why advent?

A couple of years ago I hated Christmas. I hated black Friday. I hated the advertisements, the excess. Even poor Santa and the Christmas tree received the wrath of my anger against the holiday. Sure, we threw Jesus in there with children’s plays and nativity scenes but it still seemed like busy work and somehow still so…commercial. I had succumbed to the idea that the commercialization of Christmas is what Christmas is all about-and it depressed me.

Then almost heroically, Advent walked into my life. The Holiday became a Holy Day. A time of intense anticipation of the coming King who will set all things right. A revelation that the one we call Lord, our Redeemer and Provider came almost completely unannounced, humbly and as a tiny, crying, wiggling baby surrounded by stinky animals in a candlelit barn.

There's not a whole lot commercial or flashy about that.

Shopping and gifts and nice things are not inherently evil but when Thanksgiving Day is spent buying things we don't need with money we don't have, when keeping up with the Jones' means putting ourselves and our families in financial strife and when loving things is easier than loving our neighbors, we have lost our way.

I believe as Christians, we are called to live out a different reality. We are to stop believing the lie that we are more when we have more and that materialism and our identity as consumers is what Christmas, and life, is all about.

When we began to participate in Advent, I had to examine my heart and become more intentional with what Christmas truly is and how it should look. I literally wrote out a list of what I wanted to happen during Advent and the changes I wanted to make in the actions of my family. My prayer is that during this season, our hearts and lives would reflect a state of gratitude and generosity. That we would see a need and give, joyously and without judgment and our time would be spent with family and friends, not chasing "the deal of a lifetime."

So how did we make this change tangible?

We have an Advent calendar and a special Advent devotional we do each day. We fill a shoebox for Samaritans Purse and donate toys to Angel Trees in department stores through the Salvation Army. As far as gifts are concerned, I always thought it strange I was buying things for people they could just buy for themselves any day of the year. So I began to donate to organizations like World Vision in their names. Buying local and supporting small business owners. Hand-making presents or giving gifts that required families and friends to be together like Zoo Passes or date night gift certificates.

Lola receives 3 gifts at Christmas-a want, a need and a surprise. For example, she picks out one present she wants, another gift is something she needs (like a pair of shoes, new jeans, etc.) and then a surprise, something she may or may not have asked for. (Unfortunately, I cannot take credit for this idea-I copied Emily Anderson, a mother of 6 who knows a thing or two.) This is not always easy. The temptation of excess and superfluous is in every store, but I want Lola to understand that her value is found in being a child of God, not in a collection of things. I want her to learn that comparison and relentless discontentment will void her life of joy. I want her to understand the needs of others are real and the biblical principle of being a good steward of the monetary resources we have been given. I want to raise a child who is a joyous giver with a thankful heart. I believe generosity and thankfulness are learned behaviors and must be practiced. And through my teaching, I am learning. I am seeing where my heart is unthankful, where I give out of necessity or obligation and not with a joyous spirit. By making these deliberate changes during the holiday season, God is doing a lasting work on my heart.

So what is the difference between Advent and Christmas? Maybe it's simply a different state of mind. Or more accurately, a different condition of our hearts. You don’t have to be Scrooge during the holidays or insist that others in your life celebrate the same way. Enjoy Santa, see Christmas lights and drink hot chocolate! But instead of a holiday season filled with busyness and the pressure to but the latest gadget, experience a Christmas filled with anticipation, thankfulness and generosity. The shift from Christmas to Advent is a process. Each year, we are growing. Learning. Imitating others in community who seek Advent for their families. No act is too small and it's never too late to make the change.

child sponsorship through World Vision.

