Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Ninja News and First Impressions

Ninja News 

First, a big thank you to everyone who participated in the Origins Blogfest! I’m still making the rounds, but there were some incredible stories.

Amy Lunderman has a new book release – Persona! Congratulations, Amy!

Defying Gravity by Cherie Reich came out yesterday! Find Cherie at her blog, and Defying Gravity on Goodreads and on Amazon. Congratulations, Cherie!


Has anyone heard about the Knicks’ point guard, Jeremy Lin? This kid’s story is amazing. He graduated from Harvard and went to the Warriors for one year. He ended up with the Knicks and they were considering dropping him. Then a player injury sent Lin onto the court, and he scored 25 points in a win over the Nets. Lin is the first player EVER to score more than 20 points in his first five starts. And he's scored more points in the first five games than ANY other player! He is also a born-again Christian and is being touted as the NBA’s Tim Tebow. (His Twitter profile says to know Him is to want to know Him more.) Lin is definitely one to watch!

First Impressions

The first time we see or hear something new, we instantly form an impression. But is that first impression always accurate? Or the truth? Do we go far enough to find out?

Let me give you an example. Watch just the first fifteen seconds of this video. (It takes ten seconds for the song to begin, and for some of you, that additional five seconds will be enough!)



The official trailer is HERE - sorry, it didn’t allow embedding.

Now some of you probably thought that was scary. Admit it!

But the truth about that song? It’s called Rose Of Sharyn by Killswitch Engage. The band is secular, but they are all born-again Christians, and the lyrics of their songs reflect this despite the fact they sing metal. Jesus is often referred to as the “Rose of Sharon” and the lyrics are someone singing to Jesus:

Rock
What would I give (What would I give), to behold
The smile, the face of love?
You never left me (You Never Left Me)
The rising sun
Will always speak your name

It won't be long, we'll meet again
Your memory is never passing
It won't be long, we'll meet again
My love for you is everlasting.

I mourn for those who never knew you…

The song takes on a new meaning now, doesn’t it? You still might not like it, but your impression has probably changed now.

Now think about things you’ve seen and people you’ve met that your first impression eventually changed. And all because you took the time to go a little deeper…

Anyone care to share a first impression that changed? Maybe a movie? A book? A person? Have you been following Jeremy Lin? Ready to go jam some Killswitch Engage? I know I am!

123 comments:

Jessica Bell said...

I can't think of any particular PERSON, but I know that once I started listening to hip hop lyrics a lot more closely, I started to really enjoy to music too. In the old days I used to think it all just sounded the same. Funny how a few meaningful words changes one's perception of the music accompanying them!

The Angry Lurker said...

I completely had another idea of what I would get but now know differently...nicely done sir.

Kyra Lennon said...

I never judge anyone I've met on first impressions, but that song you posted made me want to cover my ears, until I read the lyrics!

Great post! :D

Brinda said...

Yes, I'd had enough after 5 seconds of the screaming. If you hadn't told me the lyrics or that they were a Christian band, I would never guess it in a million years. It is easy to judge. Thanks for the reminder.

Tonja said...

I'm going to take your word for it - it's too early to listen to that. My daughter likes screamo music - she says some of it has positive lyrics. I take her word for it too.

Mark Koopmans said...

Hey Alex,

Did you see the "Linsanity" last night against Toronto??

And I don't even *like* Basketball.... bring on the Baseball and...

GO ANGELS :)

Rusty Carl said...

I love Kllswitch Engage. Their cover of Holy Diver is one of my favorite songs. Honestly, I had no idea of their religious persuasion. I tend to have that don't ask don't tell philosophy with artists I enjoy. It's always disappointing to discover the new band you love is really singing songs promoting the nuclear ambitions of North Korea, so I tend to ignore them all just in case one of them is determined to be offensive.

I have been vaguely aware of the Knicks guard - its been hard not to be lately.

Civil War Horror (Sean McLachlan) said...

Origins was a blast!
Yeah, first impressions can be deceiving. I know a guy who is very together, very religious, a leader of his community, fighting for black rights in a Southern state while being married to a white woman. Talk about having a target on your chest!
As I got to know him, however, I discovered he was a major screw up in his earlier days before I met him. He's more than made up for it and my second impression of him ended up reinforcing the respect I felt from my first impression.

Ricky said...

Pity I missed the Origins blogfest, sounds cool.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jessica, exactly!

