Robin Lee Hatcher's Write Thinking

idol 7: from 3 to 2

Well, we are down to it now. The Internet has been buzzing for quite some while with expectations that it will be a David-David finale. Tonight we will find out if the prognosticators were right. Of course, by the time I post this to my blog, quite a bit of the country will already know the answer. Here in the Mountain Time Zone, we get the show by tape delay.

Fantasia: Hmm. I would not have called in my vote for that performance. Simon looked like he wished he'd never voted for her either. 'Nough said.

They brought out each of the contestants one at a time and showed their visits home and their AI journeys. Each one of them were brought to tears by the crowds (and no doubt many weeks of stress and exhaustion).

And the final two are ... David and David. Well done, guys.

Syesha, I rooted for you a lot early on, wanting you to do well. I'm sure that you will continue pursuing your dream and will do well. Lots of luck!

a couple fun video interviews with Jason Castro

I really missed Jason tonight, so I was tickled to see these two video interviews from Entertainment Weekly. I know. I know. But I really wanted him to win.

-rlh-

PS I voted for David C tonight.

idol 7: the three perform

Paula chose for David A. to sing And So It Goes to show off his vocals. I didn't know the song, but I thought Paula made a great choice. It did show off his vocals. In fact, I liked it better than I have many recent performances.

Randy chose for Syesha to sing If I Ain't Got You. Very pretty. I wasn't blown away, but it was lovely.

Simon chose for David C. to sing The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Good choice, Simon. Great to have him sing something made so famous by a girl. And David rose to the challenge. Man, the end of it gave me goose pimples. I kid you not!!

Round 1, IMHO, goes to David C. with David A. really tight against his heels. Syesha is a really close third.

David A. chose to sing With You for his second song. I liked it okay at best. Like Randy and Simon, it didn't seem like a great fit for him. Simon said it was a bit like a chihuahua trying to be a lion. LOL!

Syesha chose to sing Fever. (Was she being just a little too chatty?) She tried to sex it up, dancing around a chair. I liked her more restrained version, but wasn't crazy about the chair dance. None of the judges liked it much, all of them feeling it was a bad choice of song for this point in the competition.

David C.'s personal choice for his second song was Dare You to Move. Hmm. Didn't know the song, didn't care for the performance. Randy thought it was pitchy. Paula said the song just couldn't fit into 90 seconds. Simon thought it was just okay.

Round 2 wasn't as good as Round 1. I think I would put David A. in a slight lead, but pretty much they were all three just okay.

The final round of songs were chosen by the producers. (And, after listening to the final three performances, I would say the producers did a very poor job of selecting songs to end the evening.)

David A. kicks it off with Longer. Nice but none of the judges cared for the song.

For Syesha, the producers chose Hit Me Up. Very contemporary and uptempo, but I wasn't crazy about it. The judges were lukewarm about it. Like me.

David C.'s final song was I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. I liked it okay, but again, not wowed. Simon, however, calls it one of the best songs of all time and declares David C. the winner for the night.

Round 3: I would give the edge to David C. for this round as well with David A. right behind him. I agree with Simon that David C. takes the night.

If voters go by tonight's performances, it will be a David-David final next week.

-rlh-

a reminder of why I like Jason

I'm still sad this morning that Jason Castro won't be on Idol next week, and so I offer this YouTube video, a studio edition of Over the Rainbow along with great black and white shots of Jason on Idol.

I'll just have to watch the YouTube videos of Jason until he's got an album out.

-rlh-

idol 7: from 4 to 3

Nearly 51 million votes last night and the top three contestants, Ryan told us, all had within 1 million votes of each other. And how, I wondered at the top of the show, would that bode for Jason? Did his fans rise up in protest the moment Simon said, "Pack your bags"? Could be. This is, after all, American Idol.

David A — safe
David C — safe

Stupid phoned in questions. Guest group, Maroon 5. Bo Bice. Amazing how long an hour results show can feel. Thumb twiddling.

And finally the results — Jason goes home. I wish he could have gone out on a higher note. He's talented and original. He said his inexperience was showing last night, and that was true. Also showed he's got wisdom enough to know he doesn't know it all.

