Final Preparatory 2!!!! Canada Commences...

We leave for Canada in about an hour! It still doesn't really feel like its real. Russia has just become so much of who I am right now that to leave it all behind seems impossible. You can read my first post about leaving for Russia here where I mostly just talked about how crazy it sounded to go to Russia. Now it seems crazy to leave.  The last day here went really well, the weather warmed, souvenirs were purchased, and blini's were scarfed. It has been kinda sad saying goodbye to all our Russian friends, my roomate already left for work about 4 hours ago. Anyhow, time to say goodbye to internet here, I will never forget the good times we had YOTA. That being said, I can't wait to be home for Christmas and see all my friends again. See yeah soon Canada. "EH" (can't wait to use that in regular conversation)!!

Russia Update 4 - The End is Nigh!!

Last Thursday was the very last class of my semester in Russia. Since then it has been non-stop busy trying to it in all those last minute trips we've wanted to do all semester long but never did for song reason. If I had a real camera I would put up some photo's on this blog once in in a while to show you what I mean, but I only have a film camera and can't work scanners. Somehow, in the past three days, I visited a museum of city horrors, bought some pirated films, visited Vyborg near Finland border, chilled in a legit medieval castle, checked out Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Dyck at the Hermitage (and a giant ancient Roman statue of Jupiter), toured Yusipov Palace, had a Russian walk around Nevsky with all the Christmas and New Years decorations up, visited Church on the Spilt Blood, visited St. Isaacs Cathedral, and seen a modern take on Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. I have been busy to say the least. It has been a good busy though. In less then a week I will be in Canada, relaxing with my family enjoying the frosty Saskatchewan air (Saskatchewan is colder then Petersburg BTW) Though I cannot wait to be home for the holiday's, I am going to miss this city dearly.

St. Vincent's "Marrow": Imagination or Reality??

This song has been stuck in my head for at least a week. It's obviously a cry for help, but from what is the question. The video is really well done and adds to the mystery of the song when people from different scenes simply forget what they were doing and follow her. One article suggests that they are all dead people, or maybe she herself is dead. Maybe the whole thing is her imagination, and therefore a cry for help in such situation's is outside of reality. Its up for speculation, and the video rules.

The Christmas Planet

Getting into the Christmas spirit I looked at a couple studies done that try to show the date of Christ's birth. What's really interesting is trying to define what exactly is the Star of Bethlehem. There is a good chance that it wasn't just a star, but rather a conjunction of stars a planets. If we assume that Christ was born in 3 BC, this starts to make sense as there were nine of these types of conjunctions from 3 BC - 2BC. When trying to solidify Herod and Augustus' ruling dates, there are many difficulties. Let's assume that this helpful study, which looks at the works of Josephus, Tertullian, and others, is at least close. This means that the census Joseph and Mary had to get to took place at the end of August, and then Jesus was born a few weeks later probably at the start of September 3 BC. You may be asking, "Then what is all this December 25th snickerbappin' all abouts?!" Well, aside from pagan calendar connotations, its most likely the night when Jupiter shone particularly bright over Jerusalem in 2 BC and when the Magi arrived with their gifts. Of course, giving any actual dates is risky, its easier just to say it happened within this or that six month time frame. But at least we are close.

What's more is all the cool implication's this has for the historicity of Christ's life, that he would have started teaching in 29 AD and been crucified a couple years later. This Christmas I asseverate we include the coolness of Jupiter into our celebration, that way at least we could be more confused about the already ambiguous holiday!

Russia Update 3: A Moscow Tale

Alright, so the title is a little misleading as this is more of an account of real-life events than it is an actual tale. This past weekend I had the privilege to visit the largest city in Russia - also largest city by metropolitan area and arguably population in Europe - with my fellow international students. After living in Petersburg for three months now, the difference in the two cities was extremely obvious to me the moment I stepped out of the train station. For one, Petersburg has restrictions on how high buildings can be built in order to better preserve the original feeling and city aesthetic. In Moscow, this restriction does not exist, and the skyscrapers and massive Soviet architecture overlooks the whole city.

We spent the night on a train from Petersburg to Moscow that ended up taking about 9 hours, luckily I slept soundly for most of it to awake in a new city. As we walked out of the train station to meet our driver, we were surrounded by stations going to all the major Russian cities (Kazan, Volgorad, etc.) After dropping our stuff off at the hostel - which was so delightfully called the Chocolate Hostel, where we received real hot chocolate for breakfast - we headed for the Red Square! It was a lot less red then I had imagined, and there was a bit of construction for some event happening at the time, nevertheless, the sight was one of elegance. As you walk through the main gate with the Kremlin wall, an old Russian styled building, and St. Basil's in the distance, your jaw is bound to drop if even in the slightest. The square is so visually pleasing, as if you were standing in a garden of brick and concrete, all four directions have something beautiful and unique to offer the foreign onlooker. St. Basils Cathedral, Kremlin Wall and Clocktower, Lenin's Mausoleum (as well as the graves of many 20th century Russian hero's), numerous old buildings that have since been turned into museums and the like, a second Cathedral, and the largest shopping center in Russia (which looks amazing at night when it's all lit up). There is so much to see even on the outskirts of this square that I will not go into detail in the hopes of someday posting my pictures.