Thanks, Lurker.

Kyra, I'm sure you won't be the only one with that reaction! Exactly why I selected that song.

Brinda, most wouldn't guess that.

Mark, he is amazing!

Rusty, their cover of Holy Diver is amazing. And I'm just picky - I check the lyrics before buying any new band's music.

Sean, that probably made him more authentic.

Marta Szemik said...

You're right, the first few seconds were enough in the morning. I just wish I could understand what they were saying. The lyrics surprised me-- not what I expected.

Anna said...

First impression of my exes normally turns out to be wrong! :P
I loved then song then when I read the lyrics it made it seem so special :)

Unknown said...

Origins blogfest was great. Thanks for hosting another great time, well done! First impressions are often wrong. I ended up marring the guy who I thought at first was a spoiled brat :) On second thought....Ha ha ha. Will check out that video now

Old Kitty said...

Anyone care to share a first impression that changed?

When Dr Who as played by Christopher Eccleston morphed into David Tennant, I did scream out NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Oh but how wrong was I!

Have you been following Jeremy Lin?

- No cos I haven't a clue who this man is! But good luck to him and all who follow him! :-)

Ready to go jam some Killswitch Engage?

- my ears hurt after 5 seconds and so I returned to my Abba.

Take care
x

Gail said...

Any way to get out the message...works for me.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Marta, precisely why I selected that song. Not to scare you in the morning though.

Anna, I really like all of their lyrics.

Siv, glad you enjoyed the fest!

Kitty, I knew the music wasn't for everyone!

Leigh Caron said...

I'm always humbled by my wrong first impressions. Re: Killswitch Engage - metal is not for me, but if it reaches others, that's great. I'm not a fan of country music either and was told once if I didn't like religious country music, I wasn't a Christian. Really? I say, to each his own music - and faith.

Talli Roland said...

Congrats to Cherie and to everyone with a new release!

Hm . . . yes, I can think of both people and films where my first impression was wrong.

Laura Pauling said...

I can point out books where my impression was wrong either way. Ones I thought were good, weren't, and vice versa. And I love when people surprise me and my first negative impression is wrong!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

When our kids were growing up, they'd share their favorite music and books with me so I'd have a better understanding of what resonated with them. Initially, I disliked some of the music, but given time, I learned to really like some of them. (I can't believe that at my age, I sing along to some of the Nine Inch Nails songs...)

Rachna Chhabria said...

I had a great first impression of a writer I met online, after seeing her behaviour its changed drastically. Nowadays, no hasty judgements for me ;)

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

My first impression of my husband was that he seemed arrogant, when actually he was too scared to talk to me! I tease him all the time that if his sister hadn't been there to help him out that would have been the end of it. :)

Jeremy [Retro] said...

nice sneak attack... metal in the morning. people always assume the worst when it comes to loud stuff. also congrats to cherie and amy for the new books... great covers.

Lisa said...

Origins does sound cool. Of course, I think, our first impressions change over time.

Anonymous said...

WOAH!!! Is what I thought on hearing that song, until I too had read the lyrics, WOW!! Who would've ever guessed they were a christian band, you can never judge a book by it's cover so to speak xx

Robyn Campbell said...

I shall never judge a book by its cover. A famous author I met made me realize this. She was obnoxious and rude. I'll never forget it. P.S. Alex, she is from the Carolinas list serve. Ack!

I love this band. My son probably listens to them. He moshes and all that.

Matthew MacNish said...

The whole Jeremy Lin situation is pretty incredible. If you've ever seen him interviewed all he does is praise his teammates. So humble. A great role model.

Maryannwrites said...

When the movie Terminator came out I swore I would never watch it, let alone like it. Just had no appeal for me. Then when I was working with a director in NY on a script, he had me watch the movie to see how a character and a story can be introduced with mostly visuals. I was only supposed to watch the first 20 minutes to see what he was referring to, but I got hooked. I saw all the other Terminator movies as well.

BTW, I mentioned you on my blog today. I received the Versatile Blogger award, and you were one of the bloggers I wanted to pass it on to. Even though I don't visit here often, I always enjoy the visit when I come.

Sarah McCabe said...

I don't know. Those lyrics you posted sound like just any generic romantic song. I can't respect Christians who claim they're totally writing songs about Jesus but can't actually manage to mention him by name. It just looks like they're trying to pander to two audiences.

