Cloud Nine Higher

As college football fans, we knew it was coming sooner or later: The next round of realignment in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Like it or not, the SEC is growing to 16 in the near future as Texas and Oklahoma bolt from the Big XII. The B1G Big Ten just swept UCLA and USC from the Pac-12. The Big XII grabbed Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF from the American Athletic Conference and added current football independent BYU. The AAC raided Conference USA. The domino effect continues and has even impacted basketball. A recent article from The Athletic noted that the Sun Belt could be on the rise as a Group of Five (G5) league with the additions of Southern Miss, James Madison, Old Dominion, and Marshall. Ticket sales are up as fans jump at old rivalries brought back to life and the ability to travel to see their teams live and in person on the road. I focus this post on the sport of football, as the season begins with Nebraska and N...

And when you head to vote, especially if you're voting in Davidson County, you had better allow plenty of time to make it happen. Early voting began July 15 and will continue through July 30. Election Day is Thursday, August 4. At stake: Major party nominations for Tennessee governor, U.S. House of Representatives, and Tennessee state Senate (in some districts) and House of Representatives (all districts). You get the call at your polling place to vote Republican, Democrat, or to just go for the general election for local offices and most every judgeship in the state of Tennessee. Not to mention four proposed amendments to the charter of Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County.  Proposed amendment number 1 modifies the process for placing a charter amendment on the ballot for an "up or down" vote. It allows an amendment to go to the ballot by a two-thirds majority of the Metro Council following review by a newly-created Charter Revision Commission. No more than two amendme...

If you read my last blog post about the July 2 pictorial produced by me, directed by model Moxie, and featuring herself and JT as models, you know that sometimes shooting in any public place can provide disruptive adventure to go along with the "real life" vibe of my photos.  The inappropriately irate sunbather on the rooftop of The 500 Fifth disrupted but did not ruin our photo shoot on Independence Day weekend. Moxie and JT worked through the situation well, and we captured the looks we wanted, both with the Adam & Eve theme and beach ball fun too. For some reason, some iconic places in downtown Nashville do not like guests taking formal photo shoots. Schermerhorn Symphony Center has posted signs forbidding photos of their building. As an attorney, other than prohibiting folks on their property from taking photos (trespassing), I know of no legal basis for such a prohibition. But when I staged a photo shoot at Walk of Fame Park across the street on June 18, I made a poi...

During the years I have published Cloud Nine Higher , I have interacted with about twenty different models - all but two of them female. Some have signed off on my contract, posed for a shoot, received their enhanced photos, expressed some appreciation, and moved on with their respective lives. Some have later expressed, either directly or indirectly, that they wish to cut ties with me and move on from posing for me. Even one has requested that her photos stop publishing. Other photos have been retired from publication by me. But regardless of the stance my models take toward me once their work is done, I want their experience with me to be positive in every way. Even when they wish to distance from me at a later time. Every female applicant who interviews in person or who discusses modeling with me over the phone is more than just a pretty face with a cute body. The males who cross my path are more than just handsome men. They are all human beings, and I strive to treat them with the ...

Abortion is, in my view, not an enjoyable topic of discussion. The right to abort a pregnancy ignites deeply-held views and emotions in our great American society. In short, the topic is a lightning rod of controversy. My personal views have vacillated over the course of time. This blog is Christian. Therefore, my view is that most abortion is murder (especially if there is no threat of injury or death to the mother). But, as a man of faith (first) and man of the law (second), I also respect all sides, even if I disagree. I have seen some news blurbs that indicate that the new opinion of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization  written by Justice Samuel Alito could spur a new wave of adoptions. From all I understand, there are many couples in this world who would love to step up and adopt children. As expensive and cumbersome as adoption can be, any increase in adoption or a streamlining of the process of adoption would be a welcome change in society in my view. Many lives hav...