Posted by Matt Jones on June 25th, 2009
I don’t know how it happened, but I survived my first year of teaching! Tillicum has been a great place for me and I have really enjoyed teaching there. My colleagues are great and the students have been a blast. Somehow Bellevue worked things so they didn’t have to lay anyone off (RIF) so I have my job back next year; same place, same classes! How incredible! I posted a few pictures of the last few days at Flickr: Last Days of School 2008-09. My class pictures are also below!
Since I found out I had a job, I also hopped on board Boutry and Kim’s travel plans to go to Greece! Tomorrow morning I will be heading out for 20 days on an adventure to Greece and Germany! I will visit Kos, Crete, and Athens, then head over to Boutry’s place near Frankfurt and venture out from there. You can view my itinerary here at Google maps. I have never been to Greece and am really excited to go! I will try and send updates if I can. What a great way to end a fun, difficult, tiring, exciting, and a number of other adjectived year!
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June 25th, 2009 | Tags: bellevue, school, tillicum, vacation | Category: Daily Life, Education | 
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Posted by Matt Jones on June 8th, 2009
After two and a half years in retirement, the lovely ladies of Late Tuesday will be performing a show at Seattle’s Triple Door! Dana Little, Tara Ward, and Jocelyn Meyer will be teaming up once again to share their melodious tunes with us at the always delightful Triple Door. Reserve your seats now before they fill up! Cost is $15 and goes to benefit Fremont Abbey Art Center’s youth programs, so that’s cool too. If you are a Facebook type, check out the event page to RSVP (but still go buy tickets at Triple Door).
I hope to see you there, I am looking forward to seeing the ladies together again! Is it strange to still have a crush on Dana? Ok, don’t answer that.
Check out my Late Tuesday page for other various Late Tuesday stuff from the past.
June 8th, 2009 | Tags: Late Tuesday, music, triple door | Category: Meaningful Song | Print This Post
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Posted by Matt Jones on May 19th, 2009
Today marks the 5th anniversary of starting my blog. Pretty amazing that I have been doing this for 5 years! Of course in the last two years, or so, the posts haven’t been as frequent… but it is quality over quantity, right? I started at the, now nonexistent, Modblog which was a great community and introduction to blogging. I have, since then, had various blogs that I update with varying frequency, but it has been great running my own domain and just writing when I feel like it and about the topics I am really interested in. Everyone should blog really. No, really, go start one now, they’re free!
Should you desire to take a gander at the various things I have written about, check out the MattJonesBlog.com / Random Acts of Verbiage Archive and drop a note!
To go along with this anniversary, I am also happy to say I had an incredible night/weekend with some amazing people celebrating my and Stacey’s 30th birthday. I am supremely blessed to have the wonderful friends I have. Thanks to everyone who made it so special!
We started the night at Anthony’s on Pier 66 on Seattle’s waterfront then went back to our suite at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel for swimming, eating, and just general enjoyment of each other’s company. It was a night to remember! Please stop by Matt and Stacey turn 30! @ Flickr for some pictures from the evening.
May 19th, 2009 | Tags: birthday, Blogging, Friends | Category: Blogging, Daily Life | Print This Post
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Posted by Matt Jones on May 10th, 2009
Well here I am. Three decades in. I can look back and feel blessed, satisfied, and optimistic. Sure, there are things I wish I could have done differently or wished had turned out differently. But those things have become part of who I am. For instance, I make a pretty awesome third wheel. Life moves forward, I have finally found a career that I enjoy, I have incredible friends that encourage me every day, and wonderful family who blesses me all the time. Pretty freakin’ awesome.
I wonder what the next few decades will bring! I am looking forward to it!
May 10th, 2009 | Category: Daily Life | Print This Post
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Posted by Matt Jones on April 28th, 2009
The Lonely Forest officially released their latest album, We Sing the Body Electric, to a sold out, and quite enthusiastic, crowd at The Vera Project last Friday. I am biased, I will admit that up front, but it was an incredible show and the record should be heard by all. Really guys, this album is great. If you want to read what John Van Deusen, front man for the group, has to say, check out all the lyrics to the tracks at my Lonely Forest Lyrics Page. You can also check out Megan Seling’s and The Sound on Sound’s reviews of the show.
Songs of social justice, to insomnia, to thoughts of suicide turning to visions of beauty all around can be found in We Sing the Body Electric. Something for everyone. The album’s first (?) single, We Sing in Time is a song that looks hopefully forward to a time where our society isn’t broken. “In Time the trees die and light will fade. But I hope for a new breath, a new life to take me away…” On to Something is a harsh and ironic critique of materialist nonsense. Golden Apples of the Sun parts I and II encourage love in any context, no matter the situation. Julia’s Song deals with addiction and ends with John’s grandmother’s lullaby: “I’m little I know, but wherever I go I give I give… I give (away).” Borders and Towns is an oldie (ask me if you would like an old acoustic version!) but goodie and a classic love song. WSBHBWA is another ironic attack against the superficialities of much of our culture, concluding, “You’re beautiful but you’re empty.” Mt. Constitution suggests we take a moment to pause and think about our life. The album coming to an end full of reflection:
Breathing is a blessing
A variable we take for granted
One quick second
It’s blown away with all your happiness
Hope lies in the proles
That’s how they made you.
But not how they wanted you to be…
I could go on and talk about every song, but they are all worth a listen to and read through. Head over to the Burning Building Records store to purchase We Sing the Body Electric, you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and you can listen to the entire album at the Lonely Forest band page at Burning Building Records.
There are plenty of pictures and video clips from the show!
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April 28th, 2009 | Tags: Lonely Forest, music | Category: Meaningful Song | Print This Post
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Posted by Matt Jones on April 11th, 2009
Easter is once again upon us. We are forced to deal with Good Friday and look forward to Easter. So often we want to focus on Easter, but we cannot forget what took place first at Calvary. Jesus was not brutally executed because he was a good teacher or because he was a threat to Rome and Caesar. Make no mistake, he was killed because he claimed to be God. This was offensive to the high priests and worthy of mockery by those who did not see who He was. But Jesus knew who he was and acted in perfect submission to the Father. Only Jesus could be the Christ, could be the redemption of mankind. Could save you and I from the treason we have committed against the true King. We have been pardoned because of Good Friday. Without Good Friday, Easter would have no meaning. Christ had to die, for us, in order to conquer death and evil.
And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
Do you understand how big that is? The veil of the temple separating us from the Holy of Holies, the people from Yahweh, us from God, is torn in two. We are no longer apart from God. We no longer have to perform special ceremonies or rituals to talk to Him. We are in his presence because of Christ. What amazing grace! It doesn’t matter who we are, where we are, or what we have done. We are accepted into his presence because of the price He paid. We can all say thank God for that!
I hope everyone has a great and thoughtful Easter. Share this gospel (good news) with others. It is a blessing to the world and people desperately need to hear it! I wrote (a number of time) about Jesus’ last words: Τετέλεσται: Some thoughts on John 19:30 that I found enlightening. Feel free to take a gander. Also, I would recommend a fairly new book by Craig Evans and N. T. Wright based on a few lectures they gave about the historicity of the death by crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus: Jesus, the Final Days: What Really Happened.
Blessings and Shalom on this Easter’s eve.
April 11th, 2009 | Tags: Christianity, Easter, Jesus | Category: Religion, Theology | Print This Post
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