Hazar for us

April 14 is an important day in world history.

According to Wikipedia, April 14 is the day Lincoln was assassinated in 1865; it was the day the Titanic stuck an iceberg in 1912; it was the day the first Volvo was demonstrated in 1927; but most importantly, it was the day Edwin proposed to Elissa, and she accepted. Hazar for us!

.e

By the way, if you don't believe that this is a true event in world history, just click here. I can't promise the Wikipedia pedants out there will share my opinion for too long. (Update: the news lasted on Wikipedia for 51 minutes. A bit longer than I thought, actually. I hope they don't think I'm a vandal - I'm just an excited nerd.)

Hazoo for my logo

My logo sucks. I need a new one.

I was bored at work one day, so I decided to chuck together a logo for my blog. Unfortunately, my creativity was stifled by the following facts:

1. I only had Paint to work with;
2. "Hazar for everything" does not instantly lend itself to graphical representations in the same way that say "fish out of water" or "not for the cricket" do and;
3. I have no creativity.

So I opened up Paint, typed "Hazar for Everything" in two different colours, turned it into a gif and added it as a logo, but now I'm really unhappy with it.

So hazoo for my pitiful attempt at a logo, and a pre-emptive hazar for anyone who wishes to come up with a better one for me. Go on - you know you want to...

.e
[Category: random_stuff]

Hazar for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones

Yes, it sounds like I made that name up, but I didn't - Béla Fleck is a real person and the Flecktones are a real band. And a darn good one. Check Wikipedia if you think I'm lying!

I had the opportunity to go to a Flecktones concert at the Basement the other night, and it was excellent. Technically they play progressive bluegrass music, but who really cares about that - it was just plain good music.

Béla Anton Leoš Fleck (named after Bartok, Dvorak and Janacek for those music freaks out there) is a middle aged white guy from New York who plays bluegrass/jazzy banjo incredibly well. And he has a fantastic band to play with - Vic Wooten on bass, Jeff Coffin playing that fantastic "I'm playing an amazing number of notes - who cares if they're in the scale" saxophone (and flute), and a bloke named Future Man on percussion.

I'm a percussionist, so I usually spend my time at concerts watching the drummer and trying to copy the rhythms on my legs, but Future Man defeated me. He doesn't use a conventional drum kit, instead he uses the self-made "synth-axe drumitar" - a guitar shaped midi controller with which he made some very clever drum sounds. I could not work out how he controlled everything - it kept me entralled for the whole gig.

Anyhoo, the short of this long post is to issue an emphatic hazar for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, and to assert that if they ever come to a basement near you, go and check them out.
.e
[Category: random_stuff]

Hazar for unexpected respect

Today is Good Friday, often known as one of the most solemn and holy days in the Christian calendar. And also one of the most misunderstood. Lots of silly ideas abound about what Good Friday is all about - some see it as the best day to go to the Royal Easter Show; some who see it as a day to eat fish; and some see it as just another public holiday.

Christians use Good Friday to remember Jesus' death on the cross - a death which he died to take God's just punishment for all humanity's sinfulness. It is, understandably, very difficult to celebrate this event without talking about human sinfulness (rejection of God's rule in our lives) and Jesus' substitutionary death (see 1 Peter 2:22-25). These ideas are both rightfully confronting and possibly offensive to secular society. People don't like to be told that they are sinners, nor that someone had to take God's punishment in their place.

Which is why I am pleased to issue a Good Friday hazar to both Richard Glover of ABC 702 Radio in Sydney, and television's Channel 7 for showing Good Friday a level of respect I have not seen nor expected from the secular media for a while. On Thursday, Glover invited both Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Geroge Pell onto his drivetime show to explain the Christian message of Easter. He was attentive, interested and respectful, as he should be with all his guests, and he copped a bit of flack from less respectful listeners who were "offended" by two religious guests explaining their particular worldview. Then, tonight, Channel 7 showed Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, a blatantly religious film, complete without ads, so as not to ruin the atmosphere which builds throughout the movie. This, too, was unexpected and appreciated.

So, hazar for the respect shown to Christians on this Good Friday, and I wish everyone a happy and holy Easter. It's not about chocolate, you know...

...e

[Category: random_stuff]