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks for the shout out, Alex! Congrats to Amy Lunderman for her release too!

Jeremy Lin is pretty amazing, but I haven't been following him or the NBA much. I'm more a football gal, although I do enjoy March Madness.

And impressions can change, and I find it especially true about songs. Sometimes I don't like certain songs the first time I hear them, but later they become some of my favorites. It's interesting how that can happen.

@Talli Roland - Thanks!

Tracy Jo said...

This post should be mandatory for every person to read. It perfectly drives the point of never judge a book by its cover. I have definitely been guilty and can think of a few people...including my current boyfriend. :-) Thankful that I dug deeper! Have a great day!

Helen Ginger said...

Jeremy Lin has been all over the news lately. I don't know him, of course, but I'm rooting for him - and am really happy for him.

Luanne G. Smith said...

Congrats to the authors and their new releases!

And the Origins blogfest was really great. So many wonderful stories out there. I'll never get to them all, but I enjoyed the ones I read.

Christopher Hudson said...

Pretty hard to watch ESPN, my go-to station, without hearing about Lin. First impressions are what we are all about ... I used to have boss whose only form of exercise was jumping to conclusions. Have any of my first impressions ever been wrong ... only, well, most of the time.

farawayeyes said...

First impressions, a scary place to judge.Reminds me of the man who upon arrival in heaven was shocked at those who had made it there, until he noticed they were even more surprised to see him.

Beauty is in the eye of the open hearted and those with an open mind.

Congrats to Amy and Cherie. I know Cherie - she is awesome.

I do not know Jeremy Lin (no TV,island hermit, blah,blah,blah) but he sounds awesome.

Origins - more fun and less scary than anticipated. Writers are so kind and open minded and they always seem to have an open heart.

Cassie Mae said...

Ya, I hated my husband when we first met. Looks like he grew on me :)

Copyboy said...

Wow! Never knew KE was that deep.

Jay Noel said...

Whoa, that song did start out pretty damn scary!

And yes, I've been following Jeremy Lin, as I'm a Nicks fan. Before going to NY, he was actually playing D Level basketball. Just an incredible story.

Heather M. Gardner said...

I don't watch basketball but I've been hearing about the new star player. A lot.

33 days until college football spring practice starts.

78 days until The Avengers.

HMG

M.J. Fifield said...

I just found out about Lin the other night while watching The Colbert Report of all things. After the Patriots lose the Superbowl, I stop watching SportsCenter until my morning period has passed... but good for him, really.

There have been a lot books I didn't think I would enjoy at first but they ended up being a very pleasant surprise.

Congratulations to Amy and Cherie on their book releases...

David P. King said...

I'm right with you when it comes to first impressions. I'm not quick to judge, but I'm also not quick to jump in. Observation - watch and wait - that's my motto. :)

Anonymous said...

Arrghhh! Where did my comment go? Hate it when that happens. Congrats! and best wishes to Amy and Cherie on their release of their books. best wishes for their success!

And Linsanity is an amazing story. Nailed that three pointer last night too.

Dawn Ius said...

This is an awesome illustration of your point, Alex. My stepdaughter is into Screamo (which we used to call Death Metal...God, I'm getting old) and she thinks I'm turned off by it, but I used to listen to a lot of heavy music as a youth. I never used to listen to Rap though...and then there was Eminem. I'm not a hard core Em fan, but I sometimes listen to his lyrics. He's an excellent writer, and his rise to success is inspirational. My first impression of him wasn't quite as positive, though :-)

Laila Knight said...

I learned not to judge by first impressions. It's a habit we pick up and one better left broken. Bad first impression create a barrier that might prevent us from meeting someone truly awesome.

The lyrics are rather romantic. I hope you had a Happy Valentine's day, Alex. :)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

First impressions are a part of life, especially when interviewing for a job. I used to work with people (in a former job) where I would educate them on how to improve their chances on making a good first impression in the interview. My own advice seemed to work well as i found a career that I'm still doing today (it pays the bills so I guess that's good, right?).

~Sia McKye~ said...

I tend to go beyond first impressions. If you don't, you miss a lot of good things in life.

I'm familiar with Killswitch so, no, it didn't scare me, lol! I'm not fond of screamo but I do like a few of their songs.

Lyrics are always a draw for me.

