Saturday, March 31, 2007

My New Coffee Maker.


Ray and I stopped by a charity shop today and as I was complaining how the 2nd hand shops here suck I came across this chrome and red coffee maker. It was a diamond in the rough. It was pretty nasty and was taped together so there was tape goo everywhere, but after a good cleaning and several runs to get the pipes cleared out, it works great. Cheers.

Chris

Sweet Young Man.


Here is a picture of my short hair. My friend also trimmed my beard today so I look a bit presentable. Don't fear that will change in a few months. Cheers.

Chris

Friday, March 30, 2007

Art Night.


There is an American girl on my team named Kaitlin (I have never spelled her name, so if thats the wrong spelling, sorry) and she loves art. We met her when we were touring Belguim.

Tuesday night is an off night during training and she held an art night on the campus and it was great. People sang songs and painted and did other artsy things. She also started an art wall on the porch where we eat meals and I am so impressed with the talent we have in 13thFLOOR. Good job Kaitlin. Cheers.

Chris

Be Grateful.


A friend of mine found a free internet connection at a cafe inside a grocery store so this is my new favorite place to get work done (props to Warren). Its a crappy connection, but still free and it's in a grocery store so I can pick up some milk, bread or tampons if I need to. Very convenient.

Anyways I sitting here enjoying a mediocre cup of coffee and Ray's mum messaged me and in this message she brought up how she would like some Taco Bell when she gets to the States (she lives in Saudi Arabia) and I almost got depressed thinking how badly I want/need/desire/lust for/crave/would kill for Taco Bell. There are not words that can express this deep need for this, I am on en emotional roller coaster thinking about this. I am half way between tears of joy in anticipation and curling up on the floor in the fetal position not being able to continue with everyday life. Don't even mention Chick-fil-a, I may freaking go ballistic on Joyce (the sassy woman who works in the cafe at the Super Spar). That would be bad because she knows me and thats nice. I mean, I would hate to freak out about missing my American fast food and throw her in a shopping cart and crash her into the rack of condiments seeing bottles of All Gold Tomato Sauce and Mrs. Balls Chutney scattered to and fro while Joyce shakes her head wondering what just happened. None of us want that.

Be grateful for your easy access to some of lifes wonders, like Grilled Stuffed Burritos and cups of Pintos and Cheese. Cheers.

Chris

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Meeting.

Today we had our first management committee (MC) meeting concerning tour and it went really well. I really love my MC and I am getting so jazzed about tour. There are a million things that need to be done to get a tour week to run smoothly and we addressed many of those things. From week schedules to who packs truck after Rock Show on Friday nights to who buys fabric for the front of the stage to make it look nice. I really am proud of our team, they work so hard and I know they will do great on tour. Cheers.

Chris

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Muse.

I went to rent a nice dramatic DVD tonight because I wanted to mess around with recording some nice mellow instrumental music. I ended up walking out with Talladega Nights. Not what I had planned, but I love Will Ferrell. He's so funny. Cheers.

Chris

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Boo Ya Sucka.


Thats right baby, all the inhabited continents. Thanks Argentina for showing a little love. I realize some people get like 2500 hits a day and I get between 6 and 14, but still they are well spread out, makes me happy. Cheers.

Chris

Too Late Now.

I have wanted dreadlocks since I was young, I always thought they were great. So a little over a year and a half ago I made the choice to grow my hair with the intention of forming them into dreads. So about 8 months ago I got my hair all knotted in sections and let it go with the intention of growing for 5 years. I have fine hair so the dreading was slow, but the progress has picked up recently. They were messy and frizzy and I liked them. However other people didn't like them and felt it their civil duty to say things like, "I don't like your hair" or "you look horrible" you know typical nice things like that. Why would people feel its ok to do this? People say this kind of crap to me all the time. I never walk up to people and say. "you're fat" or "your shirt looks stupid" or "you dance like a deer thats been hit by a car and didn't die, but has broken 2 legs and is trying to walk". Whats up?

A philosophy I have is "I don't want to hear about it". Fine, you don't like something I did or said or the way I sang that song, why must you tell me? Please just let me be.

