Sometimes, being able to spend time with family doing nothing is the best medicine for the soul. This was the idea for our trip this time to Cape Coral, FL to relax, don’t plan anything and just see where the trip took us. From the fun swimming in my in-laws brand new in-ground pool to Moonlit walks on Fort Myers Beach, the trip was calming, rejuvenating and most of all relaxing. Thanks to Danny & Mary for always being such wonderful hosts and great family. This video is dedicated to you both, and the love that Alexandra and I both share.

Ten years ago when I started out on this path to follow the show, actors and performers, never did I dream my ambitions would land me the role of Insider. Attending countless tour stops of The Complex Tour, MegaStar Tours 2.0 and 2.1, I’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge about the show, mechanics, behind the scenes and more importantly, I’ve kept the mystique surrounding the Blue Man and the world he lives within intact. There really is nothing like Blue Man Group, and truth is, there never will be.

My involvement with Blue Man Group has completely changed my life in such an incredible way. Two years ago, at a Fan Meet gathering from the online community, an event that I planned and hosted at Universal Studios Sharp Aquos Theater, I met my future wife. Alexandra Irick came into my life sharing the same passion that I had for Blue Man Group, and together we became increasingly involved with the company. Little did we know, our love for the show and company would be put to proper use this year with the announcement of an exciting new era in the Blue Man World, The Insiders.

ABOUT THE INSIDERS
Our exciting new Blue Man Group Insiders will bring you first-hand news, buzz, and information from the front lines of the Blue Man experience. They’ll be traveling backstage at shows and events, roving through audiences to find the “Ultimate Blue Man Fan,” and providing audience members with a bunch of cool surprises along the way.

The Insiders are no strangers to Blue Man Group. Joe Burke, previously the head of the long running fan-site Blue Man Library and web entrepreneur along with Alex Irick, Blue Man fan since 2007, will be hitting the road to bring you behind-the-scenes action and access to exclusive content. It’s fresh, fantastic and an exciting new way to engage yourself in the realm of all things Blue Man Group!

Joe Burke was hosted by Norwegian Cruise Lines on board Norwegian Epic for a short two-night preview cruise. Follow @rotcav on Twitter for live reports, photos and videos and check here on Blue Man Group Insiders official Facebook for more details and answers to your questions for all things blue. For more photos from the NCL Epic, visit my flickr page.

After the Norwegian Epic has made her debut early in July, she will continue to sail out of the Port of Miami alternating between Western and Eastern cruise routes. The Western Caribbean stops include beautiful ports of call in Mexico and Honduras. In the Eastern Caribbean, guests will be able to indulge in the beauty of St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and The Bahamas. The Epic’s second season in May-October 2011 will take her transatlantic to sail out of Barcelona Spain and will feature seven day cruises with stops in Florence/Pisa, Napes Italy, and Palma, Majorca Spain.

Upon arrival to the Port of Miami, we were able to check in quickly and hop on board within no time. I like the fact that we were able to carry our own luggage to our rooms ourselves. I find this much more convenient than some other cruise lines as I previously have attended. Usually the larger bags have to be checked and delivered to your room. (Now keep in mind that this was the inaugural sailing and check in may be different during a normal scheduled cruise.) The first thing I noticed after arriving onboard was the beauty of this ship. Everything is so rich, colorful, and elegant looking. From the up-lighting, to the colors, to an amazing chandelier in the middle of the promenade (which you couldn’t help but to stop and look at each and every time you pass by) everything will trigger your senses in multiple aspects.

I was thoroughly impressed once we arrived to our room. We were lucky enough to be able to get a balcony suite with an amazing view of the ocean. The balcony rooms have a bit of a curve around the walls to make it look larger than it really is. The TV is a plasma flat-screen; there is a sitting area, vanity area, and plenty of room for your luggage. The walk in shower actually opens up into the main room area, but curtains are provided for privacy. Other room options are inside rooms, deluxe balconies, spa balconies, and of course deluxe owner’s suites. The Epic also caters to the single traveler, which really impresses me. There are studio suites designed for solo travelers with their own private room, bed, and bathroom area. The singles are given access to a living room area to hang out with other solo travelers. I like the idea of this as I’ve always been an independent person. If I were single I would definitely take advantage of the studio suites.