Sia McKye OVER COFFEE

Johanna Garth said...

I love your newsy update blog posts!

My husband is a knicks fan so the name Jeremy Lin has already sunk into my subconscious.

As for first impressions, mine are usually pretty spot on. It's when I doubt them that I get into trouble.

Charles Gramlich said...

Never heard of Lin before just the other night but suddenly he's everywhere.

mshatch said...

I am guilty of forming first impressions but I am also willing to revise them - which I have on many occasions!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

As a former English teacher, I feel a story, a poem, a song is meant to communicate ... if it fails in that, it has failed in its purpose.

If I have to read the lyrics of the song you are mangling my ears with, the song is lacking. It is as if I said, "You must read every 3rd word of my sentences to get the true meaning of my story." I would be demanding more of my readers than is fair or reasonable.

The same with screamed lyrics that are unintelligible. Basically to me, the message of that song is a simple, sad, "Look at me!"

But considering the popularity of such songs and their bands, I am obviously in the minority.

Insightful post as always, Roland

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Em, I'd respond the same way - Really?

Susan, you rocker chick you!

Rachna, that's sad.

Rachel, my wife first thought I was obnoxious. I got better!

Eve, isn't it cool?

Robyn, I only know of two in the Carolinas...

Matthew, he's amazing.

Maryann, a lot to those Terminator movies. And thank you!

Sarah, most of the praise and worship songs we sing in our church don't contain the word Jesus. These guys are just a band singing about their passion, which is God. And if they appeal to a wider audience that way, then that's a good thing!

Cherie, I usually only get into March Madness as well but the kid caught my eye.

Tracy, I'm sure your boyfriend appreciates that!

Christopher, that made me laugh!

Faraway, that's a good story.

Copyboy, now you do!

Heather, both of those things are worthy of a countdown!

Stephen, in final seconds even!

Dawn, he obviously grew on you.

Laila, well it is like a love letter to God, so yeah!

Sia, you are awesome!

Roland, but to those of us who listen to this type of music, I have no problem understanding what he's singing. And the chorus is a beautiful melody with no screaming. I put the lyrics there because I knew most people would not listen to the song due to its genre.

Laura Josephsen said...

Ooh, thanks for sharing the book releases!

And I hadn't heard of Jeremy Lin--what an inspiring story.

Thanks for sharing the song--it didn't really surprise me, LOL. My husband and I listen to a lot of Christian rock--though he'll listen to a lot more hardcore, like this song, than I prefer. One of my favorite bands is Red.

It's funny how people's impressions can change so quickly. I'm sure I've had plenty of first impressions that were altered, but I'm sick and my brain's a little fuzzy this morning and I can't think of anything off the top of my head. I know my sister has a lot of stories about people's first impressions of her--she has a LOT of tattoos, and she's had people be really surprised that she's educated or something? (She's working on her Master's right now.)

kjmckendry said...

Neat story about Jeremy Lin, I hadn't heard of him.

Wow I wasn't expecting those kind of lyrics from that clip.

My first impressions have changed a few times with people and movies.

Christine Rains said...

I'm still trying to catch up with the Origins Blogfest. It's been a lot of fun! I've had a few occasions when my first impression was negative, but it changed over time.

Cherie Reich said...

@L.G. Smith - Thank you!

@farawayeyes - Aww, thank you!

@M.J. Fifield - Thank you!

@Stephen Tremp - Thank you!

@Alex - Yeah, I can see why he would catch your eye. He's phenomenal. :)

D.G. Hudson said...

My impression of Hemingway as only a 'macho writer' was changed when I read 'A Moveable Feast'. He sounded human, intensely creative, and I felt like I was reading his journal.

I have my favorites of his books, I don't like them all. Some of them I had search out on Amazon. Visiting his former house in Key West Florida made me a bigger fan. Can't explain it.

I don't usually change my first impressions, but in the case of Stephen King and Hemingway - I had to.

Interesting question - Alex.

Carol Kilgore said...

I have heard of Jeremy Lin. He's an awesome hoopster. I think we've all relied on a first impression that's turned out to be totally off point. I sorta liked this band, even before I read the lyrics.

L.C. said...

I'm so jammin' with Killswitch right now. I'm a definite fan. Great post, as always, Mr. Ninja Sir. :-)

Arlee Bird said...

