Another Top 5 and the view out my office window

So we had a tornado warning this morning in Joplin. I found the rain and the storm amazing and though they made us get to the middle of the building for a while I guess the fact that I've never actually seen a tornado made me less than interested.

So its been a quiet morning catching up on email and the like, listening to Coldplay and loving the rain. Rainy days make me happy. I thought I'd throw in what it looks like outside my office right now. I simply love the colors and how stuff is starting to wake up.

Thrown in on this here post is the top 5 people I'd love to meet who aren't alive anymore. I'm excluding Bible characters only because they'd probably be 4 of them. My last perameter is that I'd get to hang out with them in their time period, observe them and have some level of conversation with them.

Honorable mention: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., A.W. Tozer

5. Lenin

The dude freaks me out. Just to watch him talk, lead, be a jerk. It would be facinating.

4. Vince Lombardi

Love this guy. I read his biography and was facinated by him. Just to watch him coach, listen to him throw down and see it in action would be pretty cool.

3. Bob Gibson

I love pitching. When I grow up I want to be a pitcher. To hang out with one of the best, see the preparation. There are a lot of great ones out there but I just think he'd be facinating.

2. JFK

Another guy I've read a lot about. The classic American contradiction. Good leader, charismatic person, lots of shady stuff going on, I just think he'd be one that would be amazing.

1. Hitler

My history facination with this guy is huge. Captivating speaker, motivator of people, strong leader. Hate what he stood for, but still intrigued by the personality. My grandpa gave the better part of his hearing up chasing this guy across Europe in a tank and wouldn't talk about him but to observe someone who got so close to ruling the (almost) modern world.

Top 5 Part...I can't remember

Top 5 places I want to see before I die.

5. India
I'd love the see the Taj. I'd love to see the culture, it has always held some type of intrigue for me.

4. Moscow, Russia
I want to see the Kremlin, and see the sights of history that I grew up being so afraid of. Red Square, all of it would just be amazing.

3. Australia
Surfing, snorkeling, not getting eaten by a shark. I think the country looks beautiful (the parts by the ocean). I'd love to head down under for a nice, long relaxing vacation. As long as I didn't have to fly Oceanic airlines home..

2. Germany
The history nerd part of me wants to see Germany. The nazi history, the concentration camp my grandpa helped liberate, the countryside.

1. Scotland
Since I'm Scottish, I want to see where my ancestors are from. I think the country is beautiful and full of so much history (more than just William Wallace). My parents went there and loved it. Someday....

In The Back of The Room

Carter at Believe in St. Louis. I.Love.This.Picture.

Another Top 5

For fear of offending someone by leaving a name off or for fear of offending someone because the name is on the list, I'll only say a short sentence or two. Here goes.

Todays Top 5 is my Top 5 preachers.
5. Jayson French: I love this guy. He expends more passion in one sermon that I show in a decade. Love it.
4. Chuck Sackett: Didn't realize how spoiled I was I lived in Quincy. Ang and I miss that. The dude can bring it.
3. Bob Lowery: He preached a sermon on Easter YEARS ago that I've never forgotten. He brings such wisdom and depth to something in a way I can understand but don't always comprehend.
2. Brian Lowery: Funny. Wise. Pointed. Self-aware. Humble. Articulate. When I grow up, I want to preach like Lowery. Did I mention how hilarious this guy is?
1. Rob Bell: Call me what you will I love this guy. Love the way he preaches, love his personality don't always jive with his theology but still will listen to him anytime I get the chance. He should think about making videos or something.

Not a Top 5 Post

Yes Woody, U2 should have probably been on the list. However, I'm going off of a lifetime of music. If I were to list everything, John Denver would have been on there as well. Thanks for being the only person reading my blog though.

Rarely do I ask you (person reading this) to read anything else besides my inspired writings, but every once in a while I actually read something and I'm a better person for it. I submit to you this story, this stuff messes me up. I'd say enjoy but that wouldn't make sense.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=conley

Top 5 Part 2

Okay, I've put this one off as long as I can. This is a tough list. I may disappoint myself or disagree with myself later but here goes.

The top 5 bands or artists I can't live without.

Consolation: Counting Crows, Augustana, Snow Patrol

5. Boys Like Girls:: Favorite Song:: Holiday
I found these guys like last summer and cannot stop listening to them. I know, give me a hard time but they are amazing. If only they had more than one album.

4. Hillsong United:: Favorite Song:: Devotion
Simply awesome. By far my favorite group putting out Christian music. When I grow up, I want to be in HU.

3. Ellery:: Favorite Song:: A Thousand Lies
Thanks to Coghill I found out about this married couple from Cincinnati. 5 seconds into the first track I loved them. Once I saw them in concert at UCC I had a whole new appreciation for them, their musicm, the lyrics. Simply great. I'm telling you, if you don't own their live album you should be angry with yourself. Because I'm angry with you.