Jason, you make an album, I'll buy it. I'm going to miss you on the show a lot, and I confess I don't care as much about who wins Idol now.

idol 7: the 4 perform

Rock & Roll night.

David C. sang Hungry Like a Wolf. I thought it was solid but not anything that made me go, "Wow! I want to hear more like this." Randy and Simon agreed with me. Paula was Paula.

Syesha tackled Tina Turner's Proud Mary. I thought it was just all right. Randy and Paula liked it, but Simon didn't care for it. And I think Syesha has taken some cues from Paula. Super bubbly.

Jason chose to sing I Shot the Sheriff. He was more animated than I've ever seen him — and I'm not sure it was an improvement. Trying too hard perhaps. I've never hesitated to say how much I like this kid, but I did not like this performance. Randy didn't like it. I don't think Paula did either but she babbled about his likability or something. Simon hated it!

David A. sang Stand by Me. Nice job. Not a wow but nice. Definitely the best so far of the night. Randy sort of over-praised him, I think. Paula said her usual stuff. Simon gave tempered praise — plus another jab at Jason's performance.

Overall, the first half hour has been somewhat of a disappointment. Here is hoping the second round of songs prove more of an enjoyment.

David C. came back with Baba O'Riley. A lot better than first round although I think he's done better over the weeks. Randy liked it, Paula rattled around, and Simon welcomed back David Cook.

A Change is Gonna Come is the song Syesha chose for round two. Good choice. She performs it with both restraint and a few big notes. I loved it. And might I say, without sounding too much like Paula, that she looked gorgeous. Randy thought it was overdone. Paula gushed and did a standing O (and brought Syesha to tears). Simon agreed with Paula (which totally destroyed Syesha).

Jason's second song was Mr. Tambourine Man. I had my fingers crossed for a much better round, and I got it. Sort of. On the stool with guitar, Jason was back the way I like him. His voice. His style. And then he forgot some of the lyrics. Bad news. And Simon told him to pack his bags.

David A brought the show to a close with one of my favorites by Elvis, Love Me Tender. But David's version of it was so totally changed in melody that I didn't find much to like. The words were there but not the lovely tune. Judges all loved it. Simon even said David "crushed" the competition tonight.

Hmmm. I have been surprised before, but I think that Jason will go home tomorrow.

What do you think?

-rlh-

idol 7: from 5 to 4

So I'm getting into one of my two torture ... er ... traction devices at the chiropractor, and I told him I just was not ready for Jason to go home, so I hoped the fans over ruled the judges. (By the way, I texted a bunch of votes for him.) The young gal in another device said, "I love Jason too. He's my favorite." And one of the comments on yesterday's post said something like: "I would buy albums by Jason and Brooke, but not David or David." Yes, I think that it is it for me too.

Well, my votes must have been good for something because Jason was the first one over to the sofa. Yea!!! I literally did a shout out! David A was the next one over to the sofa. No surprise there.

Long promo for So You Think You Can Dance that starts in May. Yes, I watch that show too. I guess I'm hooked on these competitions that featured talented young folks reaching for their dreams.

David C was pulled out next. I immediately thought that would mean he was in the bottom two. But I was wrong. He was sent to the sofa.

So Ryan brought out Syesha and Brooke. But we were only at the halfway point in the hour. That meant, in addition to a Neil Diamond performance, we were in for at least 20 minutes of filler. (They really could cut the result show to half an hour now that we're down to so few contestants.)

Natasha Bedingfield was a guest performer. I don't know why she was a guest, but it was enjoyable enough. I, of course, had/have no idea who she is but I guess she's had a few hits and she's British. Afterward, she sat down with the kids and kissed David A on the cheek.

And then we went to the really lame call-in questions. I read that these calls and answers actually happen before the live show. Okay, gotta say that I liked the call from Simon's crush, Tara. They kissed when he was 9 years old. Awww. Wasn't that sweet?

Neil Diamond sang Pretty Amazing Grace, a song that was new to me. I really liked it. Guess I'll have to bop over to ITunes. FYI, the tune is available as a single. The new album, Home Before Dark, which that song is part of, releases on May 6.

