Call + Response

"CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Luminaries on the issue such as Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Nicholas Kristof, and many other prominent political and cultural figures offer first hand account of this 21st century trade. Performances from Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, members of Nickel Creek and Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Rocco Deluca move this chilling information into inspiration for stopping it.

Music is part of the movement against human slavery. Dr. Cornel West connects the music of the American slave fields to the popular music we listen to today, and offers this connection as a rallying cry for the modern abolitionist movement currently brewing."

http://callandresponse.com/about.html

Wow, It's been some time.

Hey friends! 

I've decided to lay down the law in my blogging inconsistencies.  My friend Mike reminded me yesterday that I often leave huge blogs from time to time and when I write them, they are usually spanning over a few weeks. Therefore, to correct this common trend, I am going to start blogging by weekly. Each week until Christmas break, I am going to challenge myself to highlight something in my life that reflects what I do down here. For example, I might share a snapshot of the homeless ministry I'm involved in or take you for a drive down sunset cliffs to OB. But this my friends isn't just any ordinary picture blog. I'm going to get video clips of the it so you have something legit to satisfy your blogging needs. 

The last few weeks have been busy. For some reason, the early part of the week is an absolute blur because of classes, work, on campus ministries, etc... So here on a thursday afternoon I am content in doing absolutely nothing. Amen. 

Here is what I've been up to lately...

POINT LOMA::

I took this on my iphone from my bosses office at school. 

My brother Seth and his girlfriend Cosy came down to visit last week. We went to Pizza Nova. Get the BBQ Chicken. You won't regret it!

SPIRIT BELL COMPETITION::

A few weeks ago we had a spirit bell event. If you're not familiar, about every month each dorm comes together dressed up in Loma colors and roots on one of our sports teams. The loudest dorm at the end of the game wins bragging rights to the spirit bell. We beat Westmont in Volleyball at this game.

Hendricks Hall on the way to the Gym 

to watch the girls play. 

Baseball America Magazine voted PLNU's Baseball Field 

"Most Scenic Field in the U.S."

MUSIC::

Last week, Allison and I saw Sara Bareillies at Spreckles downtown. She was great live. Wasn't sure what to expect but came out really impressed. Spreckels is a rad theatre too!

Ever been to Buffalo Brothers? It's a guitar shop in Carlsbad. They have everything, mostly top of the line stuff. When you walk in the first thing you see is a full wall of Taylors on the left and a wall of Martins on the right.  The whole back room is vintage amps with strats and teles. If you care the least bit about string instruments, you need to check it out!

ROADTRIP::

Last weekend was Fall Break (a.k.a. we get friday off). So we took a drive up the central coast to San Luis Obispo. My uncle and relatives live in Los Osos overlooking Morro Bay. I dig SLO because I feel like I'm home everytime I return. I almost completely forget about life outside of SLO when I'm there. If you ever meet my Uncle Joe, Aunt Cammie, or cousins... you'll come to agree that they are the most warm, energetic, passionate people ever! I feel as though my perspective on the world and the life itself shapes a little more when I visit this place. 

PISMO BEACH

I took Al to Spash Cafe in Pismo Beach on the drive up. We decided that it is officially the best clam chowder ever.. especially when you eat it in a bread bowl and sit on the pier looking out at the ocean. 

There were many coffee stops along the way. Cambria was beautiful!

HARMONEY, CA

This town was one of the radest places we stopped at. As you can tell, the town wasn't a very popular place to live but the photo opp's there were fun. 

Bicycle. Harmony, CA

Blue Door. Harmony, CA

Girlfriend in reflection.

MONTANA DE ORO

My volve (Nash is his name)... couldn't be any happier to be pulled off the road in a forest like this. 

This is the coast of Montana de Oro.

Uncle Joe, Cousin Amanda, Me @ Cousin Caleb's soccer game

An art gallery @ a Volcom store

Story: On the way home, we were a little worried because Nash was giving us some turbulence so I was taking it easy on the little guy most of the drive up and down. BUT, right after we left downtown Santa Barbara, I got a flat tire near Monticito.  According to our friend who came to rescue from AAA, she (yes our tow truck driving, tire replacing hero was a female and did a awesome job) said I ran over a nail. Bummer right? It doesn't stop there. We had to drive 50 mph the whole way home because I had a half sized tire that could only go that fast so for three hours, we drove in the right lane coasting in cruise control and coming close to some close call. I found that people don't know how to drive when someone's going that slow. I found it interesting that I was in that position though. After a weekend of understanding what it means to forget about the clutter of life and how to get rid of the baggage that I carry around inside of me, I began to see a people on the road who lacked patience, kindness, understanding, quick to anger, etc. Our world, most specifically the United States, seems have developed the need to speed through life when the faster we go, the better chance we have at missing something profound, something unique, something original.  I find myself so wrapped up in the logistics of life that I forget what that I don't set the pace of my life, my creator does. If He made me to live in the likeness of His Son, something tells me that Jesus didn't live life in the left lane. I'd like to think that if he had a choice and a full set of new tires, He's still choose to take the right lane. Driving in the right lane is saying to yourself, I'm not going to delve into the constant pressure to speed threw a situation. I'm going to rest in the fact that I will arrive when I arrive and I know I'll make it.  My friend Jordan articulates these thoughts in depth and I love the language he uses. If you want to take a peak, the link is: http://jordanfrye.blogspot.com/2008/08/just-to-be-where.html

 

DRIVING HOME

This is where he pulled off for the flat. Not a bad rest stop huh?

