Flashback Friday Special - MARS

This is NOT Mars. Kinda hard to believe though, right? It's red and sandy and rocky, all things that Mars has which has helped it earn its nick-name the Red Planet. But sadly no, this is not Mars. This is a Lava Butte in Bend Oregon. The reason I brought it up is because I'm mad that the Mars Rover Curiosity has been put on the media back-burner lately. I never see any big news about it anymore. I mean we put a car sized piece of super tech on MARS people! A whole other planet that is hundreds of millions of miles away from us! That should be like front page news for like.....EVER! Yes, I do know that it was a big deal when it actually landed back in August 2012, and it did make a big media frenzy for what seemed like a long time - but was really only about a week. A WEEK! Come on people! This deserves more than just a week in the limelight! I can't be the only one who thinks this. After Curiosity landed I wanted the hype to continue, I wanted front page stories about new discoveries that I was actually interested in reading, I wanted that guy with the mohawk at NASA Mars Rover mission control on the cover of magazines! And you know what, I still want that because I still think it's awesome and I believe people are starting to forget we even have a high-tech rover up there. Lets get excited about it again people. We deserve to get excited about it and continue to be excited. Reach for the stars and Keep it REAL readers! - also visit their facebook page!

Flashback Friday #12 - RUF at SCAD

This week I have been thinking about SCAD again. Many of you know that while I was at SCAD I attended a community group called RUF (Reformed University Fellowship). It was a great place to come together every Wednesday night, take a break from all the stressful school work, and learn about the word of The Lord. But besides all that, RUF was really about all the people who made it happen and how much those people end up leaving such a positive impact on your life. It was THE place at SCAD to make the relationships that would eventually lead to life-long friendships. During the time I attended RUF the campus leader was Michael Gordon, who actually started leading at SCAD the same time I started attending, and the reason I am writing about this today is because he took a position as a senior pastor in Lincoln, Nebraska and will be moving there soon. This past Wednesday was his last RUF and I was fortunate enough to make it up for the event and see him off. He will be missed dearly but his inspiration, teachings, and love will remain. I wish him and his family all the best in their new chapter in life and want them to know that they will always have a home in Savannah within the hearts and minds of the students they cared for and taught. Keep it REAL Gordon Family!

New Wheels!

Just a few weeks ago I put new tires and new wheels on my MINI. My Dad had purchased the wheels from a friend a while back and we had been waiting to put them on and since I needed new tires it seemed the appropriate time. The old wheels were the factory standard for this make and model car (MINI Clubman '09) and were pretty cool in their own right - but the new wheels are a John Cooper Works special and are an inch bigger! Plus with the new tires my ride is lookin pretty mean right now! My hope now is to sell the old wheels because they still look brand new and deserve some more road time. Keep Motoring and Keep it REAL!

Playlist Anthology

Hello folks! Do you remember a few months back when I posted about a graphic novel anthology that some of my good friends were working on...? Well, they are at it again, and this time they have a brand new theme! Now each story is themed around music and the text has to come from song lyrics. It is a very interesting idea for a project and I am very excited to see what songs will be used as well as how the music will sound when reading the story along with it! The great thing about this project is that YOU can get involved too! They have set up a very slick kickstarter page in order to help fund the project (i.e. the printing of the books). There are certain awards being offered at different levels of funding such as your very own copy of the anthology, a pdf digital copy, your name in the acknowledgments section, and special art commissions by the individual artists. But this is not just about the comic artists! No, it is also about the bands who have provided the lyrical inspiration for the stories. By supporting this project you are also supporting these musical artists so it is a win-win situation! Another awesome fact is that one of the bands being featured is local Jacksonville, FL band Four Families! I have been following their musical adventures for some time now, usually with camera in hand, and they are a very talented group of young musicians. If you are a lover of music or of graphic novels, or both, this book will make a wonderful addition to any collection. Be sure to check out the sample images of the artists work right here and become a project backer by visiting their kickstarter page (link above). Keep it REAL!

Flashback Friday Special - Family Matters

You wish this was your family - go on - admit it. Such a classic. Hint, hint, that's my mom on the left in the red dress back in 1965 when she was about 12. Man, if pre-teen looks could kill those would be doing some damage right now. Until next time - Keep it REAL!

Flashback Friday #11 - Mag. Ave.

Happy Flashback Friday readers! Lets talk music. For several years now I have loved going to concerts and events with live music, but the vast majority I have attended feature local bands. I can't actually remember the last time I went to see a well known music artist - I guess I just like supporting my friends' bands more (it's also easier on the wallet). The above photos are of a band called Magazine Avenue (Mag. Ave. for short). This band roamed the streets of Savannah and high-fived anyone cool enough from 2009 till 2011. It's rockin' members consisted of Sam Pelgrift (guitar, vocals), David "Dave" Wardell (uke, keys, vocals), Justin Monnier (sax, harmonica), Schuyler "Sky" Burks (bass, glockenspiel, vocals), and Charles "Chuck" Cronkrite (drums). They were one of the most talented and fun to watch bands I have had the pleasure of following. They started out playing mostly covers, but then started to introduce their own original work that had equal amount of worth as well as a dash of wit. They played the SCAD talent show in 2010 and rocked the house down by grabbing the first place prize! They also...........you know what....I'm talking too much. You can see all their live performances over on their youtube channel that I helped set up, and you can also listen and purchase their music on their bandcamp page. In the words of Chuck - enjoy the "greatest high five the world has ever known!" Keep it REAL!

Flashback Friday #10 - Savannah: Side B

Wow! It is already Flashback Friday #10! Thanks for reading everyone - and if you are just joining us - where have you been, you're missing all the fun! Today I wanted to look back at Savannah again because I will be traveling there later this evening. I'm heading up there for the SCAD Scholarship Gala on Saturday night. My parents have gone every year and this will be the first year I will get to go. In the past I was always tied up with school when it was scheduled so I am looking forward to finally seeing what all the fuss is about. But in terms of photos I have for us today some unusual views of Savannah - or what I like to call Savannah: Side B. During my urban explorations in and around the city I came across lots of interesting items and structures. The above are some of my favorites and all of them were taken with color film so they have a certain nostalgic tone to them. I for one love all the textures you can find in Savannah. A city with so much history has so many historic layers that get exposed over time and it is great to discover them. But it is also a modern city with new buildings and new technology being instituted all the time and this clash of the old and new makes for a very interesting mixture. This is made even more evident with all the different people you can find there. This aspect is directly influenced by SCAD since the school draws from so many countries. It gives Savannah yet another unexpected layer that I came to love while I was in school there. It's not every day you get to walk down the streets of one of the oldest cities in America and see Civil War Reenactors in full period dress standing guard outside fully preserved period buildings, tourists enjoying their nice air conditioning in their annoyingly slow trollies, a group of twenty-somethings playing bicycle polo in an abandoned parking lot, carefree hippies with dreadlocks like play-doh dolls frolicking barefoot through Forsyth park, a possy of hardcore kids with full sleeves of ink and more metal in their mouths and head than the Eiffel Tower, and of course the bumbling freshman art student clumsily trying to carry home their recent purchase of oversized foamcore board. Quite a diversity in such a small city and it all contributes to the many layers and textures of Savannah. I hope to be able to explore other cities like I have been able to explore Savannah - but only time will tell. Until then - Keep it REAL!