Word Wednesday - Fusty

fusty
 \ FUHS-tee \  , adjective;
1.Having a stale smell; moldy; musty.
2.Old-fashioned or out-of-date, as architecture, furnishings, or the like.
3.Stubbornly conservative or old-fashioned; fogyish.

Fusty - Age had formed him into a fusty creature, broken of body and spirit, totally unwilling to entertain even a hint of novelty or humor.

The Fire Pink Trio, Winston Salem, NC - January 31st

Pardon the convolution, but because of someone I know, who knows someone who plays classical music (at a very advanced level) with two other someones - I've discovered "The Fire Pink Trio."

Based right here in Winston-Salem, this trio of musicians brings a classical zest and tactical expertise to their music so pervasively that even untrained ears like mine can appreciate the beauty of sound generated by these women. You can hear and see some of their work on The Fire Pink Trio website.

What is more, you can hear them live on January 31st at The University of North Carolina School of The Arts, Watson Hall-Faculty Recital.

Sunday Coffee Cup - Noel

Sometimes we have to provide the meaning.

How many times have we sung, “The First Noel?” It is a wonderful, commonly known carol. You most likely can sing it from memory – tune and verse. If you need a little help, I’ll get you started:

The first Nowell the Angel did say
Was to certain poor Shepherds in fields as they lay.
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
In a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

If you remember it slightly different, you are probably right, as well. There are many versions of “The First Noel,” or Nowell . It makes sense, really, considering the hymn dates back to the early 18th century and has made its way through countless Christian and popular revisions.

Today’s Sunday Coffee Cup reminds me of the popular and often misunderstood carol. Do you know what “noel” means? Perhaps. Perhaps not.  Noel derives its meaning from a French word (which came from a Latin word) that means “day of birth.” So, we are singing about the day of Jesus’ birth. It is a little difficult to ‘get’ the meaning of Noel from my coffee mug this morning.

The snoozing teddy bear and children’s block letters spelling Noel are – well – where’s the Christ in that? This morning Christ is there all right, but not because of the secularized image on the mug. No. The Christ of this Christmas morning rises, like the steam from this mug, from the beloved family, friends and fellowship of my life.  So, today – I will take the time (amid the busyness and chaos) to savor the moments of the day. The unwrapping of gifts will be symbols of the greater gift we have all been given. The indulgence of the meals will remind me of the abundant table that Christ sets before us. The laughter and tears (for both will come today) will remind me of the intensity of a life lived trusting a higher power. And this little sleeping bear, resting unknowingly upon the very word that announces Christ’s birth reminds me that because of what we celebrate this day – all is well.

Merry Christmas, my friends. Merry Christmas.


P.S. As I post this, Bing Crosby just began singing "The First Nowell" on the Panadora Christmas channel. Perfect.

Sentimental, Cruel Father

Just a quick post. Don't you love the memories that you have hanging on the Christmas tree? Here's one of my favorites.

Yes, that's my now 20+ daughter and son dressed in matching outfits! There mother and I were cruel, yes we were. Aren't they cute?

Word Wednesday - Lucent

lucent  \ LOO-suhnt \  , adjective;
1.Shining.
2.Translucent; clear.

Lucent - Lucent may mean shining, but it just sounds wierd to talk about the Wisemen following the lucent star. #justsaying

Sunday Coffee Cup - Old World Santa

Christmas has already arrived in my cupboard! It is a household tradition that sometime shortly after Thanksgiving, the regular coffee mugs and many of the glasses get replaced by the “Christmas drink ware.”  It is always a small delight to open the cabinet door and be greeted by a bright, if cluttered, assortment of holiday mugs and glasses.

There are Santa mugs, snowmen (sorry, no snowwomen), decorated trees, and even an elf or two. We have a drinking glass set of the 11 days of Christmas (there use to be 12 days, but somebody dropped the Piper’s Piping – moment of silence please).

Today’s Sunday Coffee Cup is an old world style mug with a different sort of “Santa” depicted. Here in America, we have come to conceptualize Santa as a caricature of a short man as depicted in the old Coke commercials or the clay-mation special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  The Santa staring at me this morning is more of the old world variety. I like that.  He is depicted here as a taller, thinner man. His clothing is less cartoonish and more realistic. My mind reminds me that Santa is a larger phenomenon that what we do in 2011 in the United States. It reminds me that the gift giving, myths and commercialism really started as something else.

