Wacky Tales From the Northern Peninsula

So here we go. This next one is for the true dedicated blog readers. I’m going to share with you some of the highlights from my family trip to Piatt Lake in Upper Peninsula Michigan, July 19-28th. As a little background, my grandparents used to own a real log cabin on this small beautiful 3.5 miles circle of water called Piatt Lake. We sold the cabin a number of years ago as it was getting a bit expensive to upkeep. This summer, we actually rented our old cabin as well as another cabin about 1/2 mile down the lake. My parents, sister, and I stayed in “our” cabin, and my brother, sister-in-law, and their 5 kids stayed in the other rental. My family and I share a number of memories from this lake... catching snapping turtles, swimming, skiing and wakeboarding, cooking smores, meeting real live lumber jacks, and eating and sleeping better than we ever did in Ohio (or at least it felt that way). Throughout middle school and high school, I would often take a different friend along on our two week summer family trips.

The last time I visited Piatt Lake was probably back in 1997 while I was still in college, so this summer of 2006 was filled with wonderings of whether or not Piatt Lake was still the same as I remembered it 1/3 of my life ago. The cool thing is, it hasn’t changed much at all. Same still evenings with starry skies, clear moon, and glasslike reflections upon the sleeping waters. It’s actually so quiet at night that you can hear conversions and laughter in cottages about a mile across the lake. I was reminded why Jesus used to go out and speak to people from a boat. Water is a like a natural megaphone.

The participants of the family trip were: my super athlete biker runner swimmer iron pumper sister from Munich, Germany, my whiz tech electrical engineer brother, wife, and 5 kids from Indiana, my coffee bean roasting, bread making, sailboat loving uncle and my lime green Volkswagen driving, lion costume wearing aunt from Bristol, TN, and my jokester cousin and his family from Roanoke, VA (my uncle and aunt own a cottage across the lake from what used to be my grandparents’ cabin). I was really stoked because this was the first gathering we had in nearly 20 years in such capacity.

Like so many of my travels, this year at Piatt Lake brings a variety of stories of absurdity and strangeness which seem to find themselves quite at home among my wonderful and comedy attracting family. Here begins several accounts of situations which you may find rather amusing, and at times, downright unreal.

We Were So Close To The Bridge!!!
I left Columbus with my parents at about 9:00 in the morning on July 19th, as we were anticipating meeting my sister in the Flint, MI area around 1:00 (she had flown in from Germany the night before). She had rented a car, and when we met her (at around 2:00, due to some communication problems), I switched cars and rode with her while my parents followed at a growing distance behind. We drove for a couple hours, stopped for some “American shopping” (there are a lot of products here in the states which you can’t find in Germany...or they’re much more expensive there). After a bit of perusing at a Christian books & CD shop and a Reebok outlet store, we jumped back on 23 North and continued our journey towards the U.P.

We neared the Mackinac Bridge and what a beautiful work of man it was... however, moments later, we noticed an even more spectacular sight in the rear-view mirror. No, it wasn’t a beautiful sunset, but it was instead another brilliant display of red and blue... spinning red and blue, that is... perched on top of a Michigan state highway patrol car! My sister had been driving 95 miles an hour!! So we pulled over, and the typical routine began unfolding... law offender sits anxiously in the car while composed and slightly intimidating officer approaches...law offender rolls down the window...officer submits standard question, “ma’m, do you know why I pulled over?” Law offender (in this case, my sister) responds ,“Sorry officer, I must have been driving a little fast.” “Ma’m, may I see your driver’s licence and proof of insurance?” This is where I reach in the glove compartment, and pull out...um... an owner’s manual? Yeah, no proof of insurance. However, my sister did have an old expired license from Colorado. So, we were 1 for 2. Not bad, right? My sister hands it to the officer. He struts back to his car, and spends a healthy portion of time doing something... I’m guessing there was a donut in the equation somewhere. As we sat there in the car, my sister began telling me how she was “totally going to get out of this one.” I had my doubts, but was waiting for the outcome with bated breath. A good while later, our officer returned and asked my sister to get out of the car and follow him back to his. “Oh dear,” I thought, “my sister’s going to jail and after not seeing her for nearly 3 years, we won’t even make it to our first day of vacation together!” Well, I waited... and surmised... and theorized... and assumed... and... ok, now my sister was getting back in the car. “So what’d he say,” I asked, feeling both relieved and now equally intrigued. “Well,” my sister began, “He did a search... and my Colorado license came up expired... so he asked me, ‘Ma’m, why’d you give me an expired license?’ and I responded, “well officer, I wanted to give you an American document since you are an American officer.... (and about this time, I imagine our young officer of the law losing her words while he grew progressively distracted by her smile and spandex)...I did that to please you.” Wow. If I had been trying to persuade the cop, he would have had me chest down cuffed against his cruiser at this point. So, my sister continued the story... “And then... realizing that I was indeed from Germany, the cop raised his shoulders, rolled his eyes, while expelling a sort of pathetic annoyed sigh... and after pausing for moment, he exscasperately continued.... “Ma’m, why didn’t you tell me that sooner?? I didn’t know you were from Germany!!! Man... I would give you a ticket... but uggghh... it’s just... too much work.”

Yes, I am not getting kidding. My sister got out of a possible $200+ ticket because the officer of the day was TOO LAZY!!! Too much work!!?? UNBELIEVEABLE!!! What if she had been a genuine criminal??? Good thing there were some less lazy cops that managed to catch the potential terrorists trying to blow up the Mackinac Bridge the other week. Michigan residents, these are your tax dollars at work.

It’s Good To Be Home!!! (And No, I'm Not An Illegal Immigrant)
Alright. So here’s another good one. One morning, the immediate family all headed out for a drive...myself, my sister-in-law and the nieces and nephews in the red mini van, and my brother, sister, and my parents in the white fully loaded Buick Redezvous SUV rental. So, we were off. Driving. Talking. Driving. Talking. We didn’t really have a definite plan here... just a couple options. Well, the kids wanted to drive into Canada at some point. Also on the menu was a visit to the notorious Antler’s restaurant. A stop at the Soo Locks was also a possibility. So many things to do...and so little... well, we had time... we just couldn’t agree on anything. Fortunately, we had some hefty walky talkies between the two cars to aid us in working out our discrepancies. The driving continued, as did the talking. We were actually very good at both. What we weren’t good at was paying attention to where we were going. Suddenly, I looked up from my walkie talkie only to discover that we were at the customs check point, just heading into Canada. No joke. My dad had driven into Canada by accident, and we in the red mini van had, like geese, followed. Ok. So were we going to go to Canada now? Alright, maybe not. We were now starting to turn around and go back through customs into the United States. The border police people had suggested that we avoid taking 5 children without IDs into a foreign country. I can see where they were coming from. So, here we went...trying to weazel our way around the custom checks and back into the lines of cars creeping into the good old US of A. Well, we in the red mini van got ourselves turned around, thanks to my sister-in-law gracefully forcing her way in front of a few bothered drivers. I could feel the love. The other motorists must have thought we were retarded. Well, the plot thickens. I was now hearing that those in the Rendezvous (my parents, sis, and bro) had in fact turned around, but had also managed to get themselves sandwiched in the wrong lane. The wrong lane, you ask? Yep, what I’m talking about here is the truck/RV lane, which exits off to the right on a separate descending ramp which leaves little room for turning around. At this point, my brother radios me on the walkie and asks me to grab his wallet (as he needed some ID to get back in the states) and “throw it over the wall” and he would catch it below as he stood gazing up from the truck/RV ramp. Well, I thought this was both funny and memorable so I grabbed a camera, jumped out of the red van, and hurried over to the “wall” where I dropped the wallet to the waiting hands of my brother and snapped a quickie picture for good keepsake. I then ran back to the red mini van, only to be greeted by the chuckles of disbelief coming from my sister-in-law. Not long after, we were a few bumpers away from the “Welcome to the United States” sign (see photo). “Wow,” I thought, “It’s good to be home.” We were getting closer. Two cars. One car. Suddenly, I was startled as I heard the marine-uesque voice of the border cop chewing me out. “What are you doing here?,” he asked my sister-in-law, all the while scowling at me. I was a white slightly balding 30 year old male, sporting a beard and a Sesame Street T-shirt. Can you say criminal? For a moment, I almost felt a little suspicious of myself. What was I doing there? Oh yeah. “Um, we sort of drove into Canada by... um... accident,” I told him. He then started getting even more chaffed. “And why were you running outside of your car????!!!” “And why we were taking pictures????” “And why were you...” Wow, my ego was deflating. I tried to explain in more detail, but he really didn’t care. I think he was just having a bad day and wanted to take it out on me. Man, I suppose I might have been in a sour mood too if I had to hang out in one of those booths all day. Got to cut the guy some slack though. Who knows, maybe he had rash from all the sitting...or maybe he was just doing his job.

No Boats For You!!
After this whole mess, we continued on our journey to the Soo Locks. This is basically where they raise and lower both small boats and freight liners, in transition between the 21- foot descrepatory waters of Lake Huron and Lake Superior. We waited for a little while, and no boats came, and even better, we had showed up on the one day of the year where they close and clean the Soo Lock Museum. Three Catholic school outfit wearing, older tour guide woman were literally sitting outside the double doors of the museum guarding their beloved freshly cleaned carpet and minature ship models. We knew we couldn’t get past them if we tried. With that, we decided to redirect our course to the beloved Antler’s restaurant.