The wait was over at last (about five minutes to the hour). And the contestant who is going home tonight was: Brooke. (Lots of tears, as is normal with her.) She seemed to be expecting it. This girl sometimes irritated me with her talking back or over the judges. But she has lots of good qualities and a boatload of talent. I'm sorry to see her go.

Brooke, I'm wishing you much success, and I promise to buy your album when it comes out.

Idol 7: the 5 perform

Somewhere around 15 years ago, I went with some gal pals to Salt Lake City to attend a Neil Diamond concert. I've got to say, it was one of the best live performances I've ever attended. And I say that despite the fact that we were seated in the nosebleed section of the venue, which felt like it was a minimum of a mile high. Anyway, love Mr. Diamond's tunes.

Two songs tonight and no judging until after the second song. Interesting format.

Jason, with guitar, started off the night with Forever in Blue Jeans. I thought it was a perfect song for his style and voice. I liked it a lot.

David C., with guitar, sang Alive. Or maybe it was I'm Alive. Not sure, and I wasn't too crazy about the song. It just didn't ring my chimes nor did his performance. I'm not sure it was wise to go with something so unfamiliar.

Brooke, with guitar, went for I'm a Believer. Hmm. Love the song, but I wasn't crazy about the performance. Despite being a snappy version and lots of smiles, it all felt rather lackluster or something. Not great.

Note: I miss the judge's immediate feedback. Which surprises me a little since sometimes they upset me. And the night feels very rushed, too. Not a good sign when we are only three songs out of ten into the night.

David A. sang Sweet Caroline. It was okay but I'm not wowed.

Syesha was next up with Hello Again. I thought it was lovely though I probably won't remember it next week (if that makes sense).

Time for a quick critique from the judges: Randy didn't say much. Paula really blew it by critiquing Jason's first and second song even though he sang only one, then tried to say she was talking about David C's performance (which made no sense after she said "I thought you sang twice"). Simon ripped into all of them and said they'd better turn it up in their second numbers.

Jason is back, sans guitar, to sing September Morn. I thought he did a great job right up until the last two words. Randy said it was okay. Paula thought it was safe. Simon said he was forgettable. In other words, they were pretty down on him. Still, I'd say he is still my favorite of the night so far. (Nobody has been very inspired.)

David C. returned with his guitar to sing All I Really Need is You. Ho hum. The judges really liked it. Maybe I need my ears cleaned.

Next up was Brooke on the piano for I Am I Said. Good job, Brooke. I liked this. Not my favorite Brooke performance of the season but quite good. Judges love it.

David A. sang America. It's one of those songs that gets an audience on their feet. Changed it up a little, and it worked for him. Judges agreed.

Last up was Syesha with Thank the Lord for the Night Time. Well, well, well. Two weeks in a row, Syesha gave one of my favorite performances. Randy loved it. Paula babbled. Simon liked it but thought she could be in trouble. Hmm. That surprised me.

Wrap-up: Going by the judges' comments alone, Jason could be in the most danger. For me, I think any of them could go home, based on one performance or another. Since there are only five left, it could be a real toss up. I don't think there is a clear front runner as there has been in past years.

Tomorrow should be interesting.

-rlh-

idol 7: from 6 to 5

Results night. The two Davids went straight to the safe couch. No surprise there.

Next out were Brooke and Syesha. Surprise: It was Syesha who went to the danger stool. Funny, I was talking about it with my chiropractor today, and I said, "It could be Syesha who leaves after she had one of her best ever performances. It's happened before."

Next surprise: Carly went to the danger stool and Jason went to the safe couch.

I picked the bottom three last night and only got one right, Carly — and she isn't the one I really expected to be there if there were only two seats.

Both of the bottom two sang their songs from last night. I still didn't like Carly's performance. Too much shouting, too little melody. And I still loved Syesha's performance. (And while Syesha was singing, Carly was off to the side talking the whole time to Ryan. How rude!) I liked that they did this. I always think having the Idols sing after they've been voted off borders on cruel.

And it was Carly who went home. This young woman has a beautiful voice, and it's too bad she never quite connected, personality-wise, with the audience. But who knows what success still awaits her? She definitely has the talent.

Best wishes, Carly!

