Friday, January 29, 2010

Blindsided All in the Family Trust

Yep, there is a Post Title for you to think about!  Today a short one...only because we have to get on the road for North Platte very soon...I got caught up in reading comments.  I guess Tom is ultimately right...this takes a LOT more than 5 min to read and it is a GREAT problem to have for sure.

So, today I want to know this.  Who has seen Blindside?  We saw it yesterday before practice, and although I knew I would like it and had not had a chance to see it yet, it blew me away.  Movies about caring about someone FOR NO REASON other than they are human always blow me away.  So, who has seen it and what did it mean to you in terms of our SR life together?  Who would like to watch it again at practice and talk about it as a group?  This is something that I always want to do, but want to make sure that if we dump 2 hours of drumming that we get something out of it...SO...should we make this a goal once it is out on DVD?  For now, talk about it and relate it to SR.

Then, last night after practice we once again watched All in the Family (old 70's sitcom)...that teaches SO many great life lessons.  The episode was so related to today in America...layoffs, inflation, economy in the tank, people struggling...but what hit me re: SR was the fact that as Archie (main character if you have never seen it) was facing a strike (and therefore no paycheck) his neighbors reached out to help...because we used to have lesson in our entertainment media much more often than today about reaching out and helping others...so just wanted you to know that practice yesterday was book-ended by 2 things, one modern, and one many years old...about the same thing...reaching out to help someone just because we SHOULD do this.   So you can talk about that too if you like.

But, finally, I want to know what the word TRUST means to each of you, what it means to trust other people...but more importantly, what it means to live a lifestyle that allows to trust YOU...no matter what.

When I asked about compassion last week, and now trust this week...well this is all part of the new Step of Success...so I am just curious to hear what you all have to say...as we prepare the message and stories behind the step (and if you don't know it yet...well hang on!)...sooner or later it will be known by all...but it is fun to leave you all anticipating :)

OK, I MUST go...this is an odd one, but do you best hitting all the points in it.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Today's POST...comment on last POST :)

This is one of the funniest sets of comments I have yet had the pleasure to read!  (referring to what you all had to say in your comments to the last post!) WOOT Tom...very proud of you!  I am going to take down all of your awesome suggestions...I love Ben's idea that in addition to Member of the Week we do Site of the Quarter...so learn more about where other people live...AND, Tom, I think we are onto something here courtesy of Alex's comments.  Some sites just LOVE to get pumped up together before practice (in-between or national), before shows, before mission projects, and others do not have something like this...they just set up drums quietly, play, tear down, and go home...and we need to move the energy into sites that lack it.

SOOOO as I think about this and take notes, I will need all of you to help me create they way to do all of this through blogging it all out together.

I LOVE the game/riddle/puzzle idea...and that is one of the things I thought would be good from early on...so I will start to work one of those up in my head for Block 2.

And, wow, writing something (song or a BOOK ABOUT SR!! would be a great thing to do too!  I have always thought that someday we needed to capture the entire story of SR in book form so that we had a true written record of all that we have done.  This includes of course our BOXES of PR things we have kept for 14 years...a huge project that we could start to work on...so it would get done before year 28!!)

Anyhow, here is your assignment together today...start to post the questions you want to see make up the Member of the Week section (you can repeat questions Jordan had and/or add new ones) as well as Site of the Quarter.  As we get the latter ready, we will ask ALL members of a site to send in information on that, also helping on the working together goal of this whole thing.

Think on all of that and post back to each other, and I will then compile it all and we will start the Member of the Week project next week.

Thanks for working so hard on this with me! 

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Share your thoughts

OK, time for me to find out from all of you who are on here nearly everyday now (and I am SO proud of you for it!)...besides my questions (which many more are coming) and ramblings about our travels (which I will do from time to time, since I like to scare people with that!)...what other things would you like to see on here?  I am toying with bringing back Jordan's Member of the Week but instead picking one follower each time, sending that person questions to answer, and then posting that right on the blog...so you all can learn more about each other that way.  Good idea or not?

Also, for those who do NOT know (which is everyone in the country right now)...Tom from Toledo has become our new in-between practice guru...meaning he is a great drummer, lifelong drummer, and has ways of teaching and explaining things that are hard that complement what Jordan and I do...so I think the blog will be one place that he can talk with all of you about things you are stuck on.  Good or bad idea?  (this will go along with other ways we put his skills to work digitally through the internet).

