pictures.

here's some of the scenery from my trip, thus far:















see you next week.

Jamison.

week 1: the wind, the waves.

aloha mainland suckaz!
it's been hard to find a connection out here, (minus the resort's house computer, which has a fifteen minute limit. not nearly enough time for a good report) but i just found out that the resort has poolside wireless. that's right folks, that cute, bookish nerd with the mac and the american apparel v-neck, in the corner of the pool area, is yours truly.
let's take a look at some of the exciting times that i've had this week: we drove around the hillside for a while yesterday, stopping at a botanical garden, and admiring the view from the high points of the island; we've spent a day and a bit at the beach, swimming in le pacific. (one day was cut short by INSANE winds, that blew sand all up in the lenses of my glasses, leading to a few new scratches) the beach by our resort is so great: lots of soft sand, and no rocks on the ocean floor. but this does equal sand everywhere, which is a little frustrating. but i'm in hawaii, so i try not to care. let's see what else: my brother and i have been watching the daily show and colbert report every night; played rook a few nights with the fam (and lost, ruining my once prestine reputation); went surfing this morning, which was very nice. it's like longboarding and snowboarding combined. there was lots of coral in the cove we were at, so my feet are a little banged up, but i will be just fine. OH, we stopped by this massive mall yesterday while the maids were cleaning our room, and i found those slip-ons i'd wanted to buy for forever. if you've talked to me about slip-ons in the last few months, you know that those were top priority in my shoe world, and i've got em! stoked stoked stoked!
alright, my broseph needs to check his email and the million facebook friend requests that await him. hope all is well on the mainland.

Jamison.

day 1: travels.

yesterday can be summed up by two words: airplane and hunger.

upon arriving to the airport, i had a (disgustingly filling) chicken strip combo from a&w. this nourishment (or lackthereof) was going to last me the entire night. my family and i waited for an hour at hour gate, before boarding and taking off to the Hawaiian island of Maui. the flight was alright: westjet has leather seats, and a decent amount of leg room, so i couldn't complain. i drew pictures, listened to a lot of music and read a good chunk of Velvet Elvis (Rob Bell) and jPod (Douglas Coupland). both very different, yet both very good.

we arrived in the humid Maui airport at about 12:30 BC time, and the first thing we got to experience was an airport that was devoid of any windows. as the rest of my family took advantage of the restrooms, i quietly leaned against a rail, and took in the warm, ocean air. the first thing you notice when you take in a breath is the sweet smell in the air. after getting our rental car, enduring a quick downpour (Hawaii is very indecisive about its weather) we were off to our resort.

arriving at the room was a little disheartening: all of the patio furniture was inside our room, and it was quite a mess. we weren't sure whether they thought we weren't going to arrive that night, or what, but it was strange coming into a room where we definitely didn't feel welcomed. as well, there were only two beds in the room, which forced my older brother and i to fight over the ownership of the extra bed. i gave in, took the floor and slept alright through the night.

today has been beautiful. our resort is about a thirty second walk from the ocean, and it's very warm and humid here. it's also quite windy, but the breeze is nice and cool, so the warm air isn't too much to handle. the family took in some ethnic breakfast (denny's...we're in america!) and off to a traditional Hawaiian marketplace (which features an old navy, borders book store AND hawaiian superstore, which features more alcohol than i could ever dream of). so right now i'm in our van, stealing an internet signal off of the Office Max (suckers), with the windows down, enjoying the view from the parking lot (which really is quite amazing). i'll post some pictures whenever i can, but here's a quick description of the landscape: the ocean water is a beautiful blue, darker then you would think. there are very large, high mountains that erupt from out of the water, and because they haven't been taken over by land developments, they are all still full of trees. because of the indeciseive weather, it changes from overcast to clear blue sky from minute to minute. there are palm trees EVERYWHERE, and the sand on the beach by our resort is almost white.

i'll send you some more updates as they happen.
mahalo, and goodnight from paradise.

