What's a C-17 ?

We had a busy weekend on the road, especially Sunday. Our first of two shows for the day was in Charleston SC on the Air Force Base there. Because of two shows in two locations, we had very little time that day for extra-curricular activities, but we did get to do one VERY COOL thing.

We were invited to board and tour one of the C-17 aircraft on the base.

I grew up just off of Andrews Air Force Base in Washington DC, at the end of the runways. So, I spent a good part of my life watching the predecessors of these huge planes take off and land all the time. And then in the early 90's the C-17's started showing up. Talk about impressive! As huge as they are, the C-17's always seemed to float in as they approached from the south for their landing. They always appeared to defy gravity and hang in the air while they "inched" their way over the neighborhood toward the airfield just to the north.

The C-17's are the huge, slow ones...especially compared to the F-15 Fighter jets that would scream overhead just above the trees and shake the windows, on their way to their Mach 2.5 speed...more than 1,800 mph...more than twice the speed of sound.

Although it's not a highly maneuverable fighter jet, the C-17, with a 170 ft. wingspan, the height of a five-story building, and cargo space intended to carry heavy military equipment, including fighting vehicles (which load in through a huge ramp beneath the tail), and over 100 troops and paratroopers, is a very important player in our military. And because it is equipped for in-flight refueling, the C-17's can fly anywhere in the world without stopping.

Well, on Sunday, we got to get inside the cargo area, and the cockpit (I sat in the pilot seat for a few minutes!) and then the most stunning part...we opened a hatch above the cockpit and climbed out and walked on top of the aircraft!!! That's something few people, especially civilians, get to do in their lifetime, so I felt really fortunate and grateful. Yeah, that's me in the picture with my wings outstretched on top of the aircraft!

I'll be honest though. Even after an experience like that, I was still mostly impressed by the people I met on the base and at the concert. I was particularly aware of the number of young families at the outdoor concert/picnic. So many young families. I became grateful again for the sacrifices these military families make, even at their young ages, to do their work. Lots of kids were with only one parent, many moms, but it seemed like a lot of dads too. Many of them have spouses (and moms or dads) still serving over in Afghanistan and Iraq, and looking forward to coming home. It's tough, and their lives and emotions get strained bigtime, and I'm grateful that they are so willing.

If you know a military family, in any branch, and especially a young family, please make an effort really soon to encourage them. Connect with them somehow and be a friend. Maybe have a mom and kids over for a meal and find out their story. Offer help with a car, or babysitting, or send a card. Find out how to encourage someone overseas too! Get involve in preparing care packages. Just find some way to encourage these souls who are putting it all out there where most of us will never have to go.

Impressive people. With big planes.

INTERMISSION

Ok, I just got backstage after finishing my set. I'm still out of breath. I'm in Wisconsin tonight, and I just finished my set with the song "Tick Tock" from my new CD. I just walked back here to blog this question for you all to answer. I know you wonder what happens backstage during intermission, so I'm gonna tell you a little bit. But then, I want to know what you all do during intermissions at concerts...maybe a favorite concert and what you did during intermission? I don't know...be creative, because I'm really curious. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite intermission moments from my career so far:

First thing you have to realize is that we usually go back to the bus or to a "green room". On the bus, there's usually a satellite TV, maybe Playstation, maybe some food...I know, I know, you thought we all go back there and have a Bible study, and "bathe" ourselves in prayer, but we don't. If we don't go to the bus, we go to a room backstage called the "green room", where there are snacks and a usually comfortable place to sit and relax. There are only a few places in the world where the "green room" is actually green. Tonight, it's white. Anyway, sometimes there is just a simple, make-shift green room because the venue is not a real theater or performance center. So we can end up in weird places. A trailor out in Nebraska, or a closet in New Jersey, a choir practice room full of choir robes, or a props room for theater class (those are always fun, and there are usually inappropriate uses devised for the myriad of props found there.) And sometimes its JUST a bathroom. Hangin' out in the bathroom? Not really for me.

OK, now to a few of my my favorite intermission moments:

On this tour, (with Jars of Clay and Sara Groves) we've been playing BOCCE--it's an Italian game involving croquet-like balls (previously misspelled twice, as 'crocet' and 'croqet'), and a grass playing area. (Google it to find out about the game!) Steve, Dan, Matt, Charlie, Caleb, Troy and myself, out in the grass, rolling heavy polished balls (kinda like billiards, only a lot bigger) and high-fivin' and trash-talkin'. And yeah, I think I keep winning. Hmmmmm.

I remember the time we were in Oregon, and our green room was set up in a church nursery. You know, with the half-doors, the whole place kinda smells like grape juice, the tiny but functional toilets for toddlers (don't ask) and the closets and chests full of games and toys (imagine the germs!) Well, this particular night we found a rubber ring-toss set, kind of like horse shoes, and had a rip-roarin' ring-toss tournament. You would not believe how competitive our bass player (Wes) and drummer (Scott) are! I honestly can't remember who won the tournament, so let's just say it was me. Yeah, I was the winner. We'll just go with that. Anyway, while the audience was busy doing whatever they do during intermission, we were playing child games.

Here's another memory. My first tour was with Michael W. Smith, probably 8 or 9 years ago. We played in 40 different cities, so there's no way I'll remember exactly what city we were in. But one night during intermission, I went back to the locker room that was being used as the 'green room'. There were lockers, benches and even showers and a bathroom connected, all with a hard tile floor. Someone picked up a long guitar cable, it think it was Michelle, (someone from Michael's label) and Michael took the other end and they started swinging it like a jumprope. So, what else is a boy supposed to do? I jumped in and started jumping, just like on the playground at school! Backstage, Michael W. Smith, jump roping during intermission of a concert: It doesn't get any better than this!

