Jun

30

Indulge My Curiosity

Post Category: Blog Posts, Technology 

I always like to learn new things about my readers, but first something you may not know about me. Did you know, I’ve been on the Internet long enough to remember connecting onto Compuserve through a 28.8k modem? Downloading 35k .wav clips, listening to MIDI files and downloading “high res” jpeg images at 800×600! Ahh, those were the days.

I know this is total blog/web/computer geek curiosity but I’m just wondering, what kind of Internet connection do you have now?

Cable?
DSL?
Dial-Up?

Indulge my geeky curiosity.

Jun

28

Dancing With The (Star Wars) Stars

Post Category: Blog Posts, Completely Crazy, Videos 

Chewbacca getting footloose with a sandman and Darth Vader dancing to Thriller.

On a Saturday, it doesn’t get better than that.

Jun

27

When Good Intentions Lead To Bad Decisions

Post Category: Blog Posts, Makes You Think, Social Justice 


If you hadn’t noticed, I got hammered in yesterday’s blog post. I’m talking two black eyes and kick to the stomach. Even my own wife disagreed with me!

First of all, let me just say how awesome it is to have an environment like this where you feel comfortable disagreeing with me and expressing different viewpoints. This is exactly the kind of discussion I want to have on my blog.

So let’s continue the conversation from yesterday. As you know, I picked up a bottle of Ethos water from Starbucks and wrote that that it was a “simple way to make a difference.” The point I was trying to make (and actually one I still stand by) is that a lot of people doing a little can make a BIG difference.

However, several valid points were raised that are worth discussing:

  1. Ethos only donates 5 cents from each $1.79 bottle towards clean water efforts.
  2. Their marketing is somewhat misleading and could lead you to think it is a purely charity-driven product
  3. Fixing one problem (lack of clean water around the world) could cause another (8 out of 10 plastic water bottles don’t get recycled causing build-up in our landfills) - a case of Aegrescit medendo (the remedy being worse than the disease)

I’ve read through all of your comments and I appreciate those you of you who took the time to write them. Here are a few observations:

  1. While it’s true that 5 cents out of bottle of water that cost $1.79 isn’t much, it’s better than .00 cents donated from the $.99 cent water we normally buy. At the very least I commend companies who at least recognize and participate in social action on any scale even if it’s not to the degree we would like.
  2. The biggest argument against products like Ethos is, Why not skip the bottled water or go with a cheaper water alternative so you can give more? To which I reply, ABSOLUTELY! That is undoubtedly the best solution to solving the global water crisis - make do with less so we can give more. My question then is, so how much are you giving up and how much have you given? It’s easy to point fingers at corporate giving practices and ignore our own. Could Ethos give more than 5 cents a bottle? I’m sure they can. Could I give more than I’m giving? Absolutely.
  3. A bigger problem is the issue of creating excess waste to the tune of over 38 billion plastic water bottles in our landfills every year. It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture one year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars. Not very good environmental stewardship.

There are some very real issues facing us and I for one, don’t want to sit on the sidelines. Social change first begins with awareness, then education and results in action.

So, what are we going to do about it? I’ve got some ideas but I’d like to hear yours.

Jun

26

It’s Official - My Wife is Now A Blogger!

Post Category: Blog Posts, Blogging, Family 

I’m excited to announce something that I’ve been waiting a long time to say:

MY WIFE HAS A BLOG!!!

That’s right - the love of my life, my baby’s momma - has now joined the blogosphere! If you want to get inside the mind of the only woman in the world crazy enough to marry me, here’s your chance.

When you visit make sure you read the post “Why do boys pee standing up?“ (for the record, I have great aim!

So give her a grand welcome - subscribe, leave a comment, twitter. I love her and I’m pretty sure you will too!

Jun

26

A Simple Way To Make A Difference

Post Category: Authenticity, Blog Posts, Social Justice 

A bottled water for you.
Clean water for children around the world.
It’s a no-brainer.

To date Ethos has raised over $6.2 million which will help an estimated 420,000 people gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

If you’re going to pick up a bottled water anyway, grab one of these instead from your nearest Starbucks.

What are some of the little things you do to help make a difference in the world around you?

Jun

25

A Tale of Two Tampons

Post Category: Authenticity, Blog Posts, Completely Crazy 


Like any good husband I usually get the monthly request to pick up feminine hygiene products. I get the phone call or see it snuck in on a grocery list.

