switchfoot Valdosta, GA

Great show...last one in the US until the Fall tour cranks up! Should be a blast 'cause they'll be with Relient K!
Many many many thanks to Mr. Jon Foreman for making these photos possible. Thanks to Gabby, Matt, and Marc from Wild Adventures, too. The people who work at Wild Adventures are the nicest people on the planet!!!























Look carefully at this photo and you'll see "Loyd" written on Jon's left hand. Yep.

You can see all the photos here. Enjoy!

Ratatouille review

Beginning with Toy Story and moving on through A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc. (my personal favorite), Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, last summer’s Cars, and this summer’s blockbuster Ratatouille, the production team at Disney Pixar has steadily built a solid reputation as the best computer animation outfit in the business. And fortunately for movie goers, they have not concentrated solely on technical perfection but have also consistently developed strong story lines and likable characters. Ratatouille is no exception to Disney Pixar’s formula and is charming, beautifully illustrated, well- voiced and entertaining. The most stunning aspect of the film is the digital artwork, amazingly detailed and brilliantly colored. The artwork alone is reason enough to see this film on the big screen, but fortunately, Director Brad Bird has the given the viewer much more in this film than just pretty pictures.

Ratatouille is the story of Remy, a country rat with an inclination towards creating fine cuisine whose life intersects with that of an insecure, awkward young man named Alfredo Linguini. Remy, because of a tragic separation from his family, has ended up in Paris at the famed five star restaurant, Gusteau’s. Linguini has ended up at Gusteau’s at the request of his deceased mother, who begged a favor from the head chef by asking that Linguini be given a job as the kitchen boy. Through a series of humorous events, Remy and Linguini become unlikely partners the first night Linguini is hired. Remy is able to “cook” by deftly controlling Linguini’s movements through hair pulling, and as a result, Linguini becomes a rising star in the culinary world. Remy and Linguini discover that they need each other, Linguini to protect the life of the rat-turned-chef, and Remy to protect the secret of Linguini’s “success” in the kitchen. These two are living double lives, so to speak, and much has to be hidden from co-workers (I mean, seriously, what is one to do with a RAT in the kitchen?) The majority of the humor in the film is rooted in the fact that neither Remy nor Linguini can tell their secret to anyone and must work hard to keep Skinner, the head chef, from finding out the truth. The audience knows the secret the entire time, and tension is built when we watch the villainous Skinner slowly begin to unravel the mystery of Linguini’s talent.


High notes in the film are the voice acting work of Janeane Garafolo (Collette) and Brad Garret as the warm and ever encouraging Gusteau. There cannot be enough positive comments made about the breathtaking computer artwork we are treated to throughout the film. This isn’t just a visual treat, it’s a feast, and the film is incredibly well-crafted. For me personally, the best part of the film is Peter O’Toole’s (Anton Ego) eloquent monologue that closes the story. It is arguably one of the most well written monologues in modern cinema.

Although the plot is a tad bit predictable, the charm and wit of the film are enough to make us stop wishing for some fantastic plot twist in the end. The story line is simple, and we see accurate consequences come as the result of some bad choices made on the part of both of our heroes. The over-riding theme is that one is to pursue his calling, even if one seems to be the least likely person qualified to do what he is called to do. Another positive message is that the needs of others ultimately are more important than our own and sacrificing for someone else can be highly rewarding. Probably the most beautifully communicated message is that our pre-conceived notions about people (or rats) can sometimes be wrong. Because these themes are based in truth, parents can use this story to help teach their children some valuable lessons.

Parents will want to be warned ahead of time that there are some concepts that may need to be explained after seeing the movie with younger children. The issue of Linguini’s unknown paternity is a major element used to build conflict in the film. Also in one scene Chef Skinner plies young Linguini with wine in an effort to learn the truth about Linguini’s culinary skills. However, there are life lessons to be learned even within these scenes and wise parents will use the concepts presented as a platform for great discussion.

Ratatouille is a pleasant film that flows smoothly along and tells a charming story. I would recommend this film for children between the ages of seven and twelve, but adults of all ages will enjoy the movie with or without the company of children. Vive La Ratatouille!