Jamison.

WOO!

is anyone else stoked on snl lately.

"where is prince!?"
"prince got scared of your voice, and now he is hiding"
*shot of prince hiding behind a giant vase looking scared into the camera*

if you're still a big LAMEwad, and you haven't watched since will ferrel was on, and you still liked linkin park, then get down with this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNL_Digital_Short
they have links to every one.

"when can i get off this thing, prince?"
"you can get off, when we get down."
*queue prince guitar solo*

GENIUS

distractions.

i've been spending a lof of time here:
http://justforthekingdom.blogspot.com

i've been writing lots of music, which ends up here:
http://www.myspace.com/thetremulance

i've also been spending alot of time here:
the dentist.

but my teeth are feeling:
great.

country i've been in love with this week:
sweden.

girls i've gotten over this week:
all.

girl i've fallen in love with this week:
annie clark.

number of times i will use this format, again:
probably never again.

let's all enjoy iced tea, no?

Jamison.

dentists, who needs them.

i can't feel my face.

closer.

it's a colder evening, but still lovely out. i'm getting over my cold (hurray) and i'm not swamped with work (hooray). let's get our media on:

Jose Gonzalez



i can't remember the first time i heard jose gonzalez, but i know that that was a good day. i know there was this huge blog hype over him a few years ago, and it's seemed to die off, but no lies, this guy is just amazing. 'veneer' his debut lp is an amazing collection of nylon strings, potent lyrics and that voice...my word that voice. it's distinct, and you may need to get used to it, but when you do, it will be like sitting by a warm fireplace, blankets wrapping you up. 'crosses' is one of the best tracks off 'veneer', and it holds a really special place in my heart (lame?). i also posted his cover of the joy division classic, 'love will tear us apart', which is off his australian tour ep. go buy 'veneer', don't front!

MP3: Jose Gonzalez - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division Cover)
MP3: Jose Gonzalez - Crosses

Eagle Vs. Shark



you heard it here first: this movie will be huge. can't wait.

that's enough media bombarding your screen. go outside and ride a bike, or at least write a song about riding bikes. see you in the real world.

Jamison.

sky blue sky.

this evening makes me nostalgic. it's the kind of evening where a friend would show up at 5:30ish, and ask my parents if i can come outside and play. of course, it would be too early, and i'd have to eat dinner first. but i'd eat dinner so fast that it made my stomach hurt. i'd try to get away with not eating the veggies, and beg my parents to be excused. then i'd run out the door, and out into the street, where there would probably be a game of street hockey going on. then at 8:00 or so, my mom would call out into the street, that it was time to come in. so i'd tell the guys i'd see them at school tomorrow, and i'd run back home.

this evening is the kind of evening where i'm expecting a friend to come ring our doorbell.

a heavy night.

so killa cam and i had purchased four tickets to see the monster that is Bloc Party (along with softer, fuzzier monsters Final Fantasy and Smoosh), about a month in advance. needless to say when the day rolled around we were literally on the edge. our other two tickets were quickly snatched up by two lovely ladies (alex "ringtune" friesen, and chelsea "transfer? no thanks!" boehr), who also were beyond stoked on seeing these amazing bands. i wanted to take pictures the whole way along, but you know how it is on trips, it's easy to forget you've got a camera. so here's our story:

our trip started off with a gas fill up (arizona ice tea: 1) and a stop at maybe one of my all time favourite places ever: the bubble tea restaurant! their mocha smoothie with pearls is right up there with arizona and vanilla coke. this lovely shot shows off my great coat, and my sweet pearls, if you know what i mean...



from bubble city, or whatever it's called, we were off to maybe the prettiest section of beautiful british columbia: the skytrain station in surrey. mmm...foliage.



now i honestly wish i could have videotaped our skytrain ride to vancouver, for this one reason: hoochie mommas going to a Christina Aguielaararara concert at gm place. i tell ya...we had the pleasure of listening to their charming banter about politics and 18th century english literature. actual quote: "eww, look at all those skanks in line!" as soon as they got off, we all enjoyed a serious chuckle.

