The End(?)

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If you happen to stumble across this blog, I write this to inform you that I have officially retired this blog for the time being.  There may come a time in the future that I may reopen this lovely little blog and reenter the essence of creativity once again.  It was quite a little adventure for the mind, writing little tidbits and adding pictures to everything.  I hope to do this again in the future but as for right now, other errands and duties have been getting the best of me and taking my attention.  I always have things to do and I have business to stay on top of.

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My last update for now:  I moved to Minneapolis, MN about a month ago.  I will more than likely be going back to school in the next year. I will see to it that I honor my Creator with my life, no matter what stands in my way. I love my business. I love my girlfriend. I love my Jesus.I love my life.

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I wish the best for you in your own life

-Joshua Centellas

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The humble ramblings of a commuter

Alright, wow it has been a long time since I have posted anything on here, like 2 months or somewhere in that area. Wow! Ok, in my defense I have been super busy with everything going on in my life with work, managing some interests of mine (not this one unfortunetly), going on vacation and some small trips, and quite possibly starting to date someone but that is beside the point.  I will give it a shot to keep this whole thing going again and try to three to four times a week, give or take. There has been a few things that I have wanted to write on, or at least things that I would want to jumpstart this blog with again. But amidst all of those things, the first one that comes to mind is bicycles and riding.

This summer, I decided that I was going to start riding a bike around my small town, (population 20,000 +) and save money while getting and not to mention that Willmar, MN, has some of the highest gas prices in the state.  So not only being “fueled” by the savings and workout, I would save usage on my car and not wear it down with pointless miles being accumulated over the summer.  I have ridden my old bike for the past two years before this summer and saved on gas that way too, but not near as much as this year.  The first year I rode less than 10 times and last year was probably less than 25 times. The only places that I would go though was to work, which for me is just a little over a mile.  This past year I rode OVER 200 MILES at least and saved aproximentally $100 in gas alone this summer, starting from mid april to… well now, and I have no signs of stopping any time soon.

Part of the reason I starting riding so much this year is because I had started thinking about upgrading my transportation earlier this spring.  I had an old mountain bike that my brother received when he was in 6th grade! I am 21 now, he is 24, yeah..  So I decided I would go on the Minneapolis/St. Paul craiglist (only 2 hours away for me) and see what I could find.  Low and behold, there was a wealth of vintage road bikes that in a good and comfortable price range.  I found a Schwinn World Sport for $125 that was 30 years old that was still in very excellent shape. Essentially nothing was wrong with it and everything looked good on it. I go to “the cities” often because I know plenty of people that live there including my brother. So I test rode it, bought it, brought it home, and started riding to work practically the next day. Boom! Just like that I was already saving money.

REPAIR SHOP BRAINSTORMING

Not to long after I had a friend over and he told me that I have to check out his bike. I remember thinking “you’re going to have to check mine out too”. I told him I have a nice one too, and I remember him telling me “no you don’t, not like this one”. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. Anyways he shows me his bike and he has a vintage red Schwinn, kind of like mine. I show him mine and he goes “huh” and he didn’t have the same look on his face anymore ha.

Either way long story short, after working on our bikes and making them all nice and looking at bikes  and parts and almost anything there is to know about bikes, we have kind of sort of decided that we would like to open up our own little bike repair shop. It’s out of our houses so nothing to fancy but it’s an excellent way to make money on the side for ourselves.  We have both become official bike nerds and get all nerdy when we enter a real bike shop. It can be scary at times. If you are anywhere near the Willmar area reading this (which I highly doubt) I am sure me and my compadre would like to fix up your bike! Contact me here if you’re interested.

I AM NOT HIPSTER FOR DOING THIS

One of my final thoughts for the body of this piece is that this doesn’t make me hipster if I ride around on a bike, please don’t take it that way. You can be a hipster who rides a bike or a “normal everyday person” who rides a bike, biking does not hinge on your personal lifestyle choices.  If saving TONS of money from not waisting gas is considered than I am guilty. Even though I may look like that guy in the picture while I’m riding with the lights and the flourescent colors some people have, it’s a safety issue which is a whole other side to the story.  If you think you look stupid or too hipster with lights on your bike and whatnot, you haven’t been riding long enough.  You will soon figure out how people treat the road.

