NEW HOODIE!

Nothing at OLD NAVY ever fits me.
But this sweet thick black hoodie for 14 bones does!

Done Ugly

What do i do at work besides helping kids prepare for their future at Andrews University? I cut up huge envelopes discarded after their contents are entered and draw on them! I also collect sweet stamps from around the world and will post a blog of all the sweet stamps i've collected during my stint at Andrews. FOR now i'll share a drawing that was done on a discarded envelope. I saw this in the trash and saw the word "syllabus" typed on it. The first thing that came to my head was a spine of a book, a very thick spine of a book with something really snooty with it. I later was told by Vanja that i don't have my math right with the numerals either. Oh well SMILES

I've been drawing these ugly teeth people for awhile now, my first one can be seen in my blog about drawing in a book. Hold on to your seats. The ugliness continues!

Step to this

I've heard kids get complacent of anything routine dealing with spiritual nurturing. Specifically thru devotions. I hear often of my age getting stuck in ruts and hear often of 'getting back in' to devotions. I grow tired of hearing it. Not for their sake that is, but of how often i do and from the condition it stems from. I've realized in my own steps that not having this devotional time with God removes me from earshot of Him saying 'i love you' everyday. And thus removing me from saying to Him 'i love you'.

"In the morning when i rise give me Jesus" is one of my favorite songs of all times and makes LOADS of sense. What a better way to start my day then knowing that I'm adored, that all the validation and value i need is met in hearing His song, His words in my heart at the start of the day. If i don't this world has enough material to get me shook, convinced the waves are larger & stronger than His voice of love for me, that same voice that tells the world and its weapons to hush with 2 words 'be still'.

I don't say any of this to punish with rebuke, but to say be strengthened, i too have been in that spot, but its not because the routine of devotions got boring, it was that i stopped doing them and then thought the routine to BE routine in after thought. What snaps me awake from the lull of doing nothing is when i hear someone say something from the word, or i hear the word in a song, or a verse is shared with me. My mental ears perk up, and i drink with desire. So i started the method of 'where did you last see Jesus?' that theory of when in doubt or confusion you fall back to the time you last heard Him with conviction. I've picked up Steps to Christ by Ellen White. I'm feeling the burn in these limbs again, soon it will be to my heart!

Karli Fairbanks has this song called 'The Same Book' that in her translation speaks to what i've just said. It has been a balm to this son. Same album as previous blog.

I end with this promise in the word to you who are shook:

James 4:8

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you"

Sound Struck

You may wake up stuck, be in traffic and be stuck, you might be in the middle of a paper stuck, a long conversation with long winded people stuck, may be dividing the wind on your cycle on a nice day stuck, it doesn't matter, once a song starts its clever hook, it repeats and repeats and repeats. I've heard the only remedy is to listen to the song. I did this just now.

For a week and a half i've been humming 'if anybody knew' by Karli Fairbanks and just moments ago thought of how it would sound doing a mash up of 'if anybody knew' with 'if anybody' by garage voice. I quickly discarded it, but no thought towards music should ever be dismissed until tried.

My words of advice: Get 'if anybody knew' stuck in your head, and encourage her to do it live more often. cough cough cough Kbanks thats for you. Track 5 on her record 'Bitter Blue'.

look it up kids and get struck!

Illa' strate that is!

Le Grand Cru will be setting up a blog along side our site when we launch to share insights, dreams, progress. So today i've been looking at MANY blogs from the streets scenes globally collecting elements from each that i like, in doing so i found this kid who does type work for URBN and really dug 2 of his pieces. Damien Correll is his name-o. here they is! I usually hate the twig/lumber fonts, but i dig this! It speaks to the inner flannel in me SMILES

AWW SNAP!

Seriously, after reviewing some dope sites for kicks on the high end i've discovered some high top sneaks that would rival Michel Jacksons sweet red leather jacket from Thriller, I'M SO SERIOUS RIGHT NOW. These are pristine royalty yo! yiggy yi yo!