off at granville -> "dinner" at burger king -> serious sidetrack at American Apperal (v-neck!) -> into maybe the nicest venue i've ever been in. here's the goods from the show.

i wish it were clear; cam's moustache was out of this world. i'm talkin deep space nine.


final fantasy's set up was so minimalistic and perfect. his use of the projection screen was pretty much perfect.





chels was a little stoked on bloc party.



i was still a little upset that we couldn't hang out with bloc party as they dj'd at a clothing store on robson, so i didn't smile much in pictures from that night. chels made up for it.



i'm going to say that this was the nicest venue i'd ever seen a show in.



so bloc party took the stage, and completely destroyed the entire city. the lights, the sound and the breathtaking balcony dance party; everything about their set was perfect. here's the best picture i could take.



they didn't play kreuzberg, but i still love them. in fact, i may love them more. queue up some death cab for the ride home, some jones soda and a lot of quiet out-of-window pondering, and the trip came to an end. an amazing band, show, v-neck shirt and night.

go see bloc party.

bon soir!
Jamison.

march mix.

"the sun will shine"
march 2007:

1. the arcade fire - keep the car running
2. bright eyes - four winds
3. kings of leon - on call
4. you say party! we say die! - monster
5. of montreal - bunny ain't no kind of ride
6. patrick wolf - the magic position
7. malajube - montreal -40
8. pop levi - blue honey
9. peter bjorn and john - paris 2004
10. shapes and sizes - oh no, oh boy
11. feist - honey honey
12. do make say think - the universe!
13. means - learning to be brave
14. loney, dear - saturday waits
15. the acorn - for the sake of my pride
16. the cinematic orchestra - to build a home (edit)
17. grizzly bear - little brother
18. the roots - you got me
19. wilco - either way

searching for j.d. salinger

Hope is a funny business, which I don’t necessarily understand, but I wish I did. I think the worst thing that comes along with hope is the pining for something that is unachievable; the fact that something so impossible can still be achieved by some ridiculous sliver of hope. I have faith that God will take care of me, and provide for me the things I need in order to live a life of glory for him, but it’s tough accepting the fact that the things I want, may not be what God wants for me.

I hate having common interests with girls; sort of. Common interests only lead to false hopes, which only lead to disappointment. Especially in March, which could undoubtedly be the worst time for a boy to get a crush on a girl. Nothing good EVER comes out of a spring crush. NOTHING. It’s more frustrating than anything else I think I’ve ever experienced. The thing that really gets me is the fact that because we have this hope, I can’t help but think that maybe there is a chance that something, might, happen, which in all reality is totally unrealistic. Figure that one out.

Maybe I’ll pull a Salinger: write a breathtakingly exquisite, real, somewhat autobiographical novel, then become a total recluse. Here’s what really gets me about Salinger: think about what he’s written in the past fifty some years since he’s been a recluse. I’m almost positive that those words are easily the greatest stories that have never been read. All he had to do with his life was sleep in, write, cook himself some breakfast (something organic, no doubt), write, head out for a walk, write, make a fire, write, sit back and think about all the frustrating things in life that he left behind, and write about them. Of course, there are the things that every human being, no matter how cold, calloused or corrupt, would miss: the first time you saw her, the smooth feeling of her arm against yours, the times when she made you laugh harder than you ever thought someone could, or all of her idiosyncrasies that would make you smile. I don’t know if Salinger was ever married, or whether it was a he or a she that he pined for, but I can’t accept the fact that wherever he is, he’s not dreaming of that someone. Maybe hope isn’t so bad, maybe I really need to learn how to live in the present; maybe I need to learn how to accept what’s in front of me, and pray that whatever God has in store for me, it’s going to bless me, and help me grow closer to him. Because really, that is what I really want in life. My selfish, lustful desires are far less important the achieving what I really want to: a real relationship with the creator of the universe.

i've got a feeling.

number one.

recently added.

