Here's some more Photoshop stuff

I continue to visualize the world I have created through my books and this blog.

On Thursday, I completed this "wedding picture" of Buddy Wayne and the "real" Brittany Spears.  This marriage supposedly happened in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand's wedding chapel on Oct. 2, 2010.  I must thank Bobby & Ashley Sherman, a couple in Harnett County, NC married 14 months ago, for providing the bodies on which I fitted the heads of the lucky couple.  (The original picture is here, go to page 18.)

Then on Friday, I made this promotional flyer of Blondie, the pianist I made up who I then signed to Buddy Wayne's record label.  She is sitting in front of her piano, as if she is about to begin a piano recital with a huge amount of confidence.

Finally, here is a visual look at the Barefoot family property I created some time ago.  It isn't the best quality - after all, there are obvious perspective issues in showing where everything is - but given what I know about Photoshop and the available features in CS5, that's the best I could do.  The features are, clockwise from top left:

• Barn (which includes animals kept for food, clothing, and transportation)
• Farm plots (corn, beans, and squash are grown here; also a cotton patch for clothing)
• Fruit orchard (apples, pears and plums mostly)
• Pond (used for fishing and water sports)
• Mud pit/bog (recreational uses)
• Briar patch (wild grains like barley and rice, hemp)
• Hunting ground
• Brookshire Creek (source of water for drinking, cooking, and bathing)
• Loblolly pine grove (provides shade, relaxation, picnic area in back)
• Wildflower garden/front yard
• Family residence

This is another promotional flyer with all the contact information.

I promise that next time I write to you, I will have news about Belinda's and Bryson's future education plans - and a big change is ahead!

'We Celebrate Life' canceled due to manhunt in Boston

This interesting and timely article shows what I can do when I combine my fantasy world and real life.

No aspect of American life was left untouched by the bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon this past Monday.  As with previous acts of mass casualty - whether natural or man-made - the same pattern emerged: disbelief at the scope of the disaster, thoughts and prayers for those no longer with us, and stories of heroism in its wake.

And how the search for the suspects ended on Friday ironically had a negative impact on a show that was supposed to help the victims of the bombings and all those victims of mass casualties, and their families.

Some years ago, Brenda Barefoot began the Bluebird Fund.  Named after her son Buddy Wayne's record-setting hit song, it took her compassion and made it tangible, by funding grief counseling in the short term, followed by financial and legal assistance long-term.  "It doesn't matter if it was a one-car accident on the highway or an enormous world-famous event.  If someone died or was seriously injured needlessly as a result, we're there for them."

Because April is the designated month for awareness of this cause, Brenda decided to team with veteran Hollywood producer Nigel Lythgoe (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance) for a two-hour telethon, to air on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW, MyNetworkTV, and 22 non-broadcast networks.  Called We Celebrate Life, the program was scheduled for Friday, April 19.  Both the "roadblock" distribution and the show's production style was influenced by America: A Tribute to Heroes, which aired after the last major terrorist attack in the United States - 9/11.

However, as the minutes ticked down to showtime, police closed in on one of the two Chechen brothers who were suspects in the bombings, Dzokhar Tsarnaev (the other, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was killed earlier).  It became apparent that the four major broadcast networks couldn't show the telethon, as protocol dictated that they couldn't just ignore the events.  By what was supposed to be the end of the first hour, the suspect was captured alive.  During what was to be the second, U.S. president Barack Obama spoke briefly on the day's developments.

Since the master control feed controlled what went out to all 28 of the scheduled networks and could not be separated, organizers had no choice but to cancel.

But here's the thing: Brenda had made a complete show rundown and generously made it available to anyone who asked.  So if the telethon had gone forward, here's what viewers would have seen:

• Opening remarks from Brenda and co-host Kevin Frazier
• Coldplay - "Fix You" with dance by Lacey Schwimmer and Travis Wall
• Mark Wahlberg and Aly Raissman - remarks from Boston natives
• Angie Miller - "I'll Stand By You" (footage from Wednesday's Idol)
• John Hickenlooper - governor of Colorado on Aurora and Columbine H.S. shootings
• Brittany Raylene - "You Are Not Alone"
• Feature on marathon runners who ran to raise funds for Bluebird Fund
• Beelzebubs - "Sweet Caroline" (footage from The Sing-Off in 2011)
• Dwayne and Paula Muffett - Bluebird Fund-affiliated counselors who lost their home due to the 2011 Joplin tornado in Missouri
• Boyz II Men - "It's Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday"
• Camera pans left to right to show phone banks (see below)
• Phillip Phillips - "Home"
• Geno Auriemma (head women's basketball coach, UConn) - recalling Newtown shootings
• Aerosmith - "Dream On" (1990s concert footage)
• "Boston" Rob Mariani and Emily Maynard - reality-show competitors
• Bubba Brister - "Hallelujah"
• Brittany Ramos with remarks of how these events affect children
• Jennifer Hudson - "One Sweet Day"
• Jon Bon Jovi - remembering 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy
• Buddy Wayne Barefoot - "Bluebird"