20,000 children die EVERY DAY from hunger, disease or poverty. All of these children are under the age of 5. In India, 80% of the population lives on less than $2 a day. In Mexico, 16,000 children are involved in prostitution while 300,000 Bangladeshi children are exploited in Brothels. No one should have to suffer or be forgotten like this.

photo credit: worldvisionmagazine.org

The reality that we live in a broken world can be overwhelming. During a sermon recently at Jacobs Well, Isaac Anderson encouraged us to find our “to do.” Understand that God knows you care about multiple social injustices plaguing this world but focus on the problem God has placed on your heart and know that he has someone else taking care of separate issues. My “to do” at this time is child sponsorship through World Vision. I firmly believe that where there is darkness, light and hope can and will prevail.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization that works with almost 100 million people in almost 100 countries providing community based change in the lives of those in poverty. Since the 1990’s, World Vision has cut the number of child deaths in half, from 40,000 to 20,000 a day.

  

photo credit: m.worldvision.org

A child’s life improves when their community improves. World Vision involves those in the community to provide lasting change by gaining them access to clean water, building schools and providing loans to small business owners that are then repaid into a revolving fund to help the next entrepreneur. In this way, the communities become self-sustaining and thrive long after World Vision is gone.

photo credit: my.worldvision.org

World Vision and people like you sponsor over 4 million children providing them and their families with a hand up, not a hand out. For $35 a month, a sponsored child gains access to clean water, health care, school supplies and fees, vocational training and AIDS prevention education.

86 cents of every dollar given to World Vision goes directly to the children, family and community they serve.

photo credit: realitysports.org

We began to sponsor Omara E. in the summer of 2010. It was a humbling and eye opening experience to scroll through name after name, face after face of children and families who need help simply because they were born into an impoverished community and I was not. I realized then that just because I couldn’t sponsor them all, didn’t mean I couldn’t sponsor ONE. As a child sponsor, I am able to communicate with Omara and her family through pictures and letters. World Vision also sends me an annual update on the impact my sponsorship is having in her community.

I believe in and trust World Vision. I love that their core characteristics reflect Christ personality. Sponsoring a child has been a life changing experience. It has opened my eyes to the immense needs in the world and made me realize how much I have been given. I hope and pray that through my small contribution, Christ may change this little girl’s life and forever change her community and generations to come.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child through World Vision for $35 a month, please visit myshare.worldvision.org/brittneybray or email me at brittneybray30@gmail.com 

want other ways to help? visit here and here. 

wonder how this whole thing got started? read this. 

freedom watches.

During the month of August, Sak Saum is selling freedom watches to help end human trafficking in SE Asia. $10 of every purchase goes to The Exodus Road and their ongoing efforts to identify and rescue sex trafficking victims. 

To purchase a watch, go here.

For more information on the collaboration, visit here.

want other ways to help human trafficking victims? Read this. and to find out how this whole thing began, start here. 

get involved- end human trafficking.

There are 27 million sex trafficking victims. Over half of these are children, some as young as three years old. Every 30 seconds, another victim is captured. These statistics can leave us feeling overwhelmed and defeated. However, I firmly believe that where there is light, darkness cannot stand. 

Fight for Them is an organization in which 100% of the proceeds from jewelry sales go directly to Pearl Alliance. Pearl Alliance works with onsite organizations in Southwest Asia, such as Zoe International and She Rescue Home, to end human trafficking.

Mindy Greaves, Founder of Fight For Them. Photo credit Lark Photography.

Each necklace and bracelet comes with the “Fight for Them” logo, a pearl of hope and the initials of an actual sex trafficking survivor. Those initials put a face to the staggering statistics and can be a humbling experience. Every time I hold my daughter and she plays with my necklace, we say a quick prayer for "P.K." I don't know her story or who she is but God does. This has also provided a great opportunity to raise awareness in my own daughter’s heart and to tell her how much she is loved and valued and to fight for those who have been told something different.

If you are looking for ways to help more long term, visit Jamie’s blog. Jamie is a former missionary who has seen first hand the effects of human trafficking and is working hard to rescue young victims. As a monthly sponsor through The Exodus Road, you help an investigative team in a specific SE Asia city rescue those trapped in human trafficking and put those responsible behind bars. (please visit Jamie's blog in the link above for instructions on how to become a sponsor.)

photo credit Jamie the Very Worst Missionary facebook page.

Remember, we can’t do everything, but we must do something.

 (If you have any questions or want to learn more about sex trafficking, please visit the links above or email me at Brittney.bray30@gmail.com)

another mans war.

