GIVEAWAY!!! Jason Gray’s “Remind Me Who I Am” is #1 on iTunes!

Wednesdays are killer, right?  Last weekend is a distant memory and this weekend seems like it will never arrive.  And to make matters worse, we’re in the holiday season—shopping, decorating, baking, avoiding Salvation Army bell ringers. I love the Salvation Army and all they do, but I could do without the bell ringers.  I wish you could give them $20 to stop ringing the bell for five minutes or at least until you make it to the car.

But this morning whilst performing my daily ritual of checking out what happened in the cyber world as  I slumbered, I learned something VERY EXCITING from Jen Rose—Jason Gray’s single, “Remind Me Who I Am” is #1 on the Christian & Gospel charts on iTunes!  Now “Remind Me Who I Am” will always be one of my favorite songs because of the impact it had (and continues to have) on my life,  so I would love to see it get stay at #1. (Note: I like Casting Crowns’ “Courageous” and Laura Story’s “Blessings,” too.  But neither song has hit me in the heart like “Remind Me Who I Am”).

Did you hear *that*, er, read *that?!  I’ll type it in CAPS for emphasis:

JASON GRAY’S “REMIND ME WHO I AM” IS CURRENTLY #1!!!

Personally, I believe you should buy “Remind Me Who I Am” because it’s a great song AND it’s only 69 cents on iTunes, but to help you in your music buying decision, I’m gonna back up this song with a  giveaway.  If you purchase “Remind Me Who I Am” on iTunes, you will get a chance to win an autographed copy of Jason Gray’s latest album, A Way to See in the Dark (and, yes, this is the album “Remind Me Who I Am” is on!) 

Maybe you already own the song or just can’t afford it right now, that’s OK.  I would never exclude anyone from a giveaway.  So everyone gets one entry, BUUUUUUT, if you buy the single on iTunes or gift the single to friends with an identity crisis, you get TWO extra entries for EACH purchase, and if you review the song on iTunes (I’m talking at least two sentence here, not “This song rocketh.” Put a little meat in that review), you get another TWO entries.  That means, you get ONE entry just for being alive, and TWO entries if you buy the song for yourself and TWO more if you leave a review of “Remind Me Who I Am” on iTunes, which gives you SIX chances to win!  (Or if you enter and buy the song for your Aunt Mabel, you have EIGHT your chance of winning A Way to See in the Dark!)

I funkified the photo because it looked subpar due to my messy desk background.

Just fill out THE FORM, tell me how many copies of “Remind Me Who I Am” you purchased on iTunes, write a smashing review, and [hopefully] win!  Remember, you get an entry just for being alive, so everyone can enter, but only one can win.  I mean, maybe I can get Jason Gray to send each one of you a hair follicle or something (by the way, JG did not ask me to run this contest, but I watched him personally autograph the CD, so he has foreknowledge that a giveaway would happen!)

Here are some links in REALLY BIG LETTERS to help you:

1. Buy “Remind Me Who I Am” by Jason Gray for 69 cents. 

(Or don’t and enter anyway.  But you get TWO extra entries for each copy of the song you purchase. (You’re on the honor system.  I mean, I love this song, but if you tell me you purchased 109 copies, I’m going to need to see that iTunes receipt.)

2.  Write a short, but meaningful review of “Remind Me Who I Am” on iTunes for another TWO entries.

(By the way, you can review the song without buying it on iTunes, so by being alive AND writing a review, you can get THREE entries.)

3. Then enter to win an authographed copy of the WHOLE album, A Way to See in the Dark by Jason Gray, right here!  I’m instituing use of THE FORM!

*FILL OUT THIS FORM*

The giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on December 7, so you have a whole week to snag this deal.  The winner will be emailed and if he/she does not respond within 3 days, a new winner will be chosen.  I am not responsible for prizes that are lost by the USPS, though it would be very sad and I would cry with you should that occur.  Oh, and if you buy more copies of “Remind Me Who I Am” or decide to write a review AFTER you’ve already entered do come back and tell me so I can give you even more extra entries.

Even if you don’t win this amazing album, and I hope you do, you still win by getting a copy of “Remind Me Who I Am” by Jason Gray.  And I do encourage you to purchase A Way to See in the Dark, for it is a phenomenal album…and it makes a great Christmas present! (I heard Aunt Mabel really wants a copy!)

