and warm feeling for his co-star. I think JMS really lucked out when he got these two for these two roles. The show would not have been nearly as awesome as it is without this relationship.
2. Jed Bartlet and Leo McGarry, The West Wing
It didn't take me very long after starting to watch this show to fall in love with this friendship. The two men obviously love and care about each other deeply (and again, IMO, this is entirely a non-romantic sort of love), and the two actors portray a lifelong friendship extremely convincingly. It doesn't surprise me in the least that Martin Sheen apparently still gets emotional talking about John Spencer in interviews today, because once again, it's pretty clear that they were close friends in real life, too. But oh, that scene in "He Shall, From Time To Time," when Leo confronts the President after Abby has revealed that he has MS - the shame on Bartlet's face, and the betrayal on Leo's face - kills me. And then the end of that episode, when the President is describing the characteristics of who to pick as your chief of staff! Then there's, well, pretty much all of "Bartlet For America," especially the end. I've already written about the scene with the napkin. Oh, Leo and Jed. I love them. Although I expect I'll be shipping Josh/Donna by the time that really starts to develop, I'm not sure I'll be more invested in them than I am in the President and his best friend.
3. Casey McCall and Dan Rydell, Sports Night
This is another pair for whom when you meet them, the characters have already been friends for a very long time, and this fact is very obvious in how the actors portray them. Throughout the show's brief run, the banter and mutual support of Dan and Casey are always some of the best things about each episode - although the rest of the cast & the dialogue are so fantastic that it seems almost a shame to single out the two male leads. Almost. In addition, as seems to be a running theme in this list already, theirs is the most compelling relationship to me on the show. Although I ship Natalie/Jeremy (they're so adorable!) and was greatly relieved when they got back together before the end of the show, and although I wished Dana and Casey could have made it work by then as well, it was the brief period when Casey and Dan were on the outs that was by far the most painful. I'm very glad that Mr. Sorkin did not draw that out. Their reconciliation in "April Is The Cruelest Month" makes that fantastic episode even more fantastic.
4. Josh Lyman and Sam Seaborn, The West Wing
Apparently Aaron Sorkin is pretty darn good at writing male friendships, because if you notice, he wrote for half of the ones on my list. Anyway, this one was brought home for me when my sister and I were watching "In The Shadow Of Two Gunmen, Part I" with commentary, and during the flashback scene where Josh comes to visit Sam, both Bradley Whitford and Janel Moloney commented - not really in jest - that Josh/Sam is the real romance of the show. So far, I'd say they're not too far off (although yes, I know Rob Lowe doesn't stay on the show for the whole run, which makes me sad, and I think the Leo-Jed friendship is more awesome). But it still makes me very happy to see how these two care about each other. As one example, I cannot help but echo Janel Moloney's "awwww" during that flashback scene, and when Sam tells Josh he misses him. (Incidentally, she seems rather a bit Donna-ish, which is just fine with me!)
5. Charlie Crews and Ted Earley, Life
This friendship is quite a bit different than any of the others on the list, since it began when the characters were both in prison, when Charlie (who was found guilty of murder, but who was innocent) saved Ted's (who was guilty of a white-collar crime) life while they were in prison. Still, they share much in common with my other favorites: they are fiercely loyal to each other, and look out for each other in any way that they can. I'm sure that if we had been given the opportunity to see more of this excellent show, this relationship would have continued to be a fascinating part.
6. Harry Truman and Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks
These guys are awesome. I love how it doesn't take each of them long at all to decide that the other is "all right". Harry doesn't always understand Dale's odd investigative methods, and Dale doesn't always approve of Harry's choice of women (or one woman in particular), but they will do whatever they can to help each other. Michael Ontkean is a fine actor and not at all bad-looking, but I fully acknowledge that the main reason I am so fond of these two is the awesomeness of Kyle MacLachlan's Dale Cooper. I may have mentioned once or twice that I think Dale Cooper is not only really pretty, but surely one of TV's best characters (which is why the end of the series upset me so much). Anyway, he and Truman have wonderful chemistry, and some of the best exchanges on the show - which is saying something.
I'm sure I will add to this list as I continue my TV-watching career, but these are the ones that stand out for now.
The friendships I'm listing are in no particular order. Here goes.
WARNING: There will be some minor and major plot spoilers for Babylon 5, The West Wing, Sports Night, Life, and Twin Peaks contained within.
1. Londo and G'Kar, Babylon 5
Even though I said this list wasn't in any particular order, I think it's pretty much impossible for me to not put these two first. Who would have ever expected, at the beginning of the show, that these two would end up having a relationship that is at least as compelling as that of Delenn and Sheridan, if not moreso? Their evolution from cordial dislike, to enmity, to understanding (first G'Kar, then Londo), to deep and lasting loyalty to each other, is just plain beautiful. Much of the credit of course is due to Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas, and I was delighted to read an interview with Mr. Jurasik from after the show that revealed nothing but praise and warm feeling for his co-star. I think JMS really lucked out when he got these two for these two roles. The show would not have been nearly as awesome as it is without this relationship.
