"Let's say it's late October of 1999, and you are in what should be baseball heaven, sitting on the couch watching the fourth game of the World Series, Yankees vs. Braves.

Suppose for a moment that you are a Minnesota Twins fan. You have been a baseball fan all your life, grew up playing the game, once got Rod Carew's autograph at a Little League clinic, spent your eighth birthday at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, and your fifteenth at the Metrodome in downtown Minneappolis. You played baseball in high school, took a summer vacation in college to Cooperstown, and once joked that you would not leave the country between September 1 and the end of October because you could not stand to miss the end of a pennant race or the playoffs.

But tonight you find yourself watching the Series not because you are passionately rooting for either the Atlanta Braves or the New York Yankess. Instead you are watching mostly because, well, watching the Series is what you have done every October for as long as you can remember (save for that lost fall of 1994).

So you sit there and contemplate the Atlanta Braves, a team the Twins vanquished eight years earlier in perhaps the greatest Series ever. And you wonder about the fortunes and forces that, since then, have sent your club into a decade-long financial and competative tailspin, while the Braves have been in the playoffs every full season since. The two cities are roughly the same size, and, competetive factors being equal, Minnesota has supported the Twins at least as well as Atlanta has supported its team. Yet in the weird logic of late-90's baseball, Atlanta is a big market and Minneapolis-St. Paul is a small one. While our team still plays in the depressing dome, Atlanta has a new state-of-the-art facility with natural grass, good sight lines, a cozy retro feel, and all the modern amenities.

When you look across the field at the New York Yankees, you just shake your head. It is hard to work up the old "Damn Yankees" antipathy these days. Partly because of Joe Torre, and partly because baseball's proudest franchise seems to be playing in a league, if not a sport, entirely different from your own. They got your best player two years ago, even though the Twins' owners would have paid him a team-record contract to stay in Minnesota. He wanted to go to another club, Chuck Knoblach said, because he wanted to play for a title. You recall that as a rookie Knoblach had won a World Series ring. He was a Twin, and it was your team's second world championship in five seasons. You were sure then that Knoblach would be a Minnesota fixture.

But these days, you know better. No player of All-Star quality is going to remain in Minnesota throughout his career. And yet just this summer, you watched George Brett--who played as recently as 1993--inducted into the Hall of Fame. Brett played his whole career with the Kansas City Royals, passing up bigger offers elsewhere. Not that he wasn't well-compensated, both financially and competitively. His Royals were perrenial contenders, and won the AL West six times. He was happy to stay. Yet if he came up today, his competitive nature would make a move not just probable, but mandatory--not because of greed or disloyalty, but becuase teams like Kansas City and Minnesota can longer even hope to compete.

Now back to the Yankees. After winning their second Series in three years, with a payroll that was already four times that of the Twins, they began the 1999 season by trading for the Cy Young award winner, Roger Clemens. He's a pitcher you have long respected, but one who has bewilderd you in recent years: Hadn't the Texan Clemens said he wanted to be closer to home after leaving the Red Sox in 1997? So, didn't his decision to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays belie either a disingenuous streak or a staggeringly bad grasp of geography? But Clemens can pitch, so he proceeded to win two straight Cy Young Awards for the Blue Jays. Then Clemens demanded a trade in '99, because, he said, he wanted to play with a contender. And you wondered, "If a team like Toronto--which had won back-to-back World Series in '92 and '93, and only recently drew 4 million fans for a season to a new ballpark--can't qualify as a contender, what does that tell you?" And all through the '99 season, as the pitching-shy Blue Jays were fighting toward the brink of contention on the bats of talented young sluggers like Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green, you couldn't help wondering how good they might be if they still had Clemens pitching for them.

After Clemens closes out the Series in Game 4, with a vintage, overpowering performance, you wonder if all this means the same thing to him as it would have if he'd stayed with Boston and they'd somehow won it all. Or if it means anything like what it meant to Kirby Puckett, who took less money to stay in Minnesota, whe he won world championships in 1987 and 1991.

In the weeks ahead, instead of the normal shake-up of off-season action, the rich get richer, and the ranks of those who can no longer compete grows to include what were once considered "middle-market" clubs. Seattle has a brand-new stadium and a string of sell-outs, but they are convinced they will have to trade Ken Griffy, Jr. and/or Alex Rodriguez. Toronto is working on deals to ship away Green and Delgado before they bolt for free-agency.

You still call yourself a baseball fan, and you still get out to the Metrodome a few times a season. But the game seems more distant today than it did only a few years ago. You can't follow pennant races anymore--because there aren't any--and the wild card seems hard to get excited about. The media characterizes the game as "on the way back", thanks largely to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. But even at its most epic, the '98 home-run race seemed somewhat disconnected from the season it was part of--less a highlight of the season itself than a thing unto itself (through no fault of the particulars), or a substitute for the plain fact that when the last several baseball seasons began, you knew that your team had no living chance to contend for a pennant.

No, the rising tide has not lifted all boats. And as you watch the games from your living room now, you realize that something essential has changed. You are not nostalgic for the "old days", as much as you are for the more recent ones, when the fact that you had one of the best managers and farm systems in baseball was a crucial advantage. When star players wanted to be with the Twins. When the Twins' owners weren't eyeing other cities. And when you could greet April with the belief that your team had a prayer.

But as you sit and watch the Yankees celebrate, those days seem far removed. You might wonder if anyone on the other side of the screen is feeling the same way".

--From Bob Costas' book, Fair Ball.


As pitchers and catchers begin to report this week for Spring Training, I come to the sad realization that although my team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, is a large-market team, due to years of corporate mis-ownership, it has no living chance to contend for a pennant. Baseball is important to me, and the fact that it is still in existence, despite the way it is operated, is a testament to its greatness.

I wonder if anyone else is feeling the same way.

Peace...

It's Here!

When we got home from the Doctor's office today, there was a note on the door saying there was a package at the apartment office for us. Much to my delight, it was my diploma! It's great to finally have it. We are going to get Daphne Kimmel to frame our diplomas, and do them up nice. Woo-hoo!

Peace,

Chris

By yesterday afternoon, Michelle had had enough of this bedrest stuff, so we broke her out of the house. We went out to Bartlett to do some light shopphing, then got some early dinner. The little one got real active on the way home, ostensibly because he was so happy to be out of the house...LOL.

One of my fellow graduates received his diploma in the mail a couple of days ago, and I have not yet received mine. I am feeling quite envious. Hopefully it will arrive soon.

Yesterday, I did not make any headway on my history paper. However, I did get my sermon written, and I read some for New Testament class. And I did some research for a paper in that class (due in April).

My sermon is entitled, "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know". With everything that happend last week, I felt like I was going to go out of my mind. I was majorly over-stressed. I was still feeling that way as of this Wednesday. In fact, while driving to class, I suddenly realized I had missed several turns, and was kind of lost in a area of town with which I am unfamiliar. I was so wound up about everything that is going on, I couldn't even get to school! So, I started to make a concerted effort to get my mind right. Toward that end, I started thinking about the basic things, and being thankful for all the blessings I have. Later that night at home, I started singing the familiar children's song, "Jesus Loves Me", and I told Michelle that I was just trying to get back to the basics and trying not to take myself too seriously. So, I wrote my sermon in that mindset. I think it's a pretty good sermon--I'll be talking about how God loves us after we are born, and even before we are born. So, my mind is now right. I feel great.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I have re-vamped my strategy for writing my Church History papers. For the first paper of the semester, I worked hours and hours on it, and was quite proud of it. I only got a B+. Boo-hoo. For the second paper, mostly because we spent the weekend in the hospital, I started working on it at !0:30 PM the night before it was due. On this paper, I got an A. YAY! So, I have decided to make minimal effort on all my papers for the rest of the semester. Not. LOL. It reminds me of the time in freshman English where I wrote an essay in the van, riding back from a church skiing trip. When I submitted that paper, I just knew it was so bad that I would be told to never come back to class. As it turned out, I was the only person in the class to make an A. In fact, the professor made a point to say that in 20+ years of teaching, that was the first time she had ever given an A on a paper. Hyperbole, I am sure. But, it felt good nonetheless. Anyway, work on my next paper starts this morning.

I turned in my paper for theology class last night. The bulk of the paper is something that I wrote a couple of years ago, even though it was not an assignment. I had some ideas on the subject (the dangers of scriptural literalism), and wrote a couple of pages. I worked on it some more later, and stretched it out a bit further for this assignment. It's a bit strange to think of turning in a project that started over two years ago. However, when I started it, I had a strong feeling that I would be able to use it somewhere at some point down the line. This topic is one that I am greatly interested in, and I anticipate revisiting it again. I would like to continue working on this paper, and developing it even further. Maybe to the point where I could present it at a conference. We'll see.

Michelle felt really horrible yesterday, we think because the baby is growing. She felt him kicking up higher than ever before. By the time I got home last night, the sickness had dissipitated, and she was craving a meatball sub. So, I made a Subway run.

