Ice Sickle's Blog
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Ice Sickle" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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08:53 am
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Politics
"Politics and crime, they're the same thing."
Tags: politics, quotes
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07:43 pm
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Venture Bros Season 4 starts tonight
Woot!
Tags: venture bros, venture brothers
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12:21 am
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Relient K drama AKA Why did Matt Thiessen and his fiance break up AKA Why did he cheat on her?
Preface
I don't like most pop rock bands. Relient K has been an exception for me, despite being a darling of the Contemporary Christian industry, the RIAA, Christian corporate radio, and mainstream radio. To me those are all negatives. I give the band a pass because they seem sincere, because their lyrics are insightful plus often brilliant, and because their three chord songs are catchy. Despite liking their later stuff, I haven't bought any of their music since Two Lefts because I'm boycotting the RIAA, but that's me. People still think, "hey he should listen to less creepy Christian metal and I know he likes Relient K," and get me new RK albums for birthdays and whatnot. Yeah. Big list of reasons I shouldn't care aside, this interests me. And despite my protesting too much, I have a shelf upon which sits almost every Relient K album, so I'm going to dive in.
The story goes
So Matt Thiessen, lead singer of Relient K, and his fiance, Shannon Murphy broke up in December of 2008. No big deal. It happens. 
At the time Shannon posted a nice, "the engagement is off" neutral message on Gotee Record's website.
From December 29, 2008: I'll make this short (And as sweet as I can): For those of you who missed my announcement on the show a few days ago, I am no longer engaged. I called it off after learning a few things about Matt that I simply just could not handle. He's a wonderful person with an amazingly huge heart, and I love him more than anything. But ... No more wedding bells. I'm leaving it at that, and I hope you will, too. I need a lot of privacy, a lot of support and a lot of inspiration as I begin the "healing process."
People, of course, are being typical celebrity chasers and are not leaving it at that. Everyone's trying to figure out what went down, and why, hoping to find out just how bad of a boy Matt was.
The Saga decides to not die and instead kicks it up a notch
July 31, 2009 new details emerged. A story appeared on mlive.com. They'd found that Shannon Murphy had emerged as a new co-host of a talk radio program in Detroit. The key bit is this:
While calling into the show, Murphy revealed three tidbits:
• She turned down a shot to compete on ABC's "The Bachelor" to co-host on 95.5.
• She co-hosted the 1991 Thanksgiving parade, anchored by WDIV news legends Mort Crim and Carmen Harlan, and that her family watches it every Thanksgiving.
• She was once engaged to someone she described as "unfaithful." Murphy declined to go into detail.
After doing some muckraking, mlive put two and two together and determined a Christian Rock singer potentially cheated on his girlfriend. Nice find. Ooh, juicy drama! Sigh.
Soon Matt Thiessen got clued in via Google and apparently texted Shannon he wasn't happy about what was going public on mlive. Apparently she shared that with her new coworkers. Then the talk show and it's new co-host got in on the act on the air. From the excerpt in the story, it sounds like mostly the two sleazy sounding male co-hosts led the charge, repeatedly trying to milk the story into drama and further goad their female companion into escalating the situation. However, Shannon wisely says very little in the way of specifics, and, again, is very careful to avoid actually saying Matt cheated on her. The closest she gets is advising a caller that someone who does such a thing shows a lack of respect to the other person, not necessarily a lack of love.
The rumor mill is now in overdrive
Instead of that quieting everything down, people took the above respect comment as de facto proof that Matt cheated on his ex-fiance.
I wasn't looking for any of this, by the way. Until today I knew nothing. Now I'm surprised about Relient K's Wikipedia page having nothing, as related Youtube and lyrics site sections are all talking about this and little else. Allegedly most of Relient K's just-released album, Forget and Not Slow Down, including the title song deals with this subject matter.
i wouldnt be surprised if it was the concourse in ATL airport since this whole album is about him and his fiancee who broke up.
its probably something he heard alot on his trips to visit her.
Interesting, but just speculation.
"I know matt. and he did not cheat on shannon! Evadently she got the wrong impresson when matt said that those songs were not about her anymore and he kept talking about another girl, which i can tell you truthfully who she is. She is the girl who god realy wants matt to be with in the future. But the thing is that they have not even met yet, ok! So how could he be cheating on her with someone he has not met? Shannon hearing him sing curl up and die and talking about a possible breakup. evedently she thought that he was cheating on her with “the girl” so she broke up with him. everthing is just one big misunderstanding mess."