Idol 7: the 6 perform

I'm late again. Had an HOA meeting, then was on grandma duty, chauffeuring Grandson #2 to and from soccer. Then it was home to the DVR for Andrew Lloyd Weber night. I'm a huge Broadway musical fan, so I was looking forward to seeing how the kids did this week.

---

Syesha came out with One Rock and Roll Too Many. Wow! Way to go Syesha. Hot tonight. Judges loved it too. If only she had a string of performances like this one.

Jason chose to sing Memory. He said in advance he was very nervous. I rather liked it. Not my favorite performance of his, but rather well done. He didn't try to over sing it or power out anything. Randy and Simon were pretty down on him (Randy called it a "train wreck" and Simon thought he "struggled"). I liked it better than they did.

Brooke sang You Must Love Me, and did a false start. (After singing several lines: "Sorry," she says to the band leader. "Could we start over?") Ack! That's just so wrong at this stage of the game. When singing the low notes, it was almost painful. Not a great night for fair Brooke.

David A. chose Think of Me from Phantom. Good advice from Weber to keep his eyes open, and David did. Very good. Randy and Paula thought it perfect. Simon called it pleasant but forgettable. I tend to agree with Simon on this one. It will get him through to next week but won't be remembered as one of his super performances.

Carly chose a song from Phantom that Weber nixed and switched to Jesus Christ Superstar. She definitely had fun with it, but I found it mostly "shouted" rather than sung. Left me mostly flat. Sorry!

David C. went with Music of the Night. Surprising choice. My goodness! The boy carried it off. I think of him as a bluesy, rock singer, but I saw some new strengths here. Really fabulous. I like him more all the time.

---

My final thoughts: Syesha was the winner tonight followed closely by David C. I'd say Brooke is in danger and probably Jason in jeopardy beside her, although I texted quite a few votes for him because I'm not ready to see him go just yet. I would put Carly in the bottom three for this night's performances.

idol 7: from 7 to 6

On this results night, rather than identifying the bottom three one at a time, Ryan sent contestants to his right and his left. By the break we had Jason and Carly on his left and David C and Kristy Lee on his right. Hmm. Which group is at the top, which at the bottom? Kristy Lee is so often in the bottom three that I couldn't help expecting that those to the right of Ryan are the bottom group. Then again, both Jason and Carly have been in the bottom three at least once so...

Elliott Yamin sang. He looks so different these days. Dental work and a different hairdo and a beard. He was one of my favorites from the past. I'm delighted that he seems to be doing so well. But a sad note: he just lost his beloved mom.

My guess, as they returned to the results, was that they would send out David A last because wherever he went would give things away. I was right. Syesha joined Jason and Carly on the left. Brooke went to the right. Now I decided that the left would be the bottom group. But the show was only half over so plenty more waiting to do.

Next Mariah Carey sang. Fine. Fine. You're a super star. But I want the results!!!

So they called David A from the back, and the questions were racing through our minds. Which way would he go? But he wasn't sent to either side. He was safe. Now what? Oh, Ryan pulls a switcharoo. Syesha traded for David C. Ryan tried to get David A to join the group he thought was safe, but he did a sit down. Then Ryan announced that the guys plus Carly were all safe. (Carly tried to smack Ryan in disbelief but he moved out of the way in time.) So I was right (as were countless others) about last night. It belonged to the guys.

Would Brooke, Syesha, or Kristy Lee go home? My guess as I waited was that it would be Syesha. Would I be right or wrong? Wrong. After one of her strongest performances of the season, Kristy Lee was sent home (and Brooke breaks down in tears, again).

Kristy Lee has had a rocky season, and I sure hope she gets her horse back. I'm wishing her the best. And here's a thumbs up for the moxie it took to sit and sing her exit song to Simon.

-rlh-

idol 7: the 7 perform

This is a late post as I was on grandmother duty, driving Grandson #2 to and from soccer practice. Chewed up better than three hours of the evening.

David A kicked off Mariah Carey week with When You Believe. I thought he did a fine job with a really tough song. Missed a bit in the falsetto attempt. I love this song. One of my favorites from Prince of Egypt, and it worked surprisingly well from a guy. The judges loved it.

Carly (dressed very tastefully and less like an angry biker chick) sang Without You (which was around before Mariah, I'm sure). Much better than last week. I liked the first part best before she tried to power it, but the power part was good, too.

