SML
Posted a few pics from our wakeboarding adventure today.
Clunkers
A match made in heaven: auto dealerships and the federal government. The dealerships had visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads and seized the opportunity to sell as many cars under the clunkers program as possible. Now it's time for the government to hold up their end of the deal (they are extremely slow to pay due to 2,000 people trying to process 690,000 applications for payment). This new car buyer wanted to take advantage of the offer and now she can't get a license plate for her car because the car company hasn't been paid the money they are owed from the CARS program. Sounds like the lady should hang onto her 30 day tag while the dealer and the government talk amongst themselves.
Looney's
Headed to JP Looney's on Hwy 68 tonight to check out Jason Holdaway (aka @DaddyTatts). Being as I haven't seen him since we graduated in '99 and he's probably one of the few people I've missed from high school I'm pretty excited about seeing them play.
Cell phones
Sept 9th. The debut of the 3rd gen iPod touch. That's the day I buy myself a replacement for my cell phone. It'll just be me, an iPod, Fring/GV and my nearest wi-fi coverage area. So, VZW, can you hear me now?
Quality Time
The older I become, the more I see things changing in my life. A weekend away with just my wife, dinner together instead of always with a truckload of friends, putt-putt at the lake late on a saturday night. All these things may seem insignificant to some, but to me they are little mental vacations from the reality of life. For a few minutes, a few hours (or maybe like this weekend a few days). Time to get my scrambled brain back in line is precious for me. I wouldn't trade it for anything. So I have been practicing how to say NO to friends, opportunities, etc. and I think my blood pressure and my marriage are both better for it.
Old Time Music
Heard a band this weekend that covered an Old Crow song. The beginning sounded like wagon wheel but something wasn't quite right. They covered the song perfectly, but I think that was the problem. You can't sing an Old Crow song in tune and your instruments definitely can't be perfectly in tune. That's what makes bands like Old Crow so enjoyable is that they are so unlike the slick polished stuff coming out of the studios nowadays.
Protesting your protest
All this talk of protesting the group meeting here in Greensboro is rediculous. I don't agree with the group and definately don't want to be mistaken for a supporter, but I do avidly support our Bill of Rights. The 1st Amendment gives citizens the right to lawful assembly (and previous Supreme Court affords non-citizens this right as well). If we protest this group, or the next group that comes along that we disagree with, changes in legislation will eventually be made. Changes that will restrict everyone, not just your local "hate" group. So, protesters be thankful there isn't a law banning these people from meeting, otherwise the same law would prevent you from gathering to protest.
@HolyGod followed me on twitter. After only a day he unfollowed me. I'm not sure how I feel about this (or the possible eternal consequences of being unfollowed by God).
Cadillac Sky - from Gravity's Our Enemy
I've been listening to this cd for the past three months and it never gets old. Harmony that gives you cold chills, instrumentation (harmonic at 1:06 in) and chords progressions straight out of Chris Thile's playbook (2:30 in), and the best sounding recording mix to hit my ears in a long time.
Ferrari vs. Honda
"In 'Maranello Masterpiece' (Aug. 10), Michael Taylor gushes about the 458 Italia's 125hp/liter and 9,000-rpm limit. Nice, but Honda's original S2000 (also a 9,000-rpm motor) hit 120hp/liter 10 years ago. And this was without direct injection, which helps by easily 10 percent."
--A letter to Autoweek from John Patton, Seattle
Jeff Ludes Photography
Browsing Sean Klingelhoefer's blog of automotive pics and found a link to this fellow; Jeff Ludes. His work is beyond words.
Mercy
I wish I had the mercy that I've been shown. I hold myself in high regard. Would someone else mess up they ways I have, I'd show no hint of compassion as I handed them the sentence they earned. That thing is broken in me. The thing that is birthed out of love. The grace thing, the compassion thing. I'm supposed to love my neighbor, yet I'm not too concerned about where he will sleep tonight. Sure I'd hand him a few bucks, maybe more than just a little. I've never tested it but I suppose that may well be the extent of my love for my neighbor. Toss a few dollars their way and hope that is all they need because any further would require me to give of myself. What change can be made to a person who cannot love?
Hov - D.O.A.