That said, I cut my hair last night. I now have a nice clean hair cut to go with my Rev. Holohan title that is on my movie rental contract at the DVD shop. I think it was a bad Idea. I let others pressure me into not being myself and thats bad. I would advice one of my students to be strong in what they like, but I failed. I just couldn't take it anymore. I made an emotional decision that now I kind of regret, but its too late, can't change it now. It's a nice haircut though, my female vocalist Giovanni did it for me.

I am sad now. I threw away over a year and a half of growth, patients and wonderful frizz so "I don't have to hear about it". Oh well, my Nanny will like my hair better now. Cheers.

Chris

Monday, March 26, 2007

Man That Would Be Cool.

I am not a person who likes to waste money on stupid crap, though I end up doing it a lot. However one of the things I would love to own is a huge pepper mill. You know, the thing they bring around at the Olive Garden and people who think they are cool say, "Mmmm yes that would be nice, (guys starts grinding while they wait 2-6 seconds then old up their hand), thats fine, thank you." And I am not talking about a sissy little pepper mill, I am talking like a life size replica of Magic Johnson Pepper Mill, where you turn his head and perfectly ground fresh pepper sprikles down on my seafood portofino. I just think it would be cool. Cheers

Chris

Welcome to the 1890's.

The power was off all day yesterday. I had huge plans. I was going see a movie with my wife, then drive home and make a great pot of coffee and say on the love seat and watch TV show dvd's with Ray all day until the last moment that I have to rush to my little home studio and finish a little work for Monday. However, this ruined my plan. So this is a break down of my Sunday.

Went to movie with wife (there is this deal where we can go for R7, thats just under a dollar, wicked sweet). We saw The Pursuit of Happyness (i know its old, hey its a freakin 3rd world country, you are lucky we have roads and pants and we aren't riding around on camels and killing wild game with spears for summer). It was good, but depressed me a bit in the fact that it kind of says that money will make you happy. I want to be super spiritual and say I don't feel that way, but the thing that gets me down most in life is money, so I guess I can't be self righteous. Though I do believe there has to be more.

Then, I went home and got pissed because the power was still out. At this point I was blaming the power outage for me not being able to do my work, when I was just upset because I couldn't lay on the love seat and watch tv.

Then, I took a luke warm bath, because the water in the geyser began to cool from the power being out, and read some of my historical romance book that Ray got me hooked on (thats right beansy, I am hooked on the books the NV women were going on about, its nice).

Then, in a towel, I ranted a bit because the power was off. At this point the sun was setting and I was getting a little worried about not getting my work done.

Then, the sun set and we got out the candle and realized our 4 candles aren't a great source of light.

Then, we went in search of a shop that may be opened to by oil for our oil lamps. Which is difficult on Sunday because stuff closes really early here, like 2pm.

Then, we drove around and looked for an open shop that had power, now we realized the power outage was on the whole north eastern section of Pretoria.

Then, we found oil for the lamp, went home, filled the lamps, walked around the house with my old school lamps like the kid in Where the Red Fern Grows and I laid on the couch and read my historical romance book. I did this for a while and finally went to bed.

Then, as I was falling a sleep the power came on, I know because the fan in our bedroom came on and I had a lekker night sleep.

That was my Sunday, much more involved than it was supposed to be, but hey it worked out. Got up early and had my 0630 Monday morning meeting. Another week begins. Cheers.

Chris

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Ugh.

Yesterday was 13thFLOORS (previously called C-Kruis) Guys and Girls day. The girls spend the afternoon and evening doing whatever it is that girls do when then spend time together, I imagine lots of giggling and nail painting. I am not sure, but Rach went to girls day wearing dancing gear and came back in a black dress with her hair looking nice, so whatever.

We guys went and did a much more masculine thing, we played rugby and drank beer. It was nice. However with this being the first rugby I have played this year, I am so stiff, it hurts. It was a good day though.

I am very excited too because this is the first weekend that Ray and I don't have to work this training. There is always something to do, actor rehearsal, writing music, preaching at our church service thing......but this weekend I am going to do nothing and go see a movie I think. I have about 45 minutes of work to do, but that doesn't really count, its easy. Hope you have a great weekend. Cheers.

Chris

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Always Strange.

