And We're Back

What a great trip...an all-around, enjoyable-for-all, good time! We left Friday around 11:00 AM headed for Frisco, Texas. I DID NOT GET LOST ON THE WAY! Amazing, I know. I'll be posting pics of the actual Celebrate Freedom event. Fun, fun, fun. We're taking all of you with us next year. So, get ready.

The beauty of this trip is that it was win/win all around. Didn't get lost, nice hotel room, awesome concert, wonderful children's entertainment, & last, but certainly not least...we stopped at Cracker Barrel for supper on our way home. Not the finest cuisine there is, but they do have some nice biscuits.
The great part of Cracker Barrel is their store. The boys & I always spend lots of time in there. We made a few purchases, but the prizes are these...




You know Dino is one of my faves! So, tonight I'm off to watch a little Colgate Comedy Hour with the boys. Tomorrow, I'll try to get up some of our pictures. Peace to each of you!

The Idol View From Here

I have not been a big American Idol watcher until recently. I kept up with this season. I didn’t see every episode, but we watched most performances. Jason Castro was an early favorite. Starting, I really liked Michael Johns, David Archuleta, & Brooke White. I can’t believe Johns got booted. Archuleta lost a little of his sparkle with me. It was eventually almost painful to watch Brooke. She always looked like she was anticipating something horrific or that she was about to cry.

I have to say most of the contestants lost me as a fan if they back talked the judges on their critiques. I think you can tell a lot about someone’s personality by how they handle criticism. Some were quite mouthy & ridiculous. Most received the good reviews with gusto, but got lippy with the negative stuff. David Archuleta seemed to handle his negative reviews with the desire to use them as a tool for improvement. Jason was the most humble recipient of his critiques, good or bad. High marks for this ability!

Overall, I believe this was a very talented group. Syesha was beautiful with a voice to match. David Archuleta was a cutie. He had this amazing, huge voice! David Cook has a real knack for arranging the music to suit him. My favorite thing about him was the improvement made to his hair. I really liked what they did with it. At the beginning it was not so great. At the end, it was awesome. Bottom line…none of these people captivated me. I enjoyed some of their performances, but I wouldn’t buy their albums or watch their concerts. Yes, that is my opinion & many people disagree.

Now, let me explain what draws me to Castro. First off, he seems genuinely a humble person. He was always smiling with a bit of aloofness that was very appealing. His attitude & remarks were unaffected & endearingly goofy. He has the same easy-going charisma that pulls me to another…Dean Martin. Do I think Jason sounds like Dino? Of course not, but he has the same distinct ability to entertain me with a simple voice & character. Neither of these singers have the best voices, but they have the charisma that is lacking in so many. They are magnetic to me. It is a joy for me to hear them sing. Their performances ooze with charm in a relaxed manner. They are pleasing to watch while they sing. Again, this is what appeals to ME. World view? No.

Jason has the Dino-esque charisma, but his style is completely different. He is in the same vein of two of my favorites….Jack Johnson or Tracy Chapman. Just give me Jason, Jack, or Tracy with their guitars & I am satisfied. They have a bit of a modern, folksy style, with more of an edge. It’s a kick back & enjoy type of thing for me.

I watched a video of Jason at his home church doing Chris Rice’s Clumsy. This makes me think he could do some stuff like my favorite Praise & Worship band, The David Crowder Band. Now, that would be the music to listen to!!

Jason is not the stuff for American Idol, but definitely the stuff for me. Will I buy a Jason Castro album? Absolutely!

Yes, these are my personal views & what appeals to me. Let the backlash begin…