While other artists cash in on auto-tune, Jay-Z isn't on his new album The Blueprint 3. I think it's ironic that criticism of the music industry's cash cow is coming from the inside. Of course it's probably just as profitable to write a song knocking the trend as it is to adopt it. I find it funny/freakin awesome that he would choose to knock the auto-tune trend with with a full band backing him- which is polar opposite of what auto-tune represents. Auto-tune is not a crime in and of itself, it's just another nail in the coffin of the music industry. Krs-one didn't need vocal effects, he had talent. Kanye's arrogant self (who is producing most of the tracks on the new album) uses it but he doesn't need it, he has talent. It seems where content is lacking producers are sprinkling in auto-tune like a southerner uses season-all. Or, in the case of the Black Eyed Peas, sprinkle it in 55 gallon quantities.
Simple Storytelling - David @ adahdesign.com
Check out David's full post here
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" ::: John 21:15-19There's no sugar coating here. Jesus tells Peter to "feed his sheep" and in return for your service to me when you are old "you will stretch out your hands..and someone else will lead you where you do not want to go." Not, "if you feed my sheep I'll give you the American Dream."
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" ::: John 21:15-19There's no sugar coating here. Jesus tells Peter to "feed his sheep" and in return for your service to me when you are old "you will stretch out your hands..and someone else will lead you where you do not want to go." Not, "if you feed my sheep I'll give you the American Dream."
Dinner @ Bianca's
Fine dining in Greensboro. I've driven/walked past Bianca's more times than I can count, when I was taking flatpicking lessons from Jeff Foxall at the Music Barn, and I have often wondered if the food tasted as good as it smelled when walking by the kitchen. Yes it does. Great food in a quiet cozy atmosphere is hard to find in the triad. Usually you find just one or the other. Bianca's is everything that the Olive Garden tries to be; authentic, romantic, and affordable. Our dinner consisting of an appetizer, salad, garlic bread (which is unbelievably good), a glass of Ferrari-Carano red, chicken parmigiana, chicken alfredo, a side of sauteed shrimp, and two dessserts (Dane Cook sp.) cost us a grand total of $51. If you are in the area and looking for a change from the big name chain restaurants then check out Bianca's.
Colfax, NC - Railroad
I have borrowed my sister-in-law's 35mm Pentax ZX-10 long enough to realize that I want an SLR camera, but I do not want a film camera no matter how cheap used ZX-10's are on amazon or ebay. Good film (Kodak 400) cost me around $11 for 4 rolls, developing with a cd of the images was around $7 for single exposure 4x6's. So, a $10 bill gets you 24 pictures. Not bad at around 42cents each, but then add into that my impatience leading me to wait while they were developed at Sam's club in Winston-Salem and the corresponding $200 bill that comes with shopping in Sam's for 2 hours. So I'm saving for that seemingly unobtainable (or is that unjustifiable?) Nikon D60 so I can take tons more pics and only develop the ones I love. Now I've witnessed first hand how a decent camera can make photography an extremely fun and rewarding hobby.
compromise...
If you've built an expensive lifestyle around a well-paying job, what would happen to your life if you downsized and sought out more joy or generosity?
from seth godin today. read the rest here.
leadership...
::. leadership .::
it's what most conversations in our house revolve around these days. i am no expert on the matter, but everyday i am surrounded by people/companies that are shinning examples of it [or the lack of it]. they don't necessarily talk about it, they embody it.
my problem is, i don't know how to translate it into something that would work for our company. i'm not in a leadership position. in fact, i would go so far as to say that there is no one here in a leadership position. it's not because of an inability to do so, it's because no one has ever had to. but somewhere in our timeline [since 1978] people stopped coming in to work together, as hard as possible, as efficiently as possible. there has never been a need for leadership here. it used to be that you came in, had tons to get done and you got it done. but, now there are questions. now there is a need like never before to work together to finish things. there is more gray area than before.
reading the musings of mr blankenship it struck me that while i am not just loyal to the place that my paycheck comes from i am also in love with it. i have given ten years to this place and i see how it is changing. i see people begging for direction. you can see it in their actions, in the way they seek out affirmation for a job well done. as successor to the throne and heir to this beautiful mess i hope to encourage an atmosphere in the meantime that cultivates relationships, refines the keepers and helps those just passing through pack their bags and be on their way.
@jasonwagner
Hey, glad you could make it. I've been writing all this junk just for you to see. This is my little corner of the internets and I'm awfully glad I get to share it with you.
I love to send 140 characters of nonsense to twitter, stream music from pandora, keep up with my reading at readernaut, archive our family's story with tumblr, post pics from my phone to twitpic and tumblr, and most of all post my more refined pics to flickr. Also, you can stalk my online activity from this central location.
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