Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Heartsick

I was really getting excited looking through all of my photos from Creation - good and bad ones, and I put in the last SD card to find it's empty. That means that I am missing an SD card somewhere with pics on it. What seems to be missing are my pics from Switchfoot (probably not the greatest being as the lighting was dark and my point and shoot doesn't do the best at that), my pics from The Afters, some of which I was sure turned out well, my pics of Pillar and pics from the Boise concert with The Fold. I had pics of me with Mike the drummer, a group photo of me with Ever Stays Red, A Classic Affair, and Aaron of the Fold taken by the drummer, Mike. He also took a bunch of close ups of his face and had me totally cracking up. I remember sitting in my tent and looking at the pics and laughing. Now I want to cry.

Please pray that it will turn up somewhere. I know it's a really big longshot, but God is a God of miracles, I believe that. I don't know where to turn on this one. I would even offer a reward. Those pics mean a lot to me. I am really hoping it was turned in to lost and found and the powers that be thought it valuable enough to forward to the main office. IT was certainly more valuable to me than the camera it was taken with. :(

I'm open to any ideas. Just hoping it isn't in a trash can somewhere.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Book Review No. 2

Scientific Facts in the Bible by Ray Comfort.
100 Reasons to Believe the Bible is Supernatural in Origin

I ran across this book last time I put in a book order at Amazon.com because I thought it would be a fun, quick read, and in that sense I was definitely not disappointed with Ray Comfort's book.

Scientific Facts in the Bible is divided into topics by chapters. A lot of what is contained in the book are the citations of others, some I recognized, although many I did not. The design and layout make this book ideal to read when you just have small snippets of time. I found it an excellent book to read on my breaks at work.

As an in depth treatise on the topic of scientific facts in the Bible, the book does only a fair job. I doubt that it would convince a hard core, well educated athiest, for instance. There are some flaws in a few of the examples, but others were really good and thought provoking. There is a chapter of citations from men in history that didn't really fit in with the "science" theme, but I found them interesting just the same.

Overall, I found reading this book somewhat encouraging. I don't think I would use it to "prove" anything, but I can see using some of the examples and citations as a kick of point for further study.

The end of the book basically is written as an invitation. We're all invited. I wonder what your RSVP will say. :)

Concert Shoes

I think I've come up with a new product. We really need someone to make some good concert shoes. I have the criteria and if anyone wants to help me design them, then perhaps we can convince some shoe company to make them for us. I'm thinking that Van's would be a good choice since they sponsor Warped Tour, right? LOL The "Van's concert shoe." ;)

Today I went to the mall. My mission was to find a pair of shoes with good toe support, good heel support and that weren't too ugly.

I gave a lot of thought as to what goes into a good concert shoe. The first thing that a concert shoe needs is support. You need support for the toes to stand up on you toes to look over the barricade or over someone's head. You need support for running to run to the front of the stage, and you need support for standing long hours for some of the festivals, and ga shows, and support is needed for jumping to your favorite tunes.

I was thinking about getting some New Balance shoes similar to the ones I have already. I just figure that the support isn't quite what it used to be now that they are a couple of years old. I looked at Journey, then Foot Locker, then Famous Footwear, and back to Foot Locker. There was a cute, black shoe that was on the wall as a performance shoe. I figured that must mean for running or something. I guess I was incorrect. The toes seemed stiff enough and the heal felt cushiony. After I tried them on, I asked what they were designed for, running? The reply came back that they were for dance/casual. I thought that stinks... but they felt good, so I figured they just might work so I bought them and walked around the mall looking for a few other items on my list. After I while I noticed my heals were not comfy anymore. So,now I had a predicament... the shoes don't really do what I want, so I thought rather than taking them back after I wore them all over the mall I thought perhaps some supports would work. SO now I have an expensive pair of shock absorber inserts. I still wish there was for of an arch support for this flat footed girl to wear. LOL

We'll see if after 4 days at Creation I am still standing.

--Melanie

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Tickets for Receipt #******* are being shipped as follows: Fri Aug 8 2008 01:00 PM EDT Warped Tour Idaho Center US Priority Mail

Woo Hoo! :) I was wondering when the ticket was going to ship. Now I just have to wait for my Coldplay and Third Day/Switchfoot/Jars of Clay tickets. I wonder if I should get a ticket for Kelly Clarkson. I said I was going to try and slow down a little and the arenas are so costly with ticketmonster (oh, did I say that) handling ticketing. I think she is best up close, so I might get up in the morning and see what I pull up and how much it will set me back.

