Friday Night Videos

You had to know that this would be all about U2, right? LOL! Well here are my videos and then some videos from others who made recordings in SLC.

While recording I was having a tough time holding still...singing and dancing while holding still is really hard. LOL! Here are few of the videos I took with my old camera:


Bono:




Miss Sarajevo:


I found some other recordings from others from Tuesday night:
I Will Follow


Sunday Bloody Sunday (I can see Richard and Elida with their hands in the air):


Miss Sarajevo:


Pride:


Elevation:


One recorded in Denver:

360 Awesome

Tuesday night Sandy and Elida (who had come into town) joined me, Eric and my brother at the U2 concert here in SLC. A friend from junior high school, Erik, also flew into town to join us and Eric's brother, Evan, came with us.

We had purchased our GA tickets for last year's concert, but it was cancelled due to Bono's back injury, so with a lot of disappointment, we held on for a year. The wait left us with a tremendous amount of anticipation.

We camped out all day on Tuesday (in the rain, in our tent, playing cards), but the clouds moved on and the sun came out and we had beautiful weather for the concert. When we finally got into the stadium, we declared a spot in the "inner circle" at the outside of edge along the bar. We had such a great view of the stage and the catwalk.

The Fray opened the concert. I have heard their music, but I'm not super familiar with their music. They were pretty good and I'm sure I'll be listening to their music more.

When U2 made their way to the stage, I was overcome with the emotion of seeing them again. A few tears escaped as I jumped up and down, screaming and cheering and singing along. They played songs I've never heard them play live: Even Better Then the Real Thing and Zooropa. I positively loved singing my favorite songs with them! I cannot say how much it is that I loved this concert!!! Love love loved it!!!

My pictures:

Here is the write up in the SL Tribune, which was the best of the paper write ups:

by David Burger

A 164-foot-tall in-the-round set, which spanned the width of the football field and towered over the Olympic torch. The Claw, perched on four legs, was topped by a glowing needle, which more pessimistic observers opined looked like a lightning rod that in stormy weather would invite death and destruction to Bono and the rest of the band.

But God didn't want to strike down Bono on Tuesday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium, as the skies were clear as the Only Band That Wants to Matter launched a two-hour-plus, 24-song epic set that thrilled the more than 40,000 audience members.

The evening had a festive mood with the crowd engaging in The Wave minutes before the band took the stage, as if the Utes were about to whip their new Pac-12 rivals.

U2 began the concert with its ultimate tribute to 1990s irony, "Even Better Than the Real Thing," but the rest of the night was largely devoted to the earnestness the band is known for, especially during a peace rally in the midst of "Walk On."

That's not to say they were not playful with one another; Bono joked to the crowd about guitarist The Edge's inability to get hot water in his hotel room for the past few days. The lead singer thanked the crowd three times for its patience, after having to postpone the concert for a year because of his back injury, "We are so much better than last year," Bono said.

The night was full of the arena anthems that have exploded inside stadiums and your car radio for three decades, but the night's best moments came during songs that weren't as high-profile as "One." During "Miss Sarajevo," Bono showed off his jaw-dropping vocal flexibility, singing the late Luciano Pavarotti's operatic aria that was in the original version of the song. Later, the title track to "Zooropa" bubbled and percolated as the band was enveloped by a illuminated steel web that descended from the top of The Claw.

It was also the night of Bob Dylan's 70th birthday, and Bono led the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" to Mr. Zimmerman after adding some lines of the Bono-Dylan collaboration "Love Rescue Me" to the end of "All I Want Is You." Best of all, Bono, accompanied just by his own guitar, crooned the first verse of "Blowin' in the Wind" before expanding into "Where The Streets Have No Name."

But in the end, the night was about the emotional connection U2 made with the crowd, with The Claw serving its purpose to make the stadium feel intimate. It has often been said that seeing U2 is a religious experience. But if only every day of church could be this loud, thoughtful and pulse-quickening.

God, don't strike me down.

Watch for the videos on Friday Night Videos!