2. Jed Bartlet and Leo McGarry, The West Wing
It didn't take me very long after starting to watch this show to fall in love with this friendship. The two men obviously love and care about each other deeply (and again, IMO, this is entirely a non-romantic sort of love), and the two actors portray a lifelong friendship extremely convincingly. It doesn't surprise me in the least that Martin Sheen apparently still gets emotional talking about John Spencer in interviews today, because once again, it's pretty clear that they were close friends in real life, too. But oh, that scene in "He Shall, From Time To Time," when Leo confronts the President after Abby has revealed that he has MS - the shame on Bartlet's face, and the betrayal on Leo's face - kills me. And then the end of that episode, when the President is describing the characteristics of who to pick as your chief of staff! Then there's, well, pretty much all of "Bartlet For America," especially the end. I've already written about the scene with the napkin. Oh, Leo and Jed. I love them. Although I expect I'll be shipping Josh/Donna by the time that really starts to develop, I'm not sure I'll be more invested in them than I am in the President and his best friend.
3. Casey McCall and Dan Rydell, Sports Night
This is another pair for whom when you meet them, the characters have already been friends for a very long time, and this fact is very obvious in how the actors portray them. Throughout the show's brief run, the banter and mutual support of Dan and Casey are always some of the best things about each episode - although the rest of the cast & the dialogue are so fantastic that it seems almost a shame to single out the two male leads. Almost. In addition, as seems to be a running theme in this list already, theirs is the most compelling relationship to me on the show. Although I ship Natalie/Jeremy (they're so adorable!) and was greatly relieved when they got back together before the end of the show, and although I wished Dana and Casey could have made it work by then as well, it was the brief period when Casey and Dan were on the outs that was by far the most painful. I'm very glad that Mr. Sorkin did not draw that out. Their reconciliation in "April Is The Cruelest Month" makes that fantastic episode even more fantastic.
4. Josh Lyman and Sam Seaborn, The West Wing
Apparently Aaron Sorkin is pretty darn good at writing male friendships, because if you notice, he wrote for half of the ones on my list. Anyway, this one was brought home for me when my sister and I were watching "In The Shadow Of Two Gunmen, Part I" with commentary, and during the flashback scene where Josh comes to visit Sam, both Bradley Whitford and Janel Moloney commented - not really in jest - that Josh/Sam is the real romance of the show. So far, I'd say they're not too far off (although yes, I know Rob Lowe doesn't stay on the show for the whole run, which makes me sad, and I think the Leo-Jed friendship is more awesome). But it still makes me very happy to see how these two care about each other. As one example, I cannot help but echo Janel Moloney's "awwww" during that flashback scene, and when Sam tells Josh he misses him. (Incidentally, she seems rather a bit Donna-ish, which is just fine with me!)
5. Charlie Crews and Ted Earley, Life
This friendship is quite a bit different than any of the others on the list, since it began when the characters were both in prison, when Charlie (who was found guilty of murder, but who was innocent) saved Ted's (who was guilty of a white-collar crime) life while they were in prison. Still, they share much in common with my other favorites: they are fiercely loyal to each other, and look out for each other in any way that they can. I'm sure that if we had been given the opportunity to see more of this excellent show, this relationship would have continued to be a fascinating part.
6. Harry Truman and Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks
These guys are awesome. I love how it doesn't take each of them long at all to decide that the other is "all right". Harry doesn't always understand Dale's odd investigative methods, and Dale doesn't always approve of Harry's choice of women (or one woman in particular), but they will do whatever they can to help each other. Michael Ontkean is a fine actor and not at all bad-looking, but I fully acknowledge that the main reason I am so fond of these two is the awesomeness of Kyle MacLachlan's Dale Cooper. I may have mentioned once or twice that I think Dale Cooper is not only really pretty, but surely one of TV's best characters (which is why the end of the series upset me so much). Anyway, he and Truman have wonderful chemistry, and some of the best exchanges on the show - which is saying something.
I'm sure I will add to this list as I continue my TV-watching career, but these are the ones that stand out for now.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
"When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur..."
And now, for a blog post about something completely different!
My family went up to Mount Rainier National Park on Labor Day. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we had a wonderful time hiking Sunrise Nature Trail and absorbing the incredible natural beauty. (We got there early enough that it wasn't terribly crowded, too - always a bonus, especially on a holiday.)
Here's a small sampling of the 60+ photos I took:
I love my home state, so very much. It's a joy to be so close to such beauty. I couldn't help but be reminded of several hymns and praise songs while I was there, too.
My family went up to Mount Rainier National Park on Labor Day. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we had a wonderful time hiking Sunrise Nature Trail and absorbing the incredible natural beauty. (We got there early enough that it wasn't terribly crowded, too - always a bonus, especially on a holiday.)
Here's a small sampling of the 60+ photos I took:
I love my home state, so very much. It's a joy to be so close to such beauty. I couldn't help but be reminded of several hymns and praise songs while I was there, too.
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