This person knows!
I really don't buy that. At all. I've heard that from the fans over and over again. You know what? She caught him. More than once. It wasn't a one time thing and I seriously doubt she would throw away a long lasting relationship and engagement over a simple misunderstanding like that. If she wasn't the one for Matt and that was the central issue, I really doubt she'd get on the air and discuss, with other women going through similar situations, the fact that he cheated more than once. I may never know the full truth and most likely neither will any of you, but I'm allowed to have my doubts nonetheless. The guy's not perfect and he is capable of screwing up.
This person also knows! How can they both be right?
Oh, right, "facts" on the "internet"
I'm surprised no big media outlet has picked this story up, but someone probably will sooner or later. This has the makings of the next Evanescence-level controversy for so-called "Christian" music, whether wanted or not. That applies even if this is all eventually turns out to be a big misunderstanding. If the past is a guide, we can always count on Christian bookstores to react like Wal-Mart over things like this: a good-for-business decision will be made and then you are for them or you are against them. Depending on what happens, the band could get dropped from CCM like a hot potato or the whole thing could just be buried by skillful PR aaaaand business as usual.
If/when the story either breaks or word-of-mouths to critical mass, I think most Relient K fangirls will be crushed but then a curious thing will happen. All right, not really that curious because it's happened before with other bands and other celebrities. The fans will fiercely defend Matt Thiessen with the fervor of impossible Michael Jackson fans.
He would never do something like that...
...goes the refrain so far.
And yet there's got to be the always nagging thought in the back of the mind: but what if he did? However, even if it turns out he did, most fans will suddenly find themselves morally compromising because, hey, they still like his introspective, soul baring music. I for one still do.
To be fair this whole thing is mlive's fault, but, if not them, someone else in the rumor machine would've been snooping and discovered this information sooner or later. Heck, it's all publicly available. So really what's to blame is people's insatiable desire to put "better" people on pedestals, to create celebrities and then hound them to their graves, and, of course, to dig up the dirt, especially on anyone who dares to call themselves a "Christian."
A less obvious take on the subject
"See," (best read with a sneer on your lips) is the subtle implication, "Christians are all hypocrites." Um, yeah, which, if you know anything about Christianity, is not inconsistent whatsoever. It's kind of the point. Premise 101 is that all people are basically evil. The one difference, 1, is that Christians accept that premise but think anyone can be forgiven by Jesus. That's it. There's nothing about them not screwing up. There's even the implication that Christians could screw up more because of how aware of their hypocrisy they are. Christians aren't fixed. They are normal people who believe--hope--Jesus really was God and they'll get fixed after death. Is that enough of a mind trip?
"Give us a king," the citizens of Israel say.
"You don't want a king. I pretty much am one, anyway," replies God.
But they insist. And God relents. And Israel gets Saul. He is a natural leader and good looking. Soon, no one likes his talks on unity, his heavy taxes, or his policies on Education, or on the War, or foreign policy. But that's not the worse of it. He becomes a tyrant over time. All, in large part, because he's trusting his gut instincts and doing the best that he can.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it?" As a human, your so-called gut feeling is lying to you more than you'd like.
Some things the rumor mill is ignoring
• I am not defending Matt Thiessen, by the way. If he's guilty of cheating, then he's guilty of cheating and should face the music consequences. I am going with innocent until proven guilty, however.
• But, regardless, we the masses don't know.
Keep in mind... there are two sides to every story.
Side 1 actually says: ?
Side 2 actually says: ?
• And we the masses don't necessarily deserve to know. It's a private matter. Caveat: Christians do place a lot of stock in holding each other the "accountable" buzzword, even more so regarding people in positions of influence. Public confession followed by repentance does hurt, but God does seem to honor it. Especially if there's genuine repentance and not something like, "I'm sorry I got caught. I promise not to get caught next time."
• From a Christian perspective, there's other ways to be "unfaithful" besides cheating. To illustrate, here are two what-ifs: maybe he was looking at porn. Maybe he was putting the band ahead of her in ways that were compromising their relationship. A lack of info is a lack of info.