Recently while I was at the gym, the evening news was playing on the television in the ladies locker room. The report was about how the crime and murder rate in Chicago is affecting the children in the community. Young boys are scared to ride their bikes. Little girls are scared to play outside. Children living in constant worry; yet this is all they know of life.

The young woman getting dressed next to me shook her head and said, “This is why I don’t watch the news. It’s always bad. I know bad things like this happen but I don’t need to watch it and be reminded.”

I politely nodded my head and gave her a sympathetic smile while something stirred in my heart.

It IS important. We DO need to know what is going on in our communities, see the hopelessness and see how the consistent cycle of violence is plaguing innocent children. We DO need to know and be reminded, daily, that there are children who are simply surviving their childhood and who have made friends with fear and hunger. We DO need to know that human trafficking still exists. We DO need to see how the homeless spend Christmas day and compare their thanksgiving meal with ours. We DO need to hear the statistics, see the numbers then listen to the solution and give an explanation why we can’t spare $35 a month for lasting change in a community stricken with poverty.

It IS important.

I am not saying we should overwhelm ourselves with the depression and unfairness of life. It can and does do something deep in your spirit over time to constantly meditate on the injustices of society. There is a point where you begin to lose faith and hope in humanity and questions begin to creep in. “How can a God that allows things like this to happen be good? Why them and not me?” I know the enormity of the needs of this world can feel overwhelming. However, ignorance is not bliss. It’s selfish and un-Christ like. And maybe if we stop acting aloof and DO SOMETHING, we can channel those feelings of despair into action and hope.

During a sermon recently at Jacobs Well, Isaac Anderson encouraged us to find our “to do.” Understand that God knows you care about multiple social injustices plaguing this world but focus on the problem God has placed on your heart and know that he has someone else taking care of separate issues.

We are not all called to start orphanages in Sudan but we are called to treat other humans like…humans. Maybe it’s as simple as having more gratitude and thankfulness in your heart. Hugging your child a little tighter. Giving. Support organizations who are working to end violence, hunger, sex slavery. Look the homeless in the eye next time you walk past them instead of judging them and wondering why they just don’t get a job. My “to do” at this time is poverty on a global scale and child sponsorship through World Vision. (More on this in a future post.)  Ask God for your “to do” and know that it is going to look different for each one of us.  Mother Teresa once said, “I can do things you cannot; you can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things.”

Remember, Christ does not call us to tell the recipient of our giving what to do with their gift, but only that we GIVE.

Teach your children these things. Become contagious in your generosity and sensitive spirit.

We need to stop pretending the problems in this world are another mans war. They are mine. And they are yours. 

We can’t do everything. But we must do something.

In the next couple of weeks, I will be posting tangible ways you can make a difference in the life of a child and those affected by poverty and sex trafficking.

Bon Iver.

For a long time, I didn’t get “it.” Bon Iver is good, sure, but what is all the fuss about? People are swooning and practically worshiping this guy. “For Emma, Forever Ago” was just ok and as far as folk music goes, there are better artists out there. 

That was until I saw them live on Austin City Limits.

they opened with “Perth” and the organized chaos gave me chills while the bass sax rattled my soul. throughout the performance, Sean Carey (background vocals) hits notes that I am pretty sure would make God weep.  The entire band is seeping with talent, having fun yet taking their craft seriously.

Hearing the live version of Beth/Rest is a religious experience. Dramatic? Maybe. But this song stirs my soul, making me feel hopeful and closer to God than most of the mainstream “worship” music out there. If music moves the heart of God, he is grinning from ear to ear during this one.

This Austin City Limits performance makes me appreciate Bon Iver and their albums even more. Remember this post on inspiration? This performance does the same thing for me, beckoning me to be creative and reach my full potential. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWEWJZnuQag

(Although a huge Bon Iver fan, I can laugh and appreciate this video. I can't get it to upload here directly, so just copy/paste it. It's hilarious.)

lent reflections: the social media epidemic.

well here we are, already into the 3^rd week of Lent. Participating in Lent is such a great spiritual practice and I am lucky to go to a church that acknowledges and encourages this important time during the church calendar. The act of giving something up for Lent represents the 40 days Jesus was in the desert. More than that, it represents things we may have become dependent on more than Christ. It is also a time to stop pretending, to get real with God, telling him what truly is on our hearts.

