B-ing Sufjan

 

There is a crisp breeze blowing through the prayer gardens here at ORU, and the sounds of Sufjan fill my head.  Fall has arrived and I couldn't be happier. 

This weekend I went and heard a motivational speaker.  When I hear about this type of even, I tend to think auditorium or maybe even church hall, covered with people from all walks of life.  These people are usually women who have left there kids at a "Mom's Day Out," and they've been aloud to

stop at Starbucks for a Caramel Macchiato for the first time in months.  Of course they're dressed appropriately--cross necklace with rhinestone that would rival an Priest's in size, and a nice pair turquoise and brown capris with a paisley top all smelling strongly of hairspray.

This was not my experience.

The motivational speaker was on a fifteen inch computer screen skyping a group of six people sitting in a living room.  Instead of macchiatos, Folgers instant.  That being said, the speaker continued to rant and rave about every person who ever lived needing a "B."  He must of assumed we all knew what a B was seeing as he never really explained it.  "Find your B!" "You'll fail with a B," "B,B,B,B!" I've decided that he meant a goal, or something to look forward to in life. After many minutes of contemplation, I have found my B: Sufjan Stevens' Age of Adz.

Many a day driving down Riverside with the windows rolled down and listening to "Chicago" or "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us" have I spent.  For those who don't listen to him, he is a simple man with enormous things to say.  His music ranges from bare minimum bango and whisper to explosive cacophony/harmony combos that he described as something sounding like a "sixth grade band."

I love his music and would like to believe we would hit it off and forever be friends.

Age of Adz has taken a different route with much more techno sounds and synthesizers.  It reminds me of the same turn that Derrek Webb took with his newest CD: troubador to techno tight beats DJ extraodinaire.

My B is that I will be attending Sufjan's concert at the end of fall break.  I have been awaiting this moment for many years, and am looking forward to it greatly.