Little Boy Meets Sea Turtle
Lunch at the Antler’s is an old family tradition of ours. The restaurant & bar is piled high and low with real stuffed animal heads, bodies, as well as canoes, oars, and other wilderness randomness. My favorite is the two headed calf. In addition, the animals can at times be accompanied by much ringing and racket. On your request, the waiter/waitress will pull a rope which sets off a nearly ear piercing choir of bells, whistles, and sirens. Apparently, my earliest experiences at Antler’s as a baby were met with tears. All those sounds scared me silly. Unlike the early me, my youngest nephew was more frightened by the animals, which he first may have believed to be alive... until he eventually caught on that none of them were moving. In the meantime, the other nieces and nephews were coloring place mats, having temper tantrums, or leafing through pages of the 1/2 inch thick Making of the Lord of the Rings book.

Around our table sat people of all types. There were a couple 6 year looking boys walking around taking photographs of different creatures on the wall. Just to my left in the corner of the room hung a very strange almost alien looking head mounting. One of the little boys walked over to the gentleman sitting right below this strange artifact. “What is that?,”asked the little boy to the man. “That,” replied the man, “is the skull of a large sea turtle.” At that, the boy turned to walk away and I heard him say quietly to himself, “At least they didn’t have to kill any of them.” Smart kid.

I Don’t Know If There’s Anything In My Pants!!
As Bill Cosby says, kids say the darnest things, and my nieces and nephews are no exception. One afternoon, I and the two nieces and the two oldest nephews were swimming out in front of our cottage (where my parents, sis, and I were staying). For some reason, my four year old nephew’s pants were looking especially heavy. My other nephew was asking him, “Did you go poopy?” and frustrated, my suspected nephew kept exclaiming, “I DONT KNOW!! I DON’T KNOW IF THERE’S ANYTHING IN MY PANTS!!!!” as if to say “Please leave me alone! I don’t want to talk about it!!” Well, I wasn’t particularly excited about diagnosing the potential problem at hand. So, we ended up walking up to the cabin where my parents offered to change his diaper. However, he refused, and started asking that I take him down to the other cabin where his dad was. Finally, I, my sister, and my two nephews hopped in the Rendezvous and we all headed a 1/2 mile down the road to the other cottage (I was careful to have my youngest nephew sit on a thick towel to avoid any spill overs). As we arrived at the other cottage, my brother went to change my nephew’s diaper, and as it turns out, there was in fact nothing in his pants!! My nephew had actually been wearing an extremely effective pull-up which had absorbed an amazing amount of water, causing his drawers to sink extraordinarily. The pull-up probably weighed more than that of a standard 16 oz. bottle of water!! My brother and my nephew started throwing the pull-up around, and when one of them missed catching it, it smacked into the wood deck, creating a healthy THUD!! At this point, my youngest nephew was running around with a new pull-up on, and though it was completely clean and dry, it was still sagging like the jeans on a gangster. Somebody get that boy a belt!

This Sunday Is Depressing!!!!
I still find this next incident difficult to believe. It was Sunday morning and my sister and I were on our way to my uncle and aunt’s church in Newberry, MI, a good hour away from our cottage at Piatt Lake. My aunt had jotted down directions for me on a scrap piece of paper the night before. As my sister and I arrived in Newberry, we walked into the service just in time, maybe missing the first stanza of the first hymn. After the organist concluded, we all sat down with a unified thunk on velvet pillowed creaking wood pews and the minister, a colorful rope cladded, slightly heavier-set man in his later 40’s, introduced his convictions for the morning. While sliding a wooden stool beneath himself, he began by announcing, “I have a lot on my mind today.” To his left at front of stage sat the organist, an 80 year old frail woman whose rigid fingers sat upon the keyboard and whose glazed eyes were fixed in the pastor’s direction. Towards the back of right stage sat a slightly chunky neatly dressed middle school boy whom I was guessing was the pastor’s son. Behind the pulpit sat a 40 some year old woman, probably the pastor’s wife. My sister and I were sitting about half way back in the room, towards the left wall. Most of the 50 or so church attendees were older folks, many of which looked like they might have been 70 years old and upwards. On the front left wall above the organist was your typical wooden wall piece displaying the previous week’s attendance and offering. “Well,” the pastor continued, “I’m just really disappointed this morning. Nobody is giving money to the church and its ministries anymore. I emailed 15 different pastors in regards to helping our ministry and no one has returned my email. I am really bothered. We aren’t reaching out to our youth like we should be. I’m not just talking about our church; I’m talking about the American church as a whole. What have you done to help our youth? Our church is in a sad state now.” At this point, I was hearing tremors of mumbling and frustration among the congregation. One older lady chimed in, “Well, I gave money to our youth outreach!” and another more boisterous older woman wearing what looked like a round wicker gardening hat explained how she had also been trying to help out where she could. The older woman to my left, I now noticed, was wearing bright purple Crocs. Wow, those things are ugly. The pastor went on, “The problem with our churches these days is that nobody sees himself for who he really is. We need to be broken. We need to understand that we are nothing.” The resonant voice of the lady wearing the wicker hat cut through the small sanctuary again, “But pastor, I feel so terrible. I don’t need to be broken any more. I am a worm. Only a worm. The world is so heavy on my shoulders. How can I even be broken anymore??” The pastor lambasted on, “We are all worms. We need to be humble in God’s sight!! We are nothing!!!”

This whole time, I was trying to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. On some level, I could see where he was going with the humility thing. I and my sister listened on. At this, the pastor returned to the decorative quilt backed pew at the rear of the stage, not far behind the pulpit, in front of the crucifix and baptismal. From where I was sitting, his head disappeared behind the wooden pulpit when he sat down. The woman who previously had been sitting behind him rose and came to the pulpit. She began speaking and then broke down saying, “Oh pastor, you got me all worked up!” Within moments, he stood, walked up to her left side, and put his arm around her in attempts to comfort her as she read the prayer requests for the morning. I had mixed feelings at this point. I was thinking to myself, “this just feels way too dramatic, but let’s see what happens.” After the woman had stumbled and sniffled her way through the prayer requests, she sat down and the corpse like organist began the introduction of the next hymn. The pastor walked over to stop her. I’m not sure what he whispered in her ear, but I sure hope it was kinder than the words he had to this juncture been speaking to his congregation.

After shutting down the organist, he again returned to the stage area just to the right of the pulpit, pulled up the beloved wooden stool, plopped down, and laid out yet another bark of melancholy. He went on, “Let me tell you a story. There was a little boy who needed a heart transplant. All his parents wanted was for him to have a new heart. But no one would give him a heart, so he died.” Wow, my stomach was sinking at this point. On he rolled, “Look at the world!! They’re blowing things up over there in the middle east! I think this is the beginning of World War III!!! What are we going to do!!!??” At this time, he directed a question to his congregation of 50 some blue hairs, “Who do you go to when you have trouble?” From the back came the small desperate mouse voice of an older woman who innocently exclaimed, “We go to you, our pastor!” The minister nearly cutting off her words snapped back, “No, you go to God!!! Don’t come to me!!! I’m the last person you want to come to right now!!!!” About now, I seriously felt like I was watching a Saturday Night skit or even an episode of the Simpsons. All of a sudden, the lady wearing the wicker hat nearly yelled, “THIS SUNDAY IS DEPRESSING!!!!” And that it was. The pastor could hardly control himself now and in an almost last breath exclaimed, “I don’t know what to do!!!! I don’t know. I guess...well... let’s just sing a hymn and take the offering!!!!!” The sound of the organ began to wind up and moaned with a tone like that of an old haunted house radio program. The congregation stood in unison and began the first heartfelt stanza, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow...” What??? Why were they even singing this song!!??? My sister looked over at me, and with almost a smirk asked, “Did you look at the church sign when came in the building? I thought Aunt Karen had said the service at their church was extremely worshipful, and the pastor was a sweet woman from India.” I was holding my keys in one hand, and had the church bulletin in the other. “Yeah, I think we’re in the wrong place,” I said feeling a lot like Mr. Obvious. We slipped out of our pew, passed a few starring members, and made our way down the cement stairs outside the church to our car.

Wow. You wonder why so many people make satire of churches and Christianity in general. Turns out that my aunt had given us only slightly skewed directions and we had turned two streets too late and had ended up at the First Lutheran Church instead of the First Presbyterian Church. We discovered this after stopping at a gas station and asking the clerk if there were any Presbyterian churches in close vicinity.

My sister and I managed to slip into my aunt and uncle’s church long enough to catch the last ten minutes of the sermon. What a contrast it was. The message of the morning was How to Rejoice in Trial. It was like a breath of fresh air. I suppose it’s all about perspective and attitude. After the service concluded, my sister and I told my aunt the whole story. We were laughing out loud in the sanctuary just thinking about what had just happened. It was altogether hysterical and sad at the same time. It’s amazing to think that there are thousands of churches like this. I think Jesus would be appalled.

Glasses In The Sand
It’s almost a relief to write in contrast this last episode. Right now, I am in the car riding back from Lower Herring Lake in Michigan with my friend Nathaniel. I just can’t get away from Michigan. It’s a beautiful state. We were basically up north here for a day and half, eating well, boating around the lake, and blowing up fireworks on the starry lit shore of Lake Michigan which lies over a sand dune directly across from Nathaniel’s parents cottage. I love the air up here. However, I am now ironically sitting in a car filled with remnants of years of cigarette smoke (this is not Nathaniel’s car, mind you). I have my window down, and am having trouble seeing my laptop screen because of the sun glare. But anyways, the tale of the “Glasses in the Sand.” I like this story.

One day at Piatt Lake, my family all agreed that we should go spend a couple hours over on the smooth cold watered shores of Lake Superior (15 minutes away from Piatt). My sister, 2 nieces (13,9), and oldest nephew (11) had gone ahead of the rest of us. I again rode with my sister-in-law and brother in the red van along with the two youngest nephews (2,4). My parents were following us in the white Buick Rendezvous SUV.