Syesha chose to sing Fantasy and looked lovely in gold. Hmm. Maybe I'm tired and cranky, but I thought it was a mess. The judges loved it much better than I did, that's for sure.

Next up was Brooke with Hero. She, too, was dressed elegantly. That must have been the dress code for the night. She does a good job accompanying herself on the piano. (I always think she does better when she's got an instrument to play.) I thought it was good. Not a wow, but solid. Judges gave mixed reviews and the chatter got out of hand.

Kristy Lee sang Forever. (And yes, another pretty dress.) Well, well. A rather good performance from Kristy Lee, who has lived in the bottom three from week to week but always escapes disaster. Kudos for surprising me. Simon just has no love for KL.

David C brought us Always Be My Baby. He changed it up quite nicely. Had a few less than stellar moments, but overall this was another of his excellent outings. The judges raved and raved.

Jason brought the evening to a close with I Don't Wanna Cry. No guitar tonight. Very mellow. Very Jason-like. Very good. I loved it. I love this kid. Randy was so-so on it, but Paula and Simon loved it, too.

The guys definitely took the night. No doubt about it.

idol 7: from 8 to 7

The 8 contestants sang Shout to the Lord at the opening of last night's show, and this time they didn't sing "Shepherd" in place of "Jesus." (Yes, I did go back on the DVR to check, and they did change the word on Wednesday night.)

I think some people misunderstood my last post. I wasn't horrified that they sang this song nor was I indignant. I am always glad to see the Lord's name lifted high. It was just a bit weird and seemed out of place with the rest of the show. However, last night I loved it. It felt a little more natural and less of just a performance, if that makes sense. Oh, and they announced that this was the #1 download on iTunes (wonder which version — Shepherd or Jesus?)

Okay, back to the show. Right off the bat, we learned that one I thought might be vulnerable was safe. Brooke moved right through to the sofa. Good, because I would have been sad to see her go this soon.

Jordan Sparks performed, and it was fun to see her again. And they awarded her with some sales awards.

The bottom three: Syesha, Carly, and Michael. So I guessed two out of the bottom three.

Who went home? It was a shocker. Michael got the fewest votes. And the audience booed and booed. I believe we have reached the place in the competition where the slightest oops, the slightest off performance, the slightest failure to connect with the audience can send a singer home.

Michael, there are a lot of people wishing you well, and I don't think for a moment that this is the end for your singing career. I for one will miss hearing you in these next six weeks.

-rlh-

Idol Gives Back

Did you watch Idol Gives Back last night? Did you give? I did, and I hope they surpass last year's total.

I caught most of the show while I was doing other things. Some of the performances were very good, and Jimmy Kimmel's assault on Simon was hilarious, although the comments about poking out Paula's eyes was over the top and crude. (If you saw it, you know whereof I speak; if you didn't see it, you are better off not knowing.) I was brought to tears with a few of the clips. I was inspired (despite myself) by Brad Pitt. [Note: I read in People Magazine that Pitt and Jolie give over $4 million each year to charity so despite other things about the couple that I cannot respect, I certainly give them kudos for this.]

Dianne asked me: "I'd be interested in hearing what you thought about the finale last night - the final song the Idol contestants sang together. Some Christian number - the name escapes me right now but I thought it was kind of tacky and out of place."

I had gone into my office, thinking the show was over, and then I heard a choir singing, "Shout to the Lord." I thought for sure it was an ad for a worship CD or maybe something on the news, but I returned to the living room to make sure. And there they were, the 8 Idol contestants backed up by a large choir.

So what did I think? Well, it was certainly a song I never expected to hear on American Idol, unless another Mandisa comes along. Stunned would be an appropriate description. And what followed was a feeling that it was inappropriate on Idol Gives Back because it wasn't sung by a group of believers who were truly lifting the Lord's name in praise. I know there is at least one Christian among the contestants, but I'm sure the majority are not followers of Christ. As for the choir, they could be just entertainers or they could be a Christian choir brought in for the night. Hard to know. They backed up Mariah Carey, too. All the same, it was a little disturbing, seeing Carly wrinkle her nose and belt out some lyrics without any regard evident for what she was saying. (That was just one example.)