This son doesn't have 400 bones to drop on them, but these must be the most impressive sneaks i've seen and check it, snaps are the new Velcro! FO SERIOUS! I need to hear a bruce aka DJ Tanner freestyle rights about now! Have you kids heard him spit out the lyrics?! shout him out for some he's in my pals as 'dynomite' view with delight!

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL WHOSE THE GREASIEST OF THEM ALL?

A week of being in bed with migraine/throat/no energy has given me the calypso breeze of cabin fever! I think i showered 2x and wore the same shirt till friday when i actually left the house. After a small red dot and 4 test tubes of my blood I pray all the tests for immune deficiencies to either pan out or not too, i guess both would be an answer to prayer. By friday with video chats with bru and ben my hair was naturally greasing up a hawk that required no hand assistance. Homies thanks for being swell friends though i haven't answered phones much or responded this past week, i've literally been drugged, in bed, miserable and for the first part of the week without much voice. Please pray as I await results as that may change my calenders.

The Mates Return!!!!!

"Think long think think long think think"! The Mates of State are releasing a new record in several days much to my surprise and joy! Their past record was on my tops of last year mad gold genius! Here's a video from their next record YUMMY SWEET GOODNESS and here's the track list for the upcoming record entitled 'Re-Arrange Us' of any band that makes endorphins release to dance steps in my feet its the Mates of State, MMMMMMmmmmm...buy this on Vinyl as well! Oh huhzah!

TRACK LIST FOR "Re-Arrange Us"
01 Get Better
02 Now
03 My Only Offer
04 The Re-Arranger
05 Jigsaw
06 Blue and Gold Print
07 Help Help
08 You Are Free
09 Great Dane
10 Lullaby Haze

Diesel Additions

I've been on the hunt for the very best hightop, so far just the Supra Skytop has been on the top of my list. Today Diesel surprised me with their basic low cut with med/high top extensions! This is crazy ill, i'm struck!

Speaking of Vinyl

Vinyl for some reason is a difficult word for me to spell. UGH, so while googling the Black Keys I found this company that makes jewelry out of vinyl! I've seen peeps make bowls/clocks/plates out of vintage vinyl, but this is a little bit cooler. Check it out

BUY THIS ON VINYL

When I think of these kids the first word that comes to my mind is 'Raw'.

I put it on and feel like i've just stepped into their practice space. Aaron said i can come over and listen to it on his record player, a treat I'm looking forward to partaking in! If you buy this album on Vinyl you get the CD inside the sleeve as well so you can have the electronic files! I love the water color mix with the real photos. Danger Mouse of the Gnarls Barkley duo produced it and you can deff. tell his influence on some of the tracks from haunting moody choral vocals to heavier down beats. I enjoy, so should you :D

Green ROARS!!!

Earth day is tomorrow! Go Green! Me and the GV boys will be playing a small set at Andrews University with some other musical acts in celebration of earth day as well as bringing awareness to better usages of our energies in being stewards of this temporary place. (this has also made me consider becoming vegetarian again after the scary statistic that our consumption of meat in the states does more damage to the Eco system than all of the traffic exhaust combined...YIKES)

In honor of this green day I'd like to share 3 green pedals that have had my attention for some time! (You will be mine, oh yes you will be mine....)

FIRST UP: Ibanez Tube Screamer:$100 avg :Emulates a tube amp when it starts glowing and crackling from being turned up, very rich and warm. MMMmm




SECOND UP: Boss Tremolo: $80-$100: I love the Booker T kids and this pedal makes me think of them every time as well as the CCR boys, tip of the hat to em'

THIRD UP: MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay:$150:Analog is yummers and add that to the sounds of delay it must be glorious!

SNEAKY STEVE

The obsession continues:

Wishlist

Theres a song by the band Pearl Jam called "wishlist" off the record Yield that moves me everytime. My favorite part in the song is when Eddie Vedder says:

"wish i was the messenger and all the news was good"

When my brother and I were younger we would look thru the Lego catalog and play 'i get this, i get that'. We were each allowed 1 thing per page. After we went thru other similar toy catalogs we would look at any other magazine depending on how long the drive was. Those things have changed a bit with age, instead of the Lego cargo tanker that could actually float I want an Ibanez tube screamer pedal. Instead of a Micro machine town set I fancy a Swatch.