This review is also posted at

Oh! Gravity. review

Few bands have been able to turn out two albums in less than two years, much less have a significant evolution between the two. Switchfoot has managed to do that with it’s follow up to 2005’s Nothing is Sound. What started as an EP for the Grammy nominated band Switchfoot turned into the stunning 6th album entitled Oh! Gravity. Jon Foreman, lead singer and songwriter for the group has stated that the recordings began just for funand for the sake of recording. But with the addition of Steve Lilywhite and Tim Palmer to the production team, the project became more than just a fun EP. Oh! Gravity was born with all five members of the band in the studio at the same time recording, discussing, reworking, and mainly feeling their way through the album, and it shows.

Whereas Nothing is Sound is weighty in sound and in subject matter, Oh! Gravity manages to stay thought provoking yet provide levity at the same time. The title track has the signature switchfoot sound with giant guitar hooks created by Drew Shirley, a catchy chorus and of course lyrics that make the listener stop and think. Jon’s half yelled/half sung vocals on the chorus adeptly convey the bewilderment one encounters when observing that gravity forces us into position physically but does nothing to “keep us together” on an emotional or social level. The song also represents a step away from tamer sounds previously heard on multi-platinum disc The Beautiful Letdown

Following Oh! Gravity is “American Dream” which could easily be turned into an anthem for this generation of students who are looking for more than monetary gains to equal success. The next track “Awakening” begins with an echoing primal call (voiced by Tim Foreman and Jerome Fontamillas when played in concert) and Chad Butler’s riveting snare drum intro. The energy never lets up in what could prove to be switchfoot’s next mainstream hit.

Another standout on the CD is the innovative, alt-country sounding “Dirty Second Hands” co-written by long time friend of the band, Todd Cooper. Rhythmically, this is a very ambitious song. Chad Butler has been quoted as saying that it keeps him on his toes and is a challenge to play live. There are layers and layers of sound on this song, and over the top of it all is the twang of a dobra. Also, listeners should pay close attention to the background vocals. I love the interjection of breathy panting early in the song as it adds another layer to an already complex rhythmic structure. By far, this is one of switchfoot’s greatest songs, and it shows a creative progression that most bands neglect if they become lost in formula pop.

My absolute favorite track is “4:12”. This bass driven, melodic account of one’s questioning of his purpose on this earth demands a second listen every time. I absolutely love what Tim Foreman does with the bass line. It’s beautifully played and constantly moving, providing the perfect foundation for the other instrumentation, including some interesting electronica infused in the second verse by keyboard master, Jerome Fontamillas.

The only thing I’m surprised about on this CD is the omission of the powerful song “The Sound in My Mouth”. This track is currently available on an EP (Oh! EP) that is being given away with each merchandise purchase made by fans at concerts. I was blown away by the lyrical content, the experimentation with sound, and the resonance of truth within the track

Overall, I’m most impressed with Jon Foreman’s vocals on each track. There are few lead vocalists who convey more passion with their delivery than Jon Foreman does, and the grit, growls and occasional falsetto he uses provide the perfect vocal texture for each song. And once again, Foreman has written lyrics that stay grounded in Truth. While there are no overt references to Foreman’s faith in Christ, the Truth is evident in abundance. I was especially challenged by the song “Burn Out Bright” and have begun to desire that I burn out bright for the Kingdom of God while I still have time on this earth.

There is much to discover on switchfoot’s latest, and dare I say greatest CD. This disc demands that listeners focus carefully on all the layers, turns, lyrics, and passion that is poured into each track. One may not “get it” on the first spin, but trust me, continue listening and you’ll be hooked. There is no question in my mind that switchfoot has turned out its best CD yet. Because there has been such forward movement on this project, I can’t wait to see what’s next!

This review is also posted at http://titletrakk.com

We should all be chillin' like Doug. It's summer time!!!

Transcendent

Every once in a while, you get to part of a moment that is much larger than it's intended to be because, to borrow a quote from Bono of U2, God walks into the room.

That happened for me Friday night at the graduation ceremony for the 2007 Graduating Class of First Baptist Church School. The valedictorian is someone I know and love well. I've had the privilege of being his youth pastor for the past three years, and I was blown away by his Valedictorian speech because it was truly a transcendent moment.

