Habits = Ruts

I've had a few interesting conversations with a friend of mine, and we both agree that we felt more on top of it, more disciplined, more capable of making necessary changes in our lives and of modeling obedience to the Lord when we were in college than afterward. Almost inexplicably so. Like, College life, that was basically on lockdown, we had chosen solid churches, made time for God's word, were involved in ministry, and excelled at our school work, and always had time for a late night Wendy's run or a Saturday pickup game of Ultimate Frisbee.

I feel like there's a number of changes, disciplines, rhythms I would like to establish now, and it is very very difficult, even things I have been consistent at in the past. Why?

Hopefully I will find both the answer and victory this summer. So far, I am faring alright. better than 50%, but there is always so much work to be done on my life.

MJ

So, the last 20 years of bizarre crap not withstanding, Michael Jackson did something very profound, more deliberately in his early 90's work with songs like Black or White, but even in his breakthrough in the 80's.

In the 1980s, MTV was NEW. the music video was NEW. And there were many bands in the 40's through 70's that wouldn't have been promoted if the music video had been around back then. Why? because they were non-whites. Racism doesn't work as well over the radio. Fitting that MTV's first music video was "Video Killed the Radio Star". For the first 2 years of it's programming, MTV didn't show a single non-white artist's music video. That was the biggest criticism they ever got, was basically as the most racist channel on cable TV.

In 1983, Thriller came out. Michael Jackson pressured MTV to put a black artist on their video rotation, and not just once in a while. The Thriller music video demanded heavy rotation. Michael Jackson was a civil rights face. He was the Jackie Robinson of Music Videos.

After Bad came out in 1987, it was all downhill, and I don't justify any of his issues or problems in the 22 years since then. Guy was a mess. but, he did something really important beyond having a bunch of hit singles.

sweet sweet idolatry

So, I'm sitting here watching the NBA finals as the Lakers close in on yet ANOTHER championship. I hate the Lakers. I hate everything about them, except Jack Nicholson. He's a gentleman and a scholar.

But I think it's pretty interesting to note that since I was born, only been 8 teams have won this championship. Which is a time period closing in on 3 decades.

When i was a kid it was all Michael Jordan. Now it's all Kobe and Lebron. I think about all the time I've wasted memorizing sports facts, knowing players, sitting in front of the tube, or in the arena, watching sports recap shows, sports discussion shows, arguing about sports with friends, pretending to play sports via video games and listening to sports radio.

And then you hear people from other countries look at the west and they see the clearest form of idolatry available to fresh eyes. I think I've been spending too much time at the coliseum, and I think the I'm setting a goal this summer to detox from sports. Other than playing them myself with real people.

Boom.

...also, I love the Red Wings, but the Pens definitely earned the Stanley Cup this year. What a great series.

Must Check Out

I highly highly recommend the band Explosions in the Sky, if you're a fan of epic instrumental music.

Love it.