I keep hoping/praying Relient K will come here with This Providence. Yea, I know it's a huge long shot -- improbable, but not necessarily impossible. I remember telling Jon that This Providence and The Fold would love to open for Relient K when I was at Creation last year. Now This Providence has at least a few shows opening for them. I will so totally miss Sean (of TP), though. I was supposed to bring him (well, the whole band, but it was most appealing to Sean) a spaghetti dinner or potroast or something next time This Providence came here. Of course, when we made these plans Sean was hungry. LOL They haven't been here since. :( Sean is an extremely nice guy. We talked about books, CC music that his mom and I like, food, music and other things. And he always makes me laugh. When This Providence comes here, I usually laugh so hard it hurts. Sean was a big part of that. I hope our paths will definitely cross again, band or no band!!

Anyway, I am procrastinating, which is what I do best. Hey, if one could get a job procrastinating, I would have finally found a job I can do really well. LOL

Speaking of jobs, I just turned in my badge and left work at 11:30 p.m. I had some time awards amounting to an hour and a half that I was able to use to leave early.
They were supposed to furlough on Wed., but I'm heading for Idaho to see The Fold, and to Creation NW on Monday, so I am on leave until they furlough, and then I'm off until the next time they call (sometimes for a few weeks in Nov., and then for the next season in Jan/Feb.) As for Creation, one of the people I was supposed to meet there (the main person actually) is not going to be there after all. She got a new job that won't let her off work to go. I guess if a place hires you to work, it's kinda nice if you show up. I was looking forward to meeting up with Bri and her mom again. We had a blast at Jimmy Eat World and Paramore in Pocatello. We WILL meet again. LOL

Anyway, next week, The Fold and Creation, followed by Switchfoot in Rock Springs, WY on the 30th, working at the Fernando Ortega concert at Wolf Mountain on Aug. 2; James Taylor on Aug. 4, Warped Tour on Aug 8 (leaving on Aug. 7 around 2 p.m. or earlier if possible) and then Bob Dylan on August 31. There have been a lot of shows this month, and I had to miss a few (like Dear and the Headlights.) I will have to miss two more while I am at Creation, and two that I love dearly - Ernie Halter and We Shot the Moon. The real killer is that WSTM is going to be 15 mins or so from my place and I'll be out of state. C'est la vie. Jonathan - I WILL see you next time somehow (not that he reads my blogs.) LOL

So, I'm going to be keeping busy, and hopefully have some time to catch up on my house when I get back.

Peace out,
Melanie

P.S. I have to write a book review before I leave, and I just started reading a book called Emergence by Steven Johnson. Just barely started, though.

P.S.S. DON'T FORGET!! (Caps for emphasis) World Wide Moment, August 8, 2008 8:08 a.m. Beijing time. Everyone taking a snapshot at exactly the same moment in time!!! It will be really fun and interesting. In mountain time the moment is August 7, 2008 at 6:08 p.m. For info. go here: http://www.worldwidemoment.org

Saturday, July 12, 2008

The Amazing Wandering MInd

Just to prove that I have not yet lost all of my hearing completely, I was at the computer terminal responding to someone's blog when I heard the familiar boom.. then a pause, then a "boom, boom, boom crackle." I recognize that noise! (I still have a little memory left as well..) It was the sound of fireworks.

My adult onset ADD was screaming, "oooo... shiny things" and I headed out to the front porch to see what I could see. The last year the trees across the street had become tall enough to block a lot of the view, but tonight I could see most of the colorful sparkles and "oooh and aahhhhh" as one should when viewing fireworks. I called to my semi-comatose husband on the couch and asked if he wanted to see them. He joined me for a short while then had enough and went back inside. Shortly after, the trees became a barrier and I made a short walk down the street where I could once again see the sparkling display.

July is fireworks month in Utah. First there is the 4th of July, followed by a state holiday on July 24. When I first moved here, folks would tell me that the 24th was the bigger event. I'd have to say that it was clearly a toss up. Since first relocating to UT, things have changed, though. I don't think they last quite as long as a few years ago, although UT really does know how to put on a fireworks show. However, when I first arrived here in 1999, most of the cities had impressive displays on both of the holidays. Now they tend to alternate weekends with their celebrations. Still there are plenty of fireworks to go around.