We pulled into the slightly weedy sandy path and headed back towards the lake. As we stepped out of our cars, we noticed my sister, nieces, and nephew lying and running in the sand about 30 meters away, all the while back dropped by an increasingly darkening sky. The wind was slight, yet had promise of bigger things to come. We talked for a few minutes, and in the meantime, the smokey sky’s frown sagged more and more with foreboding weight. We started to see miles away what appeared to be white sheets of rain slicing long ways across the lake, sweeping like a curtain and moving rapidly in our direction. My sister and the kids started to gather their towels and belongings and we all began our way back to our vehicles. All of a sudden, I heard my youngest niece's voice somewhat muffled from the distant thunder and rain patter, “I can’t find my glasses!” Apparently, they had been in a bag of stuff which had been thrown carelessly on the shore, and her glasses had fallen out. My brother and I and the 3 oldest kids ran back to the area where the towels had originally been spread out. By this time, the rain was pouring down buckets, the wind was howling, the sky was bordering on blackish grey, and we were desperately searching through nearly blinding streaks of rain water for my niece’s spectacles. We decided to... alright time out... bathroom break. Nathaniel just pulled off at a gas station because my bladder was killing me. I am so rude that I knocked on the bathroom door, and eventually yelled, “I really have to go!!!” A couple minutes later, out walked an older lady with a cane. I am such a jerk. Ok, where were we... the sheets of rain, the glasses. Oh, what writing about rain will do to you. So, my brother, kids, and I decided to take some shelter under some short stubby trees which were hardly protective. The wind continued to whistle, the water gushed upon our heads, and the shirt on my back was slapidly wet with a collar stretched twice its normal size. My brother then had the brightest idea of the day. “Let’s pray and ask God to help us find the glasses!!,” he offered. So we did. Literally, like 2 seconds after my brother said “Amen,” my older niece turned around, looked down at the ground, and shouted, “Here they are!!!” And so goes the power of prayer, and the wonder of God hearing little tiny people under really big black skies. I love the picture above. You can see the glasses in my youngest niece’s hand if you look close enough, and then in another picture, you can see us dashing back to our cars. They say people don’t remember days, only moments, and I think this is one that will stick with us for a while.

The Longest Blog Ever And No, I Didn’t Make Any Of This Up
Ok, so this may go into the Guinness World Book of Records as the blog with the most words. I am now nearing eight pages in my Apple Works document. This whole thing has probably taken me a good six hours to write, but hey, what else are you going to do along the Sunday roads of Michigan in a smokey car with no working radio?? I think we are near Lake George now.

As I look back through all this stuff, I’m amazed that it is all true. No exaggerations. No caricatures. Just the facts, ma’m (or sir). This is what happened to me on family vacation... well, these are the funny highlights. In addition, I had a variety of other wonderful experiences with my most awesome family, and walked away from this trip just realizing again how important it is to value your brothers, sisters, parents, and nephews and nieces, and friends. God loves people and families and that amazes me. Sometimes, I wonder if He aligns our circumstances so we can blog about them and He can sit up in Heaven and laugh. Your story may be a lot different than mine, yet I’m curious as to whether or not any one else has had a family vacation even nearly as bizarre packed as ours at Piatt Lake July 19-28th, 2006. We may take the cake on this one.

He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

I remember back in middle school and high school, I was terribly uninformed when it came to subjects such as world history and geography (I preferred the easier subjects of english and music). I'm embarrassed to say that history and geography are still not my strong suites. With a buried head in music magazines and synthesizer manuals, I've recently been convicted that I need to work on becoming a more well-rounded person, and most importantly, a better informed Christian. Apart of getting content for song lyrics (from news stories and history lessons), there's a greater good of understanding the implications of God's master plan and how it is unfolding before our own comfortable American eyes.

...And I Feel Fine
Growing up in a Christian home and attending a Christian school has at times left me a little numb to the concept of the "end times." We had one pastor who often came to our Thursday chapels preaching the soon destruction of planet earth. I remember going to shop class (industrial arts, my next period after chapel) a little convicted and shook up. Inside my head ran such thoughts, "Maybe I'm not ready for Jesus to come back. Man, I really need to get rid of that old habit. God would be ashamed of me." After a couple days, the fears wore off and I again began clinging to such arguments as Christ saying "no one knows the day or hour when I shall return" and the prospects that the early church was also busy preparing for the end of the world. How could that pastor be any more sure than the anticipating early Christians in the book of Acts? They were interpreting what they thought were "signs" in their times... so what would make our current "signs" any more valid? Might we have a couple milleniums to go? Every generation has been predicting the cracked sky and the descending angels.

It's Just A Matter Of Time
I've since developed a bit more mature stand (I think) on such issues. I still believe that no one can completely know the day and the hour of the return of Christ (Matt 24:35-37). However, I think the "signs" of his soon return will be quite apparent to those of us who are looking for them. If they weren't to be pretty obvious, God wouldn't have given us any markers. We certainly don't serve a God of confusion. He's communicated His plan of salvation pretty clearly, and I don't believe the signs of His second coming will be any less apparent. I think we'll know. A seven year peace treaty signed with Israel (as described in the book of the Revelation) will be a serious giveaway. The world is aching for peace in the Middle East this very moment. Forget the earthquakes and natural disasters (of which we have many these days). Keep your eyes on Israel. Also, if dangers increase, a decision to mark every human being with an identification code might come as the next necessary step in more easily distinguishing well meaning citizens from say, suspected mercenaries plotting to plunge a host of planes into the dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean (or propel them into densely populated buildings).

Now before everyone freaks out and starts accusing me of being a dooms-dayer or conspiracy theorist, I want you to understand why I am waving such ills of paranoia. The point here is... we should be ready... all the time. On the other end of the pendulum, we can get way too obsessed with our personal safety and comfort, while losing the point of why we're here. We can start living in bunkers, or climbing up on mountains in anticipation of Jesus' return. We can refuse to use Kroger or Sam Club's cards. We can live in total fear if we so choose. We can ignore our neighbors and co-workers who don't have any assurance of where they're going when they die. We need to be educated in what's going on around us, engaged as if it's our last day here, and comforted in the fact that God is in cockpit.

We Are Beloved Specks In A Bigger Plan
Do you remember that painfully simply song we used to sing in Sunday school class, "He's got the whole world in His hands... He's got the whole world in His hands... He's got the little bitty baby in His hands... He's got you and me brother in His hands...?" Be honest with yourself. Do you really believe God is in control? Was there a reason why six to ten planes slated to leave Britain today weren't ravaged in mid flight? Was there a larger plan in you looking up in just the right split second and slamming on your breaks at the yellow light intersection, while you were distractively reaching down to grab your mug of coffee this morning? We'd really like to think we're in control. We'd really like to believe that we are the ones who earned that degree, acquired the money to purchase that house, and placed ourselves in a quiet safe caldasac on a peaceful road in a good town, in a patriotic state within a thriving sturdy diplomatic nation. Don't forget where you came from, and Who is running the show.

Your Kingdom Come
Remember to pray for Israel, our president, and other world leaders today. Pray for fellow Christians in Lebanon, and other brothers and sisters around the globe. Pray that God would be glorified, and that many people would come to know Jesus through the uncertain events of our world. Ask God to show you how you can further His Kingdom today, while putting your own small sandbox on hold. Ask Him for renewed faith to rest in the fact that He is indeed the One strategically in control.

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
Psalm 20:7

Stories from my family vacation are coming soon... I have a lot of material and it's taking a little while to write everything down.

Research And Development

I am often asked by friends, "do have any concerts coming up soon?" Sometimes, people will inquire, "How are things going with the music business." In reply, I now like to say that I am in a stage of careful "research and development." True, I'm not really doing many shows right now, but I'm not making this choice because I'm quiting on the band idea, nor abandoning the thought of playing out or promoting my music. I have my reasons, and in the next few paragraphs, I will try to elaborate on some level.

Rockstars Do A Lot of Thinking At Starbucks
I've always wondered what bands do in their off season. I think even the most marketed bands have periods when they're not on the road, and maybe not even in the studio. I've heard that some artists will work other jobs to support themselves in their downtime. Some musicians have never earned any formal degree, so when they are not entertaining, they may be bussing tables or serving coffee (not that there is anything wrong with this). I just mention this, because I try to encourage all my young musician friends to develop some type of "tent-making" job... something that can yield them income when the music is refusing to be so lucrative. Anyways, "besides working their day job," I wonder if a lot of bands spend this time concentrating on practice and musical study. Nobody who is good at an instrument develops his/her talent through osmosis. I was at a music conference once, and one of the speakers mentioned that he had once been at the house of Ron Block, banjo player for Allision Krauss and Union Station. The speaker mentioned that Ron (who is an amazing musician) was in the basement running through repetitious scales, a daily routine. I wonder how many people go to concerts and just forget about all the time, effort, experimentation, and monotony that players/singers invest to become who they are as musicians and personalities.

Finding Yourself As An Artist Can Take Discovering Where You Went Wrong
All this to say, I've also been practicing, experimenting, and listening alot over the last year or so. I really went into the creation of "Backstage Pass" without a clear direction of the overall style I was going for. It was almost as if every song was taken from a different musical influence, as oppose to having a constant stew of influences throughout the project. Regardless, I think it's a good album, but in many ways, it's not as focused as it could be. At the end of the day, I also felt like the project was more about the abilities and influences of five Nashville CCM studio players, and less about who I was as a keyboardist/singer/songwriter. I don't blame this upon anyone but myself. I just hadn't done a lot of musical research. I was also very under confident when it came to my piano playing and arranging ability (and rightfully so at the time). I'm not saying that I should have been the one man band, because that would make for a pretty amateur project, as I am neither a guitarist, drummer, or violinist. What I’m saying is this: you've got to let people shine where they shine best, but as a producer/co-producer, you've got to know what you're going for, even if you're not the one playing the instruments. I wish I had known more at the time, but hey, aren’t we all learning?

