The First Reaction

We had the first performance in which all the artists performed two songs last night and it was really fun.  In the program, there are artists and executives, the latter including myself.  Classes are very interesting as well.  In my first class we talked about how the church tries to compete with the movie we saw the night before and how it is not working.  He used an example of how he went to one of the arena churches and how their church actually was amazing.  It was phenomenal musicians, production, preaching.  Then the preacher brought out an elephant onto stage and he couldn't help but sit there and think "how the heck did they get an elephant? How much did they pay for that elephant? How do you ship an elephant? Does it crap everywhere?".  He said everyone else would be returning for the next 51 weeks, but that he was bothered that the mission of the church was to be just as sensory overloaded as the media we watch/see/listen to.  This all happened after he opened class with an intense, suspense short film with guns shooting at cars and suspense built up to the high heavens.  He incorporated this into a short book that he is sending us by way of an electronic copy.  Its neat though, because there is no teachers making you do your homework, grade your assignments, etc.  Learning is all done if you desire too.  As my teacher said, "Frankly, we've removed the bullsh**".  Welp, I like it and I'm learning more than ever before.

Anyways, the rest of the morning was spent critiquing the artists performances from the night before.  We sat in the upstairs of the lodge (for exec's only) where there are 12 leather chairs, some beautiful wood grained tables, and some sweet lighting.  I liked a lot of the acts of the night, which is good news because our next big assignment as executives is to sign an artist.  This means that we have to convince the artists to actually sign a legal document that says we will be their manager for the next few months.  We will then do all the actual things that an artist's manager does: advise, administer, direct, handle, arrange, engineer, govern, regulate, guide, lead, mastermind, positively exploit, promote, and be their quarterback (words tweaked from our class handout).  For the first two weeks we spend an hour and a half every afternoon learning the different equipment, how to handle it, and how to use it. Everything.  And this stuff is SICK nasty. Yesterday was Studio A (the main studio) and ProTools while today was about speakers, cables, monitors, etc (more live stuff).  For the evening, we finally have some extra free time so I may try and play a little guitar, read, surf the internet, or jump in a studio with someone and start at it.

God is teaching me a lot through the other students here, through my profs, and connecting a lot of thoughts that Kelly has tried to communicate for a long time.  Hanging out with artists all day is definitely going to help me understand her little artsy butt.  I miss her, my family, and friends, but right now I'm definitely still loving living on the island.

Pictures/Video of the island and the campus to come soon.  Check out the article as a nice challenge for us followers of Christ.

http://leftofzen.com/quotes-atheism/2008/01/14