ashercastillo | blog

El Salvador Trip Recap Day 02

2009-08-24T22:21:00.003-05:00

I'll be posting journal entries from my trip to El Salvador here and reflections on the FOM Blog.

10 August 2009

It's a bit of perspective sitting next to the ocean your first morning on a mission trip. The waves crashing against the rocks, the spray volleyed high into the air.

Immense.

Refreshing.

The vast expanse of the ocean depths. Out into the horizon, touching unseen lands. You can't help to be in awe. Being small against something so big.

10 August 2009 [Night]

Today started with devotional and breakfast, followed by a very interesting ride in the back of a truck to our drill site. Once we arrived, we spent time meeting and hanging out with the locals from the community where the site is located. The people are curious, polite, and beautiful. Such loving people. After greetings and introductions, we where assigned to either the drill team or hygiene team and then shortly began our work.

Drilling proved to be a tedious task with moving through the ground at a steady pace. Each section of drill pipe is about 5 feet long. As we drill, we also take samples of the earth, and make sure the drill area is clear.

At lunch the community fed us an excellent meal. A chicken and rice soup, roasted chicken - selected from their yard, butchered and prepared that morning, rice, and corn tortillas, made from corn harvested and ground that morning. It was one of the freshest meals I think I have eaten in a very long time. After lunch we resumed our drilling, and I think around 3 PM we hit water, clean, drinkable water! With one day of drilling we where able to get the village water.

We installed the casing into the well and capped it.

Tonight we shared a meal, and now as I sit in a hammock by the ocean, I fully do not understand what we did today.

I understand that is is important, and that it will drastically change how this village will continue to exist, and that this is the first time many of these people will experience clean water. But I don't really know what happened today.

I don't know what it is like to never truly have clean water and then to have it.

El Salvador Trip Recap Day 01

2009-08-23T17:04:00.004-05:00

I'll be posting journal entries from my trip to El Salvador here and reflections on the FOM Blog

09 August 2009

We've arrived at the house, flight was good, uneventful. We landed in San Salvador, and drove about an hour and a half to our lodgings in Acajutla, El Salvador, a port city on the coast.

The house is comfortable, located in a gated community right on the Pacific Ocean, literally. (If you look out the balcony on the rear of the house, the yard ends beyond a cabana that houses three hammocks, and the ocean begins.)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow, free of expectations of what the day may bring. It seems a great group is going on the trip, half from the FoM, the other half, from Pathways, a church in Houston.

The yard is great, very beautiful with a nice pool and as mentioned before several hammocks right on the pacific ocean. Out here it is very relaxing, a crisp breeze, slow rhythm of the waves drumming out the shore. Regardless, I am very excited, and wonder how well I will be able to sleep. Chung and Andrew from Pathways made a clothesline on the porch.

This, I believe will be a great adventure.

current Happenings 08.08.2009

2009-08-08T18:55:00.002-05:00

Well, this weekend has been somewhat of a blur, but good. It started off a little early. I surprised my parents with a visit to Llano on my way back from Arkansas. I worked from there a little bit and spent some time hanging out with them and Bandit until we came back to Houston.

Wednesday evening was lazy, dinner and hanging out. Thursday we went to eat in Fredricksburg to have a late birthday celebration. I felt a bad, my mood was probably not the best. I was tired and stressed from traveling a lot lately. All is well in the world now. Friday, I worked on a few things, then ran an errand with my Dad to Austin, we had a flat on the way, but all in all it was time well spent just hanging out and talking. Friday night I grilled fish tacos for dinner, and packed to return to Houston. Tomorrow I fly out to El Salvador for a Living Water well trip. I'm really looking forward to it and will post more as I can.

Peace!

Current Happenings

2009-07-28T23:09:00.003-05:00

Well needless to say, I've been pretty busy lately, and not a lot of blogging time. I met with our team that's going to dig a well in El Salvador, and lets just say, I am stoked! It's a really good group of people, and should be a lot of work and fun. I'll be taking my camera and video-ing the experience. I'm headed back to Mt. Ida to continue taping for Camp Ozark and will be there until sometime next week when I return and prepare for my trip. I'll be posting a lot more in the future hopefully.