It's Harder To Get Lost If You Look At The Road Signs
Some of my most recent musical influences have been Keane, Pink Floyd, ColdPlay, Muse, RadioHead, Mute Math, Ours, The Killers, The Fray, and David Gray... many of which rely heavily upon piano and keyboard elements for their sound. (Keep in mind I’m not advocating the message of some of these groups, just taking notes from their tones and arrangements.) I’ve always loved keyboards, and have more recently fallen in love with the overtones and simplicity of the piano. I’ve decided to focus more on being a rock pianist/keyboardist/vocalist/singer/songwriter as oppose to a guy who just sings on stage. One problem I’ve run into is that half my songs are guitar-driven, and being that I’m not a guitarist, I’m left out to dry at shows if the guitarist doesn’t show up. I used to think that people would be bored out of their minds if I sat behind a piano and sang the whole time, but I’ve realized that many keyboard rock artists can mix things up by alternating between sitting at the piano to standing in front of a synth rig on the other side of the stage. I’d eventually like to be set up with equipment and songs which would allow me to play a whole hour + show without any other instrumentalists, or with only a few instrumentalists - a second keyboardist, drums, and one guitar. This would make the whole operation a lot more manageable and cost effective, I think.

Feeding A Two Headed Monster
Along with this, I am trying to slowly assemble my home studio, 10X12 Productions, so I can eventually be set up to effectively create custom music, record voice-overs, etc. for smaller businesses locally, and nationally via the world wide web. I’ve already done some of this, but would like to do more. I am slowly building my resume’ in this regard. I hope to be scoring the music for a 45 minute short film in the near future and may be creating some jingles for a national comedian. In summary, I am trying to merge my ministry/hobby of recording albums/playing out with a day job of sound design, custom music composition, and recording work. The equipment which I purchase to record a new project would directly benefit the hopefully more monetary pursuits of my small business. I spent a lot of money in the studio during the creation of “Backstage Pass,” and in hindsight, I realize that I could have been much further along now if I had instead used some of that money to further my own home studio. As a side note, if I am married some day, it would make more sense to invest in equipment that directly impacts my home business, and our family’s income vs. putting money into my “hobby” of being a solo artist. I am trying to think about how I can keep moving forward without putting my future career and potential wife/family at risk. So far, it feels like I’m headed in a good direction. I have been seeking God’s will on this. Amazing how He gives you ideas sometimes. For me, a year of prayer, journaling, and re-evaluating has brought me to this place.

I continue to work on new songs. I can’t say when and if I am creating a new album for sure. I’ll just say I’m studying the bad business moves I made on “Backstage Pass” and am looking forward to the future with a more long-term and narrowed approach. On this note, I am leaving the coffee shop and heading home to practice some scales.

Wacky Tales From the Northern Peninsula

Just got back from a 10 day trip to northern Michigan with my family. I have some funny stories to tell. Stay tuned.

Pictured are my awesome neices and nephew.

Three Days Of Vocal Training

This past Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I attended a vocal clinic down at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus. It was an amazing experience. I would encourage anyone to take this class, singers and non-singers alike. I find it amazing how we grow up learning to walk, run, eat, ride a bike, etc., but so many of us are not even conscious of how to use our voices correctly. The course was much different than your typical "voice class" as it involved actual video of the vocal folds/throat and audio analyzations of the voices of our instructors, as well as our own voices. The class of 15 students was diverse... a 60+ year old Opera singer who had been teaching music for 35 years... several 17-18 olds studying music theatre... a group of gospel singers.. a worship leader. There were even a couple non-singers there, one of which just wanted to learn how to project his speaking voice more in noisy restaurants and other overpowering aural situations. I felt like I was on some episode of "Making the Band" where diversity was good for ratings. You can check out this program at www.trainmyvoice.com. It is full of ground breaking concepts, and is spreading across the world as a totally new way of looking at the voice. My good friend Diane Sheets (she sang background vocals on "A Thousand Gods") was one of the teachers. The other teacher actually works at the hospital as a throat specialist.

I may write more on this experience later... above is a very cheesy picture of our class...I felt a little uncomfortable with this pose if you can't tell...

The Show Must Go On

I have been busy the last couple days. Monday, I was setting up / tearing down lights and audio gear for one of the music stages at Columbus’ Red, White, and Boom downtown fireworks celebration, and on Tuesday I was doing the same thing, only at the Park of Roses in Clintonville, OH ... both 16 to 17 hour work days. On wednesday morning, we finished tearing down the lighting trusses we had set up in Clintonville on Tuesday, and that afternoon I was back at the tv station, mixing commercials and enjoying the air conditioning and mesh backed office chairs. It’s definitely been an eventful week, between the tornado warnings on Monday evening and the thunder and lightning storm on Tuesday night.

This Has Been a Test...
I’ve never been a fan of huge crowds, and hanging out all day at Red, White, and Boom was no exception. More than half a million people sandwiched the streets of downtown Columbus, while baking in the afternoon sun and blowing their money on overpriced lemonade, elephant ears, and meatball subs. As early evening approached, the sky darkened, the wind picked up, and we began hearing rumors of tornado sirens spinning up in nearby towns. I shuttered at the thought of a twister ripping through a glass fronted city deluged with concession stands, porta johns, and unsuspecting holiday eyed pedestrians. The “so bad they're free” local bands continued to entertain the middle aged beer toting friends and family bunch while I and the other stagehands watched the sky and discussed our plan of attack in such case that locomotives began sounding in the distance. Thankfully, the twister didn’t steal the show that evening. Instead, the sky cleared and fireworks went off as usual. I wonder if that was a sign of God’s loving intervention. Can you imagine if we were able to see all the calamity we’re spared day in and day out? Wow.

The fireworks were great, but I could have done without the hand and lip happy couples which surrounded me as I tried to enjoy the explosions above. I’ve become pretty good at tuning out such gag-me-with-a-spoon distractions. Anyways. After the grand sky-shaking finale, the crowds quickly cleared only to reveal brick roads littered with pop cans, water bottles, and bottle rocket debris. The blinking yellow brush-bellied street cleaner trucks began to roll in, the concession tents collapsed, and we undertook “striking” (tearing down) our lights, stage, and sound gear. I sometimes contemplate the number of mic cables I’ve wound in my days. I’d be a millionaire if I had a dollar for every foot of XLR spaghetti I’ve untangled. To give you a better picture... our 8-person crew loaded 8 4x5’ speaker cabinets, 2 large audio boards, monitor speakers, lighting trusses, lights on “par bars,” and cases and cases of various cabling... all into the back of a 25 foot truck. After this stuff was cleared from the platform, the actual stage roof was lowered hydraulically and the entire stage folded up into a semi bed. Pretty cool. The complete tear down process took about 3 1/2 hours, and we left the abandoned trash scattered streets of downtown Columbus around 1:30 am. Not a lot of traffic out at that hour.

Let’s Make A Lightning Rod
Saturday morning started early at the Park of Roses in Clintonville. With a Tim Horton’s coffee in hand, I pulled into the rain drenched park, blurry eyed, about 7:30 am. The rest of the team didn’t show up until around 8:00 and by that time, the rain had increased to the point of heavy drizzle. We started by unloading the metal lighting trusses, and after pulling several from the truck, the forboding sky broke loose with unrestrained downpour and highlights of thunder cracks and lightning flashes. We all jumped into the back of the smaller truck and waited it out for a few minutes. Somehow, in the moment, the thought of raising four 25-foot lighting rods wasn’t terribly reassuring. Basically, a huge square of metal trussing was to be slid into the air on 4 25-foot metal “legs.” (using hefty motors and chains). It’s hard to explain in writing... let me just say this isn’t the type of stuff you want to be messing around with in a lightning storm.

After the rain subsided, we hopped out of the truck, and continued our quest to unload the packed-to-the-ceiling trucks (we had two... one 25 footer and then a smaller Enterprise rental). The show had to go on. Imagine rolling 3-foot square boxes of heavy cabling across the mud smeared grass. It was a sight to behold. My leather work gloves had darkened a few shades from the rain, and my Nikes were slowly becoming sponges, and the few hairs I have were soaked. We started unloading more stuff. Again, the rain started to pick up, but we decided to keep working. At one point, our boss showed up with some yellow rain ponchos, donuts, and coffee... a nice gesture which helped to make the whole experience a little more pleasant. Thankfully, later that morning, the rain cleared and most of the afternoon set-up went pretty smoothly.

The first band (an independent rap group) showed up around 4pm. One of their tunes , “I Hope You Like The Junk That We’re Making” was especially touching. They were followed by a middle aged band covering a gamete of classics, spanning from Elvis to Sheryl Crow. The late 40 year old lead guitarist sported a Jimmy Buffet floral shirt, glasses, and the unconvinced antics of an 18 year old rock punk reved up on Red Bull. The last group, “The Street Players” pulled off convincing covers of Doobie brothers and James Brown hits. They were actually rather seasoned and tight as a musical group. However, half way through their set, the thunderstorms and winds resurfaced, and after lowering the tarp cover stage roof so it was only several feet from our heads, we spent the next hour or so holding up the ceiling to keep the rain puddles from collecting on the tarp top above. (Meanwhile, one of the band members was watching a local news station’s doppler radar on his laptop. I still have no idea how he was getting wireless in the middle of a park....maybe through his cell phone service carrier.) All this time, during the downpour, some of the fireworks enthusiasts hid beneath their lowered tents (while they burned candles for extra light), whie some headed for their cars, and others just sat there in the grass on soaked blankets, anxiously waiting for the band to reappear (apparently, you don’t have to be very smart to get into the fireworks).

