GMA Blah Blog

April 17th thru the 24th was my turn to go to Nashville, Tennessee for GMA (Gospel Music Association). It was a blast. I attended a lot of classes intended to help be a better manager of the station, so I hope I learned something. But it was the music entertainment that was so much fun. Every lunch had a showcase of entertainment and every evening you could find something to do. So here is a list of my top 10 highlights:

10) Running into the guys from Manic Drive.
9) Talking to Mac Powell from Third Day.
8) While checking my email at the internet café, I ended up being next to worship leader Billy Buchanan of Fusebox. It was good to catch up with Billy.
7) Meeting Justin Unger who was in the band Across The Sky. Justin is a worship leader now. I told him how much I liked the song “Give It All Away” and how it fit our share-a-thon message well.
6) Going to see local girl Eimi Hall perform in Downtown Nashville. Then hanging out with and going to Burger King with local girl Eimi Hall and Daniel Rosas who played guitar in GS Megaphone.
5) Talking with Sanctus Real at the DJ/Artist reception
4) Talking with Barlow Girl at the DJ/Artist reception, seeing Barlow Girl host a lunch, and then seeing them perform in a private setting (they probably thought I was stalking them but the truth was there was free Chick-fil-a at the private setting).
3) Hearing new band Press Play at lunch.
2) Seeing old time rocker David Huff from David And The Giants and finding out his son plays guitar in Press Play.
1) Going with Daniel Rosas to the Stryper listening party. Michael Sweet played a few of the tracts from the bands new project. IT IS GOING TO ROCK!

Me & Michael Sweet!

Eddie

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

The Noticer
by Andy Andrews

This is a heart-warming little story of a man named Jones. Not Mr. Jones, mind you..."just Jones." He was always old as far as anyone could remember, always carried a mysterious brief case and ALWAYS showed up exactly when someone needed him. Andrews tells of the first time meeting Jones. He was a young man, homeless and alone, living under a pier and what he needed, as pointed out by Jones, was just a little perspective to get his life on track. Andrews goes on to tell interesting tales of Jones' influence all throughout the small community where everyone, at some point, had an interaction with Jones that made a difference... saved a business, saved a marriage, saved a life. All because Jones had a way of helping with perspective, a way of making people realize it wasn't as bad as it looked, that they were still needed, that the little things do matter. The stories in this book are much like yours or mine, the people could be a friend or a neighborhood, the situations are all too familiar... but thanks to good 'ole Jones... if we just adjust our perspective a little, we get a taste of what's really important.

This book is short, very easy to read and sweet. Would make a great gift for a graduation senior (hey, who doesn't need perspective when you're about to face the "real world"), a mom or dad or someone facing an uncertain future.

The Noticer Project, inspired by this book, is a neat little idea to acknowledge the 5 most influential people in your life NOW (not when it's too late). You can learn more about that world-wide movement here.

Keep rockin' for Christ!
Jade =)

The Unlikely Disciple Book Review

The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester At America's Holiest University
by Kevin Roose

As soon as I heard about this book, I was excited to read it. A "secular" Brown University student wants to spend a semester "undercover" at a strictly conservative, Christian college? Just as I said when I reviewed Rapture Ready!, I enjoy hearing what "outsiders" think of the Christian bubble... especially (specifically) if they are willing to approach it with an open mind. And Kevin Roose does a fantastic job of approaching this subject with an open mind. Sure, he has his biases and his preconceived notions going in... but that was the whole purpose of this project... to get a firsthand look at things inside Liberty University and see if the Bible Boot Camp stereotype is fitting or not.

He's a brave man. Not many would go the lengths he went to, to actually enroll and spend a semester at Jerry Falwell's school and church, taking Bible classes, joining the Thomas Road Church Choir, having a face-to-face interview with the "Big Man on campus" himself... but Roose does, and does so successfully on all accounts. He makes friends, he learns the Bible and actually passes his classes with good grades, he scores a print interview with Falwell that goes on to be part of a special edition of the school's newspaper that is handed out at Falwell's funeral! He learns how to pray, though he still isn't sure if anyone is listening or if it makes a difference.

Roose uncovers the good and the bad of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell and Christian evangelicals in this book. He mulls over the differences between Christian students and secular students, discovers that the differences aren't always as vast as you'd think (which is good and bad), and finds himself actually, surprisingly enjoying his time at Bible Boot Camp. Roose even spends his Spring Break doing The Way of The Master style witnessing to other Spring Breakers at Daytona Beach... and survives to tell about it!