I can allow my imagination to let go back in time, following an imaginary path back to a real man, a kind, generous, self sacrificing man who lived – giving to the less fortunate because of the unfathomable generosity of his Christ. I can remember that there was once a real connection between the Christ of Christmas and Saint Nicholas. Then my fantasies expand and I follow the greatness of God’s love into other places and faiths, many nations and stories, countless traditions and beliefs as humanity struggles to unite around the truths of caring, self-sacrifice, peace, justice, kindness and a belief that children deserve more love and security than we have historically given them… my mind wanders and my heart both aches for more and fill with abundance of gratitude  that at least for the next few days we will once again gather around decorated trees, tinseled presents and faith filled hymns and remember – if only in a limited way – that God has come to us and we are better for it.

Meet Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

If you have been living under an internet rock, you might have not heard of Marcel the Shell with Shoes on. If not or if you have memorized every line - enjoy this delightful little video. Curious as to how this came to be? Then follow the link below the video to learn more about the SNL connection...





Rock Center with Brian Williams meets Marcel the Shell! 

Word Wednesday - Syzygy

syz·y·gy   [siz-i-jee]
noun, plural -gies.
1.Astronomy . an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet: Syzygy in the sun-earth-moon system occurs at the time of full moon and new moon.
2.Classical Prosody . a group or combination of two feet, sometimes restricted to a combination of two feet of different kinds.
3.any two related things, either alike or opposite.

Syzygy - The timing for this past week's syzygy made it hard to view the lunar eclipse from an east coast America location.

NOTE: Sorry for the delay in this week's post. I set the time/date for the schedule in correctly. It happens!

Parental Problems

Children hate it when their parents can't get along. So do I.

I wish Google and Apple would play nice. It seems they never tire of finding ways my Apple devices and my Goggle products DON'T work together!

Come on! I love you both! Give a kid a break!!!!!!

Sunday Coffee Cup - A Son's Gift

Frankly, I don’t remember if it was a gift on Christmas or one that arrived during the Christmas season, but it is a gift that captures much of what Christmas is truly about – simple giving in love.

My son crafted a Christmas coffee mug when he was a very young lad. He drew the picture himself on the side of the mug – a Christmas tree, two wrapped presents, and angel on the tree top - and then presented it to me. Every year when we bring out the Christmas decorations we replace our normal glasses and mugs with Christmas ones. His gift is always among them, and all season long I reach for that mug with great love and care.

This Sunday Coffee mug sits around reminding me that I am a most fortunate father, step-father and husband. It reminds me that we never know what act of kindness, no matter how small and ‘imperfect’ will remain permanently in someone’s life. It reminds me how quickly life can change and how important it is to enjoy each simple moment. It reminds me that taking time for a quiet cup of coffee and delicate reflection is important in the busy holidays. It causes me to hear the carols of children singing in church.

Mostly, I see that angel, perched atop the tree and hear an ancient voice speak a timeless message softly through thousands of years, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Merry Christmas.

Poetry Re-Post: Entanglement

By the last micro thread of the spider’s web
Hanging
In a delicate balancing between desire to be free
From the casket of this cocoon
And to be safe from the fall to the ground

How came I upon this entanglement
But by little things, single threads of erroneous
Actions
Quiet discontentment resting feather-light
Clinging unassumingly to the sleeve of my façade

Until

Movement through my own self
Became hindered and slowly, progressed to
Halting proportions lost in one immobile
Case
Suspended by the last filament of my attachment

To you

(originally posted 1/9/09)

Word Wednesday - Suspension

sus·pen·sion   [suh-spen-shuhn]
1.the act of suspending.
2.the state of being suspended.
3.temporary abrogation or withholding, as of a law, privilege, decision, belief, etc.

Suspension: Enjoying the day while on suspension required Teddy to suspend the knowledge of the consequences of attempting suspended animation with a live frog and plastic.

Chuck Berry - My ding a ling

Somethings never get old...