Still not sure about the song?  Read WHY Jason Gray wrote “Remind Me Who I Am,” find out why I’m thankful for Jason Gray, and read a little about how “Remind Me Who I Am” has helped me (though I only mention the song as an afterthought, I realize it really helped me to come to terms with my identity in God and inspired this post). Learn more about Jason Gray and his awesome self at JasonGrayMusic.com.

Amy’s Random Aside:  I believe in Jason Gray and his music so much that I changed my Twiticon and my Facebook profile pictures to “Remind Me Who I Am.” (I added “Beloved” to the Facebook pic because Amy means “beloved.”)  If you just love Jason, his music, or what people to remind you who you are, email me and I’ll change your Twitter or Facebook book to look similar to mine. (Text may be different.  We are all unique creatures.)

(Click on my image to follow me on Twitter for tantalizing updates!)

OR

(Feel free to friend me on Facebook, too!)

Tell me, once again, why you like this song, why you like this song? (Sing that to the chorus of “Remind Me Who I Am”)  How have you deal with a spiritual identity crisis?  Jason Gray has great hair, so why do you think he’s wearing that hat in the music video for “Remind Me Who I Am”?  Do you recycle your cardboard boxes, make signs from them, or just throw them out in the regular trash?

I’m not OK with it, Rick Warren!

RT @RickWarren: Half the world lives on less than $2 a day. One billion people live on less than $1 a day! Are you OK with that? // How much do you live on per day @RickWarren? –@amysondova, via Twitter

This is how I started a war with Rick Warren on Twitter.   Shots were only fired in one direction. Directly at Rick Warren and his Hawaiian shirt.

It started like this.  I was on Twitter trying to win a giveaway and someone reTweeted this message from Rick Warren: “Half the world lives on less than $2 a day.  One billion people live on less than $1 a day!  Are you OK with that?”  Rick Warren—who makes millions in book sales, has a ginormous congregation with several satellite campuses, and who despite giving a lot of money to charity still makes more money than my roommate and I put together—asks me if I am OK with that.

I’m really not OK with that.

I’m especially not OK with Rick Warren pointing this out to me.  I feel bad for half the world that lives on less than two dollars a day and the other billion that live on less than one dollar a day, but I don’t have any money left to give them.  I always want to sign up for a Compassion child at concerts (when I go because I have a free press pass), always want to give to those Salvation Army bell ringers at Christmas, always want to donate to the ASPCA when those sad puppies light up my television screen.

I just can’t afford it.

Sometimes I tell a friend or family member, “I should stop wasting my money and give it to the poor.” To which I get the response, “Amy, you are the poor.” Oh, good point. (I wish I could elaborate on this—wait for the book.)

Unless I win a gift card or obtain a review copy, I can’t even afford a Rick Warren book.  Rick Warren, are you OK with that?

To be fair, I really don’t have anything against Rick Warren.  He seems like a nice guy.  I am just sick of the “thought” statements well-known mega-pastors and other Christian celebrities throw out to “challenge” the flock.

Do they have any clue what it’s like to be poor in America?  To eat peas and noodles for dinner? To stop answering the phone because it’s just the creditors again?  To go through the humiliation of bankruptcy?  To wonder how the heating bill will get paid?  To shop at the thrift store out of necessity, not just for fun?

While the poorest of poor probably don’t grace most churches in the United States, believe me, there are those struggling in her midst.  There are elderly folks who can’t afford their medications and young mothers who can’t buy milk and out-of-work college graduates who are grateful for a job at Wal-Mart (don’t ask how they are ever going to pay back those college loans!)  There isn’t an easy solution to these problems, yet desperate prayer keeps people up at night.  Stomachs gnawing, acid builds in the throat, and sleep never comes.

So I asked Rick Warren how much he spends a day—right out in the open, right there on Twitter.  I don’t expect a response from him or anyone else.  I decided to check out Rick Warren’s history of tweets, which were mostly comprised of happy encouragements for the masses with a challenge here and there.  Strangely enough, on Feb. 27 one of Warren’s tweets read, “You can’t understand the pain of others until you’ve suffered deeply yourself.”

Now most of us live on more than $1-2 a day, but that certainly doesn’t mean that we’re wealthy or even have an extra dollar to spare.  It also means we probably understand the struggles of the have-nots much more than the haves.  And we also acknowledge that we’re lucky to live in the United States, have a home, and all the rest of the stuff we’re told to be grateful for.  Of course, we praise God for all that!