This year I gave up social media (facebook, twitter, instagram, blogs, websites) and chocolate. I am allowed to post on my blog, check my email and use the Internet only when necessary, like to look up directions or listen to music.

Now, I don’t think I am dependent on Chocolate or facebook, but when you give up these things, especially social media, you realize how much time it actually does fill.

Believe it or not, prior to 2006, people still had friendships and communicated with each other. Honestly, each year I give up social media is easier than the last and when I check facebook after Lent is over, it all seems so silly. Of course, these things in and of themselves are not bad; in fact, I have connected and built relationships with people I know or keep in touch with mainly through the Internet. But the time and distraction these sites become IS. It takes away from family, human interaction and being real with each other instead of the person we have made ourselves out to be behind the profile picture. We become so concerned with what everyone else is doing and making sure our live look good to others we loose our identity and begin to lack the confidence and knowledge that being our true selves is enough.

I saw a book at Barnes and Noble on this very subject titled, “Together Alone.” Those words perfectly sum up what too much social media has done to this generation. I think everyone would benefit from staying away from social media for 40 days. Heck, I would challenge some people to give it up for 24 HOURS. Stop the constant status updates and being so consumed with what your friends or followers think and comparing your life to the lives of others. Whatever happened to a little bit of privacy? Look up from your phone every once in a while and find other, possibly more productive ways to kill time. Life goes on and I promise you will only benefit from the break.

farewell to hostess and 2012.

I started writing these yearly round up posts at the end of 2007, which makes this my 6^th year-in-review write up. (Is that even possible?) And while sometimes I look forward to the task, other years I have a hard time summing up the year, creating homework out of a hobby. However, these yearly wrap ups are not necessary for today but for tomorrow. When re-reading about the years past, I have never regretted that I took the afternoon to reflect and remember where my life was or where I wanted it to go. So let’s get this started shall we?

My dear friend Louise wrote a “Year In Review” on her blog in the form of a time capsule. I immediately thought, “This is brilliant! and exactly why we are best friends.” So for my yearly round up, I too, shall create a virtual time capsule. A small box it will be, hand carved of rich mahogany, and will contain personal memories, snaps of pop culture and world events.

First off, my time capsule would be a music box and when opened, the pinnacle of Whitney Huston’s “I will always love you” would play. You know the part.  RIP girl.

To eat, I would place a Hostess Cupcake and a pack of Donettes in remembrance of the great snack brand that went out of business in 2012. I am sure they will taste just as delicious when they are opened in the future as they do today.

  

In my box, I would place the face of a synchronized swimmer, the ass of Misty May Turner and one of Gabby Douglas’ hair clips to remind me of the 2012 Olympics. I firmly believe that for the 16 days the Olympics are televised, you should watch them. Yes, I am that guy who Tivos handball matches. I only watch swimming and track once every 4 years, yet I was screaming at the television like I had serious investments in the winner. It is a slight relief when they are over though, so I can go back to not feeling guilty about not watching Canoeing.

The world did not end so maybe just a calendar of 2013 in there.

I would bottle up an afternoon at home with Lola. She is funny, smart and adventurous and developing into her own personality. I love it.

 I would write the prayer, “come lord Jesus, come” which was constantly on my mind and tongue on December 14, 2102, when 20 children and 6 adults lost their lives at an elementary school shooting in New Town, Connecticut.

Other events that took place in 2012 include being approximately 50 feet away from Thom Yorke himself when we saw Radiohead live and to my honest shock and amazement, America voted President Barak Obama to a second term after defeating Mitt Romney in the 2012 Presidential election.

My box is getting heavy. Real heavy. And while I bury it in the virtual ground, I think about what I want to be in my time capsule this time next year. As most resolutions go, mine include health, personal and spiritual improvements.

