Photographer?...

I am not a photographer.  If you have been following me on Instagram you can very well see the lack of skill that I have when it comes to manuevering a camera.  But that is not what my wonderful wife saw in me.  She sees photography as an opportunity for her to teach me how to be a great photographer because she is first a great photographer.  Jenny just recently started to get her freelance business really going full steam and she can be found at www.turquoisefeathers.com .  As you have heard me say time and time again she is the most talented, hard working designer/photographer I have ever met.

After a lot of patience and a couple short lessons, she gave me the opportunity to jump behind the camera and shoot a few pictures of her beautiful face as she posed for some self portraits.  This post is the product of that session.  Enjoy.  

Excited to keep shooting and I hope to have more and more pictures up soon,



till another day,



normallyINDIE

InstaUpdate...

Time once again to share with you some of my favorite snapshots from my favorite iPhone application Instagram.  As it updates the application only continues to get better and better with more and more filters and effects to choose.  So here we go:

Got to see it on Opening Day

Hyde Park Comm. UMC
A beautiful Sanctuary to Worship God

Starbuck's Refreshers
A must try if you are looking for a new drink.

Most anticipated album of this year

Mr. Austin Livingood

Just some of the reading I have done this year

So there ya have it, just a look at a couple of my favorite moments using the Instagram App.  If you have not already follow me at username normallyindie .  If you do not have an Instagram, grab yourself and iPhone or other smartphone of choice and download the free app.  It is great and worth your time.



till another day,



normallyINDIE

First Side of the Record...

It is now August and although it is not exactly half way through 2012 (July was a pretty busy month for me) I felt it was necessary to celebrate those records that just could not stopping ringing through our ears and spinning on our record players.  There were a lot of wonderful albums that were released this year and it is so exciting to be introduced to new bands all the time.  Here it goes:

Best New Finds

1. The Vespers - The Fourth Wall 

2.  Mike Main & the Branches - Home 

3.  Belle Histoire - Dreamers 

4.  Of Monsters & Men - My Head is an Animal 

5.  Birdy - Self-Titled 

Veterans with Style

1.  John Mayer - Born & Raised 

2.  David Crowder Band - Give Us Rest 

3.  The Fray - Scars & Stories 

4.  House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want 

5.  Jack White - Blunderbuss 

    

Must Have on Vinyl 

1.  Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More 

2.  The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow 

3.  Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math 

4.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits 

5.  Death Cab for Cutie - Plans 

Unknown Faves 

1.  Angus & Julia Stone - 

2.  Birdy - Self-Titled 

3.  Belle Histoire - Dreamers 

4.  The Vespers - the Fourth Wall 

5.  Best Coast - the Only Place 

Belt it Out 

1.  Elevation Worship - For Your Honor 

2.  John Mayer - Born & Raised 

3.  The Rock of Ages - Motion Picture Soundtrack 

4.  Chris Brown - Fortune 

5.  Fun. - Some Nights 

Pumped for the Future 

1.  Mumford & Sons - Babel (Sept. 24th 2012) 

2.  OneRepublic - Rumored 

3.  Seabird - (Title TBA) 

4.  Tenth Avenue North - The Struggle (Aug. 21st 2012) 

5.  Band of Horses - Mirage Rock (Sept. 28th 2012) 

These are just a couple of my top records of these past 7 months and I am so excited for new records to continue to surface and rumors to grow about more of my favorite artists.  Let me know if you have heard any great bands recently and remember support the artist, not the record labels, go to shows, by their physical cds, grab some merch.  

till another day, 

normallyINDIE 

Dreamers - Belle Histoire...

I have had the honor to listen to some pretty great bands over the past years, many of which I have built a friendship (Eric Mac - Irela, TJ - Good Morning Gladys, Aaron Morgan - Seabird, Austin Livingood - Belle Histoire)  Music is a huge part of my life and will continue to be for as long as I live.  Therefore, when I find a great band it is hard for me to want to put their album down for more than 5 minutes.

