MOVIES FROM 2011

I love lists.  A recent magazine article had a list of the top money-makers of 2011.  I still love seeing movies but my attendance is way down.  I'm not a fan of 3D, although if its done right and plays a role in the storytelling, I'm in, ("Hugo" & "Tin Tin").
So as I was reading this list, I thought I would blurt out my faves from this past year.

1.  Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Final movie of the franchise.  I loved it.  The Part 1 put me to sleep numerous times, but the final bow did the story a great send off.)
2.  Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (The 4th movie in the franchise, and Tom Cruise still knows how to make a great action movie.)
3.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes (This is probably my favorite movie of the year.  Andy Serkis' portrayal as Ceasar deserves recognition.)
4.  Captain America (Even though it was a set up to the Avengers movie, just as "Thor" was, I thought Captain America was much more entertaining.)
5.  The Help.  (Great acting.  It stirred my insides about racism.)
6.  Bridesmaids. (One of the funniest movies of all time.)
7.  X-Men: First Class (Great reset of the X-Men franchise.  I hope they stay this course.)
8.  Super 8.  (A fan of both J.J. Abrams and Spielberg, this is such a throwback to the 80's movie style..loved it.)
9.  The Muppets.  (Fun, great return of Kermit.)
10.  Real Steel.  (Caleb loves robots as of right now, and we both got a kick, or a punch, out of this one.)
11.  The Adventures of Tin-Tin.  (This movie looks amazing, a simple story, but the technology alone was jaw dropping.)

Movies that I was looking forward to but was a let down...

1.  Green Lantern.  I've never been a huge fan of this character, but I thought the storytelling could have been better, and the villian wasn't anything worth getting worked up about.  "Oh No, you are fighting a giant cloud!"
2.  Hangover 2.  Recycled jokes from the first film.
3.  Pirates.  I don't even know the full title.  I was hoping for more fun. It sunk.
4.  Cowboys & Aliens.  Great idea, great director, great actors.  Lousy, boring, slow moving story.
5.  Green Hornet.  Another great character from back in the day.  Too bad they trainwrecked this adaptation.

LET'S DANCE

I was invited to MC the Penn High School Snowball at Granger Community Church recently.  I haven't "dj'd" an event in a really long time.  I'm on a microphone almost every day, but the music-side, its been a while.  It was fun seeing some of the 'old gang' working behind-the-scenes, and I also knew a handful of students, (including my own daughter) and they seemed to be having a great time.

Thanks to Chris Whitmire for inviting me.
(photos by Mark Beeson)

BIRTHDAY PARTY

We celebrated Caleb's 5th birthay at Gymnastics Michiana. What a great place to have a party. The host worked those kids into a sweaty mess. I would highly suggest this facility for a young kid's party. Transformers was the central theme again, Caleb loves them robots.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB

Today we are celebrating Caleb's 5th birthday.  Whenever I meet someone new and we get to talking about family, when I get to the part about our kids being 10 years apart, I get a "deer in the headlights" stare from that person.

After Chloe, we tried for more kids.  But after some stumbling blocks, we had gotten to a point where we thought that it just wasn't in our future.  That's when all of a sudden, here comes #2 kid!

Caleb is crazy about Transformers, robots, Star Wars, Legos, with a little bit of trains-adoration left over.  He's a funny boy. 

He calls the restaurant Hacienda "Hot Santa".

He calls a puzzle a "prezzle".

He constantly tells us that he loves us.  Who knows how long that will last, but for now we are loving it.

Happy Birthday big boy.

INSPIRATION FROM PASSION 2012

My notes can be a little "all over the place", and I was also typing as quickly as possible on my iphone notepad.  But there was some great encouragement in Atlanta, as 42,000+ gathered for Passion 2012.  Here's a glance at my notes...


(Louie Giglio) Luke 7..."God is back, looking to the needs of His people"
The 'stretche'r is symbolic of something that is carrying us out of town & to our death
...that 'stretcher' is just simply sin

A rabbi, or religious leader would never touch a dead guy...Jesus blew their minds by touching the dead guy.

Jesus knew what he was supposed to do...not caring about what everyone else thought.

Jesus is FOR me.

Majesty stepping into the mess, (the mess of a cave, born in hay, surrounded by shepherds).

