I Love You. Again. And again. And again.

There it is, in black and white.

Recently Jim Mitchem reminded me about an important date coming up on the calendar -- a day he himself designated to celebrate the the idea of love by simply saying “I love you.” 

This celebration began back in 2009 as more of an experiment. In Jim’s words: 

I was fairly new to social media and in awe of its mass mobilization potential. To see an idea spread across the world in real time is pretty amazing, but things like that happen here every day. When an event occurs that affects people on a universal scale, pay attention to social media. 

Sure, there are some people here who could give a rat's ass about anything that doesn't directly affect their well-insulated ego cocoons, but most of us use social media as a way to connect and share with other people who make us feel like we don't have to carry life's burdens alone. It's reassuring to know we're flying through space on this rock with human beings who actually care about each other. 

Then it occurred to me that just as with the power of good, so too could social media be used for the power of evil. And I imagined how Hitler might have mobilized masses in this space. After all, propaganda is just communications. Just words. And so it was ... I had the idea to test the power of words in social media. Or rather, to test the power of one word - Love.

That year (2009), he shared his idea with me and a short list of social media influencers who have become permanent virtual acquaintances (and in many ways great friends). And he invited us to join his experiment, which he launched with a beautiful inaugural post. 

The results surprised us all. #iloveyou became a trending topic on Twitter and made waves elsewhere, splashing across most of the social media platforms that existed four years ago. We loved the experience so much that the day itself - April 4 - became an unofficial, (mostly) unorganized, organically grown annual celebration for us ... and a growing list of others. 

Four years later, Jim, Molly, Staci, Nichole and I haven’t abandoned our belief that words have the power to transform, change, shift, and move people in ways we often overlook or under-appreciate...and that one, two, three words in particular, have the power to not only summon profoundly good feelings, but also move us closer to profoundly better ideas. 

And so today, April 4, 2013, I join my esteemed peers and virtual brothers and sisters in loving arms in inviting you, once again, to share these three words with the world through social media (we've added a Facebook page if you'd like to post there, too): 

I LOVE YOU.

I love you.

Bluebird in my Heart

Sometimes.

Here We Go Again

You Are: A Lesson in the Life and Evolution of Music

Now here's another take on a song that some might consider to be a standard from the past... Just look how it not only claimed a place in pop culture back then, but also survived through a generation only to emerge years later, solid and true, in an entirely different arrangement for an entirely different audience. Fascinating. Inspiring.

Biscuit Brothers Fine Arts Farm: A music school that's quintessentially Austin, by talent that's out of this world

From the Indiegogo Campaign page:

Jerome Schoolar, Producer and Co-Creator of the Emmy Award winning PBS show “The Biscuit Brothers” is calling on fans to support the building of a new Fine Arts Farm in South Austin that will be designed to provide music and arts education to the entire community. The proposed facility will include concert and theatre space as well as multiple classrooms, a themed outdoor area, and plenty of Magical Musical Farm décor.

“I want to create a space where we can entertain and educate kids and families of all ages in all sorts of ways,” said Jerome Schoolar, who plays Dusty on the show and has served as a City of Austin Fine Arts Coordinator for Children.  “Our vision includes regular classes, special concerts, theatrical guests, and more, with much of it low-cost or even free to Title 1 AISD schools and other at-risk members of our community.”

The Biscuit Brothers have a long history of providing inexpensive or free shows to the public - often benefitting other local organizations - and hope the new building near Slaughter Lane and I-35 will help sustain those as well as the TV show which is given to PBS for free.

“This is a big undertaking,” Schoolar said.  “We're going to need a lot of individuals and community partners to donate through the project at indiegogo.com we'll be launching on October 16, or even provide long-term sponsorship funds.”

$50,000 is needed to secure the property and begin upgrades.  Schoolar says he hopes to raise at least $25,000 with the indiegogo and another $25,000 from corporate sponsors.

“We've got some amazing rewards for our indiegogo supporters, including free classes and invitations to participate in the permanent decorations of the building.  For our top indiegogo donors or corporate sponsors, we're offering chances to name classrooms and more. And for everyone, we're offering the chance to help build a facility that has the potential to make a lasting impact across our entire community.”

Schoolar points to multiple studies on both the national and local scale that highlight the importance of Fine Arts training in education. “There's ample evidence showing that children who are actively involved in Fine Arts Education are smarter, healthier, and happier, and that exposure needs to begin as early as possible with reliable consistency. The Biscuit Brothers have always been about fostering musical education for young kids, and now we want to broaden that to a fully artistic and really fun Fine Arts Farm.”

If the funding goal to open the Biscuit Brothers Fine Arts Farm is not reached then all donations will be returned.


About the Biscuit Brothers Television Project
             
The Biscuit Brothers began broadcasting in 2005 and is made available for free to PBS stations throughout the United States. The show can currently be seen in 30+ markets. The Biscuit Brothers perform live concerts across the U.S., create educational materials for teachers and parents, and use their profile to help non-profit organizations raise money and awareness for programs including hospitals, schools, and other family-focused causes they believe are important. The Biscuit Brothers Children’s Television Project relies on private and corporate donations and the sale of their own CDs and DVDs to fund their production.