On the other hand, Jesus might not be as bothered as I was:

Luke 9:49-50 John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.”

And, of course, the Bible tells us that if we don't rise up in praise of Him, the very rocks will. The show was telecast all over the world. Maybe if even just one person found their heart responding to the truth it was worth it.

In case you don't know the song, here are those lyrics:

My Jesus, My Savior
Lord there is none like You
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My Comfort, My Shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord, all the earth
Let us sing. Power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in YOU!

So yes, it seemed an odd choice from the Idol producers or whoever made the decision. I wonder if it wasn't uncomfortable for the Idol contestants who aren't believers to sing those lyrics.

Tell me, what do you think?

-rlh-

idol 7: the 8 perform

Thanks to everyone for all the get well wishes. I am much improved and have been writing away. Even got back on the stair stepper today and did 100 sit ups as well. Took a nap immediately after the work out.

The theme on Idol tonight is inspirational songs. Understandable since this is Idol Gives Back week.

Michael kicked off the night with Dream On. Judges gave mixed reviews. Me too.

Syesha was up next with I Believe. Lots of talk about Fantasia, comparisons made. Since I didn't start watching American Idol until after Fantasia, most of it went over my head. I can say I liked it all right but wasn't wowed by the performance.

Next came Jason who chose the ukulele version (and plays one himself) of Over the Rainbow. Oh wow!!! I loved it. One of my favorite songs and a version I love too. Not the same power of Hallelujah, but truly excellent. Simon agreed with me.

Kristy Lee chose one of my favorite country songs by Martina McBride, Anyway. She did a pretty good job with it, too. Not equal to Martina but quite good. Best performance she's had since making the top 12, IMHO. The judges loved it too. Simon even said she looked like a star tonight.

David C. has had a run of high approval (by the judges) weeks, but this week's Innocent sort of broke the chain. I was totally unimpressed with his voice on this. And the backup singers almost totally drowned him out at times. Randy and Simon agreed with me, but Paula, who has been even more weird tonight than usual, thinks he was wonderful.

Carly chose to sing The Show Must Go On. Again with the backup singers overwhelming the contestant. Angry rocker chick thing going on, and I felt it was way over performed and shouted in spots. Basically a mess and certainly not "inspirational."

David A. selected Angels as his inspirational song of the night, and he accompanies himself on the piano. Thankfully the background singers remained in the background. Very nice. This kid has such a mature voice.

Brooke went with You've Got a Friend to close the show. (I used to have the song in my cell phone, assigned to my best friends.) A rather forgettable performance and nothing that made it stand out vocally.

Big winners of the night in my POV? #1 Jason and #2 David A.

Who's in danger? I'd say Syesha, Brooke and Carly are all vulnerable.

We won't find out the results until Thursday. Tomorrow is Idol Gives Back night. See you next time.

-rlh-

idol 7: from 9 to 8

Well, life took one of those turns today. I got up this morning to a very, very ill mother. By afternoon, when no meds had helped, Daughter #1 and I took Mom to the hospital. She was in the ER for about four hours. Feeling weak but a bit better, she'll be on a clear diet for a few days.

Anyway, I didn't get a single word written today, and tomorrow I have to take her to the doctor for a follow up. Which means it will be a tough writing day too. Deadline is bearing down on me. Not good. I need to write!!!

TMI? Sorry.

Okay, let's get to Idol, shall we?

We got a a song from the Next Great American Band winners, the Clark Brothers tonight. I wasn't crazy about their version of This Little Light of Mine. I must be too old to appreciate that style.

Bottom three tonight: Ramiele, Kristy Lee, and Brooke. But first ...

Here's Dolly, and she's singing Jesus & Gravity. Way to go, Dolly. Let's have a bit of revival on American Idol. This is one of her songs from her new album, Backwoods Barbie. Love it. Love it. There's just nobody like her. She is a true original (and one very talented songwriter).

And when all was said and done, Ramiele was sent home. And despite tears, she did a pretty good job with her exit song. Sweet girl and certainly a good voice. With some maturing and more performing experience, she could go places.

Wishing you well, Ramiele!

