Sometimes I read the scriptures because doing so fills me with the Spirit.  Today was one of those times.  I need the spirit tonight. This chapter is loaded with details on the Sacrament and serving the Sacrament in congregations. Favorite verse was 32, "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places ...

Wow...  3rd Nephi 17.  This has been one of my top 5 all-time favorite scriptural chapters since I first read it when I was 14.  I love it. The first 6 verses, to me, envelop the love Christ has for us, and the appreciation He must feel when we show our grattitude toward Him.  There were no words uttered by his audience, yet H...

Wow, it's been a long time since I last studied my scriptures. The first thing which caught my attention is the phrase, "if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost".   I guess that...

Thanks to the wonders of technology, Advanced Budget Studios now proudly accepts all major credit cards! In other news, we haven't posted much because we're taking it easy during the holidays.  We'll start crankin' out the serious tunes again in January.  (If you have sessions scheduled for November or December, no worries... We'll stil...

Saturday November 13, 2010 This moring i go up and ate breakfast. Took a shower and headed on to the womens conference at Living Word Church. It was real nice. The worship and message was good. My mom got to me the choir director  My sister won a big Hershey's candy bar. But what I liked most about the conference was the tables &nbs...

Man... I'm so tired right now, but I've just gotta write about this. Tonight was the first show Jesse and I put on in the little "House Concert" tour we're going on. It was very low-key, but when the time came to play, the people just kept pouring in.  At the end of the show was the only time I had the sense to count how many peo...

Okay, friend, family, and others.  I just wanted to let you know that the season has finally arrived! Jesse and I have been working all year long on Herod the Fink's 2nd studio album.  We are so excited to announce that it's finally available for purchase! The album has eight songs on it, and all of them are awesome.  I'll post...

So, we've been busy at the studio lately.   So much so, I've neglected to update the site's samples.   We've got a few new ones up, and so I thought I'd let everyone know a bit about em'. ScramJet : Tread Softly  -  ScramJet is a band out of Salt Lake City, dead-set on bringing their musical vision to life.  They kn...

So the Wisdom teeth came out this morning. I was awake and numb, and it was okay. It really doesn't hurt much at all and I'm just taking Motrin. I feel pretty good. I'm really excited that I will be able to make it to Sacrament on Sunday and I also have a quick interview for my patriarchal blessing!!!!! Which I really don't want to miss. I f...

So I'm sure many of you know that I've been working on a new project this year called "Herod the Fink".  We built a new site for it, and update the project's blog semi-regularly.  The site has music, photos, videos, and more, so you can get familiar with us, and know what to expect when we invade your living rooms... Yes... Y...

 So, I just had a great day here in the basement where I live, while me and my family are waiting for our new home (and studio) to be built, and I found myself sort of pensive, so I thought I'd come down and write a few words, and see what comes out. Advanced Budget Studios began taking clients in August of 2009, using a single AT 3525 conde...

How in the world do you do what Alma and Amulek did in verse 2?  Honestly, I don't know.  Also, another perspective is - how in the world do you take what Alma and Amulek just said?  It'd have to be something like, "Yeah, we were just in Ammonihah, after you guys were thrown out, and we had to endure watching the kings and pries...

Why, oh why, did I create this site?  For those of you wondering what this site is all about, read on.  For those of you who couldn't care less, read on.  For those of you who enjoy reading my blog, or otherwise, read on.  Okay... That was stupid.  Ohwell... I Love My Journal (ILMJ) was originally created for one reason ...

Yup...  I'm one of em'.  I'm a geek.  I'm probably not as geeky as the geekiest of geeks, but I've managed to stay employed as a computer programmer for more than 5 years now.  I also spend pretty much every moment of my spare time on my computer at home.  I have geek friends and ... well...  I enjoy technology.  ...

  Poetry by Kelly Miller   THis is dedicated to my son Shawn VanWagen who left on his mission in 2005 and that next week I started writing poetry. It has been a big part of my life since and has kept me very busy.  Also, to President Hinckley and his challenge for the members to read the book of mormon. and to Bernice Hutchenson w...