Jesus raises the dead (it's the gospel story)

Ephesians 2:1

(Beth Moore)

Luke 8:40-55
There was an interruption in scripture...
Matthew, Mark, & Luke (all give an account of the woman grabbing the tassel)

We live our lives between a different narrative ....

We are surrounded by a greater need, but Jesus stopped long enough to make that need a priority.

You cannot use Jesus up.

v47 "seeing that she could not go unnoticed..."

We cannot go unnoticed by God

The story loses its power if it loses it's discomfort (a woman bleeding for 12 years)

Our biggest secret is where we need out most healing

Numbers 19:22 (whatever she touches is unclean)

Our prayer should be "Jesus, Clean me!"

Numbers 15 (grabbing the tassel)

Instead of her making him unclean, he made her clean.

He came so that He could be 'touchable'.

There are no secrets from God.  He already knows what kind of person I've been.

Like the woman grabbing the tassel, grab on to him!

Hebrews 10 (his robe fills the temple - there's enough robe to go around for everyone)

As long as we feel unclean, we won't let Him do to us what we need (healing & restoration)

It was faith that invoked the touch that brought the healing

You cannot consume Jesus, but He can consume us.


(Christine Caine - This was very inspiring, I woul recommend watching it online)

When divine interruptions happen, lives are transformed.

We are meant to be interruptions on Jesus' behalf to bring healing & restoration in our world.

Luke 10:30
Compassion doesn't happen until you allow yourself to be interrupted.

God wants to use rescued people to rescue people.


(Francis Chan)

Refuse to be reserved

"You're gonna have to get ugly"

Romans 1:16
"There are times when I don't wanna talk about Jesus...because what would they say?"

We use God's Word to justify what we want.

Watch out for liars.  Liars who manipulate the Word of God. 

BUH-BYE 2011...

And so another year out the window.  Thanks to this blog, (Daddy's diary), I can look back at this year and reflect on highlights, (and low lights).  I write this now in hopes that someday my kiddos will get something out of taking a glance at Daddy's rants, videos, etc.

2011 started off with me passing my first kidney stone.  Good Golly, does that hurt.  We were in Detroit when I was rushed to an E.R. for pain, and that ultimately led to a 'wild goose chase' to find out what else was wrong with me.

I got on an airplane in the spring and headed to Texas for Passion's Spring Gathering.  Debbie and I used to go together when the event was held in Nashville, (back in 2005, 2006), it was great to be a part of that gathering with some great radio friends.

Caleb tried baseball for the first time while Chloe was putting the wraps on a challenging volleyball season.  She is a great athlete, and it was great traveling with her all over the midwest.  She's been playing since 4th grade.  She has jumped into high school with a dance class, spanish, and she's very active with your youth group.  Not only attending, but participating in a leadership role with middle school students.

I took a trip to Nashville to hear Needtobreathe's album "The Reckoning".  One of my favorite bands.  Then off to San Diego for a little gathering with Switchfoot" as they unvelied "Vice Verses", (another personal favorite.)

I don't have near the stamina that I used to, and I found that out by traveling to Nashville to see U2, (thank you Chris!), come home, turn around and head to Chicago to see U2, (thank you Mike!).  I was wore out..but you know what they say?  "You only live once, right?"  (Advice: don't wear flipflops when you park 4 miles away from the stadium.)

Caleb became quite the swimmer this past summer, and his enthusiasm for trains still was strong as we ventured to Coldwater, Michigan or Heston, Indiana to ride trains. 

This was my 3rd year on staff at Pulse FM and the undertaking of the World Pulse Festival in August.  Chris Sligh, Dara MaClean, Hyland, Jars of Clay, Third Day, (Newsboys did not perform, a storm blew through...which ended up working its way right down to Indy and creating a tragedy at the Indiana State Fair.)

Debbie celebrated her birthday at Beaver Island up in Michigan.  I gathered some pals and went to a baseball game.  (Joel & Luke, thanks for coming by).

In September, I headed down to Orlando for a radio conference.  What a great time to catch up with radio friends from around the country, and the artists as well.  I came home with "Air Personality of the Year, (Small Market)"...an honor.

I love taking Chloe to concerts.  We saw Owl City in Chicago, Switchfoot / Anberlin at a college, I'm glad we can agree on some music.