I want to work out 4 times a week. I know this is probably not going to happen as life gets in the way, but out of the 52 weeks in a year, if I can work out 4 times a week for 25 weeks, I will consider that a success. 

I want to stop eating so horribly after I get off work in the mornings. If I must eat, have something like cereal, a granola bar or a piece of fruit. Once again, being a realist, I know this is not going to happen every week, so I am allowing myself one cheat day every 2 weeks.

No soda! Eek!

I want to read through the entire Bible in 2012.

As a family, I would like to save $50 a week, which is $200 a month, adding up to $2,400 in savings for 2013. This is completely doable for us. It may take some discipline and limiting the crap we buy but isn’t that kind of the point?

As with every year in review post, I take a look back at the resolutions I made and how I measured up to the expectations I previously set for myself. One of my resolutions from last year was to limit my crafting and spend more time with Lola. It may seem silly, but I think I was trying to keep up with the Jones’ and crafting because, “That’s what young moms do!” I definitely limited my crafting in 2012, except for around the holidays, which is exactly what I needed. 

I wanted to write more. I did enter a piece I wrote into a contest and wrote 11 blog entries this year but that’s about it.

I did not buy a Vespa and I am not happy about it. I still turn green every time I see one. I’m not sure if it’s the price tag, the ridicule I get from friends or the threat of death from my mother that is stopping me. Whatever the reason for not buying a Vespa in 2012, it was a lame one. I still want a Vespa and probably always will.

 I did participate in Lent and plan on doing this every year. It is such a great spiritual practice and I am lucky to go to a church that acknowledges and encourages participation in this important time during the church calendar.

I prayed for patience at my job and while I am still at Menorah, the winds of change are blowing and I need guidance more than ever on which direction to take. Many options are possibly presenting themselves this year along with new desires to work in areas of nursing I never thought I would be interested in (addiction specialist? children’s hospice care? Who am I?) I need the Lord to make available and clear the path he wants me to take and when to take it. I need courage to not be afraid and step out in faith. He has always worked out the details and I am confident he will again.

I wanted to participate in races throughout the Metro, and while I did a few, I did not reach my goal of 7. At the end of November, I decided to take a break from running, as it was becoming something I loathed and did out of obligation instead of an enjoyable form of exercise. I started taking a bodypump class, cycling, swimming and getting back into yoga which has been the exact change of pace I needed.

Resolutions may seem silly but I have to believe that any time someone has the ambition to improve themselves, whether it be financially, physically or spiritually, it’s a good thing. Ultimately in 2013, I want to find this weird balance between self-discipline and self-improvement without being too hard or critical on myself for being someone I am not. 2013 is going to be a great year. I can feel it. 

best of film. 2012.

(As was the case with my "best of music" list, I feel like it is worth noting that these are my favorite movies of 2012 that I have SEEN. If you strongly believe a film is missing from this list, it may be because I haven't seen it yet.)

#1 The Grey
I did not want to see The Grey. When I reluctantly made my way into the theatre, I thought, “Oh good, here’s another plane-crash-stuck-on-top-of-a-mountain-survivor-movie.” Boy, was I wrong. It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen “The Grey,” but it has stuck with me so profoundly, it feels like it was just yesterday. Essentially it is a survivor story, but done differently involving surviving a pack of hungry wolves. The deaths are vicious. I loved this movie but I never want to see it again. Hold on to your hats, boys and girls. This one is brutal. 

#2 Prometheus

Sci Fi at its finest. At one point a severed talking robot head is about to fly a spaceship and you don’t even think twice about it. While the actual story line has a few holes and loose ends, it doesn’t take away from this great movie of science, faith and trying to find the answers to humanities biggest questions. 

#3 Django Unchained

By now, we should know what to expect when Quentin Tarantino makes a period piece. He writes a story that didn’t and probably couldn’t have happened. But that’s what makes it so great. He somehow takes a dark time in human history and makes a movie about it bearable because you know at the end what should have happened, will happen. Leonardo Dicaprio is chilling as a blood thirsty, dirty rich slave owner. He can act his ass off and portray angry better than anyone else in the game. The violence is definitely there but for a Tarantino film, it could have been much worse. It is funny yet frightening. “Django Unchained” is a revenge history film like only Mr. Tarantino can make.