I will be asking all of you to share longer stories about SR changing you, which will become part of the show, but that will be after Easter before I do that.  Right now, we are still in the "training" phase and need to get EVERYONE used to getting on here, reading, and posting.  We are making progress, faster than I expected, but have a long ways to go yet...so I will work on that during Block 2...and then, in Block 3 we will be seeking out longer stories about changes in all of you for shows.

However, I still know there are 1,000,000 other directions that we can on here, and since this is about YOU, it is time for all of you to respond to the above suggestions BUT also give me more...what do you want to see, do, and talk about on here?

I will REALLY look forward to reading posts about this one!!

Have a good snow day off for all of those out of school.  Nasty weather for sure...glad to be home today resting and trying to get a well (again, as usual, boy am I bad Jan-Mar every year) :(

Monday, January 25, 2010

The Tick Tock Beat

I am VERY impressed and VERY proud to announce that I have now witnessed three members conquer the new tick tock beat I have created in less than 30 hours...Taylor from Watertown (who was FIRST...YAAAY...she is 7th grader there and worked very hard to show it to me)...followed by Autumn and Sadie from Sioux Falls...and then, by report, Kelli has conquered it after practice yesterday...though I have to see it to believe it!  HA!

For all of you...as we work on this much harder set of things for the new song, I want to encourage you to be proud of yourself when you get it, of others when they get it, and of your site when EVERYONE has it.  Make that a goal...to get it conquered for everyone at your site...doing Whatever It Takes all together.

Today we are driving from my home to Racine WI for practice and back home...that is 4 hours up and 4 hours back in the snow...URGHH on winter.  I have had enough, and much more to come sadly.

Tomorrow...more to come on here as I will have lots of time to add things for you all to read and think about.  Until then!!

MEMBER Question 4: Jan 25, 2010

Time for a new question for you all to think about together.

What does it mean to have compassion for someone else and why is there SO little compassion evident in today's world?  What has happened to the golden rule of "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you".

I will be interested to hear what you all have to say about this question AND of course while answering it, relate it to something about SR.

Have fun!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Swollen Hands, Sore Bodies, Lives Changed!!

Well everyone out there in Blog land...we have finished our marathon 8 shows in Watertown, SD....we played at all 5 elementary schools in town, the junior high, the high school, and then the final community show last night.  We ended up playing drums for about 13 hours over 2 days, we set up tore down 20 times, and we played for approximately 3500 people...with many laughs, many tears, and an huge outpouring of support for our Watertown, SD site!  It should grow by leaps and bounds, which is great.  For all of those out there reading this, if we have not such a marathon like this in your home area, we need to do it...so please talk with us at practice next time about how to set this up.  We had great performances from those playing the shows...from Watertown itself we had...Steph, Brandon, Matthew, Haylee, Taylor, and Shelby...from Sioux Falls, Autumn, Sadie, Dustin, and Kim, and from Minneapolis/St. Paul...Derek, Jovanna, and Tristan...they did 8 shows AND practice in between both days...working on new things...and I could not be prouder of the hardwork they put in.  Even for the final show last night, when everyone was drop-dead tired...they did Whatever It Takes and stepped it up for an awesome wrap show.  Everyone out there...BE proud of them!

Over the course of these shows we reached out to kids who were hurting...had several kids come up and/or email me to talk about having a rough life, being depressed, feeling lost in the world, needing to find a place to fit in, share details about a rough life at home, abusive parents...well, the list goes on and on.  There is simply TOO much pain in the world...and we need to drum harder and faster to fight against this!  So, get those hands and wrists ready SR drummers!!

Somewhere during all of this...well...I managed to whack the top of my left hand (I guess) and it is very swollen...right near the knuckles, and it is hard to bend my fingers...but such is life of a drummer, right??  Kelli, don't feel bad for a change...at least you are not the only one wounded in the line of duty right now :)

Anyhow, after a wonderful 2 days, tonight we have follow up practice for new members in Watertown, so I will post details about that after we see what happens.  The weather is NOT good up here though, so pray we get back up there safely (about 40 min drive from where we are staying).  Also, pray folks can get out tonight to come to practice.

We are NOT sure what happens this weekend...really bad ice storm coming, in the way of Sioux Falls practice and a Sutherland show...so cross your fingers for all of that.  In the meantime, new member question coming VERY soon, so get ready to answer!!

ALSO...I need all of the active readers to start prodding a bit on the less than active readers...we want to see MORE comments from MORE people on here...I will be pushing this all year until everyone is in the habit of being EXCITED to get on here each day and read, and comment, and connect.

Thanks!!

Monday, January 18, 2010

New Show! New Step! New Songs! New Fun!

