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Meeting Ken Ilgunas - Author, Walden On Wheels

I had the great pleasure of meeting a young author, Ken Ilgunas, this evening. Ken's book, Walden on Wheels, has earned him considerable recognition as an adventurer, thinker and counter-culture young adult.

Tonight's intimate gathering in a local Winston-Salem home allowed me to visit with and glimpse into the life of this novel man. He is certainly on a journey and it will be very interesting to see what his unique living and the resultant societal recognition means for him and others - as time progresses.

From his own website:

Once I was a cart-pushing suburbanite from New York. But then I fell in love with Alaska and Thoreau, so now I go on adventures and write about them. 

I originally started this blog to chronicle my "vandwelling" adventure at Duke University in January 2009. When I enrolled in a graduate program at Duke, I was nearly broke because I'd just finished paying off my $32,000 undergraduate student debt. So I bought a van -- a 1994 Ford Econoline -- and I secretly lived in it on campus so I could afford tuition and not have to go back into debt. 

In May 2011, after two and a half years at Duke, I graduated debt-free, with a little over $1,000. A book about my experiences, Walden on Wheels, will be published in May 2013.

His writings will entertain you and quickly reveal an independent and resourceful spirit committed to living life differently. Click over to Ken Ilgunas' website and get to know Ken a bit and consider reading his book.

Currently he is writing his second book which will catalog his experiences of hiking the 1,700 mile route of the Keystone XL pipeline.

You GO Ken!

Kale Chips!? I want some!

Kristi, over at Southern as Biscuits, posted this recipe for Kale Chips. Dang it. Now I want some.

Miasma Episode I

NOTE: This is a creative writing piece and could be one of a series that creates a fantasy character to allow for observational prose...

My name is Miasma. Actually, Miasma isn't my real name and if I tried to tell you my real name your ears would not hear it nor would your mind grasp it, so for you and the world you see, I am Miasma.

I am a watcher of people and their things for in my watching I find some degree of comfort, some measure of essence that I would otherwise lose and soon I might fade beyond the reach of this world. I cannot touch it or you anymore, so I watch. My presence is veiled to you, no more than the wisp of a cloud or the last mist of a spring morning. I can only watch. I watch the beauty and the ugliness.

Today I watch her, this child with brilliant blue eyes, dancing with light. If you would see her you would most likely be so struck by the particular shade of azure blue brimming from her eyes that you might miss the truly brilliant light that is her eagerness of being as it radiates into the world around her. Yes, I see this radiance. Some might discount her shine as youthful and untainted enthusiasm, but I know better. I have seen this before and today as I watch her trace her fingers along the cracked mortar between the smooth wall stones, I know that this youngling is a rare and delicate version among your kind. She hums a simple tune, one that rises from her inner being and as her wordless song touches the air and all around her I feel the urge to bow, I and every form of life around her would sway upon her song if she only wished it so. She doesn't, for she doesn't know how, yet...

Ghost Email

My sister died last May. Today, I got an email from her...well, from her account. Apparently some SPAM bot has taken control of her old email account and sent me a link to a 'work from home' business opportunity. As freaky as this was, I'll just add it to the list with Facebook reminding me of her birthday every year - her profile is still up.

Note to self: make sure family has all of my internet profiles, email accounts, and website log-ins and passwords so they can care for those, after I'm gone and are ready for the digital death!

Seth Godin visits High Point University

This afternoon, I joined a few hundred people to hear Seth Godin as he conversed with and was interviewed by High Point University President, Nido R. Qubein.

We weren't allowed to take photos with Seth, so I went up to him afterwards, introduced myself and shook his hand. He is a very approachable man. Then at the urging of a rambunctious friend, we took our photo and accidentally captured Mr. Godin in the background.

Two Celebrities and Seth Godin

The conversation was pure Seth and played around, chased, and ran through the need for individuals to take 100% responsibility for their own life and destiny. Seth has said this many ways and his books constantly challenge us as leaders, marketers and business owners to let go of the old perceptions and patterns.

Seth Godin is passionate, focused and constantly asking "What if" and "Why?" My lesson learned from today is that we become what we embrace with our time and energy. If we want to be more creative - spend time around creative folks. If we want to be better at running a business, seek out successful business people.

I'm reminded of the old saying, "If you hang around the barber shop long enough, you're going to get a haircut." Where are we spending our time? What are we becoming?

About Something

It's high time I blogged about something. There. Glad that's done.

website

So, you're looking at my current website. But - I'm thinking the future is this.

Feedback? You like?

The Other Side of Kim - Kim the Preacher

Some of you may know that I spent 15 years as a pastor with a mainline denomination. It's true. I want to let the readers here know about a new blog I'm running to focus on matters of a religious and spiritual nature.

My thought, as my life has change in the decade since I left ordained ministry, is that there are things I wish I had said from the pulpit. No regrets - just a former pastor's way of sharing about crazed religion, absurd theology and hilarious stories. Let me invite you to WishfulPreaching.com. 

You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook.

The 'price' of MBA Success. Is it worth it?

I have three 'kids' with 4 year college degrees and one who went (more or less) straight from high school into the world of employment.  Has the track to vocational success changed? I received an email last week from someone at MBA Online and they shared the info-graphic below. I found it interesting enough to post. What do you think?


