Darla McCammon and Diamond Bait

Darla McCammon loves to create. She paints, she writes, and she creatively cares for animals. It’s the three “a”s as she puts it. Art, Animals, and Authoring.

A long time writer, Darla won contests in high school and has been actively on the pen ever since.

She says that writing the first draft is easy…just getting the ideas, characters, and dialogue out is fun. The re-write is the challenge. But she gets up about five-thirty every morning to spend some time with Jesus, and then some time with characters in her book.

Her most recent publication “Diamond Bait” is quite a suspenseful thriller of a mystery. Yes, suspense, thrill and mystery, all entwined to present a page-turning luxury of reading.

This book is about betrayal, faith, heroism, and all things worthy of a Hollywood movie production. I suggest Felicity Jones as Mattie and Shia LaBeouf as Joel.

Filled with phrases that will color the paragraph for you…“The report from the gun deafened me while the roar reverberated and echoed through the hospital halls”..this book is worthy of your attention.

And, thank you Mrs. Dewey (high school teacher) for inspiring and setting forth Darla as an artist of the written word.

You can find out more about Darla at darlamc.com

Oh yes, and tell her Mike sent you.

The Zombies, Sterling Watkins, and Pastor Appreciation

  

The Stage before the concert

 October is Pastor Appreciation month. Most church congregants don’t even realize there is such a designated month. While I appreciate any gesture shown me by my congregation, every now and then someone exceeds the usual effort and expectation.

   Sterling Watkins of the Claypool United Methodist Church knows how to show appreciation.

Sterling having a good time!

   Many of my sermons or messages make references to 1960s rock bands and musical phenomena. Sterling, being my age, shares similar interests and tastes in rock music and must have been listening to my sermons.

    As a gesture of pastor appreciation, Sterling acquired tickets to see the Zombies at the Star Plaza October 16.

   Having gained popularity and success in 1964 and throughout the sixties and seventies, one would think of the Zombies as an “exercise in 1960s nostalgia” type of group. Contrary to that notion, I submit that they are fully a contemporary band with a timeless sound as relevant to today’s rock environment as during the 1960s.

 

Melissa and friend at the sales table.

   Colin Blunstone’s vocals are inspiring and unencumbered by age. Rod Argent’s talent on keyboard is superb and perhaps his musician-ego is on display as he gymnastically moves his fingers along the keys quicker and with more precision ever before in his career.

While not in the foreground of performance, Jim and Steve Rodford delivered accomplished and stirring effect on bass and drums. And Tom Toomey gives us a guitar sound that prompts one to accompany him with “air guitar” gesture, as many in the audience did.

   They had a two hour show. The first hour revisited their hits of the 1960s and also introduced a couple of tunes from their freshly released new cd “Still Got That Hunger”, more about that later.

   The second hour was a stage performance of their monumental studio album “Odyssey and Oracle” released in the late 60s. “Odyssey and Oracle” is considered their most accomplished and successful album, much like Sgt. Pepper is for the Beatles. The Zombies performed every song on “Odyssey” from beginning to end.

   But as I mentioned earlier, they are not just a 1960s nostalgia band. They are contemporary and current. Six days ago they released their newest CD “Still Got That Hunger” which has a sound that compels one to follow from track to track like reading a “page-turner” mystery.

It was a great show. The musicians were obviously having fun. Their sense of fun and enjoyment of the moment carried into the audience. It was one of the finest concert experiences I can remember.

Thanks to Sterling Watkins who knows how to show appreciation to a pastor.

   My next concert will be, by invitation of my son, Eric, Black Sabbath sometime in February. I’m sure that general audience will be of a noticeably different composition suitable to match the compositions performed.

Ally Ferber and Evan Watkins Jump the Broom

On Saturday, October 10, 2015, Evan Watkins and Ally Ferber began a new chapter in their lives together. In fact, they began a whole new book. Having met in high school and dated quite exclusively for a number of years, the couple decided to add yet more suspense to their romantic plot by tying the knot, jumping the broom, or otherwise accommodating ceremony, tradition, and ritual by declaring intent, exchanging vows and giving and receiving rings.