The pool and outdoor area on the Epic was impressive as it features their first ever aqua park at sea featuring 3 waterslides. Imagine a full on water park while sailing in the middle of the ocean. The Epic plunge is one of the more popular slides as it represents a large bowl through a 200 foot long tube. The purple waterslide will propel you right through the rock climbing wall, and the green slide is 3 stories high and has plenty of twists and turns. There are a total of 2 main pools, 5 hot tubes, and a children’s play area. If rock climbing is something that interests you, you can choose to either rappel down the wall, or climb 33 feet up the wall. The Epic also caters to the health conscious and athletes with fitness centers, basketball court, volleyball court, and even an ice skating rink. Ice skating in your bathing suit? Now that’s Epic!

The Epic features entertaining show such as Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams, Legends in Concert, The Second City Comedy Troupe, and Nickelodeon at Sea. There is also plenty of nightlife, casinos, bars, and dance clubs along with 4 onboard bowling alleys. They also feature something very unique called Spice H2O. During the day it is used as a pool area, but at night the water is covered with a dance floor. Lights, music, and drinks take over this area with tiered seating and lounge chairs facing the dance floor. There is also a first ever on Norwegian Cruise Line, an Ice Bar. Everything is made of ice including sculptures and chairs. Worried about getting too cold? Have no fear as warm fur coats are provided before entering the bar. Another popular nighttime hang out is Club Bliss which features more of an adult oriented theme and a sensual atmosphere. I like how upon entering Club Bliss there is mist coming from the ceiling with projection imaging. There are DJ’s, dance cages and floors, a bowling alley, an erotic seating area including a bed; oh my!

Don’t worry about going hungry on the Epic! There are over 20 dining options featuring a culinary experience from around the world. There is also a more casual dining area, The Garden Café, which is more popular at breakfast and lunch featuring a huge buffet with sandwiches, pizza, burgers, hot dogs, Asian foods, Indian foods, soup, salad, and so much more! If you want to experience a more cultural culinary experience I recommend making reservations before sailing on your cruise. The more popular restaurants, to name a few, Cagneys Steakhouse, Le Bistro, Moderno Churrascaria, and La Cucina, tend to book up very quickly and it’s nearly impossible to get in without a reservation. Some of the less crowded restaurants in the evening are the Manhattan Room and Taste, which have a traditional dining room feel on a cruise ship.

Joe and I have attended this cruise on behalf of Blue Man Group and this was our main focus so I will give a brief summary and some advice based on my experience. First off, good news for Blue Man fans; the shows are free! Second, I recommend making reservations for the Blue Man shows. Yes, you need reservations just like you need to buy tickets at one of the main venues. I did notice that the second show was completely booked for the last evening on our cruise. There are no assigned seats and its first come first serve. The front row does tend to be popular and if you want a front/center seat I recommend arriving at least one hour prior to your show. I was highly impressed as I walked into the 681 seat theatre as it looks very similar to the land venues, but still has a cruise ship feel to it. Joe and I got to explore the backstage area while onboard. It was a little cramped but all in all, it felt like a normal Blue Man area with all the paint, props, PVC’s, and drums. Joe and I got to see two out of the four shows on our cruise. The show is eighty minutes long featuring the most popular acts shown on land venues with a couple of new surprises. They even featured their popular feast girl skit and fan favorites such as Drumbone, PCV IV, Time to Start, and the wildly sensational paper finale at the end. On a typical cruise, Blue Man Group will perform eight shows during a seven night cruise.

During our first adventure with the Blue Man Insiders, we got a little down time with the guys. We had a blast being able to do an elevator interview, (which you have to see to believe) joined the guys for a couple of fun activities on the ship, and attend a press conference. My main question for the guys was; what are the challenges of performing on a boat verses a land venue? The guys answer was simply that main challenge of doing this show on a boat is the movement of the ship during the middle of the show. This was the answer I was looking for and I knew this could affect the show in some way. They said that sometimes the movement of the boat can cause things like the TV head skit to become a bit unstable and can offer challenges for the chair walking skit.

