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MAY 17th, 2009 |
PLACEMAT
ART
I've been in the habit of drawing on
restaurant placemats for longer than I can recall. The picture to the right was drawn on a
placemat two nights ago while having dinner with my family. It illicited the comment,
"That's the ugliest thing I've ever seen." ... I'll take that as a compliment.
I've had a variety of odd reactions to my
drawings over the years. In High School, a girl once commented, "That's right
demonic!" Years ago, a famous CFL football player said my drawing was 'racist.'
Another individual on a seperate occassion told me my cartoon was 'racist.'
The character I drew had three eyes, so I assumed he felt it was racist against all the
three-eyed people in the world.
Art is art. I don't draw cartoons to
degrade, insult or offend people. I draw them to entertain people. Sometimes, it's just to
entertain myself. I've drawn caricatures of people that I would never show to those people
because they may take offense. Plus ... there's always a little part of me in every
cartoon I draw. Scarey, huh?
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DEC 3rd, 2008 |
DIRK FIRKEL - "O HOLY NIGHT"
Two years ago, I came upon this
recording of "O Holy Night" on the net. For the next few minutes, I laughed
myself to tears. My kids had never seen me laugh so hard.
At the time, I didn't know who this guy is
or where the recording came from. Feeling I had to come up with a name, I gave him
the fictitious name, DIRK FIRKEL. I also felt a recording of this magnitude deserved some
album artwork, so, I came up with the picture at the right. I also did a bit of noise
reduction and EQ.
So ... go to the bathroom first and make
sure you don't have any food or drink in your mouth when Dirk sings, "Fall on your
knees!" or when he goes for the big 'money note'.
DIRK FIRKEL - O HOLY NIGHT
I should add ... This recording has given
our family a new tradition. In the weeks before Christmas, we all go out 'shopping'
equipped with an MP3 player, an FM broadcaster ... and Dirk. Making our way to the
electronics department, we tune several stereos to the proper FM station and 'Dirk the
store' ... it's hilarious.
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MAY 30th, 2008 |
"THE GOLFER"
Okay ... Today, I was on the Morning
Show with Sean & Ingrid on Mix 97, here in Belleville. I was asked to sing a parody
song I'd written for yesterday's "Play A Round For The Kids" ... a charity golf
tournament to benefit the Quinte Children's Foundation. I had a great time with Sean &
Ingrid. I even sang an impromptu intro for the meteorologist:
"This is
Kevin with the weather;
Greatest meteorologist EVER!"
I then did an extended version of my parody
... "The Golfer".
Hopefully, Kenny Rogers has a sense of humour.
The highlight, of course, was singing a
blues version of "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" with Sean & Ingrid. This is
an ancient tradition that puts me in the company of Burton Cummings, Larry Gowan and one
of those Canadian Idol dudes. What a rush! (Well ... aside from the Canadian Idol thing) |
JANUARY 30th, 2008 |
"THE BACKSIDE OF THE DESERT"
When
an item has a frontside and a backside; it has generally been my understanding that the
less desireable side will be the backside. I realize this reference to the backside of the
desert is geographic in nature. However, given Moses' situation, I believe it is entirely
fitting to look at the backside of the desert metaphorically.
Moses had gone from the palaces of Egypt to
becoming a lowly shepherd. He finds himself leading his flock to the backside of the
desert. It soon becomes apparent that Moses' state of mind was also residing at the
backside of the desert. At this place, he wasn't exactly a pillar of confidence. In all
respects he was ... at the desert's backside.
Moses didn't merely crawl into a cave and
declare it his new home. Let's face it ... the backside of the desert doesn't exactly fit
the real estate adage, "Location, location, location." Moses looked around
... saw a burning bush ... and he investigated. Moses listened ... heard God call him ...
and he responded. Personally, I think the frontside of the desert would have been a much
more glamorous and desireable location for such a meaningful encounter. However, at this
point in my life, I'm content with the knowledge that God has good reason for doing things
the way He does.
At some point, you will find yourself in a
place you don't really want to be. Socially ... physically ... mentally ... spiritually
... or even emotionally. Whether you're a teenager struggling with life's issues; an adult
facing another major crisis or a young adult dealing with new responsibilities and
pressures ... you know when you've reached the backside of the desert. Don't crawl into a
cave and begin decorating just yet. God may want to reveal Himself to you ... so look
around. He may have something to say to you ... so be listening. He may call you .... How
will you respond?
I don't like being at the backside of the
desert any more than you do. I don't want to be here any longer than I need to be. Man,
that burning bush has got to be around here somewhere! |
JANUARY 18th, 2008 |
"LOOKING BACK"
Many times as a teenager, I found myself
aggitated by an older person talking about "the good old days." Even now,
teenagers eyes glaze over at the phrase, "When I was your age..." However,
can actually be an act of wisdom.