• I really hope this isn’t completely true. I look up to him and his music more than anything and well. . . if it’s true then I lost a huge role model. Regardless I am sorry for the loss on both sides and I hope you have both recovered a fair amount.
If you are someone who has Matt Thiessen as a role model, and are disillusioned, you don't necessarily have to drop him. Let's assume the worst case scenario: he cheated. He still has good points. Take him off the pedestal instead; recognize that he is human; and aspire to be the things he is good at. The rest is a cautionary tale. Like King David, he has a gift for praising God and, I would argue, following after God's own heart. If, like King David, he also completely screwed up with cheating, the similarities are ironic... and interesting.
Is history repeating itself? Well, God does not change. Obviously there will be consequences, as that is just the way life works.
Otherwise, if you only want perfect people to be your role models, hurry up and get rid of all your other ones. There's only one person who qualifies. Guess who it is?
• Despite some sins being really taboo these days while others just get winked at, in the Bible, all sins are equally bad. The point is, anyone who sins once is guilty, period. Secondly, everyone sins, so by extension, everyone is guilty. Thirdly, Jesus is willing to forgive everything, period, no strings attached. That's it. No one stops sinning when they become a Christian. For most people, being famous just ups the pressure.
Welcome to this truly wonderful thing we call, "grace."
Possible call and response
My final 2 cents: a good Christian response is not to disavow or attack or even defend Relient K, nor to demand to know what happened. In the same way, attacking Shannon or assuming everything is her fault does no one any good (...but neither does assuming her not-even-confirmed accusation is right on and Matt cheated.) Of course, it is also no better to sweep this under the rug and pretend none of this exists. Instead, consider praying for God's will and leaving it at that.
All the same, if you happen to hear a guy yelling, "Marco!" from a great distance, that's me.
Tags: celebrity buzz is annoying, drama, forget and not slow down, gossip is dumb, i hate rumors, matt thiesen, matt thiessen, rant, relient k, shannon murphy, soapbox
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02:24 am
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Ahh, young love.
Current Mood: Other
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09:55 pm
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The Space Pope Requires Your Presence
It was only a matter of time before someone did this.
Current Location: The Sinking City
Current Music: My Silent Wake - Sturm
Tags: except awesome, funny, funny images, images, pope, pope except awesome, space, space pope
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02:11 am
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The Shovel is Family
Well, recently got clued into Grave Robber, a cool 80's hard rock style Christian Horror Punk band. They're entirely undead/zombie themed in every way whether we're talking lyrically or how they look on stage. (What can I say? Zombies playing guitars is awesome). The Grave Robber myspace has 10 songs for listening, and lists their style as Grime / Crunk. While it's not fast-paced, the sound *is* driving. But whatever, I know Horror Punk when I hear it! The singer's singing style is reminiscent of 80's hair metal and glam bands.
Plus, you gotta love any band that lists influences like Rackets and Drapes, Alice Cooper, Officer Negative, Type O Negative, The Misfits, Black Sabbath, and a number of other awesome groups, right? =)
Not sure what exactly they deal is, but they're on Retroactive Records, so I'm wondering if this an 80's group that was on R.E.X. Records making a comeback? Unfortunately, I lack info. I did manage to get their 2008 album Be Afraid. My only complaint is that, despite having an Antestor style intro and 13 songs, it clocks in at a mere 35 minutes.
Now if only more bands would take this Christians = undead metaphor just as far...
Current Location: The Grave
Current Music: The Shovel
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05:35 am
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I think people are finally figuring out ridiculous rap is
Case in point, these 2 meme videos that are making the rounds:
(cussing warning if such things are not for you)
Pimp my Satellite
Saturday Night Live - I'm On Boat
Tags: memes, on a boat, parody, pimp my satellite, rap, video
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11:33 pm
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Juggernautz - Mandarin Sky lyrics
(in memory of Gene Eugene)
mandarin sky has filled my eyes
rivers of jade
i am complete beneath Your shade
the saddest dream is an empty sea
when i awake You're still with me
Your word is true
and time is sweet
alone with You
all my love is all You are
and all Your tears are falling stars
falling stars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N4MgnENXvg starts 1:40
Jerome is currently in Switchfoot. Jyro's latest project is LCNA, formerly Luna http://www.myspace.com/lcnamusic which is more like a return to Fold Zandura.
