The wait is over! 22 Jump Street, the sequel to the hit movie-based-on-an-80's-show 21 Jump Street is now in theaters, and I caught it with my buddies on opening night. Going in to this movie, I didn't have very high expectations. It's tough for a sequel to replicate the success that it had in its first movie. So while I was very excited to see this, I didn't want to get my hopes too high. In addition to that, I didn't want to watch too many commercials or trailers before seeing it. Sometimes the funniest parts in movies are ruined by the overplay of ads they have of those lines/scenes. Sometimes its just best going in to a movie knowing nothing about it, and aside from the first red band trailer, and aside from the commercials they showed on TV, I knew nothing about this movie.
First and foremost, this movie is hilarious. It's just as funny as 21 Jump Street, if not funnier. I think this movie also makes better use of Ice Cube. Ice Cube's hilarious in this one and some of the films best moments include him. These guys are funny and they have good chemistry together. The movie makes self-deprecating comments about itself just like it did in the last one. It knows what it is. The best of these comments is a diss of Channing Tatum's White House Down, which was released last summer. Keep your ears open for that. I won't spoil any other funny moments, because what fun would that be? This movie also has some good and funny references to the first one.
Okay, now going outside of the comedy rating, there are some other things that need to be talked about. For example, the fact that this is exactly the same movie as the first one, except instead of being high school students, they are now college students. Look, I loved the college premise. And I think this movie is a lot of fun. But it could be even more fun if they had done some newer stuff with it. What people hated so much about The Hangover: Part II was the fact that it was the same exact movie as the first one. This movie does the same exact thing, however it seems like people are giving 22 Jump Street a pass. Now, there are worse things that a movie can do, but I think that this should be addressed.
A rather common thing in buddy-cop films, or movies or shows that feature two male lead characters is that they sometimes play up the whole "bromance" thing and parody a romance or a couple. In this movie, they hit you over the head with this. And while it has a couple funny moments, you just get sick of it because its cliche and not funny. It wears out its welcome pretty fast. It's just unoriginal and disappointing because I know these writers are capable of coming up with something better.
My last problem with the film is mainly the fact that the commercials gave away too much. With it being the same movie as the last one and seeing the commercials on TV, it lost its element of unpredictability and that took away some of the fun of it. It also ruined some funny jokes. So if you haven't seen any commercials for this movie, I urge you not to before seeing it, and you will likely enjoy it more than people that did see the commercials.
Despite the things that irked me a bit with this movie, I did like this movie. While it may not be as good as the first one, I am likely going to watch this several more times before I'm out of college. It is a hilarious movie and it was fun. Also, the last 5 minutes of the movie (the credits scene) are the funniest of the film. They made an effort of not having to make another sequel (which they totally still can if they want to squeeze out more cash and it could happen) and it features a cameo. I won't say anything else about it, except make sure you stay in your seat when the film ends because you will not want to miss this. In terms of humor, I don't know which of the two movies is funnier, but the fact that I don't know tells you that this one is dang funny. I just only wish that they would have done more with this film's potential. 7/10.
"You just don't understand." That is a phrase I have found myself saying over and over again, when it comes to my love for the Chicago Cubs. Being from the North Shore of Chicago and being at a school in Wisconsin, I haven't met many passionate, loyal, die-hard Cubs fans. A lot of people have asked me why do I love a franchise so much that hasn't won a World Series since 1908. A lot of people were asking me in the off-season, why I was itching to get back to Wrigley Field so bad.
Every sports fan has that one team. That one team that means the world to them. That one team, that is bigger than sports to them.
Something about living in Wisconsin for the past six months, is that I have witnessed firsthand the all-consuming love people of Wisconsin have for their Green Bay Packers. A lot of my friends here are very passionate about their Packers. All of them will tell you that the Packers are their favorite team in all sports. For many, it is something that has been passed down to them.
These Packers fans are crazy. They spend their Sundays decked out in Packers' gear- in fact, you'll see many people at church wearing Packers jerseys. Something I've noticed about Packers fans is that they only like one NFL team, and that team plays in Green Bay. They don't like any other teams in the league. If they're watching games with other teams playing, they'll be very casually rooting for the team between the two that they hate less. Packers fans hate the Bears, Vikings, and Lions, and the newest victim of their resentment is the San Francisco 49ers, who has beaten their beloved team in the playoffs the last two years.
In addition to cheese, they eat, sleep and breathe Green Bay Packer football. I really can't do these fans justice by just writing about them. You have to encounter them firsthand, and you will see that they are one of the best fan bases in all of sports.
Now, I can't share that same love for the Packers. I watch a Packers game, and I think, "man, I really hope they lose this one so the Bears can climb higher in the standings." I like watching Aaron Rodgers play, and I'll admit that there are a few guys I like on the team. For example, over the past couple of years of my life I have been very involved in a Christian para-church organization, called "Young Life." Aaron Rodgers did Young Life in high school, and wide receiver Jordy Nelson donated $100 to YL for every catch he made during the 2013 season. There are a couple of guys on the team that I like as people, but on Sundays, I'm not rooting for the Packers. I'm hoping they lose.
While I can't say that I share the same love for the Packers that Packers fans do, I can say that I can relate to them. Because, I have the same kind of love for a sports team myself. And that team is the Chicago Cubs.
"Why do you love the Cubs so much if they just continuously break your heart? They haven't won the World Series in 105 years! They're never going to win a World Series! So why waste your time with them?" I hear these remarks far too often. And I always go back to, "you simply don't understand." Every sports fan has that one team.
Every sports fan has that one team, but there's something different about the Cubs. No other fan base has had to wait this long to see their team win. You could point to a team like the Tampa Bay Rays and say "well they've never won a World Series, period." True, but the Rays are a young franchise. They didn't exist until 1998. They have accomplished a lot over the course of their first 15 years as a competitor, and they have gone deep in to the playoffs several times.
But for the Cubs, suffering is a theme. Every generation of fans has seen some kind of disappointment from the Cubs. For my parents, it's been the fall of the '69 Cubs, the June Swoon of 77-79, the heartbreak of 84, another heartbreak in 89, and more disappointment in 1998.