As an artist I am self conscious. It is so hard to play something to somebody the first time, its ok if I think its cool, but if its only goodish to me then its tough. Well I finished all the new production music for the new show. 7 songs of various styles. There's rock, rap, dance/techno, afrikaans country, poppy, but today they started reheasing on my songs, so all over the campus my music is blaring while people dance. Its pretty cool. I love my job. Cheers.

Chris

What A Deal.


There is a sale at www.guitarcenter.com now where they are selling a Gibson Les Paul 52% off the retail rate. It's a $1700 guitar for $800. I know its a lot, but its a killer deal on a killer guitar. If someone reads this and feels moved to bless me, thank you in advanced. I own a great bass that a sponsor helped me purchased, but I don't have a great guitar, making proper music takes proper gear and this would be a dream to own and play. Cheers.

Chris

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Ain't Love Grand.


My friend Chad got engaged to his girlfriend, Rachel, last week. Congrats guys, I am so happy for you guys. Cheers.

Chris

Happy Birthday Lelo.

Tomorrow is my friend Lelo's birthday so we had huge bash at our house tonight. It was a surprise party, which I think never works, but tonight I think it did. The 4 Management Committee guys went out for dinner and then we they dropped me at home I made up a reason for him to come in and all 40 people from our team were crammed in my kitchen, it was great.

My girlfriend in my freshman year of college through me a surprise party, but I heard her speaking on the phone about it so I had to pretend that I didn't know. I wonder if I ever told her that I knew. That was my 19th birthday, that seems like ages ago.

My biggest surprise for a birthday was when my Aunt Pat drove up to ATL for my 24th birthday party. I knew I was having a party, but when I walked in she was sitting in the corner of the porch. It was very special to me because it was the first road trip she had taken by herself and she died later that year, so it holds a very special place in my heart.

Happy Birthday Lelo. I look forward to touring with you again this year. Cheers.

Chris

Monday, March 19, 2007

Quotes.

I read 2 quotes today that broke my heart. Firstly, "It's easier to get sex on the street than a hug in a church". Secondly, "I'd rather face God with an abortions than the church with a pregnancy".

Is this true? Take a second and think of your church and people who need help. The first quote was from a young gay South African man. The second was from a young woman. What would the reaction be if we met these people in the context of our christian life?

I don't know the answer, but how can we love like Jesus, where he loved the woman caught in adutery enough to not have her stoned, but also love to tell her to go and sin no more? How do we live that line of grace and obedience? Just a thought. I pray that the world can feel more love from the church. That people will know that Jesus' love is real. Cheers.

Chris

Friday, March 16, 2007

Hi, Nice To Meet You, So What Do You Think About Black People?

One of the things that shocks me every time is the amount of open racism here in SA. I know there is racism everywhere, however the way people talk about it takes me back. It has happened all over this country, we meet a new person or family and within 10 they are asking us about "blacks" in America and how "it" (racism) is there and how bad it is in SA to be white. I am just shocked. Of course it isn't everyone, but I hope so badly that this country can heal from this division.

We met a young girl the other day, just a kid, and she was telling us about her dance class and in her telling us of this dance class felt the need to tell us that there were 2 black kids in the class. However, she used a really harsh racist word to inform us. It just blows my mind.

I hope that nothing I do adds to the problem of racism in this world, I am so aware of the pain and isolation that it causes now more than I have ever been. It breaks my heart. Cheers.

Chris

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Good Bye C-Kruis, It Was Fun.

As of yesterday Rachel and are no longer working with C-Kruis International. We have had a nice time, but it is time for a change. The change has nothing to do with us quitting our jobs, rather the corporate name of C-Kruis International will be changing to 13thFLOOR. The reason for the change is C-Kruis is an Afrikaans word, that many who read this blog don't know how to pronounce and we are changing in time for our launch of the ministry in the UK. The ministry that has been going the the States is called 13thFLOOR and we decided to take a easier to remember name. Its going to take a lot of effort to get the corporate change done, but we are excited about where the ministry is heading and hope that this is the beginning of a great new chapter in the history of this ministry. Cheers.

Chris

Monday, March 12, 2007

What Should I Do When I Grow Up?