Trent had called me a few days before asking me to pray for him as he wrote his speech. I'm sure I'm not the only one he called because he really believes in the power of prayer. Anyway, he was fully aware that this was the last time he would be able to address the people he had spent his childhood with and he wanted to leave them with words that would matter.

While Trent was speaking, it was like the time stopped. Most people in the room were so focused on what he was saying that there was a true partnership between communicator and receiver. Transcendent, inspired, definitely God.

Here is the speech in full. He was gracious enough to let me post it...



1 June 2007
Existence
To my classmates-- Congratulations! High school is over. As we journey outward may our lives be caught up in adventure and mystery and passion. Here are a few suggestions to take along for the road that I’ve either remembered or looked up over the past few days:
• “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” 1 Thess. 5:23
• Be graceful when people wrong you, because you will need grace before the day is out.
• Do not resist discipline. It means you are loved, and though it is painful now, “it will produce a harvest of righteousness” later. (Hebrews 12:11)
• To borrow a phrase from C. S. Lewis, do not give in to “the seduction of ease.” Nothing worth having comes without difficulty.
• Judge a person by their actions, not by their appearance or words. Some of the most genuinely good people you will meet will be the ones with mohawks and raggedy clothes.
• Laugh as often as you can, for merriment is ailment for the soul.
• A good meal is always better shared.
• Don’t listen to conventional wisdom, but instead seek the Wisdom that lasts.
• Tomorrow doesn’t really exist, so everyday, burnout brightly.
• Never kiss someone unless you mean it.
• Material possessions provide the most satisfaction when they are given away.
• Life is all about love. All these awards and recognitions and successes don’t count for anything. What counts is how much love flows out of my life. What counts is how much love flows out of your life.
In the next minute or so, I would like to tell you how not to exist. I seek to offer how to move beyond existence into deep living. I submit that there is one Way to lasting joy and fulfillment, and that is found in a certain man from Nazareth. I submit that you must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to find any manner of life at all. And I’m not talking about the short-haired, clean shaven Jesus that glares at you when you use curse words, who only drinks grape juice, and who walks around with that better-than-you-are air of self righteousness. I’m not talking about the Jesus who is too holy to know what an attractive woman looks like or who is too idealistic to care about money. I’m talking about the Jesus who reaches out and touches the decayed, disfigured hand of a leper--and it heals. I’m talking about the Jesus who offers forgiveness to a woman caught in the very act of adultery when the religious people would stone her. Irquote m talking about the Jesus who drinks wine, but enjoys it without getting drunk. The Jesus who has completely experienced all our humanity, who has felt the tug of temptations, yet withstood them. I speak of the Jesus who knows how difficult life is, because He has gone through it, and having gone through it, remained pure. I speak of the Jesus who knowing all of our troubles and insecurities and desires and having over come them stands saying, “There is a better way to life and I will help you through it.”
The good news of the gospel is that there is a God who can, and who will, heal your pain, free you from your addictions, give you rest in your trials, provide you with a true and lasting family, no matter what has happened to yours, and who will fill your life with love and purpose if you will trust it to Him and follow Him. That is the way I submit to get past existence.
And now, I would like to close with a prayer, so, as always, only if you would so choose, please pray with me for a moment and forever, because the fragrance of prayer lingers eternally:
Father, thank you for getting us this far. Thank you for getting me this far. Thank you for your grace in life, and thank you that throughout all the worst pain and trouble this life can bring, you are still there, you are still good, and you are still awfully glorious. Please let wisdom truly flow into all of us as we set out upon the adventure of this next stage of life. Please let us be successful in the way you measure success. And please, Lord, I ask that You pour out Yourself on us. All of this I seek in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain and is resurrected. Amen.

Sell it!

