Cologne

I wear a new cologne.

Some guys don’t wear cologne, some guys have twenty different bottles for the sake of variety, and some guys – like me – have just one bottle of cologne. For these guys, the scent defines who they are, not just for themselves, but for everyone they know. I have worn the same cologne for eight years, since I was a freshman in high school. Over the years, I have received many compliments regarding how I smell, and the cologne I wore is somewhat rare, so it was a very personal scent – the “Jake smell”¹ if you will.

Recent events have lead me to reevaulate my suiscent². My current bottle of cologne has been running dangerously low, and I’ve been debating for the past couple of days whether or not to replenish my stock. What really pushed me over the edge, however, happend at my local neighborhood Hollister store.

As I was walking through the store during the post-holiday-gift-card-spending frenzy, I noticed that Hollister has a brand new men’s cologne. The sign announcing this new fragrance read “Introducing / Jake / For Dudes.” After a good laugh and a cell-phone picture of said sign, I walked out of the store actually contemplating such an outrageous purchase (eight years of the same cologne). After all, it has my name.

Well, I did some soul searching the past few days and decided to buy a couple bottles. They’re pretty small, and I don’t want to run out only to find that the fragrance has been discontinued. This stuff needs to last eight years. At least. I am reminded of a few lines from the John Mayer song “New Deep”:

I’m a new man, I wear a new cologne
And you wouldn’t know me if your eyes were closed
I know what you’ll say
“This won’t last longer than the rest of the day”
But you’re wrong this time, you’re wrong

1. I’ve only ever told two or three people what the actual name of the cologne was, usually just referring to it as “Eau de Jake” (translation: “Water of Jake”). Well, here it is people. The scent that defined who I was to millions of noses over the years: American Crew. The only place I ever saw it for sale was at my haircut place, which might explain why so few people have it. ↩
2. A newly coined word which means personal scent, pronounced soo-ih-sent. Sui, the Latin word for “self” plus the English word “scent”. File this one just after “sociofamilial”, which I still hold that I coined last summer. ↩

The Meaning of Christmas

Christmas has meant many different things to me in the past. There is one theme this year, though, that I can’t shake from my head. The theme has always existed, it’s just that I’ve either ignored it or given it little of its due attention.

I’ve been overwhelmed by the thought of this for nearly two solid months, if not more. And it’s so simple. So… obvious.

The baby Jesus.

The very first thing that opened my eyes to this was a song that I mentioned a while back called In Christ Alone. It has an beautiful melody and incredible, stirring lyrics – including this line that has been ringing in my ears for quite some time: “fullness of God in helpless babe”. That’s it.

The fullness of God (i.e., the very thing that we humans can’t even squeeze into our puny heads) in a helpless (read: crying, pooping, etc.) babe. Dang.

That’s what Christmas means to me.

Dining Contract

The other night, my younger brother Joe and I were standing in front of a mexican restaurant, trying to decide whether to eat at the mexican place, or the sports bar right next door (where I had eaten lunch only hours earlier). He told me to go with my gut (literally), so I decided dinner would be mexican. We walked in the restaurant and the host asked if we would prefer “smoking or non” and we said “non”. On the way to the non section, I looked up and saw on a small TV that the Hawkeye basketball team was playing – and I had forgotten about it. I knew that only a hundred feet away, at the sports bar, the Hawkeyes were playing on six big, flatscreen televisions.

My eyes widened as I turned around and spoke to Joe through clenched teeth, “I want to watch the game next door. Can we leave? I don’t know if we can leave.” We were getting closer and closer to the table.

“I think we can leave,” Joe said, also through his teeth, as the host placed our menus on the table.

“Turn around,” I said to him, my eyes wider still, “we’re leaving. Go.”

Joe turned to the woman who was just about to put chips on our table and fumbled through a phrase like “were going to, er, leave…” We quickly and akwardly walked out of the restaurant, past all of the patrons whom we had passed ten seconds ago and made our way to Hawkeye heaven.

When we sat down at our table, I asked Joe if it was okay to do what we had just done. I mean, we never actually sat down. When does the dining contract officially begin? I don’t think it’s when you start heading to a booth. At least I hope not. Because then I would really feel bad.

Break Overview

Now that the semester is over, I’m just about ready to head home for Christmas break. I’ll be home in West Des Moines for a couple of days, then I am heading to Chicago for a week to hang out with Mike. Actually, my break is a little crazy. It looks something like this:

December 15 – 17: West Des Moines

December 17 – 23: Chicago with Mike

December 24: Christmas with immediate family, Christmas with extended family

December 25: Christmas with Dad, Christmas with step-mom’s family

December 26 – 27: West Des Moines, spending gift cards

December 28 – 29: Rosebud, South Dakota(!)

