So much to come...

Sadly summer is coming to a close and it is getting colder out.  Students will be headed back to school and vactions will be coming to an end.  But although all of that sounds sad, there is a lot to look forward too about the Fall most specifically in the music world.  If you follow my website over the past 2.5 years you know that I love my fair share of music.  My taste is quite broad (absolutely no Country) and it excites me when Tuesday roles around and new music hits the scene.  Therefore, I have compiled a list of music projects (in no particular order) I am counting down their release here in the fall months.  So grab your favorite journal and pen (mine is a moleskine & a Pilot G2 07) and jot these down.

1.  The Civil Wars - Civil Wars (Self-titled) [August 6th]

2.  Austin Livingood - The Weightless Anchor - By Plane (EP 1) [August 6th]

3.  Mike Mains & the Branches - Calm Down, Everything is Fine [TBA]

4.  Jack Johnson - From Here to Now to You [September 17th]

5.  John Mayer - Paradise Valley [August 20th]

Those are just a couple albums that I am really excited about and I hope you are too.  Make sure and check out all of the other albums from each of these artists and I am sure you will be pleased.  Happy Listening and enjoy the rest of your summer.



till another day,




normallyINDIE.

Can't stop singing...

As a celebration for the fact that the weather is nice and I just got my driver's side window fixed (now It rolls down again), I wanted to put together a list of songs that I just cannot stop singing.  Some of them are really embarrassing, but that is my life.  Some of them are from some great friends of mine and some of them are from some people I wish were great friends of mine.  Either way I hope you will enjoy them, download them, and support the artists that created them.  Here goes: 

1.  Same Love - Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis (feat. Mary Lambert) - The Heist 

2.  Mirrors - Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

3.  10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) - Rend Collective Experiment - Campfire 

4.  Noises - Mike Mains & the Branches - Calm Down, Everything is Fine (Not Yet Released)

5.  Preacher - OneRepublic - Native 

6.  Relentless - Hillsong United - Zion 

7.  My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark - Fall Out Boy - Save Rock and Roll 

8.  Stay - Rihanna (feat. Mikky Ekko) - Unapologetic 

9.  Home - Belle Histoire - Dreamers 

10.  White Sands - Mount Moriah - Miracle Temple 

All of these records are great and I am so excited to keep belting them out with the windows rolled down as the warm weather continues to roll in.  Make sure and comment below with your list of songs you just love to belt out.  Also, an extra shout out to Belle Histoire & Mike Mains & the Branches.  These are two great bands from Cincinnati and Michigan that are trying to make a living doing what they love.  I have had the honor of meeting them before and they are some great guys.  You would never go wrong grabbing any of their stuff.  

till another day, 

normallyINDIE. 

2012? We are still here...

It is now January of 2013 and the Mayans were wrong and we are still here.  With that being said, I would like to take a look back at the year that was truly amazing for the Tod Family.  If you received the wonderfully designed Christmas cards from my Wife, Jennifer of Turquoise Feathers Studio, LLC, you know that 2012 was a big year for us.  Just to lay out a couple reasons for why 2012 was such an amazing year for us.

I accepted my first position in ministry as the Community Youth Coordinator at Groesbeck UMC in Cincinnati, OH on Jan. 2nd 2012.

Jennifer & I tied the knot at the Harrison Center for the Arts in Downtown Indianapolis, IN March 10th, 2012.

Jennifer & I moved into our first apartment in March in Downtown Cincinnati, OH.

Jennifer & I graduated from Herron School of Art & Cincinnati Christian University (respectively) on May 12th - May 13th 2012.

I transitioned into the position of Pastor of Student Ministries at Groesbeck UMC in Cincinnati, OH.

We introduced Indie Tod into the world as we adopted our first puppy in August of 2012.

I accepted the position of Student Ministries Pastor at Twin Oaks Christian Church in Woodhaven, MI.

Jennifer & I moved to Southgate, MI in the Down River District of Detroit, MI.

I introduced the rebranding of the Student Ministries at TOCC entitled The Uprising

Jennifer accepted the position of Graphic Designer & Social Media Director at Mousetrap Mobile in Royal Oak, MI.

Jennifer's freelance graphic design business became an official LLC under the name, Turquoise Feathers Studio, LLC in November of 2012.

I preached my first sermon at the main sunday morning service at Twin Oaks CC on Dec. 30th, 2012.

As you can see, this year has been as crazy as they come.  We are looking forward to not moving as well as transitioning into new jobs.  But we are also excited about the new opportunities that will come to us in 2013.  Just a few things we are looking forward to are, Turquoise Feathers becoming a huge company, Missions Trip to Dominican Republic, Moving into our first house.  It should yet again be an exciting year in 2013 and I will keep you updated through this blog.


till another day,




normallyINDIE

A Growing Library...

I am so excited for what is to come, because if you know me at all you know how much I love books.  Most recently we purchased two wonderful bookcases from Target (thanks to Duane) and we were able to fill them with some great classic books and leftover decorations from our wedding.  But we had now take all of my ministry books and other books back to my office to join the rest of my collection.  It is really exciting to me to have all my books in one place.  Just in time for summer, this gives me the opportunity to hopefully finish off all of the books in my collection (only to head to Half Price Books and grab some more).  What I am most looking forward to for this summer is working through the rest of the Re:Lit series as a part of the Crossway publishing company and coordinated by Mark Driscoll.

No I am not a member of the reformation movement (most recently became a member of Groesbeck UMC), but I have found a facination with this movement and the theology that comes from it.  As well as the theology, there is a lot of passion in the words of the authors who have been a part of this book series. Most recently I have purchased Doctrine by Mark Driscoll, Gospel Centered Discipleship & Community. Summer is one of my favorite times of the year for the time I have to read.

All of my library will be here with me in my new office and the bookcases are only getting fuller.  Hopefully the fuller the bookcases the fuller my mind gets with knowledge.

If you have any other books you have found to be interesting or compelling in nature, comment below and let me know.  

till another day,


normallyINDIE