In my time as a Cubs fan, I've witnessed the collapse of the 2003 and 2004 Cubs, and then disappointments in 2007 and 2008. And we haven't made the playoffs since.
In the movie Fever Pitch, Jimmy Fallon plays a crazy-obsessed Red Sox fan during the 2004 season. (Fun fact: they were filming the movie while the season was going on, and once the Red Sox were down 0-3 to the Yankees in the A.L.C.S., they had planned for the film to end with the Sox losing, and Jimmy's character learning something from the loss. Once the Red Sox came back and won it all, they had to change the plot on the fly.) In one scene, Jimmy is talking to a kid, and the kid says, "When was the last time the Boston Red Sox loved you back?" This question applies to Cubs fans. When was the last time the Cubs ever loved me back?
Now I am going to explain what people don't understand. Both of my parents grew up as North-Siders. My mom grew up on Sheridan Road in Winnetka while my dad grew up in an Italian neighborhood on the north side of the city. Both of my parents grew up Cubs fans.
My mom marveled at the teams of the 60's that featured hall of famers Billy Williams, Ernie Banks, and the iconic, heel-clicking Ron Santo. When my dad was a kid, he would rush home after school to catch the end of Cubs games. And when he was old enough, he would spend his summers at Wrigley Field. They used to have a deal at Wrigley where if you helped clean up the park after the game, you would get a free ticket to the game the next day. So my dad would spend his summers at Wrigley. Whenever the Cubs were at home, he was at Wrigley.
When I was old enough, my dad started taking me to Wrigley. Every Cubs game I would go to was special. I have gone to so many that I cannot remember each specific game. But when I was in elementary school, I would often go downtown with my dad in the morning and go to work with him. He would buy me candy and sports magazines to read, and then let me sit in one of the conference rooms where I could watch two big screen TVs. I normally would watch the ESPN show Cold Pizza, which is now today known as ESPN First Take (trust me guys, it was a much better show ten years ago!). Once my dad was free to leave work, sometimes we would go out to lunch somewhere before going to Wrigley. My favorite place was Giardano's. Great Chicago deep-dish pizza not far from my dad's building. After lunch we would take the L over to Wrigley and watch the game. If we didn't go out to lunch before, we would get hot dogs at the park.
Something about baseball is it has the most father-son feel, than any other sport, epitomized by spending hours together taking batting practice, hitting grounders, and playing catch. Driving to Cooperstown to visit the Hall of Fame with your dad is a must. Going to a baseball game with your dad just feels right. And girls love Wrigley too! Oftentimes my sister will get asked to go to Cubs games with her friends, because her friends know she loves the Cubs, cares about the team, and loves going to Wrigley Field more than their other friends. There are fans like my sister all around the city.
When you walk in to Wrigley, it's different than walking in to the United Center for a Bulls game. When you walk in to Wrigley and see the freshly cut grass, and the beautiful ivy on the outfield wall, you feel like you have reached baseball salvation. Sure, it might not be the newest ballpark. And yes, there might be a horse trough where urinals should be in the men's bathroom. The park might also be filled with many drunk people. But there's still something special about it all.
To me, Wrigley Field is a home. It's where my dad grew up, and it was a huge part of my childhood. The fans you sit next to are your brothers and sisters. You all share this common bond. You all share this deep, emotional connection with the team. You'll find yourself high-fiving and hugging the fans next to you after home runs, and double-plays.
No matter how good the team is, or what the outcome of the game is, you'll never regret going to a Cubs game. You'll have a blast singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" with famous longtime Cubs fans like Jim Belushi, Bill Murray, and Jeff Garlin, watching drunk middle-aged men dancing the "YMCA", and celebrating a Cubs victory by singing "Go Cubs Go" with 40,000 fellow Cubs fans.
As much as we love our Cubbies, it hurts that much to see them lose. We thought we were going all the way in 2007 and 2008. We were swept both years. And don't even get me started on 2003. White Sox fans like to make fun of us Cubs fans and give us a hard time because they ended their World Series drought in 2005 and we have yet to do so. We have been laughed at and mocked. But one day, after years of heartache and heartbreak, the Cubs will win it all. And when it happens, it will be the greatest sports story ever told. For 86 years, Red Sox fans were in the same situation that we are in. For 87 years, White Sox fans knew how we feel. If they can conquer their demons and win, why can't we? Theo's got us on the right track, and when the Cubs win it all it will be the most meaningful championship to a fan base.
And if you say the Cubs will never win the World Series, my friend Krystal points out that in Back to the Future 2 the Cubs win the World Series in the year 2015. So it has to happen soon, right?
I know a lot of people have been waiting for this one for a really long time. I promised the readers of Viva La Vita this review about a year ago, when I did my only other album review, Relient K's Collapsible Lung. Since writing that, I have liked the album a little more. I was a little too harsh. I originally gave it a 4 or a 5 but I think it's more in the 6-7 range. Still not great, though.
Relient K and Switchfoot have been my two favorite bands since middle school. You could play any of either bands' songs, and I will likely recognize it and know the title within the first ten seconds, sometimes, the first three seconds. Needless to say, I was really excited for this Switchfoot album. It was originally slated to come out last summer, so I was expecting a bit of a "summer" sound to it, which also had me thrilled. After finishing up their first Fading West tour and releasing a Fading West movie (which I loved!), a couple weeks in to the new year their Fading West album was released.
Because the album was delayed, the band decided to release an 3-song Fading West EP in the fall, to give the fans something as they waited. The EP included "Love Alone is Worth the Fight," "Who We Are," and "Ba55." Knowing these songs for a solid three months or so before the rest of the songs were released, my initial focus was on the other songs. But now that I have been able to digest this whole album, I'm ready to give it a full review. So let's have a go.
The first song, "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" is probably the most popular song off this record. I have heard it on K-Love radio. It's a very good song and I love the lyrics. It's kind of the sequel to "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" off the 2009 Hello Hurricane album that suggests, "our love is the final fight." It's catchy and fun. You'll find yourself humming it after hearing it only once or twice.