THE REAL REASON I WROTE THIS PIECE

If you are still reading, awesome! I am impressed especially if you don’t know a lot about bicycles to have made this far, hopefully the interest of biking is keeping you going at this point.  It’s been starting to catch on very slowly in the midwest here, but bicycling has become quite a novelty in the midwest, especially Minneapolis/St. Paul.  That is probably the reason why MSP was voted the most biked city in the US! But honestly I think it’s just because Minnesotans are starting to get smart about money, or at least a little more. Getting quite a workout while simaltaneously weighing down your wallet/pockets is not necisarilly a bad thing. Minnesota is literally the mother-load for bike trails and they are quite fun for the family and your pals to go exploring on.  I personally like it because I am slowly, but surely breaking down the white suburban family driving their white suburban stereotype which is quite previlent in my city.   The “I am better than you” culture that we live in taught by parents effects kids growing up only to continue the downward trend of empty materialism. You didn’t think I would get heavy on the heart when talking about bicycles, ME NEITHER.  But when I see the amount of people that stare at me in complete shock, both kids and adults alike, for riding my bicycle on the road, it’s only a matter of time before people get used to that fact. Then way down the line, we build bike roads and then we’ve only streamlined the process. Will bike roads happen in my town? Probably not and that’s ok. I guess it’s more a dream of mine than anything.  But I can create a more real and honest community than the one that people “think” we have in Minnesota, than why not. Hopefully this inspires you to ride if you don’t already and really think about the benefits of riding before you think about the cultural connotation that you might be showing. I guarantee people won’t think you’re poor after seeing your saving over the summer. You don’t have to have anything special either. Just something that gets you from point A to point B comfortably and efficiently. That’s all

You don’t have to wear hipster glasses to do this

Yes, as you can tell I am a fan of cycling, and I am a full-fledged commuting 21 year old

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Sonshine Music Festival 2013

Before you start reading just know that I am in a hurry while writing this, so my grammar might be sub par and the full rounded out idea might be lacking.  I am getting ready to go to South Dakota at 6am tomorrow plus I have to go to work tonight too. Enjoy!

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          If any of people didn’t know what happened this past week/weekend, Sonshine Festival 2013 was what was going on in the greater central Minnesota area. They have close to 50 some bands that play for 3 1/2 days, with bands such as Newsboys, Tobymac, Lecrae, and Skillet for the main stage. There was also an indoor stage with heavier bands such as Gideon, Your Memorial, Sleeping Giant, and For Today which is more my thing.

Sonshine Fest takes place in lofty ole’ Willmar, MN where I happen to be from.  This may be where I have gotten my love of music, since I have gone there every year since I was born. Although I won’t dwell too much on the festivities of it, I will try to give you the idea.  I was not there for Saturday’s events due to the fact that I had to go to my cousin’s wedding up north and celebrate with him getting wifed up! I don’t really feel the “festivity” of it anymore or as well because let’s just say I have connections and that’s basically how I have been there ever since I was born. But honestly, Sonshine has been changing the past few years and so I just want to share a little bit about what I saw and what happened this past week there.

GOD

God was present, as he always has been I think.  There are things or aspects of the festival where God may not be the focus or people where God is definitely not their focus but I don’t think that will be able to take away from the overall focus of God being glorified and celebrated.  Most of the bands did their part in talking about God or Jesus or their testimony in some way.  Some went above and beyond that call and even baptised people as well, which I will talk about later.  Some bands were there for their own profit and promoting their band. But by all means overall it was a great weekend to experience Jesus.

COMMUNITY

The community of everyone there is always great, especially with the young adults there after you’ve basically been seeing them for the past few years.  I think the community aspect is definitely more relevant or present in the indoor stage or the HM stage because a lot of the people that are in there all go to the same concerts within the area.  I could be wrong, but it seems like at the main stage you can’t really become good aquaintences with anyone because there is simply too many people.   All in all, there were two or more people gathered in His name, so God was glorified through the fellowship of his saints this past weekend.

MY THOUGHTS AND IDEAS

So like I said I have been going there ever since I was born, and I have seen the logistical side of things for a few years now due to the fact that I have a family member that works as part of the staff.  So with this experience I feel that I kind of know what the festival needs to continue to stay alive and not go down in history like Cornerstone Festival did. I may be wrong, I may be right.

