The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director. Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year. God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started i...
The Boston Globe just did a story about Brooke White and other American Idol contestants who constantly talk back to the judges, and therefore, do themselves no favor with the public. I couldn't agree with the article more. In fact, the behavior of Brooke White and some other contestants has really been irritating me to say the least.
When this season of AI started, I was really crazy about Brooke, in fact I was rooting for her as well as a few other people. But at this point I can barely stand to watch her sing. And when she gets that pouty puppy dog look on her face as the judges are giving her feedback, as well as that glossed over look in her eyes, I just want to snap off my TV set. But I don't. Because usually David Archelete hasn't sung yet! (LOL) What in the world did Brooke think she signed up for anyway?
It just blows me away that these contestants don't realize they are shooting themselves in the foot by talking back to the judges. The judges are industry experts who, first of all, have been in the business for many many years and are speaking from a wealth of wisdom and experience. Second, and perhaps most important - the contestants would not be on that AI stage - PERIOD - were it not for the judges who put them there. They owe them a great debt of gratitude and should be doing nothing but using their EARS at the point of the judging, not their MOUTHS. I don't care WHAT Simon may say or do, it's not up to Brooke or any other contestant to correct him - about a song choice, about a violin player or anything else.
Remember the episode where Simon talked about the violin player that was accompanying Brooke and referred to it as "weird" and she started that dumb thing of poking her lip out to an extreme and rambling on and on to correct him? She pokes that lip out so far that I think, "can this girl stick her lip out any further and manage to look any more forlorn?" She did this combo "feel sorry for me" and "I'm about to cry" look and demanded that Simon apologize to the violin player. I'm sitting there in front of my TV thinking, "this is incredulous! You've got to be kidding...!" He probably doesn't even know the violin player, he was just saying that to choose a violin as a feature on that song was kind of weird and awkward. It was a poor choice. It was dorky. It didn't work. Whatever the case, Brooke is on a reality TV show but clearly out of reality. David Cook talked back to the judges (although not in as bad of a fashion -it was more of a borderline talk back) but I think he's seen the error of that and never crossed the line again. I'm so glad because he's become one of my favorites, and honestly that's one reason why - he doesn't talk back. Michael Johns was INCREDIBLE as a performer and I loved him, but one week he talked back to the judges about the "purpose of American Idol" and why he sang the song he did (after they called it a poor choice) and then, BAM! he's gone. Shocker! Or is it? Get a grip. Simon Cowell is one of the creators of American Idol. I can't even fathom what must have been going through his head when a contestant is standing there trying to expound on what the purpose of the show is. ** Sigh **
Reality is Simon, Paula and Randy put the contestants including Brooke on that show, and she's going to have to button up that poked out lip of hers if she expects to stay there. She's got a ton of potential but she's cutting her nose off to spite her lip her face. Last week the judges remarked that she was unusually quiet during the feedback time. She said it's because she realizes she had been talking back too much. I hope she hasn't learned her lesson too late. I used to enjoy her Carly Simonesque songs so much but at this point her back talk has sent me to the kitchen to get my black bean dip with corn chips and cranberry juice to stall for time until her songs are over.
This really relates to so many things besides AI. I have seen this time and again in life and ministry. In his blog post on receiving from his mentors, Pastor Perry Noble recently said, "When I meet with a mentor I don’t spend 30 minutes telling them about myself, my daily routine and how good I think I am. I ask questions and then SHUT UP! If I disagree I do not argue. If they ask me a question then I will answer…if not then I will keep on asking them my questions. They didn’t ask to meet with me…I wanted to meet with them–TO LEARN from them, not debate them.. Whether on AI, in business, school or the ministry, I think some people just naturally "get it" and some don't. If it wasn't so sad it would be humorous.
Comments
I think she's going home too, but we'll see.
David Archelete just can't be any sweeter than he is. I love that kid. He has such a spirit of teachability and humility and always soaks in what the guest artist and judges say. Not to mention his voice just melts you.