He seemed pretty worn out so I didn’t want to bug him, but later on he began to open up and talk about his re-entry into the West.  I could tell it was overwhelming for him — after years of hearing mostly Japanese, he was able to fully understand all the conversational noise around him — which was alot to take in for a tired traveller.

I was genuinely curious about his experience spreading the word of Jesus in a foreign land but didn’t push for too many questions.  Eventually, though he opened up and started telling me about his experience.  He’s had no interaction with the media world for the past two years and I was the first non-Mormon American he had talked to.  He was allowed to email his parents from time to time but no internet, no tv, no music, no movies.  At this point, I realized I  had been given a mission to teach him about all things pop-culture related from the year 2011-2013. We talked about the election.  He heard Obama had won.  I told him about the controversy with allowing drones to strike citizens on American soil.  He was shocked about that and so am I.

What did you miss most?

Best Taco Innovation - Cool Ranch

I asked him what he missed the most and he said, “You know, nobody has asked me that… I’ll have to think about that.”  So after a long pause, the first thing he said was his family.  He told me he missed mexican food and especially Taco Bell.  Good answer… I’m always up for talking about tacos, so I asked him what he was going to order when got home.

I realized he didn’t know about all the “innovation” that has been happening with the Taco Bell menu.  So I told him about the Doritos Cheesy Shell tacos and the new Cool Ranch Shells.

Then I told him about Chef Lorena’s Fresco Menu and the Drive Thru Diet.  He wasn’t convinced that you could really lose weight by eating a Taco Bell diet, and I told him that’s okay nobody else really believes it either.

The Worst Music Ever - Dubstep

He also really missed listening to music, because during Mission, they are only able to listen to hymns and Tabernacle Choir music.  I asked him what he used to listen to and he named some groups I didn’t recognize. I was trying to explain the garbage that now passes for music and the now popular apocalypse of music known as “DubStep”.  I explained that this is the worst thing ever to happen and he should shield his ears and stay away from it.

He proudly took out several photo albums from his bag and showed photos from his trip.  It brought up memories of how hot they were riding bikes in a full coat & tie and how sometimes, they would be run off the road by Japanese drivers.  I learned alot on that flight to Cleveland.  Upon returning home, my fellow passenger plans to enter college, get married and get a job.  In that order.  We wished each other the best and went on our ways.

“Take the average age of the crowd… rewind back to what was popular when they were in high school and play that.”

Depending on the mood you want to create, you can keep it simple or take it up.  Want to put in some Pearl Jam or Michael Jackson?  Even cheesy pop music can spark a smile or start a conversation.

If you have a wide range of people, the best crowd pleaser I can think of is a good mix of Motown.

Atlanta Streets: Pura Vida 2012

What a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The summer heat is gone, the temperature has dropped into Fall.  The mosquitoes are gone, football is in the air, and people are happy to be outside with their neighbors.  Atlanta Streets was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon running into old friends, seeing alot of characters, and just a general positive happy afternoon in the neighborhood. Parents and kids were riding bikes, people were playing beanbag board outside of local bars, local activists were out, people were skateboarding, riding bikes, walking. … i saw lots of strollers and lots of dogs. lots of families and hipster and cute couples and neighbordhood people keepign the place in order.

Bayview Drive, Manhattan Beach, California

Walking down from Uncle Robert’s House is Great-Great Nephew Cason Wood, Great Nephew Matthew Wood, and Nephew Russell Wood.

Over the weekend, I picked up a little book called Technique for Producing Ideas by James Webb Young.  Originally published in 1939, Young outlines a 5-step technique based on his experience in the early days of Advertising.

I’ve always enjoyed old books about fundamental principles of what makes us who we are – especially when it comes to understanding creativity:

• Where do ideas come from?  
• How can you teach and spread ideas?  
• How do you nurture and encourage their growth?

This book echoes what I’ve often thought; that ideas are pulled from a mysterious place and brought to life through structured discipline.  Young talks about how ideas provide the soul to coummunications and “bring spirit and life” to advertistement.  This creative spark brings together the other-worldly connections of our concious & unconsious mind.

“Creativity is just connecting things.” ~ Steve Jobs

The Five Steps

The new Dr Seuss movie The Lorax comes out this weekend featuring music from The Polyphonic Spree

“In.. The Lorax, “Reach For The Sun” perfectly captures the imagination-bending tone of the Seuss classic about a boy (Zac Efron) who encounters the Lorax, a forest creature who protects the environment, while on a search the one thing he hopes will help him win the heart of his crush (Taylor Swift).” Entertainment Weekly

“You gotta be good… you gotta be strong”

Me and Tim Delaughter: Atlanta, GA 2/10/2012

The Polyphonic Spree is a 20 piece+  band from Dallas and I’m a big fan. As a teenager, I went to alot of  Tripping Daisy concerts. They  recorded some of the best indie/alternative music of the 90s and their live show always blew my mind. Their sound continued to grow bigger with each album.

That all came to end in 1999 with some unfortunate changes to the band.  In 2000, they reinvented themselves as the Polyphonic Spree and formed one of the largest rock band/choir/orchestras currently out there.  Their big sound (reminiscent of the Beach Boys) contains an underlying message of hope and optimism.  Their influence has already inspired bands such as Arcade Fire, Secret Machines, and others.

Funny Story

"Blown Away" at the 40 Watt in 2002 | Athens, GA

In the early 2000′s, I was in a rock band called “United” and we used to cover the song “Blown Away” by Tripping Daisy.  We usually played it at the end of our shows and it was always a crowd favorite.

In 2002, The Polpyhonic Spree  came to the southeast to play at the legendary 40 Watt in Athens, Georgia.

That night turned out be an amazing “everything comes full-circle” for me. We were invited to take the stage after the Spree show to play “Blown Away” to an audience filled with the guys from Tripping Daisy.

Those 4 minutes of my life passed quickly, but I remember seeing members of the ‘Spree  jumping up and down and sing along with me.  At the end of the song, Polyphonic Spree manager / Good Records guy, Chris Penn jumped on stage to sing with me and tackled me to the floor as we ended.

BTW: That’s my brother, Ryan Wood on the left playing Mark Pirro’s famous “Space Bass”.

“Don’t Throw Our Love Away”

• He reached teens with his music.
• He iterated and refined his content

Berry Gordy was a wizard at crafting media that spoke to people in a way that caught their attention.  It was a testament to his timing, vision, belief and making it all a reality.

“Gordy’s gift for identifying and bringing together musical talent, along with the careful management of his artists’ public image, made Motown initially a major national and then international success. Over the next decade, he signed such artists as The Supremes,Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin, The Contours, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Commodores, The Velvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonderand The Jackson 5.”