That afternoon, we ventured to the Kremlin where Russia's main government presides. There are three Cathedrals located within the Kremlin walls where many historical icons and Tsarist tombs are located. Having visited these churches, the mausoleum, and the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Petersburg, I completed by quest in visiting all of Russia's leaders since the 10th century, save Yeltsin, who was off by himself somewhere and kinda out of the way.

We also visited Tretyakov Gallery which is home to some of the most famous Russian art in the world, such as the great 'Black Square' by Malevich. The only regret I have of my visit to Moscow is spending only 2 days there, when I very easily could have filled up 4 or 5 days enjoying the historical sights that overwhelms one who tries to do it in a mere two days. I suppose I could have gone into a lot more detail on what exactly I did from hour to hour, but I have to save something for real-life conversation.

(I was surprised at how literally it was a square which is black, like seriously black and seriously square, who'da'thunkit.)

(Edit: head over to Kevin's blog where he just put up some pictures that show some of what I tried to describe)

Caught in Another Lie

If I had a nickel for every time Fox News has deliberately said something not true, I could probably pay for school. It seems like people are becoming more aware to how untrustworthy certain American News programs can be. This is not the first time. Jon Stewart is great for doing this bit on his show.

Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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Interview with SPCU

When a few of us students were asked to do an interview about why we had decided to come school in Russia, I gladly accepted the invitation. The interview has been up on their site for some time now and is in Russian, so I just had to trust our interviewer on the accuracy of the translation. Now that an English translation has been made available, the words 'lost in translation' come to mind at how 6th grade English we all sound. Including my name which is easily mistaken for 'Brandon' almost daily because my name is to hard to say in Russian and most people have never heard it before. Enjoy the interview in English and see if you can notice any differences, such as length. haha.

Sufjan Stevens on Original Sin

Lyrics to John Wayne Gacy, Jr. :
His father was a drinker
And his mother cried in bed
Folding John Wayne's T-shirts
When the swingset hit his head
The neighbors they adored him
For his humor and his conversation
Look underneath the house there
Find the few living things
Rotting fast in their sleep of the dead
Twenty-seven people, even more
They were boys with their cars, summer jobs
Oh my God

Are you one of them?

He dressed up like a clown for them
With his face paint white and red
And on his best behavior
In a dark room on the bed he kissed them all
He'd kill ten thousand people
With a sleight of his hand
Running far, running fast to the dead
He took off all their clothes for them
He put a cloth on their lips
Quiet hands, quiet kiss
On the mouth

And in my best behavior
I am really just like him
Look beneath the floorboards
For the secrets I have hid

A Masterpiece ex machina

I am not sure if that title makes sense to anyone, but what I am referring to is the massive amount of priceless art that we(exchange students) have been recently observing for art class. To name a few notable artists, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, Rembrandt, Monet, Raphael, Van Gough, and of course a ton more I can't think of at this late an hour. That being said, DO head over to Kevin's much more thorough post about the different paintings we've been considering. You won't regret it, pictures and everything!

Rembrandt - Abraham & Isaac (1634)

(click Isaac to embiggen photo)

Brood of Ukelele Playin Country Folk

This was one of my favorite songs in the summer time.



Elliot Brood is an amazing three-piece folk indie rock country band from Toronto, and they are so good.

The Simpsons On Evolution/Creationism Debate

Watch for the parody of the Scopes Monkey trial near the end, Homer makes a genius contribution to proving man's ancestry.

simpsons creationism vs evolution
Загружено PigLips. -

Russian Thanksgiving is Real

A certain challenge had come my way to try and describe to the blogosphere what a Russian Thanksgiving is like. Fortunate person I am, I actually have participated in the very traditional celebration here and will now share my experience with my devoted readers. It all started back in the early 17th century, different from the first Canadian and American Thanksgiving feast in celebration of Jesus visiting the Americas. The First Romanov Tsar had recently come to power and the first thing he did was make a law to keep all pilgrims out of Russia. At this the people were very pleased because they didn't have to worry about losing their land. So in honor of that noble act. they had a feast. A totally traditional meal that lasted a week long. It consisted mostly of beer, but on the Sabbath all the Russians would prepare a special dinner which is still enjoyed to this very day. It consisted of spaghetti, store-bought ground beef, thai salad, and a little Soviet Cola for the kids. Not to mention the old-style deserts they prepared for days, their now world famous cream puffs. To this day, they mostly just drink beer, but to the occasional foreigners wishing to observe their special day, they will gladly comply. Nothing beats Thanksgiving in Russia, after the meal they sang and dance to their hearts content, knowing their land was safe from the pilgrims.