This is a fun, humorous read... Roose tells it like he sees it... and it's highly entertaining to see it through his eyes. He also points out things that I think a lot of Conservative/Evangelical/Bible-Thumpin' Christians oughta take a look at and take note of. I hope that the "opposite" side reads this book as well, though, and discovers what Roose learns during his experience, that we're not all "like that." Just as they're not all "like that" either.

Keep rockin' for Christ!
Jade =)

All Request Show VIDEO!

Kayla and I are pretty competitive when it comes to games. Lately we have been playing Wii tennis together and here is a video of our recent competition. 

Enjoy! Also remember the ARS has a chat room located on KVRK.com 

Here is the link http://kvrk.com/allrequest.html

I have it up every weeknight during the show. You can hangout with other listeners, and you can also watch a live stream I have setup with a webcam inside the studio.

Stay tuned for more random fun videos and I will see you in the chat and on the phone during the ARS!

Stay Blessed!

Adrian

Mysterious Fruit Smell... ???

One day our receptionist, Tiffany, turned to me and asked if I smelled Fruit Roll-Up. What, huh? No. Then a few minutes later, yes... actually, I do smell Fruit Roll-Up. Apparently for a few weeks she had noticed that the studio smelled like Fruit Roll-Up and every once in a while it would waft into the lobby area where our desks were. I went in to ask Drue if he was eating a Fruit Roll-Up or ... wearing fruity-smelling cologne (which, I don't think he appreciated, haha!)? He wasn't. I didn't really give it much thought after that. But a few days later it happened again... that fruity smell! And again, and again, and now I notice it nearly every day. It only happens in the afternoon (doesn't smell that way when I get here in the morning, or all during my shift - starts up around 4pm), smells strongest in the studio and I can't, for the life of me, pin down where it's coming from. Believe me, we've put our sniffers to work, trying to pinpoint the fruity origin.

So, today I'm sitting here, filling in for Drue and all of a sudden.... FRUITY SMELL! Out of no where. It's a mystery! I mean, at least it's a pleasant smell, not a mysterious offensive smell, right? Anyway, yes... this IS random, but I'm on a mission to find out what that Fruit Roll-Up smell is all about!

Keep rockin' for Christ!
Jade =)

------------------

Ok, we have figured it out! Ok... actually, I have to give Chief Engineer credit for being as smart as he says he is... HE figured it out for me, when I explained the mysterious scent to him. The smell is Christina! Haha. Christina is an employee of the radio station down the hall, and she comes in during the afternoons. The air conditioner for the two main studios in this building are linked (to each other only), so that's why her Strawberry Patch Body Spray gets sucked up from her studio and sent to us down here in this studio at the other end of the building! Wow, mystery solved! I feel better knowing what's going on now! Haha.

Instant Feedback from Twitter

Every once in a while, I like to throw out a question to the Twitter-verse, 'cause it provides some instant feedback. I realized that while I enjoy seeing the answers that come rolling in, maybe you guys would like to see it too!

Today's questions was "Quick! I need to know what your favorite Power FM song is right now! Go!"

And here are some of the responses...

• circleslide "gravity"


• come on no contest, Death of Me by RED the best song on the radio right now


• I love "Cross My Heart" by Nevertheless.


• To Know That You're Alive by Kutless


• there are so many to choose from! one of em is Abandon's "Providence" ....another "High of 75" by Relient K...the list goes on.


• To the Service by I Am Terrified! I love hardcore God lyrics!


• i'm thinkin serial sleepers by house of heroes


• My Favorite song right now on Power FM is Let's Dance by Hawk Nelson
• hmmm last night by ilia. Carry me down by demon hunter and mighty to save by don't wake aislin
• "I'll Take On More Than One" by Don't Wake Aislin!! WOO HOO!! my fave, thanks for asking. ;)
• 3-2-1 (Disciple)
• I'm a big fan of "Hearts and Minds" by Ivoryline. Those guys are great!
• "In the Valley of the Dying Sun" by House of Heroes.
• Never going back to ok, or return. How's that?
• want ad or wrecking hotel rooms by mxpx (note: haha, we don't play either of those, but thanks anyway!)
  

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