While I love "Love Alone is Worth the Fight", I actually think "Who We Are" is better. I have also heard "Who We Are" on the radio, so it's gained popularity as well. If "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" is the sequel to "The Sound", "Who We Are" is the sequel to "Dark Horses"; a song about kids who believe and are going to give it all they got in life. In short, great song.
"When We Come Alive" is another fun song. It fits perfectly behind "Who We Are" on the track listing. I had the great pleasure of seeing Switchfoot play a show at The Rave in Milwaukee, and Jon Foreman went in to the crowd while singing this song (I touched him!). A sea of fans waved their arms to the rhythm and it was a heavenly experience.
So after three great songs to start the album, I think it then dips a little bit. I don't know how to put it, because I don't want to sound like I dislike these next songs. But three of the next four songs aren't as inventive or innovative as many of the other songs on the track. I am speaking mainly of track four, "Say It Like You Mean It". This sounds kind of similar to "The Original" off the Vice Verses album. They played this song at the concert, and it was a fun one to jam to, but I would have preferred to hear one of my favorite songs on this album that was left off the set, or one of their older songs from a past record. It's not a bad song, it just isn't my favorite.
"The World You Want" is a great one. Much like "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine" off the Nothing is Sound album, it was inspired by South African children, and what I think is really cool about this song is the fact that they actually recorded it with these South African children. "The World You Want" is deep, thought-provoking and catchy.
"Slipping Away" is an alright song. It's in a similar boat as "Say It You Like It Mean It". Neither of these songs were needed. They're alright filler-songs, but there were a couple songs left off the album I like better. "What It Costs", which was written by Tim Foreman and was shown in the Fading West did not make the album, and I absolutely loved that song. Sadly, there is no place to find a full version of the song to listen to. The title track "Fading West" is also great but it was left off. It came as a bonus in the Switchfoot Christmas package, which has become a regular gift for me each December. Perhaps these songs might not have fit in with the rest of the album, or they couldn't find the right place to stick 'em on in the track order. "Slipping Away" is decent, and I think it fits the movie soundtrack very well. The scene the song is featured in is perfect. The song's alright, but if you're going to put on some Switchfoot, it's not going to be one of the first songs you will automatically go to.
What I'm about to say next could offend some people. I think "BA55" is overrated. It's a good song, but I don't think it's one of the top songs on this record. It's got a nice guitar riff in it and it is kind of relaxing and chill. But I think there are a fair amount of songs on this record that are better than it. Just about every album has 1-3 songs that will become "a must" at every concert. Which means that when they are touring in a few years, there will be a song or songs, from an album that they will need to play to satisfy people at each show (Why "Oh! Gravity. is not one of these songs is still a mystery to me). My point though, is that if I'm at a show in a few years, and this song gets the nod over "Love Alone is Worth the Fight", "Who We Are", "When We Come Alive", "The World You Want", "Let It Out", "Back to the Beginning Again" or "Saltwater Heart", I will be very disappointed. Maybe this one will grow on me, and I'll understand what all the hoopla is all about, but as for me it's just another Switchfoot song (which isn't a bad place to be in) to me.
Perhaps the next song on this record is the best. "Let It Out" is a windows-down, cruising-around-with-your-buddies-in-the-summer, kind of song. It's an absolute blast. It's a lot of fun and when it got played at the concert, my friends and I went wild. A month later, we were sitting in Applebee's and couldn't help but get giddy hearing it played over the speakers. We had hope that this could become a top 40 hit summer song. That summer sound I was talking about is captured perfectly in this song. I also love the dynamics of bringing the tempo down, slowing down the song, and then coming right back with the exciting "LET IT OUT!" scream.
"All Or Nothing At All" is another good one. I love the beat. I like the lyrics a lot too. It's a good song about how God doesn't want us to be "lukewarm." He wants all of us or none of us. He doesn't want us to be iffy, just like love. You don't want to marry somebody that "sorta" loves you and then goes around and sleeps around and cheats on you with other people. You want to be with someone that gives you all of them. This doubles as a great song about romantic love and God's great love for his children.
"Saltwater Heart" is a popular one on this record. As it should be. Another great song about God's love for us and his relationship with us and the freedom that is found in Christ. The other great thing about the song is it sounds like it's title. It sounds like the ocean. That is very evident at the end of the song.
"Back to the Beginning Again" is a perfect way to close out to this album. It's epic. I love the lyrics, and as I re-listened to this album to write this album review, I saw that this is my top-played song from the album on my iTunes. It sounds like the perfect cross between Hello Hurricane, Nothing is Sound, and Learning to Breathe. Which reminds me..
This album does have a bit of that Hello Hurricane sound to it. People that liked Hello Hurricane, are also going to like this album. While it's similar to Hello Hurricane, it's also different. It's new. What I love about Switchfoot, is that they change up stuff and try new things. Nine albums later and they're still impressing me. They aren't running out of ideas. They're just as good as they were eleven years ago when they broke out with their Beautiful Letdown album. I might have been a little tough on some of the songs I reviewed. I might have called songs "overrated" or just average. But an average Switchfoot song in my opinion is better than an average song by most others bands!
Going back to the "must" at concerts question I brought up earlier. When me and my buddies saw them play a couple months ago, a couple of us made signs requesting some of our favorite songs by them that we knew otherwise wouldn't get played. My pick was "Faust, Midas, and Myself" and his was "Easier than Love." Jon Foreman pointed at our signs and smiled throughout the show as we raised them up in between songs, in hopes that he would actually play one. He even looked the "Easier than Love" sign and said "I don't know how to play that song anymore." I don't doubt that. Sadly neither of these great songs are "musts" from their albums. They've slipped through the cracks.
What songs from this album do I think are a must, if I could only choose three? I think you've got to have "Let It Out." It's too fun. You can't not have it. "Who We are" would get the nod from me, so that's two. The last one is tricky. "Back to the Beginning Again" would be a great song to close a show with, but they will never close with a song other than "Where I Belong." The guys have said that they want that to be the last song they ever play. And rightfully so. It's a beautiful, top 10 Switchfoot song. They didn't play "Back to the Beginning Again" when I saw them, and it is tough to picture that song be played and it not being the closing song. Maybe it could work as the last song before they do an encore. I don't know. But I'm over-thinking it. Sorry "Love Alone is Worth the Fight", but I'm going with "Back to the Beginning Again" here. For concerts I like songs with high-energy, and this song is exactly that. However, if I had to tell you what songs will ACTUALLY be the "musts" in a few years, "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" would be number one, "Who We Are" would be number two, and "Let it Out"/"BA55" will be number three. And if "BA55" is a "must", in three or four years my friend Mike and I will be holding signs that say "Back to the Beginning Again" and "Let It Out". But I guess those are the problems you have--too many good songs--when you have a good album.
