No matter what team you are rooting for … enjoy the game and if you are drinking and driving, … please use a designated driver.

Orlando’s own SAVANNAH has just released their second EP titled LUMA OPTICA. This EP release is currently up and streaming on their Facebook page.

The band’s first release VESSELS is available now on iTunes.

Be sure to follow SAVANNAH on Facebook and check out a sampling of their release there as well. We did and we found it fresh and very pleasing.

These are humble beginnings for SAVANNAH. This homegrown group of guys need a local buzz to help propel their success. So I’m asking all our TheOrlandoBlog fans to check out SAVANNAH and LIKE their page, give the tunes a listen and be sure to check out their first release a sampling on iTunes. But most of all, if you like what you here, tell your friends and pass it on.

Let us know what you think…

SAVANNAH

It is what gets us by every single day of our lives. I gave a definition of faith in my last post which was ‘a confident or trust’ in something or someone. You see, there are different kinds of faith. Some comes from experience. For example, when you flip the light switch on you have faith that it will turn on the light. But, what about the kind that can save your life? When you are in your car and you are flying up to the stop light and you wait until the last second before applying your brakes; you are using your faith. You have faith in your brakes working based upon past experience. That’s the normal day to day faith that keeps us doing what we need and want to do. But, what about faith in something you don’t have past experiences in? How can we have a ‘confidence or trust’ in something we have never done before? Let’s look at some examples.

Leaps of Faith are in the movies. In the “Last Crusade” movie, Indiana Jones had to take a ‘leap of faith’  to save his dad’s life.

If you think about it, a lot of movies portray people taking a ‘leap of faith’. Why …?  It’s simple. We all have a desire to do something great; something BIG! Hollywood understands that if the majority of the people aren’t willing to step out in faith or take a chance, they at least want to side in with someone who will. When we watch our favorite movie where the hero does something amazing, we are living out our ‘leaps’ through them.

I say enough of that!

It’s time we take some steps of our own. Do you want to go back to school? Do it!

Do you have dreams? Set some goals and achieve them!

Do you want to help people? Find some ways to help people who are less fortunate than you.

If you exercise your muscles they get stronger. The same is true with our faith.

Need more inspiration? The Bible is a great place to see some large steps of faith. Gideon was told by God to attack the Midianites. Gideon started out with 32,000 men but God only wanted 300. Gideon won a battle against thousands of Midianites with only 300 men. How? Gideon allowed his faith to grow enough to believe that God was with him. This faith wasn’t instantaneous. He had to work on it. I encourage you to read it for yourself.

Leaps of faith can be very scary. I recommend exercising yours in God and doing His will in conjunction with taking the leap. The same God that helped Gideon defeat a mighty army wants to help you succeed in your life adventures. Remember, you can’t fail if you don’t quit.

Will it be easy? No!

Will it always be fun? No!

Will it be worth it? Yes, absolutely YES!

I would rather live my life trying to do ‘big’ things rather than reaching the end of it and wishing I had taken some chances. People, we only get a short time here on earth and we all have some opportunities to do something good; something big. Ask God to increase your faith. Ask Him to give you dreams and then let’s all take a ‘Leap of Faith”!

Cirque du Soleil Offers the Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift

Experience THE IMMORTAL World Tour with your Sweetheart!

(Official Press Release / Non-Original Content) 

Orlando (February 1, 2012) – Whether it’s romance or friendship you’re celebrating on Valentine’s Day, treat that special someone to an exhilarating performance of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour or give the new Cirque du Soleil gift card to offer a choice of unique gift ideas.

 In Orlando, two performances of THE IMMORTAL World Tour will be presented from February 28-29, 2012 at 8:00pm at the Amway Center. Tickets are available now at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets range from $50 to $250 each.  For show and ticket information, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/MichaelJackson.

A riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses audiences in Michael’s creative world and literally turns his signature moves upside down, Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour unfolds Michael Jackson’s artistry before the eyes of the audience. Aimed at lifelong fans as well as those experiencing Michael’s creative genius for the first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend generations.