In thinking about these things that were mental wish lists and growing up I see the items to be more for necessity as well instead of things to play with. I'll enjoy the pedal thats for sure but its also so functional and complimentary to what i do as well. There's not much that I just want (well besides shoes) thats just to play with, something strictly for nonsense. Playing has kinda escaped my mental capacity in a way. Peter Pan and Toys R Us are supremely disappointed I'm sure, but a little hope of fairy dust has caught my nose. You know those box things that have a hundred or so plastic or metal needles things that you can press your hand in and it makes the shape? Anything for that matter. My mum has one that I can't stop playing with. It's like rediscovering the joy of a slinky. It has reawaken the just play in me. I'm not sure what I'll add next with this new found, but it just might be not as functional :D

The Great Growth

Le Grand Cru will be tangibly official this Friday morning.

After months of careful planning and committed communication we will have our first products in our hands. We will have 3 shirt designs available before we have our official launch later this year. We are sending shirts to our national control group for their wear/advice/sharing and will be sending those out next Monday morning. This Friday afternoon we will be doing the photo shoot of our shirts with/without models at Andrews University by Shoot Take It (check 'fellow rocker' in my pals list ) These photos will be for our web presence and maybe marketing campaigns later this year. I'll share a couple snaps on this blog before it goes public! I'm so excited. This morning I did the final check of placement/ink color at the screen printers. Seeing the first shirt roll off the tread this morning was like seeing a newborn. I'm so stoked! It's completely fresh/diff. seeing your work on the computer screen transfer to shirt.

If anybody would like a shirt we'll be selling the extras we printed at our photo shoot, somewhere between 20-24 dollars. I'll post the 3 designs later!

YSL is Murder

This chap sells a shirt for 300 dollars and kicks for 410 dollars. Absurdity! For serious what is this shirt made out of? What are the kicks made out of? Are they sold for raising money to charities? Seriously. If i buy this shirt it best be digging a fresh water well in Myanmar. GRRR..no buddy YSL shirt club for Matt and i. Here's a snap of some sweet kicks though by YSL. I'd sport both colors. I need sponsorship.

Smellin' Good in the Neighborhood

Scent is more detailed to the female nose I've noticed.

My mum can smell things that are cooking and pick out what's in it and i'm just happy to smell the savory goodness. That's not to say that us gents don't take notice of lovely things that smell good, like fresh cut grass, a loverly lady, barbecues, spring time, permanent markers..kinda kidding. So this leads me to the genealogy of cologne wearing in my life.

5-10: My Grandpa would put the same grey suit on every Sabbath, take the Aramis out and dabble some out and after applying it on him would put what ever was left from his fingers on my neck and a little behind my ears.

10-13: My Mom buys me an Old Spice pack 1)Deodorant 2) Lotion 3) Cologne, reminded me a lot of my grandfathers smell.

13-21: My Papa lets me have the rest of his Calvin Klein and on my 13 birthday gives me a kinda of a gag/serious gift of Tommy Hilfiger cologne being that I share the name with the designer.

21-24: My Brother is wearing something pleasing to my nose and find out its Giorgio Armanis' Acqua Di Gio and fall hard for it! I think vanja got it for me for my birthday or something.

24-26: My brother finds out that I'm out of cologne during my trip home and says he'll buy me some more, its important to have and smell good. So as we are picking out the Armani we are told theres a new scent by him called Black Code "it has vanilla hint to it". After a couple of whiffs Ben gets some for me as well as for himself.

26-Current: I went into Sephora on Vanja's recommendation not knowing they had man scents for sale! hehehe.. I was going to go back to the Di Gio but then am told that if I liked the water fragrances that Yves Saint Laurent has a cologne that's been around for awhile but is still wonderful and hip. After a spray on the card, a sniff of coffee beans, i take it in. YUMMERS! I'm sold, its terrifico! Smell me tomorrow I'll be wearing it!

Looking back its kinda cool to see that all cologne wearing has been a gift to me. :D I feel another small coming of age now buying my first cologne. Thanks everyone for making me smell good since I was five. I now begin on my own! woot woot!!