We Are in Deep Space!

This is too cool!

click the picture to follow the link to National Geographic where you can zoom in and pan the image to follow the hundreds of missions humans have been apart of in our galaxy. Basically, each line represents a mission, and areas, such as the moon, where there are full circles show how many missions have been done in that area. In case you didn't click the link, we have been in space for 50 years now folks! Also, notice how Voyager 1 is about 10 billion miles away BTW!!!

Russian Ballet

St.Petersburg is no stranger to the theatre. Ballets, operas, and plays are taking place every night in numerous locations. Recently I have attended a few ballets, and though I am new to the art, I very much enjoyed the dedication of the artists of, what I will call the two sides. By this I mean there is the one side, the orchestra and conductor, and the second side, the dancers, choreographers, tech crews, etc. Both have an immense amount of work put into any one show, not to mention a lifetime of practice and experience to make to the "big times". The orchestra is seemingly flawless in transitions between pieces, even when they are of different composers, and the dancers are always on their toes, quite literally, when a moment of improvisation is necessary. All of this hard work, from either side, comes together for one spectacular show of beauty and the arts. That being said, here is a few of my favorite scenes from some of the shows I've seen in the past week:

Swan Lake - Tchaikovsky


Firebird - Stravinsky


Sheherezade - Rimsky Korsakov


not that these videos do the real thing any justice, but hopefully you can get a sense of the unity between both sides.

Finally! An Advertisement That Gets ME...

I agree, that Jesus fellow has been nothing but trouble, teaching all our youngin's about no-good downright wrong ideas about hair-length and wearing jeans, quit poisoning our youth Jesus!

Baroque Art: Beauty or Beast?

Recently I took a trip to Peterhof for art class to examine the different influences of 17th century architects. Peterhof is dominated by to art-forms, those being classical and Baroque, and moreso by the latter. After our excursion we were asked to write a short essay about what was Baroque and how it had influenced the design of the fantastic palace. I won't include the full essay, but here is an excerpt that seeks to define "Baroque" in and of itself (slightly edited of course):

There has been much debate over what ‘Baroque’ as a form of art and architecture, as well as a cultural movement in thought, really means. In fact, it is uncertain what the term might literally mean, but one common interpretation is “the pearl of irregular form”. Usually when someone had called something Baroque, they meant that there was something mysterious or irregular about it. The term first appeared in Italy and was commonly associated with things that looked ugly. One critic went even further saying it was the embodiment of all that was “decadent, ugly, and blemished.” Baroque style, in its very nature, opposes itself to everything classical. Indeed, it is downright offensive to the classical style. It was seen quite negatively in comparison, and again, that it is the effect of decadence in art. It was meant to be contradictory and strange all in an attempt to astonish, even shock, its audience. Baroque’s main objective was to leave a strong impression on all who chanced to gaze upon it.

A major shift in worldview had been in process in Europe and influenced much of was to become Baroque. The discoveries of Copernicus and Galileo in science were being recognized by nearly all artists and intellectuals. Isaac Newton’s work in physics and in finding out the laws of nature had so impressed on this epoch that people were left feeling directionless and without anyone to rely on as they once did the Church. The Christian world was no longer whole since reformation. With this in mind, Baroque had aimed its attack against reformation in the catholic world, much like that of the Jesuits. What Baroque wanted was for people to accept a work as a whole and not to be focused on the different directions or details of the work. This is what had distinguished Baroque as its own new and unique style.

Everything gets presented as so grand and complicated that it is hard to take in all at once. The techniques used are all done specifically to evoke a feeling of absurdity to the viewer, as if one had just entered a new reality.

And I thought Russian was hard...

I had just finished my Russian Language homework for the night when I happened to read THIS. Karyn Traphagen teaches Hebrew Language every year, and every year she has students with the same feelings about how hard it is only a month in. I can completely relate to this! and I am even willing to bet money that Russian is harder then Hebrew, any takers?? Anyhow, enjoy musing at the "oddities of English" as James Mcgrath refers to it. I feel sorry for all the students here trying to learn English now, hah!

Church History in 4 Minutes!!!

Thanks a lot Alan Guenther, I could have just watched this instead taking that long-winded two-part history course. *note to all freshmen - memorize this song and ace the exam!