December 30 – January 1: West Des Moines

January 2: Decorah, back to school to begin work on my album

I was hoping to read a bunch of books and see a few movies during break, but things are looking a little hectic. We’ll see how it turns out.

No Friday Linkfest for a while (sorry)…

Faith Journey

I stumbled upon a post the other day that almost perfectly describes where I am on my faith journey. The post, called A Different Kind of Evangelical, is by Steve Bush. I highly recommend that you take four or five minutes and give it a read.

If you’ve read this website, you know that I read A New Kind of Christian and A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren and have been investigating the Emerging Church. I’ve come a long way in my journey of faith since I was a senior in high school, and I know that I have a long way to go. In fact, the journey is never over.

I recently wrote an email to a former professor of mine, who moved to New York to teach at a graduate school. I’ll let the email do the talking:

I’ve been doing a lot of personal reading this semester, and one book in particular is of interest. I read “A New Kind of Christian” by Brian McLaren, one of the leaders in what is known as the Emerging Church (I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it or not). Without minimizing the movement, the main idea is that as we shift into a new era – Postmodernity – we need to rethink how we do church. After I read that book, which blew my mind, I read “A Generous Orthodoxy” by the same author and it is equally mind blowing.

I’ve been reflecting on these readings and I am almost upset that I didn’t read them three or four years ago, before I came to college. I would say (and I think you would agree) that I came to college a conservative Christian and I was searching for something “better” or maybe more relevant. Well, I think the whole time I was here you were pointing me in the right direction but I never REALLY caught on. I find myself wishing I could take all of your classes again with this new set of glasses on, you know? I don’t think I could have arrived here without your influence, yet I think I could be much further on my journey. I remember specifically you giving the class a handout on postmodernity and at the time I was really confused. I think I’m starting to get it, and better yet, I find myself resonating with it.

She hasn’t written back yet, but I’m sure she is incredibly busy with finals and such. I want to do a lot more reading and a lot more reflecting on all of this – it is very exciting.

Winter Wonderland

From the National Weather Service:

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
3:09 PM CST TUE DEC 13 2005

…WINTER STORM TO BRING SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOWS TO THE REGION…

A WINTER STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE OVER SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN AND THE HIGH PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST REGION BY LATE TONIGHT… SPREADING SNOW INTO IOWA AND MINNESOTA AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE LOW AND ASSOCIATED SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST INTO WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THERE IS PLENTY OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE FOR THIS STORM SYSTEM TO WORK WITH. CURRENT FORECASTS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF FOUR TO EIGHT INCHES ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…DECORAH…CHARLES CITY…OELWEIN… ROCHESTER…AUSTIN.

A HEAVY SNOW WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST…KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT…FOOD…AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Upcoming Attractions

As I study for finals and write final papers, I decided that I needed some new “study music” to replace the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack that I have been listening to for the last three weeks or so. I wanted something ambient again… so I decided to go with another orchestral score from a film: Memoirs of a Geisha. The soundtrack has its own website, which informs me that the music is composed and conducted by John Williams, perhaps the most famous film composer of all time (Star Wars, E.T., Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, etc.).

Looking for a new soundtrack reminded me of all of the movies that are coming out soon that I want to see. I saw The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on Friday night (the soundtrack comes out Tuesday) and it was awesome. Upcoming movies I want to see:

• Memoirs of a Geisha
• The Producers
• Syriana
• King Kong
• Munich
• Fun with Dick and Jane
• The New World

Am I forgetting any? Hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze one or two of these in sometime during winter break.

The Jake & Tom Podcast: Week 3

After a short hiatus, the podcast is back. You might even say “by popular demand.”

Click here to download the latest installment of the Jake & Tom Podcast.

Coffee

Partly inspired by Ryan’s post about his “walk with the magical bean,” but more so by recent events in my life, I’d like to discuss the increasing role coffee is playing in my everyday life.

For a long time I wondered why anyone would want to drink coffee at all, for several reasons. First, because when I was in junior high, I remember trying the coffee that my church offered between the service and Sunday school. Actually, what I really remember is that it tasted like I was drinking liquefied ashes. I added a ton of milk and upwards of twelve packs of sugar and even then it just tasted like thick, sugary, liquefied ashes. I figured that I just wasn’t a “coffee drinker.” Second, people say that coffee is an aquired taste. Why would you want to have to aquire a taste for something when you can just enjoy a drink that already pleases your palette without having the akward adjustment period? Such was my opinion of coffee throughout my teenage years.

