15/365 Trucker Frank



15/365 jdblundell


trucker frank

met my good friend Trucker Frank (finally in person) tonight for tacos and beer.

great stuff!

we talked about God, life, church, #twurch and much more – even had to pick up the conversation and continue it in the morning over breakfast.

snapped this photo before the night was over with my blackberry.

Some crazy things about me

Well, Sara posted a list of 100 things about her on Myspace a couple years back. I followed suite and did it as well.

She just posted an updated/shorter list on her blog. Guess that means I should post a Jan. 2, 2009 version as well?

1. I tend to find things to complain about related to work too easily, but I am super thankful I have a good job.
2. I’m envious that my Life, Laurie really loves her new job.
3. I started using Uni-ball vision pens over the last year or so – I love them!
4. I’ve been carrying the same purple and green one in my pocket for a couple months.
5. I hate when you find a great pen and it turns up missing.
6. I love a great cup of coffee.
7. I have a french press at my desk so I can make a great cup whenever I choose.
8. I used the last of my Columbian coffee here at work this morning.
9. I loathe buying things based on a brand name or because they’re the “cool thing” to have.
10. Despite #9, I’ve only owned Chevy trucks and don’t plan to buy anything else.
11. I will buy a “brand name” if I think the cost:value ratio is right (hense #10).
12. A pack of Starbursts in our vending machine at work now costs $1! (see #1).
13. I used to sell candy and Little Debbies at school, usually with at least a 100% markup.
14. I may need to start a new side-job at work :-).
15. I’ve been designing websites for nearly 15 years now — self taught.
16. I think I’ve actually been paid to build 4 or 5 of them.
17. Looking back on my old designs, they suck.
18. I’m not thrilled with the current design/layout on my blog.
19. Starting the something beautiful podcasts likely tops the list of my favorite things in 2008.
20. Writing a novel is within the top 5.
21. I’d do a daily podcast/radio show if someone would pay me or I could find a couple more hours in the day.
22. I wonder if I can find someone to sponsor me, just living life and doing the things I love.
23. I’d be willing to sellout and wear a “brand name shirt” from 8-5 everyday if someone wanted to sponsor me to the tune of $40-$50k a year.
24. I have almost as much fun putting together an hour of “indie” music for the podcast as I do chatting with very cool folks like @kevinhendricks, @truckerfrank, @frankviola, @knightopia, @tallskinnykiwi and the 20 or so others I got to chat with in 2008.
25. My favorite part of editing a weekly podcast is adding Laurie’s closing statement at the end of each podcast.
26. The older I get, the worse my allergies seem to get – especially at night.
27. I think we’ve found a combination of meds that seem to really work – but I hate using nasal sprays.
28. Laurie says she can tell a big difference at night between when I use the new meds and when I don’t.
29. I used to sleep with music on almost every night.
30. Now I fall asleep to the sound of a fan.
31. I wish I was a better wood-worker.
32. My greatest achievement in wood-working thus far is a shelf I built for the garage.
33. It took me a year to finish building/staining a keep sake box for Laurie.
34. It was a wedding gift. I think she got it around our one year anniversary. :-(.
35. I don’t remember being very popular while I was growing up, but somehow I have over 400 friends on Facebook. What’s that about?
36. I would love to have kids.
37. The idea of having kids still terrifies me when I start thinking about it too much.
38. Love playing with them and enjoying them when they’re behaving. Not a big fan when they start acting up.
39. I’d secretly be thrilled if we had a baby by next Christmas.
40. Some days I feel like a walking contradiction.
41. I’ve been riding the DART bus to work for more than a year now.
42. It’s probably one thing I do that I get asked the most questions about.
43. I’m amused that riding public transportation is still so foreign to Texans.
44. Many people think the bus and rail are full of lowlifes that should be avoided no matter how much money it might save you.
45. Even though we can park for free at our new office building – I’d still rather ride the bus most days.
46. I often give Laurie a hard time about her wanting to buy nice things for me and/or our house, like a dining room table, or painting the walls.
47. Secretly I’m glad she’s doing it all and I love all that she’s done so far.
48. Laurie always gives awesome gifts.
49. I hope to one day do the “Hotter Than Hell” bike race in Wichita Falls.
50. I’d like to go skydiving and bungee jumping at some point.

something beautiful advent christmas extravaganza

You’ve mailed all your Christmas cards, you’re wrapping the last of the gifts and you’re tired of all the Christmas re-runs on TV?

Well have no fear, the something beautiful podcast advent christmas extravaganza is here!