Did Jesus Know He Was God?: Game Theory Approach

James McGrath asked the question of Did Jesus Claim to be God? in a recent post that was quickly followed up by many comments and a helpful response from Doug Chaplin.  The question 'Did Jesus Claim to be God?' might better be phrased as 'Did Jesus Claim Divinity?', or even further 'What did Jesus claim about Himself?'. These are all good questions and the response could obviously be turned into a full 500 page book. I could have tried to engage the debate and completely immerse myself in it, but I thought it might be more interesting, and more fun, to try out some applied mathematics in the world of theological questions. First, I had to make sure I was asking the right question.

I think that a significant yet simple way to phrase the question is 'Did Jesus Know He Was God?', forget what he did or did not claim for just a minute in order to allow this experiment to work, and evoke a way of thinking about what Jesus probably knew about his own divinity.

Game theory can be used this way. It is most often used in economics but it also has been found to work in politics, biology, philosophy, sociology, etc. If it can be used in all these areas of thinking, then why not theology, if only for arguments sake. Essentially, game theory is a formulaic way of finding out what is the most advantageous scenario when players are given a number of choices. Its most basic form, the strategic form, is what I used in the to answer the question 'Did Jesus Know He Was God?'.

I will save you the eyesore of viewing my original MSPaint drawing that looks like a freehand nightmare a pre-schooler might have done and share this more legible chart I developed. (which also resmebles that of an artistically inclined pre-schooler)

If your staring in confusion, please don't give up now, it is really very simple and all based on logic, allow me to explain. The 'game' is to find out which scenario (KNOW indicated by K and DON'T KNOW indicated by DK) will be most advantageous to the players (Jesus v. God). Each player is has only two options, in this case either they know Jesus is God or they don't know Jesus is God.

God, being omniscient, must know that Jesus is divine, represented by the green 3 in the bottom left hand corner. (Number 3 represents the most advantageous scenario to that player, and 0 the lowest). If God does not know it is least advantageous, therefore 0 in the top right corner. Now, the strongest scenario for Jesus (in his humanity) is to know he is God, in the top left corner, where both Jesus and God know Jesus is God. God gets a 2 because it is the second best option in God's favor. It is least advantageous to Jesus if God knows and he doesn't so Jesus gets a 0 in the bottom right.

Leaving only the bottom right corner, where both Jesus and God don't know that Jesus is God, to be the third most advantageous option for both players. However, say that the players make this move in an attempt to be harmonious towards one another, they are then in a sense equal in their knowledge of Jesus' divinity. Here is where it gets interesting.

By way of Nash Equilibrium, the players can decide to change their position after the fact of moving into the harmonious 1, 1. Say Jesus decided that he now actually knows he is God, but God does not know, Jesus receives a 2 and God 0. Jesus wins and game over, however, this is illogical in the situation at hand and therefore is an impossibility. Say that God changes his mind that he now knows Jesus to be God, and Jesus remains not knowing, God receives a 2 and Jesus receives a 3.

Solution: The best possible scenario for each player, by way of Nash Equilibrium, is for God to know Jesus is God and for Jesus to not know. Both players end in the box where they each have no incentive to change; and because God is a good God I am sure you can see why he would want the best for both of them. Of course it can get much more technical, and maybe when I have more time I will try a more elaborate method.

Russia Update 2; A Week with Pushkin

Amidst the ever-living excitement of living in another country, I spent a significant amount of time with the Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin. His writing is the embodyiment and essence of Russian Literature and is most well known for his verse-novel 'Евгений Онегин'. For Literature class on Tuesday we took a field trip to the well known "Bronze Horseman" monument near the Neva River and St. Issac's Cathedral, where we read and discussed Pushkin's widely read poem 'The Bronze Horseman". It's my understanding that if you go to school in Russia, then you would have had to memorize about 50 lines of the poem, of course these are some of the more patriotic lines and not necessarily the aim of Pushkin's overall critique. Anyone interested in the least of how Russian's lived in the 19th century, should start with these works, one scholar even referenced 'Evgeny Onegin' as an "encyclopedia of Russian life". Reading 'The Bronze Horseman' infront of the Bronze Horseman was an incredible expeirence and helped immensly with fitting all the small details together and bringing it to life for us.

