PFC Alex Knapp

We just dropped off breakfast at the VFW Settler’s post for the group of men cooking for Alex’s fundraiser today. Newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations are helping to promote the pasta dinner fund raiser that runs from 1 to 7 today. Its at the VFW on Wilson between 24 and 25 mile off Van Dyke in Shelby Township.

One of the soldiers who was thrown from Alex’s vehicle when the IED exploded will be attending today, as well. His family had just moved to the area.

The Veterans of Modern War will be there, as well.

We won’t. Planning didn’t work in our favor, and although we want to be there and help out in the worst way, our middle child is graduating from college today in Grand Rapids and we are preparing to leave for the day. Amanda has gotten her degree in Socialogy with a minor in Non-profit business. She’ll be doing an intership for a single-parent daycare this summer, and planning a 6 month service in the fall for an orphanage in Tanzania.

I’m so proud of her.

But back to Alex. If you live in the Detroit area, please drop by. If you don’t, please pray for a great turn-out and generous patrons. The Knapp family is the best. They deserve an outpouring from their friends and the community that they have served so generously over the years... and the country that Alex sacrificed so much for.

T

My Little Girl's Getting Married

Life’s a flicker. One day you’re bringing home a bundle in pink blankets and a free car seat from the hospital. The next thing you know you’re planning a wedding.

At the end of May, a new chapter starts in life, for me and my daughter.

I saw my neighbor get home the other day and his two kids, running down the driveway, screaming “DADDY!”. Its been a long time, and yet...

Its just a flicker

Use your VISA or the Flowers Will Die...

The Garden shop is working in synchronized manner with the gardeners in pastel raincoats, aiming their watering hoses in crystal arches. The cafeteria line is in such a groove that the jello is dancing the 2 step, and then some thoughtless dill-weed, dressed like a preppy (or a dumpy “out-of-it” older woman) comes in and wants to pay for his food or flowers with (ahem) cash, or even worse... a check.

The flowers die, the milk spills, the music slows to a stop. People look annoyingly at dill-weed. People stare at the frumpy woman writing her check. The cashier looks at them like, “hey, what can I do, its just the way things are...”. They finish paying while the next people tap their fingers on the counter, impatiently. He grabs his ham sandwich. She grabs her flowers. And the music starts up, and the world goes back to.... normal.

NORMAL?!?

Am I the only one who feels an itching on my forehead and the back of my hand when I see these commercials?

Alex Knapp Fundraiser

Alex is doing much better! Thanks everyone for your prayers and
contacts out on the caringbridge.com site. It means so much to Alex
and the family. He was able to read through the guestbook yesterday
and the out-pouring of support brought him and the family to tears.

On April 26th, friends of the family are coming together to raise
funds for the family. If you live in the Detroit area there's going
to be a dinner/fundraiser with raffles and food. Located at the VFW
on Van Dyke between 24 and 25 mile road on Wilson Street, the event
will start at 1PM and run to 7 PM. Stop in during the day, for great
food, great prizes, and a chance to help a warrior and his family.
Suggested donation for entry is $10 or a $40 family max.

If you'd like to make a cash donation, or have something you'd like to
donate for the raffle, please reply to this blog and I'll put you
contact with the right folks.

TuneCarver Blog

Hey all,

I’ve decided to divide up my personal blog from my music/writing blog. This way I can communicate with my friends about personal issues, and keep the business side issues of music relevant to those who don’t want to mix the two.

You can find my new music blog, here

I’ll be updating and reposting some of my music stuff there, so forgive me if you see things you’ve read before.

Thanks all,

Tim

MySpace Vs. iTunes?

Myspace announced last week that it will be offering DRM-free downloads for sale from MySpace, featuring the big 3 label’s materials and promising to represent the indie and independent artists, as well. Until recently MySpace was victim of a lawsuit filed by Universal Music. (Part of Universal’s “sue people in to fans” campaign. Closely related to their “Stop the Tide” initiative.) Apparently the two settled quietly and their business buds, now.

Sounds like a winner, but there’s a problem. MySpace is a dog. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve got a page, and most of the writers I work with and love have a myspace page, but MySpace’s capacity has always been just barely behind their growth, (always clogged and slow) and its always drudgery editing and viewing pages. Couple that with all the glitter postings, and youtube loads that people put on their pages, and often it is unbearable. My myspace surfing consists of clicking with my finger on the backspace key, just in case I click on a page that won’t load until next Tuesday.

If the public likes the new DRM idea, I predict it will be even slower.

Now, everyone I know who carries around their tunes uses an iPod. I see other players from time to time, but if its someone I know, my experience is they never use them long term... I don’t know if they’re too complicated, or just boring... but the defacto winner of the mp3 player contest is Apple Ipod. What’s a Zune? I’ve seen them in glass cases at the store, but I’ve never run into someone who owns one... just my experience.

iTunes software is the main reason that iPods are successful. It just works and its easy. You don’t have to know where your files are.. they show up in the menu. If you rip a CD or buy a song off of the iTunes store.. it shows up.. simple. Next time you plug in your iPod, the song’s there and waiting.

So, say you buy a song on mySpace. Do you know what to do with the songs you get from myspace? You download them.. then... where do you put them? How do you get them into iTunes?.. Its not that hard, really, but its not cut and dry. (I sometimes forget that I mess with mp3s all the time.) Consumer products, however, need to be easy to use and consistent in their operation. I think Apple did that with iTunes. If the MySpace systems integrates with iTunes, then they may have something.. That will probably not happen.

Too little, too late? My expectations of mySpace underwhelming. It is based on what its delivered in the past.. Its an also-ran to Facebook, and although it has its core membership and networking to draw on, I don’t have any confidence that they can raise the bar high-enough to make a difference.

So.. Question of the day: Is mySpace going to give iTunes a run for its money?

Not likely.

I Can Surrender All By Myself!

I was recently asked to lead a small group for a church-wide campaign. Excited by the group of people who asked me to lead, I agreed and then went in to pick up a copy of the curriculum.

Crud! It was on surrender. God is a comedian. He had to be ROFL.

I’m pretty good on my own. Far from perfect, and always flawed beyond my expectations, I, nonetheless think I can make it on my talent and skill alone (because, of course, I think I have enough to accomplish the task)

I find its easy to surrender many things to God. Mostly, the things I suck at. Other things, the things I’m pretty good at... not so much.

As a songwriter, I should know by now. Artists don’t cut pretty good songs. (unless of course they write their own stuff.)

Alex Needs Your Prayers

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that I mentioned a soldier and his family last week who was injured in Iraq when he drove over an IED (improvised explosive device). He was due to come home on leave within 2 days of the attack.

His name is Alex Knapp, and he is currently residing at Walter Reed Hospital in D.C. Things continue to be touch and go with Alex as he is suffering a high fever, which indicates an infection that they cannot nail down. Here is Tuesday’s Update:

“ Tuesday(I think) afternoon...Alex is resting peacefully now, so I thought I would take a minute to update everyone on his condition. Alex continues to run very high fevers (at one point 103.5), and this has his doctors very concerned, to the point that he has been moved from being a "ortho trauma" patient back to an "internal medicine trauma" patient. Throughout the day today tho, his fevers have remained 102.0 and below, and have been treated with Tylenol. He is very tired, and wants to sleep. He heads into surgery again tomorrow, and these surgeries are SO HARD on him. The concern, of course is that he has another "bug" hiding out in his body somewhere, and with such large open wounds (on the backs of his thighs), he can become septic very easily. It is a never ending "balancing" game to keep all systems functioning. I have told Alex about all of the wonderful things in his guestbook, and I can't wait until he is well enough to sign in and read, and I hope he finds the comfort there that I do. Thank you to everyone for your prayers for Alex, and please continue to pray that this fever/infection issue resolves without further damage to Alex. “

Alex’s mom is writing here, and you’ll notice there’s a guestbook mentioned... A Caring-Bridge site has been set up for him where a progress journal is being kept and where we.. YOU can go out and drop Alex a note.

Please drop in and give him a word of encouragement, or a prayer.

Here’s the link:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexknapp1

Thanks so much, everyone.