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10:27 pm
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I got a job.
The new job is only a temp job, but it's a desk job for 3 months, at an actual big company, and I impressed the interviewer a lot. It was implied there was leeway enough for this to lead to an *actual* actual job there if things go well. Rockin'.
And my part time work is picking up. I'm now driving all over the place and not getting much sleep, but bills are being paid again.
Current Mood: elated
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11:24 pm
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Flyleaf - So I Thought
Flyleaf - So I Thought = a good pick me up song. Please, God, may I not be turning emo. ;)
Tags: flyleaf, music, pick-me-up, song that isn't a radio single
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07:33 pm
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What I'm up to
Short answer? Geeky stuff.
Todo list
. Figure out how to setup yahoo mail with Thunderbird.
. Learn Linux
. Learn how to add mp3s to cellphones for free (I know it's possible, and legal.)
. find out what the chocolate [covered/flavoured/frosted ?] chainsaws line is from
. finish drawing 100 eyeballs
Watchmen movie was good, despite problems.
Current Music: Project 86 - This Time Of the Year
Tags: goals
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03:35 am
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Seeing Watchmen tomorrow
Scored an IMAX ticket. Fingers crossed.
Current Music: Antestor - Mercy Lord
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02:36 am
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Weekly The Invasion update
As heard on Saturday, February 21st on a certain radio station in Denver, CO from 8-12p.m.
Full tracklist here until next week:
http://www.invasionradio.com/dAH1tL1st.php
["Everyone in this joint is a freak."]
["You might want to fasten your seatbelt."]
What follows are the list of songs that are newcomers from previous lists here (screw sameness!), plus links to where to hear the song online and my (generally brief) commentary. I'm ordinarily pretty busy during the week, and The Invasion is like my end-of-week sit down and veg out while listening to some good tunes time of the week. I'm still unable to keep myself from completely vegging, so I compromise by writing comments down while listening to the songs and researching bands I don't know about. This is also a nice way to slowly expand my music collection.
The Invasion show itself has been on the air for 10 years (counting previous names I think it's much longer than that), and has had a series of DJs who have wide/extreme tastes, try very hard to support local artists, and are, as a rule, "good people."
It's fallback is alternative, occasionally CCM (cringe) although they try very hard not to play anything already on the airwaves. That includes your more typical 50-song rotation Christian station, and regular stations. (Yes, they will avoid songs already being run into the ground in the case of crossover bands like Flyleaf, Sixpence None the Richer, Chevelle, Switchfoot, etc.) They're also not afraid to play worship songs (even CCM if they think the song's worthy.) They also will play local bands, the overlooked, unsigned artists, and almost anything out of left field if it's thought provoking.
Basically, at some point or another, close to any style imaginable, old and new, has been played on this show. Some highlights have included a since-abandoned electronica hour and threatening to play Sandi Patti on the air if listeners don't call in some requests. Said threat has been followed through on. Once. Fortunately after that it was only a, "remember what happened last time?" Immediately after, ~10 different listeners call in and requested Living Sacrifice, Extol, Paramaecium, Mortification, etc. culminating in an epic metal set. I also like that they're willing to play bands even if they offend parents / stodgy Christians regardless of past reputation (i.e. Alice Cooper) or the nebulous "sounding satanic" (Extol, Kekal, other extreme metal.) They also aren't shy on controversial social issues like abortion, which I respect.
Here's to another 10 years, Denver.
( Read the rest )
Some Samples:
["Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It's just not widely reported—"
"Yes."]
["Madness...? This is DENVER."]
["I've got a question for ya. Anyone want to hear some folk music?"]
["What's so cool about DJs? That's like wanting to date a valet because he drives a nice car."]
Tags: a rotterdam november, apologetix, combat junkies, earth raidaz, glenn kaiser, gwen stacy, inhabited, j-clx, jon foreman, junker jorg, kathleen carnali, kj-52, krystal meyers, level, long live the smoking gun, luther-n, lvl, manafest, music, my hearts cry, mychildren my bride, oh sleeper, pillar, red, spoken, texas pig hunting, the autumn film, the glorious, the glorious unseen, the great commission, the invasion, third day, tobymac
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02:12 pm
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Watchmen movie early reviews
Like most geeks I've been holding my breath for the Watchmen movie to (1) be awesome and (2) please, please, please don't suck (3) please don't tarnish the graphic novel too badly.
