Standing out as a Design Gangsta

As a graphic designer you have to do something to stand out above the rest. I still haven't figured out how to really do that, but this guy certainly did. I love how he uses all of the design terms and he goes past the wall of famous designers. Not to mention he is from my new state North Carolina. Pretty funny.

Mute Math

So this past Friday Wade, Eric Phillips, and myself made our way uptown Charlotte to see the band Mute Math. I had listened to their cd previously and really enjoyed them and I knew that they were super creative, but my face was completely rocked off and from here on out I will be at any show they have that is near me.

Here are some things that I saw that made me know this concert was going to be the jam:

1. I was basically on the front row. There was one girl in front of me so I had one of the best views ever.
2. The drummer came out on stage, took a roll of tape and wrapped it around his headphones so they wouldn't came off as he rocked out. He also had this look on his face like he was missing a few screws and on some medication.
3. The lead singer did these super awkward dance moves that ended up being somehow extremely cool.
4. The band members all rotated instruments. The bass player went to the drums, then the singer played keys/keytar and did some drum stuff, then the guitar player did some keys. It was crazy.
5. The drummer did this drum breakdown (video below) and just picked up his drums and set them on things and didn't care if anything got messed up.
6. During one song, the lead singer did some handstand kind of things on his keyboard and then flipped over it, then he jumped back over and pulled down a speaker.
7. When they played their last song, the stage ended up being in complete ruins. The drums had been knocked over, mics were on the ground, a guitar had been taken by the audience. Everyone knew that there wasn't going to be another song.

I guess you can tell from those things that these band members are just crazy. And wouldn't you know it they are all Christians and if you read their lyrics you will notice it. I love how these guys are Christians, but rock the boat on how the music has to be. They have come out with a sound that is so different from any other band and they are getting recognized. I think this is a perfect example of how being really creative is something that God is pleased with. He didn't make us to watch someone and do exactly what they do. He made us so that we would take risks and chances and even if you look stupid at least you tried it.



(This video is from the concert in Charlotte that we saw and seems to have the angle of exactly where I was standing. You can see the bass player has taken over the drummer's spot, the drummer is the one going to town on his sideways drum, and the singer moved from the keys to hitting the standing drum in the back.)

(This is them wrapping up the drum breakdown.)

The lone married one, until...

I got married two months before I turned 21, to Wade who is 8 years older than me, while I still had one year left of college. Needless to say my friends who I grew up with weren't anywhere close to making that decision and I have been the lone married one out of our high school clan for awhile now. But the other day one of my best friends Alyson called me to let me know she just got engaged! I loved hearing Alyson say that she got engaged and knowing by experience how much she is going to love marriage and that this is going to be such a wonderful time for her. So I had so much excitement inside for Alyson that I had to post a blog about it.


(Watch out Alyson, the roles are about to be reversed! What?!)

Chuck and Design

Wade and I have quite a few shows that we really enjoy watching. One of those shows is called "Chuck." It comes on NBC at 8 and is about this everyday type guy who saw top secret information and is now helping secret agents figure out national security issues. It is a humorous show with action and romance. You will love it. I actually told Wade last week that I wished Chuck could come on every night.

Although I love the show and I think you should watch it that isn't the reason for the post. The reason I posted about Chuck is because it wins the title in my opinion for best beginning credits for a tv show. One area of graphic design that you can specialize in is coming up with these opening credits (like the opening credits for the Spiderman movies). If I was better at animation I would love to come up with these. So when this show fully embraced the creative opening I was super excited.

Bless Back Project Rages On

I went to church this Sunday and found out that Elevation had an article written about it in the Charlotte Observer. The Observer heard about our Bless Back Project and put the story on its front page. I am so excited that all over Charlotte random people are being blessed by Elevation Church attendees. I think people have gotten so excited about it they don't want to stop with what the church gave them. Instead they are reaching into their own pockets to figure out how they can serve and help others with the money that God has provided them in their own wallets and checking accounts.


And you Mt. Horeb peeps, I have been looking on the website to see what you have done with your money, even though you live in Columbia you aren't exempt from sharing your Bless Back story online! Can't wait to hear them.

Survival Cookbook

I used to be a horrible wife. For the first two years of our marriage, I made Wade a Lean Cuisine every night. That was our big dinner...Lean Cuisine. I always wanted to cook and change things up, but I felt like cooking took too long and I wasn't organized enough to plan out what I was going to cook ahead of time and then I wouldn't have the right groceries. It wasn't fun. I even had a few times where I was so sick of eating Lean Cusines that I thought I would throw up when trying to eat one.