Caleb dressed up as Darth Vader for Halloween.  I loved watching him storm the neighborhood with his light saber.  I  joined a men's small group for the first time in a long while.  We worked our way though Romans. 

One of the ministries at LeSea is "Feed the Hungry".  LaMar invited me to visit Nicaragua and see for myself the ministry partners and what they are doing.  It was a whirlwind of a trip, but it made a huge impact on my life.

Caleb had an overnight change from a love of trains, to a love for Transformers and robots.  Easily some of the hardest toys to navigate, but he is currently digging robots.  Chloe is a full on teenager with her first year of high school behind her in the coming months.

Now, whats up for 2012?  When Caleb was born, I was in the best shape of my life, then it all went downhill.  My dream is to get back to that, also opening more books and reading.  DC Comics relaunched all of the 52 titles this past October and I jumped into comic collecting once again, (I tell people that I'm saving them for Caleb, but I have enjoyed reading them along the way.)  I also "gave up" Facebook.  Its an experiment...we'll see how that pans out.

I love that I'm surrounded by a great family, a tight group of friends, and a job to go to each day. 

So for 2012...Eat less, Move More, Love better.

CHRISTMAS 2011

When Chloe was little, we would be up before her on Christmas morning and just wait for the sound of little feet to come zipping down the steps to see what Santa brought. Who would have thought we would be doing that ever again? Here comes Caleb. I think age 4 - 9 is the best at Christmas. The magic, wonder, suprise, enthusiasm, and all the while trying to remind each other what the true meaning of Christmas is all about.

On Christmas Eve, we went to dinner at Hana Yori, (a yearly tradition now apparently), took a drive through Winding Brook to look at Christmas lights, and then to a church service. We got home, and the boys could barely keep their eyes open...so we went to bed.

We got up around 8ish, and the unwrapping began! Caleb loves Transformers this year, and Chloe loves clothes and such. Debbie got a new laptop, and I got a Jimmy Fallon sweatshirt. My mom and Steve came down from St. Joe to open some more gifts and have lunch. My cousins Karen & William stopped by too. That evening we were off to Edwardsburg to visit with Debbie's brother Matt and his girlfriend Jill and her family. Good times with great people.

Late Christmas night, Caleb asked me "Daddy, when does Santa come again?" I told him next year. Then he asked, "Am I on the Naughty List?"....not yet.

GOD USES EVERYONE

Ever have one of those days when you think, "There's no way God can use me."

Open the Bible and see for yourself who God uses...

• Jeremiah & Timothy were too young...
• David committed adultry and murdered...
• Elijah was suicidal...
• Jonah ran from God...
• Naomi was a widow...
• Job went bankrupt...
• John the Baptist was called names like "The Devil"
• Peter denied Jesus...
• The Disciples fell asleep while praying...
• Martha worried way too much...
• Mary Magdelene was from the streets...
• Mat

MY FAVORITE THINGS: MUSIC OF 2011

Love music...and there was plenty to choose from this year.  In no particular order...

1. Needtobreathe - The Reckoning (I've followed them since the beginning.  They know who they are and this record sounds great.)
2. Switchfoot - Vice Verses (My favorite album would be "Beautiful Letdown", this was be their second.  It sounds like the follow up to "Letdown" to me, even though there are albums in between.
3. Abandon - Control. (Great up and coming band.  They deserve more attention.)
4. ADELE - 21 (I'm so mad that I waited almost a full year to get on board with this woman.  She is phenom..."Rumor Has It" is my favorite song on the album.)
5. The City Harmonic - I Have a Dream.
6. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
7. Dara Maclean - You Got My Attention (This young lady can flat out sing.)
8. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light. 
9. Mat Kearney - Young Love (I love music that both my daughter & I enjoy together.  We both dig "Ships in the Night".  Plus, his concert will be forever emblazoned in my mind as the night I met Bears QB Jay Cutler.)
10. Luminate - Come Home.  (I dig these boys.  I hope to hear much more from them.)

MY FAVORITE THINGS: MOVIES 2011

In no particular order, movies I loved in 2011.