Weekend Lineup: Free & Fun for Families in Austin, TX

The Children's Entertainment Tent is the only tent located on the Texas State Capitol grounds. You'll find it on the western-most side of the grounds, near the intersection of 12th and Colorado streets.

Texas Book Festival Music Schedule Update: The Todd Simpson Experience

Todd Simpson ... a story you simply will not believe. Todd overcame incredible odds to even survive childhood, then faced challenging disabilities that he battles to this day. You wouldn't know it to see him, though. At the still somewhat tender age of 18, he was inspired by a music video (Hendrix, no less) and decided that he wanted to play some music too. So he picked up a guitar, and impossibly soon after he was wailing like this (video below). See him for yourself this month, when he performs at the Texas Book Festival on Sunday, October 28, 2012, at 3:00 PM.

SoulPancake: Dancewalk

Humans need fun. We know it. That guy in the suit with the briefcase knows it, too.

Alabama Shakes at Austin City Limits 2012

Woman tears it up.

Storm Reconsidered

by me.

Wind picks up

Trees bow and curtsey

ebb and flow

ebb and flow

Depending on the hour, 

soon, 

Sirens will wail 

as they always do After 

rain slicks streets And 

irreverent drivers pay 

no mind.

Ride it out

ride it out

Go on about 

your business.

Rain sprinkles 

on skin

Cool toddy Candle flicker

my lightening.

I will grow tired

As does the storm.

Candle flicks Lightening answers 

Thunder rolls

Nod and sway

nod and sway

Then 

still.

This night no sirens 

Quiet 

finale.

Show me the Light

Original song by Jim Mayer. Remix by Shannon Selig.

A Random Dose of Spoken Word Poetry by Mike Myers

Beethoven's consideration

when I consider myself in relation to the universe, what am I and what is He - whom we call the greatest

Remaking Mr. Rogers: He's Wonderful Once Again

Maybe someday I'll be able to watch this all the way through without crying.

On Becoming August: Allen Higgins throws down and scores big on his new album of works

Here's a sample of the very least that you can expect from singer-songwriter Allen Higgins and his band, Becoming August:

     Higgins was born in February of 1969, smack dab in the middle of two great decades for music. He calls himself a late bloomer, because he didn't pick up the guitar until 1986. (I'd guess that was during the last few years of high school for him, when most people our age were either playing or listening to music in our friends' garages.)

     “I’ve always had to play catch up” Higgins said. ”Maybe that’s part of what drives me.” 

     If there's one thing we know about this man, it's that he doesn’t like to waste time on lame ideas.  Whatever the project, he strives to live up to the best writers and players of all time. 

     "If it doesn’t sound like a strong idea out of the gate, I usually junk it out and move on,” he said. “You’ve always got to give it your best. Otherwise why bother?” 

     His songwriting and guitar playing is the heart and soul of his band Becoming August. Check out their work on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/becoming.august. 

     Listen to the single, "Sunnyside Down," from their latest CD, Someplace Better (available on iTunes and CD Baby): 

(Time: 2:34. Format: Country - Folk - Americana - Easy Listening - Light Rock - Multi Format)

     Diane Cortese Entertainment (Toronto, Canada) said this about Higgins: "Modern sound. Great harmonies. Solid production. Upbeat. Great musicianship. Listeners will love this!'  
     I agree with my diva partners and other sharp cookies in the entertainment industry, including Cortese. You're going to be hearing a lot more from Mr. Allen Higgins.

A Word's Worth.

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting; 

The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star, 

Hath had elsewhere its setting, 

And cometh from afar; 

Not in entire forgetfulness, 

And not in utter nakedness, 

But trailing clouds of glory, do we come; 

From God, who is our home. 

Heaven lies about us in our infancy. 

Shades of the prison-house begin to close; 

Upon the growing Boy, 

But He beholds the light, and whence it flows, 

He sees it in his joy; 

The Youth, who daily farther from the east; 

Must travel, still is Nature's Priest, 

And by the vision splendid; 

Is on his way attended; 

At length the man perceives it die away, 

And fade into the light of common day.

--William Wordsworth

Not enough drama in your life? Press here.

Well-done promo by TNT in Belgium.

Spotlight: Taj Weekes - Musician. Humanitarian. Poet.

Pay attention now, and watch this. You'll be glad you heard about this world-changing artist here first.




Damn straight.

A Twist on the Kinks by Young Fresh Fellows

Facebook + privacy + data protection = Net Loss for Instagram (and me)

     I deleted my Instagram account today with mixed emotions.     
     I do not count myself among the wrinkled-nosed hipsters that the Twitterverse is heckling for lamenting Instagram's takeover by Facebook. I would count myself among the somewhat informed professionals who study and use social media for educational purposes and business practices -- people who have serious concerns about Facebook's track record with regard to user privacy and safety and data mining practices. I continue to be uneasy about Facebook's potential to wreak havoc on millions of lives for the sake of a business bottom line.
     Unfortunately I cannot *not* use Facebook because that's where my friends, family, students, school(s), clients and customers live. But I can limit my use and the amount of data - specifically my 1,700-plus Instagram photos - that I allow Facebook to get its grubby hands on and exploit without my permission.