But we certainly don’t need Rick Warren asking us if we’re OK with it.

UnWrapping Christmas with author Jason Boyett

Jason Boyett is one seriously funny guy.  Follow him on Twitter and his Tweets will sure to give you a chuckle or two or three or four.  Author of several books, including his most recent O Me of Little Faith, Jason is also a Beliefnet.com blogger and a contributor to notable publications, such as Salon, Daily Beast, Paste, and Relevant magazines.  Plus, he manages to make me smile every day through his excellent wit.  Thank you, Jason, for UnWrapping Christmas with Backseat Writer.

Did you score any good deals on Black Friday?  Is it a day of great deals or terrifying chaos?

No deals. There are no sales good enough for me to brave the terrifying chaos. Spend time amid hordes of crazy people so I can save $50 on a television I don’t need? Not for me. We generally get our Christmas shopping done early, so the day after Thanksgiving is for playing ping-pong. That’s the only scoring we do on Black Friday.

Where are you spending Christmas this year…and what are you looking most forward to?

In Amarillo with my family. I’m most looking forward to the two weeks I’m taking off from work at the end of the year…and completing the current manuscript I’ve been working on every day since August.

What was the best Christmas gift you ever received? (Don’t say “Jesus” because that’s a given!)

I got my first computer, an IBM PC jr., from my parents when I was in 4th or 5th grade. It was the first computer our family ever owned. And it was awesome. Back in the 90s, not long after getting married, my wife and her parents gave me a first-generation iMac. One of those bubble-shaped teal ones. It, too, was awesome.

Describe one of the most hilarious Christmases.
Every year, on Christmas Eve before opening gifts, someone from our family reads the Christmas story out of Luke. One year, there was a Playmobil Nativity Scene nearby, and my brother and I acted out the story using the little figures. (It should be mentioned that we were adults at the time.) The reading transformed from a serious moment to one of hilarity, complete with rolling-on-the-floor laughter, somewhere around the time the host of angels appeared to the shepherds.

What’s your fave Christmas song/Christmas movie or cartoon/Christmas cookie?

I will always watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special, for three reasons: 1) I love how a scrawny stick with three pine needles gets transformed into a lush tree just because a crowd of children surrounded it and began waving their hands at it, as if performing holiday sorcery. 2) It never fails to crack me up the way you can see up those kids’ noses when they tilt their heads back to sing. I love that, too. 3) The monologue at the end in which Linus recites the Christmas story is one of the most powerful scenes in television history. Ever.

New Year’s resolution—yes or no? If yes, what is your resolution?

I always have not just one goal, but several, covering a bunch of different disciplines and ideas (exercise, work, etc.). A new one for 2011 will be to write the first novel (and outline the rest of the novels) in a fiction series for kids. And then to sell it.

Bebo Norman Urges Fans to Give to Haiti and Auctions Guitar on Ebay

Overture Media (Nashville)– This week the world has mourned together the devastation that Haiti has suffered with the 7.0 earthquake.  Desiring to give and somehow help in the relief effort, Bebo Norman and wife Roshare jumped on board by asking Twitter fans on Wednesday to give to Compassion International.  The Normans committed for a one-day matching of $5 for every re-tweet of his original message.  Due to the overwhelming response by his fans and wanting to do even more, Bebo will put one of his personal guitars up for auction on EBay starting on January 15th at 8 pm Central.  The auction will be for one week concluding January 22nd at 8 pm Central. All funds are going directly to Compassion International for Haiti. The auction link will be posted at Bebo’s site: http://www.bebonorman.com/news/haitiguitarauction.

“I honestly can’t place a value on this guitar since it is Number 00-01 in a very limited production (only 128 ever made) and has been in my personal guitar collection as one of my primary ‘songwriting guitars’ for 10 years,” shares Bebo. “This guitar has been the source of quite a few of my songs (“Nothing Without You,” “Try,” “Borrow Mine”), spent one year on tour with me, and is in absolutely amazing condition.  This guitar is priceless as far as I’m concerned. The only way I would even DREAM of letting this guitar go is for a cause as important as serving the people of Haiti and meeting them in their time of crisis.”