After an hour of this holding pattern, the park “entertainment committee” decided it would be best to send the band home, and cancel the remainder of the music attractions. After hearing this, “The Street Players” packed up their truck full of PAs, keyboards, drums, and guitars, while we began another episode of cable winding and stage clearing.

By the time the fireworks started to go off, the rain had ceased and the sky has cleared. Six of us on the crew sat by a shelter house in front of a pond and watched the fireworks exploding nearly above our heads. We had a great view, and I think I enjoyed those fireworks more than the ones I saw down at Red, White, and Boom.

After the fireworks, we loaded up all the audio gear, and headed home around midnight. The next morning, we were back at the park at 9am to tear down the remaining tarp roof and truss. During the night, the roof had collected quite a pool of water, and at one point while we were working in the morning, the hundreds of hooks holding the tarp roof to the truss square suddenly began bending and snapping out of the holes in the tarp roof (making a rapid fire pop corn type sound as they disconnected in machine gun succession) and gallons of water spilled on the stage as we jumped back in surprise. Thankfully, all equipment on the stage had been removed the night before.

We finished loading all the truss and gear around noon on Wednesday. I was pretty sore when I woke up this morning.

Lima Beans and The Interest of Others

Have you ever had someone ask you “what you do for work” only to realize that that person really wasn’t listening at all to what you were saying as you answered the question? Maybe that person was distracted by the drop jaw girl that just walked by behind you... or maybe that individual just wanted to “make conversation” without really investing in the conversation. I’m reminded of the “greeting times” at church, where everybody stands up, and in many instances, makes superficial conversation with their pew neighbor, only to sit down and forget what was just discussed. I’m not pointing my finger here, as I’ve been guilty of both above examples.

We all have hot spots or topics that really ignite our conversational participation (or domination, in some cases). I personally love talking about music... and technology which has furthered music production. I have to be honest here... I don’t get all that excited when someone starts barking about the latest NFL scores or the newest sports car muffler upgrade. In fact, I sometimes feel like such situations do nothing more than highlight my ignorance (that’s why it’s better to keep your mouth shut when you don’t know what you’re talking about, or just ask questions... or go read up on the subject, and come back with something good to say...or just smile and nod). Generally, I really have to force myself to listen when such topics are on the table. However, I think and I hope I have become a better listener through the years.

Here's a random, yet applicable illustration. If my friend is hooked on Halo 2 (the video game), it might take some work on my part to share an equivalent enthusiasm for a make believe world of tanks and robots, when I know I could be out interacting with real people instead of blowing things up in a virtual warscape. Regardless, the “real person” in this scenario is a talented video game savvy friend who needs encouragement just like I do. The point is, sharing the interest of another takes work and sacrifice (maybe I’d rather be playing the piano instead of racking up Xbox points). The amazing thing is... just like originally offensive food (see picture), interests can be acquired... and such acquired interests can often form the bridge to the most valuable of all human pursuits, relationships.

Ultimately, we should be striving to love God... and this includes loving the quirky bipeds which make up His creation... that means me loving you... and that means you loving me... and that means us loving the overall bizarre world threads of a quilt called humanity. He loves us each for who we are, and likewise, we should love one another unconditionally... and often, we do this through purposely discovering and appreciating what makes another person “come alive.”

Thought of the day: Naval gazing is a tough habit to break. Too much belly button watching kinks the neck. Selfishness is stubbornness. No body likes a stiff neck.

Philippians 2:3-5
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Why are Sound Men So Annoying?

Generally, sound technicians are the janitors of the performance world. They mop the musician floors, replace the musician lights, and are often not even acknowledged until a musician stall runs out of toilet paper. I am not saying any of this because I am bitter (as I am a sound technician by trade). I actually enjoy running sound, and in most cases, like the possibilities of serving some truly amazing singers and instrumentalists through the venue of audio. I’ve just observed that audio folk often go unrecognized until there is a problem. How many times has a sound man been blessed with a standing ovation? More often, he will receive a sea of turning scowls after the sound system screams with feedback or starts chattering like a squirrel... and sometimes, the problems happen for uncontrollable reasons. All kinds of things can happen. Maybe it’s the wireless microphone that suddenly, without warning, receives interference from a tv station or nearby cell phone... or maybe it’s the novice professional on stage who decides to point her vocal mic directly at the stage monitor... or maybe it’s the bass guitarist who makes the error of plugging his bass guitar into the “out” plug on his bass amp. Accidents are itching to exist, and sometimes the sound man can do little about the union of stupidity and panic birthing beneath the colored lights of center stage. Nevertheless, there are times when the sound guy misses a cue, or forgets to mute the mixer channel when the guitarist reaches to unplug his 1/4” cable from his Martin acoustic (nothing like a thunderous POP!!! to wake you up on an early sunday morning, right after a heart felt message of rededication). Regardless of who is to blame, most people tend to remember the pops and squeals more easily than the shows & services where everything goes off without a hitch. I suppose the goal of the sound tech should be to go unnoticed. If people start talking about you, it’s probably not a good thing.

In contrast to what I've said above, there have been a number of occasions when I’ve been personally acknowledged and thanked for my work as a sound dude. The other day, I was working the faders at a Jazz & Blues festival in Gahanna (OH) when a couple came up to me at the sound board, and complimented me for the good mix. That sort of stuff means a lot. Next time you are at a concert or at church service, make sure to stop by and thank the funny looking bald yet bearded man sitting behind the mixing board (I’ve noticed a trend in bald sound men with beards).

Mad at the World
I have a theory. I believe many sound technicians and stage hands (roadies) are bitter musicians who didn’t ever make it as performers. Now before all my tech friends get upset... let me say this... many of my technical friends are extremely humble and talented musicians, and deserve to be recognized, signed, and distributed (I say this in all seriousness). I’ve just made this general observation as I’ve worked with a variety of audio folk through the years. In fact, while I was at the Jazz & Blues festival the other day, I met one stage hand who was complaining about how the jazz drummers had dented the drum heads on the provided rental drum kit. He was saying things like, “Those guys are such A-h***s. They don’t care what they destroy as long as it isn’t their equipment. F****** musicians.” I had to laugh. I was thinking, “Seriously man, lighten up. Those guys are probably better drummers than you’ll ever be. Show some respect.” You meet all kinds of people. Guys who bring their own headphones, SPL meters (for measuring sound volume levels), adapter boxes, and volumes of ill quoted technical jargon..all the while struggling to understand why the powerless keyboard isn’t working (hint: turn the power strip on!).

My Share of Slip-ups
I try to approach my sound jobs with some humility, knowing that I am pretty ignorant in many areas, and can always use a new dose of learning. In fact, there have been times when I have literally ducked under the sound board after a terrible mistake, embarrassed by the fact that I just overlooked a strategic detail, so obvious that a monkey would have passed with flying colors. We have all those type of days. At least a monkey wouldn’t hold a grudge against the world.

Scattering Stones and Gathering Them

Some people swear by “New Year’s Resolutions.” I generally don’t make any major commitments on January 1st, but I do have an ongoing list of improvements I’m working towards in my personal and spiritual life. We each walk a delicate rope of “making plans” and “being open to God’s redirecting.” I thought I’d share with you some future goals I have, as well as update you on where I am at in regards to the “music career.”

A Time for Everything
As you probably know by now, the touring thing has taken a back burner (we stopped playing out after our March 7th show at Huntington College). I’ve found that maintaining a band is challenging, especially if you are a solo artist hoping to find musicians who will play your music for next to no pay. I’ve also discovered that it’s hard to do the “rock” thing without a band. The inability to “find the right people” and have the appropriate funds to pay those “right people” has created for me a catch 22. I haven’t yet had the confidence to go out and play solo, although I’ve been considering that as an option. I just think I need some new material to supplement the piano driven songs on Backstage Pass (as I don’t play guitar, and wouldn’t be playing songs like “Ladder” if it was just me and a keyboard), and I need to be a little more polished as a singer and pianist. I’ve also thought about going out and playing shows with two people... myself and one guitarist. That would certainly simplify things. Regardless, it will be a while before I step onto stage again.

So as far as goals go, one of my first is to become a better singer, a more fluid keyboardist, and a more confident performer. This involves a lot of practice and training. My second goal is to come up with a number of new songs which I can try out on a live audience, before I ever drop a dime in the recording studio. This involves writing, writing, and writing some more. Third, I am shooting to have approximately 1/2 of my album debt paid off by January 2007. I hope to spend a lot more time working (at my day job), writing, and practicing between now and then. I may re-evaluate how much I am working and how much I am creating/recording, come the new year. Forth, I am attempting to slowly move my small business 10x12 Productions forward. My work at 10x12 has me occasionally composing custom music and recording/editing voice-overs. I also file much of my freelance work (setting up/tearing down for concerts and events, running live sound, etc.) as “work done through 10x12 Productions.”

