Musical Poison?

OK, so there has been a very heated debate about Christian music. It seems to people that there should only be a certain type of music that should be accepted or a certain type of music that is "right". I have a problem with this, and I am about to express it.
It seems to me that alot of people (and I do mean alot) are musically prejudice. The don't look at all the factors and don't give alot of music a chance.
For instance, take the type of music known as "screamo". This is actually what was the deciding factor for me in writing this blog. People readily shun it, and I really mean that. They jeer and call down those who listen to it, sorta like they think that they are inferior. Christians are just as bad for this as anyone else, if not worse. I have noticed that alot of Christians are very close minded, very conservative. When you say "Christian music" most people will think country gospel or some light rock group. Ask them to mention Christian groups and names like Jeremy Camp, Jars of Clay, or Johnny Cash. Mainly country or gospel groups, right? Yes, you might have some heavier rock groups come up, something along the lines of Skillet or Kutless. But what if I was to say that I believe screamo bands like Underoath, As I Lay Dying and Maylene and the Son's of Disaster should be mentioned with all these gospel singers? If this doesn't shock you, listen to a short clip of a your favorite gospel song and then listen to a clip from one of the previously mentioned bands. This may raise eyebrows.
Now I know some people that would form a mob and threaten to lynch me just for mentioning screamo and gospel in the same sentence. These same people would argue that even Christian's singing this "devil's music" are horrible. Well, let me argue my point for a minute.
I believe this music situation could be put in a simpler term, as I have rambled on randomly. Now let me ask you a simpler question: Do you believe that the Bible should only be printed in a select few languages, or should it be printed in as many languages as it can be? It should be printed in many languages so that the Word can be spread, right?
Same situation in music if you can believe it. People have different tastes in music, just like different people speak different languages.
So, you get what I'm talking about? Christian screamo is not only acceptable, it is needed. So quit complaining about this music, it is extremely useful.

Girls

I understand that there has been tons of stories and articles written about girls and why they behave the way they do. Now I am about to give a view of girls from my own perspective, which doesn't mean it is right. Bear with me as I venture into the untamed world of the female.
Women, and I think that all of us can agree about this, are confusing. They have a mystic sense about them that males do not have, a mysterious veil surrounding their being. For a normal boy like me, this is both fascinating and extremely confusing. It is almost like girls have a power that draws a guy in, like a moth to a bright light.
One of the first things I have noticed about girls is that most of them will have a small core of close friends that are pretty much sisters to them. Sure, guys have close friends too, but we don't sleep in the same bed with each other or do each others nails. We fight and play sports together, both of which most girls wouldn't do with their friends. Oh I know that there are alot of girls that would fight with their friends and play sports with each other, but it just isn't as common. And on the other side, I don't know any guys who do each others nails or stuff like that.
This nucleus of friends a girl has are usually extremely flexible and supportive. If one of the members of the group has just got a new boyfriend, they all huddle together and giggle alot. If the boyfriend has just left one of the girls, they get into a huddle and cry or mean-mouth the unfortunate soul. This makes the girl feel better and get over the horrific experience much faster. In comparison, a guy might phone up his best friend, talk all tough and tell the friend it was for the best, and then break down and sulk for a long time.
I have also observed that girls tend to toy with a guys feelings. Not that this has necessarily happened to me, but I have seen it done. This can be a good thing and a bad thing, depending on how far they take it. A guy isn't all unfeeling, he just can hide his emotions alot easier than most girls. Don't get me wrong, I know guys who are very emotional and girls who seem to be emotionless. However, on average a guy is less public with his feelings.
Now back to the toying business. If a girl is interested in a guy, she has two main approaches. She could go straight up to the guy and ask him out, which is quite rare. The other way is she sits back and leaves hints that she likes the guy, either by flirting gently or having her friends "accidentally" say something about her crush. The guy, if he is interested, may then make his move.
However, if a girl toys with a guys emotions and doesn't tell him that she likes him, or denies it, she may hurt the guys feelings. This would take alot of toying though, so it is quite unlikely.
Girls supposedly also expect to have guy make the move. Now then, this can bring up an interesting dilemma. Some guys are shy or something, and they don't feel right making the first move. Stupidity, right? I guess so, because if he really wanted the girl he would pursue the opportunity.
Women want to be pursued, to be fought over. Guys shouldn't make the mistake of expecting to steal a girls heart without working for it. A girl wants to know that she is gorgeous, that she is worth fighting for. I didn't know what this meant until a week ago, and I wish I would have know that years ago. Would have been nice, but from this point and time I will try harder to be the man I am required to be.
I think that I am also right in saying that most girls don't want guys that are passive or unadventurous. Women want a dangerous guy, a warrior, a heroic figure. This doesn't mean that a skinny, weak guy like me has no chance. We just have to rely on our character, something that is much more important than looks. But do you know why a woman wants a heroic figure? It's because since they have been small lasses they have dreamed of a Prince Charming carrying her away into the sunset.
For the guys reading this blog, telling a girl they are lovely or stunning does two things. One, it makes you feel good about yourself, and about the friendship/relationship you share with them. It also will make the lady feel really good. You'll notice a change instantly, stress will disappear and a shudder of joy will run throughout there body. A light will come to their eye, a glow in their skin. This is what will make you (the guy) feel good about yourself.
In closing, let me say something that I agree with from a great book I am currently reading. The book is called "Wild At Heart" for those curious, and I highly recommend it. But in the book it mentions how when God started to create all living things, he started off with creatures of the sea and then animals of the air. He then went to land animals, making many different kinds. The he made Man to rule over the animals. Adam was his greatest achievement up to date. Then he topped it all off with a Woman. Eve was God's last great creation, the most beautiful of all creations. Did you see a pattern at all? He kept making more beautiful, wondrous creations every time. From fish to eagles to lions to man to woman. So guys, women are the peak of creation. Start treating them like it. And women, never accept anything less.

