I downloaded the Kindle app for my iPhone today, and downloaded a few free books (mostly classics like The Picture of Dorian Gray). I don’t own a Kindle, but I think I like the thought of owning one.
So random poll here – do you own a Kindle? What do you like / dislike about it? Do you think the iPad will dethrone the Kindle? Do you think the tech on all this is still too in flux? If you were in the market for one, would you wait? I’d love to hear all your feedback. Discuss…
I’ll take this opportunity to let you know (if you don’t already) that my Creative Coaching coach, Carlos Whittaker has released his EP available now. He’s the Discovery Download on iTunes (free download) currently too, with his song “Rain it Down” (which is my favorite song of the three). Pick up his EP for $1.98 & show him some love! Also, for any of you musicians out there, he’s offering the chord charts free!
Recently, it seems that no matter when I was watching TV, I would see the new Domino’s commercial about how they have reinvented their pizza. Quite honestly, I couldn’t remember the last time I had Domino’s, but I’m sure that’s because my opinion was like that of so many others, that it was horrible. Their commercial caught my attention & curiosity. So this past weekend we decided to have some Domino’s delivered for diner.
I placed my order online (and my kids got a kick out of seeing the status bar (see below) -- Jose has prepped your order… Jorge is out for delivery with your order) as well as the online Connect Four game. Our pizza arrived pretty quickly, and to be honest my expectations were low. We had a back up diner plan.
But in truth, it was much better than what I remembered the old Domino’s to be. Living in NY where there’s a pizza place on every corner, it’s what I would consider “secondary pizza” or fast food pizza, in the camps with Pizza Hut & Papa John’s. Running in those circles, I feel like Domino’s has significantly upped their game, and I would consider ordering again in the future.
But the real moral of the story here -- this whole pizza turnaround, listening to their critics, making changes -- it made me think about the Church. How well are we listening? What do we do with our critics? Are we learning & improving? Domino’s still makes pizza, and the church will always be all about Jesus -- but in the presentation, are we looking to improve? To have the freedom to try new things to reach more people? Thankfully, I believe there are a lot of churches doing just that.
Have you tried the new Domino’s? What do you think?
Check out the following trailer for a production my friend, Steven Vote is working on. Some pretty beautiful images. He’s an amazing photographer (and he’s Australian, so that makes him automatically cool, mate). Check out his stock photo site too. Stop by and tell him I sent you.
Here’s what he has to say:
I have always been drawn to the stories of real people and their incredible lives.
We are in the early production stages of a new film, ‘50 Stories’. Production will take us all over this amazingly beautiful, people-diverse and vast land. We will be working with talented and emerging writers in all the 50 United States.
Here’s some first footage (from NYC & Western Mass) pieced together into a rough cut teaser.
I’ve been devouring Donald Miller’s new Book, A million Miles in a Thousand Years (What I Learned while editing my life). The basic concept is him asking what makes a story, a good story? And much like the elements in a good story, when those elements are present in your life (your own story) you’ve got the makings of a life well lived. Trust me, go grab a copy. (EDIT: Check out Don’s blog post for more on this) Here are a few insights that I found leaping out at me:
p. 38
My uncle told a good story with his life, but I think there was such sadness at his funeral because his story wasn’t finished. If you aren’t telling a good story, nobody thinks you died too soon; they just think you died. But my uncle died too soon.
P. 48
“A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it”
P. 59
I’ve wondered, though, if one of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don’t want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgment. We don’t want to be characters in a story because characters have to move and breathe and face conflict with courage. And if life isn’t remarkable, then we don’t have to do any of that; we can be unwilling victims rather than grateful participants.
P. 86
There is a knowing I feel that guides me toward better stories, toward being a better character. I believe there is a writer outside ourselves, plotting a better story for us, interacting with us, even, and whispering a better story into our consciousness.
And lastly – P. 124
The ambitions we have will become the stories we live.
There is a question I believe is worth asking: What’s your story? Is there life in your story?