At the moment, I am a bit limited in my ability to take time off of work to focus on performing/playing out/recording/etc (although I probably should spend a little time here and there shopping the album w/ record labels and radio stations). My biggest priority is to get out of the woods financially... the longer I wait to take care of my debt, the more the interest grows, and the money I might make through selling CDs or playing shows is negligible compared to the income I make through my day jobs. I now make in one day (at my day jobs) what I might make in profit at 2-3 concerts, minus the headaches of maintaining and funding a band. Ecclesiastes 3 says there’s a time for a everything... "a time to tear down and a time to build (v.3)...a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain (v5)." I feel like I am in a phase where I need to be conservative with my spending, and in the area of risk taking. I need to build on what I have, and use the opportunities I am getting right now (running live sound, working at the tv station) to hone my abilities as a musician and engineer, and further my networking. Some people have asked me if I am ever going to move to Nashville, as this is often considered the mecca of Christian music. My short answer is, “I don’t feel like I am ready for that yet, but I am preparing for such possibilities.” I may talk more about this in a future blog.

What I Love, What I've Started to Enjoy, and What is More Likely To Happen
I think sometimes we can pigeon hole ourselves into believing that our interests only lie in one specific area (in my situation, this could involve the dream of becoming a solo artist) when in fact, we have other areas of interests which may take years to discover. Over my short life, I have realized that I enjoy a number of areas within music and production: writing (lyrics, songs, blogs, articles), editing (music/audio, even video), arranging and producing (songs for bands, jingles, commercials, tv/movie scores and sound effects), live mixing (churches, bars, etc...this requires you to be on your toes at all times), studio mixing (a more controlled environment), web design (although I am quite a novice in this area compared to some people), and worship leading (in moderation, as I am easily burnt out with this). However, my greatest passion involves communicating my own heart through songs/stories of personal struggle and victory. I love making records, but also just love writing. Maybe same day I’ll write a book. Who knows. Your interests can definitely change and mature as you get older.

For those of you who don’t know, I graduated from Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA) with a communications degree in 1998. I started off majoring in music, but switched my major to communications my second year, as I felt communications was a much more marketable career path. Many of the students in the music department were either going into classical vocal/piano performance, or were focusing on becoming music teachers. I really didn’t want to go either of those directions so I turned my attention towards broadcast media, namely television production. Over eight years later, I am quite glad I had the wisdom to go this direction. I figured I could freely pick up the musical knowledge I needed for my own projects by “hanging around the right people” (and I wouldn’t have to take out student loans for the experience). I realized that pursuing music as a career was risky business. Regardless, I am happy that I did take a year of music studies at Liberty as I still apply much of the information I gained through my introductory music theory classes. I imagine the classroom emphasis of melody and harmony was one contributor which helped to push me away from the more “beat driven” genre of rap and towards the melody dependent form of pop rock (Not to mention, my favorite band at the time, dc Talk, was also making that turn from rap to rock).

After graduating from Liberty, I started my career in television in 1998 in Columbus at a tv news station. I honestly “saw the job as a pay check” the first year, as I was doing nothing more than organizing scripts for news anchors and running teleprompter during newscasts. However, at the beginning of my second year, I was hired on as the evening news studio audio engineer (I ran the sound board during live newscasts). That was a little more interesting. I definitely made some glaring mistakes from time to time (like not turning on the weather man’s mic, etc), but the experience pushed me to be quicker on my toes, and allowed me to begin developing my ear for live audio mixing.

I now work at a different tv station/production house, and have been at this job for about 5 years or so (there was one year somewhere in the middle when I was not working at the station, and filled my wallet with freelance work). There are elements of work at the tv station that I really enjoy. Then, like any job, there are the regular routines which are less creative and less enjoyable. I suppose you learn to be thankful for everything, and it’s that much more fun when the really creative projects/tv shows surface.

I’ve discovered that there is much more work in the “sound for picture” field than in the “sound for records” field (not only in Columbus, but nationally, I think). You don’t have to look young and hip to compose music for movies or tv shows (or to be a record producer, although the competition in this field may be a little more competative). I think this is a line of work I could realistically be doing when I am in my 60s. The proposition of surviving as a rock artist involves so many things... your image, your age, your charisma, your popularity among fans, your reviews, etc. I would love to be a solo artist, but I’m realizing more and more that I need to try to move my “day job” forward just as much as I try to excel what I originally thought was my “dream job.” I need to keep in mind the possibilities of supporting a family down the road, having a career when I am older, etc. The cool thing is, the work that I am doing now (running live sound, working in the studio at the tv station) all ties in with what I long to do as a solo artist. The knowledge I am gaining now can easily be applied to the song writing, arranging, and mixing of my own projects. Will I work in television forever? I do hope I can move on someday to bigger things (maybe composing music for movies, or becoming a music producer), but in the meantime, it’s good to know I’ve acquired some skills which give me something to fall back on when my work as an artist is thin and and far from lucrative.

The Bigger Bull's Eye
At times, I wish I could just be out there "touching the world with my songs," but I've learned there is a greater good in furthering God's Kingdom... regardless of whatever trench I may find myself in... and there is always a reason to be joyful. Although I'm off target often, I am striving to learn the secret of contentment.

Proverbs for the Songwriter

I was reading back over my notes from the March 2006 IndieHeaven CIA summit in Nashville. Below are some insights which I found worth noting. I've been trying to apply these principles to my life and to my music.

1. If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will.
2. Life isn't a promise, it's a chance.
3. Pay someone who knows what they're doing to run your merchandise table. If that person isn't selling stuff (even if that person is your friend), fire him/her.
4. Protect your profit margins.
5. Be a good business person and take your time.
6. Record your performances (evaluate yourself/even sell the recordings).
7. You're not a failure unless you quit.
8. Every time you play, play like you're playing for a sold out stadium.
9. If you don't care about what you're doing, no one else will.
10. Write from your heart, get all the voices out of your heart.
11. Expect God's annointing whether you're playing for 3 people or 3000.
12. Some people have lots of fame or fortune, but what are you complaining about; you have Jesus.
13. Labels can be good, they are not all bad.
14. Don't be jaded.
15. Don't complain, just write better songs.
16. Read. Have a love affair with books.
17. Have good critics.
18. You need one blind fan.
19. "For the truly creative mind in any field is no more than this - a human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create - to create - to create - so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of beauty and meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create. He must pour out creation. By some strange unknown pressing inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating."
-- Pearl S. Buck
20. What you say between songs is just as important as the words in the songs.
21. Don't waste words. You have approximately 200 words to make your point (in a song).
22. Use images whenever possible. Cut out everything possible which doesn't paint a word picture.
23. Think of yourself as an entreprenuer.
24. Songs are not downloadable (they take a lot of work to create).
25. No one likes song writing (it always has moments of struggle, like giving birth).
26. Your life is worth writing about. Pay attention to your life.
27. I'd rather dig ditches than write songs with no meaning.
28. Songs can be true, but are they honest?
29. Make good music, not successful music.
30. I'll aspire to gratitude in all situations.

From Bars to Frat Parties to Sunday Night Church

This past week has been diverse, to say the least. As I mentioned in an above blog, God has been providing some more work for me. One of my sound technician friends got a sweet gig traveling around Europe with three Christian bands, and he has in turn handed some of his Columbus work over to me. Last wednesday, I ran sound for 3 folk/rock bands at Little Brothers (bar) in Columbus. On the rooster were Heather Waugh (http://www.myspace.com/heatherwaugh) and Ellery (http://www.myspace.com/ellerymusic), both of them quite talented bands. The sound system at Little Brothers is pretty amazing. On Friday night, I was at Bernie's Pizza & Bar in Marysville running sound for a Columbus band called Fade to Blue, and then Saturday night, I ran sound for them again at a private frat party for the OSU Veterinarian school. Then, on Sunday morning, I was running sound for a Presbyterian church in Powell, and later that afternoon, I was running sound for a Boy Scout celebration, also held at that church. On Sunday evening, I was at my home church's young adult church service, remembering how important it is that I have a group of Christian friends to keep me accountable and grounded.

I have been praying recently that I would have more opportunities to be a witness, and I've also been praying for more work. Turns out that God has been answering both of those prayers. At first, I felt a bit of guilt for even being at some of these above events (the bars and frat parties)...and then I was reminded by a friend that "maybe God had placed me at these places for a reason." I personally don't drink...not because I think its wrong in itself, but because I see what happens to people when their inhibitions are gone. I have enough trouble as it is living a Godly moral life... I certainly don't need alcohol to void any wisdom I already might have. So yeah, I was in the back with my ear plugs in, sipping my bottled water, and trying not to look too interested in what was going on. I imagine I looked a little uptight, or uncomfortable, or whatever. I suppose I was.

If anything, I think the last week has been a reminder to me that God knows what I can handle, and is protecting me from getting into a lot of things I shouldn't get into. Sometimes, I feel like the only thing I have to go on is my own conscience and will, and if those things break down, I'm sunk. However, I've become even more aware of the fact that there are angels surrounding me, there are people praying for me, and there is a God who is orchestrating my circumstances for His glory, and is empowering me every step of the way to do the right thing. Sure, I mess up from time to time, just like everyone does... but I can trust that God is never going to give me something that I can't handle. However, we also have to maintain this Godly fear, knowing that we could fall and do anything, be it without God's grace and intervention.

The Man in Black and Scaling Back

God is good. Financially, things have been getting quite tight recently, but God has provided some extra freelance jobs just when I needed them. At this current rate, it will probably take about another year and half or so to pay off what I owe from my last CD. Sometimes, I wonder if I made a mistake in producing that album...or at least attempting to record it so professionally...but I always go back to the idea that mistake or no mistake, it was a great learning experience...I learned a lot of stuff on my own which might have cost twice as much had I been attending college for such experience. I didn't get a diploma from the undertaking, but if anything, I made a cool CD...even if there are countless unsold copies sitting in my basement. At least my church friends think it is sweet and probably a few students out in the cornfields of Indiana. This is what happens when you put all your effort, energy, and money into a music recording when you have little or no following. I'm now convinced that I could have developed a following much easier and for a lot less of money if I had put that same money into a band, practice, promotion, and touring. At the end of the day, I finished a CD, and I had no resources left over for anything else. It's like spending all your cash on a sweet new office building, only to find out you have no money to cover water and heating bills. And on top of that, you don't have the funds to pay the employees who you need to make the business go. I suppose you live and learn. For me, it means taking every working opportunity I can. When everything is paid off, I still might be able to sell more CDs and make some profit way down the road. Who knows.