About the Everett Laurel Guitar: This hand-made Everett Laurel Guitar is THE very first production guitar (Number 00-01) in the Laurel Series and was given to Bebo Norman as a personal gift from the builder himself, Kent Everett (Atlanta, GA).  This Laurel First Edition is solid Sitka topped with Rosewood back and sides, highly flamed Maple bindings, Maple rosette, and Rosewood fingerboard and bridge.  Bebo has autographed the custom interior label next to the production number and Kent Everett’s custom wax seal that ensures authenticity. Also included in the auction pack: TKL hardcase for the guitar, 4 packs of Elixir Medium Gauge Nanoweb guitar strings, and the entire Bebo Norman discography, autographed.  Discography includes “The Fabric of Verse” (1996, Out of Print), “Ten Thousand Days” (1999), “Big Blue Sky” (2000), “Myself When I Am Real” (2002), “Try” (2004), “Between the Dreaming and the Coming True” (2006), “Christmas from the Realms of Glory” (2007), and “Bebo Norman” (2008).

For more information on Bebo Norman, visit him online at bebonorman.com or follow him on Twitter (twitter.com/bebonorman).  Also, don’t forget to check out Backseat Writer’s interview with Bebo as well as our other great Bebo Norman coverage

Here’s the update:

BEBO NORMAN OVERWHELMED BY GUITAR AUCTION FINAL BID FOR HAITI

Overture Media–Last week BEC Recordings’ artist Bebo Norman decided to help make a difference giving back to Haiti relief by auctioning his personal Everett Laurel guitar on EBay.  After one week of bidding, the auction closed on Friday night with an amazing closing price of $51,100. All funds will be going to Compassion International for Haiti relief.

“I don’t have the words to explain how overwhelmed I’ve been by this entire process – from the initial response of Twitterers who really inspired this in the first place, to the BEC publicity and radio teams who hit it out of the park, to the extreme willingness of radio stations all over the country to support it in any way they could,” shares Bebo.  “And the final results of the auction absolutely blew the doors off any expectations I could have ever dreamed of with such generosity from the bidders and the overabundance of God.  Obviously, this was not at all about a guitar, but instead was such a beautiful picture of the body of Christ actually being the body of Christ – using whatever gifts they have at their disposal to serve the people in Haiti that are so desperately in need.”

Bebo and his team would like to thank the radio stations, press outlets and his fans for helping make this auction a success.  Bebo also continues to urge fans to give to those hurting in Haiti through organizations such as Compassion International.

Amy’s Favorite Things, Vol. 2

Since Oprah dropped the ball on her favorite things this year, it looks like I’m going to have to take up the slack (incidentally, I’ll also be taking over for Oprah when the daytime talk show queen turns in her microphone).  I’m sorry I won’t be able to send Backseat Writers a crap load of cool stuff to celebrate “Amy’s Favorite Things” (AFT) but you do have a chance to win an AFT Prize Pack, which includes an Oh Deer Super Dooper Pocket Pooper Keychain, a stuffed cow I got for free at Chick-Fil-A, an unopened package of Ice Breakers Ice Cube Gum I found on my desk, a beautiful star ornament created with my very own hands, and a personalized Christmas card with a holiday picture of my dogs inside (actually, anyone can get one of those, just e-mail me your mailing address).  Who needs fancy schmancy items like digital cameras and expensive make-up when you get can win stuff like this?

Without further ado, I present you with my favorite things of 2009.

AMAZON’S 50 ALBUMS FOR $5 (OR LESS)

Every month the world’s largest online retailer picks 50 albums that cost only $5 to download (but they picked 100 for December).  And every-so-often they slash prices even more—to a mere $2.99.  Over the year, I’ve been able to snag the latest from Sherwood, Owl City, Mat Kearny, and others.  Right now (12/09), you can get Green River Ordinance’s Out of My Hands (read interview), Switchfoot’s Hello Hurricane,  Relient K’s Let it Snow Baby…Let It Reindeer, The Almost’s Monster Monster, Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds,  The Turtles’ Greatest Hits and The Elf Soundtrack –all for only $5.

TWITTER

Yes, people, I’ve joined the Twitter revolution!  It’s oh-so-fun to exchange silly banter—all in 140 characters or less. (Incidentally, that gushing statement about Twitter is only 119 characters!)