Last week, there was a blood drive at school, so donated a pint. A few days later, I found out that my cholestoral has dropped from 176 to 163 since the last time I gave. YAY! That was cool. I think drinking soy milk instead of cow's milk, and eating a largely vegeterain diet probably contributed to the drop. Also, I encourage everyone to give blood. It is a great way to help your fellow humans. When I gave this last time, I qued up the video for Train's "Drops of Jupiter" on the iPod as I was being hooked up to the equiopment. When that song was over, I qued up the video for Tom Petty's "Saving Grace", and when that was over, I was done giving blood. The nurse told me my total drainage time was less than 4 minutes! That was funny.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I see that my uncle Don has put a link to this blog on the Nashville Presbytery website. So, I would anticipate a slight trickle of traffic coming from there. For those that may be new to this space, I hope you find it to be a window into my world.

Hopefully, I will not write anything that will get me excommunicated from the church...LOL.

Peace...

Last night's timeline:

8:35 PM

Me: Hey Michelle, I'm out of class now, and heading home. I called to see if you needed anything.

Her: No, I'm fine.

Me: OK, see you in a while.

9:30 PM

Her: I sure would like a hot dog from Sonic. Will you go get one? Also, we are out of milk, so we have nothing for breakfast in the morning.

Me: Uh, remember that phone call a while ago? I was calling to see if you needed anything.

Her: Yeah, but I didnt know we were out of milk. And I wasn't hungry then.

9:45 PM

Her: I want a hot dog from Sonic. Please go get one.

9:55 PM

Her: I want a hot dog from Sonic. Please go get one. Please.

10:05

Me: Boy, I sure am tired. It's been a long day. It feels good to be in bed, and have my eyes closed. I'll be asleep in 5 minutes.

Her: Please go get me a hot dog from Sonic. Please.

10:10 PM

Her: Please go get me a hot dog from Sonic. Please.

Me: OK.

Her: I love you so much. I love you. I love you.

Me: I wish your love was based on faith instead of works. It's easier to get to heaven than to be married to a pregnant woman.

Her:

(Quoting Proverbs) It's better to sleep on the roof than in the house with an angry wife.

11:35 PM

Me: Boy, I sure am tired. It's been a long day. It feels good to be in bed, and have my eyes closed. I'll be asleep in 5 minutes.

It was a big wake-up call this morning when I realized how I had gotten almost no work done this weekend. While I was hanging out at the hospital, I got some reading done, but not much else. So, today, I had to get down to business.

I wrote a paper that was due for tonight's class (Interchurch Relations), and it probably wasn't too bad. I also finished a paper that is due for Thursday (Christian Beliefs). I still have a paper for Church History on Wednesday, although I have completed the reading for that. I just need to synthesize some thoughts on it. And I still need to do some research for research class...how ironic. I need to come up with ideas for projects for history and relations classes.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Michelle was cleared to come home yesterday, so it's nice to hve her back here. The source of her pain was never really determined, although the doctores did say specifically that her pain had nothing to do with the baby. So, that was really the best news we could have hoped for.

Michelle originally had an appointment with her OB today, so we are double-checking to see if we are still supposed to go in. OK, we just found out that we do not have to go in today. The doctor told her to take the week off from work, and she will be re-evaluated next Monday.

My experience in Potts Camp yesterday was wonderful. The name of the church is Lebanon Church, and although it was originally a United Methodist Church, it is now non-denominational. It's a tiny church, even smaller than the Dotsonville Chuch of Christ, where my mother went for many years. There were about 15-20 people there, and they all treated me very nice. They asked me to come back, so it looks like I will serve there long-term.

After worship, one family took me to lunch, and we had a nice time. After that, I went back to Memphis, and hung out at the hospital with Michelle until she was ready to go home.

Once again, we really appreciate all the calls, emails, visits, and text-messages. Your support means so much.

Peace,

Chris

Michelle's episodes of pain have become further apart, which is a good thing. We still do not know exactly what is causing the pain, so that is a bit troublesome. She is going to have some blood drawn in a few minutes, and then some more at 6 AM tomorrow. There is a chance that she will get to come home tomorrow, but I am a little pessimistic about that. We'll see.

The surgeon basically told her that she is not to go back to work, so our plans have changed. We had been planning on switching roles, with me going back to work, in about a month or two. Uh, looks like it needs to be sooner. So, I am agressively pursuing gainful employment. I have a couple of good leads already, so hopefully something will work out.

I ran home for a bot to get something to eat, and am going back over to the hospital in a little while. I was able to get some good reading done this afternoon, while it has been quiet. I am going to spend some time tonight in prayer, and then I will be ready for tomorrow.

We have had several calls, visitors, and text messages. We really appreciate the well-wishes.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

The surgeon came in a little while ago, and gave some good news: He no longer thinks it is appendicitis. He is inclined to believe that her pains are just from stuff inside her moving around (baby growing larger). Her white blood cells and body temperature both look good, so these are signs of there NOT being any kind of infection. Dr. Payne (I am not making that up) said that she may get to come home tomorrow, but it is too early to tell.

Michelle's parents came into town last night, but got here too late for visiting hours. So, they are in her room now. I came home for a few minutes to get a shower and pick up some things. Elizabeth Smith called earlier and said that she and Edward would like to visit, so it will be nice to see them.

The phone number directly to Michelle's room is: 901-227-9217. Feel free to call if you would like. We appreciate everyone's prayers and support.

A funny thing happened yesterday just as we got to the hospital. I ran into Ben Morton, whose wife Melanie had just given birth a few days ago to their son Nathan. Ben and Melanie went on the trip to Israel last year. They are great folks.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Michelle was admitted to the hospital earlier today, due to acute pain in her abdomen. Originally, the doctor thought she was having contractions, but now has ruled that out. The doctor now thinks it may be appendicitis, and we are currently awaiting blood work results and a surgeon's consultation.

The good news is that whatever the problem is, it is NOT related to the baby. That is the best we could have hoped for.

So, please keep us in your prayers.

I will try to make occasional updates here; If that is not good enough, then call the cell @ 901-569-6868.

Peace,

Chris

Oh boy. The last couple of days have been event-filled, to say the least. First, the important stuff, then the funny stuff.

Wednesdy night, Michelle started having some pains that she thought felt like contractions. she was in a lot of pain, and did not rest well. When she got up Thursday morning, she was still in pain, and having the contractions. So, we went to the hospital. She got poked, prodded, and looked at in almost every conceivable way, and was miserable. We were quite worried for a while that we would lose the bay right there. I was not prepared for that possibility, and tried to keep my wits about me. The only thing I could do to keep my mind off it was to inspect the hospital room's houskeeping. It sort of comes naturally, since that is what I did when I worked in Houston. Anyway, I was driving Michelle nuts, so I decided to go across the street to the Apple retail store. More on that in a minute. The verdict with Michelle is that she is now on bed rest, until at least Monday when we go back to the doctor. I am serving her every need, as best I can. Although at this instant, I am at school, supposedly writing either of two papers that I need to do. One of them is almost finished, so that's cool. The other, I have not started.

So, anyway, the funny stuff. When I got my Apple iBook a couple of years ago, one of the first things I noticed was that documents are stored in quite a different way than with Windows machines. It was some time later that I realized I had been storing my documents in two places at the same time, wasting hard drive space. I straightened out the way the iBook saves documents, and decided to clean up the multiples at a future time. Which never came, until Tuesday. As time has gone by, hard drive space has become more and more limited. In fact, my hard drive was completely full, until I pared some music off of it. That freed up a few gigs, but I figured if I cleaned up those multiple documents, I would free up another gig or so. So, Tuesday, I finally decided to do that. Except that I made one mistake. When I did deleted all of the "Documents" folder, I did not realize that ALL of my music was in there. Pictures, too. Videos, as well. The pictures and videos, and some of the music, I had backed up onto Michelle's Gateway, so that was no big deal. But the vast majority (90% or so) was lost. Except, that it was still on the iPod. Cool.

So, now all I had to do was figure out how to get the music from the iPod to the iBook. This is where the trip to the Apple store comes in. Thursday morning, before Michelle got up, I had been trying to get the two computers to see each other on our network, so that I could move the stuff that was on hers, back to mine. But, I could not get them to work together. So, I scheduled an appointment at 10:00 at the Apple store's Genius Bar for some help. Then Michelle got up complaining of pain. A little before 10, we were still waiting for the doctor to come, so that is when I decided to go across the street to the store. The guy there helped me a little, but when I got back home I could not duplicate what he had done. I spoke with my brother Steve, who is more familiar with my router than I am, but we could not figure out what the problem was. At least, we think it was in the router, because I had been able to move documents around in the past, before he broke my old router and I got a new one (different brand). So, I still had no solution.