At any rate, I thought about a lot of things while watching the fireworks. Who would have thought that watching fireworks would set off a regular chain-reaction of thoughts in my mind. Of course my first thought was, "Ooooo.. pretty." From that my mind wandered over to circuses - you know the Roman circuses -- entertainment for the masses to keep them from focusing on peripheral things and not real life issues. Keep people happy by entertaining them and how I was happily enjoying them regardless of their "value."

Then I inevitably compared it to previous years, and started wondering if shrinking budgets and price increases would force the displays to be ever smaller. I thought about how much we take things for granted, even fireworks after noticing cars going up and down my street seeming to take no notice whatsoever. What if we were to become a third world country and there were no fireworks anymore?

Then for no explanable reason I thought about being old and losing brain cells. I wanted to remember some of these ideas and let's face it, I don't remember things like I used to. It struck me that when you are young you learn so much, so fast, but you have no life experience. Then when you have the actual experience, you start to forget. I think God does that to keep us older folks humble?

And interspersed with all of those thoughts, I thought it would be nice if I had some good photos of fireworks. I read an article on taking fireworks photos. Maybe next year I will set up my tripod and see what I can capture. One can get some pretty cool shots just with a point and shoot and a little luck and timing. I didn't get my camera, though. I would have probably missed them all.

So this is how my mind wanders, and why I have decided, that I probably have adult onset ADD (is there such a thing?)

So tonight, I didn't stop to smell the roses, but I did stop and marvel at fireworks and the ramblings of the human mind. And... don't neglect the important things.

Hope you had a great day!

--Mealnie

Monday, July 07, 2008

Book Review

I've discovered that it can be really difficult to review a book when you've met the author and love the person and love the book just a little less.

Push My Life into a Duffle Bag has a good storyline, especially for those who have a heart for people from a less than wonderful environment. John Roger Schofield does a great job of developing the characters in the story written from the viewpoint of abused child who grows up to be an angry young man and his struggle with and through that anger. In fact, one thing the book does extremely well is give you the sense that this is indeed someone's personal memoirs.

The first few chapters of the book were extremely hard for me to get through primarily because of the graphic sexual descriptions. For the most part, they really were unnecessary to the story. It is possible to get the same points across without being quite so graphic and the human part of the interplay took so much of a backseat that it almost got lost. If one shies away from such things and dislike profanity, then this is probably not the best book to read. For a good example of something that can be a little "steamy" and still not be quite as graphic, the Song of Solomon might work. I am not suggesting that the story excise the less than pretty parts, but perhaps it could have relayed them in such a way as to not to cause young men to want a cold shower afterwards. LOL

The best and worst characteristics (outside of the nearly pornographic descriptions) are actually the same. John is quite good at adjectives and descriptiveness in the scenes he portrays through a lot of the book, but at times it is almost too much, as though he picked up the dictionary just to toss a few words in there. I found the use of the word "Forsooth" throughout the book to be both endearing and a bit of a distraction. It was endearing because I know John seems to love the word, and it made me think of him: however, as far as the story goes, it really didn't make sense. Most people really don't talk that way, and John is unique. ;) I also found that he used the word, "myriad" a lot. It is hard to know whether or not it really stuck out to me because I know the name of his band is "The Myriad" or if I would have noticed it anyway. I do tend to try not to overuse the same word when writing, so that sort of thing will jump out at me sometimes.

The other downside to the book is that the time line seemed a little confusing in some parts of the book. Maybe a chart would have helped. He does backtrack a bit in parts of the story.

Overall, the book is interesting, and I'd really love to see it rewritten a little less graphically, and perhaps with a little more editing on finer points. And if "forsooth" stays in the story, perhaps an explanation of why the character keeps using it since it isn't a word most people use routinely.

To it's credit, Push My Life into a Duffle Bag has a good message in the end, but I am not sure it makes up for it's graphic nature, and in fact, it seems somewhat a contradiction.

Peace out,
Melanie

(oh... peace out I stole from Mac Powell of Third Day, just because I like the way it sounds, and peace is good.) :)

Friday, July 04, 2008

Sharing is a Good Thing

I hope you enjoy this. I do. :)

32 Years

I was working on photos so that I could add a few to my last blog, and it hit me that it is after midnight, and officially the 4th of July. For some it is a very patriotic time, a time to enjoy the fireworks, and celebrate all things American. For some, it is just a day off work: a time for fishing, camping, kicking back at home or doing whatever one does on their time off work. For others it's just another day because they don't live here anyway. LOL

But for me, it is my wedding anniversary. I was married on the "bicentennial", July 4, 1976.

Where has the time gone?