Fear tastes like hair

Well, I did it. No, I didn't rob a bank or get a girlfriend, nothing that extreme. I did, however, ride a horse.
OK, big deal, right? I know what you are thinking, "Everyone has ridden a horse, and now this knucklehead is writing about it being so amazing and stuff. I should quit reading this crap." Well, don't stop reading this blog, otherwise I'll hunt you down and....and.....well, hunt you down.
Anywho, back to this horse thing. I actually have ridden one before, but it was so long ago I can barely remember it. However, I must confess something: I am afraid of horses.
Yes, the impenetrable Jeremy Loseth is afraid of something. Ohhh, lets harass him now, maybe it will make us feel better. Ya, right, just remember what goes around comes around.
Right, where was I before you distracted me? Oh ya, the riding experience. Well, a good friend of mine got a horse, and she wanted me to ride it. Now I had dug myself this grave a long time ago, like a year or so. I promised to ride her future horse, as I didn't really think that she would get one while I was still at home. So I agreed, secretly smirking to myself because I thought I had just outsmarted her. Man was I ever wrong.
Well, it was Sunday and again she had been complaining about her father not giving in to her whining and begging for a horse. However, mere hours after this, she comes to the Esso and tells me that she got a horse. Well, I was gobsmacked. I smiled weakly and told her I was happy, my heart in my lower intestine as I knew the comment that would follow. Looking straight at me, Linsay smiled and said "Now you have to come and ride him."
I agreed and went home. Now I was flustered. Why, why did this happen to me? Why couldn't her dad wait 4 more months? If he wasn't such a tough guy, and my friends dad, I probably would have done....nothing.
Now I managed to put it off for a little while despite her and her friends harassing me. I had to work some nights and hunt others. But then came Thursday, and I had no excuse. I agreed to go over with my brother and ride it.
Well, the horse wasn't quite as big or as stinky as I imagined it was going to be. Needless to say, I was still scared, but felt a wee bit better. Linsay started to get the saddle and stuff ready as me and my brother were put to work brushing off the horse. However, the wind picked up and me and Derek offered to humbly leave and ride another day. Like that was going to work.
Well, she promptly took off the blanket and told me to get on. I must have looked absolutely horrified because she stifled a laugh and told me again. After some prodding, I got on and she led me around, trying to discreetly throw me off balance so I could be laughed at. Unfortunately for her, I have cat-like reflexes and stayed on. Derek got on and nearly cried, but survived the short walk.
Anyways, as I sit at home I have a urge to go back there and ride the horse again, this time with a saddle. It was actually kinda fun, and I am slowly getting hooked. I bet by the time summer is over I will be completely hooked, and then I will have a horrific withdrawal period at Nipawin.
Anywho, I faced my fear this week, and it felt good. Maybe you should do the same.