For those who do not know, let me explain how iPods work. Each iPod can be synched to one computer, and one computer only. When an iPod is synched to a computer, anytime the two are connected, any changes or updates made on the iPod, or the computer's iTunes, is reflected on the other unit. So, at this point I had an iPod with music, and my iTunes was empty. Since the iTunes had been completely erased, it no longer saw the iPod as its mate. The iPod thought it was synched to a different computer. If I had synched the two at this point, that would have erased all the music off the iPod. That is not what I wanted.

So, I poked around online and found a third party application for doing things such as this. So, after downloading and installing the application, I decided to give it a try. So, I moved all the stuff from the iPod onto the iBook. Then, I needed to synch the two, which required that delete the entire contents of the iPod, which was a scary situation. But, I forged ahead and did that. Then, I synched the two, which took several hours. So, while I was in class that night, I tried not to think about my sick Michelle, or my sick iTunes...LOL. When I got home, Michelle was a little (just a little) better, and my iPod and iTunes had all my music. Except for my Beatles stuff. I have no idea where that went. I will just have to re-burn those CDs. No biggie. That was crazy. Anyway, deleting all those documents freed up a ton of space, and I now have just over 8 gigs of empty space. It may be time to buy some more music...LOL.

So, Michelle and I have been trying not to stress too much. Although, we would sure appreciate your prayers. I think her mom might come down next weekend to help out around the house. That will be nice.

I start preaching at Lebanon Church in Potts Camp, Mississippi this Sunday. I hope that goes well. I have most of my sermon completed, so that is a good feeling.

I also posted some of my pictures from Israel on Facebook this morning, so if you would like to see them, they are available.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Thoughts on Music

Steve Jobs
February 6, 2007

With the stunning global success of Apple’s iPod music player and iTunes online music store, some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management (DRM) system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPods. Let’s examine the current situation and how we got here, then look at three possible alternatives for the future.

To begin, it is useful to remember that all iPods play music that is free of any DRM and encoded in “open” licensable formats such as MP3 and AAC. iPod users can and do acquire their music from many sources, including CDs they own. Music on CDs can be easily imported into the freely-downloadable iTunes jukebox software which runs on both Macs and Windows PCs, and is automatically encoded into the open AAC or MP3 formats without any DRM. This music can be played on iPods or any other music players that play these open formats.

The rub comes from the music Apple sells on its online iTunes Store. Since Apple does not own or control any music itself, it must license the rights to distribute music from others, primarily the “big four” music companies: Universal, Sony BMG, Warner and EMI. These four companies control the distribution of over 70% of the world’s music. When Apple approached these companies to license their music to distribute legally over the Internet, they were extremely cautious and required Apple to protect their music from being illegally copied. The solution was to create a DRM system, which envelopes each song purchased from the iTunes store in special and secret software so that it cannot be played on unauthorized devices.

Apple was able to negotiate landmark usage rights at the time, which include allowing users to play their DRM protected music on up to 5 computers and on an unlimited number of iPods. Obtaining such rights from the music companies was unprecedented at the time, and even today is unmatched by most other digital music services. However, a key provision of our agreements with the music companies is that if our DRM system is compromised and their music becomes playable on unauthorized devices, we have only a small number of weeks to fix the problem or they can withdraw their entire music catalog from our iTunes store.

To prevent illegal copies, DRM systems must allow only authorized devices to play the protected music. If a copy of a DRM protected song is posted on the Internet, it should not be able to play on a downloader’s computer or portable music device. To achieve this, a DRM system employs secrets. There is no theory of protecting content other than keeping secrets. In other words, even if one uses the most sophisticated cryptographic locks to protect the actual music, one must still “hide” the keys which unlock the music on the user’s computer or portable music player. No one has ever implemented a DRM system that does not depend on such secrets for its operation.

The problem, of course, is that there are many smart people in the world, some with a lot of time on their hands, who love to discover such secrets and publish a way for everyone to get free (and stolen) music. They are often successful in doing just that, so any company trying to protect content using a DRM must frequently update it with new and harder to discover secrets. It is a cat-and-mouse game. Apple’s DRM system is called FairPlay. While we have had a few breaches in FairPlay, we have been able to successfully repair them through updating the iTunes store software, the iTunes jukebox software and software in the iPods themselves. So far we have met our commitments to the music companies to protect their music, and we have given users the most liberal usage rights available in the industry for legally downloaded music.

With this background, let’s now explore three different alternatives for the future.

The first alternative is to continue on the current course, with each manufacturer competing freely with their own “top to bottom” proprietary systems for selling, playing and protecting music. It is a very competitive market, with major global companies making large investments to develop new music players and online music stores. Apple, Microsoft and Sony all compete with proprietary systems. Music purchased from Microsoft’s Zune store will only play on Zune players; music purchased from Sony’s Connect store will only play on Sony’s players; and music purchased from Apple’s iTunes store will only play on iPods. This is the current state of affairs in the industry, and customers are being well served with a continuing stream of innovative products and a wide variety of choices.

Some have argued that once a consumer purchases a body of music from one of the proprietary music stores, they are forever locked into only using music players from that one company. Or, if they buy a specific player, they are locked into buying music only from that company’s music store. Is this true? Let’s look at the data for iPods and the iTunes store – they are the industry’s most popular products and we have accurate data for them. Through the end of 2006, customers purchased a total of 90 million iPods and 2 billion songs from the iTunes store. On average, that’s 22 songs purchased from the iTunes store for each iPod ever sold.

Today’s most popular iPod holds 1000 songs, and research tells us that the average iPod is nearly full. This means that only 22 out of 1000 songs, or under 3% of the music on the average iPod, is purchased from the iTunes store and protected with a DRM. The remaining 97% of the music is unprotected and playable on any player that can play the open formats. Its hard to believe that just 3% of the music on the average iPod is enough to lock users into buying only iPods in the future. And since 97% of the music on the average iPod was not purchased from the iTunes store, iPod users are clearly not locked into the iTunes store to acquire their music.

The second alternative is for Apple to license its FairPlay DRM technology to current and future competitors with the goal of achieving interoperability between different company’s players and music stores. On the surface, this seems like a good idea since it might offer customers increased choice now and in the future. And Apple might benefit by charging a small licensing fee for its FairPlay DRM. However, when we look a bit deeper, problems begin to emerge. The most serious problem is that licensing a DRM involves disclosing some of its secrets to many people in many companies, and history tells us that inevitably these secrets will leak. The Internet has made such leaks far more damaging, since a single leak can be spread worldwide in less than a minute. Such leaks can rapidly result in software programs available as free downloads on the Internet which will disable the DRM protection so that formerly protected songs can be played on unauthorized players.

An equally serious problem is how to quickly repair the damage caused by such a leak. A successful repair will likely involve enhancing the music store software, the music jukebox software, and the software in the players with new secrets, then transferring this updated software into the tens (or hundreds) of millions of Macs, Windows PCs and players already in use. This must all be done quickly and in a very coordinated way. Such an undertaking is very difficult when just one company controls all of the pieces. It is near impossible if multiple companies control separate pieces of the puzzle, and all of them must quickly act in concert to repair the damage from a leak.

Apple has concluded that if it licenses FairPlay to others, it can no longer guarantee to protect the music it licenses from the big four music companies. Perhaps this same conclusion contributed to Microsoft’s recent decision to switch their emphasis from an “open” model of licensing their DRM to others to a “closed” model of offering a proprietary music store, proprietary jukebox software and proprietary players.

The third alternative is to abolish DRMs entirely. Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats. In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat. If the big four music companies would license Apple their music without the requirement that it be protected with a DRM, we would switch to selling only DRM-free music on our iTunes store. Every iPod ever made will play this DRM-free music.

Why would the big four music companies agree to let Apple and others distribute their music without using DRM systems to protect it? The simplest answer is because DRMs haven’t worked, and may never work, to halt music piracy. Though the big four music companies require that all their music sold online be protected with DRMs, these same music companies continue to sell billions of CDs a year which contain completely unprotected music. That’s right! No DRM system was ever developed for the CD, so all the music distributed on CDs can be easily uploaded to the Internet, then (illegally) downloaded and played on any computer or player.

In 2006, under 2 billion DRM-protected songs were sold worldwide by online stores, while over 20 billion songs were sold completely DRM-free and unprotected on CDs by the music companies themselves. The music companies sell the vast majority of their music DRM-free, and show no signs of changing this behavior, since the overwhelming majority of their revenues depend on selling CDs which must play in CD players that support no DRM system.

So if the music companies are selling over 90 percent of their music DRM-free, what benefits do they get from selling the remaining small percentage of their music encumbered with a DRM system? There appear to be none. If anything, the technical expertise and overhead required to create, operate and update a DRM system has limited the number of participants selling DRM protected music. If such requirements were removed, the music industry might experience an influx of new companies willing to invest in innovative new stores and players. This can only be seen as a positive by the music companies.

Much of the concern over DRM systems has arisen in European countries. Perhaps those unhappy with the current situation should redirect their energies towards persuading the music companies to sell their music DRM-free. For Europeans, two and a half of the big four music companies are located right in their backyard. The largest, Universal, is 100% owned by Vivendi, a French company. EMI is a British company, and Sony BMG is 50% owned by Bertelsmann, a German company. Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace. Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly.

"Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you."--From Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet"

I really should be writing my paper that is due tomorrow, but Newton's first law of graduation (A grad student in procastination tends to stay in procastination unless an external force is applied to it) is in effect.

Peace,

Chris

Was there another Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction?

The newspaper USA Today and the TV show Good Morning America teamed up to pick the seven New Wonders of the World. #6 on the list is the "Old City" of Jerusalem. The following is the text of the article:

By Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY

Mankind's capacity for wonder is profoundly expressed in Jerusalem's Old City, which has served as a spiritual nexus for the world's three major monotheistic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — for millennia.

Our six experts chose the ancient city as one of the seven New Wonders of the World for its central place in religious history and struggles for tolerance.

The idea of religious co-existence "captivates the world right now," said panelist and best-selling author Bruce Feiler (Walking the Bible).

The very notion — that definitive events in the history of three major faiths could occur within the same walled city of about 1 square kilometer — seems almost too incredible to comprehend. Yet for centuries, pilgrims from all over the world have traveled to Jerusalem to reaffirm their faith. Chris' note: As we traveled throughout the land, I never forgot that I was walking on ground that had been traversed by Jesus and the earliest disciples and apostles. It was a powerful feeling indeed. I promised Michelle that I would bring her and our children here one day, so that they too may experience the spiritual power of this holiest of holy cities.

That has made the Old City not only a holy place but a battleground as well. Empire after empire, including the Canaanites, Hebrews, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders and Ottoman Turks, has fought to control the area. Even today, there is no general agreement as to the city's political status. Chris' note: It seems ironic that the word "Jerusalem" means "city of peace" in Hebrew. While there is little political peace, spiritual peace is in abundance.

Remarkably, many of the significant historical structures inside the Old City's eight gates have withstood the ravages of time and warfare, including more than 200 synagogues, churches, mosques and other holy shrines. Among the key sites:

The Dome of the Rock. This spectacular example of seventh-century Islamic architecture is topped with a golden dome and adorned with ceramics and mosaics. It protects the Rock, which is recognized by all three religions as the place where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Most Muslims also believe this is where Mohammad left on his journey to heaven.

The Western Wall. Though the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70, this remnant endures and has become the most symbolic spot for the Jewish people. It is a center of mourning over the Temple's destruction and Israel's exile. Chris' note: Frequently, the media refers to the Western Wall as the "holiest place in the world" for Jews. This is incorrect. The fact that Muslims control their holiest site (the Dome of the Rock) in no way lessens its importance to them.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Christians revere this as the place where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. A church was built there in the fourth century, but it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current structure dates to the 12th century and houses the site of Christ's tomb. Chris' note: Full of gold, pomp, and circumstance, I felt this was a gross display of excess. I felt no connection whatsoever to the Church I know. Quite honestly, I wanted to puke while I was inside. With all the ornate decorations, it seemed the antithesis of what Christ stands for. The lowlight of the trip for me.

These sites and dozens of others are why the Old City is considered to be among the world's holiest places by "half of the humans alive today," Feiler said. "It passes the 'wonder' test."

Perhaps the best "Get A Mac" ad yet. It points out how Vista's annoying security checks pop up whenever the user wants to do just about anything. LOL. (Apologies to my Windows-loving brother Steve).

"He said, I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that kool?
I’m your buckaroo; I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
We like fixin’ things and holding moma’s hand
Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad.
I want to do everything you do; so I’ve been watching you."


--From "Watching You", by Rodney Atkins.

I suppose every little boy wants to be like his dad. I know I find myself becoming more like my own father every day. I cannot count the times that I ask myself, "What would Dad do here?" The night before my college graduation, my dad told me he was proud of me, and that was one of the best moments of my life.

Peace...

Earlier today, I ironed out an agreement to preach regularly at a non-denominational church about an hour away from Memphis. It is for an indefinite period of time, while they do not have a full-time minister. I am really excited about this opportunity. It is a really small country church, and it will be some great experience. Wish me well.

Peace,

Chris

I forgot to mention that the #2 rule in picking a game is: When one team has a hall-of-fame quarterback, and the other team has a quarterback that sucks, take the hall-of-famer. Every time. Oh well.

IT'S A BOY!

I suppose almost everyone who reads this blog has already heard the news, but for the sake of posterity, I will retell the story.

Friday morning, we went to the OB to get an ultrasound. The tech first tried to see if the baby is a boy or a girl, but the cord was in the way, so she could not tell. So, she checked the heart, bladder, stomach, brain, and spine. Everything is healthy and looking good. She tried several times to check the gender, but the cord stayed in the way. Just as the tech was about to give up, the cord moved and the little one showed all HIS glory! So, we are having a BOY!! Right now, he weighs about 9 oz., and is just a few inches long.

We were relieved to finally know, because the wonder of it was starting to drive us crazy. As soon as we left the doctor's office, we made all the requisite phone calls, and I sent out two global text messages to spread the news. We'd both like to say thanks to all the well-wishers; we appreciate your support.

After lunch, we took off for Tullahoma so Michelle and her mother could descend upon the Murfreesboro malls on Saturday. Of course, the first song we qued up on the iPod was John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy". How appropriate.

While they were getting their mall fix, Michelle's dad and I put new shocks on the Explorer. While doing that, we discovered that the sway bar link on the right side was broken, so we repaired that as well. After an oil change, the Explorer was road-worthy once again. I'd have to say that the way it rides now is "shockingly" good...lol.

We are gonna watch the Super Bowl here, and then roll back to Memphis tomorrow. I guess everyone has his or her own theory of how the game will go, so here is mine. The first rule when trying to pick an NFL game is when everyone on earth is picking the game one way, you should go the other way. So, since everyone on earth except ESPN's Bill Simmons, is picking the Colts, I am going to pick the Bears. Simmons uses the same philosophy I do, inasmuch as we go against the grain when everyone else is going the same way. So, I say the Bears win, 27-24.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

OK, so this afternoon I will be turning in my first paper as a graduate student. I am kind of nervous. Oh well. Nothing I can do now. I think it's a good paper, maybe not a great paper, but definitely a good paper. One of the best I have written in a while, I think. I'll see how it goes. I have a paper in that class (church history) every week, so I am going to start on the next one this morning. That class, and my New Testament class, are my most difficult. Going into this deal, I knew the workload would increase from my undergrad days, but I had no idea the increase would b by this much. Almost every one of my classes has at least 100 pages of reading each week, plus papers and tests and stuff. But above all of that is that the intesnsity level is so high. Whew. I am trying to stay ahead of the game as much as I can. But, I will be OK.

One of the adjustments I have had to make is to learn the intricisies of the library schedule. At a state school such as the U of M, I never had to worry about the library much; it was just open whenever I needed to be there. On Tuesday, I got an introduction into the seminary way. At 10:50 AM, one of the library employees came up to me to tell me that the library would be closing at 11:00 for chapel services. I said, "Uh, say what? I have work to do." He said, "We will be closing in 10 minutes for chapel services." My thought process for the next 30 seconds or so was something like: "Oh. Uh, OK. Hmmm. What do I do now? Hmmm. OK. Uh, how about some lunch?" So, I ate some lunch, and when I came back the library was open again. I had been in a really good groove, and unfortunately it took me a while to get it back. Anyway, that's how it goes.

A local United Methodist Church is seeking a part-time Director of Youth Ministries, and I applied a few days ago. I decided back some time ago to start working again, knowing that Michelle would eventually have to stop, and I have applied at several places but have not heard anything. So, my fingers are crossed.

On Friday, we have a doctor's appointment at 10:00 for an ultrasound. We should find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. We are so excited. I have been telling Michelle for weeks to just chill, and that there is nothing we can do but wait. But now, the anticipation is getting to me. The next two days cannot pass quickly enough.

A couple of years ago, my brother in law gave me a book he had used in a class, the Mercer University Dictionary of the Bible. It just so happened that I needed a Bible Dictionary at that time, and it quickly became one of my favorite resources. A couple of days ago, I was looking through the list of contributors, and saw my advisor there. I stopped by his office yesterday to ask him which article he had written, and when I walked in his office I noticed that his PC's screen saver was a bunch of Martin guitars. So, we spent the next 15 minutes talking about guitars, and then about 5 minutes talking about his article...LOL. Turns out he owns a 1970 Martin D-18, and wrote the article on creation for the Mercer dictionary. Cool stuff. When I met my advisor for the first time, I had a feeling I would like him, since he has a ponytail down his back and wears hemp sandals. The first thing I thought when I saw him was "He looks like my dad did in 1974." Cool. Turns out he is a member of Nashville Presbytery, and knows my uncle Don.