Sunday Coffee Cup - Hospice

Being a pastor. Knowing a founder. Providing logoed hats and shirts. Watching my spouse volunteer. These are the many ways I have come to know the wonderful organization and mission of Hospice.

Our lives have many sacred moments. Births, marriages, rites of passage, countless first times and none more difficult than the sacred moment when we wait with someone who is dying. The demands of this ultimate moment in the culmination of someone's life impacts not only them, but every relationship they have. There is never enough energy of body, understanding of mind or depth of spirit for us to draw upon as we navigate such times. Hospice's mission provides assistance to families and individuals during the last days of a terminal illness.

This morning's Sunday Coffee Cup is from our local Hospice organization and was given to my wife as thanks for the support she has given as a volunteer. Speak with her about it sometime - you will know instantly what a wonderful service we have here in Forsyth county. Grasping the warmth and solidity of today's cup, I am thankful for Hospice.

Steve Jobs - Tasteless Humor

At the risk of premature tasteless humor regarding Steve Jobs:

Did you hear what Steve Jobs' last words were?




"iDead"

Word Wednesday - Knavery

knavery   \NEY-vuh-ree\ , noun;
1.Unprincipled, untrustworthy, or dishonest dealing; trickery.
2.Action or practice characteristic of a knave
3.A knavish act or practice.

knavery - Such an idiotic simpleton is he, always about one
type of knavery or another and mostly getting caught.

Sunday Coffee Cup – The Late, Late Show

They grow up. Kids, in each their own way, grow and learn and become themselves. In 2009, my daughter left her North Carolina home and headed west. She packed what she could into her VW Jetta and with no job and no certain place to live, headed to LA. She was banking on connections she had made during a college internship, the resilience of youthful enthusiasm and a good bit of luck to get her started down her dream path – working in television entertainment in LA.

Maneuvering her way through part time jobs, contract work and a fair share of babysitting she survived long enough for a real opportunity. Today’s Sunday Coffee Cup tells the tale of her success. She now works for The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.  This morning’s coffee is about knowing your dreams and tenaciously pursuing them.

Do you have a dream calling you? Is there one you are chasing today?

Drop Box Rules and You're Invited

I am a big fan of Dropbox. Drop Box is an online storage and file management system. Your account is free and comes with 2 GB of free storage.

By downloading the free software, your PC or Laptop is connected to the Dropbox 'cloud.' When you save a file to your local folder, a copy is saved in the 'cloud.' Each time you log on to your computer, the files in your folder are synced. Here's where it gets fun. Download Dropbox on another computer or get the free app for your mobile device and your saved files are synced and accessible from every device. I can even access everything from the web using most any browser and my account log-in information.

Dropbox also allows you to create public folders to share your files with others. Have a large file that is a problem to email? Place it in Dropbox and then simply share the link to it with a friend.

Feel free to visit Dropbox and take it for a spin!

Word Wednesday - Thanksgiving Holiday Truths

First, the facts... Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving in Canada falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the United States. Because of the longstanding traditions of the holiday, the celebration often extends to the weekend that falls closest to the day it is celebrated. (content taken from Wikipedia "Thanksgiving")

And now for something creative (and tasteless)...



Top 15 Southern Holiday Gathering Truths

1. That favorite dish your mom makes is still as good as you remember.
2. Somebody in the family is in trouble with the law again this year.
3. You are probably the only one driving a Honda.
4. Smoking is still expected inside at all times.
5. There is NOT, no matter how much we talk about it, an annual family tradition.
6. You will be expected to participate in the annual family tradition.
7. You are expected at Christmas if you didn’t visit for Thanksgiving.
8. Football will be explained with hunting analogies.
9. Hunting will be explained with football analogies.
10. There will be no raw, steamed, green or leafy vegetables at the holiday table.
11. There is always something that needs to be fetched from the store.
12. You will talk for hours and never really say anything.
13. No matter how hard you try not to, you will spend hours trying to figure out what everyone is really saying.
14. You are related to everyone there and you won’t know half the people.
15. Everyone there loves each other as best they know how.

Finally, You will either leave this holiday gathering thinking your family is a dysfunctional tragedy or the funniest assortment of people you could ever imagine – it depends on you.