Friday Night Videos

I saw this commercial a couple of days ago and knew it would make my list this week. I have many friends who have suffered from severely low self esteem because of unaccepting family and friends simply because they are gay. I thought this was a beautiful project:

So, it's the end of the world tomorrow,and I found some shelter from the zombies....LOL! Well, I like the shelter, anyway:

I love listening to classical music (and really all times of music)and I found this to be very cleverly put together. (very talented yoddeling):

Another incredibly fun to watch musician:

Tuesday's Thought

It was a bit somber around our house and Eric's family, coming out of the weekend.

Eric's dad and step mom had a wonderful dog, Mischief, who passed away yesterday. He was old and sick, but it's not easy to say good bye to a family member, even a dog, as many of us know.

(Gayle with Mischief) Not long after that news, we were notified of the passing of a family friend in Eric's family. It's a passing that came earlier than expected but wasn't something that wasn't expected, in time.

So, this week's thought is about the comfort one must find, in losing those we care about.

From Helen Steiner Rice

When I must leave you
For a while-
Please do not grieve
And shed wild tears
And hug your sorrow to you
Through the years,
But start out bravely
With a gallant smile;
And for my sake
Live on and do
All things the same,
Feed not your loneliness
On empty days,
But fill each waking hour
In comfort and in cheer
And I in turn will comfort you
And hold you near;
And never, never
Be afraid to die,
For I am waiting for you in the sky!

Friday Night Videos

Everything comes down to the Simpsons, so here's a funny scene:

What one guy is doing to save his house and property in Arkansas:

A brilliant way to chop wood:

If I could have a super power it would be teleportation....I like the way this guy put together a fun video of practicing to teleport:

Tuesday's Thought

One of my favorite quotes is really a song on the muppets:

Just One Person by The Muppets

If just one person believes in you,
Deep enough, and strong enough, believes in you...
Hard enough, and long enough,
It stands to reason, that someone else will think
"If he can do it, I can do it."

Making it: two whole people, who believe in you
Deep enough, and strong enough,
Believe in you.
Hard enough and long enough
There's bound to be some other person who
Believes in making it a threesome,
Making it three.....
People you can say: believe in me.....

And if three whole people,
Why not -- four?
And if four whole people,
Why not--more, and
more, and
more....

And when all those people,
Believe in you,
Deep enough, and strong enough,
Believe in you...
Hard enough, and long enough

It stands to reason that you yourself will
Start to see what everybody sees in
You...

And maybe even you,
Can believe in you... too!

Here the Muppets sing the song as a tribute to Jim Henson:

Collin's 11th Birthday Dinner

We all went to dinner to celebrate Collin's birthday on April's birthday...so we celebrated both of them...April - long distance.

Collin loves sushi so we went to Simply Sushi. I love sushi and it was pretty good, but I told Collin that I would take him to some REALLY good sushi the next time we have a Collin-Weekend.

It's stange to see him at the age of eleven...I remember being eleven years old and it was a tough year...one of my tougest as a kid. I am committed to help Collin (and the other kids) through a rough patch in their lives.

Here are a few of the pictures of the kids:
Sweet little Marcus:
Tough kid Andrew:
The amazing Elise:

The most awesome 11 year old I know! Collin:

Happy Mother's Day

Eric and I are so grateful for our mothers. We enjoy spending time with each of them and have loved them in our lives.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Friday Night Videos

Here are the videos for the week.

I thought this would be my first one this week; I was touched by it:

A pretty impressive musician:

The Landlord...shamefully funny:

With mother's day on Sunday, I have to wish my friends and my mom a Happy Mother's Day:

Tuesday's Thought

THOUGHTS OF A CHAMPION

Although I am only one in a million, I am somebody and that makes me as good as the next person.

There is nothing in this life I cannot do. There is no goal I cannot tackle and have success.

If I feel deep down inside that something is important to me, then I can do it! If my mind can conceive it and believe it, then I know I can achieve it.

No longer will I drift through life feeling sorry for myself, because self-pity is the seed of destruction. I will search for my goal with enough hard work, total commitment, determination, dedication, and self sacrifice, that I know I will reach it.

I know that there will be many times when it will seem that all odds are against me and I will have to fight one battle after another, but I will not give up!

--Author Unknown