All in all, I was very much impressed with our cruise. I’ve never had the chance to sail with NCL and will definitely be cruising with them in the future. Everything from the dining choices, to the entertainment, to the nightlife, the ship lived up to it’s name and has proven itself truly innovative. My advice to you is to make sure you are ready for fun in the sun, have your reservations made, and come with an open mind and you’ll be sure to have an epic time on the new Norwegian Epic!

Alex Irick was hosted by Norwegian Cruise Lines on board Norwegian Epic for a short two-night preview cruise. Follow @TheBlueGirlAlex on Twitter, and for live reports, photos and videos and check here on Blue Man Group Insiders official Facebook for more details and answers to your questions for all things blue.

What is the best way to navigate the ship and know where I’m going?
When arriving on board, you are given a mini pocket guide that you can easily slip into your pocket or carry item while browsing the ship. The guide is broke into categories based on where you want go. Example if you’re looking into dining options, just look under dining and it will list all restaurants, their location and deck number. The same is true for entertainment, whether you’re seeing Second City, Cirque Dreams, Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert or other shows, those categories are listed as well under Entertainment. Getting from point A to B is easy, and elevators located on multiple locations throughout the ship make deck hopping and maneuvering simple and fun.

Does it cost extra to see Blue Man Group on The Epic?
That’s the beauty of this ship, nothing costs extra! But if you’re looking to see a particular show, IE: Blue Man Group, than I would recommend making reservations on the ship 45 days in advance. The ship allows a certain amount of people to book their shows in advance and then they cut it off. So say you’re 15 days from your cruise date, and you attempt to make Blue Man Group seat reservations, chances are you won’t get them, and you’ll be placed into the stand-by category, which isn’t bad either. Once you arrive on the ship, it’s best to go straight to the box office, located on Deck 6 and make your reservations as stand-by. Chances are, you’ll have no issues getting in to see the show, and shouldn’t encounter any issues with reserving your stand-by seat(s). The same can be done for other entertainment shows, dining options and other areas that require a reserve list in advance. The quicker you reserve, the better off you are, and it costs nothing extra.

What can I expect when I get to the theater the night of my show? Is there show similarities to existing venues nationwide?
Upon arrival at The Epic Theater, you’ll notice a very 40-50′s style, that pays homage to the old school days of theater and vintage productions. Laced with lights, dancing girls and retro images and decor, the theater is about the size of the Briar Street Theater in Chicago, seating just over 600 guests, with balcony and lounge style viewing available as well. You will also notice some distinct familiarities if you’ve seen Blue Man Group prior to getting on the ship. For example the entrance music “Dulcimer” plays like all venue shows, and the LED boards light up about 10 minutes to show time with the usual wording like from USA theatrical productions. Once the show starts, one will notice core elements adapted from the Rewired/Orlando productions have made their transition onto The Epic’s stage. The showtime runs about 80 minutes or less, and there is a brief and short meet and greet to your right balcony as you exit the theater. An announcement will be made after the show is over about where to meet and have your picture taken with the Blue Man Group. Also, merchandise exclusive only to NCL The Epic is available just outside the theater at the box office area, so check out the new gear.

How is the Internet availability on the ship?
Pretty much like every other cruise, hit and miss. As you sit down to open your laptop, you go to your browser, create a username/password and enter your date of birth and stateroom #. You then select from a variety of data plans with the highest/longest plans per minute resulting in the better values overall. Keep in mind, this is a satellite connection and not broadband, so signal and speed is not the best, and the ship is always moving which makes from some connection lag and downtime. If you’re wanting to simply check your email, then I highly suggest late night or early mornings when traffic is minimal and signal is best. Also, to avoid those data-roaming charges on International waters, I recommend turning on the Airplane Mode on all handheld PDA’s and cells, or turning off the 3G-Cellular functions. Otherwise, if left on, you could charged a hefty penalty by your cell phone carrier for International rates and texts, especially iPhone users. On a personal note, if you’re on a 5-7 day cruise, the last thing you would want is Internet, but that’s my personal opinion. Enjoy the islands, nightlife, dining and entertainment, and worry about your emails, Internet and Facebook when you get back on land.