 THE IMMORTAL World Tour takes place in a fantastical realm where we discover Michael’s inspirational wellspring of his creativity. The secrets of Michael’s inner world are unlocked—his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature.

 The underpinnings of THE IMMORTAL World Tour are Michael Jackson’s powerful, inspirational music and lyrics—the driving force behind the show—brought to life with extraordinary power and breathless intensity. Through unforgettable performances Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour underscores Michael’s global messages of love, peace and unity.

MICHAEL JACKSON THE IMMORTAL WORLD TOUR
Photo Credits

Photos: OSA Images
Costumes: Zaldy Goco
©2011 Cirque-Jackson I.P., LLC

*****   Public Disclosure: In accordance with FCC regulations, we wish to disclose that while we are pleased to promote this event, we have been provided the promise of VIP seating for this event.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27^TH

NOTE:  THIS EVENT HAS CONCLUDED … 

What:  The Advance Auto Parts MONSTER JAM® makes its return to the Orlando area when the annual motor sports spectacle drives into the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium on Saturday, January 28^th.

Many of the trucks appearing in this event will be on display around Central Florida on Friday, January 27^th.  All displays are free and open to the public.

Truck Displays:

Learn more about each truck at http://www.monsterjam.com/Bios/Trucks/.  Photo credit:  Feld Motor Sports

About:   Monster Jam is one of Orlando’s most popular and largest single day stadium events,

Monster Jam:  Attracting capacity crowds of over 60,000 fans.  Sixteen monster trucks — the most ever scheduled for an Orlando event — will compete in side-by-racing and the fan-favorite freestyle competition. The highlight of this year’s event is the 30^th anniversary tour of the greatest driver and truck in MONSTER JAM® history, Dennis Anderson and an all-new GRAVE DIGGER 30 truck design.

Show Time:      One show only:  Saturday, January 28^th

NEW EARLIER START TIME - Gates Open at 5 pm. Opening Ceremonies at 6:30 pm. Racing Starts at 7 pm.

Where:     Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, 1610 W. Church Street, Orlando, FL 32805

Ticket Prices:   Advance purchase SuperValue Tickets are ONLY $15. Day of Show $18  / $35 VIP / $25 Sideline. Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Amway Center Box Office, or charge by phone at 800-745-3000, at ticketmaster.com and at www.monsterjam.com (click on “Tickets”).  Tickets will also be available day of show at the Citrus Bowl. All seats reserved. Subject to facility fee, plus convenience and handling charges.

Discounts:    Fans can save $15 with a buy 3, get 1 free 4-pak ticket voucher deal at area Metro PCS locations beginning January 2^nd.

Show Details:     Central Florida will heat up this January when 1,500 horsepower, 10,000-pound monster trucks compete in side-by-side racing, and the fan-favorite freestyle competition, where each monster truck gets 90 seconds to “wow” the crowd with huge jumps, wheelies, truck-spinning donuts, and the destruction of cars, vans, buses, motor homes and more.  In addition to 4-time World Champion and the sport’s legendary icon Dennis Anderson driving GRAVE DIGGER 30, the field includes the debut appearance of GRAVE DIGGER THE LEGEND (driven by Anderson’s son, Adam), Central Florida-based and female-driven MADUSA, GRINDER, EL TORO LOCO, EL MATADOR and many others.  The event will also include more yet-to-be announced motorsports competitions. The official title of the event is Metro PCS, 1-800-Ask-Gary, Budweiser & Your Southern Ford Dealers present The Advance Auto Parts MONSTER JAM®.

More Preview     Fans can go behind the scenes, meet the drivers for autographs and photo ops, and see the monster trucks up close at the World’s Ultimate Pit Party at Tinker Field on Saturday from 2-5 pm. Pick up a free Pit Pass at participating Orlando area Southern Ford Dealers beginning January 2^nd.

Contests:   Pit Passes, along with a valid event ticket, get fans into the Pit Area.

Fans can also go for a ride in a real monster truck before the show by picking up a free Monster Truck Ride Pass at any Advance Auto Parts location beginning January 9^th.  Monster Truck rides begin at 1 p.m. in the lot across from Gate D and run until 7 p.m.