#4 Moonrise Kingdom

Wes Anderson’s take on pre pubescent love. Not his best film but “Moonrise Kingdom” still has everything that makes Mr. Anderson’s films so unique and better than most.  

#5 A Tall Man

Nevermind that Jessica Biel is the lead role; this movie will surprise you. (So will Jessica Biel for that matter.) Just take my word for it and watch it to the end. There is a twist you will never see coming. (And afterwards, jump into the ethical conversation this movie will force you to have.) 

#6 The Dark Knight Rises

I’ll give him one thing: Christopher Nolan knows how to make a villain. Bane, with his permanent metal mask, oversized cargo pants, that dreadful leather coat and just the sheer girth of Tom Hardy all aid in making a villain only Mr. Nolan could create. Sure I was cheering for Batman but I caught myself almost liking Bane. I found him so damn intriguing I enjoyed when he was on the screen. I was skeptical of Anne Hathaway as Cat Woman and while I wasn’t necessarily disappointed, I wasn’t blown away either. I was, however, impressed that they were able to make her look like Cat Woman without dressing her like she was going to an Alpha Delta Sigma’s Halloween party. The way her glasses looked like cat ears when placed on top of her head was subtle yet effective. “The Dark Knight Rises” is ultimately a serious comic book movie that carries a very real and heavy issue in its plot.  Cue Cat Woman to Bruce Wayne at an extravagant and wealthy party: “You think this can last? There's a storm coming, Mr. Wayne…when it hits, you're all going to wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.”  Intriguing, no? I found The Dark Knight Rises to be an appropriate ending to an outstanding trilogy. 

#7 The Hobbit

I just flat out disagreed with the negative press this movie received. I have sat through movies that felt way longer and way more boring than this. “The Hobbit” is fantastical, well paced and easy to follow. A great re-start for the “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and a new generation. 

#8 Argo

I was nervous wreck the last half of this film. “Argo” is a true story that produces excruciating tension and suspense (understandably) until the end. Let’s just agree to stay BEHIND the camera, Ben.

#9 The Imposter

What? This is real life? A true story documentary about a 23-year-old French citizen who pretends to be a kidnapped 13-year-old boy and returns home and fools the boys’ family. Or does he?

best of music. 2012.

(I feel like it is worth noting that these are my favorite albums of 2012 that I have HEARD. if you strongly believe an album is missing from this list, it may be because I haven't heard it yet. I don't get paid to listen to music and write these, ya know. but how awesome would that be?!)

#1 Lana Del Rey-Born to Die

"Now my life is sweet like cinnamon. Like a fucking dream I'm living in. Baby love me cause I'm playing on the radio. How do you like me now?"

My interest in Lana Del Rey was sparked after all the controversy surrounding her SNL performance (proving all press is good press). When I caught up with the rest of society the next day, I was surprised at what I heard and saw. After watching the clip, I thought to myself, “I kind of enjoyed that.”

I spent the next week looking up Lana Del Rey on youtube and watched the video for her single “Born to Die” more times than I can count. Lana Del Rey is intriguing and unusual. Her style is a blend of hip-hop and indie goddess with gold chains, thick red lips, flower headbands and long, gouty fingernails.

Throughout “Born to Die” Lana Del Rey sings what she knows -the woes of a rich girl living the high life in L.A. Her music and lyrics are shallow and materialistic. For example, “National Anthem” imparts on us the importance of money (“Money is the reason we exist…the anthem of success”) and encourages us to wear mascara, party dresses and buys expensive cars.

“Off to the Races” has a list of lyrics seeping with drugs, sex, money and what seems to be, well, incest. (“He loves me with every beat of his cocaine heart…Light of his life, fire of his loins. Tell me you want me…give me them coins.”)