-rlh-

idol 7: the 9 perform

Whew! It rolled around already. Another Tuesday, and we are now down to one hour shows.

I'm a Dolly Parton fan. Have been for years and years. I've got a number of her CDs. And if you pay attention to my "Added to My iPod" list in the sidebar, you know that I bought Backwoods Barbie a couple of weeks ago. Love the video that goes with Better Get to Livin'. (And since I've been discussing plastic surgery in my past two posts, I'll say, I wish Dolly hadn't had so much done. She's looking way too stretched.)

Brooke kicked off what will be a fast hour with Jolene. I liked it a lot. I thought it was a solid performance and it suited her voice well. Randy and Simon were okay with it though not raving. Paula was more raving like an idiot. Sorry but she says the same thing all the time. "You are true to yourself." Yeah, but what does that mean?

David C. sang Little Sparrow. It was very good, but I can't say I was bowled over by it like last week. Still he is one of the frontrunners.

Ramiele sang Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? Sorry. I thought she looked cute and bubbly, but it was still a forgettable performance.

Jason sang Travelin' Thru. I liked it, but then I like his "folksy" style. Simon hated it. I guess we will agree to disagree tonight.

Carly sang Here You Come Again. A very slow version of it and rather over-performed. I'm sorry, but as pretty as her voice is, I wasn't wowed by this performance. But then, I love the Dolly version of it, which may explain a lot. So I agreed with Simon this time.

 

Paula is really in "pointless things to say" mode tonight. Sometimes I feel like asking her if she is taking her prescribed meds. Or maybe she is taking too many?

David A. brought us Smoky Mountain Memories. In rehearsal, Dolly was fighting tears. Oh, wow. Perfect song for his voice. I loved it!! Randy calls it the "best of the night," Paula babbles, and Simon thought it was "on the money."

Kristy Lee picked Coat of Many Colors (another Dolly song I love). I think this performance was one of her best. She didn't try to over-sing it. Simon called it "pleasant but forgettable."

Syesha chose to sing I Will Always Love You. Now, I have enjoyed both the Dolly version and the Whitney version of this song through the years, and Syesha sort of combined the two (which Dolly liked). Even before the end, I knew Simon wouldn't like the Whitney portion. To an extent, I'll have to agree. I liked the first half better. But I thought it was a solid performance.

Michael closed the show with All Wrong But It's All Right. A very bluesy version. I wasn't crazy about the arrangement (a little too much of the band, perhaps). But I liked him. He sounded awesome.

The hour whisked by and felt a bit rushed to me. I think they cut it from 90 minutes to 60 minutes a little too soon.

My favorites of the night (in order they performed): Brooke, David C., David A., and Michael. In danger? I'm thinking Ramiele. And unless lots of other viewers like Jason's folksy style, I think he could be in danger too.

-rlh-

back to business

This week I watched the DVD of The Perfect Stranger, a movie based on the novel Dinner with a Perfect Stranger. This isn't a movie to watch for excitement, but it includes a great presentation of the gospel and some strong apologetics. It pretty much entirely takes place in a restaurant. The Perfect Stranger is Jesus Christ, who invites the woman (an unhappy wife) to dinner. She thinks the invite was a joke sent by her husband, so she goes but is met by this stranger.

I listened to the audiobook some time in the last year and was surprised by it. It's fiction and it broke a lot of rules about how to include worldview and Scripture in novels. But this slim volume was a bestseller, and I enjoyed it. The movie gives a glimpse of what was in the book but not the whole thing. I would recommend both. The film would be great for movie night at church. If you ever have anyone argue with you about various aspects of Christianity, this book and the movie have some sound responses.

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Yesterday's Streams in the Desert entry was so good, I've got to share:

    God sometimes does influence us with a simple touch or feeling, but not so we would act on the feeling. If the touch is from Him, He will then provide sufficient evidence to confirm it beyond the slightest doubt.

    Consider the beautiful story of Jeremiah, when he felt God leading him to purchase the field at Anathoth. He did not act on his initial feeling but waited for God to completely fulfill His words to him before taking action. Then once his cousin came to him, bringing the external evidence of God’s direction by making a proposal for the purchase, he responded and said,  “I knew that this was the word of the LORD”  (Jer. 32:8).