The Social South - Murrells Inlet, SC

I grew up in South Carolina and lived in the small community of Murrells Inlet during my high school years. I loved it. We often refer to the place as "a quiet little drinking village with a fishing problem."

So, I'm headed 'home' this week to spend Thanksgiving among the Spanish moss, live oaks trees and gazing at the inlet waters as they calmly ripple and cast a dark reflection back at me. There is a certain aroma smell to Murrells Inlet - a thick mix of mud, shell fish and salt water that sticks in the back of your throat - embedded with memories.

My mother and step-father's home is one of those Thanksgiving destination places. Every walk and flavor of family life will descend on them this week. We will eat, talk, eat, laugh, eat, eat and sit lifelessly in front of the TV while planning our next trip to "The Walmarts." It will be a traditional taste of all things South.

How about you? Thanksgiving plan? Traveling?

Sunday Coffee Cup - Bermuda

If I could find a way to live in the sea, I would. Swimming, snorkeling or diving in tropical waters is one of my deepest pleasures in life. There is something marvelous about being in the sea. I’ve thought about the experience and why it attracts me so: In part it is being suspended, held aloft in the thickness of the sea’s insulating waters. Perhaps it is the way the world – up there – seems to be left behind and a whole new world of colors, muffled sounds and elusive creatures appears. Maybe it is even the impending danger of surrendering to the risks of the wide open ocean. I love being in and around the sea.

There is one vacation destination I’ve traveled to more than any other - Bermuda. Bermuda is a British colony that sits alone in the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. About 400 miles due east of North Carolina, Bermuda is an island less than 4 miles wide and about 24 miles long.  It is a great place for enjoying the ocean’s sights and sounds. Snorkeling and diving are easily accessible, and the aquatic adventurer is never disappointed.

Today’s Sunday Coffee cup is from The Lobster Pot, one of the local bar and restaurant spots. Every time I reach for this playful mug it brings with it serene memories of many hours spent basking in the salt, sun and scenes of Bermuda’s seas.

Airport Waiting

While the air roars overhead
Methodical. Arrhythmic. Pulsing.
While the seconds tick away
Tick. Tock. Humming.
While cars stop and go
Lights on. Lights off. Horns.
While I await your arrival
I don't dare breath until
Your touch down
Into my heart
Again

Word Wednesday - Rankle

rankle

   \RANG-kuhl\ , verb;

1.

To cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in.

2.

To continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment
within the mind; fester; be painful.

Rankle - I seem to have a persistent hankering for a rankle with 
that rascal.

Internet Summit Raw! - Raliegh, NC

This year's Internet Summit is a blast. Large crowd (1,800+) and fast moving presentations and topics tracks.

It will be a while before I sort through all my notes, but here snap shot of some RAW (and I mean straight from the pad, raw) notes from today's session on Online Video... See if anything strikes you as significant.

#isum11 Online Video @fiddlinlady Donna DelMarco

One upload, one time for all platforms. find the right tools

Video to mobile to app for conversion (wine exp)

Tactical examples...

Contest - watch video, answer questions, enter contest.

Keep contest interactive with video

Use customer testimonials via video - link to social watering hole for target group

Video for customer training and support, product demos, how to videos, etc.

Monetization - traditional advertising has moved to video, but new is that it is ok to charge for content of video. Like a white paper? Charge email for viewing?

Need 100 k viewers/ month to consider making revenue on advertising. CPU is low.

In video ads from sponsors, advertisers, etc.

Selling video content - lighter living. YouTube video briefs to drive full version on website.  Selling expertise.

Online Video - @SamKimball Live Steam

Live steaming Video - the golden age of online video

The power of a Live Moment

5 key value pro for Live Video

1. It's a lean in moment
2. Natural for Social Intergration
3. Real time feedback and sharing
4. People watch live longer 9-12 mins per video per viewer
5. Brand messaging stands out with a higher CRT.

How do you do it?

