Tag: websites

My Bucket List

Friday night Laurie and turned off the Olympic opening ceremonies (yes I know a cardinal sin) and watched the Bucket List. I loved it. She wasn’t as impressed.

The idea behind the movie is two men are dying of cancer and are only expected to have six months to live, so they make a list of all the things they want to do before they “kick the bucket.”

The movie reminded me of the “life goal list” Mark Batterson challenges folks to create in his first book, “In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day.” Basically a list of 100 things that you want to do/accomplish before your life is over.

Been thinking through some of my goals (especially realizing that I only a little more than have 4 full months left to complete my goals for 2008). Looks like I’ve blown one of them already – the take a photo each day of me in 2008. I think I lost focus/motivation after folks said they were getting bored with my photo selection in mid-April. Hopefully I’ll pick it back up next year – but maybe just take a photo a day – rather than a photo of me each day.

So far I did finish rebuilding a new encounter website as well as rebuilding the CasadeBlundell.com website (with a lot of great help and insight from my life).

I think I’ll easily meet my reading goal for the year. I’ve completed 10, almost finished with #11 and just received #12 and have #13-15 currently being shipped from Amazon.com.

My last goals that I’m still worried about/shooting for are:

  • Finish losing weight. My goal weight is 205. I’ve got about 20 more lbs to go.
  • See 8 new community groups started at encounter.
  • Get 4 new people on the sound or media shout rotation at encounter.

So… all that said – what about my Bucket List? Well, I’m still thinking it though. I’ll give you one of them though… bungee jumping.

Now how about you? What’s on your Bucket List?

related ::
IMDB :: the bucket list
SSL :: goals for 2008
the “new” casadeblundell.com
the “new” encounterthis.com

The best campaign website

Zephyr Teachout, writes that “Mike Huckabee’s campaign has the most effective online operation of any of the candidates.”

I think there are a lot of things folks can learn from this in any organization – especially in ministry.
I think each of these areas are ones that churches, ministries and other political candidates and organizations can put into play.
Here’s the highlights:

  1. He has the best use of video in the year that YouTube matteres the most. He is the only candidate consistently–every day–sharing user-created videos on his blog.
  2. He has done minor blogger outreach since April, to great effect; the twice-a-month phone calls with Huckabee and bloggers (homeschoolers, godbloggers, anyone who wanted to sign up)
  3. His blog has typos. This is not in itself a good thing, but evidence of a good thing. A website is not a candidate, and it is not a flyer, but most people encounter websites more like they do an individual than they do a flyer–does it excude some authenticity, does it actually attempt to communicate, or does it try to shut down any conversation except “My candidate is the bees knees.”
  4. His website is not a Stepford Site. It has big buttons that are about making it easy for users, not slick presentation that are about making it impressive for the webteam.
  5. He encourages independent action. He encourages people to go to Meetup. He encourages the growth of Huck’s Army (a very active independent Huckabee forum).

“All of this has led to massive rise in traffic (now well above Clinton’s and Obama’s, only lower than Ron Paul’s). And like Ron Paul’s supporters’ use of the internet, it is helping him in the polls and in support around the country. Unlike Ron Paul, the “help” may lead to winning key states and the primary.”
In what areas could you improve your ministry website/blog by utilizing some of these tips?