   Ally, being an English major and lover of novels, theater, and all things English, British and American, set the stage of the ceremony with a novel theme.

With Evan’s help, and much work, the tables at which the family and friends sat were decorated with a novel and props to enhance the literary nature of the wedding.

   If you look closely, you will see small circles lying upon the tables. Those are circular cut-outs from old novels pasted to designs. It must have taken hours upon hours to decide upon the books, find the props, and do the work of cutting, pasting, and organizing such a wonderfully themed wedding.

Congratulations to Evan and Ally as they begin this sequel to their previous novel of dating and getting to know each other and each other’s family. I suspect that in this sequel they will eventually make the plot a bit richer by introducing children and perhaps, after a full development of that theme, they will write a concluding sequel in which grandchildren and retirement will deliver a “happily ever after” sentiment and exclamation mark upon their fulfilling journey through marriage and life together.

Callie Ann: Photographic Witness to Life

   Purpose…its one of those evasive pursuits that teases us and taunts us toward all kinds of actions, investments, and never-ending searches on Google, college degree lists, and discussions with friends. We seek to find what it is in life we were meant to do. We try tangible work, service, chasing money, achieving a professional dream. Most often people settle into a less than fulfilled line of work to pay bills, knowing that they have compromised their happiness.

   Not so with Callie.

    Callie studied Fine Arts at Indiana State University. But that is not where she found her passion. Callie happened upon passion; she discovered her purpose while in search of a relatively useful camera at Best Buy about four years ago. While there, looking for a practical camera to begin a business in photography, Callie discovered her dream, her purpose, and made the investment in a rather more professional version of a camera. Turns out it was a wise choice.

   Callie has developed from a hobbyist at photography into a talented and accomplished professional.

   While she can be engaged to photograph many things from antique cars to birthday parties, and the usual events that one would wish to record for posterity, Callie makes it clear that her favorite subject is life. It is the celebration of life. Callie is a witness to the blossoming of life into unbounded purpose and potential.

   We begin with maternity photography: Life becomes not only obvious but expectant as pregnant women approach delivery date. This quality of expectancy becomes a precious moment to capture. Callie loves to pose and capture such moments, not only as a memory or a record of a moment; Callie brings witness to the potential of life as she focuses and snaps. This moment becomes more than a memory. This moment becomes a living impression of love to be framed and cherished upon walls and desktops and tables.

    Callie loves taking newborn pictures. I am a sucker for babies. Each baby is uniquely beautiful and inspiring in their small movements, their small voices and their very large impressions they make on us. With a newborn, it soon becomes obvious, they don’t belong to us, we belong to them. Callie captures that belonging. She brings position and light to bear upon that newborn in a flattering and

  compelling vision and snaps that vision into a heart-warming sigh every time you revisit that picture.

    And of course, Callie loves photographing children. The continuity of life. From pregnancy to newborn to children running and playing. Callie is witness to the full potential that life brings forth. She captures the giggles, the jumps, the ever active moment of childhood.

   Yes, our children are children for such a short period. They laugh and play briefly and then run on to other things in life.

   It is fortunate for you that Callie discovered her purpose, her passion at a Best Buy store while looking for a camera.

    Callie has a “clients first” philosophy toward her art and work. She wants to make sure you are happy with your purchase.

Callie offers witness to life to be framed and cherished upon your walls for years to come.

   If you would like Callie to witness to your life, more information can be found at:

Phtographybycallie.com

www.facebook.com/Cameracallie91?pnref=lhc

Etsy (search for cameracallie)

Julia Baird, The Mersey Beatles, and that Liverpudlian Accent!

