Twenty One Pilots revisited

music for this mood

twenty one pilots

My latest obsession is one my brother introduced to me. twenty one pilots is a fascinating and seemingly so far wholesome band. The spiritual background of some of the talent behind them results in music that makes one think. In that way they're similar to Danielson. Musically, they're nothing like Danielson. I have no idea who to compare them to musically. They are pretty unique. A little OK-Go, a little Eminem. Yet not like these at all. A lot of variety.

more fun

First Light

Wow! This new song by Django Django keeps taking be back to Duran Duran's first album. Nicely done, boys!

The Walking Dead

I just caught up, well not quite... just got further with The Walking Dead. Finished season 4.

This show is a guilty pleasure for me. When I started watching it, it would stress me out and almost make me nauseous to the point where I completely quit watching. But then I found myself back into it and I've found the show's writing has improved greatly. There seems to have been a decision to focus a lot more deeply into the characters for the drama rather than focusing on the violence.

I find that when the story zooms in on the characters more, there are some beautiful opportunities for spiritual lessons. Some examples of blatant power-under/Christ-like servitude rather than the typical worldly power-over way of doing things.

For example there is a discussion between a woman and a young girl where the adult woman is trying to convince the girl that she needs to be stronger and meaner to survive. But the girl refuses to give in to that, insists on being kind and loving to people no matter what.

Later in that same episode a character confesses to a guy that the character's actions resulted in the loss of that guy's loved one, knowing full well the guy has been seeking revenge on the perpetrator of the offense. The guy's reaction? Forgiveness. He flat out says "I forgive you".

Another theme is coming to terms with your actions. Survival in an extremely hostile environment leads to some nightmarish actions. And many of the characters struggle with who they've become after the realize what awful things they find themselves capable of. Others gleefully follow that path without remorse. We find these characters in a land where the walking corpses are the lesser of the threat. The real threat are the living people that have no morals.

The Walking Dead is ultimately garbage. Not in production quality or especially the writing, there it is top of the line. Few shows are this good. But in a sense of one's spirit, you don't need it. Garbage in, garbage out. That's why I consider it a guilty pleasure. I am glad to find some well made spiritual lessons in these later seasons of the show.

Our Tax person is a Pathfinder GM

We had a new person do our taxes this year, same company, but the regular guy was unavailable. This new one was a young girl. Not five minutes into our appointment she somehow brought up the fact that she is an RPG gamer. She referred to Dungeons & Dragons, and I asked if she used 5th Edition she said she really uses a game called Pathfinder, but it's easier to just use D&D to tell people who don't know the difference.

Well, I know the difference. So we talked about that a little.

She said she games twice a week. One game she's a player and the other she's the GM. All online with Roll20, however.

 

Tax forms and character sheets all look quite similar much of the time.

Norning

link

Poxy Boggards' family friendly songs

The Poxy Boggards are an American all-male folk band based in Pasadena. They were founded in 1994 at the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire. While extremely talented and entertaining, much of their music is in an inappropriate thematic genre, usually about alcohol and sex. Despite this, many of their songs are perfectly enjoyable by all ages and family friendly fans.

This blog post collects some of those songs that the family can enjoy.




here's a start:

• Danny Boy
• Here's To It
• Mingulay Boat Song
• O, Virginia
• Rolling Down to Old Maui
• Star of County Down
• Up and Away