1. X-Men: First Class (This made up for that God-Awful 3rd movie)
2. Harry Potter & Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Great ending to a huge story)
3. Captain America (surprisingly good superhero movie)
4. Super 8 (reminded me of my childhood..Goonies, ET)
5. Battle: Los Angeles
6. Limitless
7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (This is probably my absolute favorite of the year)
8. Kung Fu Panda 2
9. Bridesmaids (I love to laugh, this made me laugh.)
10. The Mechanic
11. Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (great ending)
12. The Help (Very moving...racism sucks.)
13. The Muppets (so much fun) 
14. Warrior (I missed this at the theatre, but when I rented it, I loved it.)
15. The Ides of March (I loathe politics, but I really liked this story)

BUH-BYE FACEBOOK

I remember when my friend Jason told be about FACEBOOK. He said it was this cool 'online community for college kids'. It was gaining popularity so quickly. I remember hearing stories of this young college kid that came up with the idea, and the rest is history,...or the future.

People came out of the woodwork on FACEBOOK. Childhood friends, ex-girlfriends, distant relatives, former classmates, creepers, co-workers, ex co-workers, etc.

I have been keeping track of how many times I check FACEBOOK on a daily basis. I wake up at 4:30am, and I immediately check status updates from overnight. I look to see if anybody is commenting of "liking" anything I wrote. I go on-air and sign on at 6am and open FACEBOOK and leave it open until 10am. I usually write stuff on our radio station wall, but keep an eye on what else everyone is doing. I'll check in on FACEBOOK an average of 10-15 times a day.

I put photos, video, and other random items up on my wall from time to time. I basically put up photos of the kids, or our family.

As of lately, I've noticed a couple of things that have really, really bothered me.

1. Laziness. There are a good handful of people that I never talk to anymore because its just easier for me to look at their "wall", not call, leave them a quick comment and move on. I do not like that kind of relationship.

2. "Unfriending". I cannot believe how many people actually take it personally when I "unfriend" them or not "friend" them. I would like my relationships with people to go beyond a status of a website.

3. Drama. Its easy to talk / not talk behind a computer screen. Its easy to give your opinion without any kind of real feedback sitting on a keyboard. Its easy to take every word read out of context because you or I read it differently than how it was written.

4. Trouble. Loyola University did a study this year, and FACEBOOK is cited in 1 out of 5 divorces, and FACEBOOK is the #1 spot for online evidence. (Don't worry, Debbie and I are not getting divorced)...lots of poor decision-making happens on FACEBOOK.

5. Privacy. I tend to live my life like an open book but as of recently it bothers me when a complete stranger approaches me and says "Hey, I read on FACEBOOK that..." or "I saw your daughter's photos." Very disturbing, and I'm at fault for that.

I used to blog an awful lot. I enjoyed journaling, writing, expanding an idea. Twitter has edited our thougths to 140 characters at a time. Now, I still like Twitter, and I am still hanging on to the blog, (granted not nearly as many people stop by as they did 5 years ago but then again, I have been absent in blog posts.)

So...I'm getting off the FACEBOOK wagon January 1st, 2012. I made a joke to myself recently, "My God, how did we all get along without FACEBOOK a few years back?.....very well, thanks."
I'm going to keep a profile and remain "friends" with my wife, daughter, moms, and dad...but thats it. I'm also staying on for "work" purposes. Its a great connection to listeners and that audience, but personally, I'm done. The only reason the immediate family made the cut is because I want to make sure they have access to photos and such. But I also want them and you to know that there is this amazing piece of technology called a PHONE. Lets use it. I miss talking to people.

Don't get offended if you got deleted. Don't get pissed if I "unfriended" you, I did it to everyone.
I'm still a tweetin' madmann at www.twitter.com/mynameiscorey and I'm going to continue blogging, (been doing so since June 2005!) You can find me there, ok?

So...so long FACEBOOK, you have been fun, but you've also been a huge pain in the butt.

HE SAID WHAT?

John Maxwell's new book is called, "The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential".

They are:

1. Position. People follow you because they have to.
2. Permission. People follow you because they want to.
3. Production. People follow you because of what you have done for the organization.
4. People development. People follow you because of what you have done for them.
5. Pinnacle. People follow you because of who you are and what you represent.
   

Good stuff.

COREY'S VIDEO DIARY:CALEB MEETS SANTA

CALEB SINGS AT CHRISTMAS 2011

CALEB & SANTA 2011

WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME

COMET WAS A BULLY

COMET WAS A BULLY

NICARAGUA 2011

HALLOWEEN 2011

COREY'S VIDEO DIARY "CONCERTS"