    On Thursday, April 23, 2015 on NPR's "Here and Now", Douglas Druick, President of the Art Institute of Chicago, was interviewed regarding a recent $500 million donation. On that program, Mr. Druick affirmed that with a greater number of pieces of art "we can tell a story with much greater nuance and complexity."
   This is how I feel about "tribute" bands. Whether they cover the Rolling Stones, Monkees, Led Zeppelin or the Beatles, I have discovered that I may indeed enjoy these tribute bands more than the "real thing" that they cover.
   These tribute bands have the benefit of looking back on the history of their claimed band and can, in Druick's words, "tell a story with much greater nuance and complexity" than those ephemeral moments which were distracted by poor seating, poor views, less than optimum audio, and any number of unanticipated problems which detracted from what was expected of the originals.
   A tribute band can, with a retrospective view, gather the best of the history, compose a story or a theme and present that to a contemporary audience such that it reminds them of their initial anticipations regarding their band, and brings them along in a magical mystery tour of "how it all unfolded" while affirming the audience's  "almost like being there" sentiment.
   The Mersey Beatles are one such tribute band.

Eric, my son, and I frame a Mersey Beatles poster(also a "Here Come the Mummies" poster) as we sport our VIP credentials

Eric and Sherry, my wife, before the concert

    But before we further discuss the Four Lads from Liverpool, let us give some attention to another making the trip from Liverpool to Elkhart. Let's focus on Julia Baird for a moment. Julia is John Lennon's sister. And though my initial intent was to focus an interview on her, rather than John, it became clear that her focus is indeed John, the Beatles, Liverpool, and the Cavern club of which she is a board member.
    Julia, wearing a "Cavern Club t-shirt, greeted folk with a welcoming smile and a down-to-Earth interpersonal style that made folk feel immediately befriended.
   She was with the band to help promote their tour, to gain attention for Liverpool and the Cavern, and also to sell her book "Imagine This...Growing Up with My brother John Lennon".
    I was with a group of fans waiting to meet her and gain her autograph on a copy of the book.

We were at the beautiful Lerner Theater in Elkhart. And while I don't like waiting in lines, this one seemed quick, and comfortable.
It was a lot like waiting to go backstage to see a rock star. Close enough for me.

Part of the band's entourage backstage

   As I don't like elevators, once we got through the "backstage area", my wife, Sherry, my son, Eric, and myself were escorted down stairs and through a maze of tunnels. It felt very much like back stage living. I overheard Julia telling another fan and autograph seeker that this was her first time in Indiana and that she was very pleased. Julia also commented that the acoustics at the Lerner are great,
   But after I had opportunity to have my copy of the book signed, and I gained a picture with Julia, we left for the concert featuring The Mersey Beatles.

These fellows are a great tribute band. I've heard a couple of other Beatles tribute bands, and I think these guys are the best. The way they position themselves on stage, their gestures and movements, and their sound contribute to an experience that runs almost up to the real thing. The phrase "suspension of disbelief", while applied to a movie-going experience, seems easily acquired here in this concert with these accomplished performers. They sound so close to the originals that if you allow, you can be mentally and emotionally "placed" in the original time period, at least for a couple of hours.

    Yes, it was a good sound. They seemed particularly authentic. And I pondered, as I listened to their expertise, why I felt this band was better than others. Yes, they are technically accomplished. Yes, they have practiced. But there was some other quality which seemed beyond practice and acquisition. It was my wife, Sherry, that identified the quality. It was that Liverpudlian accent.
   And not only that accent, which very naturally made them sound like the Beatles, but all other experiences growing up in Liverpool. These fellows grew up in the same city. They had the same cultural and local customs to mold and shape their language, pronunciations, gestures, and behaviors in general. Of course they so very closely resemble the Beatles, they almost are!

Mike with Julia

   Anyway, it was a great concert. And I encourage you to attend when they play at another venue.
You can find out more about the Mersey Beatles at
http://themerseybeatles.com/
   You can find out more about Julia Baird at
http://juliabaird.eu/

The audience waving lights during "All You Need is Love"