KRISTIN CHENOWETH

OK, while Kristin Chenoweth isn’t a thing; she’s a person and I’ve written about her before (“Snooked on Pushing Daisies“), but there’s more Cheno love to share.  Last spring, Kristin released her authobiography, A Little Bit Wicked, this fall she starred on one of my favorite shows, “Glee” (also performing a rousing duet of “Alone” with Matthew Morrison aka “Mr. Shue”) and she just made a Lifetime movie, The Twelve Men of Christmas.  Plus,  she’s the voice of Rosetta the fairy in the Tinkerbell movies.  There there’s Maddie’s Corner, an organization started by Kristin to help people and animals.  Yes, Kristin has a dog named Maddie and I have a dog named Maddy (Madalyne)!  Who knew? Suffice to say, Kristin Chenoweth is still smokin’ hot and undoubtedly one of my favorite things, er, people.

HOLIDAY ANIMAL CANDY POOPERS

I’ve known about these things for a while, but they never fail to crack me up.  Maybe I’m just immature, but a reindeer with a cranky face pooping brown candies out of his butt is really funny to me.  Plus, the candy-filled key chains and toys have all sorts of hilarious names like Poo-lar Bear (The Sub-Zero Poopin’ Hero), Baa Humbug Sheep (The Grumpy Party Pooper), and Oh Deer! (The Super Duper Reindeer Pooper). Because I love these things so much, I’m offering one of these little guys in my Prize Pack.  It’s a keychain version of Oh Deer for Pooper lovers on the go.

“GLEE”

Is this show great or what?  Singing, dancing, high school drama, a hot Spanish teacher—it’s all the stuff that I wish I had in high school (minus the drama—no one wants that!)  Plus, the cast on “Glee” can really sing.  I’m especially impressed with Lea Michele who plays young starlet Rachel Berry (my fave character) and Matthew Morrison’s vocals have really grown on me (especially during his “Alone” duet with Kristin Chenoweth as well as his mash-up of “Young Girl” and “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”).  Jane Lynch is also notable as the gym teacher everyone loves to hate—Sue Slyvester.  And that’s how Amy sees it.  Hmm, sounds better when Sue says it.

TINYPIC.COM

What a storage site!  Not only can TinyPic be integrated into your social networks like Twitter and Facebook, but it also offers dandy photo editing tools to touch up digital photographs in a hurry.  No need to use Photoshop for minor edits and TinyPic offers a ton of storage, as well as printing options (which I have yet to use).

HOODED SCARVES WITH POCKETS

Hooded scarves with pockets (HSwP) are a fashion must (guys, feel free to tune out).  It’s a hat!  It’s a scarf!  And it’s got pockets for storage!  I’ve only seen two of these out in the great wide yonder—there was a beautiful cream-colored HSwP at Target for around $17, but the knitting was shabby and coming undone—pass!  I found another HSwP online at Bath & Body Works of all places—a pink, gray, and white patterned beauty that cost $20 on clearance; it has since disappeared.  Sadly, the HSwP pictured on the left is $200, and even though it has faux fur and button—that is still way too pricey.  Even this amazing brown Fair Isle knit is $50, but I can’t figure out how it looks when worn.  If any of you know of any hot deals on HSwP (buttons preferred), let me know!

Well, that wraps up another year of Amy’s Favorite Things !  Now I suppose you want to know how to win AFT Prize Pack.  It is *so* easy.  All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me (and the world) about one of your favorite things!  If you Tweet or write a Facebook status note about the contest, you get an extra entry (one for Twitter, and one for Facebook for a grand total of three entries!)  Hint: if you follow @amysondova or @backseatwriter on Twitter, you can RT (reTweet) what I say.  I only wish I was eligible to win this contest.  The contest ends on 12/16 at 12 PM EST. Oh, and don’t forget to re-visit all my favorite things from last year!

CONTEST CLOSED:: Three Ways to Win the book A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE, which offers a faith-based perspective on climate change

Like me, are you looking for real answers on climate change this Blog Action Day?  If so, A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE: GLOBAL WARMING FACTS FOR FAITH-BASED DECISIONS is the book for us!  Written by NOBEL-prizing winning U.N. panelist Katharine Hayhoe and pastor Andrew Farley (author of The Naked Gospel), A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE explores how the Christian faith should approach the issues of climate change.  Using fact and biblical insight, the book provides readers insight into a topic that’s not only important today, but for our tomorrow’s as well.

