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CHANGE!
15 years ago
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Seeing A Dream Come Alive Made Me Cry
In October of 2007, we began a series at Status called "Life In A Tent Without A Campground." It was a 9 week journey with the Hebrew people from Egypt, through the wilderness and into the promised land.At the beginning of the series, we built an ebenezer - a pile of rocks commemorating the miracles God has done in our lives - like the one the Hebrews built after God had led them across the Red Sea. However, our ebenezer was two sided. One side of our stones was thankfulness for what God had done in our lives. The other side of the stones was where we feel God leading us next.
As I led our community through that experience, I spoke of a vision I had been having (and continue to have) for the Status community and our generation : God has placed a blessing of leadership, wisdom and adventure on us, and He desires to change the world - not from the top down - but from the middle outward.
We have been raised in an historical context of top-down leadership where the coming generations have waited and relied on the previous generation to mobilize or challenge them toward action. But the vision God had given was clear in my mind - looking something like dripping water in the middle of a paper towel - the water creeping out into the dryness from the center.
In the past year, we've come a long way, and - through many conversations and much prayer - we are becoming an increasingly inter-generational community (more on that here and the left column on this page).
Today, I met up with a forty year old British man named Chris who has been coming to Status for a few months, and I heard him say one of the most incredible things my ears have ever heard...
"I walk into Status and see all those young people there and think, 'bloody hell, why couldn't I have been born twenty years ago?' Those people are so talented and motivated and can do anything."
To know that Chris sees this same blessing on our generation is amazing... and more than that, to know that God has led us to tear down the walls of our man made box of twenties ministry to allow men like Chris in, is even more beautiful.
I could hardly say it without my voice quivering from the tears of joy in my eyes, "Chris, you have a lot to offer. Let me know how I can help you invest your gifts as a contributor to the kingdom of God through Status."
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Christmas at Status
We've heard the Christmas story - and every variation thereof - dozens of times. We've sung the songs to the point of exhaustion. So, with these two things in mind, I'm supposed to help create a Christmas worship gathering? Quite a daunting task... but it was a powerful night, and - best of all - we actually engaged together.
We brought everyone together for one service, and for this reason as well as our desire for people to engage in experiences around the room, we removed the chairs. Ben White, from Origins Long Beach, CA led a few songs at the beginning of the night, then Trent Sheppard, one of our teaching pastors, spoke on the parallel between the book of John (specifically the beginning) and the book of Genesis and wrapped up talking about our command as followers of Jesus to be givers over consumers.
Then, we transitioned into a time of interaction based on some questions inspired by the participants of the first Christmas (ie. Mary - "what pain has Jesus caused us? how might this pain be used for the glory of God?" or The Star - "how are we supposed to be light in the darkness?"). These questions were meant to help us be introspective around the idea of giving over consuming. Several of the questions also had interactive experiences involved with them to help people engage sensorially and not just cognitively. This time was about half an hour long and was accompanied by a group of about ten musicians.
Thanks to everyone who made this stuff happen:
Melyssa Marshall - tech director
Jenn Janaciewicz - operations
McKenzie Parker - producer
Josh Luker - engineer
Jake LeBoeuf -guitar and vocals
Luke Domeck - guitar and vocals
Noemy Olson - viola
Lu Bonilla - trumpet
Paulo Clayton - guitar and vocals
Ben White - guitar and vocals
Greg Perkins - guitar and harmonica/Designer
Sarah Hester - keys and vocals
Andrew Ross - guitar
Jordan Dowty - runner
as well as all the ops peeps that took down and reset chairs and the lighting and video crews.
Jake LeBoeuf -guitar and vocals
Luke Domeck - guitar and vocals
Noemy Olson - viola
Lu Bonilla - trumpet
Paulo Clayton - guitar and vocals
Ben White - guitar and vocals
Greg Perkins - guitar and harmonica/Designer
Sarah Hester - keys and vocals
Andrew Ross - guitar
Jordan Dowty - runner
as well as all the ops peeps that took down and reset chairs and the lighting and video crews.
Here are some pics:
Thursday, December 18, 2008
If I Had the Energy...
If I had the energy, I'd write a blog post about this:
http://www.worshipleader.com/praise-awards
Something called the "Praise Awards." Chances are, you know what I'd say about it anyway.
Rather than an entire post, here are some things to think about:
1. A group of people sat in a room. One of them said, "Let's have 'Praise Awards.'" The other people in the room responded, "man, what a great idea."
2. I've heard only one of the songs nominated for "song of the year."
3. The music industry really knows how to squash authenticity and make everything they touch seem cheesy.
Cheers to the corporate world for doing your best to try and kill another genre of music.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Francis Schaeffer, Communal Living and The Products Thereof
Francis Schaeffer died in in 1984 at the age of 72, but his life had a significant impact on the way modern Christianity interacts with the world. According to his son, Frank Schaeffer, Jerry Falwell once said, "without Francis, the Christian Right would have never existed." But interestingly enough, Francis lived a significant part of his life as the founder and leader of a communal Christian living and learning space in Switzerland called the L'Abri community. This community was known for its loving acceptance of the outcasts and hippies of society. Young, unwed mothers and homosexuals were welcomed with open arms and compassion.In his book, "Crazy For God," his son, Frank Schaeffer recounts how his life went from wandering thought Swiss hillside communities as a child to Christian rockstardom in his twenties to a supporter of Barak Obama today.
I heard an interview he did with Terry Gross on NPR's Fresh Air last week on Dec 9. My aunt emailed me today to ask my thoughts on the interview. As I re-listened to the podcast version, I was struck by how I could tie his words to where I heard them first. As he spoke of the backlash of his Democrat support in the 08 election, I was passing under I-4 on Orange driving into downtown. When he talked about the opera singer that moved moved to L'Abri to be part of the community, I was turning at the stoplight on Church and Hughey near my apartment. As I pulled into my parking garage he spoke of his conversion to the Greek Orthodox Church. When I parked, he said, "If I wanted to be an atheist, the first thing I would do is to pray to God to help me."
The vividness of these memories says something about the intensity and impact of what he had to say had on me. Perhaps you'll find it interesting as well. Here's a link to the podcast of the Dec 9, 2008 podcast in iTunes:
Thursday, December 11, 2008
From Distressed to Raw
I'd like to think I've always had some innate value and eye for aesthetics, but I can't remember thinking about fashion for the first 18 years of my life. Just like most kids, I woke up every morning for school and put on whatever shirt and pair of shorts were laying on the floor of my room. I didn't think much about the words "fit," "match" or "cut." I just wore what was around.
One afternoon, when I was about 19, I walked into Nordstrom at the Florida Mall. My department store experiences up until this point consisted mostly of Dillards and Sears, and chances are that a store that sells lawn mowers, washing machines and apparel isn't the most fashion forward of clothiers. I balked upon walking up to a rack of jeans and noticing a price tag of over $150. So, I turned up my nose and walked out of the store in my bootleg GAP jeans and stripped polo.
Over the next few days, I didn't talk of my experience in Nordstrom, but I must admit that my curiosity had been piqued.
"I wonder if $150 jeans actually feel different," I would say to myself followed by a quick, "but there's no way anyone could justify that!" Within a week, I was standing on a pedestal in the men's dressing room in my first pair of 7 For All Mankind denim. The in house tailor pinned them up, went upstairs, hemmed them and within the hour I walked out of the store with these in my hands.
At this moment, I would have never thought that I was walking down a road that would become somewhat of an obsession. I never thought jeans would ever be a subject of conversation. I never expected to amass a collection of rare denim. I didn't think I would lay them on the ground and take pictures of them. And I certainly didn't expect that it would connect me with people I might have never spoken to otherwise.
It was a few months later when I walked back into that Nordstrom store to purchase a similar pair of 7's.
One thing I knew when searching for this second pair of jeans was that I wanted them slimmer, and the men's section just wasn't cutting it for me. In 1999, it wasn't popular for guys to shop for jeans in the women's section of the store, but the men's jeans seemed to be made for guys with a size 28 waist and 25 inch thighs. So, I would sneak up the escalator and search for the most inconspicuous entry point possible into the women's denim section. I felt like a criminal... some kind of intruder into a sacred space. In actuality, I was an explorer - charting a way for the throngs of skinny guys to follow. You can thank me in the comments section...
Purchase two:
It was around this time I met Archie. Oddly enough, we were the only two people in a group of about 150 that were wearing designer denim at a campsite. In fact, Archie was the first person I had ever even seen wearing 7s. Our conversations, and subsequent years of friendship - bound together by music and pants - only pushed me deeper into the seedy underbelly of denimology.
Next was the - now obligatory - Diesel purchase. What this pair of jeans has become is somewhat an area of pride for me. While the wash was pretty distressed from the beginning, there was virtually no physical distress on the jeans. After about 5 years of everyday wear, the knees wore through, the thighs became paper thin and the pockets started fraying.
Unfortunately, Diesel has become the bottom half of the drunken frat boy party costume. That - combined with the fragility of the jeans - has forced them into retirement.
I spent a majority of that summer in Tennessee. One weekend, my band and I traveled to Memphis and found a store on the bottom floor of the Peabody called Lansky's. This was a first introduction to regional denim - specifically Japanese denim. Japanese denim is characterized by the old world style of hand made garments and moves away from mass production into more individualized styles. What I loved about these jeans is how light they were... 9 oz, I think. I patched them until they were just worn too thin to keep going. These Paper, Denim Cloth jeans were definitely my favorite.
As new jean designers and manufacturers would come upon the scene, I'd inevitably try them on and purchase some... Antique Denim, Joe Jeans, Earnest Sewn and Rock and Republic were to follow...
But my preferences changed over time. Eventually, I started sewing in flares and cutting my jeans into new fits.
... even turing some of them into shorts...
I took a several year sabbatical from buying jeans, but a few months ago, the bug bit me again. I was back in Memphis... this time with an entirely different band, and we were talking about jeans. Sean mentioned his friend, Sam, who had purchased some APC jeans earlier that year. He said they were some type of jean that came as solid indigo and became distressed with time. I had missed a new era in the course of denim, and I was hooked again. With the internet as my guide, I found raw denim.