My good friend and fellow blogee decided to take things to the next level when it came to 'Evgeny Onegin', we decided to attend the opera of the same name as composed by Tchaikovsky. It was my very first opera, and I left the Mikhailovsky Theatre more then satisfied, thirsting for my next chance to go to another show. The whole night was filled with eloquence and failing to acheive looking classy enough to belong there. It's too bad I don't have pictures of the sophisticated architeture and me in a plain black t-shirt to really put this into perspectie for you, but use your imagination, think, the two foreign kids who look like they are pretending like they know what to do. I also watched the movie 'Onegin' that came out, in English mind you, in 1999 starring Liv Tyler as Tatiana. The director had a strange twist to it, but it was really well done and set up the dark side of Pushkin in a strange and enjoyable way, although this is only one of the sides to be taken. Here is a painting by 19th c. Russian painter Ilya Repin depicting the famous duel scene between Onegin and his friend Lensky:

Phoenix - 'Lisztomania'

One of the most interesting bands to explode onto the music scene this summer, Phoenix continues to impress me the more and more I listen to their album 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix'. Lyrically they are influenced by the 19th century classics and it is nice to hear that someone making music has an appreciation for the History of Western Music, and can put this all to an upbeat-dance tune. 'Lisztomania' is referencing the German musician and composer Franz Liszt who worked alongside Richard Wagner at Bayreuth, where the music video is filmed. Apparently when Liszt would perform, all the German ladies would pack the theatres completely out until there was standing room only, and they would scream and shout his name, much like he was a Beatle or Elvis, which is why Liszt is called the first classical "pop" star, hence 'Lisztomania. In my little research I did on this I found that a movie was made about his life in the '70s, so if anyone has seen it, please let me know!

Download The Tremulance Remix of this song which, in my opinion, is even catchier than the original.

If you know me, then you know I am fond of Nietzsche, and if you know Nietzsche or Wagner, then you know the significance of Bayreuth, that so inspired me on this post. Here is a quote from a young Nietzsche who still admired what Wagner was doing at the time, but is still very applicable for us today who love theatre and the arts.

"It is quite impossible to produce the highest and purest effect of which the art of the theatre is capable without at the same time effecting innovations everywhere, in morality and politics, in education and society.”
- Friedrich Nietzsche. "Richard Wagner in Bayreuth (1876)," in Untimely Meditations, trans. R. J. Hollingdale (Cambridge: CUP, 1997), 210.

Russian Orthodox Reflections

Attending a Russian Orthodox Church service is a particularly unique experience for an observably Westernized Evangelical such as myself. The church I attended was ‘Prince Vladimir Cathedral’, erected in 1789, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Sunday morning service begins at 8 am, but I am thinking that some early morning singing was taking place much before that judging from the amount of people who were already there when I arrived. The first thing that any Westerner will notice, even before the elaborate setting, the icons, or the priests, is that there is nowhere to sit down. Rather, you stand for the entirety of the service. This is no easy task; their services can reach up to three hours if you are an ardent follower of the Orthodox Church. Of course, the church is almost always open and you can go to pray before icons at any time. What a Westernized Evangelical individual might also quickly notice is the amount of singing, praying, distribution of the elements, lighting candles before icons, liturgical readings, etc. is all taking place in different areas of the church at the same time.

I really enjoyed this part about the service. Though I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying, I could appreciate the liveliness of the fervent Orthodox worshippers anxious to get their prayers heard and candles lit. I wasn’t alone in not always understanding what was being said, in fact when it comes to the sermons and liturgical readings given by the priests, no one knows. Sermons and readings are all done in the old Slavic language that is no longer used except for in Orthodox services. But even with not understanding, one must admit that there is a certain beauty about all the songs and service structure that to change it now would be a great loss. I cannot express in words how beautiful the voices that filled the cathedral were. At one point, after the service, I sat at the back and simply enjoyed the sounds and smells that advanced my senses from all corners. Incense had been dispensed, candles were continually being lit, and the picture this paints in sync with voices of worship, priests going about rituals, and old ladies crossing themselves a hundred times over, is one of simple beauty.

I cannot say for certain at this point whether or not I would be up for standing another 2 or 3 hours at the early hour of 8 am, but I can certainly say that I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Orthodox Church. Matters of theology and ecclesiology are a discussion for another time. If they found out a heretic like me was at their church they might try to burn me at the stake the next time I try to get a peek inside!

Culture Shock: Hardcore/Punk Rock is 'Extremist'

Last Monday, a band from Texas called 'Die Young' was supposed to be playing a show here in St. Petersburg. Amazing dedication for a band like that to make the incredibly diffeicult trip into Russia to play a small club show for about 30 or 40 kids. But instead of getting to play their approx. 30-40 min. set, 50 police and 10 high ranking officers showed up before the show could start and shut the whole show down. Upon hearing this I was shocked. I knew who this band was, had met the guys a couple times, seen them play at a local youth center, and played with them when I was in high school. These guys, though controversial, have a positive message of tolerance, social justice, the power of freedom in speech, and thoughfulness towards all political and social matters. Four boys from Texas who love music, and even more their fans, had been classified as to 'extremist' by the law enforcement here to play to even a small crowd. Please read the article here from 'The St. Petersburg Times'. As someone who is somewhat involved with the music scene back home, I cannot even imagine this sort of reaction taking place. If this ever did happen in Canada, it would be a sure sign of times changing, but here it is put up with on a regular basis and one must commend those kids who stay dedicated enough to put on shows for touring bands even at the risk of being raided by 60 cops.