Yesterday was a great day.  Plain and simple.  What a way to start shows for 2010!!  We played drums literally from 930am until 630pm...for 120 high school UCC kids at an all day youth event.  This included 2 90 min workshops where they learned many SR songs, parts, the eenie-meenie-colleenie beat (for those who know what that awesome beat is!), and had a blast.  Then, after having spent all month rearranging my own personal show in my head, God knocked my upside the head, and finally, we have a new step of success.  Jovanna, you are NOT going to be happy with me on Wed.  Enough said!!  (well, you will be happy with me, in a not-so-happy way!!).  I will NOT tell you what the new step is yet...you can all just be surprised at the next show!!  I am confident now that in my new songs I have been playing we have at least 4 new show songs, which is great, because it is time for that (especially for repeat audiences)...and it was wonderful watching these high school kids come to life through them!

I have rearranged how I want to do "story time" as well...so we can actually tell more of your personal stories in shorter form.  That worked well too.  AND, we officially have "crazy audience time" to work like "crazy teacher time", at least at the shows where we have time, and room, to do this.  When I do this, then tell the Angela story (for those who know it), there is not a dry eye left in the room...what a powerful use of something silly to share how to once again use a gift from God to make a difference in someone's life.

We are confident we get some new members at our STL site...which is great, since they do SO many shows and then sadly never get to see new faces...somethings about most of the shows being across the river in IL and it being scary to drive to STL (or something like that).  We must keep telling everyone in that part of IL to Do Whatever It Takes!

Anyhow, that is all for now...I was going to do a new question for you, but I see MANY people need to take the poll...I need more answers to the last questions...so everyone who is reading this ALL the time, as you are supposed to...pass onto those at your site who are NOT commenting/reading enough...to get on here.  Their voices count...and I want to hear them :)

Thanks...see many of you from Minne in 2 days!!

I will not be back on until Friday...so hang in there until then.

Friday, January 15, 2010

It's official, craziness starts tomorrow!

Tomorrow finds Jordan and myself on our way to St. Louis for practice, and then on Sunday is the first show of 2010!  And, what a "show"...it is all day drumming...930am to 600pm...morning service, all day drumming workshops for a youth conference, and then early evening wrap up show for all...so that is the way to kick off the year!  Monday is practice in Union/Washington, MO...and then on Tuesday we drive all the way from St. Louis, MO to Watertown, SD (that is nearly 700 miles and 10 hours of driving in one day...those are the ones that kill us off on the road...Whatever It Takes!)...to be ready for NINE shows on Wed and Thurs in Watertown...the show marathon for sure!  We are excited to have drummers from not only Watertown and Sioux Falls, but many coming from Minneapolis, MN site (a not so short 5 hour drive too!)...and many thanks to all...those shall be fun shows!

However, from this point forward...you will have not quite as many posts from me...so don't be sad when they are not daily.  There will be at least four posts per week...I have MANY questions created for you all to think about...more games figured out for us to play together on here...and even some creative writing for you all to do pretty soon...but I did need to make sure you all never forget that my ability to get on the internet depends on:

1.  How far I travel each day
2.  How many shows/practices are surrounding that travel
3.  How late we drive each night
4.  THE WEATHER during all of that
5.  The hotel we are staying in...a few do not have free internet still, and so we just stay off the net on those nights

So, on those days when there is not a new post...what oh what should you do?  GO BACK...and do some re-reading, re-commenting, and keep the threads of VERY good communication flowing!  I enjoyed Amanda's command on Blog Question One...saying "oh good...we are making this blog even longer"...that made me laugh!

SO...just clarification that once the nutty travel schedule kicks into full gear tomorrow it will be a little more irregular what I get to do on here.

Here's to a GREAT 2010 of changing lives!!

MEMBER Question 3: Jan 15 2010

What is your favorite current SR performance song and why? 

Please keep this to the current performance songs, as I would like to see you all compare and contrast and talk about the songs as I plan to remove one or two at least in 2010 and build in some of the happening new songs we are working on.  First, I want to know what the songs MEAN to you and HOW they make you feel by seeing what you all talk about with this question.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

MEMBER Question 2 : Jan 14, 2010

I am going to start numbering the main blog questions so we can all find them more easily, and add an additional date...just so we don't all get lost on here.  Good job everyone and keep it up.

I am pondering a change in my own personal shows (again, as happens each year) and so here is your question of the day...actually conditional depending on which category you fit in...and sorry parents, this one doesn't really apply to you if you do not actually play drums in SR...but you can go ahead and take a stab at answering for your kids if you want.