So how good is this album? I'm not going to say it's the best thing they have ever made. I have a lot of difficulty picking a favorite of the Switchfoot albums because they're all so special in their own way. They are all good. And the streak of good albums continues with this gem. If you were to put a gun to my head and I had to give it a rating of 1-10, I'd probably go with an 8.5. It's not perfect, but it's a good, fun album. Honestly, I can't wait for the next album they will eventually release! I want to hear those songs that didn't make the Fading West cut. I'm also interested in seeing what kind of direction they go in. This album was a little bit more on the pop-side of rock. It was a fun change-up. Because of that, some people don't like it as much or aren't crazy about it. But I really like it. 8.5.
So how did you like the album? What are your "musts" at a Switchfoot concert? I would love to hear your thoughts on Fading West! Comment below or check our Facebook fan page. Or you can tweet me your thoughts @vellvita7!
It's been almost three months since I last posted a blog, and that my friends is too long. The second half of my second semester was, in one word, hectic. But now it's the summertime, and my to-do list looks like something out of Spongebob:
And since there is nothing going on right now, it is a perfect time for me to try to get myself back in to blog-writing shape. So here we are. And I couldn't think of a better blog to write my first time back than to reflect on the past year of my life. Look at my experiences I have had over the past year, being away at college for the first time, and how that has molded me, grown me, and matured me. Just a warning, this is going to be a longer-than-normal blog. There's a lot to talk about here, and there is no need to glaze over some important parts of the year! So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and enjoy. And without any further ado, here is a month-by-month breakdown of what went through my head since last September.
A New Beginning (September)
I arrive at Carthage College on September 1. I cry when I say goodbye to my parents (I'm a big softy) and that seems to be the theme my first month at school. In my first few days, I felt like I experienced some social rejection. I put myself out there to try to meet people, and it didn't feel like people wanted to be my friend. This was new to me. I don't want to say that I always excel socially, but friendships and relationships have always tended to be one of my stronger suits. Actually, what made it the hardest for me to leave high school and to start college was the fact that my senior year was so great socially. My senior year at New Trier High School was the best year of my life, and in that year, I made an abundance of friends. It was really hard for me to leave that and move on. Some of the best and closest friends that I have now are people I didn't get to know until my senior year. Ultimately, my friends from home were crucial to me at this time. I needed their support to help me keep going, and at many times I wanted to quit and give up, but I knew that wasn't what God wanted for me, and when I was at my low moments, I had my friends there for me to help me. They talked sense in to me and encouraged me to keep going. I struggled with a lot of homesickness, missing both my friends and my family. I spent many nights alone by myself in my room and at this time, I really grew a ton spiritually. I started to carry my Bible around with me in my backpack so that I could read it whenever I wanted or needed to do during the day. I had to rely on God to get me through every day. This proved to be a spiritual feast for me and while things were difficult on the outside, I was feeling so much joy on the inside.
Rock Bottom (ROctober)
My first month of school finally was over. I was one month closer to seeing all my buddies at Thanksgiving and Christmas break. I had been making some friends, and there were a few people at school that I felt like I could rely on. One of the toughest things when you start college is that you want to have those close friendships that you have built up with your friends over years together. You want to have inside jokes. But it takes a little bit for those bonds to build up. I had a few people who were beginning to be like that for me. This was important, because it was around this point where I started to hit a wall. My homesickness was building up and getting worse. Around this time, I had begun writing for the Carthage school newspaper, as a blogger. I won't go in to detail, but after a few weeks I was let go from writing for the paper. This absolutely crushed me and devastated me. My dream is to be a writer, and when I got fired, I started to think that I wasn't good enough. I started to think that I would never be good enough. It seemed like every time I would start having something go my way, something bad would hit me. And this crushed me. Throughout these first two months, I had a lot of times where things got hard, and I tried to use them as an excuse for why I wasn't doing well academically. When things got hard, instead of being persistent, I just hid. And when I got fired, I started to just give up. At this point, I was over Carthage. I was done.
The other significant thing that happened in October was when I came home for my high school's homecoming weekend. I came home six weeks after coming to school. It was my first time returning after leaving, and it was something very special. I had a blast seeing my old friends, and seeing my family. But when it was time to go back to school, I was feeling down in the dumps. I didn't want to leave. I just missed the days when my friends and I were all in the same place, doing life together. Change has always been something that is very hard for me.
In October, I hit a breaking point. And I didn't think I could keep going. But like I said earlier, the love and support I had from my friends, as well as my faith pushed me to keep going, even when I thought I couldn't.
A New Hope (November)
I apologize that this title has the same name as a Star Wars film, but it's the best name I could come up with. In November, I started to feel like I finally had found my niche. I felt like I finally had my group; my boys. November is also the month where one of my craziest and most fun days took place in. Three of my buddies and I took a day trip to Devil's Lake, Wisconsin for a day of fun, hiking, and exploring. On our way back, our car broke down in Madison and we were stranded in Madison for five hours until one of our friends was able to pick us up and take us back to school. This day was a fun adventure. Around this time, I started to get grade reports and realize where my grades were at. I was getting all D's. I was starting to feel very guilty. My parents had paid all this money for me to go and get an education, and I was barely putting in any effort to succeed. My attitude started to change. I started to put in the work. I started to have fun, and enjoy myself a bit at school.
When I went home for Thanksgiving break, I decided to talk to a post-high school counselor about transferring to a new school. We made a list of about fifteen schools or so for me to research. I had a blast on Thanksgiving break, but once again when I came back to school I was feeling blue.
