I sit here tonight watching massive crowds smile, cheer, and cry. Despite economic troubles and individual differences, we have all stood together as a country to show our support.
Our team has a new quarterback, Barack Obama. He has a long road and a huge weight to bear for our country. Like all great leaders, he leads great people. It is up to us to lift our country under his guidance. I have tremendous faith after seeing him bring light to the world's greatest country in one of it's darkest times.
Whether Democrat, Republican, asian, hispanic, black, white, or purple.....we are all Americans and it is our duty to support or people.
So tonight I join the masses in smiling and cheering....for us...the people of the UNITED States of America.
God Bless Barack Obama, the United States, and the World.
If you've never heard of Bitter:Sweet, then you're missing out on one of the most soulful, creative, and inspiring groups out there right now. Shana's voice is absolutely unmistakable and when paired with Karin's smooth style and backed up by the rest of the band, they become one of the most original sounds you've heard in years.
I expect huge things from these guys (and girl) over the coming years, as if providing music for The Devil Wears Prada, Entourage, Grey's Anatomy, Nip/Tuck, Desperate Housewives, Korbel Champagne, and Victoria's Secret wasn't enough.
I was extremely blessed and fortunate enough to have the pleasure of collaborating with them last night prior to one of the best live performances I've seen in years.
I suppose this is a bit of a Thank You to all of them for such a wonderful experience and to you, my support group that has made it possible for this goofy guy to live his dream every day of his life.
Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Matt Blum
Currently
listening
:
The Mating Game
By
Bitter:Sweet
Release date: 2006-04-24
THE Life Lesson
Current mood: enlightened
Category: Life
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point. 1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners. 3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant. 4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. 5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress. 6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies.. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one: 1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school. 2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile. 4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!! 5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials.. the most money...or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.
Ok, as most of you know, I've been in Canada for the past week. During this trip, i went to a place called Banff. I heard the 8th and 9th floors were haunted in the Banff Springs Hotel, so logically i said, this sounds like an adventure...bring it on.
Here is where our little story gets interesting...
We hop in the elevator and head to the top (9th) floor. The doors open and I stick my head out and peer down the long dim lit hallway. First thing I notice is that the hotel was packed downstairs, but there is not one single person in this hallway. Dana (friend who took me there trying to scare me) is now terrified, still in the elevator, and saying we should go back downstairs. I said if anything is going to happen, it's going to be after the doors to the elevator are closed and we have no quick escape. She finally steps off and the doors close behind us. I take a deep breath and begin the walk down the long hallway. Two steps into it, a guy steps around the corner and asks, "Are you looking for the highest point in the hotel?". Creepy considering most would ask if we were lost or having trouble finding our room. I again take a deep breath and say "sure." He says he needs to put something in the maintenance closet first, but will be right back.
As soon as he walks around the corner, Dana frantically presses the down button on the elevator saying we are NOT following this creepy guy anywhere.....about the same time I hear the jingling of keys. "Here he comes," I jokingly say trying to creep her out. He rounds the corner and says, "right this way." We walk a few doors down and he says, "Do you mind taking the stairs?". I say it's no problem. He uses a key to unlock the stairwell (odd). We follow him down to the 8th floor (very odd considering the highest point would be up, no?). We walk across the floor to a catwalk with an AMAZING view. Now I realize he was asking if we wanted to see the highest viewpoint in the hotel. Whew! He kindly dismisses himself and walks a few doors down and knocks on a hotel room door. "Hi, I'm the maintenance man." he says and walks into the room. Then I realize something....he introduced himself as the maintenance guy, but I didn't hear another voice coming from the room. "Let's get out of here," i said. She agrees and we walk extremely quickly across the floor, hit the elevator, and down to the lobby.
We walk into the lobby with a sigh of relief. We joke about the creepy guy as a bellman approaches. "You two act as if you've seen a ghost," he says. We explain the creepy incident and then he drops the bomb on us....
"The ghost that haunts the 9th floor is a maintenance man named Sam. He is known for helping guests with their bags, giving directions, and such. He disappears if you try to tip him or after he is done."
This is an interview with Harlan Ellison, one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century. He talks about writers, but put your art in place of it for this (photographer, painter, musician, etc). He's a bit harsh, but he's no fool and believes if you work for "exposure", you're cheating yourself (now and down the road) and your industry.
Also, if you'd like to support the project and post the banner on your website, myspace page, emails, whatever, let me know and i'll get you the code. Also, feel free to sign the guest book on the website.
Thank you for all the help! I have the best friends ever ;)
This project came about when someone had the nerve to call my work pornographic and told me it was in need of censorship. There is a HUGE difference between doing something artistic, classy, and tasteful and blatant filth. So, here's the movement.....
Pornography (Greek pornographia from porne , prostitute + grapho , (v.) to write + suffix ia , state of , property of , place of) , more informally referred to as porn or porno, is the explicit representation of the human body or sexual activity with the goal of sexual arousal.
Erotica aka "art nudes" (from the Greek language Eros - "love") — refers to works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or arousing descriptions. Erotica is a modern word used to describe the portrayal of the human anatomy and sexuality with high-art aspirations, differentiating such work from commercial pornography.
This is why European countries are leaps and bounds ahead of the US when it comes to culture, maturity, and overall sophistication of society. This is why they have wonderful things such as a lowered drinking age (is there even one? lol), topless beaches (who doesn't love them), and the absolute best quality of life on the planet.
So here I am, starting my own little movement, taking my own steps, towards a HIGHER high society. We're shedding the clothes and baring it all for the name of art. We're screaming from the rooftops.....Censorship Sucks.
If interested in participation in this project, please leave a comment or contact me directly. Your name will be posted along with your occupation or other word to describe you (ex: bartender, accountant, lover). If you have a prop that illustrates your occupation or personifies you (ex: bartender - martini shaker, librarian - book), let me know as it will help tremendously. This will be a great project for everyone involved.
Must be 18+.
The project now has it's own website!
Visit CensorshipSucks.net by clicking the banner to view the participants!
Blum Photography will give away a free photoshoot every month.
How?
Simply attach the BlumPhotography.com banner to your MySpace page and leave a comment notifying me that you did and you will be entered into the monthly drawing! Adding this profile to your Top Friends will gain you an extra entry as well.
Email me for the banner code. Thank you so much for all your support and best of luck!
blessed
accomplished
enlightened