I've been hearing a lot about Lin lately and I like what's happening. I listened to the entire video. It's not my favorite music, but I can appreciate it having been a fan of groups like Iron Maiden and Metallica. If they reach a few people with their message then they've accomplished something good with their music.
First impressions that changed? There have been many. Pulp Fiction for one--disliked the movie on first viewing, but after a couple more it became a favorite. Or a book I reviewed somewhat negatively a while back--The Black Veil: A Memoir with Digressions. I started thinking a lot about that book and now I'm almost ready to go back to change my review.


Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge

Denise Covey said...

There are some awesome Christian bands out there! These lyrics rock.

Denise

Ciara said...

I'll have to show this band to my son. He'd like it. I've met several Christian bands that you'd never guess were sharing a message in their music. Great post, Alex.

Misha Gerrick said...

Killswitch Engage sounds like a promising band. I'm definitely bookmarking this post to listen to them later. :-)

Nicole Zoltack said...

The Knicks are on a roll lately. I'm a Sixers fan and am surprised by how well they are playing this year considering they don't have a superstar on their team.

TL Conway said...

The video you posted to prove your point is PERFECT. Even knowing the lyrics, I still found myself twitching. I tried to give it a full listen but only lasted ~45 seconds. Not my cuppa. :)

But the point was nicely made. I had strong first impressions of popular bloggers (yes, including yourself, truth be told!). Not necessarily bad impressions, just beliefs that you all were too busy to talk to/interact with a small beans blogger like me. I'm SUPER glad to say my first impression was completely wrong!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Laura, he might like this band then. And congratulations to your sister.

DG, this one's just been on my mind for a while...

LC, awesome!

Lee, that's it - if they reach someone then they have accomplished something great. Pulp Fiction is great although wrong on a few levels.

Ciara, and sometimes those are the best.

TL, sorry to make you twitch! I know that music isn't for everyone. And thank you, glad you came back and realized I'm just Alex and I'm no bigger than anyone else here.

Patsy said...

My first impressions are often wrong so I've learned not to rely on them.

The first time I tried to read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' I only got about two pages in before deciding it was awful and giving up. The second time I tried, I found it wonderful and just kept reading to the end.

Jennifer Hillier said...

After living in Seattle for almost 5 years (they lost their basketball team right when we moved there!), I kind of fell off the wagon with basketball and got into football. But LINSANITY is winning me back! I love Jeremy Lin! It's nice to feel excited about a player again.

M Pax said...

I have Killswitch Engaged on my playlist. People are many layered, if we care to look.

Angela Scott said...

My husband just told me about Jeremy Lin the other day. Those are the stories I love to hear. I mean it. It's amazing.

As far as first impressions go, we're all full of judgements. It's sad but true. I know I need to be better and work harder to see beyond the physical. Whenever I have done so, I find amazing people with amazing stories. I can always do better.

Great post.

SpacerGuy said...

I'm ready to sing now. Love is everlasting, isn't it.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Patsy, bet you gave it another try then!

Jennifer, and he is exciting!

Mary, you are one awesome rocker chick!!

Angela, there is always more than meets the eye...

Spacerguy, you sing and I'll play guitar badly!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

My first impressions of people are often dramatically different than my impression once I get to know them.

It really WAS a great blogfest.
Be well, Alex.
xoRobyn

Kelly Polark said...

Yes! Christians who rock! And I didn't find the video scary at all. ;)

Helena said...

I am so not a metal person -- Bruce Springsteen is the closest I get to that, and I'm also a rhythm and blues fan. As for Lin: ironically I just heard of him for the first time this morning and what and underdog he's been. He proved his worth fast.

Emily R. King said...

We all form judgments in a split second. It's innate. I think we do it mostly to decide where we fit in the world or where someone (something) fits in in relation to us. I try to give most things and people a shot, but admittedly, when a judgment is formed, it's tough to change my mind.

LynnRush said...

Wow. That Origins blog fest is super big. I'm still trucking my way through, too! LOL!!! Awesome reading all those stories. :)

That Persona cover is awesome!:)

Shockgrubz said...

I was amazed at how Lin had helped the Nicks win in the last seconds of last night's game! Truly an inspiration.

Unknown said...

That song is about Jesus? I wonder what Jesus thinks about it? I wonder if he'd even know it was about him. Funny!

Congrats everyone who has their book coming out. I hope you have a lot of success.