It's Mickey Marvel!

On August 31st I read the worldview shattering news that Marvel had sold to Disney. Needless to say, it has been a very trying and heavy week since. I can't help myself from forseeing what terrible destruction this will inevitably bring into the Marvel universe, and more importantly the whole medium of 'comic book' in general. The argueably biggest name in comic-books, of which I have been a somewhat regular follower of the past three years, is now owned by the same name that brings us 'The Lion King'. Don't get me wrong, it's a great movie, but the message and story-telling tactis are miles away from that of beloved Marvel characters like 'Deadpool' and 'The Punisher'. It seems to me that these characters will either have had comple make-overs, been pushed to a corner for short side stories, or forgotten all-together. Marvel's unique way to tell story while conveying important messages about politics, psychology, and life will become lost arts. All due to the large $4bn that Marvel sold for (a company of 300 employee's mind you). I predict to see 'Marvel vs. Disney' coming out on the Wii within two years time and a new saturday morning cartoon where 'Goof troop' is always hanging with the 'X-men' trying to look cool.

Russia Update 1

I finally have a Yota that works! (a device you plug into the usb port of your computer to gain internet access here) Believe me, this is no easy feat in Russia, but well worth the ability to skype and blog again. Especially when it is down right impossible for me to phone anywhere in Saskatchewan, I have tried a few phone cards and it just isn't happening. It must be that Russians don't communicate as often as I thought with farmers from the Saskatchewan prairie. School here started a week ago, and the classes are already intense. (at the moment I should be preparing my presentation on 18th century literary genres in Russia) Everyday I am overwhelmed with the information force fed to my prairie boy mentality, living in a city this size is incredible on every level. I can't even shop for groceries without having to read and speak in a different language about things I simply would not think about buying groceries at home. One thing that is particularly good about living here is that food comes cheap if you know what your doing. I got all my groceries today (milk, sausages, bananas, ketchup, and a snickers) for just 190 rubels!! (equal to 6 Cdn dollars)

Since being here I have seen tons of Soviet and Russian architecture, been to the Hermitage, Kazansky Cathedral, two Church services with English translators, visited a WWII memorial museum, walked through fake Disneyland, and made friends from all over the world. And this is all been in the last week and a half! Each day my studies are taking me deeper into Russian culture and understanding the development of modern Russian life, this rare opportunity is truly a blessing and I will do my best to make the most of these four months.

St. Petersberg is the most beautiful city I have ever visited. If your not walking around the city or through one of the many parks (all bigger then Wascana), then you are on the Metro. It is a strange way to travel, and you have to get used to certain customs while aboard (such as allowing the elderly and children to always take your seat without being asked). Even simple things like talking in public, one must be mindful of others because it is quite rude if people can hear you coming, you must talk directly to the person and keep it down as much as possible.

The International group (that is the 7 of us from North America) got invited to dinner at Dr. Negrov's, school president, flat on the weekend. If I was to choose I would say this night is the highlight thusfar. Aside from the food and desert and coffee (which is rare here, everyone drinks tea) we had a great night of conversation, games, a walk through the park to visit three Orthodox churches all built within 100 ft. of each other, played some football (that is soccer), and had a tour of the city center at night. The thing to do if you are in St. Petersberg is to go down to Nevskiy Prospect at midnight to watch the bridge go up. There are lights and people everywhere and it is something that everyone, tourists and locals, like to take part in. I hope to go a few more times because the expeirence cannot be captured by words.

I leave you with a picture of The Narva Triumphal Arch which was built to commemorate Russia's victory over Napoleon in 1812 (I live just down the street from it, literally 2 min. walk from my dorm room):

Final Preparatory! Russia Comences in 8 hours!!

In approx. 8 hours I will be on the plane headed for the land of opportunity (that's Russia if you didn't catch it). I will be meeting up with my traveling group and fellow students and friends throughout the day in Winnipeg and Toronto as we head toward our future scholastic institution. I am still not packed, rather I blog and do last-minute laundry when I have to leave so soon. The excitement has been growing these past couple days and my fellow adventurers Adam Berg and Justin Wolf have started blogs to update us on their experiences on the Russia Exchange. I suggest you begin following these blogs because this trip is going to change to face of Briercrest hereforth. Many thanks to Briercrest College for all the hard work into making the exchange possible, and even moreso for letting a motley crew like US go.

Philosophers of the Future

In the hands of new philosophers - Knowledge has become the master of European virtue, and the greatest person has let their "knowing" become "creating". How long must we wait before this cruel judge will look down and say, "O herd of decadent beings! of what use is your morality if it does not go beyond good and evil?"

Russia in 3 days!!

