Trippin'

Natalie and I are off to New England for about 10 days. Stops include boston, Cape Cod, Portland, ME, various places in Conneticut and Rhode Island, and New York City- not in 'New England' but on the way.
Maybe I'll blog if I have free internet somewhere and I am bored. If not, Happy summer to you all and i'll be back soon.
peace

wow.?!

This is the world we now live in. I remember in the summer of 97 when premium was $.79/gal. Those were the days...
I wish I had a solution. I wish all the stuff we are doing in the middle east would help it, but as a cynical 27yrold, I am afraid it will not help. I am all about free market, but I want lower gas costs. I wish I could do something to lower my demand but I cannot right now. Maybe in the weeks and years to come.


I did something today. I made an investment in this guitar. It is a 91 Chet Atkins that I have bought myself for graduation. I didnt consult many people like I should have and I probably should not have bought it, but the musicians that I really like have played these. Dave Matthews has played them, and though they were highly modified from their original form, they were cool when he played them. Travis Tritt of course had played one. And Besides Chet Atkins himself, Dave Crowder played one for a while. I really wanted a crowdster, but could not justify the $2300 my local shop wanted for one right now. So, my chet atkins may be named "fakie" or "fake Crowdster" but it is a step in the right direction. My hope is that someday I will be a guitar playing wizzard that will bring joy to myself and others through the beauty of God's creativity with music.
peace to you all. Eat more chicken.

nothing, lots of things

I am sorry to you, the few who parouse the blogspot, that I have not blogged lately. I have lots to say, but then feel overwhelmed about it when I think about it. So quickly, here are a few things.
I have a title, Reverend, thanks to Zebulon Baptist on May 9.
I have been eating left overs since our families left last week.
I am gonna buy new golf clubs but I am not sure what to buy, suggestions taken:
We are celebrating our anniversary with a trip to New England in 10 days, suggestions for places to see are being taken as well: Fenway Park, Red Sox and A's, May 25 already planned.
I just got my tix for Robert Earl Keen and Dave Matthews Band, July 26 in Raleigh, Love it or Hate it. I love it, cant wait.
Gonna Go, Natalie wants me to plan our trip with her so she is blowing a hot hair dryer at me periodically to try to hurry me up.
Love ya, mean it.
the rev aho

further foods for thought

One place that has made its way to the top of my list of places to eat is PF Changs. This place is great. If you have never been there, you should go. If you do not like Chinese cuisine, this is definitely the type of place you can learn to eat it.
We usually start with the chicken lettuce wraps. Then, for dinner, I like the mongolian beef and Natalie likes the sweet and sour chicken. The honey chicken is also good to me as well. Once, we went with about six people and all ordered different dishes. Everything we tried was great. I have family members that say the only difference in PF Changs and other chinese restrauants is the presentation and price, but I calmly disagree. I think the food is better. You actually trade quantity for quality at changs, but it is totally worth. This is a great place to go if you want to try some good food.

Changing Opinions

Another thing that has been going on lately in my life is the shift in my radio dial towards 91.5, WUNC, our local NPR station. Being here on the east coast has opened my up to some ideas and opinions that are a little further left than I had thought before and it is possible that my recent radio habits reflect that.
I do not think I am really left at all, rather, I like to think of myslef as being in the middle of all that I have going on, but nonetheless, if this is a label, I will accept it.
Now, on to NPR. The thing I have really begun to like about the station is that I learn stuff everytime I listen. The stories are fascinating and creative in a way no other news is not. Lots of the attention on our station is focused on Iraq right now, and though I understand and am completely sympathetic to the people who are directed to be over there, I get tired of hearing about it. But the non-Iraq stuff is really great. Last week they ran a story on an old recording studio in norhtern Alabama that is home to a bunch of famous songs by blues and funk artists, as well as the Rolling Stones. Many think of these songs as coming from more famous places but this little studio is were they came from. Not to mention, Click and Clack, the car talk guys, and i like all of the other stuff. So, next time you are surfing your presets and all of the sports stations are on commercials, and all of the pop stations are stuck on the latest newleywed song, just tap on over to NPR and give it a listen. It's educational ear candy.