I’m traveling single, and am going to enjoy the nightlife, entertainment and cruising experience. Are there options for me since I’m traveling solo?
There are! THE NCL Epic offers a new room called the studios. It’s a small room, kind of the size of college dorm, but targeted to the young, single crowd. So, unless you’re wanting to pay more for a bigger room with a bigger bed for two or family of 3 or more, the single option is the way to go.

Joe Burke was hosted by Norwegian Cruise Lines on board Norwegian Epic for a short two-night preview cruise. Follow @rotcav on Twitter for live reports, photos and videos and check here on Blue Man Group Insiders official Facebook for more details and answers to your questions for all things blue. For more photos from the NCL Epic, visit my flickr page.

Look for full videos and photos up on the official Blue Man Group Insiders Facebook next week. If you haven’t clicked the like button on the page, please do so and stay up to date with me Alex as we begin our many travels together between now and Summer 2011 for Blue Man Group. It’s going to be an amazing ride, and we’re inviting you to hop along with us for the fun and excitement.

Here are some fun facts about the newest Norwegian cruise ship EPIC.
* Gross Tonnage: 153,000
* Length: 1,068 feet / Beam: 133 feet
* Passengers (double occupancy): 4,228 guests / 1,690 crew
* Maiden Voyage: June 21, 2010
* 7-NT East & West Caribbean Cruises from Miami, FL – Sails July 2010 through April 2011
* 7-NT Mediterranean Cruises from Barcelona – Sails May through October 2011
* 20 Dining Options
* 20 Bars & Lounges
* The Aqua Park / Main Pool
* 1 Kid’s Pool / 6 Hot Tubs
* Exclusive Villas Complex
* Spa Suites & Spa Staterooms
* Studios & The Living Room
* Family Accommodations
* All Oceanview staterooms have Balconies
* 2 Bowling Alleys
* Climbing & Rappelling Walls
* Epic Casino
* 4 Adult-Only Clubs
* Mandara Spa & Beauty Salon
* Pulse Fitness Center
* Entertainment featuring Blue Man Group & the Second City Comedy Club

Follow my Tweets and check-ins @rotcav
All content and media for the Norwegian EPIC and future travels will be posted on our official Facebook: Blue Man Group Insiders.
To track the live coverage of this event on Twitter: #NCLepic or #EpicMiami.

Look for us, who knows, you could be picked to be an exciting part of the show!

So, it’s always been one of those post-teen goals to meet the man behind the mask, in this case Darth Maul from Star Wars : Episode I – The Phantom Menace. I’ve never officially attended a sci-fi convention like Dragoncon or Comicon. So getting to meet some of my favorite celebs who have portrayed some of the best roles in modern day pop culture isn’t exactly the easiest task to accomplish. I know that Disney’s Star Wars Weekends would be my one chance to meet Ray Park for the first time, and congratulate him on a great season of NBC’s Heroes, and his previous roles as Snake Eyes in GI-Joe and Star Wars. All three franchises are etched into society as cult pop culture mainstays. Here’s how my experience that day unraveled, from start to finish.

Having a hunch that this undertaking might be large scale, and difficult to pull off, I knew I had to get up before dawn that morning if I wanted to guarantee my chance at a fastpass ticket to meet Ray Park. Having read previous encounters at Star Wars weekends online, and how the whole process works, on top of that this being the last weekend for Star Wars Weekends, I had to have both persistence and a lot of patience. You have to imagine, hundreds of people will be in line ahead of me to get their ticket, I had to play my cards just right. The whole Disney undertaking is like this: 1) To meet and get autographs with celebrity actors, you have to be in a special line cue before the park opens up clearly marked outside the main entrance before you walk up through the security bag check. 2) At 8:45am, Disney cast members would hand out the fastpass tickets to each person in line with proof of admission, annual pass-holders or Disney Resort cards. 3) If you missed your chance at getting a fastpass before you get up to the cast member handing out the tickets, you “could” be given a stand-by card that didn’t guarantee you could meet the celebrity actors, but if time allotted, you may have a chance if the actors wanted to sign more autographs. So, Alex was set to get up at 5:20am, and leave by 6:20am for work on the morning 11th of June, and I left her a note on her laptop the night before “Please wake me up before you leave.” She knew what I was doing, and why I was going, and like a true trooper had no gripes and was fully supportive of my chance to meet my favorite action star. So, she woke me up at 6:15 on the morning of June 11th, and I kissed her good bye and walked her to the door as she left for work and quickly jumped in the shower and was out the door by 6:45.

