SHOW ME!!! Backstage Access

Our church is doing a series called "Show Me." This post is not about that series. It's about why I love my job... and why I love THIS part a lot!

Our theme for the 4 week series is "Vaudeville Theatre." Kinda ties in with the whole "Show Me" idea. Anyway, I love being creative. So when we decided to do a full red drape, theatre style - and our Tech guy, my good friend Scott said, "Who's gonna take the red fabric and make it look like a red curtain in a Broadway theatre?" I said, "Cough, cough - e'hem. Me... get out of the way. Let me at it!"

So here is the process below. There is so much involved in these set designs... and I learned a lot about what goes on with our sets (I don't usually do much with the sets). But running wire, hanging lights (and re-hanging them if they don't work right) is all a part of it. Very cool.

I was stunned with the outcome - and if I walked into a church and it looked like this, I'd be wondering how they pulled it off. (Not bragging - but c'mon - this set RulZ!

So let the tour begin. Here we go....




This is me snatching Scott's "fabric only" scissors to cut another zip tie while he wasn't looking. He's so "responsible." Creativity must not be squelched! When he was looking, I had to bite the end of those things off with my teeth. Makin' do baby... just makin' do.




LOVE this. Gotta click on the pic for the full effect.




We did the sides too... so those in the side seats would get the full effect. This is probably my favorite pic. The lighting cue is orange... which I would NEVER have done with the red curtain... but it is totally sweet. Our guys know wassup!




Rockin' out on "Hosanna," cuz praise is rising.
I hope you've enjoyed your private personal tour of the "Show Me" set. Thanks for coming, enjoy the rest of your day at Cedar Point... the aMAZEment park. (I'm not sure why either.)

One Single Flake of Snow

One single flake of snow descends into our gaze. An image transpires of a younger, older girl. Across the snow white terrain, we see her. She is standing at the edge. On the brink of… Something pulls her forward, to cross the threshold. Something pulls her back.

Beside her, on the ground, in the snow, in a heap, a doll is carelessly cast aside. A tender memoir. Remains of a day; like a curtain called.

Part of her longs to cross this threshold... to move and shake and feel and forget. To blow out her candles one last time. And then, to evolve.

To become.

A question manifests. Will you go?

Hissing cool breath to her apple cheeks. She cannot run or stay or leave. She stands on the precipice and howls at the moon; into a canyon showing no signs of life... and no answers.

But...

a thin crooked line is drawn in the canyon floor. Her pupils tighten. It is moving, rushing.

The crooked line...

...a crooked river.

Calling her. Tempting her. Enticing the juvenile tributary raging in her own breast.

She bends an ear as the wind carries an ancient message, dependent on its own survival. “Join me. Take a step; rush your death. Come in to the raging waters. Take your place in the river."

A breeze encircles her head, her angel soul. Blows in one ear, coaxing an answer from her lips. Her eyes rest inside her. Her lips begin to part. And all of life listens, as she whispers one final youth breath...

“Farewell.”

Good for the Soul

Well it was a crazy week. The good thing about working on your soul is, you get to know yourself better - and you begin to understand what makes you tick. I'm figuring that out. Blaming used to be, well... useful. It proclaimed my innocence. That worked for about 10 years... then it stopped. So these days, if something gets me down or depressed, I go inside. Inside me. I start asking questions and trying to figure out what's broken. I'm getting pretty good at it.

Part of the healing process for me is to be creative. For some people it's a chore to be creative (yet they may LOVE doing taxes - it happens...for real.) For me, painting something, pinning something, using a paper clip and an elastic string torn from my sock to make something do what I want it to do just happens to be right up my alley.

Today I decided to be fresh... happy... enjoy the day. And I have. Best part of my day? Lunch. I was driving in my car - sun roof and windows down (get a sun roof - pay extra - steal one from the junkyard and make it work. I've got some extra elastic strings from my socks if you need them for installation.) Okay, so I'm way in to American Idol. Of course most of us (don't lie) have thought of what song we would audition with if we were actually young enough to go try out for American Idol. At least I have. Used to be "Just Once" by James Ingram, until I heard some other guy do it better than I could. I'm not gonna be that guy. So I changed my song. Now it's "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5. Love that song. So today in my car, on the way to lunch, I allowed myself to go through the audition I'd be entitled to if I were under 30.