Platforms and web destinations, social integration, results in. Illinois sof channels and  a real opportunity to extend the live event


Live stream video has been the democratization of broadcasting

Most platforms will display on all devices and an hd multi bit rate

Consuming categories

1. Entertainment. 15%
2. Gaming
3. Music
4. News and politics
5. Business and finance
6. Spirituality
7. Sports
8 life blogging

How do we leverage live? Via a custom campaign

A Holistic approach
1. Video production can be simple
2. Web development
3. Promotion driving viewership. you have to have a way to get people there

Social
Brand/sponsor Integration
Use a full service video production company if it is a huge event
Consumer RSVP ad unit (be reminded via email)
Do social or go home!
Per roll ads
Banners with RSVP ads
In banner video of the live stream


Effective Strategies for Successful Webinars @ciscovideo Jamie Beck

Webinars are a huge cost savings over regular meeting
Scale small to many
Leverage local and regional talent on a global base
Allow attendance anywhere ... Use mobile?

Risks:

 Multi tasking of participants (ie not paying attention)
Too many bad Webinars equal bad rep
Easy to screw up
Free limits value perceived

How tos...
Clear title and message
Offer something of value and incentive for accepting (online drawing at end)
Keep invitation short and sweet
Use Social to supplement email invites
DONT - text only invite, complex registration

The presentation.
Don't text death people
Keep it to the point
Keep it onetime and end on time
Turn off entry notification.
Pre test connection and equipment
Don't read your slides

Best practices
Offer an incentive
Use video - people want to see your face
Always share your material afterwords
Always give time for q&A
Engage - polls, multiple choice, questions

Resources
Google Webinars software and pick one
Webinars blog

Internet Summit - Raleigh, NC 2011 #isum11

I'm headed to the annual Internet Summit in Raleigh, NC this week. I was going to write a post about it, but I met Jess via some of the Social Media buzz going on about it, and since she has done such a nice job with posting about it already, I'll refer you to her for the details and expectation settings around the Internet Summit 2011.

Be sure and tell her I said hello - we bloggers like all that connectivity stuff, you know!?

Feel free to follow the online chatter on twitter via #ISUM2011 or get all the details at the O-FFICIAL website -http://www.internetsummit.com/

Sunday Cup of Coffee - Gary Larson's The Far Side

Does a morning cup of coffee ever make you laugh? Every time?

Gary Larson’s “The Far Side” comic series has been a part of the twisted humor of our family for years. Nothing is sacred with Mr. Larson; he’ll poke fun at animals, people, religion, and politics – often in the same strip.

“The Far Side” daily comic calendar was a fixture on our dining room table for years and one of the anticipated Christmas gifts to be unwrapped each year – usually from my wife to me. When Gary Larson decided to discontinue ‘The Far Side” in 1995, we were left humorless – no joking. We’ve tried for years to find a daily humor calendar to compensate for the loss.

This morning’s cup of coffee is compliments of Gary Larson’s “The Far Side.” The mug is over 17 years old and belonged to my wife prior to our marriage. Each time I use the mug it reminds me of two things: 1. The need for regular laughter in my life, and 2. That my wife was at least partially insane before she married me.

If you would like to stroll down memory lane with Larson's comics, visit TheFarSide.com to spend some money.

Word Wednesday - Amiss

a·miss   [uh-mis]  Show IPA
adverb
1.out of the right or proper course, order, or condition; improperly; wrongly; astray: Did I speak amiss?
adjective (usually used predicatively)
2.improper; wrong; faulty: I think something is amiss in your calculations.

Amiss: Of all the misses that I've missed, she was without a doubt the most amiss.

Sunday Cup of Coffee - North Carolina School of The Arts

Before there was The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, there was The North Carolina School of The Arts. 

That makes this week’s coffee mug a collector’s item. It bears the old school name.

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts is one of the few educational institutions offering High School, College and Graduate programs – all in one place. It is known nationally as one of the finer and more proven places to gain an art focused education. For those of us who live nearby, the many performances, concerts and shows make available a high level of talent and artistic expression right in our back yard.  

I’ve always thought of the School as one of the jewels in our crown, locally. Over the years I’ve been to hundreds of events from Shakespeare to Shepherd and Bach to Low and Lower.  From dance to drama, the UNC School of the Arts adds inspiration and magic to our community and to my Sunday Morning Cup of Coffee.

Mystery T-Shirt

What is this lady trying to communicate?