Something inside of me, however, really wanted to be able to go to a coffee shop and order something besides a frozen cooler or something equally lame. Late in high school, I discovered chai at Border’s book store. I remember thinking that it tastes like liquefied graham crackers. And if I could choose between the liquid version of the remains of a bonfire or a delicious cracker, I choose the latter. Chai not only tasted good, but it made me feel good because I could go to coffee shops with actual coffee drinkers wihout being self-conscious about ordering something lame (again, the frozen cooler).

Shortly after, at an unknown point in time, I discovered that I enjoy cappucino as well… but not real cappucino – no – gas station cappucino. Even though it tastes nothing like actual cappucino, it is nonetheless called “cappucino” and I was drinking it. Again, this was the state of my relationship with coffee for most of college. Chai and gas station cappucino.

In the last month, as far as coffee is concerned, I have gone from zero to hero. I began drinking mochas and carmel mochas and similar drinks which I found out have two shots of espresso in them. They didn’t taste too bad, either. I started ordering them with an extra shot of espresso. I started drinking them all the time. Even at the movies. For a completely unknown reason, I decided that I wanted to aquire the taste. Then, about two weeks ago, I bought some Folger’s® coffee singles, which are like tea bags but for coffee. I didn’t have a coffee maker, but I did have a hot water pot, so I forced three or four cups of it down to try to get used to the taste.

Last night Tom gave me a coffee maker for Christmas. Tom’s an avid coffee drinker. In this picture, taken in August, I am faking it and he isn’t. So far I’ve brewed¹ two pots. One with some Caribou coffee from a friend and employee of the shop, and one with regular store-bought coffee. I actually enjoy the taste now. I can’t believe it. Two nights ago I got some chocolate covered espresso beans… they’re delicious. This could get ugly… nah. It will be beautiful.

It’s a good thing, too, because I’ll be the first in line to buy some Coca-Cola Blak, the company’s new coffee-infused soft drink.

*Coffee cup image care of RefractedMoments on Flickr.

1. I feel like the past tense for “brew” should be “brown” (rhymes with throne) or “brewn” (rhymes with noon). “I’ve brewed” just sounds really wrong. ↩

Firefox Q&A with Dad

I recently receieved this email from my dad:

Hi son. I read your blog (or whatever it is called) daily. Do you think I would like the Firefox web browser? If I download it, can I still use Internet Explorer if I want? Will it take a lot of my memory? How long does it take to download on a dial-up modem?

Give me some info and advise please.

Dad

I immediately responded asking permission post his question here, feeling that it might be beneficial for others to read what I would have to say. Obviously he gave me permission.

In response to his first question, “do you think I would like the Firefox web browser?” I give a vehement “yes!” It actually pains me when I am forced to use Internet Explorer (IE), partly because I have become accustomed to Firefox, but mostly because it pales in comparison to Firefox’s features. A quick visit to the Firefox website will give you a listing of its features, but I’ll list a few of my personal favorite here.

Tabbed browsing: You can “use tabbed browsing to open multiple Web pages in a single browser window, and quickly flip back and forth. Drag and drop open tabs to keep related pages together.” This is by far my single favorite feature of Firefox. I despise having tons of windows open at the same time.

Pop-up blocking: Instead of having to install a third-party software to block unwanted pop-up ads as in IE, Firefox’s pop-up blocking is already integrated into the software. Besides tons of windows being open simultaneously, repeated pop-up ads were my least favorite thing about IE.

Integrated search: Firefox has an integrated search box in the upper right-hand corner (that can be moved anywhere or removed) that lets you search Google or any other search engine, dictionary, etc., without having to go to the website. I probably use this handy little box to search Google 10+ times per day, and that’s not an exaggeration.

Security: IE is very succeptible to being attacked by any number of malicious programs. This was more than apparent as a friend of mine recently used his girlfriend’s laptop which still ran IE. It running really slow and IE had 3 or 4 unwanted “helpful” toolbars installed. Firefox will have none of that. “Firefox keeps you secure when you’re browsing the Web, closing the door on spyware, worms, and viruses. The Firefox community of developers and security experts works around the clock to monitor security issues and release updates to better protect you.”

In response to his second question, yes, you can use IE even if Firefox is installed. You have the option of whether or not to make Firefox your “default browser,” which means that it will be the browser all other applications will use for the internet.

Question three, “will it take a lot of memory?” No. In fact most of the time it will use less memory than IE.

The download for Firefox 1.5 for Windows is 5mb, which means that it will probably take about a half hour to download on dial-up.