Eventually, Sam and I ran across each other online and were connected by this denim sickness. He led me to forums where hundreds of people from all over the world talk about how jeans are made, what kind of fabrics are used, how to wear them well, how they fit and where to find them.
http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/forumdisplay.php?f=15
http://www.mynudies.com/
Since raw denim brick and mortar stores are so rare, they are next to impossible to try on before buying. So, these forums as well as conversations with other raw denim owners are necessary in making the right purchase online. My next purchase was from the Swedish company, Nudie. They are one of the only companies in the world that uses real indigo to dye their jeans, and they don't wash them before sending them to reatil - thus raw denim.
When my jeans arrived from Australia, they were completely blue. All raw denim companies suggest wearing jeans for at least six months before washing them to give them indigo opportunity to wear to the specific contours and bends of the wearer's body. After almost daily wearing for three months, here's what my Nudie's look like.
The color changing on the front of the jeans is called "whiskering" and is completely reliant upon the specific shape of me. You can see too where I keep my chapstick in my right front pocket.
The wear behind the knees is called "honeycomb" and you can see where I keep my credit cards in my back right pocket.
It's all really futile and quite ridiculous, I know. I'm not sure what has drawn me to denim over the last 9 years of my life, and I don't know what keeps me coming back. I do know that it sounds lame, but I really have made significant friends because of jeans. Like a lot of things (fixed gears, harleys, sports, music), jeans can bring people together. It's amazing that just by the insignia on the back of someone's pocket, I can make pretty accurate generalizations about who that person is or what they think about certain things in life. I guess to those who know about them, jeans can be like a secret handshake - some sort of secret society - a wink and a nod.
While I'm still a 28 (or sometimes a 27), i have grown and changed quite a bit from that first time I put on a pair of 7s in Nordstrom, and maybe my jeans - in some way - reflect that change.
One afternoon, when I was about 19, I walked into Nordstrom at the Florida Mall. My department store experiences up until this point consisted mostly of Dillards and Sears, and chances are that a store that sells lawn mowers, washing machines and apparel isn't the most fashion forward of clothiers. I balked upon walking up to a rack of jeans and noticing a price tag of over $150. So, I turned up my nose and walked out of the store in my bootleg GAP jeans and stripped polo.
Over the next few days, I didn't talk of my experience in Nordstrom, but I must admit that my curiosity had been piqued.
"I wonder if $150 jeans actually feel different," I would say to myself followed by a quick, "but there's no way anyone could justify that!" Within a week, I was standing on a pedestal in the men's dressing room in my first pair of 7 For All Mankind denim. The in house tailor pinned them up, went upstairs, hemmed them and within the hour I walked out of the store with these in my hands.
At this moment, I would have never thought that I was walking down a road that would become somewhat of an obsession. I never thought jeans would ever be a subject of conversation. I never expected to amass a collection of rare denim. I didn't think I would lay them on the ground and take pictures of them. And I certainly didn't expect that it would connect me with people I might have never spoken to otherwise.
It was a few months later when I walked back into that Nordstrom store to purchase a similar pair of 7's.
One thing I knew when searching for this second pair of jeans was that I wanted them slimmer, and the men's section just wasn't cutting it for me. In 1999, it wasn't popular for guys to shop for jeans in the women's section of the store, but the men's jeans seemed to be made for guys with a size 28 waist and 25 inch thighs. So, I would sneak up the escalator and search for the most inconspicuous entry point possible into the women's denim section. I felt like a criminal... some kind of intruder into a sacred space. In actuality, I was an explorer - charting a way for the throngs of skinny guys to follow. You can thank me in the comments section...
Purchase two:
It was around this time I met Archie. Oddly enough, we were the only two people in a group of about 150 that were wearing designer denim at a campsite. In fact, Archie was the first person I had ever even seen wearing 7s. Our conversations, and subsequent years of friendship - bound together by music and pants - only pushed me deeper into the seedy underbelly of denimology.
Next was the - now obligatory - Diesel purchase. What this pair of jeans has become is somewhat an area of pride for me. While the wash was pretty distressed from the beginning, there was virtually no physical distress on the jeans. After about 5 years of everyday wear, the knees wore through, the thighs became paper thin and the pockets started fraying.
Unfortunately, Diesel has become the bottom half of the drunken frat boy party costume. That - combined with the fragility of the jeans - has forced them into retirement.
I spent a majority of that summer in Tennessee. One weekend, my band and I traveled to Memphis and found a store on the bottom floor of the Peabody called Lansky's. This was a first introduction to regional denim - specifically Japanese denim. Japanese denim is characterized by the old world style of hand made garments and moves away from mass production into more individualized styles. What I loved about these jeans is how light they were... 9 oz, I think. I patched them until they were just worn too thin to keep going. These Paper, Denim Cloth jeans were definitely my favorite.
As new jean designers and manufacturers would come upon the scene, I'd inevitably try them on and purchase some... Antique Denim, Joe Jeans, Earnest Sewn and Rock and Republic were to follow...
But my preferences changed over time. Eventually, I started sewing in flares and cutting my jeans into new fits.
... even turing some of them into shorts...
I took a several year sabbatical from buying jeans, but a few months ago, the bug bit me again. I was back in Memphis... this time with an entirely different band, and we were talking about jeans. Sean mentioned his friend, Sam, who had purchased some APC jeans earlier that year. He said they were some type of jean that came as solid indigo and became distressed with time. I had missed a new era in the course of denim, and I was hooked again. With the internet as my guide, I found raw denim.
Eventually, Sam and I ran across each other online and were connected by this denim sickness. He led me to forums where hundreds of people from all over the world talk about how jeans are made, what kind of fabrics are used, how to wear them well, how they fit and where to find them.
http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/forumdisplay.php?f=15
http://www.mynudies.com/
Since raw denim brick and mortar stores are so rare, they are next to impossible to try on before buying. So, these forums as well as conversations with other raw denim owners are necessary in making the right purchase online. My next purchase was from the Swedish company, Nudie. They are one of the only companies in the world that uses real indigo to dye their jeans, and they don't wash them before sending them to reatil - thus raw denim.
When my jeans arrived from Australia, they were completely blue. All raw denim companies suggest wearing jeans for at least six months before washing them to give them indigo opportunity to wear to the specific contours and bends of the wearer's body. After almost daily wearing for three months, here's what my Nudie's look like.
The color changing on the front of the jeans is called "whiskering" and is completely reliant upon the specific shape of me. You can see too where I keep my chapstick in my right front pocket.
The wear behind the knees is called "honeycomb" and you can see where I keep my credit cards in my back right pocket.
It's all really futile and quite ridiculous, I know. I'm not sure what has drawn me to denim over the last 9 years of my life, and I don't know what keeps me coming back. I do know that it sounds lame, but I really have made significant friends because of jeans. Like a lot of things (fixed gears, harleys, sports, music), jeans can bring people together. It's amazing that just by the insignia on the back of someone's pocket, I can make pretty accurate generalizations about who that person is or what they think about certain things in life. I guess to those who know about them, jeans can be like a secret handshake - some sort of secret society - a wink and a nod.
While I'm still a 28 (or sometimes a 27), i have grown and changed quite a bit from that first time I put on a pair of 7s in Nordstrom, and maybe my jeans - in some way - reflect that change.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Christmas List
Every year, my mom asks, "what should I get you for Christmas," and I always reply, "I don't know." So, I've been withholding some purchases I want to make and have listed them here, mainly for her, but you can take a look:
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Gay Marriage and Christian Persecution
My friend, Joey, posted a note about being a liberal. Several of the 40 or so responses were people giving their opinions on gay marriage. Then, at Status this week, Kate gave a stunning sermon addressing many of the same philosophical issues. Below is my response which outlines how the recent votes banning gay marriage are the beginning of a very dangerous road.-----
I have so much to say on all this, but there's just one aspect of this conversation I want to steer. Gay marriage.
We have to hone in on what the actual issue is here.
The issue is NOT, "is being gay a sin."
Nor is the issue, "do churches have to perform homosexual wedding ceremonies."
The real issue of the American gay marriage debate is, "should the United States government grant marriage licenses to gay couples."
My answer is absolutely NO. However, if you asked me, "should the Unites States government grant marriage licensees to heterosexual couples" I would respond with the same resounding NO.
Stop being misled by the gay marriage issue, and ask yourself the real question, "should the government really have the power and authority to determine with whom and the extent to which I am in consensual relationship with another person."
The government will take as much power as the people relinquish. We must stop giving it up!
This past November, the state of Florida passed Amendment 2, defining marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. All it took was for 60% of those who voted on the issue to approve the amendment... effectively legalizing unconstitutional discrimination against individual liberty.
So, when 60% of the population wants to amend the state constitution to define legal religion as any religion other than Christianity, know that it was largely Christians who set the precedence.
-----
You may be able to read Joey's original facebook note here:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=100144330234
You can hear Kate's message here:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?i=46484313&id=119875638
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Books To Read
Here is a list of book I've read in the last few years that are worth the hours of investment. Do it.
Books that reveal truth about the human condition (aka... art)
1. The Picture of Dorian Gray... Wilde
2. This Side of Paradise... Fitzgerald
Prophetic Genius
1. 1984... Orwell
2. Anthem... Rand
Beauty of life and nature
1. The Sun Also Rises... Hemingway
2. A Land Remembered... Smith
Non-Fiction
1. Walking On Water... L'Engle
2. Irresistible Revolution... Claiborn
Short Stories
1. The Best Creative Nonfiction, Vol 2
2. The Sons... Kafka
Different Time or Place (Nostalgic)
1. Their Eyes Were Watching God... Hurston
2. The God of Small Things... Roy
From the Stage
1. A Streetcar Named Desire... Williams
2. The Importance of Being Earnest... Wilde
These are in somewhat of an order from what I suggest first to what I suggest last.
Books that reveal truth about the human condition (aka... art)1. The Picture of Dorian Gray... Wilde
2. This Side of Paradise... Fitzgerald
Prophetic Genius
1. 1984... Orwell
2. Anthem... Rand
Beauty of life and nature
1. The Sun Also Rises... Hemingway
2. A Land Remembered... Smith
Non-Fiction1. Walking On Water... L'Engle
2. Irresistible Revolution... Claiborn
Short Stories
1. The Best Creative Nonfiction, Vol 2
2. The Sons... Kafka
Different Time or Place (Nostalgic)
1. Their Eyes Were Watching God... Hurston
2. The God of Small Things... Roy
From the Stage1. A Streetcar Named Desire... Williams
2. The Importance of Being Earnest... Wilde
These are in somewhat of an order from what I suggest first to what I suggest last.