Beginning Jan. 2^nd, enter to win a trip for two to the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas with an entry form available at participating Budweiser retailers.

2012 MARKS THE 30^TH ANNIVERSARY OF MONSTER JAM^® ICON – GRAVE DIGGER^®

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam roars into New Season with Grave Digger Celebration

™30 Years in the Making!

NOTE:  THIS EVENT HAS CONCLUDED … 

 Aurora, Ill – December 13, 2011 – Feld Motor Sports^® is honoring the 30^th anniversary of Grave Digger^® in 2012 with a year-long celebration that Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam^® fans will not want to miss. The entire Grave Digger race team, including creator Dennis Anderson, will be commemorating the 30 year history as the most celebrated Monster Jam monster truck of all time. Grave Digger has entertained millions of fans worldwide and has hundreds of racing and freestyle wins – including four Monster Jam World Finals℠ championships.

MONSTER JAM® RETURNS TO ORLANDO ON JANUARY 28^TH 2012

Annual motor sports spectacle is largest stadium event of the year with 16 monster trucks

and features GRAVE DIGGER’S 30th anniversary tour

Tickets available NOW: Event Orlando Jan 28, 2012

Pit Party 2-5:00pm / Gates Open at 5:00pm / Show Time 7:00pm

VIP Center Sideline – $35
Sideline – $25
SuperValue – $15

All tickets $3 more day of show
All tickets subject to Facility Fees, Convenience, and Handling Charges

Click here to purchase tickets NOW!

Discounts:  Fans can save $15 with a buy 3, get 1 free 4-pak ticket voucher deal at area Metro PCS locations beginning January 2^nd.

Show Details:  Central Florida will heat up this January when 1,500 horsepower, 10,000-pound monster trucks compete in side-by-side racing, and the fan-favorite freestyle competition, where each monster truck gets 90 seconds to “wow” the crowd with huge jumps, wheelies, truck-spinning donuts, and the destruction of cars, vans, buses, motor homes and more.  In addition to 4-time World Champion and the sport’s legendary icon Dennis Anderson driving GRAVE DIGGER 30, the field includes the debut appearance of GRAVE DIGGER THE LEGEND (driven by Anderson’s son, Adam), Central Florida-based and female-driven MADUSA, GRINDER, EL TORO LOCO, EL MATADOR and many others.  The event will also include more yet-to-be announced motorsports competitions. The official title of the event is Metro PCS, 1-800-Ask-Gary, Budweiser & Your Southern Ford Dealers present The Advance Auto Parts MONSTER JAM®.

Preview:   Fans can go behind the scenes, meet the drivers for autographs and photo ops, and see the monster trucks up close at the World’s Ultimate Pit Party at Tinker Field from 2-5 pm.

Contests:   Pick up a free Pit Pass at participating Orlando area Southern Ford Dealers beginning January 2^nd.  Pit Passes, along with a valid event ticket, get fans into the Pit Area.

Fans can also go for a ride in a real monster truck before the show by picking up a free Monster Truck Ride Pass at any Advance Auto Parts location beginning January 9^th.  Monster Truck rides begin at 1 p.m. in the lot across from Gate D and run until 7 p.m.

Beginning Jan. 2^nd, enter to win a trip for two to the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas with an entry form available at participating Budweiser retailers.

Highlighting the Grave Digger 30^th Anniversary celebration, which starts in January, will be three specially designed Grave Digger monster trucks, a traveling fan experience, limited edition merchandise, and interactive promotions.  Monster Jam fans can get up close to the newly designed versions of Grave Digger and participate in the traveling Grave Digger 30^th Anniversary Experience, as part of the Monster Jam  pre-show Party in the Pits.  The Grave Digger 30^th Anniversary Experience, which will tour to all Monster Jam events in which Grave Digger will be performing, features a historical timeline from Grave Digger’s humble beginning to its rise in popularity, exclusive vintage attractions, limited edition merchandise like the Grave Digger 30^th Anniversary DVD, broadcasts of thrilling moments from Monster Jam events spanning three decades, and more!