If you were NOT a drummer before SR, how has becoming a drummer changed you?
If you WERE a drummer before SR, how has becoming an SR-style drummer changed you?

I don't want you to answer by reflecting on any of the usual things...don't think of the Steps of Success, the stories at shows, the friends you make at practice sites/show...the mission projects...none of the other wonderful things about SR.

This time I simply want to know...how has becoming a drummer in Sheltered Reality changed you...moreover, how has the drum itself changed you (as in the drum is a gift from God).

There ya go...let it roll :)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Back In Iowa, Sick, Question of the Day

Well, Jordan and I have completed our first set of flying site practices for 2010...we visited Phoenix, AZ, Salt Lake City, UT, Nashville,  and Shelbyville,TN and Warren and Toledo, OH.  Sadly we had to miss Hopkinsville, KY while in TN for their first 2010 practice since they had a practice-space conflict that weekend they could not work around.  However, that day off did help Jordan out...he had come down with a nasty case of the stomach flu.  We weren't sure at the time if it was the flu or food poisoning...but given that I got it 36 hours later...well...flu it was...and very nasty.  AND...sadly, I had to break one of my travel-promises...to never fly that sick...I had no choice...we left Nashville on Monday to return to Cleveland, and then on Tuesday Cleveland back to the home airport of Moline, IL...that was 4 flight segments while sick...and let me tell you all...if you have never been on a plane while nauseated...you have not fully lived.  NOT.  I have never had a more miserable experience of being trapped on a plane (which I love to fly!) while trying not to throw up the entire time (which I succeeded at, but it took a lot of NEVER GIVE UP)...glad it is over...glad to be home...and glad that today is a no practice day, giving me one more to rest up.

Anyhow, my question of the day is NOT really a question...but more of a go back and READ ALL COMMENTS of the last question of the day...up to 67 comments last I looked and they are great...they make great reading about SR...and I want you ALL to re-read them...and then, look for a new one before the week us up.

Take care out there!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Tennessee Site 2

As the 14th year of Sheltered Reality gets underway, it still amazes me that our ever-powerful musical ministry can empower people of ALL ages in so many ways!  Last night I had the pleasure of watching 15 new potential members all come together in Shelbyville, TN...on its way to being the 2nd site in TN, the first new SR site of 2010, and a successful outcome of a lot of hard work from our Nashville coordinating family...Scott, Sharon, Sierra, and Dakota Frech.  Last night's turnout ranged from 3rd grade on the young end, through 4th, 5th, 7th, and 9th graders, and then onto adults and one very special young lady named Mercedes.  Mercedes has Aspberger's syndrome (related to autism) and usually folks with either of those do not like loud things...but Mercedes' mom really wanted her to see and experience SR...and brought her to our community show back in November.  When she heard she could Take A Chance, should Never Give Up, should do Whatever It Takes, to learn to Believe in Herself, to reach out to others and Be A Friend, and all of this would strengthen her Belief in God...well, she wanted that...loud or not.  Last night we got to watch her work SO hard and master many drum skills and our first 3 songs...and it was a wonderful experience for all!

So, to Scott and family...kudos for hard work that once again has paid off in TN...many lives will be changed.

To ALL in SR...wow...once again it is awe-inspiring to watch God bring people together, connect them through music, and put them on a journey to change more lives...all through our very special, and very loud, world called Sheltered Reality.  Enjoy this one!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

BLOG question of the day

Today's question for you all is deeper than I have done so far...and it will be repeated several times, in different ways, once we get everyone in the country logged on here.  But, I am ready to try this out...so here goes...

I am planning many changes to "my" version of the SR show this year...one of them is to start to include many more of your personal journeys in SR in place of just "one" story of the day...because all members of SR change in many ways, and I think it is time for the audience to know this.  Jovanna, you started this, just so you know!  When you emailed about how you have changed since you joined SR...which has been noticeable to me...but unknown to the audience...I realized that we are missing a much bigger picture.  I think the audience deserves to know ALL the reasons we play drums...why you are all in SR...and how your lives are changing by doing this musical ministry.

SO...my question of the day for you all is:

Why do you play the drums in SR?  Especially since many of the drum parts keep getting harder?

There ya all go...have fun with it!

BLOG working SO well!

After 2 days of being in a motel with no internet (well, actually internet that we would have to pay for, which we try not to do) I came back to find all of these wonderful conversations between members in SEVERAL different states...who have never met each other...all starting with the temperature when they got out of bed where they live...and drifting into school buses potentially getting stuck in the snow and ending in some German and Latin exchanges...goodness...I could not be happier.