Upon arrival at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I noticed there was cars already in the parking lot, and these cars was not in the cast member lot, it was public parking. Fearful that my chances were suddenly going downhill, I quickly parked and hustled over to the main entrance where I saw from a distance a massive line already formed. Quickly finding the right line for Ray Park, I sat there talking to those around me for the next 2 hours until 8:45am came. It was brutal, the sun the was hot, and the bath I just took didn’t even put a dent in what I was already feeling like that morning. Hot, sweating and needing something cold to drink, I was patient and stuck it out. There had to be at least 150-200 people in line ahead of me when I got in line.

Talking to others around me, we were all fearful that there was so many in line, we would just get stand-by passes and not the actual guaranteed fastpass. I was nervous, irritable and very frustrated, but I stayed and waited it out. 8:45am came, and the cast members walked the entire length of the line cue’s saying “Have your bags out for security and line up single fine one behind the other.” You could only imagine what was going through my head at this point: “Should I leave?” “Am I wasting my time?” “Is this really worth it?” “Gosh my back is sweaty.” Yeah, that’s just a few examples of what I was thinking. The line began moving forward, and I saw the area where the cast members where hand delivering the fastpasses to all those in line. I heard one guard say to other as I passed by, “A large group of kids where here last night at 9pm and camped out to get tickets for Ray Park.” Well that just made my situation a lot more stressful and less inviting. But the line kept inching up, one by one, the passes were being handed out. Would I get one? Would it be a stand-by? Will they run out? The line was getting closer and closer to the cast member when I was just 5 people away from getting my ticket in hand. I looked at my peers around me and we all high-fived each other as we all got the actual fastpass to see Ray Park. My time was between 2:35-2:50pm in the afternoon. This was perfect! I got to roam the park, snap pictures, watch the Star Wars celebrity motorcade and interact with some of Star Wars’ greatest characters like Chewbacca and R2-D2.

This was a site for sore eyes, I was in the park and I look up at Star Wars storm troopers were cracking jokes at the people below entering the park. I felt a sense of happiness and joy, kind of like the giddy feeling you get as a child when your mom buys you that toy you’ve been wanting because you were a good boy! Here are some snaps I took while roaming Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekends.

At first I got a little fumbled for words when I asked him to sign my action figure of Darth Maul, so I paused and took a breath and then starting talking about my favorite TV show, Heroes. I told him I missed the show, and missed seeing him as Edgar from the series. The conversation grew and I naturally felt a little at ease. For the first time, Ray wasn’t plastered on the silver screen, but standing right in front of me and we’re both were having intelligent conversation about something that wasn’t even Star Wars, NICE! I think he liked that even more, and was so polite to answer questions and listen to what I had to say. He wasn’t the typical Hollywood glitzy glamor type either, and was perceived as being very humble and down to Earth. I was pleasantly surprised that Ray was such a nice guy, and I was hoping that he wasn’t the typical ego type.

With Blue Man Group co-founders Chris Wink on left, and Phil Stanton on the right.

Documenting the Lips & Eyes Shoot at BMP’s 3rd Street “Playground” space.

With Blue Man Group at the Astor Place theater. This is senior blue man, Randall Jaynes.

Alexandra with senior blue man actor Brian Scott at Astor Place Theatre.

This trip was mainly focused around a business aspect, but there was some down time to enjoy the sites and sounds that this great city has to offer. NYC has a heart that will never stop beating, a conscious that will never be altered and a spirit unlike non-other. There is bad in NYC, but the good most certainly outweighs the bad in retrospect. Alexandra and I got the chance for the first time to hang out in the most somber places in the city, Central Park. Not only was the romantically invigorating, but peaceful at the same time. Watching the ducks, turtles and geese swimming around the pond calmed me right down and gave the chance for me and my lovely wife to be to take it all in, slow down and think about all the blessings that has just been granted to us in life. Count your blessings, daily, it will motivate you to keep fighting the good fight.

