I came across the below blog post while "networking" amongst twitter friends and thought this was a GREAT post!
Consider this: Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. The world is your urinal. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
I recently came across this service thanks to Brook. According to twitter.com, it is "a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?" I use it as a microblogging service to supplement my blog with personal updates throughout my day. It has been a cool way of connecting with various people all over the country. The one person I had in mind when I signed up for this finally did, and this is what his first post was:
Can you feel the love? Anyways, for those of you who want to follow my updates, you can do so at twitter.com/cjmills. Even my smoking hot wife, who thinks I'm crazy for updating a thing called twitter, likes it....and why wouldn't she? Now she can read my mind!
I came across this site tonight. This blog, according to the author/founder, is dedicated to Christians who love beer. Now, I have no issues with beer (as long as you are legal and not abusing the drink), but I am slightly curious to see where this guy goes with this topic. Check out his Beer Tip Of The Week and the definition of Beerean below:
Beerean [bɪər-iən] - noun
a person who finds their whole passion, worth, and salvation in Jesus Christ and seeks to ever increase in their knowledge and enjoyment of beer.
My good friend Andy sent me this article link. I have to agree with it because I am the first-born child...my daughter would agree if she understood what it was saying, but my younger brother and sister may not agree with it. What do you think?
Quote from the above article:
A number of studies have suggested that IQ scores decline with birth order. In the most recent study, at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, researchers looked at men and women whose IQ had been tested at the ages of 5, 12, and 18.
The results, which show a trend for the oldest to score better than the youngest in each test, confirm the findings of a study at the University of Oslo, involving about 200,000 people. That showed that first-borns had a three-point IQ advantage over the second-born, who was a point ahead of the next in line.
The theory which enjoys the most support is that the extra time and patience that the earlier borns get from their parents, compared with those arriving later, gives them an advantage.
In going along with the Creative Chaos Theme today, I thought I would share the video below that we made a few years ago to promote our CP Youth Ministry. This video is a spoof of a spoof.
When the weather heats up, so does my desire to be outside and work in the yard. I've developed a slight obsession with turf maintenance. Burning designs into my backyard makes the task of mowing a lot more fun. Last year was the first year of experimenting. Today marked the first step towards achieving the same result this year. Maybe I'll burn in a star for the 4th of July?
As a bonus, I thought I would share a photo of Jade playing in the color book application I have for my Treo. She has figured out how to change colors and get a new "page" already....crazy.
This may be cheating in the world of creative blogging, but I couldn't resist. I know Marvin and Phil (worship guys at College Park Church) will appreciate this since its been a topic of discussion before. I absolutely love this blog, Stuff Christians Like, and wanted to share this particular post with you. I've been on both ends of the plate on this one - having lead worship and having experienced all 6 of the stages as part of the congregation.
I know I've been showing a lot of videos lately, but that is all Visual, right? Anyways, tonight during the sound check for CP Youth's worship set, Jadyn wanted her own microphone to check along with Mommy, so I hooked one up and caught this video on my Palm Treo (hence the low quality). Enjoy!
This is what a typical Saturday looks like in our household: Andrea grabs a book while I watch whatever sporting event is on and Jade snuggles up with Andrea and pretends to watch the game along with Daddy.
I love the view from my couch!
----------------------- Sent from my Treo smartphone
I came across this video online and, aside from being an incredibly funny video, I think it has a lot of good stuff to say. Why do we all want to grow up so fast?
Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but as is the case with any job, regardless of how much you love it, things don't always go your way. Today was one of those days where things just didn't seem to click and as a result, a LONG Wednesday it was.
However, that changed quickly.
While finishing up some things late at work, I noticed footsteps approach my office. I turned around, fully expecting my boss, but instead I found my little girl standing in the doorway, asking for candy. Andrea and Jade went out for a walk to town and Jade decided to walk into Daddy's office right off the street.
I was instantly in a better mood, just like that.
Then, when I got home, I hopped on my computer to catch up on some of the blogs I follow. As I click on Brad Ruggle's blog through my RSS reader, I noticed my mug on his blog! As it turns out, I was his 100th subscriber and, as a gift, he sent me a $10 iTunes gift card. How cool is that? The weird thing is I don't know Brad at all. I came across his blog through my old youth pastor's blog - Pat Rolwand. Brad is into media arts, so I've enjoyed following his blog. Check it out at http://www.bradruggles.com/
The best part about all of this is that these are, in the grand scheme of things, two very small parts of an otherwise very full day. Still, they were able to turn my "bad day" into a more enjoyable one. I love that about life.
I'm slowly learning it's the small things in life that make all the difference.
While Roanoke doesn't have all of life's cool and exciting activities to offer those that grace its streets, it does offer visitors a nice peaceful place to simply exist. Jade loves walking to town and is starting to act like she owns the place.
----------------------- Sent from my Treo smartphone
I was watching some of the videos I have on my computer of Jadyn a few days ago when I stumbled upon the video below and decided to upload it to YouTube. I made this with a bunch of my high school buddies during a production class we were all in. We had no script; just made it up as we went and actually won a national award for our work! It is around 9 minutes long, so only watch if you have some time.