Until then!

cityrhythmcreative is now online!

2009-07-04T15:38:00.003-05:00

So I've recently started out into the lovely world of freelance creative work. Now that I have all of the official paperwork and what not completed. I have launched http://www.cityrhythmcreative.com/ to hose all of portfolios and demo reel work. I haven't exactly decided what I will do with the blog over there, as if I will split the two, but for now, I'll probably post more personal stuff here and more creative / video stuff over there.

Peace!

Review: Antidote Coffee

2009-06-22T00:10:00.003-05:00

Since I am now self-employed, and a coffee addict, I love to 'office' out of coffee shops. Recently I visited Antidote Coffee in the Heights. It's a great little coffee shop, be sure to watch for it though, you may miss it. The coffee was decent, the staff was great. A lot of people, even for mid-Monday morning.

If you're in the heights, be sure to check this place out. Hip vibe. Comfy couches. Decent cup o' java. It's definitely better than Starbucks.

Hamlet and The Original Ninfa's

2009-06-22T00:02:00.002-05:00

Saturday night I met up with some great friends and went to the Orignal Ninfa's on Navigation, here in Houston, TX. It was a really fun time, the food was good, Margarita's tasty and the chips and salsa where awesome.

It was a bit crowded, so I would recommend trying to visit at a time when there's not a huge crowd. Good luck with that. This place is a staple to the Houston area.

After dinner we rushed over to the Frenetic Theater to see Hamlet, directed by Ilich Guardiola. Several people I knew where in the play. Performances where awesome.

All in all it was a great evening, despite battling Houston's summer heat.

Incomparable Camp Ozark

2009-06-15T21:21:00.003-05:00

I recently spent two weeks in Mt. Ida Arkansas, working with Camp Ozark on various creative projects, one being developing and launching campozarkblog.com, developing various videos for marketing and promotions and a little videographer training. While their, one of the staffers, Dave, let me use his Canon D20 with a 10MM lens on it. Two and half days, and over a 1000 pictures later, we had a lot of really cool images, and more to come. What I can say, is that shooting with a wide angle lens is somewhat addicting. After hiking the property in Keen sandals, I strained tendons in my foot, and eventually strained my knee.

Three days in pain and a limp worth it?

Yes my friends it was.

The two weeks there, I was left with this amazing impression that Camp Ozark is an incredible place that is different from any camping experience in America. When you see the environment that they create it is incomparable. I don't think I have been anywhere, that kids are free to be kids, and a loved like they are there. As I continue with this project, I'll try to keep everyone updated as best as possible.

Peace!

Dave: What are you doing with your life?

2009-06-13T22:07:00.005-05:00

It's night.

I'm several hundred miles from home.

Several days into a business trip with long days.

I'm sitting in a small office in Mt Ida Arkansas, across the office is Dave, a.k.a 'The Daver' best known as Super Dave.

"So Asher, what do you want to do with your life?"

I turn and look over at Dave.

"I mean, you just left your job, you're out here working on this project, what is it that you want to do with your life? Do you want to do this?"

I think about it. Rattle off a few things. The conversation flows arounds the room a bit. Then Ends.

So a bit of minor back story. Dave is a really awesome guy, that works for one of my clients. Dave is awesome. I can't really say much more than that, other than you can get around Dave for 5 minutes and you instantly know he is the Super Dave.

Super Dave asked a question that even though I kinda answered, I haven't really answered well, until the 9 hour drive from Mt. Ida Arkansas to Llano, TX.

It's dark and the most amazing display of lightening I have ever scene is playing on the horizon.

To briefly answer Dave's question, I am giving up fame for greatness.

I'm giving up what I can get for what I can give.

I'm not trying to brag, I don't believe I've ever really been that famous, or great for that matter.

What I am saying is that I have left a nice salary as an award winning videographer to be able to make videos for causes.