I have been a proponent of Firefox for a long time. In fact, I used it when it was called Firebird, before they got in trouble for using that name, and even though IE’s next version is supposed to be more like Firefox, there’s no way I will ever switch back. Dad, I hope you found this helpful.

If you use Firefox and think that it is better than IE, why don’t you leave a comment and say so? There’s nothing quite like actual user testimonials to sway someone’s opinion. Let’s show my Dad that he really should switch to Firefox.

How Fitting…

Check it out: The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have selected the word “podcast” as the Word of the Year for 2005 (full story). It’s a good thing Tom and I jumped on the bandwagon early. If we’d started podcasting after this momentous occasion, we would look like followers – certainly not pioneers. Two thousand[1] listeners can’t be wrong.

And you thought I made it up…

[1] Give or take 1,975[2].
[2] Okay, just take. Maybe someday.

AIM Triton

I just finished downloading and installing the new next-generation instant messaging¹ service by AOL called AIM Triton. I’ve only been using it for a short while and I have mixed feelings about it.

First of all, you have to download a stupid AOL Downloader which then downloads the new software for you. That’s pretty annoying… something I liked about AIM made it simpler than AOL. The whole look and of Triton is completely different than past AIM versions. I made a screenshot of what it looks like on my desktop. It feels more like a watered-down AOL program than a standalone, simple instant messaging program.

There is a new feature for keeping addresses. AIM apparently teamed up with Plaxo, an online address book service. I could see how this would come in handy, but I don’t think I’ll be using it. Of course Triton also comes with its own browser (”AOL Explorer Browser”), because we already don’t have enough of those. At least give me the option not to install the dang thing. Besides, Firefox is the best browser. Ever. And then there are other various features that I haven’t tried yet. It’s just so… different.

At least it doesn’t uninstall the old, trustworthy version of AIM. What do you think?

1. Since the beginning of instant messaging, I have wondered why the final word of “AOL Instant Messenger” is “Messenger” and not “Messager”. After all, you’re sending instant messages, right? You’re not sending messengers. Is it because the program itself is the messenger; the deliverer of said instant messages? Either way, I still hold that it should be “Messager.” ↩

The Jake & Tom Podcast: Week 3

We’re sorry to announce that there won’t be a podcast this week. As we approach the end of the semester and finals week, both Tom and I are overwhelmed with school work.

There will be a podcast released before we leave for break on December 15.

Friday Linkfest

After a one week hiatus, here are this week’s links:

Finger Frenzy: Yet another online game. This one isn’t so mindless, though. The objective is to type the entire alphabet in order in as little time as possible. My first attempt was around 6 seconds and an hour later I had it down to 2.867 seconds. Shawn can back me up on this… I was sending him screenshots everytime I set a new personal record.

Funny Video: I feel bad for thinking this video is funny, but I just can’t help laughing every time I watch it.

Larry David Interview: My new favorite actor/comedian/producer/writer is Larry David, the co-creator of Seinfeld and star of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. He recently appeared on TBS’s “Earth to America,” a two hour comedy extravaganza about global warming and activism. You can watch the whole show and/or individual clips here, but Larry’s individual stand-up for the show was basically just a straight read of this article he wrote for Rolling Stone. It’s still really funny.

18 Body Tricks: Men’s Health Magazine has a cool article on “tricks” to teach your body, such as scratching your ear to rid a throat itch. Although the article is from Men’s Health, it’s pretty gender neutral. I’ll have to remember to cough next time I get a shot.

Google Video of the Day: A great time-waster with some funny/ridiculous videos.

Mouse-less Firefox: “Learning to use Firefox keyboard shortcuts to reduce your trips to the mouse can lead to a much more fulfilling web browsing experience, especially at those times that your mouse just isn’t doing the trick.” I love keyboard shortcuts… and so should you. If you don’t yet have the new Firefox release, version 1.5, grab it here. It has lots of improvements, including drag-and-drop tab reordering.

Snowfall

As I was leaving Marty’s tonight (Marty’s is a coffee shop on campus), I was about to head back to my dorm, but I decided that I would instead walk up to the balcony of the union and watch the snow fall. Here’s a picture I took from said balcony a while ago to give you an idea of my perspective.

I think that being outside in the middle of snow falling is perhaps one of the most beatiful and peaceful things one can experience. It’s a combination of the white purity of the snow itself, the near-silence that is created, and the flakes’ dancing descent to the earth. I’m not so keen on the days immediately following a snowfall when the snow turns dirty and such, but standing amidst a soft winter snowfall is something I could do for a long time.

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