Today it has been 32 years since my husband and I said our vows at Ancil Hoffman Park in Carmichael next to the American River with a small group of family and friends. My sister, Valerie, made my dress - yellow with white and pink flowers and my veil. The reception was at my dad's place. (I will insert photos here, as I am able, and if I am able.)

It was before the world of all things digital. The internet wasn't even a concept in my mind back then and wouldn't be something I actually had access to for another 13 years. Cell phones were nonexistent. Gasoline was well under a dollar a gallon. Oh, we did have color television - no HDTV, though. I remember laughing at the concept of paying for television broadcasts even if it was commercial free. The commercial free thing didn't last too long. LOL

But I have been married 32 years. It has gone by so quickly, in the blink of an eye. Moments may drag, but the years have flown. We have survived job losses, my husband going back to college, auto accidents, raising three children, buying and owning our first home, moving to another state and buying our second home, my daughter's wedding, and all of the challenges life has tossed our way.

I have endured his sometimes reclusiveness, he has survived my outbursts (and I don't mean of energy.) I love people, he likes to be alone sometimes. I like digital photography, he likes film. LOL On occasion we have been worst enemies, but more often we are best friends... when we get to talk. LOL

Relationships are like that. They aren't neat and tidy. We are two sinful individuals who have somehow also been molded into one entity. He knows me and puts up with me, and vice versa. We are committed (in more ways than one.) ;)

I can't imagine being without him.

Happy Anniversary.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

My Warped and Wacky Weekend

The problem with long, fun-filled days is trying to remember and recount every detail and not bore everyone to tears. :) The other is trying to decide where to begin. This tale begins on a Friday night, the night before Warped Tour, or more accurately, extremely early on Saturday morning when I finally got off work at 1 a.m. I still had to head for my daughter's place to feed her dogs and check up on them, finish getting my camera gear ready, run to Wal Mart and pick up a memory card to replace the one that went bad the night before. All those goals were accomplished, but by then it was close to 4 a.m. I finally was able to hit the sack and try to catch some zzzzzzz's. It took a while for me to drift off. At 6:30 a.m. my daughter and husband returned from Phoenix and I was awake, sort of. I took care of some business with my daughter, and went back to sleep for a couple of hours as best I could. So much for my plan to actually get enough rest first.

My intent was to set out by 8:30 am. By the time I actually got out the door, it was past 9:30. I also wanted to get a Coldplay ticket which went on sale at 10 a.m. and a ticket to see Bob Dylan, which also went on sale at 10 a.m. When it rains, it pours. I had convinced my beloved mother to take care of the Coldplay ticket for me. She was to call me if the seat wasn't in the first 10 rows so I could decide what to do. I had pulled up row 21 in the presale, and had hoped to do better with this one. So, the natural thing for me to do was to forget my cell phone. I turned around and went back to get it and got out the door at about 10 mins. to 10. I figured the line would be huge. I was worried about missing someone I really wanted to see. As it turned out, I ended up with Row 24. My mom pulled up row 21, and I decided just to get a cheap seat. They were out. We tried again, Row 24 came up. I took it. At that time, I was already well on the road to the Salt Lake Fairgrounds for some hot summer fun. Through the graciousness of friends, I was able to get a photo pass for Warped Tour, so I was pretty excited about it and definitely happy to finally be there.

I don't recall exactly what time I finally arrived at my destination, but it was probably around 10:30 a.m. The line was getting longer by the minute -- no, make that by the second. I ran into someone I always see at concerts right away, and he told me he was considering paying $5 to bump the line. It sounded good to me. I was ready for it. We chatted and I headed up to the press table to get my photo pass. It all went really smoothly. I was supposed to have a photo only band, but they forgot to cross of the "press" part, so I had a photo/press pass. I was told that I didn't have to go through the line. As it turned out, I wasn't even searched, so it went really quickly. In the end that was a huge blessing and relief as Relient K was playing first. I was really surprised that they were playing so early, but apparently this year at Warped the play order was determined by drawing and RK drew early.

