Mention in Chicago Sun Time blog

Hey, check out Chicago Sun Times columnist Jim DeRogatis column this afternoon, in which he talks about the Jonas Brothers and mentions yours truly.

He's commenting on my post at Beliefnet, 5 Things I Hate About The Jonas Brothers. I don't really hate the Jonas Brothers, just the commercial empire.

5 Things I Hate About The Jonas Brothers

Check out today's post, "5 Things I Hate About The Jonas Brothers."

Do I really hate the Jonas Brothers? Head over to the Gospel Soundcheck for the whole story.

This is for Karen

This video clip is for Karen, my friend across the pond (sorry, the sound is off just a hair; pretend you're watching a Godzilla movie ...):

Follow me at Twitter!

Do you Twitter? Follow me at www.twitter.com/joannebrokaw. You can also follow the staff at NewChristianVoices.com at www.twitter.com/ncv

Should be working, but ...

I have so much work to do that my brain can't even process it. I had something due for Beliefnet that I should have had done two weeks ago. I have a cover story for a magazine due on Wed, as well as a column. Several CD reviews to write. Daily posts. Duties over at NCV. I feel like my work never ends.

Yesterday, instead of working, I went to Walmart, stopped to see my mom, got groceries. Did a little work but not nearly as much as I should have. On a Saturday, no less.

The goal today was to transcribe an interview with Collin Raye, but when I woke up I was having muscle spasms in my back and it was too painful to sit. So I took a muscle relaxer and some advil and curled up on the couch to read for a bit.

I feel better, but ... I don't want to work. I need a break. Even when I'm not working I'm thinking about work. The problem is that because I'm freelance I don't even get to see the fruit of my labors for months and months when I finally get paid. So I'm taking another day off.

The guilt might be worse than the work ...

Bronze ain't nothing to be ashamed of

Watching the Olympics coverage last night I was struck when the announcer said that the Chinese men's gymnastics coach told a newspaper that if his team didn't win a gold he'd find the highest building in Beijing and jump off.

I doubt he was spewing hyperbole. The Chinese coaches had to sign contracts promising that none of their athletes would get hurt before the games. The team had been training for this event for 7 years, and anything less than gold would have been national disgrace.

Remember, this is a country who told a little 7 year old girl that while she sang beautifully she wasn't pretty enough to perform at the opening ceremonies and found a cuter girl to lip synch to the first girl's song - because, officials said, it was in the nation's best interests.

Uh ... right.

So in last night's men's gymnastics competition, I expected nothing less than gold from the Chinese. They won and they deserved it.

But what amazed me were the responses by the Japanese and American teams, who took silver and bronze, respectively.

The Japanese looked at the very least completely disinterested by the whole affair or possibly stunned that they got silver - despite the fact that they'd been trailing the whole night. They'd been favored to give the Chinese a run for their money but fell behind early on.

The Americans, on the other hand, lost two key team members before the Olympics and went into the games with two alternates. They were doing great, with a few minor mistakes, and for a while were in contention for the silver. Until the pommel horse event, that is, when two of the guys totally blew it. Alexander Artemev saved the day, and the team took home a bronze.

Their reaction? "USA! USA! That's the way we roll!"

I'm not a big fan of celebrating mediocrity. I don't think every kid deserves a gold star just for showing up in class and I don't get excited when people do the very least that's expected of them.

But in the Olympics, to come in third best in the world isn't something to be ashamed of. It's something to celebrate.

I'm sick of these athletes who tell reporters that they can't leave with anything but gold, who are ashamed of a silver, or who joke they can't go home if they don't win. To even be competing at this level is an achievement, and to win any medal is an honor for you and your country.

So to the mens' gymnastics team: Good for you, guys. You did a great job, you performed great under pressure, and you made your country proud.

And to the French relay swimming team: Silver's a good color on you, especially when you were overtaken by a 32 year old swimmer. Smash that.

Scout and Dali take a swim

Scout playing ball

A mention in the DallasMorningNews.com

Bruce Tomaso mentioned my Gospel SoundCheck blog in his Religion Blog post today at the DallasMorningNews.com:

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/08/david-byrne-and-brian-eno-team.html

Thanks, Bruce! :)

Scout at the spray pool

The spray pool was finally open this afternoon when Scout and I drove by, so we stopped to play for a bit. He played, I taped, and then he barfed.

(Warning: I'm still learning how to use this new camera, and didn't realize out loud my voice would be when I'm talking and taping ... or maybe I'm always a loudmouth? ...)

Earlier today, Scout cornered a squirrel under my car. Scout barked, the squirrel chittered, and we had a standoff for about 10 mins, until I diverted Scout's attention so Squirrel Nutkin could make a break for it. I didn't see him leave, so I hope he didn't crawl up into my engine, because if he did, he's toast. Squirrel toast, that is.