To tell stories that need to be told.

Stories of transformation.

Stories of justice.

Stories of compassion.

I don't think I'll ever be anything really great. Surely not famous. But I think I'd like to know that someday the stories I told made a difference. They changed a life. And years from now, I can say, "Dave, the only thing I did with my life was give it away."

File Storage and Back Up

2009-05-16T16:16:00.004-05:00

When your working with digital files backing them up multiple times is never a bad thing. Today while working on a project for a show next week, and moving files from the editing system to a hard drive for another show last week, the editing system crashed. It had crashed last night with a render, and crashed this morning as well. I tried to move some files from the editing system to another so I could finish up another project and try to get the editing system back online. In the process the files for the project were lost and could not be recovered. Fortunately for the show we have a copy of the last version still intact.

So what's the lesson? Backing things up and having a good back up strategy.

In digital video this is important. Especially with so many things going tapeless.

If you need a TB of video storage, well you probably need 2TB. One to work off of, and another to back up to.

Beyond this I think a back up strategy is important. Make sure there are copies of digital media files backed up on a DLT or CD / DVD-R.

I have back ups, and ultimately, most of my materials are backed up on the tape the footage was shot on. But what about FCP project files? Audio files? Digital Pictures? Animations? There are a lot of back up options out there and are really really worth the investment.

Mail Rooms are awesome

2009-05-16T12:33:00.002-05:00

At my apartment complex I'm not really a big fan of community laundry. I like to be able to wash my clothes from the convenience of my own place, mail rooms on the other hand, have proven to be awesome, nay, epic.

This morning after taking Bandit to the vet and heading into the office I stopped off at Chick-fil-a for some breakfast.

Said breakfast was a Chicken Biscuit and a large coffee for only a $1.50 thats right a DOLLAR FLIPPIN' FIFTY for a large coffee and a chicken biscuit.

So what does this have to do with community mail rooms. When you get the coupon for said discount out of the sales papers that are delivered in the mail, and most of the residents in my apartments throw the papers in the recycling bin or leave them out, you not only get the coupon mailed to you, but as many as you can find. And friends, there was a lot of them.

So after I collected about 30+ sales papers I went to clipping coupons and have hooked myself up with a plastic baggy, full of Chick-fil-a discount goodness.

$1.50 coffee and chicken biscuit. God bless 'Merica.

Leaving My Job

2009-05-13T12:41:00.003-05:00

“All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out otheir dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”

- T.E. Lawrence

On Monday morning I submitted my letter of resignation to my current employer. This was a somewhat difficult decision in regards to leaving a stable company, with a consistent pay schedule. I do have several projects lined up so that did make the decision a little easier.

For the last 2+ years I have been working with Gotham Image Works, a corporate video production company here in Houston. Gotham has been great, I've made a lot of friends, have some great memories, and I have learned a lot. All of these things are what made the decision to leave difficult. It's hard to leave someplace that despite the normal issues of working somewhere, is a good place to work.

This summer I will be working on various projects ranging from creative development and consultation to video production and delivery, and everything in between. From music videos, to promotional videos, to documentary, to narrative short film. The reason I am leaving are these opportunities.

Creatively, I will be doing things differently than what I have been, will be using tools I may or may not have used before, and I felt that with the stage of life right now, I felt as if I could take that risk. I felt that I could live my life wide awake and take opportunities that I have not had the capacity to take before. I know this may seem crazy given the current economic state to leave a steady roll, but to honest, I have never felt more alive. I have never felt like I am actually doing what I am really supposed to be doing.

I actually feel free.

I'll be posting things as they happen and as I can here on the blog, so be sure to stay tuned.