So anyways, along with working a little more, I've had the chance to spend my free time writing some new songs. Basically, over the last year, I've been trying to collect ideas & themes for a new project...but it hasn't been until the last month or so that I've actually tried to take those ideas to the next stage of creating melodies and arrangements. Writing new songs is always a strange and awkward step. I'm just not convinced that I nailed my musical nitch with "Backstage Pass." Sure it was a good recording and there were some decent songs...but after everything, I wonder if the project was "true, but not honest." I think at this point, I'm ready to be more honest about my faith, my struggles, my disappointments, etc. I watched "Walk the Line" (the Johnny Cash movie) yesterday, and I found it really interesting how he started singing songs which were "true, but not personally honest." His first audition at a recording studio was saved only by the more transparent tunes which he had written in the military. He eventually found his nitch, and went with it...the freight train chords, the voice as dark as the night, the black attire...that was Johnny. His record label told him he was nutts to record an album at a prison, but it later turned out (from what I understand) that that project sold more than the Beatles (during that time period at least). He was just being himself, and that is why people liked him.

Next week, I'm meeting with a vocal coach. She works in Columbus and in Nashville, and has done work with public speakers, and some well known singers...including one artist who is now on Gotee Records. I've just felt like to date, my vocal presentation has been very "vanilla." I just keep finding that a lot of rock is more about energy, attitude, and personality, and less about skill or vocal control (at least in classical terms). "Backstage Pass" turned out a CCM record, when I wanted it to be a rock project...and I think there are a number of reasons for this. For one, much of my singing was very "clean"...also the mix was very "clean"...a little too polished for a rock record...third, I think (I mentioned above), some of the songs were void of real honesty. I was writing a lot of that stuff for kids/people in my church, in such a way that I was guarding some of my true feelings. I don't think this is true of the entire project...songs like "Hurricane" and "By Now" are a little more transparent, and unsurprisingly, these are the songs many listeners gravitate the most towards. I believe "Backstage Pass" was just another step towards discovering who I am as a writer/solo artist. Some people find "their sound" on their first record. I've done a lot of growing up in the public eye...from Mouse in the House to My Almamater to Dishes to Backstage Pass to....???

With this being said, I've found that being honest doesn't neccessarily mean that I spill all my bitterness, rage, and anger. The reality is, I've been frustrated, lost, and a little depressed at times, but I can't say that I am an angry or bitter person...at least not now. I think a lot of those emotions are in my past. I have to write what I know. If I'm not angry, I shouldn't pretend like I am. (If I'm not a gansta from the hood, I shouldn't be afraid to write about suburbia.) However, there are certain "hot spots" in my life if you will...issues and concerns which can trigger hours of monologue (just ask any of my close friends). These are the subjects/concerns I need to write about. If I can talk about it with passion, I should be able to write about it with passion. Along with this, I've learned that I have to be willing to throw songs away. A song in the round bin may be the ringing inspiration for the song you wanted to write all along.

I've been practicing the piano a lot, although I sometimes get distracted with writing new songs and I fail to do my daily scales and exercises. This shows pretty quickly. I've decided I really need to write tunes which will "carry" even with a piano and vocal. If I can get a band, great. If I can't, I can set up my keyboard, play the songs, and people will still hopefully relate.

You may ask, "why are you thinking about another project when you are still in deep debt from the previous project?" Well, first of all, it will take me a while to get another good 10 songs under my belt...and the entire writing process is basically free. After I have some new tunes, I want to play them live and try them out on a live audience. If people like the songs, I may consider recording the songs. If people don't like the songs, I'll go back to the drawing board. I made some pretty stupid moves from a business standpoint when it came to producing "Backstage Pass." I went all out production-wise and I'm still paying for it. I should have been a little more patience and wise. I should have taken a band out before I ever started recording the album. I should have scaled back the budget a bit, and I should have had all the money up front and ready to go. Not a single penny should have been borrowed through a credit card. If anything, a small business loan would have been the way to go. It hurts to think how much I've paid in interest over the last year and a half. Some of my cards (until recently) were in the neighborhood of %24 interest. Ouch. If I ever do another project, I will approach it much differently. I have considered releasing the next project for digital download only. This means the album artwork would be scaled back substantially, and there would be 0 cost in duplication, packaging, etc. I'd also possibly sell the album cheaper ($5-$7) and would market it online through myspace, etc. This might be a way to reach more people with less spending. Again, these are just ideas...no commitments here...just ideas.

For those of you praying for me, please pray for my brother and niece as they leave for Europe this Thursday. They will be gone for two weeks. If you'd like, you can follow their travels at http://www.gegners.blogspot.com.

Cappuccinos, Computers, and Simon Cowell

Well, Mondays are my day off, generally. Right now, I'm hanging out at my favorite coffee shop, Scotty McBean's. I woke up with a sore throat this morning...not sure what the deal is with that...probably due to some stray germs at one of my crazy church parties. I attend a young adult group with "major" events on Thursdays and Sundays...and then "minor" events (home group, Bible studies, movie nights, birthday parties, etc.) almost every other night of the week. I generally am out with these church friends about 3-5 times a week. Every so often you run into the guy who (without notice) coughs right in your face...or wipes his nose and then offers you a handshake. Wow. And they say elementary schools are bad. Anyway, yes...it's nice to have a day off...and the warmth of a tall foamy cappuccino is soothing on a sandy throat.

The weather is incredible outside, but I'm stuck inside the coffee shop until the battery on my laptop is fully charged. I love my Powerbook Mac G4. I've basically downsized my whole studio into one box. It's amazing how far technology has come. I used to have to have a roomfull of synthesizers to do what I do (arranging, programming, etc.), but now I have gigs and gigs of sounds right on this very machine I'm typing from...everything from realistic strings and orchestral instruments to crazy ethnic instruments. The great thing about "soft synths" (keyboard sounds in the form of software) is the fact that you can run any of these sounds through any of the others effects (reverbs, etc.) that are installed on your machine. This would involve a lot of cabling and other limitations on the hardware level. Also, "soft synths" are a ton cheaper. Now a days, you can get the same amount of sounds you'd find in a $2000 keyboard for $200, only in software form. The downside? You have to keep everything updated...the more software you have, the more of a pain it is when you get a new computer or upgrade to a newer operating system. Regardless, it's worked pretty well for me. I recently finished some string arrangements/programming (organ, pads, etc) for 4 songs on a new album by Fresno, CA worship artist Jon Shabaglian (produced by Michael Quinlan). Hopefully, some of his stuff will be up on line one of these days. The whole laptop phenomenon is really cool, until someone walks by your table at the coffee shop, trips on your power cord, and your whole studio crashes to the floor...or you make the mistake of giving your laptop a swig of cappuccino. And that is why we have insurance...and backup DVDs.

I've had some interesting comments from readers regarding my last 2-3 blog entries. I had one guy tell me that my writings sounded "whiny, very self doubting and in question of everything." My response to him? "Yeah, I agree. They sound a lot like the Psalms, huh?" My purpose in writing this blog is not to put myself in the center of the universe, nor complain myself into the limelight. I just put my feelings out on the table because I find that it's very healing...for me, and hopefully for "my readers." No one person wants to admit he's/she's struggled with disliking his/her "makeup." However, I believe that we have all had issues with self-doubt...everyone from the "I'm too cool not to take my sunglasses off inside" Bono savior types to the "I have everything going for me and you don't" Simon Cowell bullies of the world. I think Jesus is the only example of someone who was completely sure of Himself...He had no desire to win anyone's approval because his life was about servanthood to mankind and submission to His father's will. He wasn't wrapped up in the popularity contest that we all, consciously or unconsciously, emerse ourselves in. He knew the heart of man, and if anything, He was trying to win mankind's submission and obedience, not mankind's pop culture stamp of approval. We recently celebrated Good Friday. Interesting how one day the crowds were waving palm branches and cheering Christ to stardom while days later, they were spitting at him and hurling obscenities while He hung on a cross of splintered wood. My point in all this? We are fickle and broken people...and it's important for us to admit that. We need to be open and vulnerable before God and others. This whole idea of "losing your life" is so contrary to everything the world teaches us. I'm still wrestling with this concept, but if anything, I think it starts with an honest heart that's willing to say, "yeah, I'm screwed up and I need help."

With this being said, I continue on an interesting journey (as we all do). The band continues to be on hold, and will be so for a while. In the meantime, I'm trying to invest in reading books, writing, and further investigation of God's will and how that incarnates in my life. Sometimes, there are very obvious opportunites God puts right in front of our faces, yet we want to find something "bigger and better" because we fear our own identity and/or self-worth may be at stake, when in fact, our true identity and greatest accomplishment is often found in the ordinary, most humbling of duties.

The CIA Summit in Nashville

Today, it's back to the grind...sort of, I guess I'm not too busy if I have the time to write an entry in my blog. But anyways...