Backseat Writer in conjunction with Hachette Book Group is giving away one copy of A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE.  To enter, leave a comment about why you think this is an important book (and your Twitter name, if applicable).  You can get an extra entry for Tweeting this statement: “ Win the book A Climate for Change, which offers a faith-based perspective on climate change. Details at BackseatWriter.com”

Update: As much as I hate to be wrong, I misread something and Katharine was *not* on “The O’Reilly Factor” on 10/15.  She actually appeared on a Sept. 2 show with Laura Ingraham (see clip). So, you can watch a clip of Katharine Hayhoe’s apperance on “The O’Reilly Factor” in which she talks about California wild fires.  Watch the clip and tell me what you think.  That’s a total of 3 entries!

Again, here are the three ways to win::

1. Leave a comment (only 1 entry no matter how many comments you leave.)

2. Tweet one of these statements:

” Win the book A Climate for Change, which offers a faith-based perspective on climate change:: http://bit.ly/4uv8Zb”

“Three Ways to Win the book A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE, which offers a faith-based perspective on climate change:: http://bit.ly/4uv8Zb “

“I really want to save the polar bears, so I’m going to read A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE, and you can, too.  Win the book:: http://bit.ly/4uv8Zb”

Leave a comment on this post with your Twitter name so I can verify your Tweet (only 1 entry no matter how many times you Tweet this!)

3. Tell me what you think of Katharine’s appearance on “The O’Reilly Factor” on by watching this clip. (Again, only 1 entry!)

Contest ends Friday, Oct. 16 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be notified by e-mail, so leave a valid e-mail address.

THE WINNER OF THE BOOK IS AMY COURTS!  Thanks to everyone for your comments and participation! (BTW, the winner was selected at random using a highly scientific method!)

Take 5 with A Fine Frenzy

Twenty-four year-old Alison Sudol, the woman behind the phenomena known as A Fine Frenzy, describes herself as “a quiet person with a loud streak.”  Throwing off the ethereal image garnered from the band’s debut album (One Cell in the Sea) in 2007, A Fine Frenzy is back to make more than a little noise.  Still, Sudol’s heart-wrenching and vulnerable lyrics remain intact with Bomb in a Bird Cage (Virgin) as she guides listeners through an idyllic musical journey with songs such as radio single “Blow Away,” “Wouldn’t Do,” and “Happier.”  Defying the “sophomore album slump,” A Fine Frenzy delivers a more than satisfying musical experience.  In fact, Bomb in a Bird Cage is on permanent rotation in my music collect, which is why I was thrilled that Alison Sudol took time to “Take 5” with Backseat Writer.

What is a little-known fact about Alison Sudol?  Like maybe a weird habit or an endearing quirk? Come on, girl, spill it!

Haha. Hmmm…well, my short term memory is pretty disgraceful. I’ve been known to leave home, drive away, suddenly wonder whether I locked the front door, turn around, check the door, get back in the car, leave, wonder if I left the stove on and turn around again.

You just seem to ooze creativity from your music, your beautiful lyrics, and to designing your own t-shirts, what inspires you?

Thank you! I’m mostly inspired by nature, people and other forms of art. I really just try to be open-minded and keep an eye out for the beautiful, the odd, and the interesting.

The title of your sophomore album, “Bomb in a Bird Cage” comes from the song “ What I Wouldn’t Do.” This is also one of my favorite tunes on the album.  What is the story behind the writing of this song?

Ah, thanks! That song was written on an exceptionally stormy day. I was stuck at home, sick as a dog with some strange and annoying flu thing, and I picked up the guitar. A couple of hours later, I had “What I Wouldn’t Do” and went back to being bored and grouchy.

“Blow Away” is your album’s first single, so naturally I have to ask about it. It’s a pretty dramatic song—tell me about it!

“Blow Away” is another song that was written quickly. We were going into the studio in the afternoon and we weren’t really sure what we were going to do. I had a few songs written, but I didn’t feel like recording them because they were all pretty slow and sad and I wanted to have fun. I started banging away at the guitar, and within an hour had the “Blow Away” melody. A few hours later, we recorded it! I was still figuring out some of the chords as we played it. Of course, writing the lyrics took forever for some reason, I think possibly to make up for how easily the rest was written. I must have re-written the lyrics from top to bottom at least 6 times. Frustration abounded!

Congrats on your Twitterdom fame! How do you feel about being one of the top ten most-followed musicians on Twitter, with over a million followers?