Destination: San Diego 198 Miles (going 50 mph @ 5:30pm on Sunday)

Ventura, CA

So that has been some insight into what my life has looked like lately. Thanks for reading. I always feel encouraged when you write comments so write away! 

I'm excited to finally start blogging legitimately once a week now. Talk to you soon!

Garrett

Hey friends!

I am sorry for the absence of attention to this site lately. I have been so busy with mid-terms and enjoying the simplicity of life that I forget about things like technology, which I think is often a good thing. 

I have done some fun things lately that I'd love to share with ya but really need to get to sleep. I have a mid-term in my Persuasion class tomorrow, which I'd like to mention is a freakin' sweet class and I'm learning persuasion tactics so just know that the next time I come after you with an idea or a thought, I might be tossing those theories your way! But seriously, 7:30am comes fast in Hendricks Hall so goodnight! 

Garrett

Ps: if you came to Time Out tonight... thanks for singing along!

Pss: I'm going on a road trip tomorrow that I've been looking forward to for months but you'll have to read my next blog to find out all about it!! Hint: I was there semi recently and I have blogged about it before. 

Oh! And before I go... I was studying at the Living Room the other day and when I came out to my car, the temp gage read 104! How crazy! In October? Really?

What's in a memory?

(Disclaimer: If you are a Cubs fan, please don't be angry with me if you keep reading this blog and all that I talk about revolves around the Dodgers. I can like your team too (just not right now))

Who would have guessed that my Dodgers would go to Wrigley, where the Chicago Cubs have arguably the best fans in the National League and beat the Cubbies in both of their games leading the series 2-0?

The 2008 version of Kirt Gibson?

I must admit, I haven't been the most faithful Dodger fan this season especially if you knew me as a wee lad, I was obsessed. Every night in high school/late junior high, I'd come home from baseball practice (which in La Mirada, Ca where the sun shines almost everyday, baseball was an 11 months commitment every year), make sure my mom would wash my grass stained practice pants (which I might add was quite the vicious cycle), stuff my scarcely high metabolismed body with anything I could find, and practice quadratic equations as I watched Sports Center play over and over as the reruns would play every hour. Baseball was my life and at one time, and more so... my dream. 

Have you ever remembered a picture in your mind or a phrase someone said in your past and you try to figure out why that moment is so engrained in your mind opposed to the other vague memories that attempt to linger on? There are very specific conversations that I've had with people that I've kept with me to this day. I still see pictures that captivated a few seconds in my life years ago that allow me to remember in detail how special that moment really was.

I have one memory that I've convinced myself to be sitting in my photographic memory bank. My dad and I spent hours upon hours at Dodger Stadium as a kid standing in line for autographs of players that I've never heard of, sweating in the sun just to feel the joys of a great southern California sunny day game, or the persuasion skills I tried to work on opposing teams during batting practice to simply get them to throw me a ball. I specifically remember one late summer night as a ten year old when the sun had already set by the 3rd inning and the Dodger Dog(s) had left me satisfied for the time being. The boys in blue were losing pretty bad and their was no real reason to stay. My pops kept checking to see if I wanted to drive home yet always giving me the feeling that it's ok to stay. Even though I could easily live there all year long, I figured it was about time to go. As I descended down the uneven cement steps of the bleacher section in the Right Field Pavilion, this picture forms every time I think about my dream to become a profession baseball player. So, in order walk under the bleachers, you must walk down by the outfield fence and turn to go down the last row of stairs. This view of the field was so close to being on the field that I would constantly fantasize on how cool it would be to just play one game. This last row of stairs literally brings life to the song Stairway to Heaven as I fallowed my dad down. Each step that would bring me closer to losing sight of the field was another step I wanted to take in pursuing my dream to play on that field someday. I guess it's easy to conclude that we remember things better when pictures line up with thoughts and somehow we are having an emotional response through it all. 

Even though I never was able to pursue my dream of become a Los Angles Dodger, I was able to finally play on it my senior year of high school in a CIF Championship Game. It was ironically the last time I would ever suit up for a baseball game after 12 years of it consuming my life. So, now I'm left with the excitement of a team I lived for as a boy and to see them actually winning in the playoffs is something to get excited about. Not to mention, I have never heard my dad this happy in months. Honestly, I think it is accurate to believe that my dad's "stoke level" is highly dependent on how well the Dodgers are doing that week...

My friend Ryan (15), Me (10), My friend Taylor (11)

 

GO DODGERS! 

-g