The Beauty of Bocce
My first time playing Bocce Ball was with my friend and workmate, AJ. Bored of office and coffee house meetings, we would hit up Portofino Bay...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0HGEHXAkoo
... or at least as close as the two of use could get to the actual Italian village... the Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando.
AJ has since moved to California, but Bocce remains. Over the last few months, when the weather's nice, we've arranged picnics at Lake Eola, and my other friends Ian and Melissa Soto have brought their set to the park.
I finally broke down and bought my own set a few weeks ago. Here are some pics from our last Bocce picnic in the park.
I'm sure true Italians would find our court-less games laughable, so I was inspired to find some examples of real technique. First, I found this, which made me feel okay about our games in the park - except for the fact that Eleanor Foltz is apparently a Bocce stud!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPUQUmV0ePE
Then I found this video of Josco Mardesic, a Croatian Bocce Champ in what is called the "Progressive Throw."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0HGEHXAkoo
I kind of want to see Eleanor try the Progressive Throw competition now.
Maybe we can convince Leo, the park manager at Lake Eola, to install some Bocce courts out at Lake Eola, but until then, we'll keep biking to our games in the grass.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
St Pete/Tampa Art Show
If you're in the Tampa/St Pete, FL area tonight, be sure to check out this gem of an event. A t-shirt art show put on by some of the top designers in the country. Sure to be a good experience.
http://backinblackapparel.com/
Friday, November 21, 2008
Coldplay, quitting?
Saw this news article today.
It reports that Chris Martin expects the band to be done by the end of 2009.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn
It reports that Chris Martin expects the band to be done by the end of 2009.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn
Thursday, November 20, 2008
RadioLab
If you haven't heard of it, you have lots of catching up to do.Remember when you'd be watching Sesame Street as a kid, and they'd cut to the factory scenes where they'd show the machines making crayons or peanut butter cups? That was always my favorite part. RadioLab is the same thing, for adults.
The show is produced by New York Public Radio (and is the best produced audio program I have ever heard), and distributed on some NPR stations across the county. It's also available as a podcast.
The first episode of season five called "choice" was just released. You can get it free, here.
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=152249110
My favorite is the one on "emergence." It's #20 at the same link.
Enjoy learning science again... and if you end up going and listening to the "choice" podcast, you'll come to see that your role in the entire decision was rather small.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Want To Know What Makes Me Cry?
If you don't want to read all this... skip to the third video. That's the important part :
I'm often asked, "do you allow yourself to be emotional?" The answer is, of course, yes. I do feel. I'm not a robot. The things that affect me most are not those that make me sad or depressed... I can - fairly easily - pick up the pieces and move on.
Rather the things that affect me most emotionally are the things that inspire. I remember watching the preview of the release of Mac OSX (Panther) in 2004 and crying and asking myself, "why in the world?!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfg1lC7Y5J4
Rather ridiculous, right? But I cried nonetheless. It's because I saw a corporation looking at the way things currently exist and saying, we can make this better. Then investing themselves in hard work, creativity and determination to achieve their dreams.
Then there was this. The finale of Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba in Orlando. They call it the Power Track. I call it amazing. All of the performers in this show are incredible, but there's the one creepy guy at the beginning of the video who pretty much just walks around the whole show. Then... in this scene... he unleashes! There was something hidden in him, and now it's realizing its potential. Then the rest of the cast joins him for an amazing display of team work and skill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whiiF2svQNs
Now... This is the important part of the post - the video you actually should watch. My friend, Nathen, posted this on facebook. So far, I've only watched the first 9 minutes and 40 seconds, and I had to stop and share this video. It was created by John Stossel, and it shifts the political conversation from, "who's policies are going to fix the country," to "can the government really solve our problems?" It's the same paradigm shift that Ron Paul was trying to accomplish in the debates, and most people didn't understand. But Stossel has done an amazing job at using illustration and example to clearly convey his message.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phs6CwnutoY
Unfortunately, most people are reactionary, so it's hard to keep the kid from touching the stove until he's done it once and sees how bad it hurts. That's why we have Obama and McCain as presidential candidates. Regardless of who wins - Obama or McCain - we're going to feel the pain (Obama more than McCain - but they are both for HUGE government). My only hope is that the reaction (a subsequent shift to small government and - therefore - liberty) happens sooner than later.
Why did this one make me cry? Maybe a little sadness. Sad that people are sheep. Sad that they blindly follow charisma. Sad that they are looking to the government for hope and change. But mostly out of inspiration. Inspired by the few, lonely voices crying in the wilderness. Inspired by those who haven't given up. Inspired by the hope that there is a possibility of a future where freedom lives.
I'm often asked, "do you allow yourself to be emotional?" The answer is, of course, yes. I do feel. I'm not a robot. The things that affect me most are not those that make me sad or depressed... I can - fairly easily - pick up the pieces and move on.
Rather the things that affect me most emotionally are the things that inspire. I remember watching the preview of the release of Mac OSX (Panther) in 2004 and crying and asking myself, "why in the world?!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfg1lC7Y5J4
Rather ridiculous, right? But I cried nonetheless. It's because I saw a corporation looking at the way things currently exist and saying, we can make this better. Then investing themselves in hard work, creativity and determination to achieve their dreams.
Then there was this. The finale of Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba in Orlando. They call it the Power Track. I call it amazing. All of the performers in this show are incredible, but there's the one creepy guy at the beginning of the video who pretty much just walks around the whole show. Then... in this scene... he unleashes! There was something hidden in him, and now it's realizing its potential. Then the rest of the cast joins him for an amazing display of team work and skill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whiiF2svQNs
Now... This is the important part of the post - the video you actually should watch. My friend, Nathen, posted this on facebook. So far, I've only watched the first 9 minutes and 40 seconds, and I had to stop and share this video. It was created by John Stossel, and it shifts the political conversation from, "who's policies are going to fix the country," to "can the government really solve our problems?" It's the same paradigm shift that Ron Paul was trying to accomplish in the debates, and most people didn't understand. But Stossel has done an amazing job at using illustration and example to clearly convey his message.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phs6CwnutoY
Unfortunately, most people are reactionary, so it's hard to keep the kid from touching the stove until he's done it once and sees how bad it hurts. That's why we have Obama and McCain as presidential candidates. Regardless of who wins - Obama or McCain - we're going to feel the pain (Obama more than McCain - but they are both for HUGE government). My only hope is that the reaction (a subsequent shift to small government and - therefore - liberty) happens sooner than later.
Why did this one make me cry? Maybe a little sadness. Sad that people are sheep. Sad that they blindly follow charisma. Sad that they are looking to the government for hope and change. But mostly out of inspiration. Inspired by the few, lonely voices crying in the wilderness. Inspired by those who haven't given up. Inspired by the hope that there is a possibility of a future where freedom lives.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Even NPR is saying it...
If I'm listening to the radio, it's most likely NPR. They are great at producing quality, creative journalism and feature stories. Being an avid listener, I'm no stranger to their left leaning tendencies. That's why I was surprised to hear economist, Susan Lee present a story on Market Place yesterday, Oct 7, promoting laizzes faire government.
It's fascinating that most economists (and in relationship to the 700B dollar bailout - most Americans) are for smaller government, yet our Senators and Congressmen vote their own way in these issues. What's even more fascinating is that politicians like Obama even have a viable voice on the national stage.
The problem is, most people are libertarians until socialism entices them toward greed... evidenced in the lure of "free" healthcare. Most Americans aren't willing to give of their money voluntarily (Joe Biden, for example, who has given around $300 on average to charity in the last 10 years despite making more than $300,000), but are fine voting for policies that take money from someone else and redistributes to their pocket. Americans aren't upset that corporations are "greedy." Americans are upset they aren't CEOs of large corporations.
Now, back to that NPR piece... Both the transcript and the audio segment can be found here:
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/10/07/libertarian/
Ha! I just pasted the link and noticed that the last word is "libertarian." I knew there was a reason I wanted to seek this segment out after hearing it on the radio.
I can only hope that Lee's statement that laizzes faire government has come to an end is false, but this would take an awakening in our country that might not be possible. A country of fat, tv watching, video-game playing, quick-fix sleepers might never awaken from their lethargy. I don't know how loudly I can shout or how seductively I can whisper.
It's fascinating that most economists (and in relationship to the 700B dollar bailout - most Americans) are for smaller government, yet our Senators and Congressmen vote their own way in these issues. What's even more fascinating is that politicians like Obama even have a viable voice on the national stage.
The problem is, most people are libertarians until socialism entices them toward greed... evidenced in the lure of "free" healthcare. Most Americans aren't willing to give of their money voluntarily (Joe Biden, for example, who has given around $300 on average to charity in the last 10 years despite making more than $300,000), but are fine voting for policies that take money from someone else and redistributes to their pocket. Americans aren't upset that corporations are "greedy." Americans are upset they aren't CEOs of large corporations.
Now, back to that NPR piece... Both the transcript and the audio segment can be found here:
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/10/07/libertarian/
Ha! I just pasted the link and noticed that the last word is "libertarian." I knew there was a reason I wanted to seek this segment out after hearing it on the radio.
I can only hope that Lee's statement that laizzes faire government has come to an end is false, but this would take an awakening in our country that might not be possible. A country of fat, tv watching, video-game playing, quick-fix sleepers might never awaken from their lethargy. I don't know how loudly I can shout or how seductively I can whisper.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
How can you expect change from a man without his own ideas?
It's okay to quote others, but it's one's moral obligation to give credit where credit is due.
A few days ago I was involved with a discussion on 407fixedgear.com about a pro-obama get-out-the-vote bike ride. There were several on the site that were saying, "I'd go if it was a ride to promote political choice and getting out the vote, but I'm not sure I want to endorse a particular candidate." One of the responses was this: "I'm pretty sure the "make up your own damn mind" ride is the same exact thing as prObama ride."