Disappointment (December)
Over the last month of the semester, I started to change as a student. I started to commit myself to the work. When it came to improving grades, however, it was too little, too late. In my communications class, I was able to pull my grade up from a D to a B-. But in my other two classes, I still finished with D's. I was so disappointed in myself. The reason why I didn't succeed wasn't because I tried and failed. It's because for the first two months, I didn't try.
The Up and Up (January, J-Term)
Going back to school in January, I had so much running through my head. Carthage was really the last place I wanted to be. I couldn't wait for summer. And all I wanted to do was transfer to a bigger, D1 school. I had had another great break when I was at home. I saw many friends that I hadn't seen since high school. The toughest thing that I have been trying to overcome this year is living in my past. When I went back to Carthage, I knew that this could potentially be my last semester at the school. So I decided that this time around, I was going to make the most of it and to go out with a bang. Also, I wanted this semester to be different. I want to thrive, not just survive. My first two weeks of J-term, I was once again at a very low time. Something that had me low was the fact that I had to go back to school early before a lot of my friends. I just wanted to be back home and I was angry that I had to be at school. But towards the end of J-term, my Carthage friends and I started doing something that got me "in to" Carthage. My friends and I started painting our chests and doing chants at the school basketball games. I had a blast doing "paint crew" and I started to have a little bit of school spirit.
During J-Term, I felt very motivated. I was retaking a class, in hopes of bringing up my grade so that I could transfer in the fall. I got an A- in the class, which was my first A since sophomore year of high school. Suddenly, things were starting to look up for me. Things were starting to go my way. I was actually really excited to start the new semester.
Exclusion, Illness, and a Heavy Workload (February-Mid March)
The first couple weeks of the new semester were going well. I was having fun doing paint crew, making trips to McDonald's at midnight and one in the morning with my buddy Dustin, and working hard and doing well in my classes. I even was starting to write more on this blog. I wrote a blog taking a look back at the past year and at the end of it, I said something along the lines of, "I've had to overcome a lot of adversity in 2013, but it helped me grow immensely. I would love for 2014 to be the most fun year ever, but if it means having to go through new trials and let God help me grow in them, then I'm cool with that, because I know it will be worth it."
The next day after I wrote this, I got word that I did not get a bid in to the fraternity that all my best friends were in. I was crushed. The first semester, I felt really left out when my friends would go to mixers and formals. I just felt on the outs and I was bummed that I couldn't go with them. But I had a handful of friends who also were not in the fraternity. Well, all those friends received bids to join the frat in this semester, but I did not. This was the only frat I tried to join. It also felt worse this time because I was specifically left out. The frat didn't want me. Not long after getting denied, I looked to a verse: "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10 This really comforted me. It helped me realize that my job isn't to impress people, and all that matters is what God thinks of me. But still, it hurt. And I started to hold a lot of anger towards the frat. Anger, that quite honestly, I still haven't fully gotten over. This was something that started to take my focus off of school. What might have been even worse was the fact that I started to get sick a lot. I would get sick, and then two weeks later, I would get sick again. I missed way more class than I had intended to miss. But still, I knew that these weren't valid excuses. I couldn't retreat to my old ways of dealing with adversity. I needed to give it my dang all. In this time, I also started applying to transfer to other schools. I did five applications to schools, and wrote several essays, in hopes of finding a school where I can study journalism. Looking back on it, it was a blessing that I wasn't pledging a frat this semester. Because I was so busy with college applications and school. If I was pledging, my grades would have probably suffered. I also should add that I am glad that I didn't join the frat because over the course of the rest of the semester, I got to make friends with so many people that weren't in the frat. I built up better friendships with people I didn't know quite as well so that I wouldn't feel left out when there were mixers and formals that my friends were at. I made a ton of great friends and got to know a lot of people that I otherwise probably wouldn't have gotten to know Welcome to the Jungle (Spring Break in Panama City Beach) After completing the first half of my second semester, I embarked on a journey with two of my good friends from Intervarsity. For those that don't know, Intervarsity is an interdenominational Christian fellowship group that is found on many college campuses. On our missions trip, we drove 17 hours down in to the craziest spring break party location, Panama City Beach to do street evangelism on the beach. This was truly an amazing experience. While there were only three of us from Carthage on the trip, we worked with a group of about 40 University of Illinois students. Now what really touched while I was on this trip, was how loving and kind the U of I students I was with were. It was so cool how we became close to one another so fast on the trip and how some people became like family to me while I was down there. And what I learned was how strong the body of Christ is. It truly is a body; a family. The bonds I have with fellow believers are stronger than any kind of bonds of brotherhood that a fraternity could offer me. Around this time I realized that I was satisfied with not being in a frat, because I had so many other great things around me that I needed to just appreciate. PCB was an amazing experience and I have some amazing stories I can share with people if they're interested.
Finishing Strong (April-May)
Coming back from break, I was pretty exhausted, and I was ready for another break. But I knew that I needed to finish strong. Pastor Bryan Loritts said in a sermon, "Starting well is easy. Finishing well- that's the hard part." A verse that really encouraged me around this time was Hebrews 12:1. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
I had a real opportunity here to improve. I couldn't let my hard work from the earlier part of the semester go to waste. I also recognized that this could be my last month at Carthage, ever. I wanted to make the most of it and enjoy my time with my friends. I had a lot of fun in this last month, going to Cubs games, participating in Relay For Life, going to see my favorite band Switchfoot, meeting Jefferson Bethke, going bowling, making even more friends, and more. I had an absolute blast. What excited me most was when I was blessed with the opportunity to share my faith story at Intervarsity. In my final weeks at Carthage, one by one, I started receiving decision letters from the schools I applied to. And one by one, I got rejected. I got rejected by all of them, except one. But I didn't let it phase me. I wanted to serve God in my schoolwork and give him the glory.