In the interest of not joining the "American Consumer" club, churches would do well to heed the advice of Jesus in John 2:16 "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade". Are we selling Jesus? Are we making Christianity and the redeemed life a commodity? How tempting it is to sell the most precious gift we've ever been given in the name of evangelism. To package it neatly, to make it pallatable, to make it fashionable. But Jesus isn't a quick fix. Jesus calls us to transformation. And frankly, not many people are interested in a complete overhaul. It simply costs too much!
The truth is the truth. We should not attempt to sell it, to water it down, to restructure it, to make it fit someone's life (or lifestyle).
The truth is the word. The word is life. Unfiltered, unhindered, unmarketable, it is the most powerful thing we'll ever encounter. Jesus is the truth, the way, and the life.
Now, dont' get the idea that I'm against Christians entering the marketplace with products that promote truth and glorify God. I'm just saying we'd better be careful that our motives are right in doing so. And as far as evangelism goes, well, the same goes for that. Jesus isn't something we sell to our neighbors as insurance against a life that could go south.
God, give us pure hearts out of which are born pure motives. Let us never attempt to reduce the power of redemption into a 5 step program to a better life that can be sold on infomercials the world over. Amen!

Shrek the Third

Ah, what an adorable movie! Of course, watching it with my 7 year old daughter made it all the more adorable, but truly, it was an enjoyable film and did not disappoint.

All our favorite characters are back, of course, and Donkey stole the show again. No one, and I mean no one, could have done Donkey better than Eddie Murphy. Shrek's character has mellowed somewhat from the grumpy friendless ogre in the original, but he still has a slew of great one-liners, many of which he saves for the climax of the plot. Fiona was a little less of a player, although she does manage to galvanize the princesses of Far Far Away into a force to be reckoned with. Sleeping Beauty was so well animated and well played...a narcoleptic Princess in the face of eminent danger is always going to be funny.

Favorite scenes...the "croaking" scene (one of the best death scenes EVER), Shrek's nightmare, Pinnochio's verbal adeptness, and the whole bit where Donkey and Puss do a "Freaky Friday" sort of body exchange midway through the movie.

The only critcisms I have are that the pacing was a little off...the film started off with a ton of great humorous moments, one right after the other, but then flagged a little when it was necessary to build the plot. This happened a few times throughout the film, but overall, there weren't too many flat moments. I also was a little disappointed that Shrek's uncouth characteristics were capitalized on instead of his trademark grumpiness.

Pluses were the animation, the addition of new characters (Merlin is outstanding), numerous references to pop-culture (see you can pick up references to Mary Poppins, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, and the Six Million Dollar man),and an outstanding soundtrack. Oh, and slapstick humor in animation form is always a winner...how else can a half a ballroom burn down due to a chain of events that begins when Shrek's royal clothing begins to come undone?

The moral was well communicated as well...we live up to who we are, not who others say we are. I loved it. It fits with the theme of my life lately...seek out why God has created you and who He's created you to be and live up to it, regardless of the nay-sayers in your life.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars...or some such rating that puts it in the higher than average category. It's definitely worth paying to see in the theater AND owning on DVD.

AWAKENING!

Life

Sometimes the experience of life is more important than where you are headed in life. I mean, sometimes we are so caught up in the vision of our future that present opportunities slip right through our fingers. Then we look back and wonder why we didn't take advantage of life when we had the opportunity. As Americans, we are so focused on the future, on "making it", on success and financial freedom that we forget that NOW is all we have. Now is the moment we have to make a difference. Now is the moment in which we have to live. The battle cry "Carpe Diem" that my friend Bill Moody is so fond of yelling out on youth trips at 6AM makes more sense to me the older I get. The moment is all we have. Each moment is golden, a precious gift not to be wasted and a treasure all by itself. Even the painful moments are ones that bring living into sharper relief. I pray that God will continue to make me fully alive and fully aware every moment that I breathe, and I pray that my children will learn to live their lives this way, too.

Carpe Diem!!!

Songs you need to hear

Your Love Is Stron...

Jon Foreman - Sout...

1:03AM

So once again I find myself unable to fall asleep. I don't know what to blame it on...hormones? discomfort? pain in my shoulder? who knows...

The thoughts I've been having are probably the reason I'm still awake. They've been begging to be typed out in cyberspace for everyone or no one to read. Probably the latter! No matter who reads or doesnt read them, they still groan to be written.

