Just for Fun

Free Recordings from our Housewarming Show

/ Paul Burkhart / 3 Comments

A little more than an month ago, myself and my roommates held a Housewarming show to inaugurate our new presence in South Philadelphia.  In all, we had six musical acts play, 32 songs performed, and almost 60 people attend.  It was an amazing night.  One of the best I had had in a long time.  For all those that came, thank you again.

We also live recorded the music that night, and today, we are proud to officially release The Birdhouse Presents, Vol. 1: The Housewarming. Those recordings are now available for download for free (or donation, if you like).  The album comes in two editions.  The Color edition has the evening broken up by individual song; the Black & White edition contains each artists’ full sets, including the talking, joking, and intros between each song.  Just click on the banner below and pick your edition:

The recordings themselves are a bit quiet, but are fine with headphones or external speakers.  They came out really well.  As a preview, here were some of the covers and songs everyone seemed to enjoy a lot that night from each of the performers:

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Free Philly Concert for the 4th: The Roots & Goo Goo Dolls

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fireworks

For those living in Philadelphia, tonight (on the 4th of July) will be what is supposedly the largest outdoor concert in the country (really?).  Last year they had Bruce Springsteen come in and play.

This year?  Well, the Goo Goo Dolls are headlining (I had no idea they were still around).  But that’s not why I’m writing this.

One of the other acts is Philly’s very own The Roots.  For much of the country, this band gained notoriety as Jimmy Fallon’s band on his late night show.  For me, they’re perhaps my favorite hip-hop ensemble out there.

Their new album How I Got Over came out a couple of weeks ago.  It is amazing; one of the best hip-hop albums released in the past few years, in my opinion.  I’m working on a review of the album for Patrol Magazine, so to prepare, I’ve been listening through The Roots‘ entire discography this past week.  Wow.  What a group.  I can’t wait to see them tonight.  And if you’re around, you should be just as excited to come out.

For Philly: Grad Hospital Rejoice! Honey’s 2nd Location @ 21st & South

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According to the Philly.com’s Insider blog, my (and most everyone’s) favorite breakfast diner, Honey’s Sit ‘n Eat, will be opening a second location.  And where does this bastion of greatness decide to place this most-coveted of second locations?  In Graduate Hospital.  Three blocks from my house. For those that know the area, the new location will be found at this corner of 21st and South St, across the street from the great bar Ten Stone and the great coffee shop La.Va. It will also have in it a branch of the dog shop, Doggie Style.  They plan to open in the winter.  (this story was found via Philly Grubstreet)

“Jack Cashill Writes a Good Book, But He’s Insane.” -Patrol Mag

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I have an original blog post I’m working on for tomorrow, but for now, I’ll promote my most recent article on Patrol Magazine.  It’s about a book I’m currently reviewing for Thomas Nelson publishers (full disclosure: they sent me the book for free).  It’s about the struggle I’m having after finding out that this otherwise enjoyable book is written by an author who is pretty crazy.  How?  Well, just read on.  Patrol even made it a cover story today, so I’ve provided the cover story picture as your link to the article.  Enjoy.  And leave comments!

cashill
You can read all my articles for Patrol right here.

I’ve got a REAL real job.

/ Paul Burkhart / 5 Comments

Many of the long-time readers of this blog have been able to follow the drama that was my post-seminary job situation (I had a job, then I didn’t, then I sort of did). But, as most of my Facebook friends now know, as of Wednesday I finally was able to move into the full-time spot at my work that I was originally hired for about 9 months ago. Hindrances both internal to the company and external led to me only having the part-time evening weekend position at the company. Until now. Now I am officially a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counselor.

The position is at this amazing company called Project Transition. It is a community-based recovery program for people with moderate to severe mental health and substance abuse issues.

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FREE Derek Webb album download for 48 hours only!

/ Paul Burkhart / 1 Comment

UPDATE: The album is no longer up, but clicking the link below will take you to a page where you can download the super-controversial single “What Matters More”  off of the album.

Hey everyone, I just wanted to plug this.  This morning at 9am I got an email from the Derek Webb mailing list saying that on Noise Trade you can download Derek Webb’s newest album, Stockholm Syndrome for free for the next 48 hours.  Which means it should be up until about 9am Friday morning (02/26/2010).  You have nothing to lose, and an amazing album to gain.  Here’s the link:

Download “What Matters More” from Derek Webb’s album Stockholm Syndrome on NoiseTrade.com for free

Also…

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Blog Closed for the Day Due to Weather (reading assignments attached)

/ Paul Burkhart / 2 Comments

[photo by David Schrott]

Yeah, I know, I had the last post in that Transgenderism series (Part I, Part II) due today.  But, as of today, Pennsylvania has just received the most snow ever on record.  It’s pretty nuts.  So, today I’ve just been lazily hanging out with some friends from seminary and did not feel up to devoting the time and care I would have wanted to give to the post.  So, here are some things I read today that might interest all of you.  Stay warm!

