I Moved This Blog

Thank you for stopping by; however, I moved the blog to a new location.  You are welcome to stick around and read old blog entries at this site, or you can read them at the new site.  Please follow this link to the new site; or the direct link here.

Christmas Season!

Spending the evening with my wife:

1. Purchased our Christmas tree.
2. Of course decorating it.
3. Drinking hot chocolate.
4. Watching the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Tree on televsion.
5. Listening to Christmas tunes.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I know it's cheesy to say that, but my wife thought it would be a great way to end.

P.S. All in the proper order......Christmas celebrations follow Thanksgiving..not before.

Remember 3.5 Floppies?

I came across a link that is selling posters commemorating 3.5 floppy disks.  Each poster shows how many floppies it would take to hold current computer apps.

Result (Approximate)

46 disk for iTunes 8.02

358 disk for Adobe Photoshop CS4

1760 disk for the Sims 3

12 disk for Firefox 3, 36 disk for Firefox Add-ons

Clever Marketing for a Time-tested Technological Device

Digital Irony

So I bought a Kindle with my birthday money and received it in the mail yesterday.  Check out this assortment of customer uploaded pictures here.

I debated back and forth on whether or not I should get one because I have concerns with so much digital culture.  Of course there is a lot that can be affirmed about the technology, too. 

At the end of day one, I predict that I will enjoy the device very much.  In celebration of purchasing the Kindle I want to pass along two bits of digital irony:

1. The very first book I plan to read on my Kindle is entitled You are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier.  I know nothing about the book except the title and it caught my attention one day parousing Barnes and Noble.  I have some thoughts stewing in my mind that I hope this book might shed light on.  And then maybe one day I will share them on my blog.
2. I find it incredibly humorous that there is a Kindle version of a book entitled Bookbinding and the Care of Books: A Handbook for Amateurs, Bookbinders & Librarians

Periodically, I plan on blogging about my personal observations and insights into my digital reading.

Related posts:
Recent thoughts about the Kindle (posted March 19, 2010)
Stuff that Caught My Eye (posted May 16, 2010).  Really the first two links are related to today's post.

[Picture taken from a customer who uploaded it to Amazon]

Needs & Reminders

I have experienced the biggest case of procrastination and writer's block this past week. I am writing a paper on Paul's letter to the Philippian Church (modern day map), specifically on chapter 3, verses 12-16. It is actually a very difficult passage grammatically, and I am having a hard time getting all of my jumbled thoughts into any resemblance of written coherence.

Paul ties his main purpose, which is a call towards unity in the church, with themes of suffering, resurrection, and imitation, bound together in union with Christ. You see, the Philippian church in general, and a couple of the individual members in particular were experiencing some sort of discord and/or rivalry. And what Paul does in his letter, among other things, is call them back to their identity in Christ Jesus. Corporate and relational unity is rooted in the example we have in Christ's life, death, and resurrection (certainly Christ's life and work is much more than an example as He is our propitiation, but He also serves as an example to be imitated). We share those things with him; therefore, let us walk according to our identity...let us walk in unity having the same mind as Christ.

Now jumping back to my writer's block. My head is full of input but not much output, which is why my paper is actually late. It was due this afternoon. I am okay with it being lat. My prof is okay with it being late (and I'm okay with a potential mark down due to its lateness). However, I have not been okay the past several days with my anxious block. I am running to everything else to placate my anxiety: 1) my google reader because there is always some blog or article to read; 2) youtube videos because there are millions of videos to watch (because who doesn't need to spend time watching planes landing in horrific crosswinds?); 3) and compounding my anxiety, I think about everything else I need to get done before Thanksgiving.

Now I say all of this for my benefit and for transitioning to the video below. As I drove to campus this afternoon, this song was played on the radio. I have heard Need To Breathe before. I have even seen them live at the Handle Bar in Greenville, but I have never heard this song. It is called Lay 'Em Down.

It was refreshing to hear this reminder...that the Lord calls to every person...that He meets our every need. This is just what I needed today...to be reminded. So, let's bring all our troubles and lay 'em down. Christ Jesus calls through His Word and by His Spirit; do we have ears to hear?

Today is like...

I took my wife to work this morning.  We were running a bit behind schedule so we decided to buy two biscuits from McDonald's.  Although they don't have the best breakfast stuff, it is okay. 

This morning I ordered a combo meal: black coffee, potato cake and a bacon/egg/cheese biscuit.  It is my usual.  Well, I didn't get my usual.  I randomly received an egg/sausage McGriddle (basically the biscuit replaced with two pancakes that have warm pockets of syrup inside).  I've never had one before because I've never wanted one before.  Sure the concept sounds appealing but throwing down 400+ calories and 1000+ mg of sodium in one sitting is not my idea of a balanced breakfast. 

However.  This morning I didn't even care that they got my order wrong.  I opened the wrapper, and without thinking, sunk my teeth into it.  Of course it was good; nevertheless, I still stand by my assessment that the concept is appealing......but it is always a bad idea.

So, if you ask me how my day is going, I would have to say that today is like that.