I was thinking the other day about how, in the "ministry" we do so much to stimulate people to move forward in their relationship with Christ. Some of it feels like "bleaching headstones", all work and no real progress...no real depth. I have to remain focused on the outcome and not the means by which I get there in ministry...the outcome being the miracle of seeing people connect with Christ. The means are important, but they can't be without an end that has purpose. I fear that too much of our structure, too much of our urgency, too much of our time is spent in bleaching headstones. It amazes me that we've been entrusted to build the kingdom of God when sometimes the only tools we want to use are sponges soaked with bleach. So I struggle between the ease of having a structure that produces a measurable, predictable outcome and the challenges that real ministry demands. Real ministry demands that I pour myself out at the foot of the cross daily, hourly. It's sometimes a bitter wrestling match where parts of me are dislocated for sure. It's so much easier to meet a deadline and produce a program than it is to obey, but obedience is the only thing that's really going to produce anything that actually builds the kingdom of God.

It's now 1:23. I'll be exhausted tomorrow. And there were more thoughts as my body fought with my brain earlier when I was trying to go to sleep. But, as profound as I believed them to be, they were also fleeting...and so I'll call it a night.

Oh...and one more thought that I'll go into more detail tomorrow night at with the youth....At the wedding in Canaa, Mary, mother of Jesus asked him to help the family of the bride avoid some embarassment and public humiliation by producing wine from water. Jesus clearly told her it wasn't his time...and Mary completely ignored him! She turned and told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to having full confidence that he would honor her request. And Jesus did... He obeyed his mother. Think on that for a while.

Switchfoot revisited (AKA Susan and Tina's Great Switchfoot Adventure)

After suffering from massive disappointment that my husband would not be able to accompany me to see switchfoot at Campbell University, I asked my friend Lauren to go. Strike two...Lauren hit her dad's truck and was restricted. But alas, there was my outstanding and almost always available friend Tina who agreed to go with me!
I won't bore you with the details of getting there. It went something like this..

great weather for driving
ipod madness
new camera fun
bad travelocity experience (when i say bad I mean atrocious...I will NEVER use that service again!)
42 wardrobe changes with only two different shirts and two different pair of jeans
finally off to find Campbell University

OUTDOOR CONCERT! Woohoo! We were more than excited! I've never sat down for a switchfoot concert and I never intend to...outdoors dictates that you'll stand!

So, no details on the concert either...just a series of adjectives. AMAZING, CREATIVE, ENERGIZED, INCREDIBLE, FUN, FUN, FUN, EXCELLENT, THOUGHT-PROVOKING, INSPIRING, CHALLENGING. That probably doesn't come close to describing the musicianship and work ethic of these guys, but it will have to do. I'm always impressed with their commitment to great performance. They never disappoint onstage.

And here are some pix for your viewing pleasure. Needless to say, we were AT the stage. We were right in front of Tim, which was cool because I've never really been able to focus on him during a show and he is SO much fun to watch.

And for the best part....

I met them all! (Well, all except Chad. I don't know why this happened. I just couldn't get to him before their time to "mingle" was up)

Impressions of each....

Jon- incredibly warm. Very approachable. Very genuine and sincere. And he looks directly into your eyes, but not in an intimidating way. It's more like he's trying to absorb as much of you as he can in the small amount of time he has to talk with you.
Tim- sweet sweet sweet. And very gentle. And also really warm and genuine. He was particularly encouraging when I told him what I do
Drew- Funny, very nice looking, laid back, engaging, and humble. But outgoing and at ease with everyone he talked to.
Jerome- my "40's" buddy! Smiley and lively. Great sense of fun and humor. We bonded over our "old age"
Chad- will have to remain a mystery. I just didn't get to talk to him at all and barely got any decent shots of him.

Umm, yeah. It was an incredible night. And I'm glad that Tina was the one that shared it with me. We were definitely kindred spirits that night, and God put us together for those 28 hours because we both needed.

So, on to Creationfest 2007 in PA (June) and then Valdosta (August). I'm determined to meet Chad!!!

