American Idol – Ziggy Steals The Show, Plus His Other Auditions

We’re two episodes in to the new season of Idol (thoughts on episode 1 here) and I guess we aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, huh? Enter Ziggy Krassenberg. He showed up for his audition with a unique style on display from his cotton-candy-colored hair down to his shiny boots. Before knowing more of his story, I thought the same thing this YouTube commenter did:

I never put it past any reality show to prop up whatever might be popular in progressive culture but with Ziggy, I stand corrected. The young man seems so genuinely nice, authentic, and there wasn’t one mention of gay, straight, bi, poly, he, she, ze, zay, trans this or trans that! It was actually kind of refreshing, his story. Ziggy Krassenberg is from The Netherlands where he’s been performing for many years. At age 15, he was on “Dutch Idols” and when he was 18, tried out for “The Voice Holland.” Here are those two auditions.

Ziggy, Ziggy, Ziggy, can’t you see? Sometimes your words just hypnotize [the judges]. And [they] just love your flashy ways…

The judges LOVED Ziggy’s performance and yes, it was really good. He seems to have a great blend of singer and entertainer. When someone sings with passion, when their body language matches the words, it can be hypnotizing. Anyone remember Jessica Sanchez?

22-year-old Ziggy Krassenberg from the Netherlands might just have what it takes to go far in this competition based on talent alone, but the key will be his overall presentation. What vibe is he giving off? His voice is great but what will the whole package be? He seems likable even though he said some people back in the Netherlands don’t like him.

He’s feminine. So what? He doesn’t fit the norm for a 22-year-old man. So what? He’s unexpected and I hope his style and all that extra stuff isn’t a cover up for low self-esteem because he sure can sing and like Lionel said, God gave him a gift. Embrace it, Ziggy!

For what it’s worth, I don’t like the direction the judges went after the audition, with Katie kicking off their comments by saying:

“There’s people that say all kinds of stuff about you online…”

I’m not sure where she got that information unless they edited out some of his story so we didn’t see it. I couldn’t find anything negative about Ziggy in the little bit of research I did writing this post. I’m guessing Katie, Lionel, and Luke were doubling down on the chicness of siding with the LGBTQ+ crowd, although we don’t even know for sure Ziggy is in that crowd. All we know so far is this, from Ziggy’s own words…

“The Netherlands is too small for a guy like me.”

Ziggy, chase the dream and I hope you find what you’re looking for, get what you’re working for, and experience kindness and love along the way!

-Out of the Wilderness

Only One Week Till The Next Duathlon!

To prep for a race earlier this month, I wrote out a calendar with pen and paper. I could’ve done it on my phone, I guess, but I really like having each day’s workout displayed in front of me where I can add stuff, cross things out, move things, and basically act like it’s 1995.

Everybody’s runnin’, but half of them ain’t lookin’
It’s going on in the kitchen, but I don’t know what’s cookin’…

RIP Coolio. Man that was a good decade for music.

So that calendar I mentioned, I posted it a few days ago (see it here). I thought today would be a good day to post the next calendar I made for the duathlon a week from today. Yikes, only 7 days away! Oh boy. My goal is 1:09:00 and be one of the top 15 guys and while I won’t be winning any prizes, I think I can reach my goals. Just got to keep training and pushing myself. Here’s the calendar for this month.

For sure, it won’t look the same by race day except for resting Friday and Saturday. As the old hymn goes, “Soon and very soon…” but we’re not “going to see the King,” soon I’ll have to add in swimming to the training calendars. Grrrrrrrrrr. My weakest skill but in a way it will be fun and gratifying to watch where I start and where I finish. Ideally, the latter will be far beyond the former. Otherwise other triathletes will just be swimming in a river of my tears.

“Why is this water so salty!?” – the triathletes

OK, OK, I’ll calm down. Next week’s run/bike/run race should be a fun one with friends I’ve made here in Tallahassee. My last long bike ride (and actually the furthest I’ve ridden in one ride) was yesterday, approximately 34 miles. Here’s the first half of the ride.