Today has been ok I guess.. My Maw and I stayed in the house all day and cleaned, while the boys worked in the yard. I hate "womens work"!!!! I rather be out side, but of corse I can't. I'm tired!!! Tomorrow I'm suppost to skip out stake sports day and  go with my Maw to this womens class thingy, I'm hoping that some one I know fr...

I have written quite a bit about this chapter during previous years' studies.  To begin, I noticed this time that it is by the "spirit of prophecy" that Zeezrom's thoughts are made known to Alma and Amulek. I also noticed that during the buffeting these prophets delivered to Zeezrom, not one attack was personal.  They were sim...

I had a real good day at church yesterday, I did talk to the Bishop and got things setteled.  My ex left me alone so nothing hapend there, the only thing I did not like about it was that in our seminary class some one came and nocked on the door every few seconds and would run down the hallway. Then all the leaders botherd me about trying to f...

Whenever I do credit card checking, I always end up searching for longer than it would take me to create it myself, so...  without further ado, here's the Luhn, or "Mod 10" algorithm for validating credit card numbers. function mod_10($cc) {     $reversed_string = strrev($cc);     $string_array = str_sp...

Herod the Fink is a Christmas collaboration project between Jesse Crowley and Jason Jones which has been going on now for 3 glorious years at Advanced Budget Studios.  This year's offering is a 4-song EP. The music this year ranges from a bluegrass crossing punk style of "Joy To The World" to an introspective look in to each of our...

 So, lately I've been thinking a lot about what life is all about, and kind of pondering upon times when I've been doing well, and times when I've been doing not-so-well. I think the most important thing you can do in life is stay close to the Spirit of God.  Lots of things seem to get in the way from time to time, but that's the nature...

Well....  It became time again quickly to have a LAN party after the craziness of the holiday season.  So, we decided to have one two days ago.  It was fairly awesome. I didn't bring my camera, so I don't have a video of this one, but suffice it to say that this one was pretty darned fun.  It started with Eric Hansen and I lo...

 So, I noticed I haven't blogged about studio things lately, and I need to get with it. With that, let me just say this: Yeah...  See that picture there?   One of those babies are now in use at Art City Sound, and although it's a bit preliminary right now, as I've only had it 1 day, I can with certainty say, "The drums from ...

I read Alma 34 two days ago, and haven't written about it.  I hate it when I don't have time to write about the scriptures when I read them, because each time I read them, I feel something different about different portions of the scripture.  Ah, well..  I'll read it again and see what happens this time. Right out of the gate, Amul...

 So, if you don't know already, I have been one of two people obnoxiously pushing a kickstarter campaign for the last 3 weeks. The newly formed duo (Me, and Jesse Crowley) called "Tiny Boats" has been working on their debut album since early March of this year. Tiny Boats' music could be classified as the energetic...

First and foremost, I want to thank you all for your support.  It really has been an incredible journey, and there are so many people who have showed support for this little dream of mine, straight from the beginning. That said, the road in front of me is surely going to be one full of suprises, twists, and turns. For those of you who ar...

Within the first 5 verses of this chapter, I'm reminded again of how a person works who is truly interested in God's commandments. Lehi was commanded of the Lord to have his sons return to Jerusalem to get the plates of brass from Laban. Telling Laman and Lemuel would most certainly have some consequences in that they would automatically assu...

Approximately 4 years ago, sometime during the summer, from time to time I would go outside our back door and lay out on the concrete slab and look up at the stars.  We had been in our home about 7 years and had no intention of moving, or changing, or doing anything but doing what we were doing.  I was in love with my wife, trying my best...

About a month ago, I came upon this video, which you simply must watch.  It's basically a re-make of videos previously posted about a pretty animated Steve Ballmer (Microsoft's CEO) put to music, and hacked up beautifully. At the time I watched it, I didn't think much of it.  It was funny, and it was Steve Ballmer.  Hooray. But...

I just got done reading the book "A Man Named Dave", after reading "The Lost Boy", and 6 years ago, "A Child Called It". Ya know...  To a certain extent, I enjoy doing things from time to time, to keep myself grounded.  To keep myself living in a reality close to what is real for everyone else.  I do t...