    Jeremiah waited until God confirmed his feeling through a providential act, and then he worked with a clear view of the facts, which God could also use to bring conviction to others. God wants us to act only once we have His mind on a certain situation. We are not to ignore the Shepherd’s personal voice to us, but like “Paul and his companions” (Acts 16:6) at Troas, we are to listen and also examine His providential work in our circumstances, in order to glean the full mind of the Lord.  A. B. Simpson   

Wherever God’s finger points, His hand will clear a way.

     Never say in your heart what you will or will not do but wait until God reveals His way to you. As long as that way is hidden, it is clear that there is no need of action and that  He holds Himself accountable for all the results of keeping you exactly where you are.   selected

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I learned yesterday that my edits for RTM won't arrive until the 30th, so today I'll try to get my head back into SDD (I last worked on this manuscript a month ago so I'll have to read through it to remember where I was and where I was going). I would love to complete this novella by next Saturday. Given I have a week mostly clear of appointments or other obligations, I think it is possible, although maybe a stretch. I'm sure going to go for it for all I'm worth.

I may have said this before, but I find the switching back and forth between multiple projects one of the most difficult aspects of writing. In my perfect world, I wouldn't begin a new book until revisions and line edits were completed. Copy edits and page proofs aren't nearly as intense so I wouldn't have to wait for those. Oh well. I don't live in my perfect world. Not yet. Maybe when I'm writing in Heaven, I'll find that's the way it works.

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Don Moen has a new album out, Hiding Place, and I downloaded from iTunes this week. So good. I love all of Don's worship music, and when I had a weekly women's Bible study in my home, I often used his CDs for our worship time.

Oh, speaking of worship music, I learned a terrific new song at Women of Faith, so I had to download it too because it just wouldn't leave my head. It must have been around awhile because so many have recorded it. I went with Israel and the New Breed off of the New Season album. And the song is You Are Good. I find myself singing it as I'm in the shower, walking around the house, driving down the road.

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Fall has arrived in full force in Boise. Many trees are already bare. Others are glorious shades of gold or red. Turning up the heat first thing in the morning feels really good as it chases the chill from the rooms. About time for me to fix a stew. Hmm. Cornbread with honey sounds good too. Warm apple cider with a cinnamon stick and cloves.

Well, off to work. The day's a wastin'.

-rlh-

29 years

Today is the 29th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Is it really that many years?

Elvis was only 42 when he died. I can remember when it seemed to me that he lived a fairly long life. Now I know he only lived about half the life he might have, were it not for excesses, including Rx abuse. In my pre-teens and teens, I had a big crush on Elvis Presley. I loved his voice and still have some of his tunes on my iPod. And although I enjoyed his movies as a sappy teenage girl, I now find it very sad that he was never given any "real" parts to play. I believe the man had genuine acting talent that he never was allowed to put to use.

Seeing the news about it being 29 years since Elvis died, I couldn't help recalling the night he debuted on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was September 9, 1956. I would have told you we didn't own a television that early, but I guess we did because I remember that night so well. My grandmother was scandalized by the way Elvis jumped and gyrated around the stage. What on earth would Grandma, who died in 1963, think if she could see the way kids dress and act today?

I also wonder if there is anyone in the music or film industries today who, if they were to die, would still be remembered and, for some, mourned 29 years from now.

-rlh-

ladies in lavender

Angie made a comment to my Netflix post of yesterday that I simply must bring up here. Ladies in Lavender is one of my few 5 Star rated movies. In my mini-review to Netflix Friends, I said, "Poignant. Made me cry. The music is heartbreakingly beautiful, too." The movie had a brief release in the spring of 2005, and critics gave it middling, though not terrible, reviews. I strongly disagree. I loved it.

But forget the movie for a moment. The violin music in this period piece is able to reach in and touch a listener's soul. Even if you never see the movie, listening to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on this CD isn't to be missed. For those of us who write to music, this is a must own, IMHO. It's playing on my iTunes as I write this blog post. So beautiful and inspiring.

Don't take my word for it. Listen to a few of the clips over on Amazon.com. They'll only give you a tiny hint, but it may be enough to convince you.

-rlh-