I am very happy that God pushed me into doing something that I was not sure would work...but seems to be working beyond my wildest expectations given that we have not even let 85% of the members/sites know about it yet!

So, to all, keep up the good work...keep getting to know each other, and I will keep posting things to help you out :)  Such as today's question, coming next!!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Temperatures and Mirrors

For today's 2nd post...1 or 2 things for you all to do :)

1.  Post what temperature it was when you got up this morning (come close), as well as where you live (or in my case, where you got up!).

2.  IF YOU DO NOT have a picture of yourself up on the follower's list, or at least a graphic, please learn how to do that...so that everyone can see something about you...besides the generic picture that is up for many of you.  If you don't know how to do this, perhaps internet guru Kelli Lair can help :)

My answers to number one:

Fairfield Inn, Phoenix Airport is where I got up, and it was a bit over 50 degrees out, and hard to leave.  Sadly, we had to get up at 340am to get to the airport on time...not a good time to start the day :(

From the Road

Jordan and I just finished the first 2 official 2010 practices...and had a great time in both Salt Lake City, UT and Phoenix, AZ.  More fun in Phoenix actually since that was a nice, warm, 70 degree experience.  YAAAY!  But, sadly, that is all the warm weather for us for quite awhile, as we rejoin all of the midwest sites in the frigid cold that is out there...and that you have all suffered through for a few days already.

It is fun watching folks start to listen to the new songs I have picked out and as we have now played them a few times, I know which are working, and some of the things I want to put in them...including a LOT of shared drumming on both sides (for those that don't know...that means playing on your drums as well as those to your left and right).  We also have a nice new "snake part"...and again, for those who don't know, that is moving up and down the entire row of drums so that an entire row moves as one...we called this the snake part many years ago...and it is time to do it again.

SO, you all have this to look forward to!

I wanted to thank all of you so far because I am seeing:

1.  Many of you commenting on my posts.  Thanks for reading!
2.  Many of you commenting on EACH OTHER's posts...that is even better...because this is how you will all make new friends!

In the coming weeks I will start doing the following:

1.  More challenges and contests, some with prizes, some without.

2.  Asking one of you at random to answer some questions about your site, your time in SR, your favorite stories from SR (my stories, or better YOUR OWN stories)...just so members from all sites can learn about other sites.

3.  Asking you want YOU want to see on this blog...since this blog is about YOU.  I will say this many times and many ways...but I never want you to forget this.

4.  If I don't see a comment from you at all, after many posts, I will ask you directly to post...so in other words, don't be shy.

It was fun after 2 days off the internet to sit down and read everyone's posted 2010 resolutions.  If you have not posted there, do so...and read the other comments.  I posted mine as well...so you can all go back and read that.

I will be off the internet now until about Saturday, so nothing more in the next 2 days...but you can all start thinking about the things above...as well answering the question of the day for everyone's "amusement"...see today's 2nd post.

Take care!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

GOOD JOB and FUN question

YAAAY!  We have grown from 19 to 34 followers since I looked 2 days ago.  I am proud of you all!  We are leaving Phoenix and going to SLC today...boarding the flight soon, so I cannot post a lot.  Today is the first practice of 2010!  WOW...another SR year underway...with several new songs to come, and perhaps even one or two removed from the current show.  Who knows??


TODAY's assignment:  What is your 2010 New Year's resolution, if any?  Not only do I ask you all to POST IT but also to READ each other's posts...and maybe even return to this one and repost something to everyone once all are done.

I am going to work very hard to get you all reading what everyone writes and thinking about it and using it to get to know SR folks you don't know.

More in about 2 days.

Friday, January 1, 2010

HAPPY 2010 PLUS challenge

Happy New Year to all SR follower's!  I see we have some recruiting to do from the sites I have been to already to talk about this...Minneapolis, Rochester, Eau Claire, and Fox Cities.  Currently, Fox Cities has the most followers who have completed the first assignment...to get signed on here...but they are still missing some folks as are all other sites I have seen.

So, let's put the power of communication to work...all current followers...use all the other means you have at your disposal...and see which of you can get the most new folks from your site (or other sites) joined on here.

Remember...the ultimate 2010 goal...to have EVERYONE in SR reading this post...as a way to find things out fast...to find out about each other...and to communicate through one place to everyone in SR...SO...we need to make sure we get all of those missing folks who have heard about this on here ASAP.

No prize on this one...but more prizes still to come!