It's funny that wherever I go, people ask me if I am related to Don Winn. I don't purposely drop names, but people often do it for me...LOL. There are actually very few Cumberland Presbyterian professors here. This semester, I have a professor that is Catholic, one that is Calvinist Presbyterian (different breed than CP's), one that was raised Muslim in Senegal, and one that apparently is non-denomiational. The seminary is ecumenical, which means that it strives to be all-inclusive and embraces people of all Christian traditions. In fact, of all the students that started this semester, I am the ONLY CP in the group. What's funny is that the administration knew there was only one, because ever day someone would come up to me and ask me if I was "the one". So the first week or so I felt like I was wearing a scarlet letter. That's funny.

Anyway, things are going well here. I hope everyone is doing well. I know my friend Mike Clark is still struggling with the loss of his father. I hope he knows that our prayers are with him and his family. It is great that he and Dana got to celebrate the birth of their newest child last Friday. I cannot imagine the emotional roller-coaster he must be on right now. Peace...

Lily Jene Clark

Mike just sent me a text, saying that he and Dana welcomed Lily Jene into this world at 7:56 this morning. She was 7 lbs., 2 oz., and was 19.5 inches long. That is great. Lily is their fourth child, and I told Mike that if Michelle and I have a few, we could get a basketball game going. And since at least one of ours will be from overseas, it would be like the Olympics...LOL. Anyway, my congrats to Mike and Dana, and I know there are proud grandparents in Clarksville and Hopkinsville. Michelle and I also count ourselves as fortunate to have supportive families.

Peace...

I do not think I have ever felt so melancholy as I did Wednesday afternoon. I had spent the day at home, doing laundry and reading. And reading. And reading some more. By the time I needed to go to class (at 5:30 PM), I was fully aware that although I had spent the entire day reading, I was no where near finished with all the reading that I needed to do for the week. So, I was kinda sad, realizing the enormity of the work that lay ahead of me in seminary. However, my spirits were soon brightened. I got to class about 15 minutes early, so I found a seat and was just getting mentally prepared. When, in an instant, who walks in? The one and only Nathan Wheeler! Turns out he is in that class (Church History). So, he sat beside me and we reminisced about old times at Clarksville church. It was cool. So, we had a good lecture, although that class looks to be my most difficult one, by far. I spent all day yesterday reading for it, and still have some more to go before I start writing the paper that is due next week. In fact, we have a paper due EVERY week in that class. JOY!!

When Michelle got out of work yesterday, she needed to go to the Board of Education, which happens to be around the corner from my campus. So, we had arranged to meet for an early supper, which was nice. After we ate, we were driving down Union, and decided to stop at the Resource Center to see if Frank Ward was working. Indeed he was, so we stopped for a visit. It was great to see him again. Frank is the Director of Youth Ministry for the entire Denomination, and I have this crazy idea that some day I might work underneath him. The man is quality.

The seminary is offering a trip to Scotland right after the end of this semester. The purpose of the trip is to explore the Celtic history of Christianity. I immediately began to try to think of way that I could justify going, but I have yet to think of one. Michelle, of course, thinks I am insane for wanting to leave her for 12 days, 5 weeks before she is due to give birth. I suppose I agree that that is a little crazy. Or a lot crazy. Anyway, there will be other trips. Over the Christmas break, we had lunch with John Bogard, my childhood friend. John is an engineer for an energy company in Houston, but he has been transferred to England for two years. So, he invited us to visit him, and I think we have decided to go in early January next year. That will be a lot of fun.

At Jess' Wii party lat weekend, a funny thing happened. Someone noticed that my screen name is "Xanthos", which she recognized as being from Greek mythology. She then identified herself as a Latin teacher, which I thought was really cool. I told her that I know a little Greek, but almost no Latin, and that I have a lot of respect for Latin-speaking folk. At that point, a different woman asked me what my favorite story is. I was not quite sure what qualified as a "story", but I said that it would probably be Homer's Odyssey. She immediately stepped back and said, "Oh, I cannot know you. I cannot know you because you said that". I had no idea what to think at that point, so I just kind of chuckled and made my way to the other side of the room. Funny stuff.

The funniest story ever, though, is when Jess was in Atlanta in one of her costumes, and some random stranger asked her if she was part of the "ritual". When she said that she had no idea what that was, and that she was there for MoMoCon, HE got a weird look on his face, and ostensibly, figured out that whatever she was involved in must be weirder than his "ritual". LOL. That is the funniest story I have ever heard. Jess retold the story, and everyone got a big laugh.

I have no classes on Fridays, so I am at home doing more laundry. I also played guitar for about 30 minutes this morning, which was rewarding since I had not played at all the entire week. I am going to do some more reading, and I am hoping that I can write my entire paper this afternoon.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Yesterday was the third anniversary of the day that Michelle and I spoke on the phone for the first time. I remember that it was a Friday night, and that we talked into the wee hours of the morning. The funny thing is that I started working at Mt. Denson the next day. I was scheduled to take some of the kids from the youth group to a meeting in Nashville, and we were supposed to meet at the church at 8 AM. On a Saturday. Needless to say, I was about 45 minutes late, and by the time we had stopped for coffee, we made it to the meeting in time for the last 15 minutes or so...LOL. So, we went to lunch and called it a day.

That was a monumental time in my life, meeting the woman that would become my wife (and the mother of my child), and making a huge step in my spiritual journey. These three years have been incredible, indeed.

This past Saturday, Michelle and I went to Nashville. My sister hosted a Wii party, which I attended, and Michelle stormed Green Hills Mall with her friend Amy. I have great fun playing the Wii. The golf game was probably my favorite; It was just easy enough to be fun, and just difficult enough to be challenging. We played four holes, and I was at level par at that point. I bogied the first hole, trying to get the feel for the game. I birdied the 5-par second hole, which was a little disappointing since I had reached the green in two. Anyway, it was great.

It was great to see Jessi's friends, and to meet some new people as well. At one point, someone asked me who my favorite musicians are. I replied Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, The Eagles, and Fleetwood Mac (classic division); and The Killers, KT Tunstall, and Coldplay (current division). However, once I got home, I decided to investigate what music I am actually listening to the most these days.

By reviewing my iTunes "Recently Played" playlist, I find that I am listening to Green Day, U2, Five For Fighting, Bruce Hornsby, The Gabe Dixon Band, The Gin Blossoms, The Goo Goo Dolls, John Mayer, Nickelback, R.E.M., Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and Warren Zevon, more than anything else. So, I guess it would be more accurate to say that this is where my musical tastes lie right now. In reality, it has been quite a while since I listened to much Pink Floyd (although I did watch my DVD of the making of Dark Side of the Moon again recently). On the way back from Nashville, I qued up Fleetwood Mac's "The Dance", but that was the first time I had listened to them in quite a while. Clapton and the Eagles are always in heavy rotation, and KT Tunstall and the Killers are there as well. During this investigation, I realized I have not listened to any Coldplay in quite a while. Although I did hear "Speed of Sound" on the radio one day that week, and enjoyed it. So, this is a more accurate representation of the music I am listening to these days.

In the past couple of years, I have really become interested in music again, after several years of ambivalence. For quite a while, there just wasn't anything being released that I was interested in. However, these days there is a ton of music that is getting my attention. Plus, iTunes makes it really easy to buy music at reasonable prices. I was initially reluctant to buy music digitally, but once I got on board, I found that for me, its pros outweigh its cons by far.

Speaking of John Mayer, he is playing Memphis in early February, and the opening act is Josh Rouse--a guy that I went to high school with. That's pretty cool. Josh has been working hard on his career for a long time, and he is finally getting some recognition. Good for him!

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Hello Again

Well, it certainly has been a long time since I have posted. My grandmother has been hounding me about it, and I have promised a resumption several times, so here I am.

So much has happened since last time, I am sure I will leave several things out, but I will try to recap the past couple of months or so.

Thanksgiving weekend was great. We went to Tullahoma to spend the holiday with Michelle's parents and grandparents (who were in from New York). Everyone had a great time. Michelle and I had just bought a 2000 Dodge Intrepid a few weeks earlier, so her dad and I spent some time in the garage, changing the transmission fluid and some other stuff. All was well. On the Sunday, we left early so that we could worship at Mt. Denson, in Springfield. We spent the morning telling everyone how great everything was going, and sharing excitement about the baby.

After worship, we left for home, with a plan to stop at the Bellevue exit on west Nashville to have lunch. Just before we got there, the car suddenly lost all power from the engine, so I yanked it over to the shoulder. I just knew that doom was imminent. Anyway, we called a tow truck and had it dragged to a nearby shop. We spent the next couple of hours watching the Titans getting their tails handed to them, until finally the shop said the problem was beyond their capabilities. So, we called my aunt and uncle who lived nearby to see if we could crash there. By that time, the Titans had made a miraculous comeback, and when my uncle got there to pick us up, they were only down a few points, and were driving with time running out. Needless to say, my uncle would much rather have been watching the game then picking us up, so things were a little tense in the car. We had the game on the radio, and we got to the house at the 2 minute warning. The Titans ended up winning the game, so all was good...LOL. Anyway, we enjoyed a great dinner and went to bed, trying not to worry about the car.