Thanks! Crazy, right? I feel surprised and a little stunned by the whole thing. Sometimes it’s a real challenge to say something interesting, let me tell you! I realized the other day that I talk about dates with my dog and spiders an awful lot. Haha. Real rock and roll.

Join the million and make sure you follow A Fine Frenzy on Twitter, too! Also, be sure to visit the band’s website, MySpace, and fan AFF on Facebook.

Twitter Under Attack!!!

People, we are under attack!  Or more specifically, Twitter is under attack, supposedly by some Russian hooligans who have a beef against mircoblogging, social networking, or the Georgians (the country, not the state).  It just depends on what you read.  I found this quote from a CNN story downright hilarious: “Some Twitter and Facebook users expressed near-panic that the sites were not working properly. Others reacted with ambivalence.”

I can understand how these users feel because today I have wanted to Tweet about my new addiction to dry roasted peanuts, my anxiety about getting my hair cut, actually getting my hair cut, and my excitement over the season premiere of “Psych” tomorrow night.  But I was denied sharing this information with my 120 or so followers because despite being “fixed” at 12 PM EST, I still can’t get on the site.

It’s a real bummer because the guys @Psych_USA promised to do some real time “Psych” giveaways!  Aw, nuts!  Stupid hackers have ruin everything.

Take 5 with Photographer Natalie Norton

Photographer Natalie Norton

I was asked to do a shoot of a very pregnant woman and I was flustered by the project!  I began Googling madly when I stumbled upon Digital Photography School’s website.  Not only did I find insight to make it through that photo shoot, I also discovered the witty work of photographer Natalie Norton.

I was captivated by her beautiful, lively photography and her ability to communicate how to take stunning pictures through her website and her columns on DPS.  Natalie is one of my favorite photographers, and I wish I could take a class with her, but Pennsylvania is a far way from Hawaii.  Instead, I asked Natalie to do a “Take 5” with Backseat Writer, and she graciously agreed.

*I’ve noticed the vast majority of your photographs are taken outside—why is that?

Well, for one thing, I live in Hawaii, thus most of my clients prefer having their sessions conducted outdoors.  Can’t imagine WHY! Since I can shoot outdoors here year-round, it works out well.  When I travel for shoots, I don’t always have access to a studio or the ability to bring studio lights along, in which case, we shoot outside.

Most importantly I shoot outdoors because my style of photography is lifestyle-oriented and being outdoors as opposed to in a studio is more conducive to what I’m trying to achieve. My obsession with the look and feel of natural light is definitely a plus here as well. However, times are changing and so is the way people handle artificial light. It’s looking better and better all the time.  I plan to start incorporating that into my shooting in the near future as well, but even then, I still plan to be working outdoors or on location.

Courtesy of Natalie Norton Photography

*Being a photographer isn’t just about snapping photos, it’s also about personality.  How do you use your dynamic personality in your job?

Personality is a huge part of this business from start to finish.  It’s what sets you apart from the four zillion other photographers out there who are probably cheaper than you. Often clients hire me largely because my they feel connected to me through the personality that comes out in my work, my Twitter account and my blog, Pics & Kicks.  On a shoot I really see my job as being about a lot more than just snapping pictures. My job is to make people feel comfortable and at ease, because ultimately that has a great effect on the quality of the finished product as any posing I could do.  So yes, personality is paramount.

*Do you have any advice for novice photographers who just got their very first DSLR (like me)? Like how do we use all these fancy buttons and stuff? (If we could only all fly to Hawaii for a Natalie Norton photography class….)

Courtesy of Natalie Norton Photography

Study, practice, study, practice, shoot, shoot, shoot.  Repeat daily.   Honestly it’s just a lot of trail and error in the beginning, but there are some really good resources out there to get you going.  Digital Photography School is one such resource.  I’ve been blessed to have been working as a writer for DPS for the past year.  There’s a plethora of FREE information on the site geared directly toward beginners that will give you a huge push in the right direction.

Scott Kelby also has some fantastic books that really make things simple for beginners.  In the mean time however, I’m a huge proponent for shooting in Automatic (see “4 Reasons Not To Write Off Shooting in Automatic“).  Photography should be fun and often when people jump too quickly into the technical stuff, they lose sight of that.  Should you camp out there in Auto forever? Absolutely not. But in the beginning while you’re finding your voice as a photographer, that’s not something to be ashamed of.