I wonder how these news clips about Joe Biden's plagiarism fit into the "make up your own damn mind" category.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIaALKHVrAA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rkoqglq9dU
A few days ago I was involved with a discussion on 407fixedgear.com about a pro-obama get-out-the-vote bike ride. There were several on the site that were saying, "I'd go if it was a ride to promote political choice and getting out the vote, but I'm not sure I want to endorse a particular candidate." One of the responses was this: "I'm pretty sure the "make up your own damn mind" ride is the same exact thing as prObama ride."
I wonder how these news clips about Joe Biden's plagiarism fit into the "make up your own damn mind" category.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIaALKHVrAA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rkoqglq9dU
Monday, September 29, 2008
700 Billion Dollar "Bailout" Rejected!!
Thankfully, the congress did not approve the 700 billion dollar bailout. It was rejected today (Monday) by 228 votes to 205. Governmental socialism is bad for our country and bad for individuals wether it's a corporate "bailout" scheme or stealing from one income bracket to redistribute to another. Email your congressman today to ensure that this bill continues to be rejected. You can search for your congressman's contact info here
http://www.house.gov/
Unfortunately, I have yet to be able to email my congressman, Ric Keller because the email form on the house.gov website doesn't work... and you're thinking it would be good for these people to control healthcare and have $700B at their disposal? Think again :)
http://www.house.gov/
Unfortunately, I have yet to be able to email my congressman, Ric Keller because the email form on the house.gov website doesn't work... and you're thinking it would be good for these people to control healthcare and have $700B at their disposal? Think again :)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
More from Ron Paul on the Economy
It's interesting that, in the presidential primaries, the media (and Americans at large) treated Ron Paul as an inconvenient outlier. Now, the media can't get enough of him. Unfortunately, the American public doesn't care to understand much of what is happening today in our country. People love words like "hope" or "change," but start talking about something real like "bailouts" or what's "constitutional," they can't hear it.
I've been wavering on my resolve to vote for Ron Paul in the write in section of the presidential ballot, but really, I don't know if I could feel right about doing anything else. If only this financial crisis would have been so apparent 5 months ago, we'd have a real option for president.
Take ten minutes and watch this video. You'll hear someone talk about something politically deep and real... what an idea!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZwPkTmqfpg
I've been wavering on my resolve to vote for Ron Paul in the write in section of the presidential ballot, but really, I don't know if I could feel right about doing anything else. If only this financial crisis would have been so apparent 5 months ago, we'd have a real option for president.
Take ten minutes and watch this video. You'll hear someone talk about something politically deep and real... what an idea!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZwPkTmqfpg
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Biden and Paul on the Economy
Socialism is increasing, and it's sticking its neck father out into the open. Biden, today, didn't even try to mask his socialist comments.
''We want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle-class people,''
Take from who? The "rich."
Biden suggested today that it is the patriotic duty of wealthier Americans to pay more takes. Why? So the government can redistribute it to the less wealthy. God help us!
Here's an article about the Biden quote
click here
Granted, Biden while making over $300,000 a year has only give $319 a year on average over the last ten years. Looks like he doesn't even believe in his own words. (reference)
Now, there's one man who understands that government isn't the solution, it's the problem. That man is Ron Paul, and he should be president. Here's a youtube clip of his statement about the economy.
''We want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle-class people,''
Take from who? The "rich."
Biden suggested today that it is the patriotic duty of wealthier Americans to pay more takes. Why? So the government can redistribute it to the less wealthy. God help us!
Here's an article about the Biden quote
click here
Granted, Biden while making over $300,000 a year has only give $319 a year on average over the last ten years. Looks like he doesn't even believe in his own words. (reference)
Now, there's one man who understands that government isn't the solution, it's the problem. That man is Ron Paul, and he should be president. Here's a youtube clip of his statement about the economy.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Holy Week in Sept
This past Sunday at Status was one of the most meaningful experiences I think we've shared together in a long time. One of the things I love about our community is that we are willing to step into new things together and believe that we will see God in them. I have heard dozens of stories from people about that night, and has we have continued meeting together every day this week, God has continued to show himself to the hearts and stories of individuals.
If you weren't there Sunday night, here's a picture to give you a sense of the place:
The goal of the night was to hear stories from our community of the ways God has been moving over the last 9 months. Through audio, video [the geek in me loved this part... 6 projection areas in the middle... but purposed to not be a distraction :)], live stories and emails, we heard from close to 40 people.
One of the most compelling parts to me was the inclusion of three songs that were inspired through the things we talked about in the series. I've seen an increased passion in our worship recently, and I believe that it is because there are songwriters listening to what God is saying and creating works that help us declare those truths together.
You can hear some of the recordings in this week's podcast...
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=119875638
The rest of the week has been pretty incredible as well. We've gathered every day to focus in on the emotions and experiences of Jesus and the disciples. I have really been amazed at how God has allowed me to see and feel the last week of Jesus' life in a fresh way. Beautiful.
Some amazing people put a lot into this night to make it happen, and God certainly honored those endeavors.
Thanks to:
Jenn Gilanfar (who made the vine animations we used during the night. She did all of this while away competing to become the women's WORLD CHAMPION wake skater... Yes. WORLD CHAMPION).
Sean Curran and Jake Leboeuf who both wrote songs and led us beautifully.
The other musicians, Melissa Mage, Luke Domeck, Nick Torontali, Chris Baker, Kirk Chambers and Josh Jove
Michael Dalton for shooting those video stories.
Melyssa Marshall, Casey Stewart, Jenna Dey and Zack Howes for making the tech stuff happen.
Everyone who was willing to sit at a microphone and finish some phrases about Jesus.
And of course the Status staff who all did a great job speaking:
Josh Loveless, Jenn Janaceiwicz, Tom Gustofson, Kate Lynch
If you weren't there Sunday night, here's a picture to give you a sense of the place:
The goal of the night was to hear stories from our community of the ways God has been moving over the last 9 months. Through audio, video [the geek in me loved this part... 6 projection areas in the middle... but purposed to not be a distraction :)], live stories and emails, we heard from close to 40 people.
One of the most compelling parts to me was the inclusion of three songs that were inspired through the things we talked about in the series. I've seen an increased passion in our worship recently, and I believe that it is because there are songwriters listening to what God is saying and creating works that help us declare those truths together.
You can hear some of the recordings in this week's podcast...
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=119875638
The rest of the week has been pretty incredible as well. We've gathered every day to focus in on the emotions and experiences of Jesus and the disciples. I have really been amazed at how God has allowed me to see and feel the last week of Jesus' life in a fresh way. Beautiful.
Some amazing people put a lot into this night to make it happen, and God certainly honored those endeavors.
Thanks to:
Jenn Gilanfar (who made the vine animations we used during the night. She did all of this while away competing to become the women's WORLD CHAMPION wake skater... Yes. WORLD CHAMPION).
Sean Curran and Jake Leboeuf who both wrote songs and led us beautifully.
The other musicians, Melissa Mage, Luke Domeck, Nick Torontali, Chris Baker, Kirk Chambers and Josh Jove
Michael Dalton for shooting those video stories.
Melyssa Marshall, Casey Stewart, Jenna Dey and Zack Howes for making the tech stuff happen.
Everyone who was willing to sit at a microphone and finish some phrases about Jesus.
And of course the Status staff who all did a great job speaking:
Josh Loveless, Jenn Janaceiwicz, Tom Gustofson, Kate Lynch
Friday, August 22, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Water Ban!!
My friend, Nathen, posted this on facebook. Thought it was great.
Most people don't know anything about what they do politically.
Doing what's responsible isn't easy. It takes hard work, and rarely comes in the form of signing a piece of paper.
One more example of how the solution to the world's problems are far removed from politics.
Most people don't know anything about what they do politically.
Doing what's responsible isn't easy. It takes hard work, and rarely comes in the form of signing a piece of paper.
One more example of how the solution to the world's problems are far removed from politics.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thailand
I'm leaving for Thailand in a few hours. I'm not usually one to well up in emotion, but I have had some pretty emotional experiences in the last few days... all of which have been really good. They've come in the midst of learning three things.
1. I'm going to Thailand with about 90 other people who will be doing various things to facilitate a conference for about 500 missionary families from all over Southeast Asia who come together every year for a week long retreat/training. I will be leading worship with several other people. When I was first asked to go on this trip, there was talk about me choosing some of the musicians that would be coming as the band. I thought to myself, "Dang, how rad is that? A free trip to Thailand with some of my friends to play music!" Well, in the end, I didn't get to choose the musicians. The guys who are going are pros and will do an amazing job, but I've found myself a bit sad this week. Honestly, I feel like I'm about to step out alone for the next few weeks. Out of the 90, there really isn't anyone I've found that I naturally just click with. This was my first emotional moment. I was driving in the car, and God just reminds me, "Find beauty in the things in which I find beauty." My emotions were a combination of joy, fear and conviction.
2. As I continued to think about beauty, the phrase, "Thy Kingdom come" really resonated in my heart and mind. The thought that God wants His Kingdom to exist here on earth as it is in heaven is astonishing! A place where there's no more death, no more sickness, no more pain... just the beauty and glory of God... That's what God desires for us here and now.
My friend, Jordan, showed me his tattoo last Saturday. It's a series of images that transition from a sword to a plow : The idea that we should move from destruction to creation. That's the picture of God's Kingdom. We must be a generation, a people, who lay down our guns and swords and are committed to plowing the ground, serving the Kingdom and creating life rather than taking it. As I was having this emotional experience with God's revelation, these words came to me...
We'll march in the army of love
to see Your kingdom come
Where the lion loves the lamb
and we give all we can
and we trade in our rights
and lay down our lives
for the sake of the kingdom of love
These lyrics were a battle cry (literally) for me in the car yesterday. I got to Sean's apartment and had to tell him about this intense moment where God had just intersected my life and heart. It feels like our generation is pregnant with this anthem. We want to see the world healed, and we live in the midst of people who are tearing it apart. We have to press on. We have to lay down our weapons and rights and lives and take up the sacrificial life of the cross. That's the only hope for our world.
3. Both these things revolved around you. Today, again, while driving in the car, I was thinking about this fact: I truly LOVE you : The people I spend my life with who inspire me, challenge me, encourage me and love me. More than ever I value relationship. That has been the root of the previous two experiences I have mentioned. First, I'll miss your life - albeit for only two weeks. Second, I know you have the power to change the world. Third, your involvement in my life is the biggest catalyst for inspiration and action in my life.