Often times when I run out in the evening I’ll see other guys aimlessly wandering the hygiene products isle with a look of confusion and bewilderment on their face. They finally grab a box, stuff it dutifully under a bag of frozen peas to disguise it and make their way to the checkout.

As they stand there in line they’re thinking the same thing every guy thinks when he has to make this kind of purchase,

“Dear Lord, I hope I picked the right one!”

Because God knows NO man wants to be on the cell phone in the middle of a store having this conversation,

“Honey, what kind of Tampon do you need again?
Super what?
I don’t see Super Plus Tampons here, what about Extra Super Tampons?
What? Look, can you just tell me what color the box is?”

Can someone please explain to me why you need that many options and brands to choose from when purchasing a Tampon?

Ladies, let me explain something to you about men. We like to appear confident and self-assured. We like to know what we’re doing. And nothing destroys our confidence quicker than sending us out to buy Tampons. I honestly believe that they purposely label the products to try to trip us guys up.

Light Tampax?
Extra Light Tampax?
Super Tampax?
Super Tampax Deluxe?
Extra Super Deluxe Tampax?

Would you like fries and a drink with that?

Here are a few questions I have.

  1. Is there honestly some rhyme or reason behind the names they put on the boxes? Or are they result of some misanthropic lady in the marketing department designed to confuse the men that have to pick them up?
  2. Do you really need to wait until the very last minute before sending us out to pick them up? Isn’t this something that happens fairly close to the same time every month?
  3. If this is a product that you know you’re going to keep using for at least then next 15-25 years, why not buy it in BULK? Heck, get 3 or 4 years worth. This may be crazy guy-talk here but hear me out. You’ll save money and avoid sending us men out to buy the wrong one! It’s a win-win!

To all of the wives out there - your men love you. We honestly try to pick up the right thing but there are just some things that guys weren’t meant to pick out. Tampons are one of them. Now, on the other hand, if you’re looking for a new TV for the living room…

Guys, are you tracking with me? Have any of you asked the same questions? Got a funny Tampon story to tell?

Gals (those of you who are still subscribed after reading this), help us out. Am I off track?

Jun

24

Ever Wish You Had Another Copy of Yourself?

Post Category: Authenticity, Blog Posts, Videos 

There is just so much going on in my life right now. I’ve got enough design work to keep me busy for a while - trust me, I’m not complaining - but don’t you ever just wish you had another copy of you that could help you out? Reminds me of this scene from Multiplicity (one of my favorite movies).

Although with my luck my clone would end up like #4.

Jun

24

Rent DVDs Without Returning Them

Post Category: Blog Posts, Technology 

It seems everyone from Kroger to McDonalds is getting in on DVD rentals these days so it didn’t surprise me to see a rack of DVDs to rent at Staples when I was picking up some office supplies. What did surprise me was the sign above the DVDs, “NO RETURN DVD RENTAL!”

That caught my attention.

I picked up a DVD just to check it out for myself and see how it worked. According to Flexplay, the process is as simple as open, watch the movie as many times as you would like during a 48 hour period, and then recycle the disc when you’re done.

Here’s a description of the technology used from Flexplay’s web site:

Like regular DVDs, Flexplay DVDs are made from two pieces of plastic one or both of which have a reflective coating that are glued together. Information on the DVD is read by a laser beam focused on that reflective surface. Precise focus and clear transmission of the laser beam is required for playback of the DVD.

Flexplay DVDs use a proprietary, patented adhesive to glue the plastic disc halves together. Removing the Flexplay DVD from its sealed package exposes the disc to oxygen, triggering a gentle, controlled chemical reaction with the special Flexplay adhesive. After 48 hours, but not sooner, the adhesive begins to interfere with the DVD laser beam’s ability to read the disc. This all happens inside the disc, with no exposed chemicals or coatings. Flexplay DVDs are designed to ensure perfect playback during the entire 2-day viewing period.

It’s a very interesting concept that fills a very niche market. At $4.99 the price point isn’t as good as Blockbuster, Netflix or iTunes for everyday rentals. However, if you’re traveling or are on vacation and want to stick a few movies in your laptop case and not worry about how long you’ve had them and when you’re going to watch them, Flexplay might be an option.

What do you think of No Return DVD Rentals? Would you pay $4.99 for a DVD you didn’t have to return?

Jun

23

The 40 Day Fast

Post Category: Blog Posts 

I’m excited to be participating in this year’s 40 Day fast. I’ll be joining 40 other bloggers who have each chosen one day to fast and pray. Every day a new blogger will write about an area of need around the world and what we can do about it. I don’t know about you but this is the kind of stuff that really gets me excited!