*One of the reasons I love your work is the emotion you capture through expressions, angles, close-ups, lighting.  Is it something that you intuitively “see” or did you learn to find those glimpses of humanity that you capture so well?

Courtesy of Natalie Norton Photography

That’s tricky.  I definitely think it’s safe to say that a lot of what I do is intuitive.  But sometimes even intuition needs a little educating. I spend a good amount of time browsing through work of photographers, mostly lifestyle, editorial and photojournalistic, who inspire me and I definitely think that influences the choices I make artistically on a shoot. Ultimately, the most important thing is being connected to your subject. You’ve got to listen to the flow of things, wait for “that moment” and be prepared technically and mentally to capture it.

*Tell me about the one of the most disastrous photo shoots you’ve had.

Oh goodness!  I was once hired by another photographer for a family portrait session. They were one of the very sweetest families I have EVER photographed; however, their kids were everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. EVERYWHERE! I could not get a picture of them together for the life of me.  It was amazingly intense.  All smiles all the way around and luckily my client was a photographer so she totally “got it” and didn’t hold me responsible for her kids having so much energy.  Funny thing is that it was probably very similar to what it would feel like to photograph my OWN family.

Another time in the VERY BEGINNING, like literally two shoots in, I got all the way to the location and realized I’d left my battery in the charger. Still when I think of that I feel like vomiting. Luckily the family was remarkably gracious and the shoot was only a 10 minute drive from my house.  But bleh!  Let’s stop talking about this! I’m going to throw up. . .

To see more of Natalie’s work pick up insightful photography tips, and read her musings on life in Hawaii, visit her online at natalienortonphoto.com. And then add her RSS feed to your reader!

Courtesy of Natalie Norton Photography

True Confessions Friday:: I want a tiara.

Several months ago I started making silly confesstions on my Twitter to which my friend asked, “What is this, ‘True Confessions’?”  Thus True Confessions Friday was born.  Although I’ve been terrible at keeping up with it, I want to try to integrate “True Confessions Friday” onto  Backseat Writer.

These won’t be PostSecret-style secrets or deep confessions; they will merely be true thoughts that I have during the week–some shallow, some silly, some deep, and some sad.  It should be an interesting project.

Without further adieu, today’s confession::

I secretly enjoy watching “Little Miss Perfect” because the little girls are amusing and the weirdo moms make me feel better about myself.  Plus, I’ve always wanted a tiara.

Since this is a multi-tiered confession, let’s unpack it a little.  I am incredibly amused by the antics of children.  In fact, I beg my friends with kids to share stories about the funny happenings in their households (my friend Chris shares all about his adventures on his blog, Normal Chaos.  Check it out beacuse he’s hilarious).  Kids really do say the darndest things, don’t they?  On one episode of “Little Miss Perfect,” there was a short clip of a little gal about 3 or 4 admitting, “I like to eat crayons.”  Children are life unscripted and I love them for it.

Sometimes I feel so out of control, it’s nice to see women who seem nuttier than me.  These pageant moms are ridiculous adoring their daughters with  fake hair, fake nails, fake tans.  They waste thousands of dollars on these frilly outfits for a cheap crown and a plastic trophy–for their daughters, of course (and a $1000 for the winner–that’s not too shabby).  It all seems to be ridiculous and insulting to womanhood.  I sit in my living room chair feeling holier-than-thou because I’m not so caught up in appearances.  I laugh at the fakeness to which they subject their daughters.  And then I feel a little better about me.  But the truth is degrading these women doesn’t make me a better person; it does exactly the opposite.

Despite being plastic or cheap metal, I love those shiny tiaras.  Like many little girls I dreamed of being declared the fairest in the land like “Miss America.”  I wanted to wear the sash, don the gem-encrusted crown, and wave to the throngs from parade floats.  There’s something about the look the girls get on their faces when they are declared the winner of the Little Miss Perfect pageant that moves me.  Eyes wide in disbelief, mouth open into an astonished smile, and the proud moment when she is crowned.  Wow, I really am beautiful, she must think.  I can’t believe it!  All little girls (and big girls) want a princess moment like that.  At least I do.  But I’m willing to trade my tiara for a crown of glory to throw at the feet of Jesus.

There you have it, my true confession.  So are any of you ladies (or gentlemen) guilty of enjoying beauty pageants?  Have something else to get off your chests?   Just leave a comment and let it out.