Show Some Follow Love

Welcome! Since you're right here... Would you like to make me happy as a clam at high tide?! Really? Well, then look to the right sidebar and click the Google Join This Site button. Now, enjoy the blog!

Iain McGilchrist: The divided brain | Video on TED.com

Iain McGilchrist: The divided brain | Video on TED.com

Get a cup of coffee. Settle back and enjoy.

WARNING - this might make your brain hurt.

Word Wednesday - Dorsal

dorsal  \DAWR-suhl\ , adjective;

1.Situated on the back...

Dorsal - such a wonderful word. Just play with it while you say it. I dare you. Don't just let it sit there. Pick it up and let it roll slowly off your tongue. Dorsal. You could be someone's most trusted friend. Always having their back. The new "wing man" - my dorsal friend. Do I hear a song in the making?

Sunday Coffee Cup- My Sister

We all have them stashed and stacked in the cabinet. Why do we collect so many coffee mugs and cups? Some are little more than clutter. A plastic memento of a meaningless event or casual encounter with a random company. Yet, for me, what I see when I reach for a Sunday morning cup for my coffee is a cupboard full of significant life moments, memories of time well sent and people kindly known. My Sunday morning coffee cup selection is never really casual. Each time I choose a mug, I'm choosing to remember and reconnect with a segment of my life.

It seems selfish to keep all of these moments to myself, so each Sunday I'll plan on posting a Sunday Coffee Cup photo and story. Enjoy this inaugural post.

My Sister - Burp!

It was Christmas of 1999. I was just months past my departure from the ordained ministry, my spirit and my life still reeling from the trauma of personal burnout. Finances were bottomed out. I was working my first 'sales' job and beginning what would become a new career chapter. It was one of those life moments when all I had of certainty and peace was each emotion filled moment, each small rational choice and a tenuous faith that somehow God would see me through.

The trip to Myrtle Beach, SC for our extended family Christmas gathering was tentative, lacking in joy and confidence. There wer to be few gifts given, few life accomplishments to celebrate. Enter my sister.

My sister is, and mostly has been throughout her life, a mess. Sometimes that 'mess' was of the playful, mischievous childhood variety of 'mess.' A mess you find yourself admiring for tenacity, boldness and undaunted determination. Sometimes my sister's 'mess' was more of the personal life catastrophe variety. Bad choices, bad timing, bad comrades and all in the worst possible order. Mt sister was going through a 'mess' of the second variety in 1999. She was, simply put, in worse shape than I was - at least it looked like it from the outside looking in.

That year, my sister took the time and a few of her very limited dollars and bought me a Christmas present. She gave me a perfectly selected mug. When I unwrapped it, the crass imprint on the outside and the playful lettering inside the rim gave me pause. The I felt a giggle forming deep inside, a giggle that begin to bubble up into a joyous laugh.

Now, years and gallons of coffee later, I still cherish this bold, playful, timely and loving gift. It makes my Sunday cup of coffee perfect. Thanks Sis!

I miss hiking...

Word Wednesday - Cosmology

Definition of cosmogony: theory or story of the origin and development of the universe, the solar system, or the earth-moon system.


Cosmology - more inclusive than the magazine, vast as the humor of Bill, and harder to consume than the drink... It is all about location, location, location.

A Poem About Friendship

No Space Among Us

words anxiously spoken

falling upon one another

incessant

cascade

                full

pounding down

rocky words

after a while the constant sound

is

numbing

speech without pause

between thoughts

leaving

no gap for new ideas

reminding us of the precious

gems

of silence

between friends

________________________

Award Notice

Thank You to The Poetry Palace for the Perfect Poet Award, Week 54.

I nominate Paige for the next award.

Four Little Pills

I read today about a suicide. Sometimes I imagine. Some of those times I write.

Colors fade to hues of gray, leaving me amazed at the simplicity of things in this moment. No more pain. No more clarity. Just shades, numbness. I see my hands, foreign members of my fading self. Grasping at nothing, except for memories of the lines of your absent face. I reach for the gentle curve of your chin, to cradle you in the crest of my hand. Once more. As everything else fades, you remain, lasting, clinging to my being while all falls...empty, a fluttering shadow. You are the last to go. You are the last remaining remnant of life, you and my pain of losing you. In the end, it is the last of life that I know, you...you giving way finally to those four little pills.