The next morning, we had the car towed to a nearby dealership, and rented a car to tool around in. We decided to head to Clarksville, and visited with my grandmother, then went to my parents' house. My dad was working that day, so we went by there, and ended up in Patty Averitt's office talking to her for about an hour. By the time we got upstairs to my dad's office, he was gone...LOL. So, we just head home to Memphis, awaiting word on the car. I think it was either Wednesday or Thursday before we got a final verdict, which was that the engine needed complete replacement. Jeez, that sucked. So, we spent the next day or two trying to figure out what we wanted to do. We eventually decided to sell the car to salvage, live with one car for a while, and then buy something else in the middle of January, before school started again.

So, we spent December trying to finish our last projects and papers, and trying to get me graduated. The end of the semester was just crazy. But, eventually, we both got all our work done, and I graduated. I cannot remember which tournament it was, but I remember after Tiger Woods had won one of his majors, he spoke about how the entire week he only focused on each upcoming shot, never thinking about a past or future shot. Then, after he putted out on the last hole, he had a really strange feeling because he suddenly realized he had no more shots to play. This is exactly the same feeling I had after I took my last final exam. It was my astronomy exam, at 8:00 AM. I got done in about an hour and a half, so as I walked out of the building, it suddenly occured to me that I had nothing more to do. For the past several years, I had been so focused on papers, projects, and exams, and now I had nothing more to do. It was such a strange feeling. My legs were literally shaking.

It was wonderful that most of my family, and Michelle's parents, were able to come down and celebrate with us. At dinner the night before, I quoted the French philosopher Gabriel Marcel by saying that only a fool would claim to be self-made, and thanked everyone for their support throughout the years. I would like to reiterate those sentiments.

The ceremony itself was great; I saw several friends from classes, and we all shared good laughs. Afterward, everyone in the group went back to our apartment and celebrated. We all had a good time (except for when Steve broke my wireless router...LOL), especially when the cake was revealed. My mom had given Michelle a picture of me when I graduated kindergarten, way back in the day. Michelle had gotten the picture put on a cake, and it was hilarious. They made me eat my face, which was kind of weird...LOL.



We went to Clarksville to celebrate Christmas, and had a good time. We went down to McGregor park to see the Christmas lights, which is where we got engaged. That was cool. A couple of days later, we went to Tullahoma to see Michelle's family. It was good to see them again. It is usually quiet around their house, so I was able to get a lot of reading done. That was nice.

New Year's eve was uneventful, as we stayed home. Michelle went to bed early, and I stayed up reading. I looked up at the clock to see that it was 12:30 AM, so it felt a little strange to have "missed" the new year's arrival. So, I just went to bed a while after that.

A few days later, I got word from my best friend Michael Clark that his dad was in his final days of battling the cancer that had ravaged his body for the past couple of years. I wished I could have done more for Mike, but I just called occasionally to offer my support. Michelle and I went to Clarksville for the funeral service, and although it's always good to be in town, I wished I could have been there under better circumstances. The night before the funeral, we went over to my parents' house, and my dad and I had a good time playing guitar. I brought my new guitar that I had just bought, and was glad that my dad liked it. One neat thing is that while we were playing, Michelle thought she felt the baby move. That was really neat.

After the service, we went over to Mathews Nissan to see Jessie Johnson, and look at cars. We quickly discovered that Jessie and his business partner now work at James Corlew Chevrolet, so we went over there. Jessie was off that day, so we talked with his partner Kurt. We did not really plan on buying a car that day, so were just gonna look. However, We became smitten with a 2002 Chevrolet Blazer, and ended up buying it. So, we spent an extra night in Clarksville, then came back to Memphis the next day. We have enjoyed the Blazer, and we are enjoying the fact that we bought a 2 year warranty with it :) So, if it conks out, we should be OK.

During the winter break, it was nice to read some things that were of my own choosing, instead of being dictated by a syllabus. I revisited John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty", and I read the Iraq Study Group Report". I also read the Gospel of Judas, which is a new book that paints a revolutionary new picture of Judas Iscariot. I also read a couple of chapters of "The Guns of August", which is the preeminent account of the events that led up to the first month of World War I. And, I read a really funny book, "The Mr. and Mrs. Happy Handbook" by Steve Doocy.

Last Friday, I had orientation and registration at seminary. It was a really long day, but well worth it. My first class is today at 5:30. It is a strange feeling to call myself "college graduate" and "graduate student". I am sure that reality will set in tonight when I get my first syllabus...LOL.

My course schedule is as follows:

CH 05045 Issues in Church Relations Worldwide (Mondays at 5:30)
TH 01111 Reading, Writing, Research Thursdays (Tuesdays at 12:30
CG 00108 Covenant Group (Tuesdays at 4:30)
NT 10000 Intro to New Testament (Tuesdays at 5:30)
CH 10000 Intro to Church History (Wednesdays at 1:30)
TH 10000 Christan Beliefs (Thursdays at 5:30)

Covenant Group is a no-credit class that meets for 1 hour per week. It is a support-group type thing where a student who has been around for a couple of years stimulates discussion about our feelings and concerns.

TH 0111 is a one-credit hour class that I hope will help me with my research and paper-writing skills. One of the texts is a book called "How to Read a Book". I have been joking about the fact that I had to go to grad school to learn that...LOL.

The rest of my classes are all 3-credit hour classes. So, I have a total of 13 hours, which should be manageable.

Today is the 23rd anniversary of the introduction of the Macintosh computer, which was done via a Super Bowl commercial that, while it aired only once, is still considered one of the best commercials ever made. It was named "Commercial of the Decade" by at least one prominent trade publication.



I remember the computer lab at my high school having about 30 Apple IIe units, and about 8 Macs. In order to use the Macs, one had to be in the good graces of the teacher, Mr. Stinnett. Fortunately, I was one of the few that were elevated to that level. I went away from Macs for quite a while, but always knowing that I would go back. Now, I would never trade my iBook for anything, except a new Powerbook...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

This afternoon, we went to a ceremony in which Michelle was initiated into Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society of Educators. It was a great ceremony, and I was glad that she decided to join. She is working hard to become a great teacher, and I am so proud of her.

With the news that she is pregnant, we have put away all our adoption books, and have taken out all our pregnancy books that we had put away when we decided to adopt. We are really still in "shock mode", because this was not supposed to happen. But, reality is quickly settling in, and we are getting ready.

We had lunch yesterday at a Cracker Barrel not far from here, and when I noticed the couple next to us had an infant in tow, I struck up a conversation. Turns out their pediatrician is one that we were considering, and they gave a great recommendation. Cool.

In our conversations with our families, it is apparent that everyone is really excited for us. We appreciate all the love and support that we are getting; it means a lot to us. Thanks to all of you.

We are looking forward to Tuesday, because we are seeing Journey and Def Leppard in concert together here in Memphis. Michelle has seen Journey before, and I have seen Def Leppard, but neither of us has seen both bands. So, to get to see them both in the same night will be ultra cool. Since this is part of my birthday gift to Michelle (her birthday is November 16), I splurged a little and got seats up close. We will have a ton of fun.

I have a test in Astronomy in Thursday, so I will be spending time this week getting ready for that.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Baby's First Picture

Michelle was supposed to go to the doctor on Friday, but she was not feeling well today, so she went today. While there, she was told that the due date is June 27, 2007. Also, she had an ultrasound, the results of which are above. How cool!
Michelle got to see the baby's heartbeat, which must have been so exciting! The doctor said the heartbeat was extemely strong. She was given a clean bill of health, and scheduled the next appointment on November 20th. The doctor said that if the heartbeat is still good then, everything should be fine the rest of the way.

I tried to increase the size of the picture, but I could not get it to work. I will keep trying.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Change of Plans

Michelle has been feeling sick to her stomach for the past several weeks, and we could not figure out why. Well, yesterday we found out that she is PREGNANT!! This is insane! We were told that she could never get pregnant, mostly because of me. All I can say to that is, "All it takes is one"...LOL. Apparently, one found its way to the right place!

Therefore, the first question everyone has had is obviously, "What does this do to the adoption?" Essentially, the adoption will go on pause. One of the largest parts of the process is the part we are about to finish, which is the home study. The home study remains valid for two years, so we can put it on pause until after the baby comes home, then pick it up again later.

Probably the funniest part of the whole thing so far is how I found out. I got a call yesterday morning asking me to referee some football games as an emergency substitute. The first game was supposed to start at noon, so at 1:00 I called Michelle to tell her that we had not started yet (due to the fact that neither team was there). I was bored, frustrated, and just ticked off. Anyway, she told me that while she was out earlier she decided to get a home pregnancy test to prove to the doctor that she was not pregnant. She had just done to test a couple of minutes before I called, so she was still in shock. And, I got to join in the celebration, at least on the phone. I announced to everyone around me that my wife was pregnant, and everyone got excited. I did not care about the games at that point, and did not care much all day. I had more important things on my mind.