Phone banks were also set up in Los Angeles with those affected by various mass shootings, natural disasters, and accidents since 2001, and also in Kansas City, KS with various NASCAR personalities (Brenda, remember, has two sons and a nephew with a total of six championships in its top series).

Brenda admitted to the adverse circumstances and said in a late Friday press conference that she wants to do it all again next year.

Note: Aerosmith and the Beelzebubs (the Tufts University glee club) were scheduled to perform at the Berklee College of Music in Boston; however, the city's day-long lockdown prevented anyone from reaching the site.  In both cases, videotape was substituted.

Bunky is really busy

After Britton "Bunky" Barefoot arrived in Heaven, and was deprived of all the pleasures he had in the past, even he had to wonder how he could cope.

But after a brief probationary period of having some of the least-rewarding jobs on the family farm - like cleaning manure and maintaining the "butt" (large water barrel) that substitutes for a bathroom, Bunky has recovered nicely.

On the family farm, Bunky has two current job duties.  The first is to provide transportation by horse- and mule-drawn vehicles when family members need it.  He also is Harvey's "office assistant" in his workshop, helping to obtain and organize his supplies for the items Harvey makes.

In addition, Bunky has pursued two of his long-time passions.  First, he traveled to various cities around the world last fall for a new TV series, Bunky's Whole Wide World, which premiered on Barefoot Media Networks TV on April 1.  By the end of season one, he'll visit New York City, Paris, Los Angeles, and Jerusalem among other places.  The idea is to find out what those cities will look like once Jesus Christ returns to Earth to start the new era prophesied in the Book of Revelation.

But what he considers his "dream job" first played out on the final episode of Goin' Barefoot (formerly Buddy Wayne Coming Home) for the second season, which aired on March 31, Easter Sunday.  That was the performance debut of B.O.M.B., which is the acronym for Bunky the One-Man Band.  He combined the drum set he got for Christmas which other musical instruments he found around the house, as shown here, to create the band.  Always known only as a novelty concept, Bunky's goal is to find a place for it in the popular musical scene.  On the show, he performed an original song called "Good Rockin' Baby."  In addition to the drums, he played keyboard, harmonica, and bass guitar.  And he did all of that without use of a synthesizer or related electronic items.

He plans to record more songs and put out a full album this coming fall.

Want to see Bunky's "home"?

Something else I did during my recent trip to Las Vegas was to take a photograph.  But it wasn't just any picture.  This is where Bunky Barefoot lived in his final months before returning to the family for good.

The location is the Mandarin Oriental, a luxury hotel that Bunky was using as if it was an apartment building.  Where he lived is circled in red.  It is part of the CityCenter master-planned area, which also includes two other hotels (Aria and Vdara) and the Crystals shopping mall.

Double entendre, bubble gum, and another family hit

After a week spent on vacation in Las Vegas, I thought I would skip a posting this week.  (By the way, I highly recommend the Tournament of Kings show at the Excalibur.)  But inspiration can strike at any time, and in writing a "response" song to a recent hit, this is what occured. - D.H.


The sexually-charged phrase "blow me" became familiar in 2012 as part of the title of a hit song by global pop star Pink, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)."   But few people know of another song called "Blow Me" that was written and recorded the year before!

It started with a conversation between Reba Pearl "Hambone" Barefoot and one of her nieces, Kimberly Strickland.  (Kimberly's mother, Dina Barefoot Strickland, is the brother of Alfred Wayne Barefoot, nephew of Hambone's father Alonzo.)  Like her famous cousin Buddy Wayne Barefoot, she is an acoustic country guitarist.  "I channel the old music of Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, but give it a rock-star voice twist to make it my own," she says.   At the annual block party - a reunion with extended members of the families of the 13 core members - Hambone whispered a joke to Strickland:
HAMBONE: What did the stick of bubble gum say to me?
STRICKLAND: What?
HAMBONE: Blow me.
With that, Strickland was inspired!  She wrote a song to the tune of the modern-rock song "Monsters and Angels," recorded by Voices of the Beehive in 1990.  However, Strickland modified it to be an upbeat country song called "Blow Me (The Bubble Gum Song)."  Unlike Pink's tune - which is centered on a fictitious breakup - this song takes double-entendre and makes it fun and friendly.