There have been a couple of exception albums this year of 2012, but none like Belle Histoire's first ever full length titled Dreamers.  A band that calls my home Cincinnati their birthplace, they have been taking over the music scene.  Most recently touring with Death Cab for Cutie and playing at Cincinnati's very first Bunburry Festival this past year, Belle Histoire has only been amping themselves up for their album release this past month.

I currently have been listening to the album on repeat for the last two weeks and it excites me every time.  The vocals are of music genius, but only to be balanced by the smooth guitar and drum beats surrounding it.  All of the songs on the record are filled with passion and heart, but also have a tune that is worth belting out on long road trips, or sometimes in the comfort of your own office.  Their first two EPs were merely teasers for what was to come in this first full length and this time it leaves you itching for more and more.

A great friend of mine happens to be a part of this band and I am so honored to share in this huge moment for him as well as the rest of his band mates.  I wish them the best as always and i suggest jumping onto iTunes and downloading their first every full length entitled DREAMERS.

It is totally worth the purchase and even more so worth seeing this great band perform live.  Also check out their website for tour dates at www.bellehistoiremusic.com

Good luck and happy listening.



till another day,



normallyINDIE

Another Cup of Coffee...

If you have been following this blog at all over the past 6 months, you will have seen a lot of book review and particularly book reviews that regard to my many Starbuck's books.  I began my journey reading Onward by Howard Schultz which is a story about the rough patch that they encountered from 2008 - the present.  Most of all how Schultz handled the pressure of stepping back into a managerial role and turning the company upside down.  I then moved onto the Starbuck's Experience, this book was a perfect read because it encapsulates the 5 point business model that made Starbucks into the powerhouse it is today.  Most recently I moved onto Pour Your Heart Into it by Howard Schultz (and another ghost writer).  This is a little older look at the dynamic company, but it gives an in-depth history lesson of how the company began, thrived, and continues to find success through dynamic relevance.  Thanks to a great friend of mine who is one of Starbuck's thousands of partners/baristas, I will be continuing to read up on this wonderful company.

You may be asking, why/how would a Pastor of Student Ministries find anything relevant for ministry in a book about a for profit company like Starbucks (besides the refreshing aroma of coffee as he reads it in a wonderful Starbucks location).  It is very simple actually.  Starbuck's has always valued the newcomer at a very high level, hoping to transform the way they understand coffee and how they experience it.  Therefore, their baristas, locations, coffee, and food items all emulate a level excellence that truly gives the newcomer the best of experiencing something.   This is exactly what I find to be true with the position I find myself in today.  I have been called to create an experience for people to understand what God has created them for.  It is being very sensitive to a newcomer that needs a little explaining as to why they would ever enjoy something like this.  As well as training those that are working for me to be great advocates for what is happening in the name of God.

Like Starbuck's the church is trying to send a message to the world that their is something out there that they have never experienced before and that is the loving hope of Jesus Christ.

PS.  If you there are any great Starbucks books I have missed please let me know and I will read them right away.


till another day,



normallyINDIE

My Favorite Teachings...

Here is a copy of one of my recent teachings focusing on the power of influence.

InstaUpdate...

One of my favorite apps for the iPhone (hopefully the iPad here soon) is Instagram. As I like to say it gives me the opportunity to take great pictures even though I have not photography skill of my own. If you to have instagram then you can follow me at normallyindie. I currently have posted 151 photos over the past year and they range from books, to cool sites, to messages to my beautiful wife Jenny. All are unique and give me the chance to put a twist to them that make them my own. Here are a couple of my favorites over the past couple months. If you enjoy feel free to follow me. (username : normallyindie).

Jenny leading us in Worship

Our First Pice of Mail

"?"

Seabird live @ The 86 Club

My Dad is such a Beast

Coffee Emporium on a Rainy Day

till another day,



normallyINDIE