More blogs coming soon....

This is a public service announcement to the millions of fans out there eagerly awaiting my return.... I have not forgotten about you! I will be updating soon. Try to contain your excitement.

My New "Home Sweet Home"

Hello everyone!

Thank you for returning to read this blog. I realize it has been a long time since my last post, and a lot of things have changed in my life since then. I think more has changed in my life over the past three weeks than any other period of my life thus far.

I had my last day at Chrysler on August 6, and immediately began packing up my belongings to head off to Knoxville, Tennessee, where I will be for the next two years at least. The 950-mile drive to Knoxville was quite the adventure! The only two windows of my little car out of which I could see were the front windshield and the driver's side window. As I drove farther and farther south, i noticed a dramatic change in the performance of my car's air conditioner; this was my first sign that I was in for a big adjustment. Since I arrived in Knoxville a little over a week ago, the average temperature has been 90 degrees and between 90% and 95% humidity; I don't think I've ever sweat more than this past week!

My first night in Knoxville I stayed with Alan and Jayne Galloway, my second cousins once removed (right dad?) in their house. The following morning, Jayne, her two daughters Lynda and Kristen, and her son-in-law Breck (i can't remember what his real name is, everyone calls him Breck) helped me move all my belongings into my new apartment. For the past week i have been moving in little by little, and am finally mostly settled in.

As promised, here are some pictures of my apartment:

in front of my building, 3912.....

heading for the stairs.....

my car from the 2nd level.....

My front door.....

Apartment 3912H.....

The living room as you walk in...

The kitchen from the living room....

The deck....

Looking back at the front door....

The kitchen.....

entering the bedroom...

the bedroom....

looking back at the living room...

the closet....

the bathroom....

exiting the bathroom...

view from the deck....

As I'm sure those of you who know me have noticed, my apartment is characteristically spic and span, just the way i like it! Coming soon will be pictures of the University of Tennessee campus and music building, so, as they say down here in Tennessee, "Ya'll come back now!"

BJ

A Must-see Video!

This blog is going to be a little different than my last one. Rather than tell you about everything that's currently going on in my life, (since there's not much going on besides work everyday) I will instead share with you what one of my current favorite pieces of music is.

Lately, i have been very touched by an aria from the opera "Doctor Atomic" by John Adams. For those of you who know, or think you know, John Adams' music, you are probably rolling your eyes thinking, "Not another minimalist piece!" But, let me tell you, this is John Adams like you've never heard him before, so give him a chance (Dad!). This opera, although i have not seen the whole thing myself, is the story of Robert Oppenheimer as he creates and tests the first atomic bomb. Throughout the entire opera, Adams very powerfully portrays the inner struggle of Oppenheimer as he works on the Manhattan Project.

This particular Aira, entitled "Batter My Heart," is taken from John Donne's Holy Sonnet XIV and was actually found written in Oppenheimer's journal. The text is as follows:

Batter my heart, three person’d God; For you

As yet but knock, breathe,

Shine, and seek to mend;

Batter my heart, three person’d God;

That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend

Your force, to break, blow

burn and make me new.

I, like an usurpt town, to another due,

Labor to admit you, but Oh, to no end,

Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,

But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue,

Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov’d fain,

But am betroth’d unto your enemy,

Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,

Take me to you, imprison me, for I

Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,

Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

This aria takes place at the very end of Act I of the opera.

Below is a video of the aria of which I speak sung by Gerald Finley and the Nederlandse Opera Musiektheater. I hope you are as touched and moved when you watch it while following along with John Donne's powerful words as i have been.

Thank you to everyone for coming back to read this blog!

BJ

Summertime. . . .

I realize, of course, that so far I have not stayed very current with my current events; I will try to do better about that. For the summer I am living in the Minneapolis area with my cousin, her husband and my sister. I must say it is a new experience living with my sister for the first time in six years. The last time we were living in the same house I was sixteen years old and only a sophomore in high school. It is evident how much we both have grown since that time and as a result our friendship (or whatever you call the relationship of a brother and sister) is much stronger than it has ever been.

This summer I am working for Chrysler, soon to be Fiat-Chrysler, in a parts distribution center. A PDC is just a fancy name for a warehouse full of car parts that are shipped out to dealerships by truck everyday. My job is being the middle-man between the shelf where the parts are stored and the delivery trucks. It sounds like a rather mundane job I'm sure, but i have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the people with whom i am working. I was shocked my first day of work to find that most of the employees bring their own book to read during break times. Rather than sit around and talk or smoke, as has been the case at many jobs i have had in the past, everyone takes out his or her book to read in silence for the entire twelve minute break, or thirty minute break for lunch.

I must say that so far this summer God has taught me a great deal about trusting in Him for everything i need. The first week of my summer was especially anxiety-filled for me. Chrysler called me and told me they probably weren't going to be able to hire me after all, and the family with whom i was planning on living pulled the plug for other reasons more complicated. In those stressful moments, all i could do sometimes was stretch my hands out to God and cry with King David, "How long, Oh LORD, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" I did not understand why everything was happening to me and i was incredibly discouraged as those who spoke with me can testify. In hindsight, i feel pretty stupid for ever doubting that God knew i needed a good paying job to help me pay the rent in the fall, or for doubting that He knew i needed a place to live that wouldn't cost me too much. In a period of about five days following the unravelling of all my plans God showed me that He would always provide fro my needs, no matter how bleak the situation. Kath, my cousin, called me and basically insisted that i move into her and her husband's house and told me that only asked that i pay $200 for the entire summer. Two days later, Chrysler called me back and offered me the job on the spot if i was still interested. When going through difficult times, it is so easy to dwell on the first part of the Psalm i quoted above and forget that the Psalm ends with the words, "I will sing unto the LORD, for He has been good to me."

My First Blog Ever!

This is a very exciting day for me, i've never done this before!!! 

I am planning on posting on this site regularly to keep my family and friends updated on what i am doing. So often i get so busy that i'm not able to stay in touch with people to the extent that i would like. This will be a great opportunity for me to keep all of you out there from thinking, "I wonder how Brian is doing and what he's up to," now you'll always know.