And I’ve also been listening to the new Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane. On it, there’s a song called Mess of Me. Coupled with Donald Miller’s ideas of living a life that tells a grand story, there’s some powerful thoughts here.
I am my own affliction
I am my own disease
There ain’t no drug that they could sell
Oh, there ain’t no drug to make me well
(There ain’t no drug)
There ain’t no drug
There ain’t no drug
It’s not enough
The sickness is myself
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to get back the rest of me
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to spend the rest of my life alive
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to get back the rest of me
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to spend the rest of my life alive
The rest of my life alive
We lock our souls in cages
We hide inside our shells
It’s hard to free the ones you love
Oh, when you can’t forgive yourself
Yeah, forgive yourself
(There ain’t no drug)
There ain’t no drug
There ain’t no drug
The sickness is myself
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to get back the rest of me
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to spend the rest of my life alive
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to reverse this tragedy
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to spend the rest of my life alive
The rest of my life alive
Oh, right
And there ain’t no drug
There ain’t no drug
There ain’t no drug
No drug to make me well
There ain’t no drug
It’s not enough
I’m breaking up
The sickness is myself
The sickness is myself
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to get back the rest of me
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to spend the rest of my life alive
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to reverse this tragedy
I’ve made a mess of me
I want to spend the rest of my life alive
The rest of my life alive
I love the line ” I want to spend the rest of my life alive The rest of my life alive”
With the passing of one year & the beginning of a new one, it’s kind of natural to think about what’s gone behind you & what’s yet to come. I am thankful for the many blessings that God has given me, but the thing that marked me this year (and years past) has been struggle. Maybe you relate. It’s not that I’m not grateful. I am. And in some odd way (that I hope will increase in the future), I am thankful for struggle, because it leads to the end of me & my resources. Sometimes its hard to barely hang on, but God is faithful. He restores hope, even if it isn’t the way you would think, or in the time frame you expect. So for me in this new year, I’m looking to retire “struggle” and replace it with “Hope”.
Recently a friend of mine (Jud) told me about his news website, called People of the Second Chance (or POTSC for short). I really love their vision statement: “We are people of the second chance. A scandalous movement of radical grace in life & leadership. Failures & messes wanted.” Maybe you haven’t failed, or messed up in some huge way. But maybe you could use some radical grace this year. The good news is that there is more than enough grace in Jesus.
Maybe you just need some strength. You’re limping into this new year. You’ve been running & running. Now you’re running on empty.
If that’s you, let me offer some encouragement for your journey. Check out what God says in Isaiah 40 (MSG):
25-26“So—who is like me?
Who holds a candle to me?” says The Holy.
Look at the night skies:
Who do you think made all this?
Who marches this army of stars out each night,
counts them off, calls each by name
—so magnificent! so powerful!—
and never overlooks a single one?
27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me.
He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.
I love this:
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
Here’s to a new year, one filled with Hope & Radical Grace!
2 years ago, while filming some Christmas video footage for True North, a bunch of us stumbled upon something amazing in Times Square in NYC. It was Charmin’s free restrooms. Now, not only is a clean (and free) bathroom in NYC a big deal, but this place was a Charmin wonderland. They had all sorts of cool stuf going on – you could send postcards to friends, take photos in their photo booth and of course, relieve yourself. Charmin created a fun environment that drew people in, even if they didn’t have to go. Great marketing for sure.
They closed up shop after a while, and apparently, they have returned. Today, I was in the city, but unfortunately didn’t manage to get back there, but I did see this:
So Charmin has done it again. Pretty funny stuff. If you find yourself in NYC and near Times Sq. pay them a visit. Trust me, it will be worth it.
For now, enjoy some of these links:
Charmin’s main site
Charmin’s Flicker photos
Until next time, as Charmin says “Enjoy the Go.”
Another cool & creative video. Enjoy!
It’s kinda long, but really worth it. Plus cool soundtrack. Check it:
