So, so, so creepy.

The church that I work at launched a foster ministry about a year ago, apparently it's going very well. I hadn't given it much thought until I walked into the building the other day and found these carboard displays.

They're pictures of all the local kids in the ministry, taken in action - they're all playing football or waving at the camera - except they've been blown up into full-size cutouts, like a celebrity-endorsed beer display in a convenience store. Then, on top of the cutouts, small cardboard signs with fake hand-lettering are pasted, advertising that these children are orphans in need of a good home. "I could make your family complete!" says one. "Do you have room in your heart for me?" asks another. The biggest shocker was the one closest to the sanctuary door, where a slightly pudgy girl had a sign simply labeled "Just love me!" It is infinitely sadder than the "Pet Of The Week" section of the local paper, and considerably more humiliating. 

Unfortunately, due to a mix-up at the printer, they aren't quite life-sized (they're about 20% too small) so there's this disconcerting, inhuman element to them - especially since there are dozens of these displays,each placed about 20 feet away from the next one. It's like our church is being occupied by a tiny, needy, child army.

This being the place of my employment, it probably wouldn't behoove me to comment excessively on the displays - or the mindset necessary to create such a campaign - but I will leave you with several pictures I took around the church of some of the more memorable entries.

 

Jackie Key - "With Or Without You"

During our "Dischord" series in the Loft, I caught wind that Jackie was gonna play U2's "With Or Without You." She was just back in town from recording her debut record, and I thought that this might be a performance to catch. We don't have the capability to record each camera separately during the service, so I worked with the Loft's director, Kim Sumrall, to see what he was doing and give him some ideas for the look, then I snuck out into the congregation to record on my own video camera. I ended up editing that together with the program feed of the service (I actually used bits of all three services we did that weekend - you might notice the lead guitarist's shirt changes) to create this video, which I think ended up coming out pretty nicely, all things considered.

 

The 19th Best Movie I Saw In Theaters This Year

(FADE IN)

Shia LaBeouf is bored with life after his adventures with the Transformers. There seems to be no excitement now that Megatron is defeated and his body sunk to the bottom of the ocean. He and Megan Fox have split since their time together, though they both still have feelings for each other. However, a new pack of Decepticons arrive on Earth to see why the planet has yet to be conquered. They resurrect Megatron (not with magic this time, but with their new, advanced evil-robot technology) and begin to wreak havoc on the planet. There are lots of explosions and robo-fights in crowded cities, where buildings can crumble and highway overpasses cinematically destroyed. In the meantime, Megatron vows revenge on those who defeated him, and captures Megan Fox. He demands the surrender of the Autobots. Instead, using their advanced robo-intuition – combined with a little pluck from Shia LaBeouf - the Autobots and LaBeouf launch a plan to rescue Fox from Megatron.  Hungry for excitement, LaBeouf insists on coming – which only leads to him almost being captured himself. In a desperate bid to save him, one of the other Autobots is killed, but the group is able to get away safely. LaBeouf is distraught, but rallies when he discovers that Fox has learned the plans for where the Decepticons plan to attack next. Unfortunately, it turns out the plans were a trap set by the Decepticons, who let Fox get away. The Autobots try to ambush the Decepticons at this location (ideally, New York City, London, or D.C.), but instead are ambushed themselves. Much robo-fighting ensues. The day is only saved when LaBeouf and Fox sneak over to the other side and destroy some important piece of equipment that affects how the Decipticons robo-fight or robo-communicate or something. The days is saved and all the new Decepticons introduced in this movie are destroyed, though Megatron and his original Decepticons escape and vow to fight again, probably in 2011 when the next movie comes out. Content with the easy life and a lack of adventure, LaBeouf and Fox get back together while all the Autobots robo-applaud.

 

(FADE TO BLACK)