Tara Tyler said...

first impressions of blogs can be very deceiving! hard to know a person from a couple of comments or posts =)

Andrew Leon said...

I heard a thing about Lin on NPR; it was very interesting.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Robyn, it was a cool blogfest!

Kelly, I didn't think you would!

Lynn, so am I!

Clarissa, He would, because He knows our intentions.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to the new authors... First impressions - we all make them, but doesn't mean it's right... I've had to change my opinion of people many times...

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Congratulations to the new authors! First impressions are always tough. Most people think I'm prim and proper on first impression, but really I'm a wild woman. (wink)

Ella said...

I like this post
Rose of Sharon is a flower, betcha didn't know that~

I use to think poets were dreamers and ninjas were bad ass...oops! lol

Gwen Gardner said...

That's really awesome for Lin - I did hear about him but only because some celebrity or other was bashing him.

And the music video? If I didn't know the words they were singing, I'd think they were spouting evil! It just shows that you can't judge a book by it's cover! Great post, Alex:)

Unknown said...

That is an absolutely great example of first impressions. I listen to a lot of music like that and some people don't understand why until I make them actually listen to the song.

I know when I first meet a shy person my first impression is that he or she is stuck up, but then I get to know them and realize it's just shyness.

Tyrean Martinson said...

This band reminds me of Red, Demon Hunter, and a little of Nine Lashes, and Skillet . . . although the latter two are slightly mellower . . . all Christian bands.

-And as far as first impressions go . . .I had the wrong first impression of my husband when I met him over twenty years ago . . .but it only took me a few days to figure out that my first impression was wrong.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Ha, great example of how first impressions can lead you atray. I remember the first time I went to a Christian music festival. It had everything from country, mainstream, folk, heavy metal and harder etc. But everyone was singing for Jesus. SO awesome!

Unknown said...

I am definitely in love with Jeremy Lin though he is a Knick. LOL I'm Chicago Bulls all the way.

First impressions definitely can swing the wrong way. People can't always be on and we all have bad days, so a deeper look is always worth it.

Very interesting band. The lyrics are very cool. Thanks for sharing.

Jamie Gibbs said...

You're damn right I'm ready to rock out to KillSwitch!

I've had my first impressions turned around about a few blogs I've visited, but it's difficult to shake that initial feeling that you have about them.

Leovi said...

First impressions ... sometimes yes, sometimes no. Are important but should not be alone in that.

Empty Nest Insider said...

I agree that you can't just go by your first impression. Most people do deserve a second chance. Thanks again for co-hosting "Origins." It truly was a lot of fun! Julie

Unknown said...

Here is a list of some of the top Screamo bands sending christian messages:

Demon Hunter
Flyleaf
Skillet
War Of Ages
The Devil Wears Prada
Through Fallen Skies
UnderOath
Impending Doom
August Burns Red
Earth From Above
Mortal Treason

My favourite is Flyleaf! People you need to search Utube and listen to them, the voice of the female lead singer, Lacey Sturm, is amazing!

"Don't judge a book by it's cover," as the old saying goes!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ella, yes I did! And we are bad asses, just in a nice way.

Jennifer, I'm one of those shy ones.

Tyrean, bet he's glad you didn't give up right away.

Jamie, rock on!

Julie, glad you enjoyed it.

Cm, proof that any type of music can carry the right message.

Cate Masters said...

The reverse is often true as well - the things that impress us at first sometimes can't carry us along because *they* didn't go deeper. Great post, Alex!

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Laura Eno said...

Since I'm sitting right below a spammer, I'll just say you rock, Captain Ninja!
P.S. And in case you remove it, I didn't mean you, Cate!

i'm erin. said...

Wow, point made with that song. I watched thirty seconds and was still surprised to find out what the song was about. I agree, it's not my favorite, but interesting twist.

Jennie Bennett said...

I love it when people aren't afraid to be who they are and stand up for what they believe in. I often shy away from talking about religion, though it's a big part of my life. And I agree, not everything is as it seems.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Two of my sons have gotten me into symphonic metal. Awesome stuff. I just hate the death metal singing. It makes it too hard to get past the sound into the lyrics. Besides, it makes me want to hit someone--not exactly a Christian thing for me to do. lol

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Cate, very true.

Laura, don't worry - I'll leave it! Thank you.

Erin, most would dismiss it right away.

JA, Lin isn't afraid and that is to be admired.