White-Knucklin’ It (a blog filler post)

/ Paul Burkhart / 4 Comments

Personal goal for next week: write like nobody’s business.

I hate that it’s been almost two weeks since my last “real post”.  I’m sorry.  I need to be okay with using this blog actually as a blog and not a magazine where I’m the sole writer.  I want to engage you all more.  As has been my unattained desire for the past year, I want to do shorter posts, more audience engagement.  I know my track record sucks, but I really do have other platforms more appropriate for my larger writings, and I’m so infinitely frustrated at myself for how I treat this blog, that perhaps, maybe this time, I just might be able to make blogging a bit more of a regular habit that you all will want to read and actually comment on.  We’ll see.

Sorry for yet another filler post.  Starting Monday, I’m hoping to blog your faces off.  Until then…

Music, Politics, & other sundry things.

/ Paul Burkhart / 1 Comment

I don’t know why, but I’ve been in an increasingly political mood recently.  My blog-crastination (my perusal of blogs and news outlets to avoid doing other things with my time) has been almost exclusively centered around politics rather than my usual intake of theology, evangelicalism, and culture.  So, expect some political writing for the next while on the blog.

I sat down last night to write an article on health care, politics, and economics last night to try and post it here today.  But, as is typical for me, I’m not even done with it and it’s already six pages long.  So, in my ever-failing attempt to put up shorter posts here, I’m going to see if that full article might work if I submitted it to some other sites.  If not, I’ll whittle it down to a manageable size and post it here.  I don’t know that it’s that profound, but there might be some substance there.  So, for my apology for not having any new material today, I’ll just pot the song/EP that have been going on repeat on my iPod.

Ladies and gentleman, I give The Civil Wars performing “Poison & Wine”.  Lyrically, one of the best relationship songs I’ve heard in years.  Musically, (at the risk of sounding cliche) it’s haunting.  Enjoy:

(Live version here)

i’m alive… barely

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Hey blogosphere –

it’s been a little while since I posted anything and a while since I posted a really substantive post up here.  Apologies.  I have several articles in the works that I’m really excited about that I’m working on for both this blog and other places.  The past couple of days I’ve been absolutely knocked out of commision by a stomach virus of some sort that has kept me perpetually near both my bathroom and bedroom.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been this sick.  So, if you’re the praying type, please do so for me.  If not… well…. wish me luck?  Here are the things that have been keeping me company as I’ve been sitting on the sidelines trying to survive:

just a little reminder of my life . . .

/ Paul Burkhart / 5 Comments

I was updating my Author page on this site tonight, and I was reminded once more of this quote that struck me so powerfully by poet Joe Weil.  It’s from a great interview posted on Patrol Magazine a while back.  I wrote about it when I originally first found it almost exactly a year ago.  It’s incredible and describes the nature and substance of my faith like no other set of words I have encountered before or since–coarse language and all.  I hope it speaks to you as well:

“I once described faith as something I got on my shoe and can’t kick or wash off. I’m stuck with it. My poems are the trespasses and blasphemies of a malpracticing Christian, one who can’t stop ogling an attractive leg, or wanting to be first, who is venial, foolish, seldom at peace, horny and lonely, and so far from the kingdom of God that his whole life becomes the theme of that distance, someone knowing he is in deep shit. It’s the perfect place to be, where you can’t fool yourself into thinking you’re on the right track… The only thing I have to offer God is my sins. I am interested in mercy when it appears in places where you would never expect it. I am interested in love that shovels shit against the tide. I am interested in grace… It is better to be annihilated and crushed by God, if you are in love with God, then it is to have no relationship at all. Better God smite you then merely be absent. God does not ‘tolerate’ me. God loves me.”

How do these words strike you?

Consider Sponsoring a Child with Compassion

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[This is also posted at the Come and See blog]

This is what a friend at another Liberti campus recently sent this out.  She’s been asked by a ministry called Compassion to look for a sponsor for a 9-year old Ethiopian named Dinku Dejene.  His birthday is August 21; he lives with his stepfather, mother, and sibling; and his favorite activities are soccer, running, and hide-and-seek.  (Click here for his full-size Compassion card.)

Meredith writes:

“The goal is to find a person to sponsor him on a committed, monthly basis for $38 per month by December 31. The children Compassion serves receive (among other things): the opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Jesus; regular Christian training; educational opportunities and help; health care, hygiene training and supplementary food if necessary; a caring and safe Christian environment to grow in self-confidence and social skills; and personal attention, guidance and love.

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What an Ex-Seminarian gets for Christmas

/ Paul Burkhart / 2 Comments

In order from left-to-right:

Joel Rakes & Turning Violet, Violet @ World Cafe Live TONIGHT!

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Yes, this is late notice.  Yes, probably no one will get this in time to come out if they weren’t already planning on coming, but nevertheless:

Joel Rakes and Turning Violet, Violet are playing tonight at World Cafe Live at 8pm.  The show is going to be amazing.  If you can come out, you should.  Get tickets here.  Also, be sure to grab 14 free Christmas songs by Joel Rakes at his site.  Here’s a taste: