America’s Got Talent…kind of

First of all, the title of this show drives me crazy.  I am not an expert in grammar but I know that America Has Got Talent ain’t proper, baby.  However, despite the irritating title of the show I find myself actually watching this thing almost religiously.  There are the freak shows, the embarrassing acts, and the total bombs but every once in a while you find something really unique.

There were two things last night that stood out to me.  The first was this guy dressed in a shimmering moo-moo that sang Hallelujah.  Piers Morgan X’d him (is that the right term?) because he did not like the way he butchered the piano.  I thought that was the least of the guy’s problems but that really stood out to me.

One of my kids takes piano lessons Haymarket Virginia and I gotta say she’s gotten pretty good at it.  When she first started it was pretty awful to listen to all night.  I was wondering if letting her take piano lessons Haymarket Virginia was such a good idea.  I am a fan of the arts and everything but these piano lessons Haymarket Virginia were starting to drive me crazy.

But then there was the moment where it all clicked for her and she went from pecking around on the piano to really getting it.  It seems that the piano lessons Haymarket Virginia were really starting to pay off.  I was actually really excited to see that happen.  There was an actual change in the way she carried herself and she couldn’t wait for the next piano lesson Haymarket Virginia to happen.

She spent a lot of time practicing which her instructor at Allegro Community School of the Arts told her would make all of the difference.  My daughter being the by the rules kind of kid attacked that piano every day…thus the cause of my misery.  It started bad but soon it became evident that the piano lessons Haymarket Virginia were really a great thing.

So the guy in the moo-moo made it to the next level but I doubt he will go much beyond that.  And the other thing that stood out to me was Howie Mandel and his condition.  It was something to see him run down the aisle and actually shield himself from touching people.  Poor guy.

Guitar Hero

I was sitting in the lobby of Allegro Community School of the Arts and overheard one of the instructors talking to their student.  The kid was saying how they were playing the video game Guitar Hero and the teacher nearly blew a gasket.  You see, this kid wanted to take guitar lessons Haymarket Virginia and thought the video game would be a good start.  The teacher very patiently explained that a video game does nothing to help you become a good musician.  The only way to really do that is to take guitar lessons Haymarket Virginia.

The kid said he had spent hours playing this video game and had gotten really good at it.  The instructor said that if he had spent the same amount of time taking guitar lessons Haymarket Virginia then he would be really great at it.  All of that time he spent on the video game only taught him to press buttons and had nothing to do with guitar lessons Haymarket Virginia.

Then the instructor did something really cool.  He said that the kid could come back and take a trial lesson for free.  The instructor told him to give the real thing a shot and see how great guitar lessons Haymarket Virginia really were.  The kid was blown away and so was the parent.  The instructor had a half hour open so he took the kid back and gave him a free trial guitar lesson Haymarket Virginia.  Needless to say the kid signed up immediately after the lesson.

I guess the old saying is true that there “ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby.”  While games like Guitar Hero are fun and a chance to pretend to play like a rock star there is nothing like the real thing.  It may not come as quick and easy as we would like it to but there are rewards in working for the things we really want.

This kid may never be an actual guitar god but it was really cool to see him get more excited about music than a video game.  You just don’t see that kind of thing often enough any more.  Maybe I’ll even sign up for guitar lessons Haymarket Virginia.  If the Rolling Stones are in their 70’s and still rocking who is to say I can’t try it!

Music is taking over my life

So I have some of my kids in summer camps and my daughter taking ballet lessons.  My son now wants to take voice lessons Haymarket Virginia.  He watches all of those shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent and now he wants to take voice lessons Haymarket Virginia.  I am fine with that but I just do not want him to get caught up in thinking that a few lessons is going to give him a singing career.

I looked up voice lessons Haymarket Virginia and was happy to find that Allegro Community School of the Arts offers this.  They are very convenient to where I live so I think I have solved the first dilemma in my voice lessons Haymarket Virginia saga.  The second part is to convince my kid that he will not be the next American Idol.

I do not want to crush his dreams or anything like that but I want him to know it is fine to just take voice lessons Haymarket Virginia because he enjoys it.  He seems so set on jump starting his career in music that I just do not want him to get false hopes.  I know it is fine to dream when you are a kid but there also has to be a wake up call, too.

Imagine my surprise when he came home after his first voice lesson Haymarket Virginia and let me know that he was going to continue because he enjoyed it.  I asked about his singing career and he told me that his instructor had a long talk with him.  She said that singing was exactly like any other sport where you have to practice and keep certain muscles in shape.  A football player has to stay in different shape than a basketball player and a singer has a different shape to stay in.  Instead of working out the muscles in your arms and legs a singer has to work on the muscles that make them sing.

He realized that getting a music career was going to take a lot of work and that he was just starting his training.  His instructor encouraged him to not give up on his dream but to make sure he loved doing the work it takes to make his dream come true.  He really responded to that and I was grateful for the excellent staff at Allegro Community School of the Arts for helping him get proper perspective.

He is still considering trying out at next year’s American Idol but for now he knows he has a lot of work to do.  I am happy to have found such excellent voice lessons Haymarket Virginia.

My daughter is really into ballet

So my youngest child is my daughter and I have to tell you that this little girl has me wrapped around her finger.  I don’t know how she did it but it is absolutely true.  She just has this way that gets me to fork over the cash on whatever she wants.  It is insane and God help me when she grows up and has more expensive tastes!

Right now she is into being a princess so of course dear old dad went out looking for ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia.  I live close by there and hate the traffic that is popping up everywhere in the area.  So I was excited when I finally found ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia.  I typed that in to my search engine and found a great place that I got excited about because it offers ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia.

So now that I’ve found this place I have to start forking over the cash for ballet outfits, ballet shoes, all of the ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia has to offer and let me tell you they have to take a lot of lessons.

I was happy to see that Allegro Community School of the Arts actually offers ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia.  They are close by and I have been really happy with their offering of summer camps so the fact that they offer ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia was a huge bonus for me.

To be honest, it is hard to complain about the cost of ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia because I got to actually watch my little princess in practice.  It was pretty amazing to see.  She really takes to it and Allegro does this really cool thing where they allow some of the older students to teach the little kids.  My daughter was enthralled by this teenage girl who was helping her learn the positions for ballet.  The teenage girl did an amazing job and my little princess is running around the house dancing like a ballerina.

I was so happy to find ballet lessons Warrenton Virginia because it is getting my daughter into something positive.  I honestly do not mind the cost at all.  To see her face light up and to watch her dance is worth every penny.

What to do this summer with my kids?

I am really in a bind this summer.  I just recently switched to a new job so I lost all of my flexibility.  My wife is now having to work full time so we’re left with trying to figure out what to do with our kids.  I keep getting stuff in the mail about summer camps and day camps but the problem is trying to figure out which one is the right one?

I recently visited a website that has a great list of summer camp Haymarket Virginia.  I live pretty close so I was really excited that there was a great list of summer camp Haymarket Virginia.  The site I found was for a place called Allegro Community School of the Arts that is located close by to where I live.  The list of summer camp Haymarket Virginia was really a lifesaver for me.

When I was a kid I used to get sent to summer camp for the whole summer but times are so different now.  Back then it just seemed a little safer to send your kid away and let them have a great time.  Now, it seems like sending your kid off is a big risk with all of the crazy things going on in the world.  I am really excited to see that there are summer camp Haymarket Virginia so close by to where I live.  This is going to be a lifesaver.

The camp I got sent to was way out in the woods and it seemed like there were just a handful of adults around but tons of teens and young adults.  They would sneak off and do God knows what while we kids ran around destroying the whole campground.  The adults all stayed inside in the only air conditioned office.  It sounds crazy but it was some of the best memories I’ve ever had.  But there is no way on God’s green earth that I’m going to let my kids do that!

I am so glad that I found summer camp Haymarket Virginia.  My wife and I can rest easy and know that our kids are close by, having fun, and learning something valuable.

You just never know about people

You never really know about people.  I don’t mean that in a negative way although you could use it that way.  What I mean is that the more you get to know someone the more layers you find to who they really are.  And the more layers you uncover the more layers there are still to left to go.

Doug Wead is someone with many layers.  The more I have gotten to know Doug Wead in my online searches the more I find out about him.  Doug Wead is someone who has been involved with the most powerful people on the planet.  Doug Wead has been successful in every pursuit in his life.  Doug Wead is a world class presidential historian, New York Times best selling author, former special assistant to President Bush, world relief humanitarian, and model train enthusiast.  Doug Wead had spent years as an internationally known speaker for Amway and is now a speaker for XanGo.

Every site, every blog, every YouTube clip I find there are people who say they have been following Doug Wead for years.  They look forward to his interviews on CNN, FOX news, The Today Show, or any other number of news shows that need insight into presidential politics or historical facts.

You really never know about people.  Doug Wead is an example of someone who has achieved remarkable success but to be honest, you would never really know it by talking to him.  In all of the videos I have seen or blogs I have read you would never get the sense that Doug Wead has had the career he has had.  I think the reason is that Doug Wead does not show any amount of self importance.

I mean, seriously, if I had accomplished half of the things Doug Wead has done with his life I would be using that to get to the front of the line at Starbucks, maybe even a free latte out of it.  I would try to get at least a free appetizer at Bonefish Grill or Outback Steakhouse.  Really, who among us would not be tempted to use that level of accomplishment to get something back out of life.

But that just isn’t Doug Wead’s style.  Doug Wead never comes off as self important.  Watch his videos and you will see that Doug Wead rarely refers to himself.  Even in his stories about his past Doug Wead is constantly giving you insight into someone else.  I think that is a key in what makes a person like Doug Wead as successful as he is – it’s all about others.

Doug Wead is more than just a wealth of American facts.  Doug Wead is more than just a walking history book – although he honestly is that.  Doug Wead is a reminder that success and power does not always corrupt.  I am sure he has made his share of mistakes, just as the rest of us have, but Doug Wead is a great example of a world changing life fueled by humility, dignity, and class.

People like Doug Wead change the world but never rub your nose in it.

Model train awards

As I’ve written before my son is a fan of trains.  He goes completely insane for them.  I remember as a child being fascinated by trains and making my dad stop at every train crossing in the hopes that I could see a train.  Sadly, I lost my love for trains when I had to take a cross country trip on Amtrack that included an eight hour layover in Chicago.  Spending twenty four hours on a train sapped all of my love for them.

However, I have to admit that I am starting to get interested in trains again.  Actually, I am getting interested in model trains.  Model trains are fascinating to me, especially when you see the love and detail some people put into them.  I found a website that will post the top ten model trains and even give an award to the best.  Model trains and their complex layouts almost transport you to a different place.

I saw a particular model train layout that took me to somewhere in the mountains of France.  I could not believe that model trains had that kind of power and could bring out the little boy in me again.  My son and watch watched these model trains pass through the village and both of us wished we were actually there.

I suppose there is an art to model trains.  My son likes to take Thomas the Tank Engine train set and build complex tracks.  But it’s not the same as a G Scale model train layout.  There is something special about model trains and their attention to detail.  I am not quite sure what it is about model trains but there is a certain romanticism to them.

I cannot help but hear the Tom Petty song Runaway Train in my head whenever I see model trains.  When I look at the well done model trains there is a part of me that wishes I could hop on board and go wherever the train is taking me.  I guess that is part of the magic of model trains.

I am looking forward to the model train awards and being transported to another place by some of the best layouts in the world.

The men behind the myths

I am fascinated with the real people behind the public persona we see.  I am most fascinated with the men behind the former presidents.  In this political climate we have drawn so many harsh lines and easily demonize our opponents.  I love learning the human element behind these men who lead the world.

A great source for me has been learning this through presidential historian Doug Wead.  I appreciate the human factor presidential historian Doug Wead puts to many of these men I learned about in school.   Presidential historian Doug Wead is filled with so many personal facts about our presidents that brings them to life.