As I'm away, I will think of you often (and I've kind of committed to hand-writing some letters while I'm gone... Now that I've written it down, I'm one step closer to actually doing it). If you think of me, I ask that you pray for me. I really want to go beyond petty attractions and truly see beauty the way God sees it. I want to love like He loves and be fulfilled by Him alone. I want to come back and be a better lover of you and the people that surround us. I want to come back with fresh understanding of how we can mobilize the army of His kingdom of love.
1. I'm going to Thailand with about 90 other people who will be doing various things to facilitate a conference for about 500 missionary families from all over Southeast Asia who come together every year for a week long retreat/training. I will be leading worship with several other people. When I was first asked to go on this trip, there was talk about me choosing some of the musicians that would be coming as the band. I thought to myself, "Dang, how rad is that? A free trip to Thailand with some of my friends to play music!" Well, in the end, I didn't get to choose the musicians. The guys who are going are pros and will do an amazing job, but I've found myself a bit sad this week. Honestly, I feel like I'm about to step out alone for the next few weeks. Out of the 90, there really isn't anyone I've found that I naturally just click with. This was my first emotional moment. I was driving in the car, and God just reminds me, "Find beauty in the things in which I find beauty." My emotions were a combination of joy, fear and conviction.
2. As I continued to think about beauty, the phrase, "Thy Kingdom come" really resonated in my heart and mind. The thought that God wants His Kingdom to exist here on earth as it is in heaven is astonishing! A place where there's no more death, no more sickness, no more pain... just the beauty and glory of God... That's what God desires for us here and now.
My friend, Jordan, showed me his tattoo last Saturday. It's a series of images that transition from a sword to a plow : The idea that we should move from destruction to creation. That's the picture of God's Kingdom. We must be a generation, a people, who lay down our guns and swords and are committed to plowing the ground, serving the Kingdom and creating life rather than taking it. As I was having this emotional experience with God's revelation, these words came to me...
We'll march in the army of love
to see Your kingdom come
Where the lion loves the lamb
and we give all we can
and we trade in our rights
and lay down our lives
for the sake of the kingdom of love
These lyrics were a battle cry (literally) for me in the car yesterday. I got to Sean's apartment and had to tell him about this intense moment where God had just intersected my life and heart. It feels like our generation is pregnant with this anthem. We want to see the world healed, and we live in the midst of people who are tearing it apart. We have to press on. We have to lay down our weapons and rights and lives and take up the sacrificial life of the cross. That's the only hope for our world.
3. Both these things revolved around you. Today, again, while driving in the car, I was thinking about this fact: I truly LOVE you : The people I spend my life with who inspire me, challenge me, encourage me and love me. More than ever I value relationship. That has been the root of the previous two experiences I have mentioned. First, I'll miss your life - albeit for only two weeks. Second, I know you have the power to change the world. Third, your involvement in my life is the biggest catalyst for inspiration and action in my life.
As I'm away, I will think of you often (and I've kind of committed to hand-writing some letters while I'm gone... Now that I've written it down, I'm one step closer to actually doing it). If you think of me, I ask that you pray for me. I really want to go beyond petty attractions and truly see beauty the way God sees it. I want to love like He loves and be fulfilled by Him alone. I want to come back and be a better lover of you and the people that surround us. I want to come back with fresh understanding of how we can mobilize the army of His kingdom of love.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Red Leaves
Poetry is meant to be heard, not read.
Check out the May 12 oooff podcast.
you can find it in iTunes by clicking here
Check out the May 12 oooff podcast.
you can find it in iTunes by clicking here
Friday, May 2, 2008
Vote For Our Short Film
My friend Michael Dalton and I co-created a film called "Luke." It's part of the Doorpost Film Project - a competition based out of Jacksonville, FL. It'd be amazing if you went and watched it and then took the time to vote for it.
I hope you enjoy.
Watch It Here
Thanks
cole
I hope you enjoy.
Watch It Here
Thanks
cole
Monday, April 28, 2008
Then/Than and Other Helpful Tips.
Hey friends,
I just needed to get this out... Hopefully you'll read this, and hopefully it will help you be a better writer of the language you use every day.
Then/Than
Then refers to a point in time.
Than is used in a comparison.
They're/Their/There
They're is a contraction of "they are."
There refers to places.
Their refers to a group of people.
More updates to come as necessary.
I just needed to get this out... Hopefully you'll read this, and hopefully it will help you be a better writer of the language you use every day.
Then/Than
Then refers to a point in time.
"Michael will bring his camping gear. Then we will leave for the woods."
Than is used in a comparison.
"I would rather Jake be hit in the head than me."
They're/Their/There
They're is a contraction of "they are."
"They're going to see Mark and Lorna tonight at the Red Fox Lounge."
There refers to places.
"Casey, go cut the head off that dead cow over there."
Their refers to a group of people.
"Their trips to Old Germany are now over."
More updates to come as necessary.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Communal and Sustainable Living - Orlando
Hey friends,
For the past few months, I've been thinking a lot about Urban Gardening. It's an amazing picture of resurrection, sustainability and interdependence and has huge community and social implications. Out of this new found passion have come lots of other thoughts about some things that are as ancient as humanity. We've moved away from lots of those things, but I'm starting to feel that there are deep roots in our being that are calling us back to that way of living. I have created a forum for conversation on facebook. Even if words like Communal living, Sustainability, Voluntary Redistribution and Inter-dependence are new to your vocabulary, come and discuss.
Come and commune.
cole
For the past few months, I've been thinking a lot about Urban Gardening. It's an amazing picture of resurrection, sustainability and interdependence and has huge community and social implications. Out of this new found passion have come lots of other thoughts about some things that are as ancient as humanity. We've moved away from lots of those things, but I'm starting to feel that there are deep roots in our being that are calling us back to that way of living. I have created a forum for conversation on facebook. Even if words like Communal living, Sustainability, Voluntary Redistribution and Inter-dependence are new to your vocabulary, come and discuss.
Come and commune.
cole
Thursday, April 10, 2008
in the past 7 days
3 people came out of nowhere and spent hours making estimations on my worth. They placed a really high value on me.
1 guy emailed me to tell me that I wouldn't realize my full potential until I moved somewhere other than where I am now.
5 people came down from Atlanta.
1 person came down from Nashville.
300 people sent emails.
23 people came to a fake 21st birthday party.
2 people got in a cold pool.
4 people stood in the rain.
2 people talked on the phone for 1 hour and 47 minutes.
2 people carried a couch, a bed and a bunch of gear.
160 people sang along.
9 people had a meeting.
chances are that some people were counted twice, but still, that's a lot of people with a lot to say.
1 guy emailed me to tell me that I wouldn't realize my full potential until I moved somewhere other than where I am now.
5 people came down from Atlanta.
1 person came down from Nashville.
300 people sent emails.
23 people came to a fake 21st birthday party.
2 people got in a cold pool.
4 people stood in the rain.
2 people talked on the phone for 1 hour and 47 minutes.
2 people carried a couch, a bed and a bunch of gear.
160 people sang along.
9 people had a meeting.
chances are that some people were counted twice, but still, that's a lot of people with a lot to say.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant
I hope you've heard of these three people. Even if you don't think you know who I'm talking about, they have probably touched your life in some way. Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant are the creators of "The Office." Karl Pilkington is their friend and appears as the star of the mis-named "Ricky Gervais Podcast" which is the best (and most downloaded) podcast of all time. Here's a video of Ricky interviewing Karl.
The podcast is pretty much more of this... Ricky and Steven asking Karl questions. You can actually get a 1 hour 51 minute "best of season one" compilation at Ricky's podcast link. It's free and amazing.
click here to find it on iTunes.
You WILL get addicted to the podcast and end up purchasing the complete seasons 1, 2 and 3. So, be prepared.
The podcast is pretty much more of this... Ricky and Steven asking Karl questions. You can actually get a 1 hour 51 minute "best of season one" compilation at Ricky's podcast link. It's free and amazing.
click here to find it on iTunes.
You WILL get addicted to the podcast and end up purchasing the complete seasons 1, 2 and 3. So, be prepared.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Inside your body
You body needs proteins to function. It's said that the simplest form of life would have to have around 250 proteins to be considered living. The cells that make up your body manufacture over 100,000 unique proteins whose genetic code is contained within the strands of DNA coiled inside the nucleus of your cells. This animation is pretty amazing showing the process in action.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Miracle Jackson
Miracle Jackson has faithfully made me smile for the last 4 years of my life. This post is in honor of her. I hope you find the beauty in the simplicity.
cole
Things I love about this.
- BOTH dance moves
- she obviously enjoys what she's doing
- nothing like gum on stage
- this is being performed in front of a live audience
- the zenith of her choreography is when she musters the energy to spin around her planted right foot
- the three notes of the song that repeat over and over again
- the bow
- the cheers
- the fact that there was obviously forethought in this, and the appearance that this is a ˆtalentˆshow... what were the acts that DIDN'T make it?!
cole
Things I love about this.
- BOTH dance moves
- she obviously enjoys what she's doing
- nothing like gum on stage
- this is being performed in front of a live audience
- the zenith of her choreography is when she musters the energy to spin around her planted right foot
- the three notes of the song that repeat over and over again
- the bow
- the cheers
- the fact that there was obviously forethought in this, and the appearance that this is a ˆtalentˆshow... what were the acts that DIDN'T make it?!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Westhaven I
I walked into the Westhaven Country Club and was only there for five minutes before realizing why murderers were driven to kill in places like this, and it was no more than a sense of decency that kept me from joining that class of the insane. It wasn't that I didn't desire to right the wrongs in the room. It's only that there was no other way to tumble this tower apart from bringing it to a crashing pile of putrescence, and I was not prepared to be buried under it all.
I had been removed from the marble and polish long enough to smell the stench of facade upon reentering. Hundreds of years of varnish piled layer upon layer - clear enough to remain unseen but making the room more closed in and suffocating than ever. The hard surfaces reflected the noise of voices, not allowing them to die but keeping them from escaping. And the dim light was enough to mask the wrinkles of the old and the scars of the rich.