1. do make say think - you, you're a history in rust
2. loney, dear - loney, noir
3. peter, bjorn and john - writer's block
4. phoenix - it's never been like that
5. wilco - sky blue sky
6. feist - the reminder

number two.

here.
new music/video/shows

number three.

science of sleep/marie antoinette/stranger than fiction = must sees
the outsiders = must read
springing ahead = must participate (it's worth it)

tonight, tonight.

tonight's the kind of night where i'm open. i feel like i could tell that special girl that i really love her. tonight. we'd toast the rain, the clouds, the chilly air and all the other glorious things that fall from the sky. i'd take you by the hand, and the world would melt away.

we would be so much more.

moments

Moments: A Review of “A Weekend in the City” by Bloc Party.

I spent my formative teenage years in the prairies: small towns, small-minded people and an even smaller tolerance for anything moving in a new or different direction. I found myself longing for city life, and all the adventurous, romantic folly that came along with it. I found that one of the only ways to escape the boredom of my small town existence was through a mixtape that I called “Big City Nights” (taken from perhaps the greatest music video these eyes have ever seen). DJ Shadow, (Entroducing….is still the greatest night time driving album ever made) My Bloody Valentine, and even Jay-Z (cut me some slack, I was young) graced my headphones as I laid back in quiet, street light bliss. If “A Weekend in the City”, the latest release by the London based band Bloc Party, had been released during my Grade 12 year, I could guarantee you it would have found a place on that mix. Not only does “A Weekend in the City” give you that long exposure, city street image in your mind (the album art by Rut Blees Luxemburg helps), but it poses a lot of ideas about the state of our generation.

There’s something special about this record, something that sets it apart from the average modern rock album. Kele Okereke, the band’s singer and lyricist, has written one of the most important statements of the 2000s. Every song seems to speak about something that our culture seems to blindly accept, not realizing the effects. “Our parents suffered for nothing”, “the 90’s/optimistic as a teen/now it’s terror/and plane’s crash into towers” or “I have decided/that at 25/something must change” are just small examples of how rather than succumbing to write songs about typical boy loves girl situation, Okereke would rather take a look at what’s going on with society. Another dominant theme on the record is Kele’s longing for change, which is culminated in one of the best tracks on the record, “Kreuzberg”. As great as it is to see a band trying to say something different, the really beautiful thing about this record is the music. Everything screams “massive”, just as their debut “Silent Alarm” did. Matt Tong’s drumming is still incredibly tight and huge, and the production is, once again, second to none. Try to not tap your foot to “Hunting for Witches”, or to nod your head to “I Still Remember” or to flat our shake your butt to “The Prayer”. Of course, because of its danceable nature, this record is definitely a mood record: It can make you look around your surroundings, and long to make a change in the mundane; it can make you dance harder than you could have ever imagined; it can be the record you put on as you fall asleep after a late night of adventures with friends. It has everything a good record needs, and because of that, it can cover any range of emotion you might be feeling.

I think the most important part of this record is summed up in the chorus of “Waiting for the 7:18”: “Just give me moments/not hours or days”. People are going to criticize this record to death: it’s too produced, it’s not as good or as poignant as their last record. I’m trying not to be a cynic, and this record demands a person to look at it with open eyes. This record is a statement for the moment we’re in, whether our generation wants to accept it or not. We buy too much, we drink too much and we waste far too much time on “crosswords and sudokus”. Bloc Party are just four guys looking for a home, discontent with city life, and I think that longing for home is all too familiar with every twenty-something.

What are we going to do about it?

Bloc Party on Myspace

january is endless.

january mix.