I am struggling with the idea of what to do for the rest of my life. I am loving what I do now, but I know I can't tour forever. Well, let me rephrase that, I could tour forever, but Ray can't and I don't want to be on the road with kids or miss them growing up because I am gone all the time.

I am loving my music production and I think that I could work here in the office at C-Kruis working on music production and I think that is something where I could really grow and impact people. I am just so confused because I think it would be great, but the idea of getting up everyday and going to the office, then coming home everyday for the rest of my life seems scary. I think that I am trying to find where my niche in ministry is. I love the music, but I want to impact people. Please pray for me so I can have a clearer picture of what I am "meant" to do.

Cheers.

Chris

Beard.


Just after the new year I shaved my beard then me and a guy I work with, Tertius, thought we should grow our beards for the extent of training (end of April). Well, here is how its going. Sorry for the bad picture, its rays camera phone. If you want to rub my beard you can for a small donation. Cheers.

Chris

Friday, March 09, 2007

Home.

We are home. I am exhausted. We left early this morning, drove 7 hours to Bloemfontein, had a 2 1/2 hour meeting, drove 5 more hours home. This week I thought would be nice and relaxing, but ended up full of meetings and other commitments. I am tired.

The whole week ended up good though, there was great times of worship and many people learned a lot about themselves and God. It also cool meeting so many people working in ministry here in SA. We are doing different things in different places, but all serving one God and that is amazing.

I am going to rest tomorrow morning, but I have to get to work in the afternoon. My music for the new show is not finished. I was supposed to work in J-bay, should have not slept I suppose.

Cheers.

Chris

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

J-Bay Day #3/Goal Met.

Well, I said that I was in need of a break and a sunburn. Today my goal was met. It was my first day off in weeks and I am in a bit of pain.

Ray and I spend the day together on the beach with friends. I played cricket with the guys, it was fun. When it was my turn to bat they laughed at me because I took a baseball stance with the cricket bat (which I think looks like something you could row a boat with, or use as a cutting board), they were not laughing for long when I send the ball soaring like Sammy Sosa with a corked bat or Jose Conseco on 'roids. It was fun. This was part of the 6 hours in the African sun which led to my super rad burn.

The worship service tonight was cool. Ben spoke about our generation and things that he thinks are fears that keeps us from doing Gods work. 1-Fear of Brokenness (our own and other peoples) 2-Fear of exposure (putting ourselves out on the line) 3-Fear of Death. I think he is right. We are so caught up on comfort, convenience and getting "ahead" that we do ministry as a second thought. He gave a time for us to think of our own fears. I think that a fear I have that if I could deal with I would be more able to be used by god, is the fear of security. A vision that I see sometimes of myself, that scares me to death, is this picture of me homeless, alone, toothless and rejected by everyone that sees me. I believe in the devil, I believe that he would love nothing more than for me to quit ministry and get a job for the sole purpose of making money (I had a better hourly wage in high school). I know that this is a vision that he puts in my head to try to get me to quit, but there are days where this fear of security (financial mainly) is so strong I honestly consider leaving the ministry. It's sounds so stupid in black and white, but its true. I pray that god continually gives me the strength to continue to do what I feel he called me and gifted me to do. Please pray for me.

The week is going well. We have tomorrow then we leave before the dawn on Friday for the trek back to Pretoria. I will be glad to get home, I miss my dogs. Cheers.

Chris

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

J-Bay Day #3/ Homey Shoutout.

Today, weather wise, was much better. Not too warm, but not cold and no rain. I think tomorrow will be brilliant.

Our band led worship tonight again for the night session. It was a time where there were several stations set up around the church and we played while people could spend the time doing different "activities" like have elders pray for you or confessing sins or meditating on god's awesomeness or worshiping in song. I think it was good. We played for about an hour, it was long, but I think the night was great for some people.

Because of the worship stuff the past few days and the fact that this is supposed to kind of off for the MC from the teams, Rach and I are taking tomorrow off for a nice relaxing day. We haven't had a day off in a few weeks so we are due. She is the admin girl for this week so she has been swamped as well.. I am hoping the sun is nice tomorrow and we can just go swimming and get wicked sunburns, yeah baby.

