04.29.07
Posted in Today, Food, New York City, Life at 19:34 pm by Josh
I always say that I’ve never seen any famous people just casually walking around since I’ve lived in New York City. Alissa insists that I just haven’t been paying attention. Until today, I disagreed with her.
As we left church en route to some tasty Swedish meatballs, Alissa turns and says my name rather forcefully as though I’m dim-witted. I reply accordingly (”Huh?”) and she says, “Didn’t you see who that was?” “Who?” I ask. “Claire Danes just walked right past you.” “What?” You can figure the rest of the conversation from there. So we marvel for a few minutes at my stupidity (and disappointment as I think that Claire Danes is muy cute) and while we’re sitting at the restaurant some fifteen minutes later, chatting about famous people again, Todd interrupts himself by saying, “And Josh, you want to look to you left now…now…now“. Someone is walking by with a stroller and a dog. She’s very attractive. She looks familiar. I can’t quite place her. “Um, who was that?” (snickers) “Liv Tyler.” “Damnit, that’s what I thought!”
So there you have it. Two celebrities, two beautiful female celebrities, and all I could think about were Swedish meatballs *sigh*.
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04.27.07
Posted in Today, Life at 13:15 pm by Josh
I’m bored. It’s cold. I haven’t been in good social company since Sunday. It’s raining. I need to find something to do tonight before I go nuts.
Thanks, I needed that.
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04.26.07
Posted in Rants, Weather at 08:43 am by Josh
Let’s set the record straight for a moment: You don’t like spring. The truth is that nobody likes spring. Spring is the worst season around. Pollen drifts invisibly across the air, reddening eyes and stuffing noses. Rain comes in sheets, flooding streets and soaking us to the very bone, no matter if you have an umbrella or not. Of course the air temperature is only in the 50s so when you combine it with the moisture the chill goes straight through your body. If you live outside of the city you are likely up to your ankles in mud. If you live in the city you’re probably sick, maybe sick again. The merriment of animals frolicking in the accuracy of their impeccable biological clocks is not enough to make me like spring.
What you really like is summer. Warm nights walking down the west side with a light, humid river breeze brushing lightly past your face. The earthy smell of rain and the refreshing feel of it when the oppression of the city heat won’t let up. Lazing on a Sunday afternoon with an ice-cold LaBatt sweating like sumo-wrestler, water dripping over everything but you don’t care because it’s hot and it’s going to evaporate in thirty seconds anyway. Beautiful women in beautiful clothes sipping wine at a sidewalk cafe. Dirty hippies playing covers of The Band and Creedence Clearwater Revival in the park. That’s what you like. That’s what you long for. And when spring rears its ugly head, it teases us with a day or two where we experience the bliss of the summertime and expect that it is here to stay.
And then the cold April rain comes again…
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04.25.07
Posted in Theology at 10:59 am by Josh
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
Can I get thoughts on this? It seems a very strange proverb…
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04.24.07
Posted in Random Thoughts, Unsolicited Opinions at 15:23 pm by Josh
I went to the NYU School of Dentistry for my follow-up visit yesterday. I asked if the hygienist was going to use the probe thingy again and she assured me no. What she failed to mention was the sharper, more damaging instrument she was going to use instead. For one hour my teeth were prodded and dug at so that I felt like she was actually trying to rip them from my skull rather than simply clean the junk from in between them. The coppery smell of blood began to rise up under my nose as she reached for a dry wad of gauze to sop up her handywork. I begged to rinse and I spit out a mouthful of red which wouldn’t wash down the sink without being coaxed. I used Listerine and still couldn’t get that metallic taste to go away. The hygienist’s gloves were covered in blood. I remembered working in the operating room and the brown, cracked film of blood that would cover their gloves at the end of an operation. Then I remembered I wasn’t in an OR. I wasn’t even being operated on.
She finally asked if I wanted an anesthetic. I suggested that if she just continued at her present pace, I’d pass out naturally. She did, I didn’t. So I prayed. I prayed for the next hour, through flossing, polishing, follow up examination by a dentist, and the taking of dental impressions. She says I’ll do better next time if I start flossing.
