Nov 17, 2007

nywc: atlanta - day three, part 2

First, an observation...

I have noticed that when people are in a crowd like the one we're in, there is some pressure to dance. The artists are known to say things like, "Alright, ya'all... I want to see everyone in this room up on their feet and when I say 'dookie dookie' you need to jump on up." Thanks, but I'm at the stage in life when I get to decide what to do on 'dookie dookie,' but I'm also still young enough to vertical dance/jump up when that's what feels like the right thing to do in such a 'dookie dookie' moment.

That's not the observation, though. The real observation is the people who try to actually do the vertical dance/jump during these times.
  • The rookie: This is often someone dressed in a shirt with a collar. Male or female, you can tell they came to the event to take notes and not to vertical dance/jump up during 'dookie dookie.' Their jumping is usually cautious, and after about three or four attempts up and down, they stop to evaluate how they're doing, recalibrate with the crowd, then try three or four more and repeat the process.

  • The charismatic: This individual is a bit dangerous... makes people around them afraid to take their eyes off of them. If they had their way, they'd give him five feet all to himself. But they can't... so they don't... and they are afraid... very afraid... of being stomped on.

  • The arm-folder: This is that guy or gal who refuses to vertical dance/jump up during 'dookie dookie' but still goes into the front area where everyone is gathered who wants to jump dance during 'dookie dookie' - and I find this amazingly confusing.

  • The punker: This title doesn't mean to imply the person is a punk rocker, but rather they have a barbaric way about them in jump dancing. You can tell if they really wanted to they could go pro and win some trophies for the energy they put into the deal... if only it was an Olympic sport.


Now, an overview...

  • Brent Longenecker (entertainment): I can do that... I just don't want to.

  • Jeff Allen (comedian): This guy cracks me up... he's like a funny Tim Allen... who just woke up.

  • Bill Arnold (comedian): Nice... nice... not thrilling, but nice.

  • Family Force Five (music): I have to laugh... I just do. I don't know if it's a Christian Kid Rock concert or simply a joke I'll never get. These guys have talent - don't get me wrong. What they do with it, though, blows the mind. I had to use the restroom during this part... they sound amazing from the stalls.

  • Michelle (Compassion International): Wow... I had no idea. I believe I must do something about this... to see someone be blessed by this ministry AND open a school of the arts to minister in her country AND now sponsor a child of her own? To see what God is doing in and through this gal's life blew me away. I sat close to her, too... watching her worship was life-enlarging.

  • Louie Giglio (speaker): How does he flippin' do it? Every year Louie puts a message together just for me. Only this year I took it in differently... I'll write more on this later, but let me just affirm our God is good. Notes coming later.

  • Chris Tomlin (lead worship): Tomlin following Louie goes together just like Kibbles and Bits... or something like that. Afterward. Jesse from the band hung out with our church's lead worshipper Mike - they had a cool cat chat about this and that.

8 comments:

Heather said...

Sounds like it's been a great conference. Thanks for sharing all these thoughts.

Brian said...

Man, I miss NYWC. Anyway, just read all your NYWC blogs...good stuff. I hope you took in the late night L+F show...

Jennifer said...

Was Michelle from the Phillipines? If she was, she spoke at the church I'm going to 2 weeks ago. Crazy. I liked her too.

Tammie said...

Thanks for blogging from Atlanta. I wish I could go, but no dice this year.

You are so right about Tomlin and Giglio. Of course, most of the times that I have seen one, I have also seen the other ... Passion 06/07, HGIOG tour, NYWC Pittsburgh ...

Can't wait to read the extended version of notes on Louie's talk. He always knocks it out of the park!

gavin richardson said...

i am generally the pocket 'dookie dookie' guy. a subset of the arms fold guy. to help with the confusion, i am in retirement, had my days of mosh pits, crowd surfing & otherwise crowd induced behavior.. but i still enjoy the energy, so i relive the old days in semi-safe (remember the charismatic) environ of ys 'dookie dookie.'

Unknown said...

It's been awhile since I commented... Well, when I read the part about the rookie - I was thinking "Yeah, and they're probably got some church of Christ background influence in there somewhere." I can say that because I do! hehe... Only, I'm smart enough to stay out of the front section!

I saw Family Force Five last Winter Fest - WAY TOO LOUD to know if they were talented or not. I was pregnant at the time and I swore I would sue them if my baby was born deaf! hehe (She's got exceptional hearing!)But I have to say, they were very entertaining to watch - if I'd just thought about bringing ear plugs to a concert! Oh, I was there to see TobyMac and had never heard of FF5 until that night! Sometimes late at night I can still hear them screaming in my dreams!

hehe Thanks for sharing - I've enjoyed hearing about your experience!

blog.powertapministries.net

Anonymous said...

T.
Michelle spoke at our church a couple of weeks ago. Cool story and to see her sponser another child is awesome. We sponser 2 childern and if the "church" worldwide would sponser one child just think of what the "church" could accomplish!

Scott

tonymyles said...

Heather - totally amazing conference

Brian - Lost and Found rocks!

Jennifer - same Michelle. Very cool story - they said it will be on-line soon.

Tammie - Louie hit a homerun for sure.

Gavin - the 'dookie dookie' part of a song is always the best part, but whether or not I vertical jump dance is another story.

Melanie - they definitely have a way about them. I always find myself laughing at their act versus participating, but maybe that's the idea.

Scott - inspiring, indeed!