Movie Review: X-MEN ORIGINS: Wolverine

2009-05-09T17:34:00.002-05:00

The great thing about living next door to a movie theater is you can catch movies at times that are more convenient for me, but less trafficked time for others. Saturday morning just may turn into my designated viewing time, it's only $5, I had a great seat and only about 25 people total in the entire theater. It also helps that the movie you go to see is awesome, like X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a first of prequel films telling the back ground stories of some of the

X-Men universe characters. Hugh Jackman, once again delivers on playing the part of X-Men bad-a$$ Logan, aka Wolverine. The story title sequence is pretty awesome showing decades of history of Logan's past, the story has plenty of action and a fun cast of characters. Liev Schreiber did an excellent job of playing one of the films many villains. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is one of a growing list of must see in the theater summer blockbuster hits.

Blog Additions

2009-05-08T15:31:00.003-05:00

A while back I consolidated my blog from ashcastillo.com and this blog. The ashcastillo.com blog focused on video creation, production, and creative experience design, my personal blog, well a lot more random. So what I've done is revised my blog labels by reducing them into broader categories and only using specific labels, I then used Bloggers 'Labels' gadget to create a navigation menu (located on the right) to make it easier to access things by topic. This way I can keep all of my content in one RSS feed, but make it easier for readers to get the information they want. I've been pretty behind on blogging lately, so I may be posting some things to catch up. A few sections I will be updating soon will the portfolio section, which contains posts about work that I've been doing lately, I really really want to update all sections to do with video production. Stay tuned and if there is anything you're interested in reading about let me know!

Movie Review: Star Trek

2009-05-08T15:19:00.002-05:00

Last night I watched the latest Star Trek films by JJ Abrams. I'm no major Trekie but I enjoy the films and grew up watching a lot of the reruns and Star Trek: Next Generation. Several critics have claimed that Abrams may have rebooted the franchise, and to be honest I have to agree. The film was a Star Trek movie, no deep philosophical plot, just the newly formed crew of the Enterprise saving the universe from a psychotic alien. The visuals where great, the story telling was done well, the characters where what I would expect as younger versions of themselves. It was a good example of how a prequel should be made of a popular classic sci-fi series. Definitely worth watching and be sure to catch it in the theater, this is a movie made for the big screen.

Flight of the Conchords Concert

2009-05-08T15:08:00.003-05:00

Went to the Flight of the Conchords concert on Wednesday at Jones Hall in Houston. The guys where hilarious, or what we could hear. Sitting in the balcony had a few downfalls, it was hot, the acoustics where terrible so you couldn't hear much, and a bunch of people couldn't find their seats. I had a good time and really enjoyed the company of my friends. Their set was pretty good, a mix of older songs and newer songs. Their between song banter humorous and laid back. Aside from the venue being a poor choice for the event organizers it was a good show. I'd probably go see them again, but not at the Jones Hall.

The Temptation to Hoard

2009-05-06T08:45:00.002-05:00

As fearful people we are inclined to develop a mind-set that makes us say: "There's not enough food for everyone, so I better be sure I save enough for myself in case of emergency," or "There's not enough knowledge for everyone to enjoy; so I'd better keep my knowledge to myself, so no one else will use it" or "There's not enough love to give to everybody, so I'd better keep my friends for myself to prevent others from taking them away from me." This is a scarcity mentality. It involves hoarding whatever we have, fearful that we won't have enough to survive. The tragedy, however, is that what you cling to ends up rotting in your hands.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

fxguidetv: Trapcode Particular 2 @ NAB

2009-04-28T11:48:00.003-05:00

fxguide.com has some great coverage of NAB this year. One of which (Episode 55) covers Trapcode Particular 2, one of my favorite plug-ins, as well as some nice stuff from the guys at the Foundry, a high end plug-in developer. I will more than likely be adding Particular 2 to the tool set as soon as it comes out. I haven't been able to make it to NAB, but may try to go eventually. It seems like it would be a cool experience.

GOOD Knight Pulse Community Leaders Video

2009-04-28T11:21:00.002-05:00

It's amazing what people can and are willing to do when given the opportunity. I wonder what I would start with $1000? Its not as important where it comes from, that's a different discussion, but this is a good question to ask. If I was provided with $1000 what for the common good would I do with it?