I stand by my statement made at the ripe old age of twelve: Dentistry continues to be the only legal form of Sadism in American culture. We should do something about it.
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Posted in Theology, Life, Quotes at 08:52 am by Josh
Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
This verse brings be great comfort. It shows the very core of God’s mercy: Forgiveness before a sin has been committed. Look how He says “And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knows that Peter is going to deny Him but He also knows that Peter will return to Him. He makes this possible through forgiveness. Not only does He forgive Peter ahead of time but He charges him to advance The Kingdom through the strength of brothers. He does not just forgive but He encourages, entrusts, and loves those whom He has chosen, even when they turn from Him.
We, too, are thus forgiven. I no longer want to choose sin over righteousness but I must confess that sometimes I do. Sometimes, in my imperfect faith, I’ve wondered if God can really continue to forgive me. Here, He reminds us that He always will, so long as we continue to seek and turn to Him. Amen.
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04.23.07
Posted in Food at 12:56 pm by Josh
These are the best fruit ever. Get one for $.75 in Brooklyn Heights.
Oh, sweet, fruity rapture…
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Posted in Movies, Toys and Materials, Food, Life, Theater at 08:49 am by Josh
The weekend was too quick, as always, but not altogether unproductive. On Friday night I pushed ahead with a little vampire novelism which I have to admit is turning out rather nicely only a few pages in. Now all I have to figure out is why the macabre comes so naturally to me. Ah, if only I could write comedy 
Saturday I wrote a little more and then headed downtown to help Katie build a set for an upcoming show (I’ve forgotten the name; it sounded bad). I tend to forget that there is a very masculine part of me which absolutely loves using power tools. I got to play with a jigsaw, chopsaw, and a battery operated circular saw (what a cool idea) as well as my handy power drill. Of course you could tell the amateur from the professional; the TD’s tools were all DeWalt and mine was a lowly Black & Decker weighing in at a mere 9.6 volts. C’est la vie, it was fun anyway.
Then there was yesterday which I already capped a little but I forgot to mention the cream puffs! So the meal started at this sushi joint on Greenwich Ave (I think) where I got chicken udon noodles which were very appeasing, especially for $5.25. I was surprised at the ration of food you can get for cheap on a sushi lunch menu. From there we trekked to Bleecker right around the corner from Sixth Ave where we got Papa Beard’s Cream Puffs. You watch at they take out the pastry, inject it with cream, and then sprinkle it with powdered sugar. The cream was still cold when we ate them on the sidewalk, making absolute spectacles of ourselves as the sugary treats fell apart and got powder sugar all over my blazer. It’s fun to be messy in public.
Last night I watched Superman Returns which was very well done and kept nicely with previous Superman movies. (Plot spoiler ahead) I’m a little tweaked out by the idea that Superman has fathered a child in the film. I suppose little kids don’t think too much about that stuff but the implication of such a thing is maybe a little more than we need from a superhero story. Don’t get me wrong; I always figured that Lois and Superman were shacking up. I just never had to see the direct result of it before and with Lois having a new man in her life it doesn’t speak well to the familial morals we should uphold while fighting crime and defeating evil. That being said, Lois Lane is pretty hot.
And now, back to work. It’s going to be 85 today! 
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04.22.07
Posted in Today, Life at 18:48 pm by Josh
Well if you live in the New York area I don’t have to tell you that today was gorgeous and I dont think I can possibly stress that word enough. I went to lunch with a couple of new friends where I was introduced to a sushi that I actually like which is very cool because now I can be a real New Yorker . After lunch I walked from 72nd and Broadway to 126th and Lenox, making most of the journey through Central Park. You know, there are some really beautiful things in that park! Oh, and for those of you at home, you’ll be pleased to know that I made the entire trek in my Birkenstocks which have been through two festivals, three mission trips, and a number of long hikes in the woods (these shoes will be retired this year). Now that I’ve done all of this fun-ness I’m going to reward myself with a beer in the shower. See ya 
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04.20.07
Posted in Culture, Writing at 15:01 pm by Josh
Haha, after my less-then-inspirational rant about the creative process and the commission of violent acts, none other than Stephen King, himself, was asked to weigh in on the correlation (or lack thereof). As usual, he may have a very valid point.
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