So when we moved to Charlotte I figured I had some more time on my hands and my husband was working hard at the office so I decided to try cooking. I had two criterias for any meal that I might prepare. 1. It had to be super easy. 2. It needed to be healthy. So I went on the hunt for cookbooks on Amazon.com and found two cookbooks that I thought might work well. I have used one A LOT and if you are in any situation like I was in I think you will like it too.

The book is called "The Weeknight Survival Cookbook" (subtitle "How to Make Healthy Meals in 10 Minutes") by Dena Irwin, R.D. She gives a shopping list for the week and then you use a lot of leftovers from previous meals later in the week and that makes my grocery bills even cheaper. For example, I made a turkey meatloaf on a Monday and then on Wednesday we had a spaghetti type meal that the leftover Turkloaf was chopped into. Then she also takes shortcuts in some places, but in other areas you are making a sauce or something from scratch so it feels like I can truly tell Wade I cooked something for him instead of popping something in the microwave or oven. And that makes me feel proud of my skills.

The first week I bought everything on her shopping list, but I realized Wade and I don't eat 6 big meals a week. So I decided to pick 4 of her meals and then only buy what I need for those, which makes my grocery bill like $70 for a week of meals. All the meals are 4 servings so I end up eating some of the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Hope this helps any of you struggling out there. I won't say I feel completely comfortable with cooking yet, but I am learning.

I am the Law Giver

This was just too funny not to post.

I love when big businesses (Toyota) use a humorous approach to selling their product. I don't know if it causes more people to buy it or not, but I think it is funny and then I end up watching it multiple times, so other people must do that too. Funny phrases makes this advertisement go to a whole new level of awesomeness. Did you see me lay down the law?

Weekend Recap

I have been doing a pretty bad job of blogging regularly. I just always put that as the last thing on my list and then of course I never get to it. So I apologize. I will do better, but I am not making a promise that you can hold me to.

Weekend Recap

1.So my small group girls (and my friend/co-leader Wendy and her daughter Lauren, and our friends Nick and Trevor, but for the sake of simple writing all of these people are included in the term "small group girls") came up and visited Saturday and Sunday. We ate at Firebirds (an awesome steakhouse) and they went to Elevation Sunday morning with me. It was so much fun. I loved being a host to them and loved getting to hear what is going on and just see them. They are all talking about college and what they want to do in their life and it seems so weird to think that when we first started hanging out they were tiny freshman. They want to come up like every month. I would absolutley love it!


(I have some sweet timer skills don't I? Too bad my eyes look like little slivers of black)


(Of course we had to do the traditional funny picture. Scooter looks a little depressed)

2.Elevation took crazy to a whole new level on Sunday when they passed out a total of $40,000 to the people who came. You can visit the Bless Back Project and see what people are doing with the money they received. This is the coolest thing I have ever seen a church do. I mean what church gives away its offering and then doesn't take up another one and asks it people to go crazy and do whatever they can to bless someone other than themselves and family members. I love it! They didn't care if you talked about Elevation or anything they just wanted to send out an attitude of generosity and catch on that we can do the same with our own money.

3.Then finally Wade was supposed to go out of town yesterday and today, but some plans fell through. Since he didn't have to go to Atlanta today I got to go to watch him play for an event last night in Columbia. Wade and the band did an amazing job and I was so happy I got to see it. We also went back to our old house since we know the people we sold it to. It felt so weird being in a house that we spent 2 years at (our first married years) and it is completely different. But even after visiting our old stopping grounds I am incredibly thankful that we live in Charlotte now and I have an awesome home.

3b.Also, Wade's friend Andrew brought him back a sword/big knife from Africa. Watch out if you sneak up on Wade too fast. He may cut you. Jk. Maybe.

Honey...can't you stop doing that?

So as I was running errands yesterday I overheard this conversation between an elderly couple:

(Both walk to car, woman is driving, woman pushes the unlock button on keychain, man goes for handle, man cannot open door)

Woman: (Irritated tone) You always do that. Everytime I try to unlock the door you grab it too early. You do it all the time.
Man: (silence)
Woman: Why do you do that all the time? You need to wait until until it unlocks and then open it.

At first I thought this was pretty humorous. You know seeing a little old couple not getting technology. But then I got kinda sad. I thought about how this woman was nagging her husband in public for anyone around them to hear.