For anyone who has not heard, I am off to Russia in 3 days!! The anxiety is literally taking over my life, I get way too nervous anytime I look at my suitcase and try to spend as much time away from my home as possible. It's way to scary to try and pack for four months, let alone for a country you've never been to. Perhaps I am just a really bad traveler because traditionally I wait until the night or morning of my departure and throw a couple tee's in my backpack. What could a student possibly need in Russia other than a couple sweaters right? My good friend and fellow exchange student Kevin Schur has started a blog completely dedicated to the Briecrest Russia exchange students where friends and family will receive regular updates of what's going on. I too will be writing of my experience, but something tells me that Kevin's unique humor and extreme love for metal and beards will add a twist that no reader can afford to miss. That is unless you don't like metal or beards, then I would suggest that you have no place on this blog either.

Gospel of Peter, Conspiracy Theorists, and Summer Tunes

If there is any connection between these three things it was a complete accident, or was it?...

Check out this amazing collection of pseudo-gospels and other early Christian writings that have been made available online. Most recently added were some scans from 'The Gospel of Peter' manuscripts, really great stuff!

...And to go along with your blog reading, make sure you head over to Jamison D.'s (of Tremulance and Captain fame) blog to download the new 'Two Bicycles' album, it's folky-meadow sound will make it the perfect soundtrack to your summer.

This was just too funny not to post...


























sometimes these theorists are just asking for it, Cracked does a great (hilarious) job of debunking some of the theories.

'We Intuitive Men' - A Poem For Wanderers

I started writing this poem during treeplanting as a reflection of some of the things that had captured my mind for endless hours on the block. I worked on it off and on but never really finished it while I was out there. It had the potential to be much longer, as I thought about this more than actually writing it, it became a full-on epic in my head with tons of characters and interactions that I have since forgotten. This however, shall suffice. It does play with a few key topics that I had thought a ton about this summer, so without further ado I give you 'We Intuitive Men':

‘We Intuitive Men’

I
A dead eternal stare veils the heart,
his eyes were as dark as the
Sun was light.
With each capricious step he wanders,
Further still, until all
Sensation can no longer be sensed.
Questions invade him, answers withheld,
The road takes charge his
Rampant mind.
Neither sand nor snow will relent
His desire.
Frequent pondering overtakes
His Soul.
And by whose will is this
Overtaking permitted,
Let us make logic for dislikes,
Auto da fe, our tired excuse.

II
Since all questions must
Be born of answers,
All things are knowable.
Even a wanderer knows this.
It is deemed best by Nature to never
Speak with a wanderer.
Lie still in empty culmination,
And Reason will forfeit its gain,
Dialogue amongst fellows will
Denounce silence as heresy;
One’s shadow meets certain
Condemnation.
Shall we arrive in one town
Together once and for all,
Or shall we arrive in the same town
Eternally, to meet with the local
Shopkeeper on Tuesdays.

III
“Ah, Sir, I see you have found your way into
My humble shop” said the old grocer,
“I trust all your traveling needs to be met here
Sir, but do keep in mind that I myself
Am a sick man, often forgetting what
It is I do here, especially on Tuesdays.”
The old grocer, with one honest hand raised in the air,
Says, “That is of course unless your concerning
Matters of the heart, why I would suggest you
See the Good Physician while he is still in town,
He was able to help me when I was very sick,
Sicker then now, why I was filled with
Spite in those days.”
As the old grocer brought a hand flat against his chest
In a frantic motion, as if to check that everything was still there,
The urgency faded as his gentle voice spoke, “This heart I have now,
I cannot say for certain whom it belongs.
Seek out the Good Physician Sir, and
Return to tell me whether the heart
Can be claimed by oneself,
Or by another?”

IV
“Your just in time! Come in! Come in!
I’ve just discovered three satellites orbiting our Jupiter,
Why you could not have arrived at a more
Convenient time. That is,
If you believe time can ever really be
Convenient at all. I had heard you were
Looking for someone, am I right? A Physician perhaps?
Don’t worry yourself, the old grocer rambles
About a drunken stupor, while we plan for the festival each Wednesday night,
Telling us of Tuesday occurrences, that you were looking
For a Physician. Well, I am afraid that man left
Years ago, surprised the old grocer remembers him,
(You mustn’t trust the memory of old grocers)
he couldn’t stand living in a place like ‘Otherworldly’,
That’s us you know, our town name, been that way
Since I was assigned this place to do research in.”
A dread-filled gaze came over the Astronomer like a sickness
As he lifted his eye off the scope. “How wondrous
Are the spheres of the heavens? To think that my
Profession should lead me to find such incalculable beauty,
And for precisely this shall I be silenced. To think that I
Deserve to know why beauty exists at all, whether in the
Graceful movements of the moons or the eddying streams of water.
To think of myself among the infinite night, and charge that my Self
Is something made of that same beauty.
You best be on your way, I can be of no further assistance,
You must leave at once!”

