Graveyard Rock

According to Forbes.com, Kurt Cobain recently overtook Elvis Presley as the number one moneymaking dead guy. This article explains in more detail. I don't know what the entire significance of this is in the grand scheme of things, other than maybe it shows the "passing of the torch" from a dead boomer icon to a dead X-er icon.

I can't say I was ever a fan of Nirvana, but I remember the whole grunge/alternative rock scene of the early 90's quite fondly. I think the whole ethos of it may have had bigger consequences than we give it credit. It basically showed that people were looking for authenticity above musical perfection, and it reinforced the idea that anyone could become famous. It wasn't because of your training or your expertise that you were valued, it was because you had a unique voice. As a musicians, I understand people who are frustrated at the notion that someone can have very limited skill and make a hit record. But, on the other hand, I love the idea that we all deserve a chance to share our opinion. It's no longer the guru on top of the hill that's showing us the way - now we're all together in the journey.

Not as Lazy as I Thought...

Your Sloth Quotient: 9%

You're certainly not lazy. If anything, you're super charged, hyper, and always going. Slow down a little. You can enjoy a slow afternoon without becoming a total couch potato.

How Much Sloth Do You Have?

Someone should have let my mom see these results when I was in high school...

Also, remember that 84% of all statistics are lies, 73% of people know that...

This is not about me

I've been doing a series on Ecclesiastes in Veritas this fall. I was thinking about the book this morning when somethings struck me. So much of the book is about Solomon's frustration of the impermanance of things in life. When I spoke a few weeks ago, I said that the first few chapters show how the fruit of our labor, or material things can't satisfy us. Chapters 3 & 4 talk about the passage of time, and how things continue on whether we like it or not. What struck me this morning was how these are really two of the freatest resources we have from God - our material things such as money and possessions, and our time.

In the 80's and 90's much was said about the greed and winner-takes-all attitude in America. Well now from what I can see - people are much more selfish and wasteful with time. I would include myself in this category. We have so many things that we can spend out time on - the internet, HDTV, Ipods, Xbox, myspace, etc. The list goes on and on. In the end, when we look back on it, will it be time well spent - or will we regret what we've done.

Many believe that Solomon was an old man when he wrote Ecclesiastes. You can really sense the regret when you read the book. He was given so much, but what did it gain him in the end.

24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction
in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who
can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom,
knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and
storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is
meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

I have to remind myself of this all the time. I will have to give an account for what I have done with what I've been given. It kind of makes you think twice about wanting to win the lottery when you look at like that.