I take it very seriously as a wife to uplift my husband. When we got married I transformed from being Ferris "everything is about me" Ivester to Ferris "I am now one in the eyes of God with my husband" Joye. I want to make sure that I am a loving and encouraging wife to Wade at home, in public, around friends, around strangers, or alone at our house. And I know that if I ever start to have a spirit of nagging or put him down in any way then the possibility of me turning into that elderly nagging wife increases.

So some application...Every once in awhile I ask Wade how I have made him feel. Have I lifted him up in public? Have I ever embarrassed him? And sometimes I get an awesome report and sometimes I may find out I said something that hurt his feelings, but I didn't realize it. I think it is so important and helpful to get this perspective from your husband.
Then there are those times that your husband will never hear what you say about him. I have seen groups of women get together that were Christians and they just talked about the things their husbands have done or do that irritates them. It is one thing to share situations to godly women to get encouragement and prayer, but to put down your husband for the fun of it is never good. So ask your friends to keep you accountable. Tell them to call you out if you begin to share something with a critical attitude. And ultimately pray that you will be sensitive to what you are saying about your husband. You will love seeing how courageous and strong your husband feels when he knows that his wife is always on his side.

Music and Lyrics

I don't know how many of you went to go see Music and Lyrics starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. I saw it right when it came out with Wade and his parents and then watched it again the other night at Kelly's. It is a romantic comedy and goes through the typical romantic comedy plotline, but there is one jewel of goodness that it has that most other romantic comedies lack. I am talking about the awesome 80's video that starts out the movie. I think if this had been a real 80's song it would have made it on my 80's mix tape/cd. Here it is in all its splendor.

Poor Scooter

Yesterday Scooter went to the vet. As a puppy he was so good at the vet. The doctor would stick out their hand and Scooter would lick them and his tail would wag like crazy. They would give him a shot and then he would kiss them again. I was so proud of him. But yesterday was different. Yesterday was not fun.

It all started when we walked inside. He was instantly on the hunt. He went around the vet office sniffing like a crazy dog. Usually when Scooter sees people he gets really excited and runs up to them and kisses them, but this time anyone that came up to him he backed away from. Then there were other dogs in the office that wanted to play with Scooter, but of course Scooter did this, "I'm scared, don't come near me" low growl/groan under his breath. That reaction I actually did expect. He is kinda skittish around other dogs.

Then he had to go to the back and get the shots. Normally this is where Scooter outshines other dogs. So sweet and not moving when it is time for the shots, but not yesterday, he was acting up so much they took him to the back away from me. So weird!

In the end, Scooter got all the shots and some treats. The vet told us that Scooter needs to go on a weight loss program. Apparently he has a chunky back side and some love handles. I feel your pain Scooter. So we had to reduce the amount of dog food we give him and he has to up his exercise to get rid of the weight. I guess it helps now that he has his backyard to roam around in. Here is overweight Scooter in his new fenced-in backyard.

A specific prayer

I know it is Tuesday, but God has been rocking my world the past two days because of the sermon this Sunday. I used to be all about journaling my prayers. I have two journals that are about halfway full that have prayers to God in them. At some point I stopped actually journaling, but without them I feel like I have no way to measure how God is answering my prayers. So after we moved I pulled out the journal and began to write down my prayers again. Every few days I try to go back through the week or so and see what I have been praying for.

Well I don't know how many of you heard Pastor Furtick's sermon, but one key point was about being specific with your prayer life. We tend to say, "Be with my parents," but God is already with them. How can you pray specifically for them? We also say, "God if it is your will we ask that you allow us to get this new job." It is like we are giving God an escape clause if he doesn't want to give us the job. If it isn't God's will he won't give you what you are asking for. We have to say what is on our heart and trust that God knows how to answer us. But ultimately both phrases are limiting our vision of God. How will we ever know how God is answering our prayers if we ask for something, but then give the "out phrase" or if we aren't specific enough to have any measure of an answer.

So as I looked through my journals I saw all of these "Be with...." and "God I only ask this if it is according to your will" and it was hard to measure the answers of my prayer life because I was never very specific. I figured if they were gray then I would be happy with whatever outcome happened. So I am now trying to make an effort to pray specific prayers. So when I flip through my journal after a few weeks or months I will see exactly how God answered my prayers. I will then become sensitive to what prayers aren't part of His plan for me and what prayers I wasn't ready to have the answers as yes. It is a journey that I believe is going to make me a stronger child of God.