Monday, March 30, 2009

Still Treading

Still treading. Still needing prayers. Computer has crashed twice. Lost some stuff this last time. Unexplainable back pain hit me yesterday while singing in Kentucky. The pain is still with me. Still have to finish the new project this week, and the work load is literally more than I can handle in the natural realm. Only God can make a way to get everything done. And I am trusting Him to do it.

Thank you for your prayers. I will see you on the other side of this mountain that I am commanding to move...

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Treading Water

Live CD deadlines + Live DVD deadlines + taxes to prepare + computer in the shop for 7 days = no blogging for a little while. I am sorry to be a blogging delinquent. I will be back soon. Thanks for your prayers for us during this crunch time. :-)

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Checking In

It's 4:47am, and I am about to the hit road to the airport. I'm just stopping in to say hey. Idol was good last night. Sometimes Carrie Underwood's voice is so good I can't even believe it. That duet with Randy Travis was more than my mind could take in. That's slightly melodramatic, probably because it's 4:48am and my filter is not yet awake. But still. She is freakishly great...and a not-so-subtle reminder that our girls on Idol this year (and last) are not even close to being on the same page as her.

I actually picked the bottom three just right this week. I knew Alexis was gonna go, although I really thought they might (and should) save her. I think the show needs her.

I hope my NCAA bracket is as lucky as my idol picks. Any guess as to who my pick to win it all is?



Mmmmmyes. GO HEELS.

I am still working on my Haiti story. I hope to be able to post it soon.

Everybody have a great weekend...

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Idol Recap: Top 11

I have no business blogging tonight. There is too much to do. I have to get my taxes ready for my tax guy. You know...the tax prep prep. Chances are good I will be pulling an all-nighter tonight or tomorrow, because I hit the dusty trail to Dallas on Thursday morning. (And then on to Cary, NC for a Sunday night concert...NC friends come join us! Details on my website.

Anyway, I am here with a quick rundown of my favorites from Idol tonight. Of course you know I'm giving big ups to my Carolina boy Anoop, who was GREAT tonight. I'm telling you, he would make a great record. He is a very capable singer with a great natural style about his vocals. Rock on, NoopDog. It was a great performance. I was nervous for him on country night. But he pulled it off in a big way.

Where did Kris Allen come from with that performance tonight? Good grief, that was a great vocal. His stock went WAY up tonight. I mean, really. When was the last time we heard such a tender, sincere and strong ballad performance from a male contestant on this show? I guess David Archuleta singing Imagine last year. I think Kris might have been about that good tonight. Or better.

Also great: Matt Giraud. He is a great musician. I am actually starting forget his Coldplay debacle. And Simon is right: he reminds me of Michael Buble, too. He is going to be around for a long time.

Danny Gokey showed a little bit of weakness tonight. Not a great performance; weak verses, overblown choruses. But he is still awesome. He's not going anywhere. He will come back next week and be back to his stellar self. After he gets back from skiing, of course.

Allison surprised me tonight. I thought she was strong. Maybe even my favorite performance of hers so far. It had some nuance, which I hadn't really heard from her before tonight.

Megan, although not the best singer in the world, still has a captivating voice to me. I always want to hear what she is going to do next. I really dig her style. I was wishing she wouldn't have pushed so much when she was singing. But then I realized she was sick. She was probably overcompensating. In fact I know she was. I do the same thing when I have to sing on a sick voice.

Those were my favorites. That's all I got for tonight. It's back to adding up receipts for me.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

My Favorite So Far

Hey, friends. I hope you are having a good week. I am still working on my story from my Haiti trip with Compassion International last week. I hope to post it tomorrow.

I was going to live-blog during Idol last night, be it was project night at our house (Jack had a big project due today). So I didn't get to watch until late. It was a pretty good show. of course you already know that Michael jackson is one of my all-time favorite artists (pre-messed up MJ), so I was excited to hear some of these kids' takes on the songs. As much as I have liked this crop of contestants, they have a SERIOUS song-picking deficiency. What in the heck? Keep The Faith? Never Can Say Goodbye? Give In To Me? ROCKIN' ROBIN? Where was She's Out Of My Life or I Just Can't Stop Lovin' You or Say Say Say or even that Free Willy song?

I have to start with telling you my favorite so far: Kara DioGuardi. Let's hear it for Kara! Bringing complete sentences back to the female judge contingency! For real, she is very smart. And, like Simon, I agree with just about everything she says. She knows what she's talking about, and it's nice to hear her say things to the contestants that will actually help them move forward and get better.

I am actually starting to feel for Paula. I think she knows the heat is on, and she's trying to step it up a little. A very little. But still.

My favorite, Anoop, didn't have a good night. he shouldn't have sung Beat It. He is a REAL singer and should've sung something that would have let him throw it down. But he didn't. And now I'm just a little bit worried. Another favorite of mine, Matt Giraud, had a great night. From the first notes of his piano on Human Nature, I knew it was going to be awesome. This is one of my favoirte MJ songs, and Matt killed it. He was a little busy with the runs and the falsetto at the end was flat, but still he was solid throughout.

Lil Rounds is without a doubt the best female contestant on the show this year. There will be no stopping her, I don't think. She should have a free pass to the top 3.

Danny KILLED it. Awesome. This thing is his to lose. Unless something massively unexpected happens, he will undoubtedly be in the finals, and will most likely win. Count on it. And let's give it up for P.Y.T. I love that song. And I felt the need to go ride the Himilaya at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion.

I thought Kris Allen did a good job. I like this guy's voice, and I like his demeanor. I disagree with Simon; I thought having guitar on the song made it unique and current and cool. I hear that he is a worship leader somewhere in Arkansas. I am a little bit fearful that he won't make it too far, but I hope he does.

I always reserve the right to love a contestant that everyone thinks I'm crazy for thinking is great. To me, it's always refreshing to have a voice that's different, that doesn't always try to go for the big notes and the big songs, and whose vibe is unique. That person for me this year is Megan Joy Corkrey. I know. Go ahead and call me names. Say Say Say what you want. See if I care. I think she's awesome. Angela does, too. In fact, Angela has made the comment that she thinks that she is one of the most beautiful people she has ever seen. She is not the greatest singer in the world, but we find ourselves liking every one of her performances. Even when it's a ridiculous song choice like Rockin' Robin.

That's really all I have to say about last night. I am anxious to see who makes it through tonight. I am VERY anxious to see what this new "twist" is that the judges are implementing. I'm glad they're changing it up. But if they cut my Carolina boy NoopDog for singing Beat It, I'm coming after 'em. That would be BAD. :-)

Monday, March 9, 2009

Home

I'm home. And I'm alive. Crawling back into real life. One small step at a time. So much to tell you. Will write soon. Can't seem to add subjects to my sentences. Don't know why. Wondering. Wandering. Rambling. Hmm.

In the meantime, enjoy this very telling picture of me on my last flight home, feeling the effects of the wonder that is the HAITIAN HAPPINESS. Story to follow.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Heading To Haiti

Hey, friends. I hope all is well. It is quiet at my house right now. My family is at church. I am home packing for a big trip tomorrow. I am heading to Haiti with Compassion International. I am so very excited to be going on this trip! It is an artists' trip, not a bloggers' trip. But I do hope to be able to write a little bit while I am there. I will let you know how it's going. I am going to have the privilege of meeting one of the kids that my family sponsors, and I CAN'T WAIT.

I would be really thankful for your prayers for my family while I am away.

I am so excited to have this special ministry privilege. And I am going to do my best to not ask if they get American Idol In Haiti.

My very best.