As I turned to walk back into the foyer, I heard a voice.
"Where have you been, brother?" I hated when he called me brother. I kept my pace of retreat, but I could hear Russell's hard sole shoes reverberating through the room behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that he was walking toward me with his arms outstretched - his white teeth, reflecting the little light that was in the room. He was already buzzing from the high of hobnobbing and gave my shoulder a tight squeeze. I turned around.
"Sorry I'm late." I had been sitting on the bench outside for the previous half an hour watching the people come in and wondering if I could sit with them again - Not sure if I was ready to immerse myself in the plasticity of souls fueled by green blood. I guess Russell could see it on my face.
"Oh, not this again," he said with the flail of his body that looked like an octopus that had been cut in two. His squirm stopped, and he stared at me. The noise of the room didn't allow for a dramatic silence, so he turned and walked away.
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom first," I said to the back of his head knowing that he probably couldn't hear me. I wasn't convinced that I was ready to leave, so I went to the bathroom. It wasn't the solitude I was hoping for as I could no longer ignore the attendant and pretend he wasn't human. I found the stall with a sink, walked in and locked the door behind me. I ran the cold water and looked into the mirror. For the first time in months, there was unrest behind my eyes. I splashed the cold water in my face and looked back into the mirror. The same unrest, just wet this time.
I had been removed from the marble and polish long enough to smell the stench of facade upon reentering. Hundreds of years of varnish piled layer upon layer - clear enough to remain unseen but making the room more closed in and suffocating than ever. The hard surfaces reflected the noise of voices, not allowing them to die but keeping them from escaping. And the dim light was enough to mask the wrinkles of the old and the scars of the rich.
As I turned to walk back into the foyer, I heard a voice.
"Where have you been, brother?" I hated when he called me brother. I kept my pace of retreat, but I could hear Russell's hard sole shoes reverberating through the room behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that he was walking toward me with his arms outstretched - his white teeth, reflecting the little light that was in the room. He was already buzzing from the high of hobnobbing and gave my shoulder a tight squeeze. I turned around.
"Sorry I'm late." I had been sitting on the bench outside for the previous half an hour watching the people come in and wondering if I could sit with them again - Not sure if I was ready to immerse myself in the plasticity of souls fueled by green blood. I guess Russell could see it on my face.
"Oh, not this again," he said with the flail of his body that looked like an octopus that had been cut in two. His squirm stopped, and he stared at me. The noise of the room didn't allow for a dramatic silence, so he turned and walked away.
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom first," I said to the back of his head knowing that he probably couldn't hear me. I wasn't convinced that I was ready to leave, so I went to the bathroom. It wasn't the solitude I was hoping for as I could no longer ignore the attendant and pretend he wasn't human. I found the stall with a sink, walked in and locked the door behind me. I ran the cold water and looked into the mirror. For the first time in months, there was unrest behind my eyes. I splashed the cold water in my face and looked back into the mirror. The same unrest, just wet this time.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Mad Prophet
I saw this posted on Facebook by a guy named Sean.
I feel like it's so poignant even 30 years after being created.
This character puts forth the emotion that has sparked my last few blog posts.
Take a look.
I feel like it's so poignant even 30 years after being created.
This character puts forth the emotion that has sparked my last few blog posts.
Take a look.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Orwell - A Political Prophet and Genius
When George Orwell wrote his novel, 1984 he was a bit off on his projected timeline, but his ability to predict the direction of world politics was impeccable. From his immersion in World War II Europe, Orwell experienced first hand the dangers of totalitarian government and in 1948, his book was published.
I was riding in my car today, listening to 1984 on my iPod, and came to this passage. I heard it once, and had to rewind it to hear it again. It's amazing the parallels to 2008 America.
"In the ramifications of party doctrine she had not the faintest interest. Whenever he began to talk of the principles of Ingsoc, doublethink, the mutability of the past, and the denial of objective reality, and to use Newspeak words, she became bored and confused and said that she never paid any attention to that kind of thing. One knew that it was all rubbish, so why let oneself be worried by it? She knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed. If he persisted in talking of such subjects, she had a disconcerting habit of falling asleep. She was one of those people who can go to sleep at any hour and in any position. Talking to her, he realized how easy it was to present an appearance of orthodoxy while having no grasp whatever of what orthodoxy meant. In a way, the world-view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality, because they never fully grasped the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird."
(this passage can be found at the end of part 3, pg 156)
First, I think of how little most of the world is involved in politics. If you read the above, chances are you're not one of those people, but think about the people around you. Think about the uninformed things you hear (or say) everyday in relation to foreign or domestic policy. The scary thing is to realize why Orwell is talking about this at all... He's saying - and rightly so - that the ignorance of the general populace is the reason totalitarian government can exist and rise to power.
Orwell's character "knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed." We find this even in the Americans who get out an attend a political rally. They cheer for things they think they like - all the while having no understanding of the policies themselves or the effects of implementing them. And surly if anyone was to stand up and explain these policies, they would develop "a disconcerting habit of falling asleep."
And it's these sleepers that the political regimes of the world count on to allow them to have free reign over liberty. As citizens are distracted more and more by over entertainment, they become increasingly disinterested in reality. Thus, allowing the government to grow and become more autonomous from the people they are supposed to represent.
I'm not sure if Orwell's 1984 and John's Revelation are inevitable prophecies or alterable warnings, but they are both certainly believable projections. If there's hope, it's in the awakening of the people to create a laissez-faires structure the governments of the world.
Comments and Discussion on facebook.
I was riding in my car today, listening to 1984 on my iPod, and came to this passage. I heard it once, and had to rewind it to hear it again. It's amazing the parallels to 2008 America.
"In the ramifications of party doctrine she had not the faintest interest. Whenever he began to talk of the principles of Ingsoc, doublethink, the mutability of the past, and the denial of objective reality, and to use Newspeak words, she became bored and confused and said that she never paid any attention to that kind of thing. One knew that it was all rubbish, so why let oneself be worried by it? She knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed. If he persisted in talking of such subjects, she had a disconcerting habit of falling asleep. She was one of those people who can go to sleep at any hour and in any position. Talking to her, he realized how easy it was to present an appearance of orthodoxy while having no grasp whatever of what orthodoxy meant. In a way, the world-view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality, because they never fully grasped the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird."
(this passage can be found at the end of part 3, pg 156)
First, I think of how little most of the world is involved in politics. If you read the above, chances are you're not one of those people, but think about the people around you. Think about the uninformed things you hear (or say) everyday in relation to foreign or domestic policy. The scary thing is to realize why Orwell is talking about this at all... He's saying - and rightly so - that the ignorance of the general populace is the reason totalitarian government can exist and rise to power.
Orwell's character "knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed." We find this even in the Americans who get out an attend a political rally. They cheer for things they think they like - all the while having no understanding of the policies themselves or the effects of implementing them. And surly if anyone was to stand up and explain these policies, they would develop "a disconcerting habit of falling asleep."
And it's these sleepers that the political regimes of the world count on to allow them to have free reign over liberty. As citizens are distracted more and more by over entertainment, they become increasingly disinterested in reality. Thus, allowing the government to grow and become more autonomous from the people they are supposed to represent.
I'm not sure if Orwell's 1984 and John's Revelation are inevitable prophecies or alterable warnings, but they are both certainly believable projections. If there's hope, it's in the awakening of the people to create a laissez-faires structure the governments of the world.
Comments and Discussion on facebook.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Manly Men
For the last few weeks, I've been inundated with conversations about men and women, how they're made and how they should live. Want to learn more about how your friends view the world? Have some of these conversations.
It all started with Trent Sheppard talking about how Jesus interacted with women. In a broken, archaic culture, women were viewed as property (and still are in most parts of that region). Jesus entered into that cultural context and blew that attitude out of the water. He sat down with a woman who had been oppressed her entire life because of the evils of racism and sexism and made known to humanity the value of her life. Despite the criticisms he got from the people around him, he lifted - not just her spirit - but her status. She was created by God, in the image of God and for a divine purpose.
A few nights ago, I was with Michael Dalton (and Andrew Smith). They had prepared an amazing dinner for the three of us to eat. I made mention that I felt like Michael notes his gender a lot (ie. quotes like "be the man I'm supposed to be"). Michael and I have had lots of conversations about "manliness," and for the most part, I think we agree on what that means, and in short, I'd say "stepping up" is a good summary phrase. But honestly, I believe that is essentially the definition of what it means to be a follower of Christ, man or woman. We must discover our intended purpose and faithfully live it out. That's why I think it's strange that Michael mentions his gender so much.
Then today, I got an email referencing Trent's talk. The guy who wrote it had lots of questions about it, but the thing that stood out the most to me was his description of one of his heros. It went like this:
"he is a manly man; red meat eating, truck driving, manly man "
I'm beginning to see that the issue isn't just how women are viewed but our understanding of ourselves in light the Truth. This guy admires someone because he eats red meat and drives a truck. It made me want to scream because honestly, I feel like the guys I know that are proud of their trucks are some of the least manly men I've met. They don't have a creative bone in their bodies, will always work for the man and have to prove something to the world by jacking their truck into the air (generalization, I know).
It's interesting because all of these conversations have been taking place in the midst of my learning a bit of science behind man-ness and women-ness. I highly recommend checking out last week's episode of This American Life on Testosterone. It's fascinating. There are physiological differences between men and women. Sometimes those differences reinforce stereotypes - but most of the time have nothing to do with who people actually are.
Here's where I land. I'm here - not to build myself up - but to give myself for the world. There cannot be a more lowly place than where God has called me to be. If someone asks me to carry their load one mile, I don't stand up and yell, "no way" in defiance. I offer to carry it two. If someone hits me on the cheek, I don't punch back in anger. Instead, I offer my other cheek.
Men aren't men because they're tough. They're men because they are living out their individual calling as a human.
Women aren't women because they are girly. They're women because they are living our their individual calling as a human.
It's time people stop being afraid to love one another. It's time that people stop thinking they have to defend their name and build their kingdom. We're here to love, and no greater love has anyone - man or woman - than the one who lays down everything (even life) for a friend.