I watched an interview with presidential historian Doug Wead where he was discussing our former presidents.  Presidential historian Doug Wead told us of George Washington and how he was in love with his neighbor’s wife.  The presidential historian went on to say that President Lincoln was considered a buffoon by many of his contemporaries.  Lincoln’s election was considered a sham because of the split in the democratic party.  What we can learn from a presidential historian really brings this all to life.

It is facts like these that help me humanize the men I see on currency.  A presidential historian can not only help us see who came before us but put a frame on who is currently leading us.  The facts and lessons we learn from a presidential historian can inform our decision we make in the ballot box.

I am so appreciative of what I learn every time I see presidential historian Doug Wead interviewed.  I found his insights during the election season helpful in a way that only a presidential historian can bring.  I think the greatest value a presidential historian brings is to remind us that behind the candidate or elected official is a real person with real life experiences.

I am thankful for presidential historians.  Electing a president is one of the most important decisions we can make and the insight of a presidential historian is invaluable.

You are never too old

My kids love the recent Pixar movie UP.  Whenever we watch a movie my kids have to pick the character they want to be and surprisingly my sons both wanted to be Carl Frederickson, the senior citizen hero of the story.  In fact, they almost came to blows over who would “be” him for the movie.  Then the young boy character Russel came onscreen and my oldest decided to be him.

What is great about that movie is that the hero of the story is a senior citizen.  He gets into a sword fight, gets his house to float with helium balloons, climbs a zeppelin upside down, and outruns a pack of trained attack dogs.  I had to appreciate the honoring Pixar did to those who many would consider too old.

In the upcoming election season, which is going to start before we know it, one of the issues that will surface is Ron Paul’s age.  Ron Paul’s age will be used as an excuse as to why he should not run and just leave presidential politics altogether.  Ron Paul’s age will be used as a liability against him.  As in many attacks that overlook the actual issue Ron Paul’s age will distract from his message.

I came across an interesting article by Doug Wead where he tackles the tough issue of Ron Paul’s age.  He argues that many of our recent great leaders were the same age as Ron Paul’s age will be during the upcoming election season.  Doug won me over when he pointed out that Ron Paul’s age will match President Reagan’s age.

Ron Paul’s age is just another side issue to drive a wedge against those who would be interested in hearing what he has to say.  Ron Paul’s age will once again be used as an issue to sideline him from making his voice heard.

I hope that people will not allow Ron Paul’s age to distract them from the message.  I hope his opponents will not use Ron Paul’s age as a cheap attack point.  If my kids can accept a senior citizen hero, I would hope our country could do the same.

I don’t get Flag Day

We have a lot of holidays and some of them are just bizarre.  I kind of understand arbor day but I do not really get what May Day is all about.  Another holiday I never understood was Flag Day.  I do understand that our flag is important and we should honor it, but do we really need Flag Day to be a national holiday?  I mean, the flag is great but does it need it’s own day?

My son is learning the importance of the flag and even to say the Pledge of Allegiance.  And I am sure on Flag Day his teachers will come up with some sort of explanation of why we have Flag Day.  But I wanted to find out the reason we have Flag Day and why it is important.  So, I went online and found presidential historian Doug Wead explain Flag Day.  I swear, this man is like a walking history book!

Doug Wead explained that the flag first got its importance in war.  The flag signified where you went in battle and if your flag touched the ground then the battle stopped and you lost.  That was so fascinating to me.  Flag Day started to seem a little more important.

Flag Day reminds us that it was our flag that people literally died for in battle.  Flag Day reminds us that carrying the flag into battle was a high honor and incredibly dangerous.  As I watched the interview and saw the same flag from the Star Spangled Banner I started to understand Flag Day.  Flag Day is less about the cloth that waves from a pole and more about the people who gave their life for it.

And then it turns out that Doug Wead’s grandmother’s first cousin (what a mouthful) was actually responsible for pushing Flag Day through Congress.  I think I now appreciate why she did that and why Flag Day is so important.  Flag Day is about all of us and what we each do to make this country great.