This week is getting busy & Coffeegroundz Sundays

2009-04-17T15:46:00.003-05:00

Haven't really blogged in a while. Things have been getting crazy. So what do I have planned for this weekend? So far work will be involved in this weekend some how. I may try to do a few fun/relaxing things, but who knows. I will definitely be hitting up Coffeegroundz this weekend. Sundays @ 9a.m. some friends and I gather to discuss life, stuff, happenings and other things of random conversation. It's been a good times with friends. Coffeegroundz is a great coffee shop, friendly people, good coffee, an assortment of tasty treats, all in all it rocks. They also sale ther beverages and things through out the day. You can also follow them on Twitter .

Until next time-Peace!

2009-04-02T08:58:00.001-05:00

The Dignity to Give and Receive

"Nobody is so poor that he/she has nothing to give, and nobody is so rich that he/she has nothing to receive." These words by Pope John-Paul II, offer a powerful direction for all who want to work for peace. No peace is thinkable as long as the world remains divided into two groups: those who give and those who receive. Real human dignity is found in giving as well as receiving. This is true not only for individuals but for nations, cultures, and religious communities as well.

A true vision of peace sees a continuous mutuality between giving and receiving. Let's never give anything without asking ourselves what we are receiving from those to whom we give, and let's never receive anything without asking what we have to give to those from whom we receive.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

NIce animation piece

2009-03-30T10:57:00.001-05:00

Ya no sé qué hacer conmigo

Software Review: Moneywell

2009-03-30T10:13:00.003-05:00

A friend recommended this software to me, Moneywell, a Mac OS specific personal finances software. I've been using it about a day, and I love it. The GUI is awesome, very consistent with OS X interface design. It has the same look and feel as iTunes. The main focus of the software is budgeting and managing your household cash flow. The company also offers a debt reduction software and has an iPhone app is development to help you track your expenses on the go.

2009-03-28T21:04:00.001-05:00

Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

2009-03-28T20:58:00.001-05:00

Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE1bjbGj8XA

2009-03-28T20:56:00.001-05:00

Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCLM4KbZu5k

2009-03-26T21:35:00.001-05:00

Obama seizes bully pulpit online to pitch budget
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_7731/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=2TNbOoZW

2009-03-26T20:39:00.001-05:00

Boomers zero in on social networks
http://usat.me/?34571074

2009-03-26T20:38:00.001-05:00

Obama seizes bully pulpit online to pitch budget
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_7731/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=2TNbOoZW

Mo' Car Repairs

2009-03-26T10:44:00.002-05:00

So my 4Runner wouldn't start this morning. [sigh] Oh well. It seems like its a battery cable/starter issue. What ever it is, it's another fun filled gear head week end it looks like!

I really like the idea that the 4runner is paid for, but the unexpected repairs are getting a bit frustrating. My hope is this is a short term set back with much longer term gains. I am all about investing in the long run.

Such an awesome band.

2009-03-23T17:23:00.001-05:00

Sigur Ros - Við spilum endalaust - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Selling the Scooter

2009-03-18T15:59:00.002-05:00

Alas, I am selling my scooter. I've been hesitating to do this, but finally decided it would be for the best. [sigh]. If anyone knows anyone interested in a 50cc scooter that lives in the Houston area, gimme a shout. I've posted it for sale on craigslist.org .

Ben Harper with the Funk Brothers

2009-03-18T11:03:00.001-05:00

I started the Documentary, In the Shadows of Motown; a film about the Funk Brothers, the band that played for Motown Records. These guys have recorded more hits than people know.

RJD2 - Live @ Beta Lounge The Horror

2009-03-18T10:57:00.001-05:00

Bellicose | Think Big Productions

2009-03-18T10:48:00.001-05:00

Bellicose from Chase Rees on Vimeo.

Here's a trailer for an upcoming documentary from my friends over at Think Big Productions.

New iPhone firmware 3.0 announcements

2009-03-17T12:43:00.003-05:00

Apple announced their new 3.0 firmware features, Engadget and Macrumors have all the features posted, I want to talk about a few specifics that I think will create some extremely cool stuff.

