NOISE: Freestyle

Musik.Essen.Beir

Its one of the most exciting times! 

Old Town is decking out their streets again for an event that is both near and dear to my heart! Oktoberfest. 

Oktoberfest is a celebration that normally runs in Germany for 16-18 days to celebrate Bavarian culture. Here in Old Town some of the Bavarian culture and some of our own get to mix, mingle, drink and dance in a fun place covered in art.

There will be music, food, fun and of course beer!

But I don’t drink beer... So why does this hold such a wonderful fond memory for me? Years ago I had an art exhibit in one of the Old Town buildings with long time friend and now famous artist Cory Moles. In walked this beautiful woman with red hair smiling and making the room light up. This is the same woman I will be married to in less then 2 weeks.

I don’t know that you will find love at Oktoberfest. I’m not sure that you like beer. But I know you will have a blast and maybe just maybe it will mean as much to you as it means to me! 

See you there!

We're gonna go back! Way back! Back into time!

                                    
 I have invented a time machine! No no it's true! I can go back in time when life was simpler. OK, it wasnt really simpler but that's what people would have you believe.

Gathering your own food and worrying about the real harshness of weather, not just what will happen if you didn't pay your utilities on time, can change a persons perspective!   

The advantages of living in the age of the horse drawn carriage and the log cabin? Family. There weren't any cell phones and computer systems. There was your family and a fire and some food   and nature. People loved it and it showed. Households showed more respect for one another. Families tended to stay in the same small towns and help raise one another.  

This Saturday and Sunday at Woldumar Nature Center we have the ability to step back in time and experience some of this first hand. Blacksmiths, carriage rides and even a saw mill and much, much more! 

Woldumar has always been a big beautiful landmark in Lansing and now they are bringing us back in time so that we can move forward with something amazing! Knowledge!  

For more information go to this web

Hope to see you there!

Let it fall!

 It’s only a few days away! The beginning to the greatest looking season of them all! FALL! 

I love fall! I love the way the leaves turn colors and everything smells sweet. I love the way people instinctively start huddling together and showing their love and affection for one another.   
 
 

Fall has its draw backs; it is connected to one of the worst seasons of all! Winter is horrible and cold (all though when it comes I will tell you the great things about that too). Sometimes fall is too hot. Sometimes fall is too cold. But on the days that it’s just right, it really is just right!

From piles of leaves to jump in to forest trails lit up like someone strung 1,000 different color lights from every branch! It’s amazing.  

 So, on September 22 when it officially becomes fall, raise a glass of fresh squeezed cider from QD and have a couple of apple doughnuts and sit back and enjoy the show. Or hop on your local hay ride and go site seeing. But what ever you do, don’t miss this beautiful change because before you know it our world will be blanketed with the whiteness of the new canvas waiting for spring to be painted on it.  

In case you haven’t seen or don’t know, very rarely does the world obey by our rules of when the seasons change... Colors have been bursting through for the last few weeks and before we get some big gusts of wind take some time to enjoy!

See you there.   

Sept 11th

 Tomorrow is the anniversary of the attacks carried out in 2001. Normally an anniversary is a happy occasion full of fond memories and kisses. Sadly this is not the case for the memories of tomorrow.

I remember where I was and what I was doing that morning. Unfortunately I really thought it was all a joke. I thought some drunken farmer had crashed his crop dusting plane into an empty building and that he was just stuck in his plane.  

When I heard what had really transpired I was devastated and angry at myself for being so passive. I called everyone that I knew to make sure people were safe. My biggest concern was my son who lived a mile from a military base and my relatives in   New York. Everyone was fine thank God!

Now we sit with this ache in our stomach of the horrors that unfolded that day. 

But there is more. We did something that is rare these days something that hasn't been done in years. We came together as Americans! We cried together, we were angry together, and we bonded over a common pain. I remember going out and getting my sticker on my car and flying it proud that America is united and strong! I can remember sitting in traffic and feeling bonded with everyone who sat near me. That kind of connection is what I pray for with all of us all the time without the catastrophe.   

Now, it needs to be said that we did this with an idea that a certain group of people were at fault and they became public enemy number one and that shouldn't have happened. No matter how you feel, blaming an entire group of people for the actions of a few is prejudice at one of its highest forms.

 So, tomorrow I will take a moment of silence and remember those who were involved. Not just those who died but those affected in any way. Tomorrow I will remember that on Sept 11th 2001 buildings were destroyed and lives were lost but a nation came together and I hope we will stay united not under a sky of fire and smoke but under a blanket of LOVE.

I will be there, will you?

Zombies stalk the city and give FOOD???

 I woke up early on a saturday morning. It was cold and crisp outside. The air was dark the sky was clouded. I ventured out with my son and camera in tow. As we arrived on the scene there were dozens of dead people walking around... (sounds of a record screeching to a halt) walking around?
 

Downtown Lansing was invaded by the Undead (which would normally mean the living) but this is somewhere in between. The cause for this gruesome display? Giving, food and help for those less fortunate.   

Who can be less fortunate than a zombie? Apparently anyone not willing to give their HEART to a cause...

I was happy to see our city full of the spirit of life even though it came from the dead.

Professionals or nothing.

 

So if you don’t know I am getting married very soon and with that we have a lot of decisions to make. Where to have the wedding; who to hire for the DJ and where to get the dress etc...To me the most important are, pick the right girl (check) and find a professional photographer (check).

Ha, ha, ha, the reality is that it’s important that all of your service providers be reputable. This is one of the most important days of your life and to have a very unprofessional person in any aspect of it can ruin everything!

Recently I had friends who went to a wedding where the DJ threatened the bride over the stereo system. I have been to wedding where photographers were getting drunk and forgetting to take pictures or where bands never bothered showing up. 

So I thought to myself, what better service announcement to have than: hire a professional. This means looking for someone that has been in business for years, has references and examples.

I have been taking photographs for years and I have had brides and grooms in my office explaining how they had Uncle Bob take pictures because he had a good camera and how horrible they turned out... Then they hire me to try and recreate that day and take great pictures. We can normally go back and they may look great but I would imagine every time they look at the pictures they remember how Uncle Bob failed.

Do it right the first time so you don’t have to stress and you and your memories will be beautiful and amazing for years to come.