Mitch's Muse – Page 58 – Reflections on music, culture, religion, life

Today is Record Store Day

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 18, 2009

Record Store Day has started for more than 1,000 independent record stores in the U.S. and in 17 countries. Started by Bull Moose vice president Chris Brown of Portland, Ore., this day seems more of a lesson in survival as some businesses have closed due to the economy and rise in Internet downloads and online retailers. According to news reports, about 1,000 indie music retailers have gone out of business since 2003, said Joel Oberstein, president of Almighty Institute of Music Retail, a market research firm based in Studio City, Calif. So if there is an indie merchant is in your area, go by, say hello, and purchase some music. Personal interaction is better than virtual interaction any day. Music, anyone?

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Today is Record Day

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 18, 2009

Record Store Day has started for more than 1,000 independent record stores in the U.S. and in 17 countries. Celebrating indie retailers, this day seems more of a lesson in survival as some businesses have closed due to the economy and rise in Internet downloads and online retailers.

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Price Tower: An Eclectic Adventure

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 16, 2009

Price Tower Arts Center, Frank Lloyd Wright’s beautiful edifice in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, houses a grand restaurant, hotel and art museum. This Sunday, the museum will host a free, family-friendly event. From noon to 5 p.m., join in the fun in the museum galleries on the 1st floor of Price Tower. There is also an activity for children, as they will make their own Nature Lover’s Treasure Box in conjunction with the current exhibition “Fallingwater en Perspectiva,” world-class paintings by a Spanish artist. For more information, call (918)336-4949. Price Tower is at 510 Dewey Ave.

actions character poetry self-esteem

Building Strong Character

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 14, 2009

A lot to muse about today. I was doing some research on one thing, when I ran across this saying that I just had to add as a blog post. So true and a good policy to follow:

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

– Author Unknown

character Commissioned Easter God holidays video

Easter: A Continuation

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 13, 2009

Although the Easter holiday is over, family returning home, eggs and candy on clearance racks, one must never forget the goodness of God nor his promises to us. Not only devotionals are meaningful, but songs as well. So blessed by the ministry of Commissioned, who reminds us that God’s love is everlasting: Be blessed today and always.

Christianity Easter Good Friday holidays movies

Good Friday Traditions

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 10, 2009

Today is Good Friday, and through the weekend, Christian families will gather together for church services, Easter dinner, egg hunts and other activities. Here is a brief list of many Easter films that focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“The Passion of the Christ” (R): Chronicles the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Starring James Caviezel as Jesus and directed by Mel Gibson, the film was originally released in theaters in 2004. The film is portrayed in the biblical Aramaic and Latin languages with subtitles in English.

“Amazing Grace” (PG): Focuses on William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Played by Ioan Gruffudd as the zealous believer in God, human rights activist and British member of Parliament, who battled through discouragement and illness for two decades to end the slave trade in England. In a time of personal crisis, Wilberforce is inspired and encouraged in his long fight to abolish slavery by the former slave ship master, John Newton (Albert Finney), who wrote the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace” following his conversion to Christianity.

“The Greatest Story Ever Told” (G): A classic epic film that recreates the life of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, from his birth in Bethlehem to his baptism by John (Charles Heston), the raising of Lazarus, the Last Supper and finally his death, burial and resurrection. Starring Max Von Sydow as Jesus and directed by George Stevens, the film was originally released in 1965.

actors BareBones festivals film movies music Muskogee Oklahoma

Film Festival to Convene Soon in Oklahoma

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 8, 2009

In Oklahoma, the 10th annual BareBones International Independent Film and Music Festival prepares to get under way April 16-26 in Muskogee. The festival is founded by Oscar and ShIronbutterfly Ray, (shown in photo).
Named by one of the top industry magazines, Movie Maker, as one of the nation’s top 25 film festivals, the grassroots effort has grown from a two-day event that showed only 35 films in its first year to an impressive 11-day event that will screen almost 200 movies from around the world. Action, romance, Medieval adventure, sci-fi, horror, Western and drama are just some of the genres that will be represented.
The event will also feature workshops on acting for the camera, screenwriting, selling story ideas to movie producers, moviemaking, movie directing, stunt performing, special effects makeup, live screenplay readings, musical performances and the first ever Stars, Cars and Guitars Parade.
The closing day of the festival will feature an Academy Awards-style ceremony with red carpet, paparazzi, and live musical and dance performances along with awards presentations for best movie, best actors and best screenplays.
The not-for-profit event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased online or call (918) 616-1335.

411 Band BLAC Inc. entertainment food music Oklahoma City soul food theatre

A Little Bit of Soul Food and Music

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 7, 2009

Oklahoma City’s popular 411 Band will close out Black Liberated Art Center Inc.’s (BLAC) Soul Food Dinner Theater series on Friday, April 24, 2009. 411 Band leader John Ford said, “We have played many times for BLAC, Inc., at the Charlie Christian International Music Festival and during the Presidential Inaugural Ball, but this time will be very special. We will mix it up with Old School, a little Jazz and, definitely, some blues.” The band has also performed at various Oklahoma tribal casinos. Along with the music, there is an “all you can eat” Soul Food buffet. Dinner is at 7:00 p.m., and the show starts at 8:00 p.m. on 34th floor at the Petroleum Club in downtown Oklahoma City. Tickets are $45 each. For more information, call BLAC Inc. at (405) 524-3800. This evening of entertainment is partially sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council.

art black history Life Lorraine Motel Martin Luther King Jr. Memphis photography

41 years later … a look back at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 4, 2009

Of all the times to come out now, apparently there are never-before-seen photos on the day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died. Posted on its Web site, http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/24651, Life states “On April 4, 1968, LIFE photographer Henry Groskinsky and writer Mike Silva, on assignment in Alabama, learned that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had been shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. They raced to the scene and there, incredibly, had unfettered access to the hotel grounds, Dr. King’s room, and the surrounding area. For reasons that have been lost in the intervening years, the photographs taken that night and the next day were never published. Until now.”

Amazing. Wonder what kept these photos from public view after so many years? Only time will tell.

adoption book British Eritrea London nonfiction

Family welcomes long-lost relative

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date April 2, 2009

British author Hannah Pool pens a prolific tale of reuniting with her birth family in Eritrea, a war-town African country. Pool was adopted from an Eritrean orphanage by a white couple. “My Fathers’ Daughter” (Simon and Schuster, $25) is profound because Pool doesn’t just share typical details, but she reveals her innermost thoughts as well as her impression of newfound relatives who sought her out. Not only was Pool brave, but she seems fearless in nature. She illustrates this by spending a few days with her family and other relatives in Asmara, but she leaves her comfort zone and returns to Keren, her birthplace and where her mother died.

Pool feels comfortable by her audience and exposes them to every detail of her journey. After the book ended, I wanted to know more. Has she returned to visit her family? But the most we know is that she is a beauty editor for The Guardian newspaper, and she is an independent Londoner.