Surprisingly, I felt good for the entire ride and I liked doing it because the trail is flat. I’m getting used to hills so this was a good break from that. I also took the opportunity to go hard and fast a few times. It was cool! I went with my brother-in-law (who is a fellow triathlete) and a few friends who also have Trek bikes.

Hoping for a restful week as I prepare for what will be my second duathlon ever!

-Out of the Wilderness

Love Is Blind – Brittany, Kenneth, and His Phone

I’ve spent some of the episodes of “Love Is Blind” this season just skipping ahead. A lot of the dates are just talk, talk, talk and it’s booooooooorrrrrrrring. I’m up to episode 9 and a handful of couples are out of the pods, in the real world trying to make it on their own. These budding relationships trying to live up to the engagement agreed upon by the two parties. It’s working for some, but a few of the couples are on the highway to the danger zone. I’m looking at you Chelsea and Jimmy. But there’s another couple (spoiler alert) who recently broke up… Kenneth and Brittany. After they left the pods and got into the resort area/ apartment living, I think Brittany knew that she knew that she knew but wasn’t ready to admit it yet. Until this.

There might be, but is there anything more disrespectful than someone on their phone when you’re having a conversation with them? When they were in the middle of their breakup Brittany was crying, wiping away tears, sniffling, she was clearly hurting. Ken… on his phone. He even walked out of the room holding his phone up to his face. Nothing ticks me off more than someone who treats whatever’s on their phone with more importance than the person they’re physically with at the moment. Of course, that’s not always the scenario. Phones are a great tool. But read the room, Kenneth! I’m warning myself, too. I pray to God that I don’t let my addiction to my phone supersede what’s real and right in front of me.

-Out of the Wilderness

Running On Empty, Living For More

Some of my best ideas and thoughts come when I put on my running shoes and hit the pavement. Sometimes I even run in the rain. I’m not insightful enough to discern what it is that makes running such a purifying experience, but I love that it’s not just a physical workout. I recently watched Jon Bellion’s version of the old Switchfoot song “We Were Meant To Live” and there’s a part when the main character is running, sprinting, late at night. He’s fueled by past hurts, energized to push himself physically but the reality is that he’s being compelled not just to run, but to work out his feelings. Sometimes all I can do to work out my deepest thoughts is run.

I remember one time when I lived in Nashville I finished whatever distance I was doing that day, but when I got home there was more left in the tank. And it wasn’t just about running. I had more in my head and my heart I needed to release. Sometimes that comes from listening to music during the run. Sometimes it’s drawn out by things I see or experience. So I passed my driveway and did another loop, however long it was.

Does anyone out there have the spiritual insight into why this happens with running? I guess it can happen in the gym, too. Pushing up weights, strength that comes from an inner longing for more. There’s got to be more to life than whatever we’re going through at any given time.

I guess it’s true: we were meant to live for so much more.

-Out of the Wilderness

Dying On That Hill – A Cycling Training Update

Knock on wood, I haven’t gone over the handlebars… yet! There’s a neighborhood in Tallahassee where I love to ride my Trek road bike. Light traffic and any drivers that pass by usually give a lot of space between themselves and me (thank you Killearn Estates folks!). It has long roads featuring a good mix of hills. There’s this one hill that is so steep and when I get halfway up, there’s a little spot that gets more steep, just in case I was starting to feel good about myself. See if you can find it on this Garmin map from the other day.

Yep, it’s that dark blue line which means I was really slow. Like… *Googles things that are slow* …going to work at 9, working for 5 hours, then checking the clock and it’s 9:17. That’s how slow. Or sloths, turtles, paint drying, grass growing, me making a decision, wet clothes drying on a hanger in the rain, dial-up internet, stirring natural peanut butter, manatees, Burger King, carving a chuppah by hand from one piece of wood.

I have another workout coming up in that neighborhood and I’m trying to think of ways to get out of seeing that hill again. Humble Hill, that’s what I’ll call it. Maybe I’ll skip it and go on a run with my niece’s turtle.

-Out of the Wilderness