We made the requisite phone calls to the future grandparents, great-grandparents, and friends. Everyone is really excited. So, we ask that everyone please keep us in your prayers. We will need everyone's support.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Wired Magazine, one of my favorite reads, set up a Flikr account where geeks could submit pictures of themselves in their best Halloween costumes. I suggested to my sister Jessica that she submit something, since she always has great costumes. Hers was voted one of the best, and is posted here. That is so cool!

We got our tests back in Philosophy of Religion today, and I was relieved to have done pretty well (B+). I was the first person to finish the test, which has never happened before in my life. I am normally one of the very last people to finish a test, so I was kind of freaked out. Cool.

This Friday, Memphis Theological Seminary is having an Inquirer's day, which is a day for future and potential future students to explore the campus. Sounds like a great excuse to skip class. I am looking forward to it.

Michelle and I were disappoint that we had ZERO trick-or-treaters come to our door. Say what? Unbelievable. Anyway, we had rented a completely horrible horror movie from the '80s, and sort of enjoyed watching it. Horror movies were, in general, horrible in the '80s, and the one we chose did not disappoint.

I am still working on getting a picture taken of Michelle's car, but the weather here has been dreadful and I do not like taking my camera out in the rain. We decided to name the car Thebe, who was a nymph and the daughter of the river god Asopus. Thebe (THEE-bee) is also the fourth closest satellite (moon) of Jupiter.

We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving in Tullahoma. We should have a great time. I am looking forward to doing some maintenance on the Thebe with her dad.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

SOLD!!

A few minutes ago, I sold the truck. Wow. My worst fear was that trying to sell a vehicle with no air conditioning in Memphis would be an exercise in futility, but the first guy that looked at it offered me a fair price, so we did the deal. Cool.

Michelle and I are going to celebrate with some ice cream, then I am going to study for my Philosophy of Religion test. I got my astronomy test back today, and had to laugh. I got an 88, and the class average was 60. I do not normally make it a habit to insult people, but some of these folks in my class are just dumb. For example, the low score on the test was a 36. Why is that person in college? I dunno. Anyway, I was quite pleased with my score, given that I did not get back home from the concert until after 4 AM. Good enough for me.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Today is the first day of the newspaper ad for my truck. So far, I have had three calls about it. I told the first guy that today is not a good day for me to have him come and look at it, so he is coming tomorrow. The other two pretty much demanded to see it today. So, they are coming this afternoon. I have a test tomorrow in Philosophy of Religion, and would prefer to spend the afternoon studying for that. Oh well.

We should get our tests back in astronomy today. This test was much more difficult than the first. I probably still did OK, though.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

In case anyone has ever thought or said, "I'll believe Chris is graduating college when I see it", here it is. I stopped by the College of Arts and Sciences to review the Commencement Program Proof, to make sure my name is spelled correctly. Indeed it is. This is how it will appear on my diploma.

Peace...

And on the 2,191,825th day...

According to Bishop James Ussher (1581-1656), God created the universe on October 23, 4004 BC. On October 23, 2001, Apple introduced the iPod. Happy Birthday world, and iPod!

My beloved Xanthos is officially for sale. Michelle and I have been shopping for a new vehicle for a while, because we will be needing something that can hold a car seat. Michelle was also wanting something with 4 doors (not 4 wheel drive). We looked at several Camrys and Accords, then I mentioned in passing that I had an Intrepid as a company car for a while, and enjoyed it. Once she got a look at one, she loved it. So, earlier this week, we reached an agreement-in-principle to purchase a 2000 Dodge Intrepid. Thursday, we sealed the deal. Hence, we no longer have the need for the truck.

We are enjoying the Intrepid. I went to the county clerk's office Friday and got it registered and applied for the title. Thankfully, the line moved well and did not take too long. We cleaned it up today, but ran out of Daylight before we could take a picture. I will try to post one soon. I have inherited Michelle's old Explorer, and she will be driving the Intrepid. It will be nice to have a place to store my baseball gear next year. And having air conditioning will be great, given the oppressive Memphis heat.

Friday night, I had a football game at Houston high school, who played White Station. These are two of the best teams in the area, so it was nice to have a close game. I was the clock operator, which was fine until there were about 3:00 left in the fourth quarter, and my on/off switch stopped working. Normally, the clock operator is stationed on the sideline, and he follows the line of scrimmage. But with my switch broken, I had to run up to the press box as quickly as I could. I ran over two cheerleaders and one grandmother, but I think everybody was OK...LOL.

The people that Michelle used to nanny for celebrated their anniversary this weekend by going out of town, so we watched the boys yesterday and today. They weren't too much trouble, so we had fun. Yesterday afternoon (after my morning football games), we went to a family farm in Hernando, MS, and had great fun. The kids enjoyed the petting zoo and the inflatables. It was nice to be out in the sunshine, too. Next weekend, Michelle and I are going to go back there and enjoy the haunted hayride. That should be much fun.

The kids have a tradition where their dad goes out on Sunday mornings and gets doughnuts, so I took over that role today. Joy. The rest of the morning, I tinkered with the Intrepid, putting on new wipers and stuff. I took the younger boy with me to Lowe's and Advanced Auto Parts, and we had a good time. I was glad to give Michelle a bit of a break.

Tomorrow, I have two football games, which will in all likelihood my last two games of the year. I was supposed to have a varsity game this Friday, but after I was late to that middle school game a few weeks ago, it was taken away from me. Since that's the last week of the season, there will nothing more. Kind of a sorry-ass way to end the season, but there is nothing I can do about it now. Oh well.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

The fact that a dog is pissing on the wall sort of says everything...LOL.

Earlier tonight, I started to write a post about the concert last night. However, Michelle finished her exam early, and we had some stuff to do, so I saved it as a draft. I am so tired now that I do not think I will finish it tonight. I will get back on it tomorrow. I apologize to those whom I had promised a post.

Peace...

Back from the concert, and working on less than 4 hours of sleep...

Well, what can I say? Tim and I concurred that this was the best performance either of us has ever seen Clapton give. From the opening chords (struck at the precise instant that we walked into the arena) to the end of the encore, the show was high energy and fast-paced. The crowd was also impressive, totally engaged from the beginning. The band hardly broke for more than a couple of seconds between most songs, which sort of interrupted the standing ovations that were presented after nearly every number. Clapton was dressed in a black shirt, black jeans and black sneakers. Ready to do business.

The show was a full-on three (and sometimes four)-guitar attack. EC was of course, front and center. He played a pair of Fender Stratocasters, one of which appeared to be a replica of "Blackie", a hybrid Strat that he assembled from parts of several guitars that he bought in Nashville in the early '70s. He was backed up by Doyle Bramhall II, Derek Trucks, and on two numbers, Robert Cray. Bramhall was a close friend of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and has been playing with EC for the past several years. He alternated between a Fender Stratocaster (which looked exactly like the one featured on SRV's album "Soul to Soul") and a Gibson Les Paul Sunburst (which he played upside down). Trucks splits time between his own band and the Allman Brothers Band (his uncle was a founding member of the Allmans). Trucks was also the youngest player to be named to Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" list. He played a Gibson SG, and employed a slide on almost every song. Cray is a legendary bluesman in his own right, and has played with Clapton off and on throughout the years. He played a Fender Stratocaster.

Behind them were two keyboardists, Chris Stainton and Tim Carmon. Stainton has played with Clapton since the 70s, and was on stage for the Concert for George. Carmon has played with the likes of Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Santana, BB King, Stevie Wonder, and many others.

On bass was Willie Weeks, who has played with a who's-who of rock and country. Joe Walsh, David Lee Roth, John Mellencamp, Stevie Wonder, George Harrison, Vince Gill, John Mayer are some artists who have employed his services. Steve Jordan was on drums, and has also played with the Stones, the Blues Brothers Band, Don Henley, and Neil Young. He was also a founding member of the World's Most Dangerous Band, the group that was featured on Late Night with David Letterman.

The setlist was a little different than what I posted yesterday. Here it is:

Electric Set 1:

Pretending
From 1988's Journeyman album, the record that made me a Clapton fan. Maybe my favorite song from that album, but there were a lot of great songs there. A great way to start the show.

I Shot The Sheriff
From 1974's 461 Ocean Boulevard, this is the song that brought Reggae to the masses. This version was a rocking rendition, with each guitarist taking a turn at the lead. Fantastic.

Got To Get Better In A Little While
From the Layla album, this was maybe my favorite song the night. I liked this arrangement much better than the original. It is a true 12-bar blues, so it can be played any number of ways. Awesome. Great expression of heartache and the longing for love. Which is what that whole album was about. Lasted close to 20 minutes, but it never lost steam.

Old Love (with Robert Cray)
Also from Journeyman, Cray and EC co-wrote this one. This was a 15-minute extended version, with each guitarist taking turns at the lead. Great tune.

Anyday
Also from the Layla record, not one of my favorite songs.