New Accessories API

I think this is probably one of the most exciting updates. Direct product integration for App developers, Apple gave the example of medical connections - check blood pressure via the iPhone, is incredible. iPhone DVR anyone? Connect to car stereo via bluetooth, to dock and have fully integrated use of your phone (kick a$$ hands free). Using the dock connector of Bluetooth connectivity, gives interfacing an endless amount of options with how you can connect. Connect to cameras for direct upload of pictures. Want to log footage on set as your shooting? Connect the iPhone to your camera to capture metadata to take back with you to edit. Connect to a medical monitoring system and get full athletic training details, heart rate, blood pressure, calories, etc. This is a gateway to insane integration.

Streaming Video

I'm excited about streaming video for obvious reasons, I work in that industry. I'm not sure if this will be available on 3G, if so that would be really cool. Live events can now be streamed to your iPhone. Instant connectivity to media audio visual content. Looking forward to how this effects Web video folks.

Other things of note:

- Cut / Copy / Paste will be a welcomed addition, looks pretty slick as well.

- Messaging - forward and delete multiple messages. MMS (media messaging service)

- iCal subscription for calDAV, .ics format

- "Spotlight" search. Search all contacts, apps, email messages, etc. right from the

home screen.

- Photos WILL send multiple photos.

Can't wait until June! It's amazing what technology is doing. There is no zero-sum game. It will continue to grow, change, integrate, improve, grow more, then restart the cycle.

Apple Event Today

2009-03-17T09:17:00.004-05:00

Today Apple is hosting an event today announcing the release of version 3.0 of the iPhone firmware. Accourding to Macrumors updated features may include:

...It seems likely that both copy/paste and an improved homepage will be featured as there have been multiple sources suggesting these features. MMS and tethering, however, seem far less certain with only a single questionable source.

Copy and Paste and sending media files via text messaging will be nice. A few things I would like to see in iPhone updates-

- Attach multiple photo's to email

- Use of Address Book contact groups for sending email.

- Record video? I know you can't video chat with it, but who gives a crap.

- Tighter integration with Web 2.0 technologies.

- I would also like it to make my coffee.

I know there are some apps already available and I use for the iPhone to the above listed functions, but it seems like a pain to have to use a second app to mail a group list that's already in your address book, or another app to attach more than one photo to an email.

Yellow Cab Hummer

2009-03-11T18:31:00.000-05:00

Music I've been listening to

2009-03-11T14:26:00.004-05:00

Here's a list of stuff I've been listening to while creating video and graphics... If anyone has any suggestions leave a comment..

Name | Artist | Album

This is Funny

2009-03-10T14:32:00.001-05:00

Southern Backtones "Slumber Party"

2009-03-06T08:45:00.006-06:00

Southern Backtones "Slumber Party" Music Video from W. Ross Wells on Vimeo.

"Slumber Party" By the Southern Backtones. An awesome local band here in Houston, this is the video that premiered last night @ Brasil's on Westheimer. The video was directed by Ross Wells of zenfilm. I've also posted "Forever" by the Southern Backtones, the first video produced for the band by zenfilm, truly and awesome song and video. It's awesome to see what is going on in Houston now!

Southern Backtones "Forever" Music Video from W. Ross Wells on Vimeo.

Southern Backtones @ Brasil

2009-03-05T22:54:00.000-06:00

Southern Backtones video premeire and concert @ Brasils in Houston. Great show and great video from Ross Wells @ zenfilm. Great show!

Creative Bartering Houston 2.0

2009-03-04T14:52:00.002-06:00

A few articles have been starting to surface about bartering and the rise of bartering during down economies. Craigslist, has been reporting a 100% increase in bartering postings this year. When things are getting slow, it's difficult, especially for creative industries and even more difficult for emerging creative markets. Reading a few articles on bartering this morning, it got me contemplating the implications of bartering, Houston, video, creative services, and the like.

What are the positives? How can this mutually benefit everyone and create more opportunities? Does it make sense for everyone or only a few? What industries could benefit from this over others? Can this help move Houston forward creatively?