2. Jimmy Eat World:: Favorite Song:: Here It Goes
Holy smokes these guys rock. I've never hearda Jimmy Eat World song I don't like. I love their vibe (that was for you Woody). Each album seems to get better than the first. Simply amazing.

1. John Mayer:: Favorite Song:: Tracing
This might be a lot of peoples number one but I love this guy. Live stuff is better than studio albums in my opinion. Again, Coghill opened my eyes to the As/Is albums which are by far my favorite. There isn't a day that goes by I can't listen to some Mayer. Too bad Samtron couldn't get me tickets last year.

5 Posts You HAVE GOT TO READ

Okay, so if you still are crazy enough to check this blog thinking I might actually write something, I'm about to drop 5 posts in the next, um, let's say 2 weeks on the top 5 of 5 things that are important to me. Before we begin let me make a statement, if you don't own an Ellery album yet, preferably the live disc, I'm not sure we can still be friends. They will influence my top 5 in just a minute. Without further ado, here's list number 1.

My Top 5 Favorite Cities in America

5. Johnson City, Tennessee
This one was the toughest ironically. I thought about Chicago, but I haven't been there enough. I thought about Dallas but that was too safe. I'm going with Johnson City, Tennessee. What?! Are you kidding? Nope. I love it there. I am a sucker for the mountains, for the beauty of that part of the country and for the food. Seriously, if I lived there I'd weight 400 lbs. Cootie Browns, Poor Richards (and the sweet tea Ryan), Bucs Pizza, the Japanese Steakhouse, Zaxby's Chicken and many others. Milligan has a beautiful campus, I just dig the place. Like it or not, Tennessee made the top 5.

4. Memphis, Tennessee
This is starting to sound like a Know Sweat tour commercial. But its not. Memphis has this vibe that really connects with me. It is by far my favorite Know Sweat city (maybe this is a commercial). Again, I'm a big fan of the food, Celtic Crossing, Lenny's Subs, Interstate BBQ, Central BBQ, Corky's BBQ, they've got a Pei Wei. I think it is Beale Street, Community Bible Church, the city. I don't know, it is just such an amazing place. I really like the history and fell fo the city too. Bonus, I'm headed there this weekend.

3. Cincinnati, Ohio
Okay, this is ridiculous. Here's what I've learned about myself. I'm a big city guy but I dig the big city that isn't so huge that its overwhelming. I'm not an LA or NY guy. I'm not even a Chicago guy like that. I like a town that's got a ton of culture but isn't so huge that you can't really define it. Cincinnati wasn't on my list until after last summer. I guess if you spend 5 weeks anywhere you are bound to like it to some extent. I have to thank my boy Matt Coghill for part of my love of the city. I'm a big fan of places where you have to know the city to know the good places. I don't like tourist traps, I like authentic vibe. Cincy has that. The river feel connects with my childhood, the food is amazing ( you are suprised by this?). Camp Washington Chili, Currito, Penn Station, First Watch are all a staple when I'm there. I love the downtown, all the shops, the Scottish Pub are great as well. I'm a little shocked to admit I like Reds games too. Kentucky ads a bonus to Cincy since my favorite view of the city (other than the one from my dorm room at CCU last year) is the one from the balcony of Starbucks at Newport on the Levee. Call me untrue to my West Coast roots but I love this town.

2. Denver, Colorado
If I could live anywhere (money obviously being no object) it would be Denver. I loved our time there culture wise. When you factor in Longmont, Boulder, Fort Collins and other surrounding areas, its amazing. Denver isn't too huge but has such a vibe that I love. Plus you factor in the mountains, the perfect climate, the accesability and the people and its easily number 2. Plus Know Sweat isn't there (until 2009, you should come). Food wise, I'm giving a shoutout to Wingman, the finest wings on earth. The 15th street mall is amazing, Flatirons is great, Rockies games in right field watching a game and a sunset over the Rockies is all but untouchable this side of heaven.

1. Portland, Oregon
Okay, so I grew up there. Know Sweat isn't there (until 2009, you should really come check it out). Yes, it is my hometown and maybe that is why but it is the one place on earth where I feel truly at home. I love the people, the city, the vibe, the food, the weather (if you want to believe it rains there all the time, go ahead). It is the perfect example of the small big town. Downtown is the best in America. The views are insane, you can see so many great peaks from there. Growing up in the city taught me it was so accesible, and so clean. I love the fact that last fall when I wanted to watch the Oregon football game the best party was in a coffee shop. I love the climate, the fact that you are within 2 hours of skiing, the ocean, amazing hiking and the desert. Oh, and you're just a few hours from Mecca aka Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Sometimes I find it funny that God's never put a burden on my heart to go back there to live since I love it so much. Nonetheless, its easily number 1.


Okay, there you go. I could have said more but words are expensive. Check back for my other 4 lists. The next list: the 5 bands or artists I couldn't live without.