Motherless Children
Track 1 on 461, this is one my all-time favorite Clapton efforts. A rollicking blues-country fusion--just fantastic.

Acoustic Set:

Key To The Highway
From Layla, EC also revisited this song on his collaboration with B.B. King, Riding with the King. It was a much different arrangement than the original album version, which was played electric. All three guitarists played acoustic slide. Very nice.

San Francisco Bay Blues
Clapton first covered this Jesse Fuller number on Unplugged, and he gave it a great treatment here. EC actually played a kazoo in addition to his Martin acoustic. Yes, I said a kazoo. Everyone, including Clapton, got a chuckle out of it. Very upbeat, about losing love in Frisco.

Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
Also from Layla, I enjoyed this arrangement more than the original or the Unplugged version.

Running On Faith
Originally from Journeyman, then Unplugged, one of my all-time favorites. The original arrangement featured a dobro, but tonight the dobro was replaced by an acoustic. Nice.

Electric Set 2:

After Midnight
From EC's first solo record, this is one of my favorites. All three guitars were featured here. Very nice.

Little Queen Of Spades
A guitar tour-de-force, as all three axe men were afforded extended solos. From EC's tribute to Robert Johnson, Sessions for Robert J, this was an incredible arrangement. Oh my.

Further On Up The Road
To my knowledge, this song has never been included on an EC studio album, although it has been on several of his live records, and is in fact a staple of his live catalogue. Great tune.

Wonderful Tonight
Many people's favorite, they were dancing in the aisles for this one. Michelle and I have been known to dance to this song, as well. The only song all night that was played straight-away, with little or no deviation from the studio recording.

Layla
From the moment the band took the stage, it was apparent that they were here to play music, and not play around. We were reminded of this once again, as instead of the usual extended intro that EC normally gives Layla, he just launched right into the opening chords. Possibly the most recognizable opening chord sequence in rock history. Wow.

Cocaine
EC's ode to the dangers of drug use, this was written (along with After Midnight) by J.J. Cale. Cale and EC have finally teamed up again, with a complete studio album that is being released November 7. I can hardly wait. I have read that during this tour, Clapton had been playing this song with a Gibson ES-335, but he kept the Strat in hand tonight. Good choice.


Encore
Crossroads (with Robert Cray)
Clapton's signature song, as his life and career have been one crossroads after another. Great arrangement here, with the addition of Cray's Stratocaster. A few years ago, I was asked at the last minute to give a sermon at a youth retreat where the theme was "Life at a Crossroads". My first instinct was to work my sermon around this song, but I felt like that would be too easy, so I wrecked my brain and came from a different angle. If I ever do a similar sermon, I will include the song.

Tim and I consider ourselves quite fortunate that we were able to be at this show. We can hardly wait until EC comes around again.

After Midnight, We're Gonna Let It All Hang Out...

The day I have been looking forward to since June is finally here!! Tonight, I will be meeting my brother Tim in Birmingham to see Eric Clapton in concert. We are both mega-excited...LOL. Needless to say, EC has been in heavy rotation on the stereo in the Winn household for the past week or so. The setlist he has been playing features a great mix of old and new, and some in between. Robert Cray is the opening act, and he has been joining EC on stage for a couple of numbers each night. Sweet!

Here it is:

(Electric Set 1)

Pretending
I Shot The Sheriff
Got To Get Better In A Little While
Old Love (with Robert Cray)
Everybody Oughta Make A Change
Motherless Children

(Acoustic Set)

Back Home
I Am Yours
Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
Running On Faith

(Electric Set 2)

After Midnight
Little Queen Of Spades
Further On Up The Road
Wonderful Tonight
Layla
Cocaine

(Encore)

Crossroads (with Robert Cray)

In my next post, I will post my comments on each tune.

This past weekend was fall break, so Michelle and I went up to Sikeston, Missouri for a couple of days. We went to the Beggs' family farm, which is a more like a carnival than a farm. We enjoyed picking out pumpkins, and working our way through the corn maze. Last year, we were in the maze for over two hours, and finally gave up. This year, we made it through in about 45 minutes...LOL. We got so lucky. There was an intersection that offered about 5 different ways to go, and after my obligatory Robert Frost monologue (two roads diverged in a yellow wood...), we chose the path on the far right, and about 10 minutes later, walked out of the maze. Soooo lucky!

We also enjoyed eating at our favorite restaurant in the whole world, Lambert's Cafe (home of throwed rolls). We also enjoyed getting some much-needed rest. I don't think we have ever slept so much whilst on holiday. It was great.

I got my philosophy exam back last week, and it was bloody. I made a 73--the lowest grade I have ever made on a philosophy test. It was brutal. The class as a whole did poorly, but that did not make me feel any better. On one of the questions, which I felt was my strongest answer, I only got 18 points (out of 25). On another, which I felt was my weakest, I got a 23. Say what? Another question, I misread it and only got 10 points. That killed me. Oh well. We still have two other tests in that class, so I can pick it up a notch and salvage a decent grade.

I also have a test in astronomy class tomorrow. Since I probably won't be back in Memphis until the wee hours of the night, I am not sure how I will do. I know the material, and have studied hard the past two days, but I probably will not feel great. So, we will see how that goes.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I got through my Ancient Philosophy exam today pretty well. It helps when you have already read the material for previous classes. Although reading it again (Plato's Apology, Crito, and Euthyphro and Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics) gave me new insight to these incredible works.

Astronomy lecture and lab went well today. My lab team finished almost an hour early, so I worked a while in the library before leaving for my football game. This is where the nightmare began. I needed to be at the school no later than 4:00, so I left at 3:15. Although Mapquest estimated my travel time to be only 17 minutes, with Memphis traffic, it's better to leave early. Plus, I needed to change into my uniform and clean my shoes. With my Mapquest driving directions in tow, I headed out, only to discover that these instructions were horrifically inaccurate. I called my head referee (the guy who wears the white hat) at 4:00, and he could not give me any better directions. I then called Michelle and had her Mapquest the location from a different starting point in hopes that that would trigger the algorithms into a different result. This was moderately successful, as I was able to get into the general neighborhood of the school. After asking three random strangers (two of which were either drunk and/or high) for directions, I arrived at the school at 5:00. Just before the last play of the FIRSY HALF! It was brutal. I felt horrible. I felt bad for taking my payment after the game. Came real close to giving it back. I got an email from the assigner earlier tonight, asking for an explanation. Jeez.

Michelle is deathly sick, and she has been asleep since before I got home. So, I am just hanging out on the couch watching the baseball playoffs. The Dodgers' first game is tomorrow at 3, which is precisely the same time Michelle and I are supposed to paint the living room.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

A Saturday on the Grove

Yesterday morning, I refereed two youth league football games, then headed home. On the way home, Michelle called me to ask what I thought of the possibility of a short road trip to Mississippi that afternoon. I immediately got real excited, because I knew that Georgia was playing Ole Miss last night. Alas, she was thinking more along the lines of visiting a corn maze she had read about. Oh well. I knew that she does not like big crowds, so I said sure the corn maze would be great, especially since we would be back in time for me to watch most of the game on TV. However, by the time I got home, she had purchased tickets to the game, and made plans for us to roll to Oxford. WOW!! We tried to get her decked out in some Georgia gear, but none of the stores here had anything. The stores here all cater to Memphis, UT, Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Oh well--she just wore a red t-shirt.

We got there about 4 hours before game time, so we tailgated on the grove (the area around the campus is known by this name) and had fun. We found a pocket of Georgia fans and hung out in that area until game time.

We had a great time at the game. The score was really close, and Georgia pulled out a win at the very end. Beautiful! Although we were sitting amongst a bunch of Ole Miss fans, they were very nice to us and we both enjoyed ourselves. At half-time, we went out to the concourse to get some fresh air, because by that time, and we actually hung out there during the entire third quarter. We enjoyed people-watching while there. We came back in for the fourth quarter, and enjoyed the rest of the game.

The ride home seemed a lot longer than the ride down there, but we eventually got home about 2 AM. We are now trying to recover, and I am wondering if I am going to feel like painting the living room, which is what we had planned on doing today.

What's probably the funniest thing about the whole deal is that I had invited my dad and brother to Memphis to watch the U of M play UT. However, I never got a firm confirmation that they were coming, so I never got the tickets, and the game sold out. So, no one came and I was not resigned to watching a game on TV.

My classes are going well. We had our first exam in Astronomy class last Tuesday. This class is made up of almost all freshman, and it seems this is the most ignorant group of people I have ever been around. There are well over 100 people in the class, and most of them are just stupid. Asking ridiculous questions, and constantly wanting to know about extra-credit and the grade curve. Jeez. The test scores revealed what I am dealing with here--the class average was 54, and the lowest score was a 26. I made an 86, and didn't study nearly as much as I could have. Whatever.

I have an exam in my Ancient Philosophy class on Tuesday. I am going to start studying for it tonight, and after my football game tomorrow night, really hit the books hard. I should be fine.

I also have a paper due in Religion class next week. Need to get started on that.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...