The book of Hebrews says to remember those earlier
days after you had received the light (10:32). The following chapter then looks back for thirty nine verses. In
the same manner, I often look back recalling the great moments of the Jesus Movement.
The way I figure it, there's a good way and a bad
way to look back. The bad way is when looking back causes us to journey backwards.
The book of Ecclesiates tells us not to ask, "Why were the old days better
than these?" It says asking such questions is not wise (7:10 )." If we believe the old days
were better, we stand in danger of returning to live in the past (Jethro Tull anyone?).
Our ability to look back is valuable in assessing our journey. If we
look back to the adversities we've overcome then we can learn. Looking back is vital in
the pursuit of righteousness and in seeking God.
"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and
who seek the Lord ... Look to the rock from
which you were cut ... Look to the quarry from which you were hewn." -
Isaiah 51:1
I don't look back with any longing to return to the
'good old days' of being encased in a rock or entombed in a quarry. I look back to confirm
the fact that the highlights of my life have been found in moments of righteousness. This
enables me to wisely chart out the course ahead. |
JANUARY 14th, 2008 |
"ASSEMBLE ME"
Dan Thomson is the frontman for a punk rock outfit from Ottawa
called Assemble Me. Dan is a good friend, a tremendous talent and one of
the nicest humans on the planet. I recently had the honour of recording and producing
their debut CD entitled "Sharks.Human.Danger".
I
thoroughly enjoyed working with Dan, Cam Zwicker(bass)
and Jeremy Foley(drums) in the sessions. Dan allowed me to lay some slide
guitar on one track and then there was Blind Willie ... you'll have to
ask about that.
Tayson
and I attended the CD Release Party in Ottawa last night. Dan and company did a tremendous
job presenting the live version of the CD to a solid crowd of listeners who were
noticeably transfixed by their intensity, their passion and their energy. Either that or
they were stunned as to why the old guy standing on the bench seat knew the lyrics to
every song.
Check out the review - HERE |
JANUARY 10th, 2008 |
"DON'T STEP IN THE 2007"
Parts of it were great and parts were not great. For certain, it's all
behind us now. Last year is a memory. It's done, it's over and it lays steaming on
the ground behind us.
Admittedly,
I'm limited in my knowledge of farming, but I understand farmers place a certain value on
... dung. As I've driven by farms, I've seen massive piles of dung. More disgustingly
... as I've driven by farms, I've smelled massive piles of dung. As I understand it, dung
is used as fertilizer and it helps things grow.
Years
come and go. When those years are put into a big pile, they're like a big pile of
dung. Like fertilizer, they help us grow. Every year represents experience and
we learn by experience. The great experiences ... and the not so great. I'll leave
you with a loose paraphrase you may have a difficult time forgetting.
"All small piles of dung work together to become
one large
pile of fertilizer for the benefit those who love God."
|
DECEMBER 24th, 2007 |
"CHRISTMAS . . . I GIVE UP"
"You always hurt the one you love."
That's what the song says. If that's true, then you will always stand a chance of
being hurt by the ones you love. That's a loose application of the transitive
authority in mathematics. Mathematics adds up. Christmas doesn't.
It seems Christmas tends to be the holiday with the most associated
pain. In my opinion, the more the holiday becomes distanced from celebrating the
coming of Jesus Christ ... the better. Let the world have their 'Happy Holiday' ...
Let them have their 'Festive Celebration' and their 'Jolly Elf'. It gets emptier each
year. I'll be content to celebrate Christ's birth every March 5th ... the day I
accepted His Lordship in my life.
Jesus knew hurt from those he loved ... He still
does. |
SEPTEMBER
5th, 2007 |
"AH GOTS DE BLUES"
Took my daughter to NB.
She's starting university.
She got sick with tonsillitis.
Heck and high adversity.
Van, you're like a brother.
The White Head Ferry crew rocks.
It's hard to go home again.
Man, life's full of hard knocks.
Unused barf bags make great drawing paper.
|
SEPTEMBER, 2006 |
"SIN AND
THE CHURCH"
It's vital for the Church to recognize, address, confront and abandon the
things that hinder it from being what it's supposed to be (Hebrews 12:1-13).
When Christians behave in a manner uncharacteristic of what they are called to be, they
enter 'The Hypocrite Zone'. Yes, Virginia, there are hypocrites in church.
In the Church, I expect to see more evidence of the fruit of the Spirit and
less evidence of the acts of the sinful nature. I expect to see Christ reigning ...
not sin. I'm fairly certain that's what God expects as well (Galatians
5:13-26). The Church will never be spotless by seeking a peace
treaty with Satan or a cease-fire with the acts of the sinful nature.
Anti-church
people will allow sin to rule the Church unchallenged.
I'm not an anti-church person. |
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