My first stop, of course, was to the big red balloon to find out the schedule. I discovered that on too little sleep, remembering any of it was more than a challenge. I took a photo to help me remember, but then it was too bright to read it most of the time. LOL Then I headed for the Main Stage to see my favorite band, Relient K. When I arrived I went up to security so I could try and find out what I was supposed to do. She looked up what was on my wristband and said I could go backstage if I wanted to, so I did. I'm trying to remember who I saw first, but I think it was Warne. Eventually I was able to have a nice conversation with everyone. I probably seem kinda weird and chatty, but to me it's like running into someone you know that you only see once every 6 months or so and trying to fit everything you want to say in 30 seconds or less and you can't remember half of it. LOL

Finally it was time for the show to start and I went around to the barricade. I was nervous about getting anything good in the bright sun, and shade combo that is Warped. At the end of the three songs I went back to the front of the barricade. I asked security if I could still use the camera from the pit, or if I had to use a different one, and was basically told, "I don't know." So I just said if there's a problem let me know and I'll stop and swap cameras, so I was able to keep taking pics with my DSLR. I had a secured a spot in the front before the show and told someone I was there and I would try to get back which I did. My friend, Lauralee, was pretty much dead center, but I couldn't make it that far and was situated to the right of the stage near the piano. At one point Thiessen seemed to notice me in the crowd, and he said later that he did see me there. I guess I am like most people and it's nice to be recognized. LOL It's also nice when you are told that you weren't imagining things. ;)





Relient K's set was longer than I expected, but as always, it just seemed too short. They played Sadie Hawkins Dance, which I wasn't expecting and it was very well received indeed. I headed off to find something to drink and another show. If I remember correctly the next show I wanted to see was "We the Kings". I stopped at a few merch booths first, purchased a Relient K tee, preordered a cd from The Maine (which reminds me, I need to take care of that online with a code), etc. and hunted for the stage. I cannot recall the exact order of things at this point, but I saw, "The Maine", couldn't find the stage for We The Kings and missed half of their set. I was looking for the stage for the Color Fred and found it just as they started, and took pics from the barricade for the first three songs, and then stood to the side and watched the rest. I really enjoyed Fred's set a lot, and the sound for that set was probably the best for some reason.


After seeing The Maine, We the Kings and The Color Fred, I did a major search for the Kia tent to see RK again. I was pretty much next to the last person in line, and I squeaked in. I wanted to get something autographed and send it to April. (Now I need to write her!!!) All I could get was this huge, weird poster, but I got it signed. I stuck around for a photo. The gal wanted me to go outside, and I thought she meant without a photo, so I said something to her and ended up staying and she didn't make me leave. When I left, there was a photo line, and I felt bad because I kinda bumped it. That wasn't my intent. LOL I hated leaving the Kia tent, though, because it was cool in there.

After bugging RK some more, I headed back out into the hot sun, bought a smoothie and started looking for the stage with Between the Trees. Along the way I discovered a band called 1997 on the Friday Says stage and loved them. I stayed for their set. I finished my smoothie and headed out again. Along the way I took pics of a band on the Smart Punk stage because the gal with the painted stand up bass was just way too interesting not to take a few snaps. And somewhere in that stretch of time I believe I saw the Aggrolites, and took a few photos. They were a bit of fun and talented. At some point in time I ran into my friend Lauralee, and she was getting ready to go to the Myspace Tent for an acoustic set with Between the Trees. I definitely wanted to see that, so I joined her. I took quite a few photos during the set, and really enjoyed it quite a lot. I had a pic taken with two of the guys after the set (only the lead singer really played, though) and went to their merch booth to meet the whole band. At 6:35, I went to see Between the Trees again, but the sequence of the day's events escapes me completely. Somewhere in the rest of the day, I managed to watch a good part of Cobra Starship's set and take pics behind the barricade, and some other bands here and there. I talked to one guy quite a while about music. He loved RK and missed their show, but we liked a lot of the same things. Now, I know the order is completely jumbled, because he headed off to see Gym Class Heroes which was one of the last bands to play. I stopped to inquire about a hat. I ended up at Family Force 5 instead of GCH, but they looked like just to much fun not to photograph them. At that point no one really seemed to care about any photo time limits and I just took pics. I didn't get anything spectacular that I know of, but a few passable shots. Afterwards I went back to the "hat" venue and played "Let's Make a Deal" on the hat because I couldn't find which pocket the rest of my money was in. I paid $13 instead of $15 and promised I would give the guy $2 if I saw him in Boise. He's like, yea (just go away so I can leave.) LOL

Then I headed for my car, which looked rather lonely out there in the dirt, the gas station and 44 ozs. of heavenly Sprite; and finally home sweet home.

Now I just have to sort through the pics and see if I have anything. I did get a few good pics of Ethan Luck and Jon Schneck, but the rest I have yet to determine.

Now I'm just waiting to see what August has in store.

Peace out,

--Melanie