Posting daily at 1pm central about all kinds of things. One day it's dating, the next it's TV commercials. I hope you're entertained. Professional photos on SmugMug – https://benwilder.smugmug.com
People are awesome! Just this week I came across three examples that prove it, too. First up is a video by Ben Christensen featuring a group of talented young dancers. This ought to make you smile. Check out the great choreography set to the song “Tulsa Time.”
Next up is a pair of creative guys. Connor Price and Nic D strolling around a basketball court telling us how they just “Dabble.” They might be dabbling in basketball, but they’re pros when it comes to rapping.
Those are cool videos, right? Well, if you’re a country music fan, this last one might blow your mind. From 1985, it’s a then-unknown Alan Jackson singing a George Strait song. Very cool!
In the last few weeks I started getting interested in the ABC show “9-1-1.” With good actors and fantastical plots that may or may not be realistic, it’s something to turn on when you’re fooling around on the computer or doing dishes or unwinding before bed… even if the series is now airing three 1-hour episodes in a row. 👀
It wasn’t until this past week’s marathon showing that something dawned on me.
The characters are likable in their own quirky way. From Captain Nash to the reemergence of actress Jennifer Love Fefferman (IYKYK), the show is doing well as they’re 8 seasons in. Sometime during the three hours this week, I saw what other viewers pointed out years ago. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. First off, there’s nothing wrong with those things. Diversity is great. Equity, well maybe. Inclusion is a must! But the show goes over the top with all 3 and it’s leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Every person on the show is gay or in an interracial relationship. Well, almost every person. The only one struggling with relationships– he’s a dad and appears to not have his ducks in a row– is the single white guy. How does this still have traction in 2025? I understand that it probably felt new and fresh and hip when the show first aired– 2018, I think?– but now it’s just predictable and irritating. The underlying message by making the heterosexual white guy the minority is that happiness, contentment, and success come from being gay or dating/marrying someone outside of your own race.
Straight, white guys be warned.
My interest in the show has dipped to an all-time low, which isn’t saying much since I just started watching it a few weeks ago. Needless to say, my Thursday nights are open again but I’ll give “9-1-1: Nashville” a chance because of my ties to Nashville, one of the best places I’ve ever lived.
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You’re back! Thanks for coming back for another edition of Five-Photo Friday. This is where I pick 5 of my favorite photos with a certain theme. Naturally, today is the ol’ red, white, and blue because we just celebrated Memorial Day earlier this week. So I’ve sorted through a bunch of photos to find 5 favorites related to ‘Merica. Hope you enjoy!
It would be unpatriotic to post about the United States and not include an eagle. Or in this case two eagles. This pair was spotted on the coast of Florida, hunting for fish in the Gulf of America. Is anything more American than that!?
Somewhere in Oklahoma.
Sunset on the Florida coast.
Ol’ Glory.
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TobyMac’s new video opens with him surrounded by a cloud of smoke. No, no, no, he’s not on Mount Zion… he’s standing next to a broken down truck! I would’ve guessed it was a Ford but they went with a Chevy. Artistic license, I guess. The story starts on the side of the road but quickly progresses to a bus full of joyful people (who presumably don’t own broken down trucks) rallying around Toby. Take a look…
Truckin’ On. One of the first things I noticed in the video is Toby’s hat– the outline of Tennessee with a heart where Nashville is. At first I thought Citizen represented anyone who lives in the city. I was wrong.
If you’re like me and you want one of these trucker hats immediately, I’ve got good news and bad news. Yes, you can get a Citizen trucker hat along with other merchandise from the Franklin, Tennessee shop called Citizen. But no, you cannot get the brown and blue version. At least not at the time of this post. They must have a rotation of colors and the current availability is the camo version. Citizen is partially owned by TobyMac so I was thrilled to see they have vintage DCTalk clothing there, too.
Little or Lil. We never find out if the Chevy got fixed but the real mystery doesn’t have anything to do with that. You came here to settle an argument didn’t you? Kind of like asking if the dress is blue and back or white and gold. Friendships are on the line! In Toby’s song, some will insist it’s “Lil”. It’s right there in the title, they’ll say. Others are confident it’s “Little.” Lil isn’t even a word you goofballs, they respond. Will anyone ever really know for sure? Like, for sure for sure? By the way, the dress is blue and black and if you think otherwise you’re delusional! But for Toby’s song the correct answer is…
Both!
It’s Lil and Little. See, you can be right AND still be a good friend. The title and the lyrics use “Lil” but Toby sings “Little” every single time (and yes I listened more than once to make sure). Just like the moral of the story from the movie Hitch, the song shows that there are no rules. You wanna call it “Lil” Church but sing “Little”? Go for it. Who’s gonna stop you?
An Original. TobyMac is so impressive. He’s been sharing his gift as a solo artist for decades and of course we can’t forget the incredible influence as part of DCTalk back in the 90s. I’ll never forget going to an outdoor festival when I was a middle schooler in Virginia. It was 1989 and there was a little band of three guys called DCTalk. My brother and sisters heads have been “Spinnin’ Round” since their very first (self-titled) album. The trumpets (or brass as Toby calls it in the lyrics) on “Heavenbound” and the incredible voice of Kevin Smith on “Hallelujah” and the smooth delivery from Michael on “Voices Praise Him” made us fans for life. I’ve had opportunities to see Kevin perform live in Nashville, I worked for Toby for a little while, and I continue to be impressed with the talents of all three guys, not to mention their longevity in the music industry.
This latest song and video from Toby is yet another example that he’s very gifted and has such an eager willingness to share his gifts with everyone whether you’re already a fan or about to become one. And Toby if you’re reading this, we want those brown and blue hats!
I have no idea what made me think of this recently but do you remember when there were time restraints on free calls and free texts? It was 9pm that we could have unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. Oh wait, I remember now. I was watching The Next Three Days starring Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. There’s a scene where Russell’s character, John, is at the hospital visiting his convict wife, Lara. He brought along their elementary-aged son who is sitting at a table building a castle out of blocks. As this scene unfolded, and this movie is only 15 years old, I marveled at how things have changed. If it were anytime in the last handful of years, the son would definitely not be playing with blocks. He’d be crouched over a phone or tablet playing games on the touchscreen.
How do you feel about the adoption of technology and devices in the lives of kids, teens, and adults? I think most people (over the age of toddlers and teens) would agree that it’s gotten out of control. Of course, it’s not just limited to young people. I find myself attached to my phone more than I’d like. This addiction we’ve all experience in one way or another is why there’s an emerging market for “dumb phones.” These aren’t the Nokias and Motorolas from the early 2000s though. The ones I’ve seen are still smartphones but stripped down to just the basic necessities– phone, texting, navigation, etc. I love the idea. I crave a time when we have to be patient, waiting for 9pm to text or call. Back to doing things without our phone in hand. But… you go first. 😉
Out of the Wilderness 