Non-Expanding Recreational Foam

I am now the proud owner of a Alpha Trooper CS-18 nerf gun. As I tried out my new purchase, I was amazed at just how hardy these nerf products really are. The darts can really take some damage! Now I really wish I had asked for these things as a kid. I was too shy to ask for one back then, boy do I regret it now.

Oh well. I'm glad I've got one. I'm pretty sure it'll find some kind of sick use in my college years, and I'll be darn proud and happy to pass it on to my kiddies. I'll be sure to buy them buttloads of nerf weaponry and ammunition to indoctrinate them with this cult-like entertainment. Cult-like, you ask? Have you even seen some of the home-made nerf review videos on YouTube? Go check it out. It gets pretty intense.

Hmm. Come to think of it, maybe I'll just keep my CS-18 for my own personal arms stash.

Xtreme Makeover!!! (Blog edition)

Don't know if you've noticed, but this blog baby got a SERIOUS MAKEOVER!

I am quite proud of the blog header. She's a result of my own imagination, GIMP skills, and love. Since I'm still in amateur awe over the sheer fact that something I made actually worked (and actually looks half decent), I thought I'd share my artistic and philosophic reasoning behind the logo and overall look.

Let freedom ring is a part of one of my favorite patriotic tunes, "My Country tis of Thee". It also expresses my and every other American's First Amendment rights. The blog was originally purely political in nature, hence, the heavy patriotic symbolism. You "hear", by way of the blog, my opinions (ring), of which I have the right to openly share (freedom).

"This is my blog. There are many like it but this one is mine." is a play on the Marine Corps rifleman's creed. Yes, I'm "that guy", that wannabe trying to shyly edge in her humble flattery via imitation. Anyway, the point is, there are many blogs out there on the worldwide web, but I'd bet my socks that mine is the only one you'll find like it.

The crossed swords are meant to give the blog a warrior-esque feel, since I consider myself one. Why not M16s or uzis? Because swords tend to be a symbol of a more civilized age, as Obi-Wan would say, and besides, they look nicer. But for the record, there's still a special place in my heart for modern firearms.

The cherry blossoms are a little tribute to my Asian heritage. It could be argued that being half Filipino, a tree most commonly associated with Japan is ill-fitting for my particular case. To which I reply, with utmost boldness and vigor, "So?". Come on. They're pretty...

I also gave the blog a cleaner look to match the header. Think about it. I shuffled the blog to match the header. Ha. Ha ha.

I think it looks good. Hope you like it.

Funny #4

Power lifters at the gym scare me. Somethin' ain't right about a guy with over-sized thighs and trunk who's exerting immeasurable effort trying to lift all the weight plates in the gym from the ground to the tops of his quads, all the while his veins are popping, his back is cracking, and his mouth guard is wearing thin in his clenched jaw. I don't get it. I really don't.

Eh. Men.

To sing or not to sing

I don't want to be "that guy". I really don't. But I feel I must let this out, or I will implode out of sheer frustration.

Music in the church service is a delicate subject. When it comes to talking about it, people seem to be on either side of the proverbial fence. On one side, you have the the religious zealots championing hymns and gospel tunes of old, continually bombarding the music minister with e-mails to go back to the way it was, musically. On the other side, you have the modern progressives who argue that more modern songs will lure in the people of today and hold the attention of the youth. Then you have those sitting on the fence, crying, "Can't we all just get along?"

I tend to sit in the tree 15 yards off and watch them fight to the death.

OK, not really, but seriously.

My earliest memories of church look different than the church I see today. It's to be expected; new pastor, new staff, new times. But the difference goes deeper than that.

I remember grudgingly getting out of bed, reluctantly putting on a dress, making it through Sunday School, and bracing for Big Church. Despite my boredom, I'd sing the hymns to the best ability, with all the reverence a kid could muster. The sermon took forever (maybe it just felt like forever to a kindergartner), but I listened hard and persevered, staying awake the great majority of the time. As I grew older and matured, I grew to appreciate the deep meaning and reverence behind the now outdated tunes. Even now, I associate congregational singing with hymns.

Hymns made it much easier for my brain to focus. Every line pointed straight to God. When the grand and solemn orchestra began to play and the choir began to sing "His name is wonderful, His name is wonderful, His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord," the slow, somber, joyful tune let me think of nothing else but that His name is wonderful.

To me, hymns equal reverence. "Praise and Worship" songs equal jumping around, having a good time at VBS or children's choir. To me, "Modern worship", like Casting Crowns and the like, is what you listen to in the car. So you can imagine my confusion and frustration when I see and hear these things in "big church".

My biggest pet peeve? When the music minister takes hymns and changes the beat, or throws in some modern stuff to make a "medley". It wasn't broke, sir, don't "fix it".

The Bible does say to "Sing unto the Lord a new song." But the thing is, hymns never get old. At any rate, as the cliche goes, it doesn't matter what you're singing, so long as you're worshipping.

That's all good, except singing worship is a world of a lot easier for me when I'm in a reverent state. To each his own; I prefer hymns.