I walked in the audition room... Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Reuben and Taylor were all on that banner thing behind me. I began talking to the judges, and said a couple normal things like "I'm just so proud to be here...." I was surprised at how comfortable I was. I wasn't nervous at all. Then I went into my song. (Yes, I actually sang it in my car.) And I have to say... I actually did really well. The judges were pretty impressed. They didn't think I was very commercial, but they liked that I picked a song that suited me. So I ended up making it through, which I felt was a great accomplishment. I hope I make the top 12. I think that's next week. I need some song ideas. I don't wanna be a Tatiana and do the same song THREE TIMES!

Anyway - it might sound stupid (or even be stupid) but it has been a great day. I mean, how can you have a bad day when you've been given stellar reviews from Simon, Paula, Kara, and Randy? It's kinda impossible.

So the sun, the singing, the fabricated audition, the fact that I'm probably going to make it to the top 2 or 3 (who knows WHAT will happen) was good for my soul. Really good. Chased my blues right out of town. I'll be leading worship this weekend. It's good to go into it with your head clear... and since mine is, I should be good to go on Sunday morning.

WILD card should be called STUPID card. Or LYING card. Or really bad hand of cards!!!

This is gonna be short - cuz I'm so bugged!

Superstition boy - please...he was ridiculously good. But would anyone buy his albums? (just cuz he's a little boring) - but I LOVED him - such a great voice. Totally consistent both of these performances. DESERVED TO GO THROUGH!!!

KT Tunstall girl (Black Horse yadda yadda) I like her. Not the best singer, but she has a cool vibe. I'd replace her with that Felicia girl (the one with Cher hair) in a New York Minute if I could... since Felicia was a MUCH better singer. I hate that they keep throwing out "This is a 'singing' competition," whenever it's convenient. Definitely wouldn't apply here. I'm glad she made it through though. She is the ONLY girl that should have made it through...but we'll talk about Jasmine in a sec. (I think they call that forshadowing.)

Anoop? He's the Kevin Covais of this group. Remember that little kid (looked like he was 12, sang like he was 50) Anoop is novelty. Right, I like him too, let's be friends. But seriously, "My Prerogative?" Could it get any cheesier? Anoop getting called back was a shock - but making the top 12 (or 13) hmmm.... the gods are angry.

Glad Matt Gir*$% made it through. He ate it on Viva la Vida - so glad he redeemed himself tonight. He was stellar.

JASMINE
Who cares? I was bored and it was NOT good. A Disney song? Argh! I'm freakin' over them saying great things about people who are marginal. I mean, Ricky's review was BAD. And then right after his bad review, they praise Jasmine? C'mon.

I'm IRRITATED... yet sadly, I will watch this show til I draw my last breath. God help me.

Idol - Here's Wassup!

Is that Carrie Underwood? Uhhh... no. This girl is cute and that is all... I have nothing else to say.

Have to be honest. I would've have given her vocals a "B." They were good, but not excellent. HOWEVER, she is a performer and was one that catches you and reels you into what SHE is doing. Can't teach that crap. Great song choice - contemporary and new. She's going through. And she's already got her hip hop name. I mean c'mon - "Lil Rounds?" that rules.

I don't care. She was boring to me. "I can't afford a stylist." Seriously? Neither can anyone honey. Oh, and the "The hairdresser messed up my hair," was what counselors like to call "projecting." Like what hairdresser "accidentally" dyes the bottom of your hair and your bangs purple? I mean, that's a pretty specific accident if you ask me. But this is not that kind of blog. SO - her singing... it was fine but I was bored. She's not making it through. TERRIBLE song choice.

Hmmm... this one is hard cuz I like blind people. And then it's not, because I don't think you should get special reviews (like he received last night) just cuz you're blind. I think he's bad. His pitch is everywhere. His moves are... slow - not clean. (His vocal moves, that is). I'm sorry, but if this cat wasn't blind he would've been ROASTED on that performance. I'm thinking he's going through - and I'm thinking this SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN!