 Also part of the celebration is a full line of exclusive limited edition Grave Digger 30^th Anniversary merchandise available at mass retail outlets where Monster Jam products are sold. 

“It is such an honor and a privilege to celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of Grave Digger in 2012 with the millions of Monster Jam fans around the globe,” said Dennis Anderson, Grave Digger creator and driver. “The Grave Digger racing team has been bad to the bone for 30 years, and we are excited to show off these special edition 30^th Anniversary monster trucks and celebrate with the fans at the Grave Digger 30^thAnniversary Experience inside the Monster Jam Party in the Pits.” 

 Monster Jam partners like K’NEX construction toys also are paying homage to Grave Digger’s 30^th anniversary by completing a massive top-secret project with a group of talented builders at Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) based in the United Kingdom. The project dubbed BIG BUILD will be revealed in early 2012. BIG BUILD took the team at RBLI more than 300 hours over the course of three months to construct by hand and used more than 700,000 K’NEX pieces. This week the BIG BUILD began its trans-Atlantic pilgrimage from RBLI headquarters in Kent, on England’s southeastern coast, to the United States in preparation for its official unveiling at the beginning of January.

 “Grave Digger has spent 30 year entertaining Monster Jam fans, and we will pay special tribute to its place in the history books by honoring the legendary monster truck throughout the 2012 season,” said Charlie Mancuso, president, Feld Motor Sports.  “It’s not only a celebration of Grave Digger, but it’s more importantly a celebration of the millions of Monster Jam fans around the world who have supported Grave Digger through the years.”

No stone has been left unturned for fans to join in the celebration and all of the fun and excitement of the 30-year history of Grave Digger. Monster Jam fans can get their first sneak peak of the Grave Digger 30^thAnniversary celebration on December 24^th with the Monster Jam television special airing on CBS, which will provide highlights of 2011 Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam season along with exclusive Grave Digger 30^th Anniversary features.  Interactive promotions for Grave Digger fans also can be found on MonsterJam.com and Monster Jam’s Facebook Fan page.

Tickets are available today at www.MonsterJam.com.  Stay tuned for upcoming Grave Digger 30^th Anniversary announcements at www.facebook.com/mjonline, and www.twitter.com/monsterjam.

About Feld Motor Sports^®                                                                                                         

Feld Motor Sports^®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz^®, and IHRA^® Nitro Jam^®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

Peace like a river …; We’ve all heard it, we’ve all sang it, but, what does it mean? Where did this phrase come from and how do we get it?

Can we have peace in a world full of hate?

First of all, remember the song a lot of us sang as kids; “I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river…”. It’s a smooth, comforting song that brings to mind a large slow moving, gentle body of water. The Old Testament book of Isaiah 66:11-13 mentions this kind of peace and it is this reference where we get the phrase from. OK, it’s Biblical, so where does it come from?

This kind of comfort, tranquility and calmness can only come from God. What about world peace? The world we live in will never be at peace until Jesus returns. The Bible states in Matthew 13:48-50 that the wicked will be separated from the just so as long as there is wickedness in the world, there will be no worldwide peace.

Don’t give up!

We can have peace in a world that lacks it. As I was studying and meditating on this river-like peace, I got to thinking about all the rivers that didn’t seem so peaceful. There are many rivers that are quite violent. We all know of waterfalls and rapids that aren’t so calm, right? These are the same waterways that seem still and calm in certain areas all the while remaining rough and choppy in others. How does the whole ‘peace like a river’ apply here? This is what I felt the Lord gave me as an answer to this very question. To obtain this ‘peace’, one must have a confident expectation of things to come. This is a perfect definition of the word Faith. You see, a river has a destination. It knows where it is going and nothing is going to keep it from getting there. There are obstacles; rocks, trees or even cliffs often get in the path of a river. Even when dams are built to hold back the river; it can never be completely stopped. It will reach its destination. That is true peace. It comes when you know that nothing can keep you from getting to where you know you are destined to be. Whether natural things in this world or man made things are created to try and stop you; peace is yours.

If you believe in what God has promised and know that you have a destination in heaven; then peace like a river will flow through your life. It’s true and that simple, … believe!