This past weekend, I had the opportunity of traveling with two friends to Nashville for the IndieHeaven CIA Summit (http://www.ciasummit.com/), essentially a workshop for the independent artist. There were at least a couple hundred musicians packed in Building 8/Ecclesia church in Nashville. I would have to say I went there not knowing what to expect...I had honestly set my expectations pretty low. Turns it was a great experience, and I went away with a lot to chew on, both spiritually and from an artist/business angle. Some of the highlights included an hour song writing, etc. session with Andrew Peterson and a saturday evening concert with Phil Keaggy. There were also a number of sessions with industry professionals - producers, promoters, as well as a number of indie artists who were becoming pretty successful "doing it on their own."

It was indeed refreshing taking a trip like this, as there was no pressure of performing, lugging equipment around, or baby sitting a band. My friends Andy, Patrick and I had the chance to sit back and soak in a lot of helpful information and advice without having to be in any sort of spotlight. We attended a number of the sessions, but skipped a few here and there so we could do some sight seeing (neither of my friends had been to Nashville).

As usual, the trip was interesting and frustrating at moments (I never take one that isn't). Friday night, we stayed at a Best Western Hotel...to say the least, it was not the cream of the crop of accommodations. The office was under renovation, and there was one grumpy older woman working the front desk. I felt bad for her as she was probably being paid minimum wage, and was constantly being bombarded by constumers expecting 5 star pampering. While I was standing in line at the front desk, she received several calls, one from a woman who couldn't find her tv remote and desperately needed one (can you say lazy?) and one gentlemen (who came to the front desk) who couldn't get his key card to work. Finally, it was my turn. I asked for a roll away bed, but apparently there was no one else working who could get us one. As an alternative, my friend Andy and I drove around town that night looking for a store which carried inflatable mattresses. We finally found a Target which stocked roll-up camping pads. That night, Andy slept on the floor using his camping bed and a few extra blankets which we borrowed from the hotel (it took at least 4 phone calls and a 1/2 hour of waiting that evening to get the extra blankets). The non-smoking room reeked of cigarettes, so much so my never-used hanging collared shirts went straight into the washer when I got back to Columbus. Although they were still clean, the odor was so strong I couldn't bear to wear them.

Saturday morning, we went to the world famous culture-packed Waffle House! After waiting a good 20 minutes in shoulder to shoulder mayhem, we sat down to a fresh meal of waffles and smothered covered and diced hash browns. After finishing our meal, I went to pay but discovered it was nearly impossible to get to the cash register! I literally had to walk across and stand on a bench seat to pay for my meal. Apparently, Waffle House never thought about the register accessibility when they laid out their restaurant floor plans.

We attended several sessions that morning and later that afternoon, we took a little tour of the city, driving around music row (this is a city block dedicated to music business and studios) and walking the country bar lined streets of downtown Nashville. Along the sidewalks, we encountered at least several older gentlemen playing their guitars which were accompanied by open cases of loose change and dollar bills. One scraggly gaunt faced man solicited store visitors for money. His raspy baritone voice skipped like a broken record with a muffled, "Can you spare some change?" Always difficult to know what Christ would do in these situations. On a warmer note, the sky was slightly overcast, yet blue...a nice change from the recent frigid 40 degrees days in Columbus. My friends wanted a picture in front of the Hard Rock Cafe for their myspace site. Later that afternoon, we returned to the conference for some more sessions, and an evening concert by an indie worship band.

That night, the Best Western staff did bring us a rollaway bed, which was nice. However, as we left the next morning, I found that my $10 roll away bed fee was actually billed as a "pet fee." Whatever. It was $10 either way. (To check out a funny impromtu video interview shot by my friend Joe, go to the link below. I am talking about this "pet fee").

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=603792447&n=2

Weird just got weirder when we found out that the continental breakfast of Frosted Flakes and OJ was being served in "room 124." No, this wasn't the front lobby...it was a regular hotel room stocked with a very conservative breakfast and a green tinted television displaying the Nashville local news. It was a little disconcerting eating my Cherrios with random strangers in a closed hotel room.

After packing up our stuff, we headed back to Building 8/Ecclesia church for the morning service (Building 8 is located at "The Factory," a large remodeled abandoned factory which now houses a number of businesses/studios including Building 8 which doubles as a conference/concert room and church. We comically named the bathroom Building 1 and Building 2). Their worship band was amazing that morning and it was great to hear some new worship songs. The morning message was on marriage...not terribly applicable to myself and my two whinsing single friends. Don't you love marriage messages? I've grown to ignore them mostly. I think the highlight was when the pastor told everyone to turn to their "significant loved one" and say "I love you." Next, he suggested the same exercise, this time only with the substituted words, "olive juice." I think that was funny in 4th grade.

Overall, despite all the weird moments on this trip, I had a great time. It was both a humbling and challenging experience. In some ways, I was encouraged...in other ways, it was a harsh wake-up call. It's a bit awkward to be in a room full of 200 plus people all trying to do (on some level) the same thing as you . I felt like a little fish in a pretty big body of water. I have this problem of taking things too seriously and really getting ahead of myself in a lot of ways. As my friends know, I can be a little intense at times. There were moments at the conference where I really felt like throwing in the towel with this whole music thing. However, when all was said and done, I think the Lord was telling me to get my eyes back on Him instead of worrying about all the things the world and even the church like to run after. There is something to be said about being content where you're at. I am indeed a little fish, but that's ok. That's what God's called me to be. In a world that wants you to "believe in yourself," I find it comforting to know I can trust a God who isn't driven by impulse, peer pressure, or indigestion. I am where He wants me to be, and for the first time in a long time, I'm ok with that.

Video Clip from Bluffton

Click here to view a low-fi video clip from our show at Bluffton University on Feb 26, 2006.

Huntington University March 7th, 2006

photos by Matt Ayers (http://www.myspace.com/ayersphotography)

Huntington University March 7th, 2006

We had a great time at Huntington University yesterday, but the trip did not come without some struggles. Rob, Joey, and Chris arrived around 9:30 Monday night and I, on the other band, traveled with my friend Dave and his wife, and we did not get into Huntington until midnight...the night before the show. Dave took his ford pickup truck, and our original plan was rent a trailer from U-Haul and attach it to the back of the truck (to put all our gear in). Turns out, we found out at around 5pm on Monday that U-Haul has a lawsuit with Ford, and will not rent trailers to anyone using a Ford Explorer...funny thing is, Dave's truck is basically a Ford Explorer with the rear end replaced with a truck bed. So, we ended up barely fitting my keyboard & sound gear, and Dave's drum kit in the back of the truck.

Things got even more interesting when we were stranded on rt. 33 in Bellefontaine, OH for an hour and 45 minutes. Apparently, there was an accident not far ahead of us between a pickup truck and Winnebago. It's easy to complain about this stuff, but had we left a few minutes early, we might have been the ones in the accident.

As mentioned above, we arrived at Huntington around midnight, about 2 hours later than expected. The sound man, Justin, was very kind to wait around for us. We basically dropped our gear off and then headed to the hotel to crash for the night.

Tuesday morning came quickly. We needed to be back at the Merrilat Centre at 8am to finish getting set up. Rob, Joey, and Chris had already set up their guitars and had had sound checks the night before. Everyone pitched in and by 8:45, we had the drums, keyboard/midi arsenal, and the merchandise table ready to go. Both Justin (sound) and Brad (lighting) were extremely helpful and professional.

Students started to roll in around 9:45, some of them collapsing in their seats with hoodies over their heads. Oh yes, the college experience, and the thrill of required chapels. =) Overall, we played a decent show although I don't think we were particularly into it. Between the late night and dissention among the band, I was honestly a little discouraged, and was wondering what else could possibly go wrong.

After the show, Joey, Rob, and Chris were off to Columbus pretty quickly. Chris had a music lesson he needed to get to. Dave and I tore down, and then grabbed some lunch at the school cafeteria. Dave's wife arrived shortly with the truck (and their dog), we packed things up, and headed home.

All in all, I think it was great learning and growing experience. I'm a bit miffed about where to go from here. It was sort of a bittersweet experience. In some ways, I see how God provided and blessed our time at Huntington...I also see a ton of areas I need to improve in from a standpoint of performance. Our next scheduled show is at Ohio Wesleyan on April 29th. We also have a number of potential shows at other colleges.

Sometimes, you think life is just supposed to be handed to you...I'm learning that there is a big difference between recording an album in a studio and then pulling off that same music on stage, while maintaining an audiences' interest.

Thanks to Matt Ayers for the sweet pictures above. We will have more posted in the near future. Check out Matt's page at: http://www.myspace.com/ayersphotography

And the votes are in...

These two fans were standing at front stage rating us like they do in the olympics!!
Photos by Pamela West.

To Bluffton and Beyond!!!

We had a great time at Bluffton University last Sunday!! Made some new friends, got to hang out with Everyday Sunday and Indie United, and we had an endless supply of Teddy Grahams in the green room. Sweet!! Thanks to everyone who helped us load our gear in and out...thanks to Dean Sound in Finley for the great mix and lights. Thanks to Everyday Sunday for letting us open for you guys! Also, a shout out to the band: Joey, Rob, Chris, and Dave. You guys rock!! Also, thanks to the 250 some fans who came out to the show...we even had a couple drive up from Columbus. Wow!

We're looking forward to this coming Tuesday at Huntington University in Huntington, IN. I've already made some Huntington friends via. myspace (www.myspace.com/marcandreband). One guy even volunteered to shoot some pictures of the show!! So, we should have pics posted soon after Tuesday.

God has been providing in amazing ways. I'm keeping pretty busy between the gigs, and my other jobs. Still working at GTN tv, running sound at a local church, and trying to upkeep 10x12 Productions. Next week, I'll be starting a few freelance jobs with draw productions (www.drawproductions.com). As always, I'm trying to keep God in the center of everything I do...as Paul said, all this other stuff is rubbish next to knowing Christ.

Bluffton University Feb 26, 2006