I made a footnote on yesterdays blog (a first for me) regarding the fact that I want hundreds, no thousands of people to read my blog everyday and that I might get as many as 14 on a strange day when several people wrongly typed in my domain and they were actually were looking for garden advice or a used car. I would like to say there are several people, friends/family/a few people in Asia that I don't think I know, except my friend Andrea from high school, I hope you are happy. I really appreciate anyone taking the time to read my blog, Its fun for me. Thanks for your effort.

I having received the huge response that I was hoping for when I asked for someone to sponsor me fund for a recording studio. I really have a huge expectation that god will bless this need. I honestly believe that music may be my area to impact the kingdom. It's a passion that grows more and more with every breath I take to the point sometimes I sit around smiling with a stupid grin on my face thinking about the fact that I get to play music soon. When you get 5 guys playing perfectly on time, doing their part to create something that can stir a mans spirit, its breath taking. I am proud of my band, they have been working really hard for the worship stuff this week. I think I may take them for a beer tomorrow, they earned it.

Please pray for me with this music desire. Ray and I won't be touring much longer, this may be our last year, which is a bit hard on me. However, I could really focus my energy with C-Kruis on creating great production music and I would love that. We will see what the future holds, right now I have more than enough on my plate without thinking to much in the future.

I hope you have a nice day. Thanks again peeps who read my blog, poor spelling/grammer included. Cheers.

Chris

Monday, March 05, 2007

J-Bay Day #2.

I would like to give you an update on the time here in J-Bay. As you would remember yesterday, if you were on of the few people who read this blog(***See Footnote***) you would know that the weather was crap yesterday, well today it is worse! When I was in high school a hurricane hit down the coast from where I lived and we didn't get super bad weather just a good bit of rain and wind, thats what it was like today. Like 200 km's down the beach a hurricane was hitting the town of George (where my friends Daniel and Elzette live, I miss those guys.) So it was raining like a mug and freezing like its the middle of July. I sat in a meeting soaked to the bone in a hoodie that was soaked like a sponge, I was not content, I was grumpy. Oh well. I went and bought a cheap, crappy jacket that I hope lasts at least 4 days and some socks that come up to my calf and have colored stripes at the top, not cool old school stripes like you would buy at Urban Outfitters for $30 a pair. So, I am warm now in my house, with my crappy jacket and make-me-look-like-a-pathetic-loser socks. I am more content than earlier.

Besides weather info the fest started officially today. All the groups arrived and we had a worship service tonight and our band got to lead worship. I want to write a blog about leading worship one day. I started hating worship music a couple of years back, but ironically enough I am getting many chances to lead in various places and I love the platform of music to reach people and minister, I think it is great now. So I think that went well. My boss, Flaps, gave a little message about Moses (I wasn't paying much attention so please don't email me and ask specifically what he said, I have the attention span of a 7 year old, I hope Flaps doesn't read this either and punish me, I would feel bad if I disappointed my boss [I honestly only said that so he would think I am a sweet good man rather than a man that lets his mind wander during sermons to stupid stuff like how I can make my coffee turn out better from my french press, which I don't think I can, its near perfect, Juan freakin Valdez couldn't produce anything better himself, bring it Juan you wanna show down, I'm game, bring it viejo amigo.]). So everything went well.

I hope all of you throughout the world, are doing well. Please email me sometime and let me know how you are doing, I am interested. Cheers.

Chris



***( I have a friend named Suzy, her sister has a blog, she averages like a million hits a day, ok not a million but hundreds, I get like 12 on a huge day, how can I get more? Maybe if I were more interesting or wrote more about government or used big words or discussed 18th century celtic poetry. Whatever, I like that I have people that check my blog, makes me feel important, thanks mom and Beansy.)

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Thats Doesn't Seem Right.

I went to sleep last night at 12:10, I woke up at 3:55, I fetched our friends to drive to J-Bay at 4:45, I drove the Corolla for 12 hours and 22 minutes to the bottom of the world and it's freaking FREEZING!!!!!!!!

Its supposed to be the last stretch of summer before autumn comes, however nobody told mother nature concerning the weather in this wonderful land. I surely hope it warms tomorrow because it will be hard for me to get my much needed sunburn through my hoodie (that was worn in The Hydration Method by Patrick Snow playing the part of Josh Kindell [was that the kid's name?]) standing in the wind and rain. Oh well.