Back to the Beginning Again When I received my grades this past weekend, I found out that my 1.6 GPA from the previous semester had leaped to a 2.8. I'm not where I want to be, and I can do better. But it's a step in the right direction and a sign of improvement. It's God getting me back on the right track. My Carthage experience was unlike anything I ever have experienced. When it all started, I thought I was attempting something that I never could do. I never thought I could go to college. I never thought I could stick out what seemed to me at the time "a terrible situation." I never thought I would grow more mentally, emotionally and spiritually than I did that year. I never thought I would end up making lifelong friends and having a lot of fun. I could ramble on for hours about what God established my freshman year at Carthage. But the point is, he did a lot of big things. And God's not done doing big things. When it came to deciding whether or not I would transfer, I assessed the situation. I didn't get in to any of my top choices and the only school I got in to I didn't have any friends at to help me make the adjustment. So I thought, why not stay another year at Carthage, continue to boost my grades, and then try again at those schools? I can always transfer to the other school then, or I could just stay. It really wasn't a hard decision. And while it wasn't what I wanted (if it were up to me, I would transfer to one of the schools I didn't get in to), I knew it was best for me. God has led me back to another year at Carthage, and I am thrilled for what is to come.
Open Bible did some research around Twitter to see what most people are giving up for Lent. Here are the top items.
Well, today was Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Lent. Lent is observed by the Catholic and Orthodox churches, and some Protestant churches as well. Churches and denominations do it differently, but the main constant theme is giving up something.
Now, I've been brought up in the non-denominational church all my life. Some don't understand what a "non-deonom" is. Well, basically I believe that the Bible is God's word. I believe everything it says, in its correct context. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. If we choose to follow him, and if we give him control of our lives, and repent of our sins and confess that he is Lord, and that there is no way for us to get to Heaven--that we need him--he will give us the gift of salvation. Salvation is a free gift. It's free, but it is not cheap. Just because it costs us nothing doesn't mean it didn't cost our savior something. But I don't follow Jesus for that gift. If I did, I would be worshiping the things he gives me, and not Him. I follow Jesus because I get so much joy out of serving Him, and following Him, than I do when I try to serve myself. I've talked about this in past blogs, so if you want to hear more on this topic, search around this site and you'll find it!
But oh yeah, going back to non-denominational churches. Basically, I love Jesus, I'm a Christian, and I don't want to put a label on my faith. I don't want to belong to one set denomination. Because there isn't just one way to worship Jesus. There isn't just one way to do church. I like checking out churches that do have denominations, and when I do, I am fascinated to see how it's different. It's different, but it is still Christ-centered. Not every church is Christ-centered. There are a lot of bad churches out there, and a lot that preach the prosperity gospel. Don't get me started on that one. But oh yeah, I love the Lord, and there's not much more to it than that.
The reason I bring this up is because I have never been a part of a church that has really observed Lent. So I have never participated in Lent. This may surprise a lot of people, because to some, I am "that Christian kid", but yeah, I haven't.
While I haven't participated in Lent, I have fasted. The two are one in the same. I've always loved the concept of Lent. The reason there is Lent is to take something out of your life that you feel is a big part of your life, or maybe a distraction, and replacing that with Jesus. Instead of filling yourself up with that thing, fill yourself up with Jesus. This is most effective when we take away something that we feel is essential or a necessity.
Sadly, not everybody that participates in Lent, is looking at it with this perspective. They complete the first half of it, by cutting something out of their life. Maybe they do it so they can observe Lent and be a part of it, or maybe they do it because it is an unhealthy habit and this is like their New Years resolution part two.
Now I don't want to come down and condemn those people or anything like that. Because it is a good thing that they are participating, and it isn't easy to go without something you love or need for a month and a half. Everything I say in this blog is out of love, and it is all intended to just get people thinking.
The thing that is most on my mind is the idea of having a C+ Christianity. For the first 16 years of my life, that was my life. I wanted to have the right mix of religion and Christianity in my life. I wanted to be good enough. I figured if I was nice, and if I didn't drink, smoke, swear, and if I stayed abstinent, that that would make me good enough. That if I was good like that, I would be rewarded, and I could go to Heaven. I wanted to do enough to get by, and just make it a part of my life. I wanted to be good, but I didn't want to give up control. I still wanted to do things my way.
And I think most people have this same mindset. When some parents are raising their kids, they want to have "enough" church, or "enough" Jesus in their kids' lives. Maybe it's because they feel they need to. Maybe it's because they want to be a part of that kind of community. I don't know.
But what I've been realizing over the past few years is that, you can never get "enough" Jesus. Nor should we ever want to have "enough". The truth is, once you encounter that unspeakable joy that comes from our Heavenly Father, you're addicted. You want more and more of it. It quenches your thirst better than anything of this world ever can. You want more of that joy. And Jesus is no longer a part of my life. Jesus is my life.
Our faith should really be an all or nothing thing. This whole idea of Vertical Faith is something I have been obsessed with for quite some time.
We should never want to just stand still when it comes to our faith. We should never be satisfied with where we are at, until the day we are with Christ in Heaven. Every single one of us has room to grow. It's not about us growing, but more about Jesus growing us. Only he can change us. Here is a video for a series my church went through a few years ago called "Lord, Change Me". Please check it out:
Here is one more short video I want you to watch from our church:
The thing I keep going back to is that we should never be content with where our faith is at. We should always want to keep pushing and to keep growing. This past summer I decided to make fitness a bigger part of my life. From the beginning of July till the end of the summer (September), I was in the gym every day. While I started making lifting a bigger commitment, I was pushing myself. And while I was pushing myself in one thing, it helped me push myself in other areas of my life, including my faith. Here's a line from a Bryan Loritts' sermon that I really liked that related to lifting: "If you want to get big, you gotta pick up something heavy." It's time for us to get big, my friends.
What I've learned is to always keep pursuing Jesus. No matter what the day is like. Good day or bad day, Jesus is always good, and he's always better than everything else out there. Keep turning to Him in your times of need, or when things are going great for you. Keep praying and reading your Bible, and listening to worship music, and striving to worship Him in all the things that you do. Because He is so much greater than anything that is of this world, and I know that His plan for my life is dang better than any plan I have for myself. So really I want to challenge you to pursue Jesus this Lent. I'm praying that God reveals himself to you in this time, and that he uses this as a time for us all to grow closer to Him.
Lastly, I want to say that I will be participating in Lent this year. I'm focusing on the personal ongoing sin in my life, such as stubbornness and laziness, and trying to cut those things out of my life. Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." I'm hoping and praying this is a time that I grow closer to Jesus, and I hope you do too.