Then there was that time I got off-stage and went back to the 'green room', where all the other artists were sitting and they started laughing when I walked in. I'm sure I looked puzzled, so they asked me, "What did you mean by 'my pants are gone'?" I had no idea what they were talking about until they explained that while I was singing the song "Smellin' Coffee", in the bridge where I should have said, "I wake up, my PAST is gone..." I sang by mistake, "I wake up, my PANTS ARE GONE!" Embarrassing. I wonder if anybody else heard it that way?

Well, I've caught my breath now, and I can hear Jars of Clay on the stage singing "I want to fall in love with you...." Fun times.

Well, that's a little of what goes on during intermission. Now it's YOUR turn. I'm curious. What do you all do during intermissions at concerts? While you're thinking, I think I'll go snoop around and try to find a props closet, or a jumprope. Or maybe I'll go listen to the rest of the concert!

Oh, I hope they sing "FLOOD"

BAGGAGE CLAIM

I’m gonna pack my bags and take a quick trip back to kindergarten. Tanglewood Elementary School. Mrs. Rogan was my teacher. She had red hair.

My biggest traumatic kindergarten experience was the day Janet Tew stuck her tongue out at me and I cried the whole morning. (I had never been treated so cruelly in my ‘entire’ life.)

The second biggest traumatic day was when my little brother Tim upset the Tupperware container full of cupcakes Mom made for me to take to school, and all the icing was ruined. I remember hiding in my parents’ closet and crying until the disaster was remedied. Those are the only two bad things I remember from those days.

Everything else was good. Nap time on the blue mat. Choosing a huge oatmeal cookie for my snack everyday after the nap. Buying milk for two pennies. I can honestly still feel those two pennies in my little hand, as I traded them for a small red and white carton of milk. The smell (and taste) of paste! Nubby scissors. Putting those fatter-than-my-fingers Crayons back in the box, always in the following order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black. My best friend Ricky. Reciting “The Pledge.”

Oh, yeah, there was one more bad day. The day I found out my other friend Paul had moved away, and how weird and empty I felt inside. The kindergarten room was kind of darker, it seemed for weeks. I can’t explain that at all, but that was a new feeling at my young age.

Wow, I can’t believe I actually remember that much, once I started writing it all down!

Hey, remember those things we learned way back in kindergarten? The 'rules.' A lot of what we learned was ‘social’ in nature. Things like: Wait in line single file (because orderliness helps things go more smoothly for everybody.) Walk down the right-hand side of the hall. Raise your hand and wait to be acknowledged before speaking … basically, don’t interrupt. It was special to be the “door-holder” because it is honorable to serve others. Take only one cookie at snack time so there would be enough for everybody.

These were the beginnings of “socialization,” learning how to get along with others. How to live in a society. Things that make life more pleasant, and help us all get along better. Controlling oneself. Courtesy and such.

For some reason, those things stuck with me my whole life. Mrs. Rogan did a good job. Maybe they stuck too well, because I’m often looking for a better way for us humans to get things done in a more orderly and time-efficient manner.

For example, there’s one thing we didn’t learn in kindergarten that I wish we could all go back and learn: How to wait for our luggage at the airport Baggage Claim area.

Why do people crowd against the conveyor before it even starts moving? People shove their way up to the very edge and lean over it, hovering over their ‘territory’ so nobody gets in their space. Territory is claimed and guarded. “No Trespassing” signs instantly go up everywhere. Glances are shot from person to person: “This is MY spot, I got here first. Find your own spot to wait for your luggage!”

I always laugh at the frantic positioning that goes on before anybody even sees a single piece of luggage come out from that plastic-strip-covered cave opening to the mysterious place behind the wall where ‘gorillas’ or something similar man-handle our luggage.

At the first sign of luggage, finally appearing and circling the steel and black apparatus, people stare at the cave for that first glimpse of their precious bags. Foxholes are dug, and the trenches are manned, as passengers reaffirm their claim to that tiny piece of real estate that assures them the best access to their bag when it finally trudges by at a snail’s pace.

Those patient and honorable few, who hang back a few paces, and wait to actually SEE their luggage before approaching to pick it up, have to excuse themselves several times just to squeeze in and grab their bag. The other passengers give them a smug sneer because they dared to trespass upon already staked out territory.

Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating. But just a little.

C’mon people, let’s all hang back about eight feet or so from the edge of the luggage carrier. Maybe the airport people can paint a line back there to give us a good hint where we should stand and wait. There’s plenty more room back there, and everybody can get a good view of the parade of duffles, rollers, suitcases, and taped up cardboard boxes.

Then, when you actually see your piece of luggage, walk forward peacefully and retrieve it. No shoving, no “excuse me,” no bruised toes, no looks of disdain from fellow passengers. Doesn’t that sound more like an orderly, simple and efficient way to get luggage in a modern, civilized society?

Do I sound like I’m complaining? Actually I’m not, not at all. I just get a good laugh every time I get to Baggage Claim, and watch the humanness unfold.

Here’s the deal. If I’m ever a kindergarten teacher, we’re going to take the whole class on a field trip to the airport. There we will learn this very basic airport courtesy. Just like all the other civil rules. It’s really simple enough for kindergarteners. Stand back a little bit. Don’t crowd. Be patient. There’s no need to hurry in there and make sure you’ve boxed out the competition! Your stuff will come, and probably at a snail’s pace anyway. So, what’s the rush?

Now put your crayons away. It’s nap time.