You know what? I actually like this kid's vocals. And he would do ANYTHING for love. And so...for the love of God, take off that headband. Pretty sure he won't go through. Mamaw didn't help him any either.

This version of "Delilah" was boring. I didn't see anything special about it. Danny Gokey's friend (black guy that didn't make it) did this song better during Hollywood week. WAY better. Still can't believe he's gone. I was shocked that this dude got such positive reviews. Still - no way - not going through.

This girl has a very cool voice. She should've performed her song a whole step lower - those notes tore her up here and there. But she is really cool. Loved her. I think she's going through.


Alrighty, - I felt bad for her. She has some skills - but WRONG SONG! She had some beautiful parts to her voice (reminded me of Rachel Lampa a little) but man - she was flat almost throughout, which left me wondering if she was struggling to hear well. It's hard getting used to in-ears and sometimes you have to compensate for not hearing a "live" sound. Ain't going through.

Okay, now here's where I think I'm gonna take a beating. I gave him a big picture cuz I thought he was the best of the night. Nailed his genre - pitch PERFECT! Not the most incredible performer - but I'd listen to that song again. (I already might have). He's one of those toss-ups for me though. If I had voted last night (I didn't) he would've got my vote. I'm not thinking he'll go through - but i'd be real glad if he did.

What do you think?

Book Signing

This weekend was my book signing. It was great! I realized two days before this event that I'd not only never done a personal book signing, but that I'd never BEEN to a book signing. I thought I should probably figure out what a book signing was, and what I should be prepared for, so I got online and googled "book signing."

I found a couple articles that had plenty to say about what to expect (the possibility that no one would show - or that one person would show up and talk to you for an hour... neither of which happened.) Main things I got was "don't stick your nose in a book or no one will want to bother you." The other was "get a good pen; one that doesn't smudge." I did both of those things. But there was something else about this signing... something important that I didn't expect.

We've been in a series about leaving Egypt for the past 3 weeks at my church... and how the Israelites were in slavery, cried out to be delivered from Egypt, were delivered from Egypt, but then continued down the same path by dragging Egypt (their own things [old life patterns, sins, etc.] that held them in bondage) into their new found deliverance and freedom. I understand this...like really... I get it. Because I've been there before. Still want to go back there sometimes. Not planning to buy up tickets anytime soon.

That being said... the book signing brought out a group of people that encouraged me. They were...real. The whole focus of my book, essentially, is about recovery. It's about learning how to become self-aware and learning how to be comfortable in my own skin.

My biggest hope for this book was that those who read it would know that they weren't crazy... no matter what is going on in their lives; no matter what hopeless thoughts plague them; and no matter how defeated they feel in themselves... that there IS hope. Funny thing; I really believe that, ya know? - that there's hope.

So as I was signing books and talking to people who had already read The Blind Writer, I realized that we spoke the same language. Lots of 12-step lingo flying around. A lot of people taking responsibility for themselves. A lot of people being honest about the fact that life is hard... that they're doing the best that they can... AND that many of them are finding healing after years and years turning their backs on their problems. So, did I love this book signing? Yes. I didn't expect camaraderie... but I found it. Because we all struggle, don't we? But unfortunately, we don't all get well.

Verse of the year for me: "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8 Can't tell you how much I love this verse. Hope wrapped up in responsibility. Cuz that's the only way it can happen.

Anyway, I've always felt a touch shameful and uncomfortable tagging the "this is where you can get my book" info on emails, blogs etc. I've felt like it was self-promoting or something. Well, after this weekend... specifically after talking with those people that I share common ground with, I don't feel that way anymore. We're all in it together, aren't we? Or at least we should be. I'm no better than you, and you're no better than me. Level ground.

So... if you've read it and think it would be helpful to someone you know... let them know they can pick it up at Capstone Bookstore at Northview... or they can order it at www.lulu.com/mattbays.

Peace, love, HOPE and healing.

Matt

PS The pens I picked were awesome.