It all started with Trent Sheppard talking about how Jesus interacted with women. In a broken, archaic culture, women were viewed as property (and still are in most parts of that region). Jesus entered into that cultural context and blew that attitude out of the water. He sat down with a woman who had been oppressed her entire life because of the evils of racism and sexism and made known to humanity the value of her life. Despite the criticisms he got from the people around him, he lifted - not just her spirit - but her status. She was created by God, in the image of God and for a divine purpose.
A few nights ago, I was with Michael Dalton (and Andrew Smith). They had prepared an amazing dinner for the three of us to eat. I made mention that I felt like Michael notes his gender a lot (ie. quotes like "be the man I'm supposed to be"). Michael and I have had lots of conversations about "manliness," and for the most part, I think we agree on what that means, and in short, I'd say "stepping up" is a good summary phrase. But honestly, I believe that is essentially the definition of what it means to be a follower of Christ, man or woman. We must discover our intended purpose and faithfully live it out. That's why I think it's strange that Michael mentions his gender so much.
Then today, I got an email referencing Trent's talk. The guy who wrote it had lots of questions about it, but the thing that stood out the most to me was his description of one of his heros. It went like this:
"he is a manly man; red meat eating, truck driving, manly man "
I'm beginning to see that the issue isn't just how women are viewed but our understanding of ourselves in light the Truth. This guy admires someone because he eats red meat and drives a truck. It made me want to scream because honestly, I feel like the guys I know that are proud of their trucks are some of the least manly men I've met. They don't have a creative bone in their bodies, will always work for the man and have to prove something to the world by jacking their truck into the air (generalization, I know).
It's interesting because all of these conversations have been taking place in the midst of my learning a bit of science behind man-ness and women-ness. I highly recommend checking out last week's episode of This American Life on Testosterone. It's fascinating. There are physiological differences between men and women. Sometimes those differences reinforce stereotypes - but most of the time have nothing to do with who people actually are.
Here's where I land. I'm here - not to build myself up - but to give myself for the world. There cannot be a more lowly place than where God has called me to be. If someone asks me to carry their load one mile, I don't stand up and yell, "no way" in defiance. I offer to carry it two. If someone hits me on the cheek, I don't punch back in anger. Instead, I offer my other cheek.
Men aren't men because they're tough. They're men because they are living out their individual calling as a human.
Women aren't women because they are girly. They're women because they are living our their individual calling as a human.
It's time people stop being afraid to love one another. It's time that people stop thinking they have to defend their name and build their kingdom. We're here to love, and no greater love has anyone - man or woman - than the one who lays down everything (even life) for a friend.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Ron Paul to Barack Obama
I don't talk about politics very often, but I think and read about them a lot. As we all know, most people in America make political decisions the same way they watch TV. They scan through the options (channels or candidates) as quickly as possible and stop on something they think will entertain them for the moment. There's no evaluation of the philosophy or long term effects of their decisions. It's largely based on their initial perceptions of what lies on the surface.
I have lots of friends who, at the beginning of the election, were supporters of Ron Paul. Now, I'll admit that even this decision was largely based on what most of them had heard others say about Ron Paul, or worse based on the fact that their friends were supporting him. The preceding is an assumption, but it's supported by the observation that many of those Ron Paul supporters say that they might vote for Barack Obama in the general election. This phenomena can only be explained by a complete lack of knowledge or understanding of either candidate's philosophy or policies.
I'm going to make a diagram for this... hold on.
K... here it is:
The whole of politics is on one scale. At one end is totalitarianism, or complete government control over the actions of individuals. On the other end is liberty, that is personal freedom. The amount of (or lack of) liberty of each of these political systems is contained within their definitions, and the amount of freedom you desire for your life and the lives of the people around you depends on where you would fall on this line. This is not just a line political ideologies. All persons can be placed on this chart - you, me, your neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, most people have no informed reason where they are or where they desire to land on this chart.
What's amazing is this. Ron Paul is almost completely libertarian in his political philosophy while Barack Obama is one step away from socialism - and I know people who have claimed allegiance to both! What duality.
When you're thinking about politics for the remainder of 2008, think about this chart. Your vote is nothing more than your retention of or the giving away of your individual freedoms. That's a HUGE responsibility. Don't take it lightly. Don't believe the rhetoric. Do research. Don't take my word blindly... investigate for yourself. Don't be a lazy anarchist. The government exists. Do something about taking control of it.
Now... a few notes:
- The word conservatism does not relate to morality (as most people think). Rather, the idea of conservatism has to do with maintaining a small government. To conserve the boundaries to which government extends.
- The placement of Republican on the chart is based upon what the Republican party is supposed to stand for (which is drastically different from what it is today). Both of the parties in our two party system are out of control in their view of a healthy scope of government. Thus, we find the likely Republican Candidate, John McCain to the left of Republican and the far left of Conservatism.
- Barack Obama is left of Liberal, the idea that the government should grow in its regulation of society. He is closer to Socialism because he supports taking the money of Americans to redistribute as politicians see fit.
- Hillary Clinton defines herself as a "Progressive." Search for the tenants of the Progressive Party, and you'll be quite surprised the kind of persons hundreds of thousands of people are rallying behind to be the next president of our country.
- Famous Fascists: Mussolini, Hitler and Big Brother from Orwell's 1984
I have lots of friends who, at the beginning of the election, were supporters of Ron Paul. Now, I'll admit that even this decision was largely based on what most of them had heard others say about Ron Paul, or worse based on the fact that their friends were supporting him. The preceding is an assumption, but it's supported by the observation that many of those Ron Paul supporters say that they might vote for Barack Obama in the general election. This phenomena can only be explained by a complete lack of knowledge or understanding of either candidate's philosophy or policies.
I'm going to make a diagram for this... hold on.
K... here it is:
The whole of politics is on one scale. At one end is totalitarianism, or complete government control over the actions of individuals. On the other end is liberty, that is personal freedom. The amount of (or lack of) liberty of each of these political systems is contained within their definitions, and the amount of freedom you desire for your life and the lives of the people around you depends on where you would fall on this line. This is not just a line political ideologies. All persons can be placed on this chart - you, me, your neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, most people have no informed reason where they are or where they desire to land on this chart.
What's amazing is this. Ron Paul is almost completely libertarian in his political philosophy while Barack Obama is one step away from socialism - and I know people who have claimed allegiance to both! What duality.
When you're thinking about politics for the remainder of 2008, think about this chart. Your vote is nothing more than your retention of or the giving away of your individual freedoms. That's a HUGE responsibility. Don't take it lightly. Don't believe the rhetoric. Do research. Don't take my word blindly... investigate for yourself. Don't be a lazy anarchist. The government exists. Do something about taking control of it.
Now... a few notes:
- The word conservatism does not relate to morality (as most people think). Rather, the idea of conservatism has to do with maintaining a small government. To conserve the boundaries to which government extends.
- The placement of Republican on the chart is based upon what the Republican party is supposed to stand for (which is drastically different from what it is today). Both of the parties in our two party system are out of control in their view of a healthy scope of government. Thus, we find the likely Republican Candidate, John McCain to the left of Republican and the far left of Conservatism.
- Barack Obama is left of Liberal, the idea that the government should grow in its regulation of society. He is closer to Socialism because he supports taking the money of Americans to redistribute as politicians see fit.
- Hillary Clinton defines herself as a "Progressive." Search for the tenants of the Progressive Party, and you'll be quite surprised the kind of persons hundreds of thousands of people are rallying behind to be the next president of our country.
- Famous Fascists: Mussolini, Hitler and Big Brother from Orwell's 1984
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Key To Life
I decided this week on the title of my first book... "The Key To Life." Cliche? Yes, but that's only the beginning. The cover of this book will be me - more specifically, a bust shot of me - smiling really big with my hand under my chin.
I've been talking about this for a few days, and much to my dismay, Jenn sent me a picture today on my phone to let me know that my idea was already in use by the gem of a man... Joel Osteen on the cover of his book, "Become A Better You." I had the image in this post originally, but when I published it, it just consumed the page. Those teeth... oooff! The only difference between Joel's cover and mine is that he is FOR REAL! Are you kidding me?!
So, cliche title and cliche picture. You might be saying to yourself, "Cole, don't you know what you're doing?" And that's exactly the point. I've decided this week that the key to life is self-awareness. It doesn't matter how much money you've made (Joel) or how many books you've sold or - on the other end -how eccentric you want to appear. If you're living in a world apart from reality, people just aren't going to take you - or what you have to say - seriously. I mean, think about this guy.
David Cross is a genius, but Tobias Funke? He's an Analrapist (accent on the SECOND "a" ).
One of my biggest fears is that the exact people who need to read the book will never pick it up. In addition, people who don't need to read the book are the ones that will, thus making them more cynical toward the oblivious among us. So, I have some thinking to do because I want the book to be a more than solely humorous. I want it to have a point.
Here's the deal, there are people around you and me everyday that just don't have a clue. Whether it's the person who walks really slowly down the middle of the grocery isle or that girl on national television singing her heart out to a laughing television audience of 10 million (aka, the people reading Joel's book) - something must be done. We live in an age that tells people they can do whatever they want if they just put their minds to it. That's ridiculous. You can't grow wings and take flight. You can't superman jump over a tall building. And the people who are creative enough to get around the laws of gravity don't need pop psychology to cheer them on.
The fact is that people CAN do a lot of things, but things don't get done by willing them into existence. Things get done because people discover what they are good at, and they chase after those things with all their hearts.
So, if it's singing you want to do, make sure it's not painful. If it is, sing in the shower. If you want to write a book, make sure you can spel write and that you use grammar good. If you can't, write a song. Push your limits, but find the limits that are worth pushing.
I've been talking about this for a few days, and much to my dismay, Jenn sent me a picture today on my phone to let me know that my idea was already in use by the gem of a man... Joel Osteen on the cover of his book, "Become A Better You." I had the image in this post originally, but when I published it, it just consumed the page. Those teeth... oooff! The only difference between Joel's cover and mine is that he is FOR REAL! Are you kidding me?!
So, cliche title and cliche picture. You might be saying to yourself, "Cole, don't you know what you're doing?" And that's exactly the point. I've decided this week that the key to life is self-awareness. It doesn't matter how much money you've made (Joel) or how many books you've sold or - on the other end -how eccentric you want to appear. If you're living in a world apart from reality, people just aren't going to take you - or what you have to say - seriously. I mean, think about this guy.