How YOU Can Help
The date for my fast is July 20. I already have the area of need picked out that I’ll be blogging about and I’m excited to share an organization with you that is doing some amazing things to meet those needs.

If you’re interested in being involved in a special project I’m working on for this fast leave a comment and I’ll contact you directly by email with further details.

Here is the list of people who will be participating in this awesome online event. Refer back to this post or check out the Inspired To Action blog every day for the most recent blogger fasting and writing for this event. You can also click the 40 Day Fast widget in my sidebar to access the most recent blogger’s post.

40 Day Fast TEAM 1
June 23, 2008 (Monday) Brant Hansen
June 24, 2008 (Tuesday) Amy
June 25, 2008 (Wednesday) Brian Seay
June 26, 2008 (Thursday) Annie Downs
June 27, 2008 (Friday) Autumn Wilson
June 28, 2008 (Saturday) Scott Mocha
June 29, 2008 (Sunday) Lorijo
June 30, 2008 (Monday) Licia
July 1, 2008 (Tuesday) Jason Gray
July 2, 2008 (Wednesday) Laura
July 3, 2008 (Thursday) Steven Russell
July 4, 2008 (Friday) Tim Harms
July 5, 2008 (Saturday) Mama’s Boy
July 6, 2008 (Sunday) Shawn Wallace
July 7, 2008 (Monday) Shaun Groves
July 8, 2008 (Tuesday) Prairie Rose
July 9, 2008 (Wednesday) Kat
July 10, 2008 (Thursday) Crystal Renaud
July 11, 2008 (Friday) truvyne
July 12, 2008 (Saturday) Pete Kim
July 13, 2008 (Sunday) Jonathan “Biscuet” Smyth
July 14, 2008 (Monday) Brody Harper
July 15, 2008 (Tuesday) Natalie Grant
July 16, 2008 (Wednesday) Adam
July 17, 2008 (Thursday) Euphrony
July 18, 2008 (Friday) Todd Ruth
July 19, 2008 (Saturday) Mandy
July 20, 2008 (Sunday) Brad Ruggles
July 21, 2008 (Monday) Stephen Lamb
July 22, 2008 (Tuesday) Brandy Campbell
July 23, 2008 (Wednesday) Annie Nelson
July 24, 2008 (Thursday) Ryan Bush
July 25, 2008 (Friday) Kristin
July 26, 2008 (Saturday) Melissa
July 27, 2008 (Sunday) Emily Witt
July 28, 2008 (Monday) Bart Millard
July 29, 2008 (Tuesday) Liz Seay
July 30, 2008 (Wednesday) Nancy Purdy
July 31, 2008 (Thursday) Jessie
August 1, 2008 (Friday) Tressa Strickland

40 Day Fast TEAM 2
June 24, 2008 (Tuesday) April Lattimer
June 25, 2008 (Wednesday) Rick Elliot
June 26, 2008 (Thursday) P.D. Ross
June 27, 2008 (Friday) Kelly
June 28, 2008 (Saturday) Gene Pensiero
June 29, 2008 (Sunday) Fay
June 30, 2008 (Monday) Chris Szulwach
July 1, 2008 (Tuesday) Ambre Sautter
July 2, 2008 (Wednesday) Beth Waldeck
July 3, 2008 (Thursday) Sarah Chia
July 4, 2008 (Friday) Leslie Brooke
July 5, 2008 (Saturday) Andira
July 6, 2008 (Sunday) Stephanie
July 7, 2008 (Monday) Polly Hansen
July 8, 2008 (Tuesday) Charley Hayes
July 9, 2008 (Wednesday) Blake
July 10, 2008 (Thursday) Davida
July 11, 2008 (Friday) Valerie
July 12, 2008 (Saturday) Brent Hodge
July 13, 2008 (Sunday) Jeanine Guidry
July 14, 2008 (Monday) Lori Broach
July 15, 2008 (Tuesday) Kjaere
July 16, 2008 (Wednesday) Jacquelynne
July 17, 2008 (Thursday) Dan Byron

Jun

22

A Wall Painted Animation

Post Category: Blog Posts 

This guy has some SERIOUS talent and patience! I can’t even imagine how long it took to put this together. Granted, his creative style is totally whacked out but you’ve still got to appreciate the dedication and creativity behind it. Keep in mind, this animation was hand-painted frame-by-frame on walls, sidewalks and buildings in Buenos Aires. (click here if you can’t see the video)

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