1. bloc party - waiting for the 7:18
2. st. vincent - these days
3. page france - up
4. radiohead - where i end, and you begin
5. the mountain goats - woke up new
6. joanna newsom - swansea
7. the knife - silent shout
8. rachel's - kentucky nocturne
9. tv on the radio - hours
10. the dears - there goes my outfit
11. whitest boy alive - burning
12. math and physics club - darling, please come home
13. phoenix - long distance call
14. deerhoof - +81
15. camera obscura - if looks could kill
16. mates of state - fluke
17. beck - soldier jane
18. copeland - cover what you can
19. brand new - sowing season
20. the smiths - heaven knows i'm miserable now

back to the 101.

beautiful day isn't it?

in a defiant act of grandiose protest, dripping in rebellion, ms. shaina and i have decided to stick it to the man, and not use msn or myspace...for a week. we're starting small. all jokes aside, it's actually a pretty interesting act of self control. i mean, msn is my answering machine, and i keep up most of my relationships through comments on myspace. that's pretty sad, you gotta admit. thankfully, i've still got my blog to live vicariously through. remember folks, there is a real human being behind these words. i'm not some internet entity like tom, or...golimar.

so today, i got a little more in touch with nature, and i went for a lovely stroll around the countryside, and that's really what it is. there are mountains surrounding the whole place, but there's so much flat farmland, giving it that rolling manitoba feel. oh, for those of you reading from flatter, colder areas, BC is really the place to be. no lie. today, on the fourth day of january, i threw on a sweater and a coat, and walked around (outside) for an extended period of time, without the fear of frostbite or getting eaten by an abominable snowman. for real though, it was beautiful out today, and i was thinking of bringing my camera, but i didn't. but tomorrow, i'll do the honor of bringing some beauty into your life, courtesy of the fraser valley countryside.

let's get to some musics. i found a lovely new host, so we're back on track with mp3s!

aidan knight



aidan's voice fits so well with his style of music, and his style of music is an original blend of folk, blues and country. that laid back acoustic feel is perfect, and not in that cheezy jack johnson way, but in that soft, nick drake kind of way. expect something big from aidan, whether solo, or with one of the many bands that he plays in.

MP3: Aidan Knight - Pickpocket

the reverb-soaked electric guitar makes this song. i mean, everything about the song is great, but man, that guitar. it stays in your head. so get prepared for that.

you can download a bunch of aidan's stuff on his myspace too. i'll support myspace for that, but that's it! well, maybe listen to andy shauf on myspace too. BUT THAT's IT!

Aidan Knight on Myspace

have a good night you all!
Jamison.

do you know luke vibert?

here's the plan (take notes)

1. start a record label. just cd-rs, but spread them all around the city. make sure every person that goes to any sort of show has a copy of one of those cds.
2. throw a cd release party, and a "label release party" which signifies the start of the label.
3. "sign" a few friends, local artists, and throw cd release parties for them too.
4. get the majors to notice your little collective.
5. reap the benefits of having the most talked about indie label.

done.

in review.

well folks, 2006 is on it's last few days, so i figured i would do a little sum up of some of my highlights of the year. enjoy!

music

the most part, i found i got deeper into music that had been released prior to this year, but there were actually some really solid albums released this year.

joanna newsom - ys


this album is pretty hard to digest, but the more time you spend with it, the more it grows on you. i really couldn't stand "milk eyed mender", due to her extremely strange voice. it's funny how this album made me fall in love with that voice, and i can definitely say that "milk eyed mender" has become one of my favourites. the songs on this album are just incredible. the fact that jonanna newsom preforms these songs live makes the record, and her, even more amazing. if you take the time to get into this record, you won't be disapointed.

hot chip - the warning


i won't lie to you: i heard this album for the first time probably two weeks ago. i read about it in someone's year end review, and i felt compelled. let me tell you how glad i was that i stumbled upon it. this record is frustratingly catchy. the first time i heard "over and over" i thought, it's alright, but i don't see what the hype is about. of course, i couldn't get the song out of my head for the next few days. every time i listen to this record it gets more and more amazing. so danceable; so catchy.