Switchfoot

Amazing concert...amazing musicianship....great lyrics. And Jon Foreman has to be half crazy. No doubt this band knows how to get the audience wrapped up in a song. And Jon sings straight from the heart. It's fascinating to see someone's heart represented so clearly on stage with music that is genious.

So does it sound like I'm impressed with this band? Well, I definitely am. I'm looking forward to seeing them again this weekend in NC. I know that sounds so groupy like, but it's just fun to watch these guys and soak up all they throw out. Hoping to see an aftershow, but not sure if there will be one. I'll definitely be posting about it.

Current switchfoot faves:
4:12
Let Your Love Be Strong
American Dream
Stars (acoustic version)

Mind control...aka the American Idol Machine

I’m just having a lot of trouble hearing the glowing praise heaped on Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones EVERY week on American Idol. I love Lakisha’s drama and her expressive face when she sings, but is she MARKETABLE(i that word)? And with Melinda, I’ve listened to her several times without looking at her. Her vibrato is too wide at times, her tone color too heavy. In many ways, she seems too old (the biggest criticism that Taylor got last year was that he seemed so old).
Anyway, I think it’s fairly obvious what’s going on this year. AI is determined NOT to have another winner with backbone. Taylor had musical vision, something AI winners are NOT supposed to have. And from what I’ve been reading online, he was determined to do things HIS way, something that may in the end hurt his sales figures and his standing with the AI machine (there are worse fates in life, I’m sure) Melinda and Lakisha, this year’s “picks” are great vocalists, but neither seems to have much of a backbone…malleable, moldable, etc. Chris S. and Blake on the other hand are obviously MUSICIANS who pose a threat to TPTB. As long as those boys remain true to their own musical vision, they’ll die a slow on AI…and you can bet the judges will never praise them again like they did in Top 24. Then there is Jordin, who I believe is this year’s dark horse. Trainable, malleable, appealing, talented, but very very green. This is why she is getting great praise for performances that would get Gina slammed (another one who appears to have musical vision and a strong will).
Yes, America decides. But AI has learned to have a very tight grip on WHAT America gets to choose from. This year, it’s a limited line up for sure (grilled cheese or grilled cheez?)
If and when Chris S and Blake are voted off, I’m definitely done voting. And I may be done with AI for good. (it’s such a sick addiciton, though, I doubt I could ever be done with it. Ugh)

I lament my lameness...

Wow! Could it be that I haven't posted since November? Ugh. That stinks. It's not that I have been without many profound things to post (hahaha...profound...I crack myself up) it's just that time has been in short supply. Well, I say that, but truth be told I haven't made time to post. We really do make time for the things we love in life. But blogging for right now at least, is a luxury I can ill afford.

In January, we had over 30 baskbetball practices, we had over 15 games, add in school, homework, youth activities, etc. You get the picture.

I dream of heaven where there is no such thing as time. Ah...that's going to be, well, heaven.

Keep truckin'.

Christmastime is here

So yeah, my younger friends kindly reminded me that it's not Christmas after I told them in band practice we would be learning some Christmas Carols ...in fact, they said, it's still November. Well, on that point they are right, but my friends, it is indeed Christmas. I had to laugh when I remember that these guys are still in their teens and time doesn't travel so quickly for them as it does for me. Four weeks plus a few days can still seem like an eternity when one is young, but when one is a mom with three kids who have homework and basketball practice, a job, a somewhat serious commitment to exercise, and about 40 "adopted" teenagers to love and care about, time flies. Literally. Four weeks plus a few days is no time at all, and Christmas, for me at least, is here and pressing on me with all it's might.

Not that I mind. I love Christmas. There is a different feel in the air. I used to think that "Christmas Spirit" was manufactured by traditions celebrated in years past, but now I think that it's a real entity, and that the nearness of God is the reason we feel differently at Christmas. For some, that nearness means hope, love, warmth and acceptance. For others, that nearness means despair. They haven't yet learned that the nearness exists to reach out to give hope to the hopeless, light the those in darkness, forgiveness to the guilty.


There are a lot of things I think about at Christmas, and maybe I'll be commited enough to writing throughout this season to get some of those thoughts on paper (virtual paper). Stay tuned.