Do you dare....

Ahhh dares, one of the few things in the world that people can still enjoy. The mere sound of the word get people curious, wanting to know what idiotic thing someone will do so they won't look like a wimp.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not encouraging people to go out and make a stupid dare and nearly get someone killed or arrested. There should always be a limit on what the dares are. For instance, if I was dared to ask out the cheerleader captain to supper, that is acceptable. If I was dared to shoot a vehicle with a paintball gun, I wouldn't (unless it was mine of course).
I, like every other normal human being, have been dared countless times. I have been dared to do weird, stupid, funny and even gross things. I haven't really been dared to do anything lately, which is fine by my standards, but have done some things that I have a slight reputation for. I shall share one of these stories so you may enjoy a good laugh or maybe so you can develop a lecture to tell your kids what not to do when dared. Well, here it is then.
I can't remember the first dare I had, nor will I ever remember it. I did, however, make one of the stupidest bets of my entire life. I agreed to drink one container of evaporated milk.
OK, before you react to harshly or laugh to hard or go off to drink one yourself, you must learn the reason why and the result. This is very important because I don't want my blog to be responsible for a emergency room trip or something.
My uncle was telling me stories on how he wanted to put on weight while he was doing some construction work in B.C., so he went out and bought a couple of cases of evaporated milk. He drank these for a while and put on a ton of weight. Now I am a thinner guy, and have always wanted to be a little bigger. Not that I wanted to be fat, but I wanted to be large enough so you could see me when I turned sideways.
I was talking to my friend Linsay when I mentioned this evaporated milk thing to her. I was wondering what it would taste like to drink one, because I'm that type of guy. She then dared me to drink one for some reason or other, and since I can't remember it I will leave it at that.
Well, I knew that I must do it or be called a wimp or loser or noob, so I agreed.
About a year later I was on a youth retreat down at Millar. Yes, this was the retreat where I was brutally beaten and left to die of shame or internal bleeding. Thankfully none of the two happened.
On the way back to our hometown we stopped at a gas station of some sort. I went to the bathroom, which is kinda funny because I was forced to use the women's restroom. I really had to go and there was a huge lineup, and since every other guy had to go badly they wouldn't let me go ahead of them. I then saw the girls in our group doing nothing, so I ran over and dragged them back to the bathroom area. I asked them to watch over the bathroom and make sure that no other ladies came in, and they agreed to do so. I ran in and they stood there like two bodyguards protecting the president. However, normal bodyguards don't laugh and tell everyone else who is the ladies bathroom. I survived again and ran out of it, embarrassed to the max.
As we were ready to leave Linsay noticed that there was evaporated milk in the stores freezer. I told her if she bought it I would drink it, and she wouldn't spent the $1.50 or so it was so I bought it myself. I told her I couldn't drink it there because I would get sick, and told her I would when we got home.
4 hours later we arrived home, and as I stood standing outside the local ESSO a can was thrust into my face. I swallowed and went inside to get a can opener, and then returned outside after I had opened it. It was dark outside, probably about 8:30, and I looked at the cow on the can. It was just me and him, and I concentrated as hard as I could to get my stomach ready. I threw the can to my lips and started to chug.
The first thing I noticed was the milk was warm, a little too warm for my liking. I also noticed it was very thick, but I closed my eyes and continued to tilt my head back. As the milk made its way into my stomach my brain was screaming at me to stop and throw this back up. I shook my head and continued like a brave soldier on a suicidal mission, waiting for the end to come. Finally the milk stopped flowing and I threw down the can, standing myself up normal again. I quickly bent over as the wave of nausea hit me, and nearly passed out from the pain. I could feel the thick, warm milk curdling inside of my stomach, a horrible experience don't you know. I quickly lunged for my huge slushy cup, and ripped open the lid. I then realized I couldn't hurl all this up, I had to hold it back until the girls left. Anna and Linsay both began gathering bags as I curled up on the frozen ground praying I could see my parents one last time.
Thankfully the girls ride arrived right away, and they threw their bags into the van. I stood up to say goodbye, and then I quickly went home myself. I didn't puke, but I know that I would never do that again (unless it was a good reason, like a date with someone or something).
And what did I get in return for this act of courage? A hug, which is much better than anything I could have wished for.