Pelishek Yip Yips!

We like to make costumes each year for halloween. We've tried to get our whole family in on a theme. A couple years back it was Ninja Turtles, and the year before that was the Skywalker family. This year was my proudest yet. We were a family of Yip Yips. Anyone in their 20s or 30s should remember them from Seasame Street, I'm not sure if they are ever on anymore. These guys were always my favorite part of the show growing up. If you are not sure you remember who they are, Here is a video to refresh your memory:

With that I give you, the Pelishek family of Yip Yips!

Michael W Smith!

Level 6 is giving away a block of CDs!

Attention Level 6 fans! I am giving away a block of CDs on August 22nd! But first...

If you are not yet familiar, Level 6 is the rock & hip-hop show I started last year, and this month we are celebrating a full year of the show. The show is an outreach to those, especially youth, who really like good rock and/or hip-hop, but are not familiar with artists that have a positive message. Level 6 is not a preachy show, it is just a fast paced, loud, and fun show. The intention is simply to introduce the listners who may otherwise listen to secular music to the same style they like, but from artists with a ministry heart and great message.

THAT SAID...

On August 22nd (only on this night) we are celebrating one full year of Level 6 radio. I am looking for people to host Level 6 listening parties. On August 22nd, from 8-10pm, get as many people as you can together to listen (at least, people who would enjoy that type of show-maybe your youth group!) Be original with it! You could make a Level 6 cake, Level 6 decorations, the sky is the limit. Make sure to take some pictures of the listening party. Then, email me your pictures and a summery of your party. The biggest, most creative listening party is going to win a block of CDs of artists played on Level 6. This will include at least 10 CDs.

To get you started, below is a picture you can print out with all the details. You can also email me with any questions at matt@kaxl.com

Now start planning your listening party!

Need help with text message lingo?

Text messaging has become the norm these days, especially among the younger generation. Personally, on our family plan, we use about 1,000 text messages a month. Sounds like a lot right? Well believe it or not, we use it a lot less than many other people. ESPECIALLY teenagers. In fact, the average text total for teens each month is 1,700.

Many parents out there (including mine) have figured out, or are at least trying to figure out this new medium of communication. The hard part is not really sending or recieving a text message, more often, it's trying to decypher them. If you don't know what text terms like ROTFLOL, CYE, or BBL, don't worry, there is an answer.

A new website lets you translate text messages you don't understand. Cell phone maker LG has launched http://www.lgdtxtr.com/

You simply enter in the word you don't understand, and click for your 'translation.' If you enter BBL, you will learn it means be back later.

So don't worry any longer about having to appear uncool to your kids. Remember, @TEOTD, you SHB SETE, LOL!

April fools prank...back-fired

I've always been a fan of April fools. Rarely, though, do I actually plan ahead to do anything noteworthy. A friend of mine called yesterday and reminded me of a prank that has become well known for fans of the show The Office. If you are not familiar with it, it was from the first season and...well, instead of me telling you, here is a screen shot from the show-see for yourself.

Yup, the 'ol stapler in jello prank. I decide to run with it, but slightly different. Dan has a favorite coffee mug he uses every morning; the perfect target. And so, after my shift, I made sure no one was watching, and snatched up Dan's beloved Ohio State mug.

With the mug tucked into my bag, I headed home, evisioning how great this was all going to work out, and how hilarious it would be.

The process began

Now, in hindsight, I realize my problem was too much ambition, not enough thinking ahead. For one package of jello to set, you are supposed to refridgerate it for 4 hours. I used 2 packs of jello, but in my excitement failed to let it set long enough. I've never been accused of being a pateint man. About 11:30 at night, I brought the jello-encased mug back to the station. I put the bowl on a plate and flipped it upside down hoping to see a mug suspended in the middle of a jello dome, instead, I got this

Ok, so it could be worse, the point is still made. But it didn't end there. Shortly after placing this in the fridge, the jello started falling apart and spilled off the edges all over the fridge in the break room. Suddenly, my prank wasn't so funny. I spent a good 15 minutes having to wipe it all out. But, in the end, I left notes for Dan to check the fridge when he came in to work the next morning (today). This is what he saw

Not exactly the result I was hoping for, but still pretty funny. Dan laughed, and I wasn't fired, so it could have been worse. Although I think the joke was more on me.

For the record, if anyone would like to know the proper way to encase someones stapler in jello, here is a helpful tutorial http://www.jellostapler.com/stapler-in-jello.html

A video clip from Mercy Me lead singer Bart Millard right after the concert in Fresno! I never really thought of him as a cross between Toby Mac and Bono before...

Newsboys...or not Newsboys?

http://newsboys.com/2009/03/michael-tait-to-join-newsboys/

Big news in the Christian music world! The announcement was made yesterday that Peter Furler is stepping down from the lead singer of Newsboys. Newsboys have gone through their share of changes, most recently a short stint with Paul Coleman as guitarist, but this news comes as a shocker to the Christian music world.



The dfiference here is that Peter Fuler founded the Newsboys over 20 years ago in a garage in Mooloolaba, Queensland AU. He is the man who started the band, and has been with it the entire time.



Whats more interesting is the replacement for Peter Furler. Michael Tait (of DC Talk fame) will be taking over Peter's role. While he is an amazingly talented musician, Mike Tait is also very different in style from Peter. The most noticeable difference is that the Newsboys lead singer has always been Australian. I love Newsboys, and I love the late DC Talk even more, but I am unsure about this combination.



It has brought me to a question: Does Newsboys - Peter Furler still = Newsboys?



I saw one person had posted on a Newsboys forum that 'if you take Bono out of U2, it is no longer U2.' I think it's a good comparison. You have to question whether a band is a name only, or a sum of its parts.



I think what we are looking at here is something like we saw with Sonic Flood. The band today is not the same band as in their debut. Rick Heil, the current lead singer, bought the rights to the SonicFlood name. They are still a worship band, but the band itself is not the same one it began as, now with an entirely different group of people than it started with in 1999. Even so, the difference is not as evident as in the case with the Newsboys.



My opinion is two-fold (not that anyone asked). First, to answer my previous question, I think that no, it is no longer the Newsboys as their fans all know them. I would prefer that they say something like 'the Newsboys are disbanding, but we are starting a new band and bringing in Mike Tait.' While that is not the case, Newsboys will no longer be what it has been. They may still be very good, but not the same. Secondly, I am also excited to hear what it will sound like with Michael Tait as lead singer. Again, he is possibly the most under-rated vocalist out there, and has an amazing voice.



It will be interesting to hear the band as they will be in town on the 19th. Find all the information on that show at http://www.kaxl.com/



So, what do you think about this? I grew up listening to these guys, so my view may be very different from yours. Post your comments on this big change!