tv on the radio - return to cookie mountain


of course, every magazine/webzine/blog/whatever will put this one in their top whatever of the year, but it's for a good reason. a brilliant follow up to a brilliant debut, "return to cookie mountain" has this appeal to the average ear that it seems most "indie" bands can't quite figure out. tvotr can write a dense, dark, creative album, and still have a video that gets played on MuchonDemand.

the knife - silent shout


straight up, this album is messed up. it's downright scary. the atmospheric quality about it gives it this mental picture of a barren, frozen wasteland, inhabbited by strange, dancing people with bird masks on their faces. i guess the promo pictures for the record help with that, but still. like joanna newsom, this one might be a bit of a stretch for your average person, but it's so rewarding.

camera obscura - let's get out of this country


for the record, i LOVE to fall asleep to this album. there are some great, upbeat pop songs on this record, but it's the slow, lamenting, love songs that really knock me out. "country mile" has to be the saddest song that's ever been recorded. of course, the belle and sebastian comparison happens all the time with camera obscura, but i'd have to say i'd listen to "let's get out of this country" over "the life pursuit" any day. i love both bands, and both albums, but every song on this record is a gem.

so that was five of my favourites, but here were some others that were occupying my headphones:

the album leaf - into the blue again
band of horses - everything all the time
voxtrot - mothers, sisters, daughters and wives ep
the decemberists - the crane wife
cat power - the greatest
tokyo police club - a lesson in crime ep
be your own pet - s/t
junior boys - so this is goodbye

thanks to everyone who made 2006 great. see you next year!

Jamison.

Apologies to God.

Chapter One: On The Holiest of Days.

Dear God: Creator, Heavenly Father, Ruler of All.

I know I don't, and can't, speak for every person on this planet, but I know a few who might be in agreement with the things that I am about to confess. I know it's late, and the caffeine in my veins is sprinting through the passages of white blood cells and cholesterol, but I pray that you would accept this verbal offering, welcoming it with open arms.

Lord God, please forgive me. My life is seems to be a constant disappointment. On even the holiest of nights, I am still a selfish, greedy, sinful human being. I'm so sorry that I think the things I do, and that I act with such sinful intentions. I pray that you would forgive these things with your beautiful grace, and your amazing love.

I am so thankful for this day; this beautiful day that lies before me. I pray that you would forgive us in North America (and the whole world, but especially us here) for turning this holy day into a "hallmark holiday". Lord, you are worth so much more than any material possession; so much more. Please God; teach me to rest in your grace, and to fall even more in love with you.

Even though we mess things up so badly, I'm so thankful that your love can still shine through; even though we blind ourselves to the death, poverty and famines, and concentrate so greatly on our material gain, I thank you so much for how you bless us. Families put aside differences and gather in love and fellowship; strangers wish each other well while passing on the sidewalk, rather than trying not to make eye contact. Lord, I thank you for the family you have blessed me with. Lord, I thank you for the friends that you have blessed me with. Please help me to be a better son, brother, and cousin to my family; help me to be a better friend. Lord, I thank you for my friends who don't know you, and the fact that you still love them, even though they may not necessarily return your love back. I pray that you would reveal yourself to them, and help them to see how much you truly do love them. Lord, I thank you for my friends who have come to know you. I pray that you would help them to become enamored with you, that you would help them to fall in love with you, truly experiencing the love that you give.

Lord, tonight, at the beginning of this day, I thank you, most of all, for the sending of your Son. The fact that you would not give up on us, and that you would sacrifice your own Son just to save humankind, even though we are sinful, pathetic creatures. Lord, I thank you for your love, and your grace.

And Lord. Thanks for music.

And Lord. Thank you for Sigur Ros.

And Lord...

Thank you for your love.

I pray for all these things in the holy name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

latest additions.

1. bloc party - a weekend in the city
2. explosions in the sky - all of a sudden, i miss everyone
3. beck - the information
4. sufjan stevens - songs for christmas
5. the acorn - blankets ep
6. ryan adams and the cardinals - cold roses