Slugs make me happy. And I know you’re on the edge of your seat to know why. Everytime I see a slug I’m reminded that I’m back in the Pacific Northwest – and I really love it up here.
I remember as a kid hunting slugs (I wasn’t very fast) so I could drown them in salt. I have given up this barbaric practice for more peaceful ways, but have recently found out that some family members still enjoy the salt ritual. Mmmm…..apples don’t fall far from the trees, do they?
I also remember my sister telling me stories of a friend of hers as a kid that would eat slugs. Sure enough I brought up the subject of slugs at church today and was treated to a graphic story about someone’s childhood friend that ate slugs. Am I the only one who has never seen someone eat a slug? I feel like I’ve missed out.
There were also high tech slug experiments carried out in my youth. And I can tell you from repeated scientific experiments under controlled settings, that the guts do indeed pop out of the opposite end you step on. Eewwww…..you didn’t want to read that did you? 🙂
Good to be back in Washington. Where all slugs are welcome to roam freely and follow their dreams……….(just watch out for the salt).
Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church had their annual outdoor church service in the park today. The weather was on everyone’s mind. The night before it started raining but stopped by morning time. Our service started at 10am and it started downpouring early in the service. We all high-tailed it for cover and held the service in the adjoining picnic area.
In a way it was more beautiful this way. We were all wet and huddled together, warmed by our common bond of faith. The choir gave a short history of classic hymns, we had a skit, praise music led by Andy Thor on guitar and of course a great message by Pastor Steve Weber.
This is such a great church family and I feel like the luckiest guy in the world to be able to lead their music program. The warmth and commitment of this group is beyond words to me. I think it’s a very interesting story how I was brought to them. It was not by any work of mine, there was another hand in this. A hand much greater than mine.
Sean Clavin emailed me tonight to let me know we have a song placed in a movie. Very cool. The song is “Seven Year Sleep” written in 2000 by Gailyn Addis, Sean Clavin and Conrad Askland (that’s me). It’s an independent film called Alien Secrets. Here’s the movie website if you feel like reading about wacky crazy stuff:
ALIEN SECRETS MUSIC ARTISTS
Gailyn Addis who performs the song is an incredibly gifted songwriter, performer and all around ultra cool person. I met Gailyn Addis back in 1994 when I was musical director for Hollywood Superstars and we did a bunch of fun tours together including Japan, Las Vegas and Reno. I don’t know how many songs we wrote together, probably a couple dozen. She’s written many books and was a tech consultant for Bridgette Fonda on the movie……um……it was about Elvis. I was an keyboard player in the movie too but my scene got cut, I think Gailyn didn’t get screen credit either. Oh well, that’s showbiz. Back on topic….
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Sean Clavin I met back around 1990 when we both worked for the same music store, Tom’s Music down in Victorville, CA. Later we played together in Roy Rogers Jr. ‘s band and also with a country cover band that played the San Bernardino and Los Angeles country circuit. He played guitar on TONS of songs with me in the studio for Road Records. Over the years he probably cut tracks for me on at least a hundred songs. He was my #1 pick as a studio guitarist because he was so easy to work with and had such a mastery of a wide range of styles. Ok, he was also one of the few people to put up with my “Conradized” studio charts. I chart real fast in the studio and the manuscripts tend to be a wee bit cryptic. Sean might word it a bit different. 🙂
“Alien Secrets”
Wins EBE Award
Best Feature Film- UFO or Related Theme at
The 15th International UFO Congress
and Film Festival 2006
Brandon Scott receives the EBE AWARD
Best Feature Film -“Alien Secrets”
March 4th 2006 Laughlin Nevada
The EBE winner for the Best Feature Film was awarded to the film “Alien Secrets” Directed by J.J. Barmettler and Produced by Barmettler , Brandon Scott and Richard Smith.
The highlight of this week long event culminated with the The International UFO Congress Film Festival screening the best features, documentaries and short films dealing with UFO related subject matter. This festival recognizes filmmakers with the coveted EBE Award.
A melting pot of experts and panelists from all over the world convene to meld minds and share the latest discoveries in UFO and paranormal activity, at this years International UFO Congress 15th annual event held at The Flamingo Resort and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada.
The week long conference (Feb. 26-March 4, 2006) hosted presentations by renown authors, researchers, experts, journalists, scientists, and UFO investigators from all over the world.
Lectures and seminars attracted hundreds of researchers and enthusiasts from the United States, England, Japan, Germany, South America,South Africa, and many other countries. Some of the speakers included authors Budd Hopkins, Dr. David Jacobs and crop circle expert Colin Andrews, journalist George Knapp, Mexican journalists and UFO investigators Jaime Massaun and Santiago Yturria Garza, Film Producer and author Paul Davids, Haktan Akdogan from Turkey,Terje Toftenes from Sandvika and A.J. Gevaerd from Brazil.
Hundreds of attendees showed up to experience the film Alien Secrets.
“We are so glad this film was made,� commented Michael, one of the UFO researchers. “ This film is a perfect way for delivering this sensitive information in a entertaining way�.
“ It’s a story that has to be told,� commented a husband and wife team , both who are UFO researchers; “ So many of us go through the same experiences as the character Brandon Scott portrayed the movie,so we really identified with that.�.
“ I am glad they didn’t make fun of usâ€? shared a young woman and UFO abductee “ It was funny in many parts and yet it was serious about the messageâ€? .
Another enthusiast was eager to share this with his wife and kids. “ I can’t wait to show it to my family� he said, “ I can never sit them down to watch a documentary on UFOs, this movie is fun and so entertaining, I think this will help them get exposed to the facts about this phenomena and it’s a great story to boot.�.
After presenting the Award, Bob Brown, founder of the International UFO Congress, commented to the attendees,
�I really enjoyed the film , I got it, I think most of you out here will… It has humor so we can laugh at ourselves. Very nicely done.�
Best Feature Film- UFO or Related Theme
ALIEN SECRETS” THEY’RE HERE AND LIVING AMONG US!! Filmmaker J J Barmettler and controversial UFO Investigator Brandon Scott have captured the UFO subculture from the inside out, working with 43 artists, 23 abductees, 30 experts and 200 eye witnesses who have all had experiences in the chilling UFO/Alien Phenomenon. Their discovery proves that there is a hidden generation of alien/human hybrids living among us. In the process of the investigation a female hybrid speaks out for the first time ever on film. This “hybrid” narrative/documentary film weaves story and fact in an epic portrayal of one man’s fight for free will and his drive to save humanity. With over twenty original songs, real UFO footage and a daring subject matter, this provocative film is sure to be a cult sensation.
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on my life. Attitude to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…..a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past…..we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude…..I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…..we are in charge of our attitudes.
