Tuesday, November 30, 2010

"One Thing Becomes The Next"

Betty Lynn Buckley is quite possibly the most gifted person I know. And I'm proud to say....I know her. She can sing "do be do's" and still mesmerize the class.

During class last night she said something that clicked with me. An "ah-ha!" moment, if you will.

"One thing becomes the next."

She's referring to different moments in a song. They are all connected ideas and thoughts and images although they are unique from each other. It can also apply to the energy of a song. If your energy with one idea or phrase is huge, and say the next image is meant to be more reflective, you can't rush to it. The energies must connect. Being a "master communicator," she teaches us how to evoke emotion and share entire experiences with our audience. So this idea that in a song one thing becomes the next is huge. Each idea or phrase is a new idea, a pearl. And the performer has to string those pearls together. The string though is delicate. It's made of silk, and it can break easily. But when done correctly, it's beautiful. Breath taking. Emotional. Luxurious.

The big "ah-ha!" came to me though when I realized how true this statement is for outside performance. One thing becomes the next. We're stringing our own set of pearls together. Some are round and shiny and beautiful. Some are dark and oval and dull. If one thing really becomes another, I guess the question we should be asking is...

What am I starting with?

Monday, November 22, 2010

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodnight

Tomorrow is my very last day at Children's Medical Center. After almost 7 years, it's time for us to part. And it's weird.

I start a new journey in December. Well, sorta new. Trauma is trauma no matter where you are - at least in the world of halflings. So that's not new. But it is a new place, a new role, and a new way of doing things.

I'll miss quite a few things - my second family - who at times I saw more than my own family. At times, was even closer to them than my own family. Definitely built lifelong friendships with a few of them. Laughed, cried, and been hysterical together. And I learned more from them than I could possibly imagine. I hope I was able to do the same in return. I will be so sad to leave you girls (and the occasional guy- Marshall, Stinky...) but extremely excited about the new opportunity ahead. So with that I say (sing)...

Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you...I flit, I float, I fleetly flee, I fly. Goodbye...

Monday, November 15, 2010

We're Gonna Paint The Town And All That Jazz

Scadoo

Chicago here we come!

This week is the training event for church leaders for Compassion's newest ministry, Church To Church. We're excited to be linked with a church in Kenya, and we'll have more detailed info this week!

A trip is being planned for the key leaders after the first of the year, and a subsequent trip will be open to members of Celebration that will be planned for late summer or early fall of 2011. If you're interested, go ahead and get your name in. Without having met the church yet, we're not sure exactly what the trip will entail, but I can tell ya, you'll wanna be a part of it.

Having traveled with Compassion International in the past, I learned so much about the heart of God's people and how the global church is effectively empowering the poor.

Our involvement with C2C will bring not only an immense opportunity for personal growth and a challenge to be involved and aware about how our brothers and sisters across the globe live, but it will also bring hope and encouragement to a church who is striving to reach their community for the name of Jesus Christ....

And all that jazz.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone in the air (in the usual Broadway song and dance style)

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Fighter Pilots, Kelly Clarkson, and The World Series

October 30, 2010 is a day I will never forget. Thanks to a very dear friend of my family's, we were fortunate to go to Game 3 of the World Series - the very first World Series home game in franchise history for the Texas Rangers.

Being long time fans, my family had an early start to the day. Dad and Davis had work to do, so they missed our "pre-show" Series fun and met up with us later. We started off the day by going to Jason's Deli for lunch. At the table next to us were a couple of guys in Air Force Pilot uniforms.

I whisper, "Hey bro, what do you bet those guys are flying over the game today?"

Of course we strike up a conversation with them and find out that they are the lucky ones chosen to time the flyover. Luckier than the pilots flying over, if you ask me. Jason ("Hollywood") stood at the dugout and Brian ("Vapor") stood on top of the scoreboard. They timed the flyover down to the second! Real nice guys. Ashley walked by the table and caught a "sneak" shot at Jason to which he said to Zack, "Women are silly." And Zack replied to the handsome soldier in uniform, "You two should know that better than most men..." Of course Z was encouraging Ashley to take off her wedding ring and flirt with them to get a ride in their jet. Silly bro.

Real nice guys. We saw them later at the game. So jealous they were on the field the day of a World Series game!! What an honor!

After lunch we were all so excited!! We basically RAN to the field from Lincoln Square. We sang, we cheered, we did the claw!





We got to the stadium early for BP along with about 2000 other crazed fans. The energy was incredible...






An incredible moment happend during the first pitch. Nolan Ryan threw the first pitch to catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. This was very special for us since we grew up watching Nolan and Pudge.


There was so much red and blue in the stands it was breath taking! Before the game even started the crowd was nuts. We chanted "Let's Go Rangers" through the entire Giants lineup!








Here's Josh Hamilton's introduction


Then one of my favorite parts of the whole day happened. Kelly Clarkson sang the national anthem. As you know....I'm kinda into the performing arts. So hearing her sing one of the most difficult songs of all time, on a day like this...wow. Amazing. And she knocked it out of the park.






The game was
so exciting! Josh Hamilton's home run was huge. There's nothing like a guy circling the bases to red fireworks and The Natural. Warms your blood.


The Final Out was more excitement than we could even stand. Oh my gosh...I still get crazy when I watch this video.






I'm so glad we were there for the Ranger's only World Series win. Next year boys....next year...