V
“Is it truth you seek young man?” a soft voice in the air seduces
The attention of all who are near. “Do you want to become strong?
Then come, sit at my feet, and drink my words,
Let not my youth discourage you from receiving that which
Even Kings desire, knowledge greater than God.”
The words dripped from the tongue of the veiled oracle
As a sacred pneuma surged about her. “Give me your hand Sir,
And do not delay, for Pythia gives to take away.
I see that your hand has no line, as it is
Your Self keeps no name. Continue on this path
And see what it is you already know to be true.”
With this, the veiled oracle faded
Into the night without ever moving
Or looking away.

VI
“Being poor or sick is a blessing Sir, because they
Have me to look after them, this is my curse.
But enough about me already, this is the life chosen for me
By God, and I must fulfill His Will
For my life” said the tatty monk.
“Every notion of God has been an assertion
Not of my choosing. One might call it an
Invasion of the Soul.
It reaches into the depths of my Self and returns with
An uncanny master, who becomes Will.
And I had never looked inwardly before entering the monastery
For fear that my mind might not even be my own.
But, I do perceive thought, this much I am sure,
And everything beautiful lies in the heart.”
The tatty monk turned away, kneeled indigently,
And began to murmur, “…maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
Make straight the path that is before me.”

VII
The time is come.
The festival has commenced without recantation.
Overwhelmed with intention, the wanderer walks
toward the banner overhanging the crowds.
Children run through the crowds like wild fire, anxious to see the penitent victim.
Inscribed across the banner are the words,
‘Faith, Truth, and Reason; For All and For None’
“Welcome to the Festival Good Sir” said the old grocer,
“What a delightful year to attend, for this year we hang a Physician!”

Justice, Stressful Art

This music video by electronic duo 'Justice' from France has been the cause of much controversy on the web being accused of such things as "underhanded racism" to an excuse to show "pointless violence". I suppose it is because the did too good a job in filming something so powerful to a vocal-less song. If it didn't feel as real as it does, too real indeed, it would not have received the thousands of articles and critiques that it has all over the web. Thus it is worth your time to watch this great piece of art:

Justice - Stress

Freedom Writers

Amazing film! Seriously, go watch this. The true story of a freshman class in Long Beach, CA struggling to understand how education should be a priority even in the midst of gang violence and racial discrimination. Also, a very important critique of today's education system and the intolerance of teacher's to rise to the challenge of their title, and see teaching as more than a mere job.

Nietzschean Aphorism - Encouragement for Aspiring Philosophers

For any happen-chance readers who find their way over here before I have had the chance to publish any new material, (believe me its coming) here is an aphorism I wrote for my specialized study on Nietzsche course:

The zeitgeist remedy – I prescribe that those philosophers of the future begin each day with a healthy dose of Dionysian pessimism. Not just in their philosophizing, but in ‘Life’ itself. Western Europe has, for the most part, neglected that soteriology is simply a ‘matter of the heart’. That heaven is best found on earth and that ‘Life’ is its own justification. Thus if it is a mere psychological state of paralysis that Europe is after, I say let them have their decadent music-dramas, their slave virtues, their optimism, their Christianity! This is their pharmakon, the hemlock which they so willfully drink before asking of its contents. But for the philosophers of the future, I am most adamant and severe when I prescribe to you this remedy of pessimism. Enjoy it! For this may be the only cure for decadence; the only true cheerfulness that one can experience in life. Socrates found it best to knowingly drink his poison, and for this he has become known as the ugliest, nastiest Greek that had ever been produced. For his devaluation of ‘Life’ itself is of the highest offense. Europeans today are simply unaware of the pharamkon they drink. They sheepishly think that because someone two-thousand years ago once called it ‘living water’ that its nutritional value has been preserved. To you ‘Free Spirits’ to come, be faithful to all that ‘life’ offers; and do not be bedridden by what ails you, rather, make precisely this your cure.

To One and All!

Welcome to my blog! After being introduced to the wonderful world of blogging a month and a half ago (thanks to a certain Big Red post by veteran blogger John Ottens), I have decided to get with the times and join in on all the thought-provoking dialogue out there. My intention is to contemplate matters of theology, philosophy, culture, music, and history while actively engaging the blogs of friends, family, academics, etc.

Here is two great quotes to kick-off this blog with from Nietzsche (inspiration for blog title):

Dying for the "truth." - We should not let ourselves be burnt by our opinions: we are not that sure of them. But perhaps for this: that we may have and change our opinions.

To become a thinker. - How can one become a thinker if he does not spend at least a third of his day without passions, people, and books?