The early reviews have all, unfortunately made me even more nervous. They either come off as studio plant gushing, or as self-important critics saying it's empty, full of bad acting, lifeless. Queue my Darth Vader NOOOOOO response.
Until today. Today Wil Wheaton reviewed the thing, and, God bless him, he sounds far more like my kind of geek. The movie is good enough for geeks you say? I am there opening night. Oh wait, I was anyway. But I think that's enough for me to stop following reviews and the continual leakage of more and more footage. I'm saving the rest of my experience for the theater, followed by the Super Ultra collector's edition merged with Tales of the Black Freighter DVD this fall (or whenever it is.)
Current Mood:  relieved
Current Music: Chevelle - Bend the Bracket
Tags: watchmen movie, wil wheaton
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02:07 am
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Mad Max
Watched Mad Max tonight. I do not think I would watch it again. The only thing I found interesting was the psycho biker gang leader--the whole personality cult of a crazy person issue.
People do say that the next installment is where it gets good. And I guess I do owe it some respect for making post apocalyptic stories popular for a while. Plus, I'm probably being too harsh. It is a 1979 movie. ...older than me.
Current Music: Chevelle - Breach Birth
Tags: mel gibson's first movie, movies
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05:17 am
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The Invasion update:
Tracklist from here: http://www.invasionradio.com/dAH1tL1st.php
As heard on Saturday, February 14, 2009
This list is going to be longer than usual because it's the first one! In the future, it will only be songs not previously listed.
( Read the rest of Colorado's Invasion )
Lot of alternative and various 'core tonight. I'm going to bed.
Tags: addison road, aera lee, anberlin, and then there was you, apologetix, attack attack!, becoming the archetype, before their eyes, big dog small fence, bleach, blindside, brave saint saturn, code of ethics, cry of the afflicted, demon hunter, destroy the runner, disciple, dream lab, earth raidaz, emery, ever stays red, fades away, flexx, flyleaf, grave robber, haste the day, i am alpha and omega, in fear and faith, inhale exhale, john reuben, kids in the way, kirk franklin, kutless, leeland, lyrycyst, makeshift3, music, nailpoint, o.a.t.h., p.o.d., plumb, project 86, relient k, rush of fools, sarah kelly, sophia, superchick, the ambassador, the becoming, the invasion, the rekoning, the showdown, three cord wonder, war of ages, worth dying for, wrench in the works
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06:14 pm
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Your argument is invalid!
Incidentally the American Revolution lightsaber pic I'm hosting has made it big on Google. If you search for "american revolution" on Google Images, it shows up as #2. Kinda cool.
Wish I could take credit for it, but it was done by my friends at Fallen Monday (before they reset their site. They like to do that.)
Current Location: limbo
Current Music: Lamb
Tags: funny, funny images, images, lolcats
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12:52 am
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Swine
I'm so glad you finally are willing to admit your true feelings toward me. Apparently the only shocker to you was that I already knew. You lying through your teeth with that fake smile for 3 years? I'm glad it's over.
Was being unmasked as the two-faced slime you are fun or not fun?
Current Location: tba
Current Mood:  accomplished
Current Music: Bridgeshadows - Dust to Dust
Tags: key life events
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05:37 pm
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New email
I set up a new email address yesterday with a well known email service. The reason for doing so was having an email that actually had my name on it for resume and job-related stuff. Today the password doesn't work. I know exactly what my password is...even copy+pasting it doesn't work. I have to wait a week before they will let me use the "security question" to recover it.
So...cancel the job apps I was about to send out for this week (4). /sigh
Current Music: The Violet Burning - Crush
Tags: my email
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03:53 pm
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New Fatal Blast Whip tracks
I like how prolific they've been this year. If including remixes, I think this is 14 new tracks on their myspace this year? And a lot of them are killer. They release so often that I could have easily missed some and not even known it.
Shadow Wind v30 remix: not bad
Time Distortion Propulsion: pretty good
Current Music: Android Lust - The Body
Tags: android lust, fatal blast whip, fatalblastwhip, indie, industrial, music
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