Not to bash the festival at all but it has been going down hill the past few years.   I remember way back when I was probably twelve years old or so about how the festival had 16,000 people come to the festival.  Now a days it seems like there is only 1,000 although there I know for sure there was more than that haha, the numbers haven’t come out yet for an official total. Regardless, I know that part of the changes in numbers has been due to the band line up, which is why people go right? They have had the same bands coming to the festival the past few years with no “real” changes other than Lecrae which has helped out with numbers and the diversity of genres there.  I remember a lot of these bands were big back in the day, but no offense, they either haven’t been doing too much, falling out from their on high cornerstone position in their genre, or they have been singing there so many times that people don’t really want to pay $100 to see a band for the 6th time in a row, no matter how much they like them.  I have some ideas about what would help though. Hopefully Bob Poe is listening (for all you who know who that is).

It’s hard to hear for some of the die hard Sonshiners to hear but we need to start going hipster, and going back to the roots of “pure” worship.  Such bands as Josh Garrels, The Rend Collective Experiment, Gungor, maybe even Leeland along with someone like John Mark Mcmillian, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin (again), Kari Jobe, or even “purer” worship like Jesus Culture or Hillsong United.  This is what college kids are listening to now a days and this is what will draw in people, especially the now college kids that used to go when they were young.  Lets be honest, the hipster culture totally took over college campuses all over, or at least Northwestern College when I was there, and a new genre of Christian artists have arose because of it.  Sonshine does not have this.  I think this would jumpstart the festival again with the all coveted age 20-25 instead of  the 16-19 with kids living off their parent’s money.

The HM stage could use some revival as well.  I remember when they used to had August Burns Red, For Today, Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster, and The Devil Wears Prada.  Now this the closers for the week were Sleeping Giant, For Today, and Love & Death (which is Brain “Head” Welsh’s band).  For Today has gotten a lot bigger since those days but still, For Today only had a little half the arena packed when a few years ago they had more of a turnout. They used to get As I Lay Dying but I don’t think that taking that band is in they’re best interest (which if you know don’t why, I am in the midst of writing something on that soon. But still google it). I think Sonshine needs to steal at least one band from Warped Tour, like ABR or TDWP, and get some other bands so it’s not simply a facedown fest. They had some good midrange bands like Wolves At The Gate, Your Memorial, and Everything In Slow Motion (which is basically the band Hands FYI) but they need to expand that out again.

I really have to some things done before I go to South Dakota tomorrow so I will start wrapping this up. I may add some later depending on my memory.

FINAL THOUGHTS

But amidst all of my criticism of the festival I was able to witness a baptism of new believers by the band Sleeping Giant, in which they used water bottles and showered the twenty some people that weren’t Christians. That image is something that gives me hope.

I write this little article because I care about this festival that was started in my hometown close to 30 years ago. You may have thought that this was irrelevant to you but think the festival or venue near you.  What would you think if it was lost.  I won’t cry about it if Sonshine goes away but I will be sad for sure. But regardless, to God be the glory.

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Related articles

• Sonshine is more than just music (hispanicbusiness.com)

Bonhoeffer

It is a rainy Friday here in Willmar, MN, probably more like a rainy day in central Minnesota.  A light breeze seems to be in the sky. It seems to be more like a book reading day. We’ll see..

I have to say though that I will try to blog when I can, but it something that I have to really try at and really make an effort, hopefully some of you can relate to me.  But amidst all of the time and thought process that goes into this, I have to say that it’s well worth in the long run.  My need for a creative outlet is being met here.

NOW. To what I have been reading that last couple months or so, “Bonhoeffer – Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy” by Eric Metexas. If any of you are Bonhoeffer fans and have read this book or some of his others then you already know what a joy it is to read his works.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone because even though I am only on page 50 or so, it challenges you to what your faith could be, or at least maybe in some cases what it needs to be.  Yes, I am only on page 50 something and I have been reading it for a few months, no typo here. I have to say that I am definitely not the fastest reader in the world BUT in my defense, I am not reading it every night. Right now my work is my priority because I am saving money to go back to college and maybe do YWAM program or something like in that realm. Although I don’t get the pleasure of reading a lot, I would say that reading is one of the most relaxing things that you do for yourself.

Trust me, I don’t know a lot about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. But if you don’t know a lot about him or this book I’ll catch you up. The book is a biography written by Eric Metexas based basically on all the knowledge that we have of him, from his letters to his friends and family’s knowledge of him. It goes into the littlest details explaining who he was and how he came to be.  Now, if you really anything about him, he was killed at the hands of the Third Reich.  I don’t like to think about this yet though because I haven’t finished the book yet and I don’t want to “spoil” the ending.

So if you haven’t read it and you need to get off the couch you know what to do. Let’s just say it wasn’t a New York Times bestseller for nothing..