David Cross is a genius, but Tobias Funke? He's an Analrapist (accent on the SECOND "a" ).
One of my biggest fears is that the exact people who need to read the book will never pick it up. In addition, people who don't need to read the book are the ones that will, thus making them more cynical toward the oblivious among us. So, I have some thinking to do because I want the book to be a more than solely humorous. I want it to have a point.
Here's the deal, there are people around you and me everyday that just don't have a clue. Whether it's the person who walks really slowly down the middle of the grocery isle or that girl on national television singing her heart out to a laughing television audience of 10 million (aka, the people reading Joel's book) - something must be done. We live in an age that tells people they can do whatever they want if they just put their minds to it. That's ridiculous. You can't grow wings and take flight. You can't superman jump over a tall building. And the people who are creative enough to get around the laws of gravity don't need pop psychology to cheer them on.
The fact is that people CAN do a lot of things, but things don't get done by willing them into existence. Things get done because people discover what they are good at, and they chase after those things with all their hearts.
So, if it's singing you want to do, make sure it's not painful. If it is, sing in the shower. If you want to write a book, make sure you can spel write and that you use grammar good. If you can't, write a song. Push your limits, but find the limits that are worth pushing.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Bikes and Bridges
Yesterday, at 1130 am, a bunch of bike riders showed up at my front door with their bikes. Big beards, thick rimmed glasses, a few tattoos; the kind of nerds everyone wishes they could be. The people that corporations look to for their next million dollar idea. Early Adopters who pretend they don't know - and even more so don't care - that this is who they are.
I had taken the last bench seat out so that we could fit the bikes in. They fit perfectly. Metha proved to be a good packer.
We drove to St Augustine and met up with about 150 other people from around the state. Every race that is "organized" by fixed gear riders is deliberately unorganized. The most information we had to go on was an intersection name and a something posted online that said "Registration, 2 PM" followed by a question mark. After driving down several narrow, badly paved roads in what looked to be one of oldest sections of the oldest city in America, we arrived at a wooden two-story house. The house was painted pink. We knew we had arrived at the right place, not because we had an address or as the result of any sign-age, but because of the 100 or so dreadlocked, beer laden smokers carbing up for the race. We walked through the crowd and ascended the four steps that led to the front porch where Eric, the organizer of the race, was taking the eight dollar registration fee and stuffing it into a white, letter-sized envelope.
The guy next to him would ask, "What's your name?" Really only wanting first names. Then, "Where are you from?" He wrote the answers down on a piece of paper that - up to this point - was the first sign of any preparation. It had numbers typed and double spaced down the left side so that they could see how many people had registered.
At about 350 PM, Eric called out to everyone to go down the street where to the park where we would be starting. Half of the riders rode to the left and half to the right. The park was to the right. After ten minutes or so, everyone had made it to the park, and the race was ready to start. We laid our bikes on the ground and walked to the sidewalk - the makeshift starting line. After a few words of thanks, Eric yelled go, the riders raced to pick up their bikes and the race had started. No police escort, no blocking off of roads. just a bunch of red light and stop sign running, weaving in and out of traffic and amazing fun.
Each check point had a map (which, for the most part had no street names) to the next of ten check points. Somewhere early on, one of the bikers mouthed off the the sergeant of the police force who then set her officers to snipe mode on any biker breaking any laws. The only person to get a ticket was Eric, the organizer of the race, who wasn't even racing.
After an hour and fifteen minutes of grueling riding back and forth over drawbridges several hundred meters long, I reached the finish line with 11 maps in my pocket. 15th place.
I'm so thankful for this culture of people who love life and are okay with discovering along the way. People who are willing to start the journey, whether it be from Orlando or the starting line of a race, without a clear destination in mind. People who are willing to step out in faith and hope that things will work out one step at a time. It feels good to move forward together rather than being dragged along by someone else. Even in a race, there's a feeling of cooperation... knowing that we're all looking for the same thing and that no one has really found it yet... but hoping that we'll get there together.
I had taken the last bench seat out so that we could fit the bikes in. They fit perfectly. Metha proved to be a good packer.
We drove to St Augustine and met up with about 150 other people from around the state. Every race that is "organized" by fixed gear riders is deliberately unorganized. The most information we had to go on was an intersection name and a something posted online that said "Registration, 2 PM" followed by a question mark. After driving down several narrow, badly paved roads in what looked to be one of oldest sections of the oldest city in America, we arrived at a wooden two-story house. The house was painted pink. We knew we had arrived at the right place, not because we had an address or as the result of any sign-age, but because of the 100 or so dreadlocked, beer laden smokers carbing up for the race. We walked through the crowd and ascended the four steps that led to the front porch where Eric, the organizer of the race, was taking the eight dollar registration fee and stuffing it into a white, letter-sized envelope.
The guy next to him would ask, "What's your name?" Really only wanting first names. Then, "Where are you from?" He wrote the answers down on a piece of paper that - up to this point - was the first sign of any preparation. It had numbers typed and double spaced down the left side so that they could see how many people had registered.
At about 350 PM, Eric called out to everyone to go down the street where to the park where we would be starting. Half of the riders rode to the left and half to the right. The park was to the right. After ten minutes or so, everyone had made it to the park, and the race was ready to start. We laid our bikes on the ground and walked to the sidewalk - the makeshift starting line. After a few words of thanks, Eric yelled go, the riders raced to pick up their bikes and the race had started. No police escort, no blocking off of roads. just a bunch of red light and stop sign running, weaving in and out of traffic and amazing fun.
Each check point had a map (which, for the most part had no street names) to the next of ten check points. Somewhere early on, one of the bikers mouthed off the the sergeant of the police force who then set her officers to snipe mode on any biker breaking any laws. The only person to get a ticket was Eric, the organizer of the race, who wasn't even racing.
After an hour and fifteen minutes of grueling riding back and forth over drawbridges several hundred meters long, I reached the finish line with 11 maps in my pocket. 15th place.
I'm so thankful for this culture of people who love life and are okay with discovering along the way. People who are willing to start the journey, whether it be from Orlando or the starting line of a race, without a clear destination in mind. People who are willing to step out in faith and hope that things will work out one step at a time. It feels good to move forward together rather than being dragged along by someone else. Even in a race, there's a feeling of cooperation... knowing that we're all looking for the same thing and that no one has really found it yet... but hoping that we'll get there together.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Suspension of Disbelief
Suspension of Disbelief is a result of poor execution. In story, I don't want people to suspend their skepticism or turn off their critical thinking. I want participants to believe that people are real and places exist. The only time suspension of disbelief is necessary is when the hands of the real world can be seen - whether it be poor dialogue or forced action or cartoonish CG. A story is told well when the recipient is invited to believe without distraction.
This man got it.
This man got it.
Lexicographer
I really like words. Yesterday was the birthday of Sir James Murray, the lexicographer who wrote more than half the entries in the Oxford English Dictionary (the OED for those in the industry). I'd never want that guy's job, but I'm sure glad he did it.
Language is one of my passions. It's so pregnant with potential. Without words, we can't really even have thought. I wonder how many words haven't been invented yet. How many new concepts have yet to enter into our consciousness?
There are those that want to remove words like "better," "excellent," "wonderful," and "best" from our vocabulary and replace them with "good," "plus good" and "double plus good." The scary thing is that the elimination of words begins with synonyms and continues with any word that might be subjectively offensive.
As words are eliminated, so is our ability to think and communicate. The control of language results in the control of society.
Language is one of my passions. It's so pregnant with potential. Without words, we can't really even have thought. I wonder how many words haven't been invented yet. How many new concepts have yet to enter into our consciousness?
There are those that want to remove words like "better," "excellent," "wonderful," and "best" from our vocabulary and replace them with "good," "plus good" and "double plus good." The scary thing is that the elimination of words begins with synonyms and continues with any word that might be subjectively offensive.
As words are eliminated, so is our ability to think and communicate. The control of language results in the control of society.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Start
I've been trying to figure out if the things I do shape who I am or if who I am shapes the things I do. Because I haven't been able to find a clear answer, I spend most of my time allowing myself to be distracted.
I read a lot in hopes that others will help me answer the question. I think that F Scott Fitzgerald and Oscar Wilde would be my good friends if we had been living at the same time and in the same place. The three of us would sit at the end of a long dining room table in a dimly lit room discussing why we do the things we do and how no one ever understands why we seem frustrated with the world.
I'd like to think I'd be friends with Jack Kerouac and Earnest Hemingway because they seem like cool guys, but I think they were afraid of roots. Not in the Kunta Kente sense but in the tree sense. Roots are important to me. That's why - even if I did write music that a lot of people liked - labels would still hate me. I wouldn't want to be gone more than a few weeks at a time unless I could take all my friends with me. That would be expensive.
There are a lot of things that it seems I'm good at, and - for the most part - I stick to those. It's a lot easier than trying to play basketball or take girls on dates. I say that while hating people who just take the easy way in life. So, I'm forced to either hate myself or feel uncomfortable everyday. Oooff.
The blog fad comes and goes, but for as long as it's around this time, I'll try to answer some of these questions and analyze my life in front of the world's eyes.
I read a lot in hopes that others will help me answer the question. I think that F Scott Fitzgerald and Oscar Wilde would be my good friends if we had been living at the same time and in the same place. The three of us would sit at the end of a long dining room table in a dimly lit room discussing why we do the things we do and how no one ever understands why we seem frustrated with the world.
I'd like to think I'd be friends with Jack Kerouac and Earnest Hemingway because they seem like cool guys, but I think they were afraid of roots. Not in the Kunta Kente sense but in the tree sense. Roots are important to me. That's why - even if I did write music that a lot of people liked - labels would still hate me. I wouldn't want to be gone more than a few weeks at a time unless I could take all my friends with me. That would be expensive.
There are a lot of things that it seems I'm good at, and - for the most part - I stick to those. It's a lot easier than trying to play basketball or take girls on dates. I say that while hating people who just take the easy way in life. So, I'm forced to either hate myself or feel uncomfortable everyday. Oooff.
The blog fad comes and goes, but for as long as it's around this time, I'll try to answer some of these questions and analyze my life in front of the world's eyes.
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