Word Wednesday - Exquisite

ex·quis·ite/ekˈskwizit/

Adjective: Extremely beautiful and, typically, delicate.

Exquisite - with the very moistness of your clearly articulated sound, so defined and delicately precise, she was, we were, it was exquisite.

Quotable

"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes."

-Thomas Aquinas

Surprising Naked Clicks

I just visited a favorite blog of mine and found nothing but content inviting me to porn.

There is a very popular blog I've followed for a few years maintained by a snarky, humorous and creative woman. I visit there occasionally. The blog has thousands of followers.

Today I went there only to discovery that the entire blog - content, ads, photos - had been taken over by advertisements for porn sites!

The aggravating thing is that I don't know if the author sold out, or let the domain expire only to have it picked up by an adult industry cyber squatter. Either way, a very good blog is gone.

Sometimes I hate the Internet.

Announcing Word Wednesday

Starting this week, I'll be adding a weekly themed post, Word Wednesday, to Kim's Korner.

The post will focus on a fun word (perhaps commonly known, but seldom used), the definition and some playful writing based on the understanding or misunderstanding of that word!

I hope you will join us for Word Wednesday - starting this week!

An Evening With Donald Davis - Share It!

Donald Davis is a storyteller. He is such an impressive weaver of tales that PBS featured him in their 5 part series "What's Your Story?"  With all of the emphasis on digital connections and online brevity of communication, I personally seek the continued experience of good ole verbal communication. The apex of this is a good story.

Mr. Davis will welcome your presence at a BBQ dinner and evening of stories at 6:30 p.m. on October 24th at the Kernersville Library, in Kernersville, NC. You can come and I hope you will join me there.

You need to call 336-703-2930 (no, you can;t RSVP online. you have to actually talk with someone. imagine that) to reach the Library and let them know you are coming. You can pay by cash or check at the door. The cost for dinner and a memorable evening of storytelling is $15.00.

Let me know if you are coming! Hope to see you there!

NOTE: Want to learn some more about the art of storytelling? Check out the folks at the National Storytelling Network!

Two Things I Hate

1. That the workers throw the emptied recycle bin into the curb and crack, chip and smash it into pieces.

2. That the small bag of garbage in the bottom of my city "roll to the curb" can has been left in there to rot for 3 weeks now because the worker doesn't care to put forth the effort to reach in and lift it out.

Rant ended.

The Gut of It - A Thought in Stanzas

Get to the gut of it, that tight, twisting, acidic scream of the belly
There you will find you and the you that longs to be more
Pain demands change...limits, contorts and defines

She always loved me, to a fault
When it hurt inside I could depend on her, her compliments, her advocacy, her mothering
The pain would always go, run out with laughter or perspective, or distraction

It's not her fault I could never love myself, to a fault

There is the gut of it
Loving oneself through the faults

London Underground

"Mind the Gap!" We heard these words of warning countless times as we rode the Underground, the Tube - the London Subway.

Here are a couple of happy travelers!

Steve Jobs - More Than Apple

Apple announced this evening that Steve Jobs, former CEO had died. The announcement was here http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/ and quickly spread like proverbial wildfire across the Internet and social media venues.

Fame often dulls our perception of people. We remember, rightfully so, the accomplishments and recognition that earned such fame. What occurs to me, what haunts me when famous people die is the difficulty we have remembering their humanity, their likeness to our own lives. Fame may, as no doubt it will with Steve Jobs, write about the famous in the books of history and achievements. Fame will proclaim the greatness of those so deemed. Yet, fame will never remind us that our human life, no matter how large or unknown, has - each and every one - ultimate value and beauty.

We live. We breathe. We learn. We try. We fail. We succeed.

For me, the greatest miracle is that a human life can grow, learn and adapt - overcome and flourish in it's own particular beauty. We each live our momentary existence in relationship to others, our specific challenges, our own life lessons. So, it is important for me to remember that Steve Jobs was a human being, an amazing human being - nothing more and nothing less.

This is also true of you, right now. I hope you are fully aware of this truth. You have a particular beauty.