     It's a shame, really. I liked the social, artistic, and visual marketing aspects of Instagram. And aside from the utterly addictive quality of an app that allows people to take crappy photos with their smart phones and turn them into interesting visuals, I had fun interacting with a community of individuals who weren't necessarily like-minded but liked sharing visual art in virtual spaces. And that was enough.
     I'd grown rather fond of my own little community of mutual followers -- a small, global village that I hand-picked myself: about 250 fascinating people (a vast age and demographic range), cool professionals, interesting businesses and superbly talented artists from various parts and far corners of the world. Some of my favorites:
@jeanlucr - a longtime online friend and social media rockstar from Paris, whom I am lucky to know offline, too.

@tegold - an early Instagram connection and a favorite of mine. He's one of the finest photographers I've encountered online. I'll miss watching his odysseys unfold as he travels round the world with his lovely companion Sue (who happens to like Guiness, too).
@faithegraphy - one of my favorites and an early member of the mutual admiration society
@monstropolis - an icon in black and white
@jasonwhitely - a Texan
@quietobserver, chronicling life from an unnamed coffee shop in So Cal
@rosierazor, navigating the glorious, unpredictable and sometimes choppy sea of motherhood
@mattearley (I'll see you on Twitter)
@merciluke, the black cat
@marlonklug, an icon
@duluku, talent on either side of the camera
@checkoh1, the orangutan
@mrjoestaples, who didn't have to engage to be like-able
@artistasocial - a wise early adopter organization that promotes gorgeous art from Latin America.
@leviroy fabulous, fabulous avatar to go with fabulous, fabulous photos; had fun talking to her
@scotspix - irreverent dog owner with a wicked sense of humor and a knack for telling stories
@leodemonio, with the flaming L avatar
@clusterofnuts, from Colorado, who can throw down some photos, insight and banter

@jasoneichacker - I'll see you on Twitter, too
@bananasforbourbon, who makes some of the most gorgeous food I've ever seen. I'm determined to be her neighbor someday.
@lovetoliveinjeddah, who has the most beautiful bunch of kids you've ever seen (and you know where they got their good looks)
@wfaa8 - another early adopter, a wise Texas news organization
@metsys1616, another kindred spirit
@yoursassypants - as fun as she is sassy.
@mmwine, who puts on a great show about wine across several media platforms

@vnrman, who obviously understands the power of visual elements
@nancymoon, another favorite. A PR peer who shares my affection for her last name and other celestial bodies
@sgtalbertmartin, whom I hope doesn't have the sort of job that would put anyone's life in jeopardy should I mention his name here
@schmutzie who is just as endearing as the name
@faceofmoon whose photos I simply adored and didn't have to speak the same language to say so
@wonheeeee (ditto the above comment) and a stunning beauty on film, and in film
@time_tonight (ditto the above comment), and who never ceased to make me smile with gorgeous photos and the frog-and-cat story that continues to unfold.
@robdoran - New Yorker who likes red doors, captures iconic landmarks, and writes the best and most informative captions on Instagram
@nikie34c - one of my favorite people on Instagram. Period. A smashingly talented photographer whose heart shines through in photos, comments, likes and conversations.
@johncpiercy - the traveling firefighter from Canada who can capture a seagull better than anyone on IG.
@jeromeshaw - travel writer who shares a common bond with San Diego (and also happens to have a gorgeous ginger-haired daughter)
     And others whose words and images I'll miss...and wish I had more time to tell you about here, including:
@jennie_dep
@mercimissbee
@therab
@smithbites

@miwaroppongi
@manmulcho
@rjob50
@plutoopa
@mathiasgouel
@missymo1002
@pixelhated
@mrfurry

     Not a bad collection of souls, if you ask me.
     While I am awed and inspired by the ability of Instagram's founders to turn a dream into a profit of One Billion Dollars after  551 days, still...I thought it a bit short-sighted. I saw potential for the app to become something more like Twitter -- and less like Facebook.
     But, what's done is done, and that's that. Now, if you're like me and intend to delete your own Instagram account, here's some ideas, courtesy of the KDAF TV blog (Dallas, Texas):
     Export pictures: Unless you want to lose your pics, first you'll need to back them up. Instaport.me allows you to download all your Instagram photos into one zip drive or send them to Flickr.
     Delete Instagram account: Once you've downloaded your pictures, and you're sure they're safe, you're ready to kiss your Instagram account goodbye. All you need to do is visit this link to do so. (Just be absolutely positive you want to do this.)

     Consider alternatives: When you get rid of Instagram, chances are you might feel a void. Lucky for you, there is no shortage of camera apps.  I agree with the last suggestion. Every day presents new adventures and new apps to record and share them on, and I intend to explore 'em and find the best ones out there. 
     Maybe I'll encounter some of my favorite IGers again while I'm wandering around in the ether. Until then, if any of you happen to see them around, tell 'em Miss Charlie says hello.