Destination Africa

Hola.

I will take a 3 week blogging break due to a missions trip with LSU Chi Alpha to South Africa.

My life has moved at such a crazy rate. All this past week I had final exams. In less than a week, I studied more hours than I thought reasonably allowable to maintain sanity. I stopped counting once I reached 40 hours. I know it was God's grace. If you didn't listen to any of the last 4 audio blog posts of me relating exams to you, don't worry; they were a good break/amusement for me last week.

Ah, now though I leave Monday (May 16) for Dallas and Tuesday I leave the country, with a stopover in London and then a direct flight to Johannesburg. I'll be back in the U.S. June 3. This is my first time out of the country so I'm naturally thrilled. I must go get some sleep, but I trust you are all well and that I'll have a bubbly post of enthusiasm to report to you when I return.

-bean

Night Four: Endgame

In this post I set forth joy. Survived over 40 hours of studying in one week.

Night Three: The AfterMEH.

A lot of funny crap. Literally. Also in this edition: Wine, Women, and SongPedialyte.

Night Two: The AfterMeth

In this post, I set forth adventures in academia, including getting high off one's own t-shirt.

Night One: The Aftermath

In this post, I set forth the aftermath of Night One. I will ramble on such topics as birds chirping, comparing studying for finals to playing first-person shooter games, and other oddities.

Singin' in the Streets

Away Message

It's that time of year again folks. Final exams.

(Good?) Kind of Crazy

I think I'm that "good kind of crazy" that Nick once spoke of. Then again, just remove the word "good" from that phrase and you're left with me being "kind of crazy."

I'll let you decide.

I was so tired that my head bounced constantly during my time spent trying to stay awake at someone's clarinet recital. When I walked over to Cafe Chi Alpha afterward, I immediately crashed on the couch. When I woke up an odd series of circumstances ensued.

I first rolled over and asked Amy what time it was. Upon the answer, I decided my nap was over. I in general didn't make sense trying to talk to folks. Eventually I went to hug Amy to tell her bye. I didn't even think that hugging across a bar counter whilst wearing a book sack was in the least bit odd. Apparently the hidden coffee cup sitting there DID think I was acting eccentrically, for it proceeded to dump its contents all over the floor. I doubled over laughing. Then while trying to clean it up, I continuously was sent into fits of laughter falling on the couch. Eventually I got up and Zeke said, "Bean..." I replied with a puzzled look, "Bean?" "yeah, Bean, as in the name everyone's called you since you've been at college." I started laughing and tried to say "I have amnesia." I succeeded in saying something like, "I've even got Anesthetia!" Except it sounded more like I said "Anastasia!" Of course I doubled over laughing again. I eventually just had leave the place.

And so from this story it will be clear to you that the generic Fruity Pebbles cereal was relished by the koala bear named Zenathar.

Dinner at the Dills'

Mmm. Delicious.

Thanks Ms. Dill. It's been awhile since I've had home-cooking.

Readers,
Please say a prayer for my good friend Patrick's sister, who has lost her second child due to miscarriage. Pray for consolation in this obviously heartbreaking time of bereavement.

B.A.HOLLOWAY

I once posted about B.A.Holloway this semester, but must do so once again.

B.A.Holloway is a local band in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA that is doing wonders for the local live music scene. Chris Simmons, Adam Stephenson, Christian Naquin, and Dean Treloar formed as a result of friends converging on the LSU campus and deciding to pool their musical talents together. For a while, Adam and Chris were the band, till Dean and Christian joined up in Fall of '04. Adam and Chris both played acoustic guitar and surprisingly created an attention-demanding live show with just two acoustic guitars and two mics. Now with Dean and Christian, they rock just as hard...a bit harder actually.

But they stay true to their acoustic roots. As a friend of mine who runs Cafe Chi Alpha (where the band just played a rocking show tonight) says, "Not many people do acoustic music right. But B.A.Holloway does." Acoustic music takes a certain amount of necessary innovation to keep it interesting, but at the same time, a certain stripped down melodic goodness that makes the soul smile. Holloway consistenly pulls this off. Their live show is fantastic. Give Chris Simmons a stage to perform upon, and he'll give you a good show, even if his only instrument is a pepper shaker. His hilarious spontaneity and people skills combined with the rest of the band's ability to flow together is a stage performance that has been enjoyed by audiences in places from Christian coffeehouses to local pool halls/bars.

Better yet, Holloway's first full-length 11-track CD "Maybe It's Just Me" will be released Tuesday, May 3. It will be the follow-up to their 6-track EP "Garageband." I can tell you that if they were ever a "garageband," they're so much more now. I gave a pre-release copy from a Christian cafe a listen and I can say the CD blew my expectations out of the water. It's definitely going to get HUGE playing in my CD player all summer when I get my copy next Tuesday.

Holloway uses a straightforward approach to song-writing with a emotional yet common sense approach to life. All of us can relate to the lyrics...which is why the music is appreciated in both secular and non-secular arenas. The band members are all about the love of Christ: love shown in not just lyrics...but in the way they live their lives.

If you've read this whole blog post, then you've obviously got the time to also check out the band's WEBSITE. Check out music samples at the band's PureVolume Page.

Love and Peace,
Bean