We arrived safely and I am excited about the week.

Also, I am making my band grow beards and not cut their hair so we look tough as nails as most of todays top worship bands do. The slight problem is that nobody, save me, can grow a beard. They each have a dozen or so hairs spread somewhere on their face. I will hand it to them though they are sticking in there and giving it the old college try. I think we are sexy.

I really hope the sun comes out.

The waves were huge today, there was some storm off in the Indian Ocean and it caused the surf to be up. I think I might just have to show these people what world-class belly surfing looks like....if it warms a bit of course. I mean I may look tough as nails, with my cool beard, but I'm just acting. I'm just a scared little boy that needs a hug......from a freakin' polar bear.......thats how tough my beard makes me....bring it on cold ocean and strong winds......I will battle against you to prove I am a true champion of all things belly surfing. Boo-ya!!!!!

I am sorry for the last paragraph, I have no idea what that was about. I am tired, it's late, and I need sleep......and sunlight. Cheers.

Chris

Saturday, March 03, 2007

I Am Hooked, I Need A Digital Sponsor.

I used to consider myself a bit old school. I prefer black coffee to mocha whatevers, guitar rock to boy bands, Pearl Jam "Ten" to anything else they did, though I love "VS" as well it's a great albulm, (I know, thats not too old school, but relatively speaking students I work with now have never heard Pearl Jam "Ten", shame), I like beards and I think one of the greatest things if for a man to build his house with his own 2 hands, whatever. All that to say, now I am in love with computer/synth/dj/techno music. I am writing new music for a new show and I like all my music to be heavy drums and guitar. I didn't even want a keyboard player in my band. But this new show is to be more urban so I am having to write different stuff then I typically would produce on my own. It's great. I own a cheap, stripped down, crappy version of Reason (computer software that can be used to build drum loops and virtual synthesizers) and I stole my teams synthesizer for crazy sounds (I had to write an Indian dance-groove song, major sitar baby) and I am having a blast. I love hearing the music I want in my head and its not just old school heavy guitar. My issue is I don't have a huge salary to buy gear. I can do a much better job with writing production music for C-Kruis if I had a good studio set up and not just trying to make the best of what I have. If any of you out there has a heart for electronic music or arts ministries in general and would like to sponsor me to help build up my studio please contact me. I want to take my music and my ministry to the next level and I think if I had "proper" equipment I could do that. Please pray for this need of mine. If was in medical missions people wouldn't find it funny that I wanted someone to donate an x-ray machine, please don't think it funny that I am asking for music equipment when music is a major part of my ministry. Please pray that the new shows music turns out well, I am almost done. Cheers.

Chris

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Ray and I shipped my coffee make from America and when it got here it was broken, it was a great machine, "I miss you Mr. Coffee ISTX85". So I kind of gave in and started drinking the instant coffee that 99% of people drink here, it was easier. I have to admit there is some decent instant out there, I bought the good stuff. Well several weeks ago I quit drinking instant coffee. I have my french press, that was purchased for me as a replacement for my Mr Coffee ISTX85. Well, last week my french press fell over and cracked, it didnt break all the way so I continued on in a state of coffee bliss. Then yesterday I was cleaning the little french pretty and it broke for good. It just fell apart in my hand, jagged glass. I was so upset. So I tried to make coffee today in a travel mug. I ground the beans, put them in the travel mug with the hot water, let it sit for a few minutes, shook it up, them poured it through a metal filter (from the deceased press). It was a hassle, but worth it. I am going to get a new french press at the mall today after I go to the bank. Cheers.


Chris

Friday, March 02, 2007

Mmmmm J-Bay.



This has been an exhausting 2 weeks. We don't live by normal office hours, we work the whole time we are awake. It's been so busy. We are writing a new show so on top of my normal work load I have been composing and recording new music anytime I have free. So its up at 5:30-work-go to bed at midnight-repeat. However, we leave early Sunday morning for a festival with other ministries in SA at Jeffery"s Bay. It's a small beach town on the Indian Ocean. As Tour Leader I don't have many responsibilities so I get lots of time to relax and get sun burned, I can't wait. We are leading worship the first 2 nights and thats it. Save me J-Bay. Cheers.

Chris