But somehow it all works. “Born to Die” is whiny and dramatic. And I like it. Perhaps it’s the excess and theatrics throughout the album and in Lana Del Rey herself that attracts me. Whatever it is, I guess the rest of America and I just have a different definition of “awful.”

Listen to: Born to Die

#2 Torche-Harmonicraft

"Kicking!"

“Harmonicraft” grabs you by the throat with “Letting Go” and holds on tight through the rest of the album. Torche seems to have hit their stride with “Harmonicraft,” providing a fun and energetic rock album that can also be sober.

“Walk It Off” is a fast paced joy ride, “In Pieces” takes things more serious and “Solitary Traveler” strangely does provide a lonely and isolating feeling. It doesn’t take a musician (or a rocket scientist) to appreciate the drumming and guitar playing throughout this album; it’s grueling. (Name) can actually sing which sometimes seems like a lost art in heavy rock bands. 

“Harmonicraft” is full bodied and just an all around great rock album. It is just the right length at 38 minutes, careful not to fill time with needless guitar solos or repetitive jam sessions. “Harmonicraft” is packed-full from beginning to end and I’m totally exhausted by the last song.

Listen to: Reverse Inverted

#3 The Life and Times No One Loves You Like I Do

"Take the fucking weight off your shoulders." 

From the first note of “No one Loves You Like I Do,” you know this album is going to have that classic Life and Times sound. Even the mediocre songs on the album are better than other rock bands’ best work. Throughout “No One Loves You Like I Do,” the songs flow easily from one to the next. The Life and Times know how to make a big sounding album that is steady and dark, yet enjoyable and their current release is no exception. (Remember that while listening to “No One Loves You Like I Do,” only 3 people are making all that noise.) As the epic song at the end of the album, Day 12, says, “I just can’t get you out of my head.” 

Listen to: Day One

#4 Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do

“Don’t let me ruin me. I may need a chaperone.”

“The Idler Wheel” seems to be a direct reflection of Fiona Apple herself. She is quirky and complicated and has mastered being transparent with her audience. It’s evident that she writes as if she demands perfection from herself. Ms. Apple is a poet first and a musician for the lyricist. In “Left Alone” she eloquently puts the inward contradiction in all of us between wanting to be needed, and wanting to be left the hell alone. She is a brilliant writer who, through her music, takes us along on her journey. She has matured from the drugged out horny girl in “Criminal” (which by the way, is still one of my favorite videos of all time) to a serious artist with real and raw talent. I like Fiona Apple (ok, I am a bit obsessed with Fiona Apple) but I don’t except everyone to. She is a strange creature but like a fine wine, Fiona just seems to get better with age.

Listen to: Every Single Night

#5 Alt J-An Awesome Wave

“An Awesome Wave” sounds like if Mewithoutyou made a weird synth R&B album. This may cause some of you to instantly stop reading but give this album a chance. The single, “Fitzpleasure,” is ultra groovy and funky and the rest of the album follows suite. As someone who appreciates good lyrics, I have no idea what he is saying 95% of the time and I still dig “An Awesome Wave.” Alt J may sound kind of gimmicky and that’s because it is. but that’s ok. 

Listen to: Breezeblocks

2012 in tweets.

January

“You’re not voting for Ron Paul? You must LIKE paying taxes.”

February

“I love the show Top Gear. (UK version of course) and I don't even like cars!”

March

(No tweet due to fasting for lent)

April

“I once bought mascara simply because Zooey Deschanel did the commercial for it." #gotthelondonlook”

May

"Our hope is in Christ-not our circumstances-and in our circumstances Christ’s character does not change." #easiersaidthanbelieved #learning”

June

“Sand pits on playgrounds are the worst idea ever. It's like letting your child play in kitty litter.”

July

“We have grown so much as a society both nationally and internationally. Yet gymnasts still wear scrunchies. #why #toomanybarrettes”

August

“SHINER!”

September

“I love Sunday night football. Especially when the Steelers are playing.”

October

“Revisiting to Eisley's Room Noises today. What a great album and I swear I sound just like her when I sing along.”

November

“VOTE!”

December

“December, you remind me of spring. #wheresmysnow”