The podcast went live mid-day today (half a day early) and already it’s had 44 downloads! It may be a record setter. We also posted a special “bonus” episode for material that didn’t quite fit with the rest of the extravaganza (23 downloads of that episode already – totaling 67 downloads in one day – I KNOW that’s a record).

Anyways, head on over to the something beautiful podcast and download the Christmas joy. And have yourself a Merry little Advent and Christmas.

More Virgin Mary, less Virgin Islands

I’ll file this under the “Guilty as Charged” file.

The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest, says he objects to Christmas cards featuring family photos.

Look, I love family photos during the holidays. Plus, I actually read those annual holiday letters, all of which start with “What a busy year it’s been!” Seeing photos of my friends and their families and even enjoying a few sunny beach scenes when it’s cold and dark outside is a highlight of December.

But I enjoy the photos more when they’re inside the card, not the card itself. Because more and more, even devout Christians have been replacing Jesus, Mary and Joseph with themselves.

Can I plead my case that we saved a lot more money by making our own cards and having them printed as pictures, rather than buying a Christmas card and including a family photo?

“Doesn’t it strike you as weird to set aside the Holy Family in favor of your family? Does a photo of Cabo San Lucas trump the story told by the original San Lucas? Is Christmas really about you?”

Ouch! It makes me really rethink how I’m celebrating Christmas this year — as I stuff a few more Christmas photos into envelopes.

Listen to the full commentary.

Sabatage

I tried posting this on Facebook but I was blocked for some reason… crazy – never got any warnings from them before.

GAME RULES:

1. Put your music player on shuffle (ALL MUSIC).
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the game as well as the person you got the game from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OK” YOU SAY:
War Driving

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
10,000 Children

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Wake Up

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
So Long, Marianne

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Beautiful

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Amen, Amen

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Burning Love

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Will Never See the Sun

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Heaven’s Son

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Blessed

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Hear Your Voice

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
I’ve Got You

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Gone (New Mix)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Angels

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Brainfreeze

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
The Other Side

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Tips for Sweet-Talking a Caribou

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Everybody’s Singing Now

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Why Don’t You Smile

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Be Coo Mix

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
I am Free

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Say it Right and F the World

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
I Walk the Line

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Give My Love to Rose

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Sabatage

I’m too lazy to link to folks on the blog … but I tag Laurie, Dollye, Chris Allman, Trucker Frank, Thomas, Olwyn, Johny Laird, Tim Ellcey, Kara, Sara, B and for the heck of it — Shaun Groves.

What kids really want this Christmas

christmas village
christmas village

The Simple Dollar shares several pointers on how to make Christmas much more meaningful this year.

First off they note, that the really meaningful Christmas gifts don’t come from MegaMart.

My wife and I take pleasure in creating homemade Christmas gifts, as do many of our friends. But even these are secondary to the time we spend “playing Santa”, driving around making holiday deliveries to the people we know. As we chat on porches or sit in living rooms, sipping hot cocoa and fawning over children, it’s the bonds of friendship that are important — not the gifts.

The post then shares several pointers from the book, Unplugging the Christmas Machine.

Robinson and Staeheli (the book’s authors) argue that children don’t really want clothes and toys and games. The four things they actually want are:

  • A relaxed and loving time with the family. Children need relaxed attention. During the holidays, normal family routines are temporarily set aside for parties, shopping, and special events. It’s important to slow down and spend quality time with your kids.
  • Realistic expectations about gifts. Kids enjoy looking forward to gifts and then having their expectations met. The key is to manage their expectations. By educating them about what “Santa” can afford, and is willing to give, it’s possible to prevent disappointment on Christmas morning.
  • An evenly-paced holiday season. The modern Christmas season starts months before December 25th, when the first store displays go up. Things end with a bang on Christmas day. The authors suggest beginning the season late in the year instead. Get out the Christmas music on December 15th. Pick out a tree on the following weekend. Schedule some low-key family events during Christmas week. Stretch the season to New Years Day.
  • Reliable family traditions. When I talk to my friends about what Christmas was like when we were Children, it’s not the gifts that we remember. We recall the things we did as a family. I remember sleeping next to the tree every Christmas eve, but never being able to catch Santa in the act. I remember seeing the cousins. I remember decorating the trailer house. Your kids will remember the traditions, not the gifts.

That last point is so important: it’s the traditions that make this season special, not the gifts.

I shared with our small group Saturday night that the idea of giving and receiving “material gifts” has become a lot more trivial to me in recent years. Maybe I’m ungrateful and expect everyone else to feel the same way — I dunno. I just feel like a gift card or a last minute gift says nothing about how you might really feel about that person.

Spending an hour over coffee at Starbucks, or a bowl of popcorn seems to say so much more.

What about you? What are you thinking, doing differently this year?