Sea World Orlando will hold one of its great annual events this spring with the Viva La Musica festival set in April. The festival includes performances from traditional and new Hispanic music acts during a weekly concert to take place at the park.

The Viva La Musica celebration is set for a large festival setting focused on numerous aspects of Hispanic culture. The celebrations will be highlighted by stage acts from a number of different Latin performers (award –winning), as well as dancing and great cuisine. The best thing about the celebration is that it will be of no extra cost for all Sea World visitors, as park admission will cover attendance for the show.

The concert location inside of Sea World runs on a first come-first serve basis, as the performances often fill up rather fast. The Viva La Musica performances themselves will take place on Saturday afternoons from April 14- May 5 to better suit the spring weather. In previous years, the festival had been held earlier on in the year, sometimes taking place during colder weather.  The great springtime weather will be perfect for those who want to get out of their Orlando apartment or home and get into a great Hispanic celebration.

Some of the other highlights of the weekend festivals will be the great exposure to Latin cuisine over the month long celebration. There will be numerous sampling tents throughout the park offering up one of a kind Hispanic dishes, bringing a great departure from your ordinary theme park cuisine.

The musical performances will be kicking off on April 14 when meringue star Elvis Crespo takes the stage. Some of the other acts to take the stage in the first few weeks of the celebration will be Grupo Niche on April 21, RKM and Ken Y on April 28, as well as salsa star Gilberto Santa Rosa on May 5.

Viva La Musica at Sea World will serve as a replacement for one of the area’s most renowned celebrations of Hispanic culture in the OLA Fest. The annual film and Hispanic culture celebration in Orlando was cancelled in 2012 because of a lack of funding. In the past, the festival had big help from Premiere Cinemeas, assorted Orlando abogado practices, the Orlando Magic, Golf Channel and the Telemundo, among others. The support and revenue was just not there for 2012, but there is hope the film festival could resume in the future.

The spring time is an excellent part of the year, especially here in Orlando. As the temperature heats up, Sea World is the perfect location to enjoy the weather while taking in a great celebration of the Hispanic culture with excellent music and delicious food this spring.

—–

This article is a guest feature as provided by Paige Taylor

I know we’ve all seen and heard professional wrestlers get in the ring, grab the microphone and start telling all kinds of bad things about their opponents. Of course, all the information they tell is the ‘truth’ according to them. This sometimes reminds me of a lot of our political candidates. They may seem more ‘politically correct’, but the end result is the same; bash your opponent and get the people to think less of them and more of you.

I’ll be blunt; this makes me sick! For once, I would like to see candidates take a stand for what they believe in, promote those things while refusing to bash their opponents. I mean aren’t we all in it for the same reason; to better our country? Ok, enough about how our candidates manage their campaigns. My real reason for this post is to discuss our role in all of this. What is our responsibility in the democratic process?

How do you decide on whom to vote for?

Do you even vote?

Let’s take a look back for a moment to how this all came about. If you read about the history of our nation, you will learn that a lot of hard work was done and a lot of battles were fought to establish a nation where the people had a say in what happens in government. Our nation has been a free nation for so long now that “We The People” have become relaxed in our obligations. Through a lot of hardships, sacrifices and bloodshed we have been given the right to vote. This is a privilege that shouldn’t be taken lightly or cast off like a worn out shirt. Now, I don’t want to come across as hardnosed or condemning, because I have been guilty of not fulfilling my right to vote as well. I encourage you today to start exercising your right to vote. But, what if I don’t know who or what to vote on? When you make a large purchase like a new car, house or even a new cell phone, don’t you do a little research first? How much time to you put in researching for your fantasy football league? I suggest doing the same thing before going to the polls. Don’t just take the television and radio ads for the complete truth. Do a little due diligence and research each candidate. At the very least you can call their campaign offices and ask questions about issues they stand for. You will be surprised how much better you feel about voting once you gain a little knowledge. It is time for us Americans to stand up and take responsibility for our nation and fulfill our obligation and vote for what we feel is right.

Your voice matters so make sure your voice is heard this voting season!