Andy Borgmann, Producer of The Allen Hunt Show, is one of my few very close friends - has been for a very long time - will be for an even longer time. I've been wanting to blog about how friendship has impacted my view on the world, but when he posted this blog below, I decided he said it best and that I would copy it directly in my blog. Besides, we all know that I was the one that got Andy blogging (and don't even pretend you don't remember, Borgmann - Hilton Head trip man - that's all you did that whole week was set up your blog!)
-- Guy Love? Crash Into Me? Loneliness in America
On Friday night we had a "Tiffany turns 27" / "Andy bought a house in November" party. At one point there were about 35 people there. This surprised me because a.) I didn't think 35 people could fit it my tiny townhome, and b.) it took until 10:30 before somebody showed up that I didn't know.
It got me thinking though. It got me thinking about the movie trailer I saw in 2004 for Crash. I loved that movie. It was a movie about LA and racism. It was unique and brilliant. But it is a line from the trailer, which had relatively little to do with race, that had me hooked. The line was, "In LA, nobody touches you...I think we miss that touch so much that we crash into each other just that we can feel something." I lived in LA. I know this to be true. But it isn't just LA - it's everywhere.
In September I downloaded a song called Car Crash by Matt Nathanson out of the iTunes free single of the week section. I don't normally do this because the music usually sucks, but this one sparked my interest for some reason. It's lyrics are thoughtful. The chorus in particular:
I wanna feel the car crash I wanna feel the capsize I wanna feel the bomb drop, the earth stop 'Til I'm satisfied I wanna feel the car crash 'Cause I'm dyin' on the inside I wanna let go and know That I'll be alright, alright
I think it is fitting given the recent Duke University study that says we have fewer friends and confidants than Americans did 20-30 years ago. We are wealthier than we have ever been. We are more in control of our lives than we have ever been. We know more than we have ever known. We are more connected then we have ever been. Yet we are lonely. We miss that touch. Why? Why are we lonely?
I am a huge Scrubs fan. I have 134 of the 145 episodes on my DVR. I am not going to go into why I love the show so much. I am just going to show you one scene (it's worth the 2 minutes):
When I first saw this in January, I sent the link to my friend CJ and told him:
I wish you watched Scrubs so you would get this and not think it is weird/gay/ridiculous, but since [my girlfriend at the time] calls you my gay lover and [your wife] calls our friendship "special," I dedicate this video to you
Let's be honest. I would be JD because I am nerdy, quirky, and can't seem to stabilize a relationship. And CJ would be Turk because he's as cool and smooth as a black guy, and married with a kid.
My & CJ's friendship reminds me of David and Jonathan's in the Bible. I would probably be David because I am the one most likely to do something immoral sexually and then murder someone to cover it up. But the Bible says that at the news of Jonathan's death David said, "Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women."
Jonathan died before David had an affair with Bathsheba and then murdered Uriah to cover it up, only to be outed by Nathan. But I have a feeling that if Jonathan was alive, it wouldn't have changed anything. CJ knows I am not perfect. And not just in a generic, "we all sinners" kind of way. He knows I am not perfect. And inversely, I know he isn't perfect. But it doesn't change anything. If anything, it is why I love him more.
David and Jonathan weren't living in a "Crash" world. And as wealthy, and knowledgeable, and connected, and in-control my life gets, it is the guy love and connectedness I find with CJ (and others) that makes this life satisfying and full.
As you can see from my post yesterday, we did a lot of soccer outside. It was great to be back in a coaching role again. I was so excited about it that I totally forgot about CP's Council Meeting (sorry Pastor Gary!). Anyways, while I was outside, I grabbed some footage of my little soccer star grinding out the dribbling drills. I had to look like a total nerd with my mega camcorder in hand, chasing Jade all over. Anyways, it was well worth it as you can see below!
I rushed home today so Jadyn and I could play outside. Today I was going to teach Jade the basics of soccer. I'll post some video later. After soccer practice, my beautiful wife made a pasta dinner for us all and we ate it outside on our new patio furniture. A nice end to a day tht already had me having lunch with the President of our parent company, Brown & Brown. I love warm weather!!!
----------------------- Sent from my Treo smartphone
We bring Jadyn in during worship so she can listen to the worship. She loves watching mommy and daddy lead and sing. Today, after service, Jadyn hopped on stage, took a microphone and started singing (screaming) "Happy Day" by Tim Hughes.
We've been doing that song in church and it obviously stuck. It was a cool experience for me to see my passions become her passions....
----------------------- Sent from my Treo smartphone
How sweet would this be? The swing is made from plastic with fibre optic lighting inserted. Jade would love it, AND we could have rave parties after house....oh the possibilities.
I stumbled across this while browsing this blog...
Today was a big day for Jade -- her first Video Conference. Since I do a lot of work on my iMac, Jade thinks the only way to have fun with dad while he works is to jump on my lap and watch. Most of the time she convinces me to open up PhotoBooth to watch herself on the screen. Today, I caught my good friends Mark and Todd on iChat and invited them to share in the experience. Don't you just love technology?!?
As a side note - now that both my computer and my wife's laptop have iSight cameras, I can now video chat with my girls when I'm traveling on business!
