Yes, I know I haven't posted in a while. Things have been a little busy with school starting up again. Here's a brief post, though, to let you know about some music I've really been digging lately.

Gogol Bordello claim the label "gypsy punk," although I have a feeling there's more to their music than just that. Unfortunately, I don't really know enough about Eastern European music to really attempt any description of their style. What I do know is that it's wild, energetic, and completely awesome.

Listen (and see) for yourself:

That's "Ultimate," off their newest release, Super Taranta! There's really not a weak track on the whole album.

If you want to hear more, NPR has a full concert and in interview with the lead singer, which also features samples of some songs from the album.

I don't know how many of my readers think the Earth has only been around for 6,000 years. I would assume it's a small percentage, but I might be surprised. I've got a poll running now about that, so feel free to cast your vote. I'd also like to hear from you in the comments. If you think the Earth is young, please explain why. I've looked at young Earth creationist ideas like those on the Answers in Genesis website and the Creation Museum. They seem to go to great lengths to avoid generally accepted science.

I know there are some very intelligent believers that read this page. Maybe some of you can explain the relationship between your faith and your views of science.

I found Saraband TiVo, so I recorded it, but then decided it would be best to watch Scenes from a Marriage first, seeing as things would make a lot more sense that way. SFAM, directed by Ingmar Bergman, was originally aired on television in six episodes, and then a theatrical release was made. Unfortunately, I didn't know about this until watching the special on the DVD that explains the difference between the TV and theatrical releases. So I had ordered only the theatrical release, and missed out on an hour plus of the story. I will have to rent the TV release another time, but for now, I was quite satisfied with what I did see.

Scenes from a Marriage chronicles the deterioration of a relationship. Johan and Marianne seem to be the perfect couple (10 years, with kids, and still smiling)and are often talking about how happy they are. It's obvious from the beginning that this is a front that even they may not fully realize they are putting up for others, and as the story progresses, we see the couple break up. But, having been together for so long, they often find themselves back with each other, both loving and despising each other, and giving an incredibly interesting portrait of flawed love. The movie looks very deeply at the two lead characters, exploring their motivations, weaknesses, insecurities, excuses, etc. The first episode alone was enough to draw me in, with the sharp and quick dialogue.

The story is shown in the six episodes, each of which takes place in a single space, much like a set in a play. There are only a couple to a few actors in each scene, and the camera is ceaselessly zeroing in on their faces. The result is a very intimate atmosphere that feels very realistic, and almost too affecting to be intruding on as a viewer. Live Ullmann plays Mariannne, and Erland Josephson plays Johan, and both are incredible. Ullmann's character changes more throughout the story, and so her performance tends to stand out the most. The scenes where Johan leaves her, as well as tries to detain her from leaving, stand out the most to me. She's amazing. But it's a combination of everyone involved that makes it such a great piece of viewing. I can't fathom a relationship like theirs in my own reality, but the way it is depicted here makes it involving as well as important as a starting block for people to discuss, think, and learn about marriage.

I watched it in segments, as if I had been watching it from week to week on tv, which made it all the better. I think it would have been too much to take in at one sitting, although it can be done. I'm glad I finally watched it, and am sifting through Saraband (the couple visit with each other 30 years later) this week. I'll post on that later.

I once met a Miss America contestant (a friend of my wife's) who was a perfectly intelligent and eloquent person, and I know it's unfair to represent all beauty contestants as dumb.

But still, I couldn't help but LOL at this.

Hat tip goes to This Modern World.

This past weekend was a great one.

On Friday we spent the night making progress on the house. I spent at least an hour installing a stupid towel hook because we didn't have a big enough drill for the anchor holes, so I had to spend a lot of time widening the holes with a small drill. But we got a lot done that night and the next morning. Too bad the family never came over! Actually, I figured we'd be busy enough hanging out that we wouldn't have time to visit our place, but it was good to clean up just in case. And at least we made progress on most of the rooms.

Saturday we got to Ric's parents' house around noon. We had a giant lunch and a giant dinner, and in between we went walking in the park, swam in the pool, and watched tv together. It's so great to hang out with Ric's family. We get along so well with his brother and sister-in-law, and it's always awesome to hang out with the nephews. Harrison is 3 years old and Jack is 10 months. Harrison and I had a lot of fun hanging out together and he seemed to bond with me more on this visit than any other. That was really special for me. Jack, whom I haven't seen since Christmas, is a bustling power-crawler, on the verge of walking. He reminds me so much of Ric in appearance! They have the same lips and eyes. He was fun to play with as well. We all celebrated Angie and Ginny's birthdays (which is why we got together) too.

Harrison has recently been diagnosed as a being a high-functioning autistic (he has Asperger's Syndrome) and we have all been learning about how to communicate, help, and encourage him. He is basically very advanced intellectually but delayed in his motor skills. Another area has has trouble with is social interaction. His parents have been doing a wonderful job with helping him learn to communicate and understand others, and they're working on exercises to help him develop more physical strength. Watching them care for him is very touching, and watching him thrive in an environment of love is so awesome. He will always have some things he struggles with, but the research and exercises his parents are doing now will do so much for him as well.

On Sunday, we accidentally slept in through church. Maybe it was a subliminal thing, since we knew the Andersons weren't going to be there. Colin shipped out Saturday morning. He will be gone for the next seven months as the medical expert in a Port of Transition Team (POETT) on the Iraq/Syrian border. I've added a link to his blog on the left menu under his user name, since I'm not sure if he'd like to remain anonymous or not. Check out the cute picture of the baby on there. If you click on "older posts" you can see pictures from his previous deployment, and his blown up vehicle. Please pray that he will come home safely to his wife and child, and that Liz will feel comforted and at ease in the next several months.

We spent Sunday afternoon trying to drive to a furniture store. There were a bunch of detours because of freeway construction. We finally got there and it was pretty bleh. So much for furniture solutions! We came home and Ric napped while I watched Constantine. Ric went out with Todd and I stayed home to work on laundry and do stuff around the house. I did some curtain switching for the time-being, just to cover up some windows, so now the master bathroom curtains are on the kitchen window, and the other bathroom shelf-curtains are in the master bathroom window. When Ric came home, we went out to Jack's diner, which could end up being my new favorite place for late-night coffee or snacks, because it's open late every night, and isn't gross like Denny's or Norm's.

Up this week: nothing until the weekend...? Wow!