Donna, my wife isn't into the screaming either, although the chorus of that particular song is sung beautifully.

Steven said...

I swear I have changing first impressions on about every chick-flick my wife makes me watch. At first they look dumb, but those dumb plots pull me in 90% of the time! Embarrassing, but true...

DL Hammons said...

Truthfully, I rarely listen to a songs lyrics and focus more on the music and melody, I get your point though! :)

Leovi said...

Very good Killswitch Engage. Sounds really hard.

Mark said...

Love the Origins blogfest. Sorry I haven't posted about it yet, I'm prepping for a writer's conference this weekend. But I promise to make up for it.

Unknown said...

First impressions can definitely be deceiving. I try to always look on the positive side of a first impression. I had a teaching moment with my son the other day at the store. We were standing in line (in between two other lanes) and a gruff-looking man said, "excuse me" and grabbed a candy bar from our line, then moved back to his own. My son instantly said, "Mom, that man just stole a candy bar." I pointed out what actually happened and how he'd jumped to conclusion and we had a nice talk about it. Interesting topic!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Steven, we won't make you turn in your man card.

That's all right, Mark!

Nisa, you are teaching him early.

Elana Johnson said...

I have found that my snap judgements, aka, first impressions are almost always wrong. I've been alive long enough to realize this about myself. So I try to get to know someone before I determine what kind of person they are.

Karen Lange said...

Wow, you filled me in on a lot of new stuff here. Had heard of Lin but didn't know he was a Christian. Thanks for the info, Alex!

Lydia Kang said...

It's been fun following all the Lin-mania. He's also the first Taiwanese-American in the NBA. The Asian-American community is going nuts!

Charlie N. Holmberg said...

My husband told me about Lin just yesterday--he was on the news. I think his is a great story! He went through a lot of hard times to suddenly blossom in the middle of the NBA. Love it.

Nicki Elson said...

First impressions are powerful, but not so often accurate. This song, however, made a good first impression - and then an even better one once I read the lyrics. :) But, um, should I be concerned that I can't seem to keep a Rose of Sharon shrub alive?

I haven't followed anyone in b-ball since the Bulls' first three-pete.

Patricia Stoltey said...

I remember being turned off when I first saw and heard Elvis Presley. That changed over time.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elana, we are all guilty.

Karen, yes he is!

Lydia, I saw video of some of them going nuts last night!

Nicki, my wife kills all of our plants, so don't feel bad.

Patricia, really?

Leigh Covington said...

Hi Alex! Thanks for the comment on my blog. I am looking forward to the A-Z challenge. I will definitely be in touch if I get lost. I appreciate your willingness to help! :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I'm still trying to visit all the Origins too.
I have to check out Jeremy Lin.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't figure Killswitch Engage was singing about anything religious. I've been wary about people at first, but I warm up to them, so my first impressions change all the time.

Many thanks to you and the other hosts for the Origins Blogfest.

Persona's cover is fantastic.

Shannon Lawrence said...

True, first impressions can be entirely wrong. I guess they were important back when we were cavemen and had to decide really quickly how to react to that saber-toothed tiger in the brush. I'm sure I've had my share of false first impressions, but I can't for the life of me think of an example off the top of my head right now!

Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z

Unknown said...

The lyrics of that song are beautiful...
Hmm. First impressions that have changed... I'd have to say my boyfriend! (Who I've now been dating for over four years.) I didn't really like him that much when I first met him. Lol! I thought he was really annoying! Fortunately, I spent some time with him (we had classes together and the same group of friends) and my impression of him changed ;-)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Medeia, glad you enjoyed it!

Rachel, my wife thought the same thing about me at first!

Amy said...

Thank you for the shout out Alex - you rock!

Have a great weekend! :)

Ellie Garratt said...

Ooo...Defying Gravity. What a great title. I'm off to check it out.

FilmMattic said...

I love Jeremy Lin's' story. It's such an uplifting turn-of-events, a real inspiration for underdogs everywhere. And he is a true bastion of humility. You'd think this media frenzy would derail his momentum; it only seems to light his fires more intensely. Plus I'm a devoted (and yes, starved) Knicks fan. It's been far too long since they represented a real threat. Lin, if he can integrate Stoudemire's and Anthony's skill-sets cohesively, makes the Knicks a legitimate contender. Can't wait for the Playoffs.

Great post!