I’m a big fan of TED Talks. They are a sharing of ideas that can fundamentally challenge or even change some of your most basic thoughts, or broaden your vision for new possibilities.

Here, Joe Smith, a lawyer from Oregon, gives a talk about not wasting paper towels. I know I’m guilty of grabbing these from the dispenser like they could be used for currency. But Smith shows how you can dry your hands without waste…and by his numbers, we collectively do a lot of it.

 

“Why twelve? Twelve apostles. Twelve tribes. Twelve zodiak signs. Twelve months. And the one I like the best, it’s the biggest number with one syllable.”

Ha! Great presentation.

This talk comes from a TEDx conference; which describes itself as follows:

“In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.”

I may have stolen this idea for a post about inspiration.

 ”Lesser artists borrow; great artists steal”

- Pablo Picasso (…maybe)

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Communication

11 May 2012 — Leave a comment

Pixar does a great job at telling a beautiful story without the use of words. They can convey a message through expression, aesthetics and rely heavily on the visual aspect of communication. When putting communication material together, I see people focus primarily on the words. They painstaking debate over how every word should be said or written to convey a message. Design and usability then becomes secondary afterthoughts.

This is just a reminder that the words aren’t always what is important. The excuses of “Oh, I don’t know what I’d say” for not doing is irrelevant. Sometimes being there is what is needed. Sometimes spending time or *gasp* money on design is needed. Sometimes getting your message across is about reaching out and helping others in action.

Often with words, less is more.

Communication is having the ability to put yourself in the listener’s shoes and seeing your message as they see it.

But do you like what you hear? Or do you just like what you say?

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7

 

May Reading

10 May 2012 — Leave a comment

Just a little light reading for the month of May…

Basic Theology by Charles C. Ryrie

The History of Christian Thought by Jonathan Hill

The Story of Christianity Vol. 2 by Justo L. Gonzalez

Compliments

8 May 2012 — 2 Comments

Children’s author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak, popular for the book Where the Wild Things Are, passed away today. I enjoyed this story of his about the best compliment he ever received and thought I’d share.

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via NPR

Shipment

7 May 2012 — 2 Comments

“Real artists ship.”

An old saying at Apple Computers, often attributed to Steve Jobs, brings to light the company’s culture and the importance of delivering on product design. However there’s a deeper meaning to this quote. It speaks to life’s accomplishing goals by delievering on them. It speaks to what it means to be creative.

While it’s great to innovate, design and create, it’s also important to share and deliver to others. Sometimes this means publishing your own words, or stepping out to showcasing your photography, or verbally communicating your idea to the right people.

In order to do so, you’ll have to overcome a lot of excuses; possibly the most ensnaring is perfectism.

Perfectism will always eventually become an obstruction.

You can tweak, adjust and perfect your work as long as it’s sitting in front of you. Endlessly.

Continue Reading…

Infrastructure

5 May 2012 — 4 Comments

Any organization is the result of infrastructure. The dresser in my room has an infrastructure of drawers. Each drawer holds a certain type of clothes: a drawer for tshirts, a drawer for socks, etc. Whether that infrastructure is detailed, planned or even thought of, infrastructure carries out the purpose of the architecture. A good infrastructure is built to accomplish what is needed. A great infrastructure is built ready to expand for future growth.

This site has an infrastructure. It’s hosted on a server, powered by WordPress, and showcased with the Standard Theme.

Right now, I’ve done no more to the site’s infrastructure than that. Everything that exists on this site is default or default option tweaks. I am only just now introducing multiple categories.

I have added a few posts, a few pages, and am even running a few plugins, but the chosen infrastructure for this site was purposed. I did not need to host this site. I could have started with Tumblr, or Blogger, or even WordPress.com. But none of these provided the infrastructure I wanted to grow this site.

Continue Reading…