Big Ben is a Bell

Travel is always educational. I enjoy the way seeing and experiencing different parts of our world expands my knowledge and understanding. I recently returned from 6 days in the United Kingdom (also known as England).

Some of the things I learned:

1. Londoners say "mind" instead of "watch out for." So if they say "Mind the doors" on the Underground, it is to keep a traveler from having an unfortunate encounter with something like...say... having his backpack caught half way in/out of the Underground Train. Just saying.

2. When moving through crowded spaces, Londoners say "Sorry" when we are likely to say "Excuse me."

3. Trash or litter is "Rubbish."

4. Big Ben is the large bell (not the clock) in the 320' clock tower in London and weighs 13+ tons.

Lonely As A Cloud...

The poet, Wordsworth, spent a good deal of time here in the area of England known as The Lake District. His words capture the quaint, bucolic British landscapes and the impact of such beauty on the spirit.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud,
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze"

-Wordsworth

By the Thames

There is something so profoundly enchanting about an evening by the Thames.

The Future of Interactive Media

Surprises abound when I meet with new people and such was the case last week when I agreed to share a coffee and conversation with the enthusiastic Lindsey Huston. Ms. Huston gives her account of our meeting in a recent Eye On Media blog post. She is very gracious to this ole blogger - so, yes...you should read the post: "Curiosity  Passion and Endurance."

"The rabbit hole of knowledge in the interactive media field is infinitely deep. This is the metaphor KIM WILLIAMS, a Client Service Manager at BEM GROUP, INC. in Greensboro, left me with after our information meeting this past week...." (read more)

I'll not recount anymore here, but what I do want to share is that it occurred to me just how much of the future of the Interactive Media world will be determined by those, like Lindsey Huston, who are just now immersing themselves in the ever changing and advancing world of Interactive Media and Marketing.

Perhaps we spend a little too much time talking about what technologies and platforms are best, or are lasting. I've seen a great deal of debate lately about the role of things like Google Plus (G+) and Facebook's latest features - but little discussion about the change makers, the idea people, the soon-to-be-amazing PEOPLE that will not only decide the direction in which we will travel, but will create the technologies that will take us there. So, drop over and see what is happening just down the street from me at Elon University's Interactive Media Program. Or just add the iMedia blog to your RSS feed and try to hang on!

While you are act it, tell Lindsey Huston hello!

Citizenship

I report for jury duty tomorrow.

Beyond 911

We pause. We remember.

May humanity grow in such measure of compassion and love that violent motivators and actions are but distant memories.

Namaste'

Blogger Launches iPhone app!

Finally, Blogger has launched an iPhone app to ease the pain of mobile blogging. The app allows for accessing and posting to multiple blogs with basic text and photo add options. By keeping the interface simple, blogger has provided a fast and friendly mobile option. I'm using the app on my iPad, as well because I've had some trouble with the interface with blogger.com in Safari.

The only feature I'm missing is being able to access Picasa photos for posting.

All in all, a nice addition to the Google/Blogger tool box!

Google Announcement

Life missing...

enough beauty
enough stillness
enough laughter
enough creativity
enough nature
enough gentle conversation
enough waves
enough art
enough writing
enough reading
enough walking

Quotable

"When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you
don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not
doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or
less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have
problems with our friends or family, we blame the other
person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will
grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive
effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason
and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no
reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you
understand, and you show that you understand, you can
love, and the situation will change" 
— Thich Nhat Hanh

Ready, Camera, Action

I Shot the

Saw this on a friend's Facebook wall. Funny. The humor kinda grows on you...

Ebook and Wishing

Time passes quickly...

Have you ever had regrets? Do you find yourself sometimes wishing you had done or said something you didn't? Truly?

I believe it is often NOT too late. Not while we have breath and a small resemblance of sanity...

Oh. Update on the e-book. 7 of 10 chapters written.

8 Tracks and Cassettes Live

I grew up with 8 Track and Cassette tapes. What we did - way back then - was often make recordings of our favorite music and share it with others by sharing the tape. Fast forward and enter the world of 8tracks.com. Using a legal platform, the folks at 8tracks.com let you arrange your favorite play lists and then post them to share with others. You can discover and follow your favorite DJs. Here's one I found recently that is right up my music alley today! Enjoy!