Me and Alexandra at Central Park on the corner of 59th.

Central Park bridge, noted in many movies and NYC landmark.

Alexandra loving every minute of riding the NYC Subway

We also got the chance to to see our first official Broadway musical, “American Idiot the Musical” inspired by the rock band Green Day. Sitting there, watching the songs of the album by Green Day “American Idiot” come to life on stage gave new meaning to me in the times we’re living in. Green Day are geniuses when it comes to the concept of this album, and really speaks as a rock anthem to the society when you study the lyrics closely. Not many artists/bands compose such masterpieces these days, and the whole album is really a reflective glimpse of society and living life in a post 9-11 era of New York City. Overcoming drug addiction, being recruited by the military and living life as a deadbeat was the underlying themes for this production, and it was grounded by phenomenal acting, harmonic singing and a rock atmosphere that was just as electric as a concert performed by Green Day themselves. There were scenes of the production that almost tugged at your heart and made you emotional when reflecting back on the events of September 11th, and Green Day’s song “Wake Me Up When September Ends” flowing beautifully into this selection. Wow… I highly recommend you see and experience this production at Times Square in New York, and here’s two little tips for those of you planning to see it. Tip #1, As you exit the theater, take the time to add your signature to the hallway leading into the lobby, make your mark, say something, and you’ll be a part of Broadway history. Tip #2, As you exit the theater entirely, hang by the barricades outside and be patient as the performers come out of the theater to sign autographs and take photos with their beloved audiences. The actors are so polite and considerate, they really make you feel appreciative, so don’t by shy in asking for a photo and signature on your PlayBill.

The “Fan Wall” of guest signatures which covers the entire entrance hallway to the St. James theatre.

Alexandra signing the “Fan Wall” after the show.

Alexandra with 2010 Grammy Performer and American Idiot cast member Rebecca Naomi Jones.

There was so much more things that happened on this trip that I would love to talk about, but I’m holding back. Another time, another blog another chapter. Blessings to you all!

Me and Alexandra, taking it all in before we ended our night at Times Square.

View from Times Square, and how we rounded up our NYC travels on day two.

For more pictures from this trip, click here to visit my Flickr page.

Many religions, denominations and cultures that are Christian based all have wonderful doctrines, teachings and ministries worldwide. But the majority of these denominational organized religions delude the simple message of Christ with traditions, rules, man-made laws and ceremonial concepts. It was noted that there was over 650 rules for Christians to try to follow before Christ came to this world. These rules covered everything from marriage, ways to worship and even down to proper ways of pleasing to God of sacrificing animals as atonement of sins. Are we as human beings in corrupt mental and physical bodies expected to uphold all 650 of these rules? Of course not! We can’t as a matter of fact. Our human nature won’t allow it, and even when we feel we’re okay in one area of our lives, according to old biblical doctrine you could be breaking the rules and laws of God.

What happened to all these rules? Where did they go? And why do we often find ourselves following rules that other people set in motion in our own lives, when we should be rewriting the scripts for our futures ahead!? I usually don’t get into religious blogs, but this one, I can’t turn down. One event happened in history that changed rules and laws that governs Christian religious belief and that was the entrance of a Savior into the world. Not only did Christ break down the walls of rules, Christian politics and laws, but He rewrote them in such a manner that even a 3 year old child could understand. How powerful of a message is that! The simple message of “LOVE” was all that Christ magnified. Galatians 5:13 “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” The understanding is simple, the groundwork is elementary yet modern day denominations require some of the oddest cultural traditions that they feel will ultimately get you to Heaven. For example, some churches and faiths believe that woman should never cut their hair, never wear makeup, no jewelry and mens hair should be above the collar of a shirt. It’s true, I’ve actually been to some churches that practice this traditional style of worship. Some denominations even go as far as not allowing any musical instrument in their sanctuary. Is this the right way to worship and be free? By following these hand-me-down beliefs and traditions, will it get you closer to the almighty? Some say yes, I say no. If Christ wanted us to love and serve, then we as his disciples should follow in His footsteps and do just that!