Until then, you can enjoy Mr. Hicks unbelievably unique and impressive version of "White Christmas"

Tired

I'm tired of seeing people throw their lives away.
I'm tired of seeing them take the resources that are meant for good and use them up on self destruction
I'm tired of seeing people make mistakes, use bad judgment, and lie about it
I'm tired of brokenness.
Tired of my own and tired of everyone else's
Discouragement seems to be my closest companion lately.
I used to be able to focus on the positive, but today the negative is all that's visible
I'm tired of the things we chase to find pleasure
I'm sick to death of watching people so eagerly be deceived.
I feel like I'm inside a glass jar, yelling and banging on the glass walls. I can be seen, but no one can hear me.

If I hear one more story about how someone I love is screwing up his/her life, I might explode.

A word to Comment-eers

Please don't post comments anonymously. I will automatically delete them without reading first. Also, there are several posts on my blog that are of various subjects. Don't let the past few posts deceive you...explore first, make wholesale judgments on the blog later.

What's going on

Marvin Gaye, What's Going On...1970



Lyrics:
Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today - Ya
Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going on
Ya, what’s going on
Ah, what’s going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Father, father, everybody thinks we’re wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What’s going on
Ya, what’s going on
Tell me what’s going on
I’ll tell you what’s going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby

Thanks to Graycharles for posting this today on his site, www.graycharles.com




In 1970, I was three years old. I think more and more often about the times in which I grew up, the social instablity, the political scene, the war. I was sheltered as I grew up, as were most people my age today. I have found it fascinating to look at that time now as an adult and see how the events our country experienced in the late 60’s and 70’s has shaped modern culture today.

And what amazes me even more is how music was then, and is now, a conduit for the thoughts, joys, bewilderment, frustration, etc., of present day man.

Today’s “popular” music to me seems to be a pretty accurate reflection of our self absorption and our greediness, our hedonistic tendencies. While we may lament that “real” music hasn’t been on the scene for a while, I think we need to look long and hard at ourselves first. Pop culture, while it can in some ways be thrust on us and marketed to us, is still and extension of who we are as people.

I think artists like Taylor Hicks, Jack Johnson, Marc Broussard, John Mayer, even controversial artists like the Dixie Chiicks, are finding the spotlight not only because of their talent, but because they are resonating with a population that has begun to soul search…again. And it’s about time. We may not always agree with the message the singer has to communicate, but we can agree that we need to stop living on the surface and start finding meaning in life…all aspects of life, even the arts.

Enjoyed reading the lyrics to this song. They are timeless and were a great catalyst for me to express some things that have been churning in my head for a while.

Must stop...must stop now....

Ah....this must end. But I can't help it...what GREAT photography. Looks like some infrared work to me...or an infrared filter was used in Photoshop. I'm totally jealous of the photographer.





This is my no-longer-a-professional-photographer analysis of this very engaging photo.

Obviously, BW works for Taylor. His coloring begs for it. The cropping is fantastic. I love the open space above him…and he is sitting in an area of the photo that is a strong focal point…lower left hand corner. The curve of the wall that begins in the lower RH corner leads your eye to look directly at his eyes. I don’t think I see anything more than steeliness in those eyes…and that steely stare works very well in grayscale. No malice, no anger, nothing except steady conviction and determination. The way he is dressed works well, too…the lines of the vest give structure to the profile of his body. The dark pants and dark vest are magnets that draw the eye straight to the subject, but not in an overt way. The angle of his arm and leg are a really strong contrast to the curve of the wall. His hand is relaxed on his knee and the fingers are obscured which lets the eye see the strength of the forearm and the back of the hand, rather than focusing on fingers. Great posing. Leaving the wrist band in would have “broken” the wrist and the eye would have been drawn there, rather than following the curve of his arm. The other part that works is that the two darker lines that occur in the background within the trees, also serve to “point” towards Taylor in a very subdued way. Again, that along with the curve are strong points in the overall composition.

That being said, what really works is the perfect moment that this photo was captured. The intensity of the stare, the great angles of the body, the tilt of the head…all captured at precisely the right split second.

Bravo to the photographer. I want to see more.