One night I was laying down on my bed,
And I noticed a pack of gum that said,
"Blow me."

I couldn't believe what was on the label
But it kept screaming at me on that table,
"Blow me."

(Chorus)
Yes, the song's about bubble gum,
Put it in your mouth and have a little fun
It just sat there, like a sign
Like it was winking back, as if to show me
The only thing that I knew I could do
Was "blow me."

So I opened a stick and began to chew,
I understood it and I got a clue,
"Blow me."

Then I smiled and laughed in total bliss,
Knowing it was a sign that I couldn't miss,
"Blow me."

(Repeat chorus)
(Guitar instrumental)

Now I make bubbles every night and day
Because of a label that I obey,
"Blow me."

There's just one thing of which I think
When I see sweet rubber and the color pink,
"Blow me."

(Chorus)
"Blow me."
"Blow me."
"Blow...me!"
(Final guitar riff)

Note: This is not related to the "blow me" billboard I wrote about in November 2012 and then later showed in this portfolio.

(Avatar: Brittany Barefoot, recent graduate of the University of South Carolina, originally from Greenwood, SC; taken at her high-school senior class dinner in 2008.)

Still even more Photoshop work

Here are two more recent items - one from the Photoshop class I take in the morning and one from the Illustrator class I take in the afternoon.

From the Illustrator class, here's Jennifer's "business card."  If you've been with me since last fall, you know that Jennifer is Bobby Ray's wife and was a podiatrist before her new life began.  (She is now a housewife, hobby farmer and gardener, and has prepared Brandy for the Miss Idealia pageant.)

Below that is a promotional ad for The Plumpkins that I made in Photoshop class.  The new "reality TV" show stars an African-American family that lives in central Alabama and which I first wrote about last November.  The parents are Bunkley Ray "Bunk" and Lulabettie Mae "Lulu," and they have a son LaBloodrick Lorenzo "Bam Bam" and a daughter La'BooTeasha Raylene "Boo."  The Plumpkin family are "blacknecks," meaning they carry on a rural lifestyle similar to "rednecks," who are stereotypically white.  I made the last name from a portmanteau of the surnames Plump and Lumpkin; however, it's also a real last name, almost entirely in England.  (And it's certainly not to be confused with this comedic vegetable.)

Family members prepare for Easter

Easter is coming up, which means another occasion for us to catch up with family, friends, and neighbors.

Actually, it all began on Palm Sunday last week.  This is a Christian holiday commemorating the arrival of Jesus Christ in the city of Jerusalem for trial in front of the Roman judges.  It is called such because his followers waved palm fronds as he rode on the donkey.  Catholics also consider it the start of "holy week."

Tonight, we had a special church service in honor of Good Friday.  We began by looking at scenes from Mel Gibson's masterpiece The Passion of the Christ, which came out in 2004.  Of course, the kids cried at some of the scenes, but in the end we talked about what the images meant and it all made sense to them.  Ralph had a special message after that, reminding us of the significance of the crucifixion and how it helped us get through the tough times we experienced on Earth.

This coming Sunday, we plan to begin very early in the morning with a sunrise service.  The timing symbolizes the new life in Christ that can be gained through understanding of the meaning of his resurrection.  For this service, we will be joined by Popeye's nine brothers and sisters, their spouses, and all their children, as well as Daniel and Laurie (Brandy and Bunky's parents) and Daniel's sister Dina.  In all, we'll see a little more than 50 people.  To give you an idea of how our transport system has regressed, Laurie has already left Chicago for a 700-mile journey by way of animal-drawn carriage to get here, which will take about 10 days to complete.  (Daniel will journey about two days from his home in Lincolnton.)  In the modern days, this was a two-hour plane flight from the O'Hare airport to RDU [Raleigh-Durham International Airport].  But at least I know Laurie stayed in the U.S. and did not move in with her ancestors in Italy, as I had suspected.

As much as I look forward to reconnecting with relatives I didn't know I had before moving into this next life, Brandy and Bunky's parents are ecstatic to see their two children again.  I fully expect them to also be part of our other celebrations - summer block party, Thanksgiving, and Christmas - in the future.

Oh, one more thing: Tune in this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT for the season finale of our show Buddy Wayne: Coming Home.  On that program, see the debut performance of B.O.M.B., Bunky the One-Man Band.  It's the new musical act that Cousin Bunky created with the Christmas gift he received.