By breaking down the walls of governed doctrine, We as believers are free from the bondage of law and rules that other Christian faiths have mandated for centuries. In doing so, we can do a total 180 and go in the other direction, seeking out our enemies, foes and those that despise us and show them the love of an almighty God. By serving others, you humble yourself, just as Christ did at the last supper when he washed the feet of his twelve disciples. The entire law was summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself(v14 Galations 5). Be faithful and serve those that hate you, betray you, despise you and hurt you. Which leads me to my next topic, churches that have cliques who argue, fuss and fight over the silliest of things. Much like Apple iPhone has the phrase, “There’s an app for that,” The Bible has a verse for the church on bickering members; “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other (v15 Galations 5). Losing site of of Christ’s freedom and arguing will only devour your life’s purpose and God’s ultimate plan for you and your life! How many times do you drive by country roads and see church after church, sometimes spaced feet apart or across the street from each other? If you can’t get along in the house of God now, how can you expect to so the face of the almighty with malice in your heart toward your fellow church members? Many folk, like myself, just don’t join churches because of scars from past experiences due to avid church members that can’t keep their mouth shut on what they feel is right. Wake up, it’s not what you feel is right anyway that matters, it’s how you portray yourself in the everyday world and serve others with love, kindness, humility and compassion that we should be more concerned with.

So I challenge you, if you believe as a Christian, stop for a moment and look at Christs three main principles: love, serve and believe. If your denomination is adding anything else to this equation, you may need to get a front end alignment on your brain and set your feet on the straight and narrow. Back home in KY, I was member of at least 5 churches in 3 denominations. You could say I was soul seeking for the right way, path and answers of life. But many times, clouding Christ’s ground breaking message with handed down ways, traditions and requirements only confuses people. Some people get so wrapped up in attempting to follow rules, they forget to relish in the joy of their own salvation. It amazes me that people spend their entire lives perfectly happy where they are at in their spirituality. They get up Sunday morning, take a shower, get in the car, go to church, make sure all the kids dress right, make sure no one’s hair is too long or short, look at other people’s clothing, and then promptly dismiss church, and the cycle repeats week after week. What exactly are you accomplishing in your life? I challenge you, Christians, non believers or anyone else that reads this blog to simply “DO SOMETHING” with your life. We all have a purpose, a goal and Christ wants us to meet that expectation. Break the redundancy in your life cycle, and evaluate your surroundings. Love, Serve and simply believe.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Simple Faith [Remastered] is a remastering and new production of the original tracks from the first release of Simple Faith back in 2004. Now, newly mastered tracks featured new mixes that bring out full synthesized soundscapes and add new light to some older collective works. As an added bonus, this [Remastered] edition of Simple Faith adds four new songs: What Goes Around Come Around, Meat Grinder and new 10 year anniversary remix and remake of the Simple Faith song and finally an instrumental piano solo which showcases the melody from “Love, Life & Redemption’s” Cosmic Romance (Alex Mix) dance track.

I’ve always wanted to do something with my acting skills, and having no proper or formal acting training this will be the perfect outlet for me to showcase my talents. It’s easy to act in front of a camera, it’s much harder to act only in audio format to convey emotions and sound real. This could potentially lead to bigger and better things for me, and I’m super excited to get started. I got the good news I was cast on April 27th, there’s that number again! That’s a total off-topic tangent on the number 27 and how it follows in my daily life, and I’m very serious, even Alexandra points it out to me now and chuckles about it. Back to the topic, Zack Daggy is supposed to be making an official announcement soon on his blog site, so stay tuned! I’ll be announcing the new acting gig this Wednesday night on Crossroads at 7pm Eastern.

Oh, one more thing, Astra Audio is holding a contest for an autographed copy of Zack Daggy’s “Dark Worlds : Project 31″ and above is the audio promo they’ve released, just hit play, for promotion. Check it out and enter! Go to the official contest web site by clicking here, for more details.