Thank you for reading my blog. Would love to hear your thoughts! Are you participating in Lent? What are you giving up?
Survivor is back! Yes, my favorite show in the entire world has just returned for its 28th season. And I hope to be writing about it all season long! So without much further ado, why don't we dive right in and start talking about the season premiere?
So the big twist of the season is Brains vs. Beauty vs. Brawn. This is a neat social experiment. I wasn't too excited for this season, as this is the first season to feature no returning players since Survivor: One World, which was one sloppy mess of a season. One World was so boring, I actually stopped watching it a few episodes after the merge once it became clear that Kim Spradlin was going to be the eventual winner. Some seasons have been obvious, but they can still be entertaining. Anyway, I had a fear that this was the next One World.
In this first episode, it was clear that these tribes aren't 100% true to their labels. When you have a tribe of brains, I don't want there to be a guy looking like a 'roided-up Joey Tribbiani. I want a team of Cochrans. Nevertheless, the Brains tribes is a mess. In the first ten minutes, I watched Garrett and thought, "man, this guy could be the full package." He's smart, he's cunning, and he's fit... and now he has an idol? Malcolm Freberg 2.0? Boy, was I wrong.
Garrett started to annoy me pretty early. He started whining about about how he was bored and he didn't really want to play. If that's your mentality on day 3 or day 4, then just get out. You're taking up a spot on the Survivor roster from fans who would die to play the game and have been watching the show for 14 years.
Garrett proved he wasn't a good player when he wanted to have an open discussion about who was going home. That doesn't work on Survivor. Far too many players have made this mistake before. You don't want the person that's going home to see it coming, otherwise they have time to scramble and try to persuade others to vote a different way. And even worse than scrambling, J'Tia, goes with the Brandon Hantz move and throws the tribe's rice in the fire.
When I first saw this, I cringed. Is this what Survivor is turning in to? Is this what people are going to do now when they think they're going to get voted out? Are they going to "go out with a bang" or "be the author of their own fate"? I don't like this. It's dumbing the show down to the kind of garbage they put on MTV. It's drama, and it takes away from the gameplay aspect, that the fans of the show have come to love.
What's even more ridiculous? J'Tia gets to stay and isn't voted out. If someone on my tribe is going to just throw our food supplies in the fire, I don't feel safe living on an island with them for 39 days, I'm sorry. Garrett might be a wildcard, and could be a threat later in the game, but that tribe needs him. They need to win challenges to make it to the merge.
I don't know if anyone has ever had a worse first night on the show than J'Tia. She blew two challenges, bossed everyone around and annoyed them, threw out the rice, and she stays? Amazing.
The only member of the Brains tribe I was impressed with was Spencer. Spencer is sharp. The dude's a gamer. He is Cochran-esque. He had some funny lines, and he really impressed me in tribal council. I have a feeling that the Brains tribe is going to end up like the Matsing tribe in Survivor: Philippines. IN Philippines, Malcolm and Denise were the last two people remaining in their tribe and then became valuable pieces for alliances come merge time. The two made it to the final episode and Denise has the unique distinction of being at every tribal council in her season. She also won. I could see Kass and Spencer survive the tribe and maybe make it far in the game.
I was disappointed that Miami Marlins president David Samson was voted out first. David had a lot of potential, and he really did everything right except for coming out of the gate too strong at the beginning by openly targeting Garrett, and not trying to really patch things up with him. David built a great championship team in the 2003 Florida Marlins (starting rotation: Josh Beckett, Dontrelle Willis, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny and AJ Burnett), and I was curious to see if he could build a championship alliance on this season of Survivor. I think he would have lasted much longer on a season with bigger tribes. In a tribe of 6, it's much easier to get voted out than it is in a tribe of 8 or 10. I would love for David to get another chance to play Survivor.
As for the other tribes, there isn't as much to be talked about. We didn't get to see as much of them, nor did we them vote. The guy I was most intrigued to watch this season is none other than 1994 NBA All-Star, Cliff Robinson. We've had some former sports personalities on the show, the biggest names being Gary Hogeboom and Jeff Kent. Both were able to keep their identities a secret (for the most part), but it's going to be nearly impossible for Uncle Cliffy to stay undercover, as he is about 6'10.
Cliffy played it right by being upfront and honest with his tribe. It's funny because his tribemate Tony did not. He didn't want people to think he's a cop. He actually does have that "cop look" so to speak. But lying about his profession unless it's a huge deal, is idiotic. With that said, I did enjoy watching Tony. Tony's a good character. Do I think he'll be a great game player? I don't, but time will tell. Perhaps my favorite moment of the episode was when Tony built the "spy shack". Phillip had to have been watching this and been upset that he had never come up with such an idea or built such a thing in his two stints on the show.
I really liked Woo. Seeing Woo talk about Cliff and his playing days really made me smile, because I can relate to Woo. The people that know me will tell you that I'm a basketball fanatic and NBA historian. Seeing a genuine guy that is also a big fan, I just really enjoyed that.
On the Beauty tribe there is't a ton to talk about either. Morgan impressed me with her lie at the beginning. She's clearly a very good-looking girl and she won't have too much difficulty getting some of the guys to side with her. Brice could be a pretty good player too. He seems to know the game and he had some funny lines. The pair of those two will be good. If they can pull in a couple more, they could have a good group that could go far.
The Beauty and Brawn tribes haven't lost yet. I think the tougher of those two tribes is the Brawn. They are basically everything you could want a Brawn tribe to be. They're strong and athletic, easy-going, they get along, and they win. However, Tony could stir up some trouble sooner or later.
All in all, after Wednesday night's first episode, I am pretty excited to see what is to come on Survivor: Cagayan. So what do you guys think? How did you like the first episode? Tweet me @vellvita7, or comment below. Or let me hear your thoughts on the Viva La Vita Facebook fan page. Thanks!
Definitely the best picture I took in 2013- enjoy!