Created by: MBAOnline.com

Writer's Prompt - Reminder: "Blasphemy and Unicorns"

This strange tale was prompted by "The Tenth Daughter of Memory" and is purely a creative writing piece and should only be read as a fantastic tale.

Blasphemy and Unicorns

I'm not sure what prompted the man standing in the shadows to speak to me, but he did and I remember exactly what he said as his words rattled forth.


I tell you, sometimes, stories are more complex than they seem and truth more strange than you expect.


They say it was a spear that pierced his side that dark day, but we know different, we who slide to and fro through the shadows of humanity's denials. We are the substance of fantastical tales, of angels, demons, leprechauns, sprites and of fairy twists and turns. Ours is the story of how the divine is called to watch the human journey, to document their story and on rare occasion we are needed to brush that story back on course - not a defined course, but on at least a path of momentary preservation from a perilous extinction. That day we were simply watching another pinnacle of human cruelty acted out with a hill, a cross and the delicate flesh of God - the brush was about to take place, but not by us this time, by something much larger. 


The guard held the spear in his hand and other than a passing evaluation of the particular smoothness of the spear's tip, had no idea. He was following the simple instructions of his superior, "Grab that spear and thrust it into the Jew's side. I have no intent on waiting here all night for him to die. I have places to be." He was also following the direction of God.


We all know, though it may surprise you to hear, dear mortal, that Unicorns carry the very power of life in their veins. It is said and is true that unicorn tears can heal the flesh. It is said and is true that unicorns can ride on the breath of life and travel between heaven and earth in the beat of a monarch's wing. However, what is not said, never spoken about is the resurrection power of the fallen unicorn's horn. 


When a unicorn dies, which isn't very often, the life of the divine beast bursts into its horn, spiraling upward, deep into the ivory tip where it is driven by the spinning of life's essence, infinitely packed and powerful and then bursts into the heavens to be reabsorbed by the Divine. This moment is known as Cretaten.  What only I know is that, if by some precisely timed tragic and horrendous event, the horn is cut from the unicorn before the Cretatan is complete, the divine is captured in the horn. That horn would be of infinite value, and if it ever accidentally found itself somewhere, say perhaps fashioned into the tip of a common spear, it would be an unnatural weapon that would be more likely to transform life anew than kill. Such things could never happen, we would never allow it. However, it might be allowed to happen, even be planned, if a resurrection miracle was what was needed.


But, you didn't hear it from me.

What Our Tweets REALLY Mean

After a few years of using Twitter, I think I’ve discovered a secret code. What Our Tweets REALLY Say!

The Tweet We Send	What We REALLY Mean
@lesseraccount Thanks for the RT!	“Your suck-up has been duly noted. Get back in line”
@godlyaccount Thanks for the RT!	“OMG! You noticed me… please, please do it again. Please!”
@newaccount Thanks for the follow	“Yes. I know you worship me. Get back in line”
@Celebrity Thanks for the follow	“LOOK AT ME!!! I’m somebody now!”
RT @you @somebody2 @somebody3 @afriend #FF people	“I do this for you, but I better get some followers and you owe me”
#FF @godlyaccount because they are the bomb, funny and can walk on water	“Yes. I’m sucking up. Getting back in line now.”
#FF @lesseraccount because they are new to twitter, cute and funny	“Ok. Charity done. I pray that they will remember this tweet if they become @godlyaccount”
“A clever, touching, cute quote” – Famous Person	“I can’t really be bothered to think for myself at this moment, but see how smart I am to find good quotes? Follow me now!”
RT @someone “A clever, touching cute quote” – Famous Person	"I can’t even be bothered to source by own quotes, much less create something original. I’m in line."
Current Blog title with LINK	"I've written something and I’m begging you to read it…heck you don’t have to read it just RT it or click on the link. Come on little statistics grow!"
RT of a RT of your Tweet	"Look! Somebody thought I was clever. I’m so clever! What a clever one am I!"
@someone LOOK! This is amazing w/ LINK to something you’re selling	"I’m a SPAMMER"

The Loss of the Virtual Self

Sometimes, I miss the days when who I was online wasn't so intimately connected to who I am in real life. I once kept a blog under a pseudonym and as a result felt a liberating permission to voice there anything at anytime about any subject. It was a wonderful forum for processing thoughts and feelings.

Today, Social Media and the sophistication of Search makes it easy to see who is behind the posts, updates and mentions.

Do you ever miss the days of virtual anonymity?

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/

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!

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.

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!

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

Father's Day

I should really post something...

How about this. It is Father's Day this weekend.

How to Be Interviewed - Seth Godin

You most likely already know Seth Godin, but if you don't click over to Seth's Blog and bookmark it (or grab his RSS feed). Besides having my all time favorite surname (reference my past clerical background), Mr. 'God-in' shares prolifically his interesting and helpful information. Today I ran across his simple and paradigm shifting correction to what I would call the  "I hate bad interviewers" whine. Seth offers a short and direct list of truths that EVERY presenter should know.

My biggest take a ways are: 1. The burden for a good interview is yours. Prepare and plan. 2. Stick to your interesting and exciting stuff. 3. Always remember it is about you so it's up to you to make it a success.

So, read it for yourself - he says it much better anyway!: How to Be Interviewed

Note: Image is directly from Seth's blog (click to follow) and I'm hoping he doesn't mind me stealing it... #justsaying