It's been a long time since I last wrote a blog. Like, way too long. There have been times where I start writing an article, don't have time to finish, and then end up having to scrap it. January was a very busy month with J-term, and the past couple of weeks have been hectic with the new semester starting up. Something I would like to do is to try to write one article per week. There are no promises or guarantees, but it's been a long time since some of you have heard from me, and I owe it to the faithful readers of Viva La Vita to give 'em my thoughts. An article I started to write was a reflection on the year of 2013, taking a look back at what I have learned, what God has taught me, and what I might want to change this next year of my life. Now I know that it is the middle of February now, and New Years was a good six weeks ago, but this is something I really did want to write about, and I think a lot of stuff that I have to say and that I took away from the past year are things that are still applicable now, and things people can relate to right now. So here it goes.
2013 was a very strange year in my life. It might have been the most challenging year of my life. It started back in January (obviously). I was nearing the end of winter break. I had just finished my first semester of college at Oakton Community College, where I took just one class. I was getting ready for this new semester, where I was going to take a bunch of classes and do good. But something weird happened. There was a glitch in the system and a hold on my online account that wouldn't allow me to register for courses until the day classes started. I decided I would take a semester off and find a job. In the back of my mind though, I was thinking, "man, this is going to be sweet. An entire semester of no school? I can pretty much do whatever I want and just take it easy."
After about a month of just taking it easy, sleeping in late, playing Xbox and listening to Jim Rome and other sports radio all day long, I came to the shocking realization that life isn't about just taking it easy. God didn't create me to just sit around all day and do nothing. He created me to do work. He created me to serve him in all that I do. It was time to start working hard, and to actually find a job. Colossians 3:23-24 reads, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
Looking at things with a new perspective, I went out and searched for a job. I tried my best to find a job. And nothing came up. Around this time, I started writing this blog. And in writing this blog, I discovered my love for writing. I figured out what I want to do for the rest of my life, and that is to be a writer/journalist.
Finally, I found a job and was hired to work at the local Jewel-Osco. Within the first two weeks, I had multiple encounters with an associate manager who verbally abused me, and in one situation put me in physical danger. I won't go in to details. But after two weeks, I was no longer working there.
That's the type of year I had. In 2013, I had a lot of struggles. I had that terrible work encounter, and then I didn't have a summer job. I had a lot of disappointments. I had some people that I had considered to be really close friends of mine, go off to college and stop talking and stop responding to me. That was pretty painful for me.
I then had an opportunity to attend Carthage College, and then presented its own challenges. Over my first semester, I had a lot of struggles adapting to the new college life. A lot of those struggles will go unmentioned. I had a really hard time socially at the beginning, and I had a lot of trouble finding my niche.
I had talked earlier about how I was going to work hard all the time, but when I got to Carthage I retreated back to old habits. When things got tough, I hid. And I looked for things to blame. But it was no one else's fault. It was my own and I had gotten myself in to my own funk that I would have to dig myself out of.
In December, I received my first semester grades. The results were very underwhelming. I was so disappointed in myself. I thought about what kind of sacrifices my parents were making to pay for my education. How my mom was taking more and more hours so that I could succeed. But I wasn't succeeding. I looked at my grades, and just said, "this has gotta change."
So what did I learn about myself? I learned how lazy I am. How selfish I am. How I need to work harder. How I am so stubborn. How much of a sinner I am.
These are all things that I need to ask God to help me with, and to take from me. And he's doing that. During J-term, I was pushed to my limits. One week I had back-to-back nights where I got a combined 8 hours of sleep between the two nights. I had a final, a test, a project, a seven page paper, and countless homework assignments. It was exhausting. But I could feel Jesus carrying me through it all. I didn't feel tired at all. He just kept giving me the strength and the energy to keep going. The result? I got my first A in a class since my sophomore year of high school.
You see, when I was a junior in high school I fell in to a dark time of depression. God pulled me out of it amazingly, and over the past three years he's filled me with so much unspeakable joy. Joy, that is so much greater than anything this world can offer me. But when I was depressed, it was a struggle just to pass my classes. Senior year I had the worst case of "senioritis" imaginable, and when I was depressed I really held myself to lower standards. I didn't think I could ever get back to working hard and being a good student. I decided to settle for mediocrity. But God has bigger plans for me.
You can look back and point out all of the things that went wrong in the year of 2013. I could do that. But those things that hindered me, and tried me, and stretched me to my limits were really for my own good. In those times, I turned to Jesus, and he grew me closer to him. This past year I have grown closer to him than I ever have before.
It's important to mention the good things that came from 2013. In 2013, I figured out what I want to do with my life. While I might have lost some "friends", I also grew closer to many friends. I made a lot of new friends. Some of the best friends I have in my life now I: a) didn't know last year b) didn't talk to last year c) didn't know until senior year. And those are some of my BEST friends.
Another lesson I learned was about comfort. Here's something I posted on my Facebook account the other night: "Late night thoughts as I try to get to sleep: so much of my life I've spent trying to make myself more comfortable and not step out of my comfort zone. I've oftentimes missed what my life was and wished to have it back. But the thing is that's not what I'm living for and this life isn't about comfort. This world is just our temporary home. My life shouldn't be about myself, but serving God and trusting him in my times of discomfort. There will be plenty of time for comfort in Heaven."
Perhaps the thing I am proudest of that God has done in my life this past year is the Daily Bible Verse Text Club. Perhaps you've heard my ramblings about it on Facebook. Basically what happened the second week of school or so, a really close friend of mine sent me a Snapchat saying something about school being hard; something along those lines. I then texted her all of Psalm 121, and told her I was praying for her. She was so grateful for the passage and requested that I send her more scripture. So we decided that I would send her a verse everyday. When I started doing this for her, I started telling a bunch of my friends about it, seeing if anyone else would like to receive the texts. I then started posting about in on Facebook. Now, there are 70 people that are getting Bible verses from me each day. I never thought God could use me like this to extend his word to others, and it truly has been a blessing.
God just keeps blessing me every single day. It reminds me that only Jesus can. Only he can take care of all the things I spend so much time worrying about. Only he can free me from my sin. Only he can bring joy to me and satisfy me deeply.
So here's to 2014. I would love for 2014 to be the most fun year ever. But if it isn't, that's okay. Because no matter what happens, I just want God to be glorified. I'm hoping I can continue to grow, as I strive to be a godly MAN. If that means more trials, then bring it!