The answer I think is Yes.

Which question? All of the above.

So you may not make a lot of money off of bartered services, but it can free money in areas to help bottom lines, personal budgets, etc.

Could someone barter creative for coffee? What about food? Any people willing to video for food?

So bartering may not make sense in every industry or every project, but I think that it could be interesting to see what people can come up with, especially those in service industries.

For example, lets say a coffee shop wanted to do a weekly podcast about coffee or their store or something. Insert coffee for creative. What about a series of web videos for your mechanic to help him promote his business, in an online video campaign? so you may not make retirement from that project, but you might be able to negotiate at cost repairs or something like that. Their are a few things that will need to be in place to make bartering in this way successful, the most important should be respect for the parties involved, and value for the service provided. Both parties should enter into an agreement with the understanding that they both are interested in the success of each other and they desire not to take advantage of one another. It's more community than market, sure, but does this mean it can't be beneficial?

The offsetting of start up costs could tremendously help emerging business's to have a better chance in the market place. Could Houston become an important web 2.0 and new media market place? I think so. I think if people can help each other out to bring business's further into these markets, establish the new communication channels, then growth can happen. Having difficulty starting a video blog? Can't find the money for start up? Find someone who could benefit from your services and see if they have something you could benefit from and see if you can come to an agreement. Maybe it's a bar that has a monthly event. Trade the production on the event for free food and drink for you and your crew.

Thoughts? Anyone interested in starting / participating in a little social experiment?

2009-03-03T13:15:00.001-06:00

God's faithfulness and ours

When God makes a covenant with us, God says: "I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even when you run away from me, reject me, or betray me." In our society we don't speak much about covenants; we speak about contracts. When we make a contract with a person, we say: "I will fulfill my part as long as you fulfill yours. When you don't live up to your promises, I no longer have to live up to mine." Contracts are often broken because the partners are unwilling or unable to be faithful to their terms.

But God didn't make a contract with us; God made a covenant with us, and God wants our relationships with one another to reflect that covenant. That's why marriage, friendship, life in community are all ways to give visibility to God's faithfulness in our lives together.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

New Car Pics | This Weekend

2009-03-02T11:02:00.006-06:00

This weekend was pretty eventful. It started Friday at the Steel Lounge Underground event at Houston's Contemporary Art Museum. After holding out for a year, I bought a used vehicle on Saturday morning. It's a 1990 4Runner (pictured above). It needs some TLC & a tune up but no car payment and the A/C runs great! A very important thing here in Houston. Saturday night I went to La Strada to hear some DJ's. DJ Candice Elliot was there as well as other DJ's from the area, and DJ's James Curd and Hipp•E. It was a great time, I ran into a few people from that where at the Steel Lounge, on Friday. La Strada's a great venue, really cool atmosphere, fun place to hang out, tap your feet to the music, and watch people shake their money maker's.

Other than that I hung out with the dog, enjoyed the weather and then had it all end for another week to begin!

Steel Lounge Underground | Photos & More

2009-02-28T00:13:00.001-06:00

I went out to the Steel Lounge Underground tonight, it was a really great event @ the Contemporary Art Museum Houston. DJ Candice Elliot kicked the night off as everyone arrived- great music btw. She did an excellent job getting the night started off right. D J Sun took over and started pumping some great tunes that you couldn't help tapping your foot to. After D J Sun performed, Ross Wells @zenfilm introduced the Southern Backtones and gave us lucky peeps a view of their latest video, and it is awesome! Next Thursday they are having a premiere event and concert @ Brasil's. Anyone that can come should come check it out. The Southern Backtones took the stage and rocked that place. They're a really great band and everyone was moving! More events to come, so keep an eye out for announcements, Houston has some awesome stuff going on and you don't want to miss it.

2009-02-25T11:03:00.000-06:00

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Nice animation. Tells the story. Long, but interesting.

2009-02-25T10:43:00.001-06:00

Flickermood 2.0 from Sebastian Lange on Vimeo.

This is a nice piece of animation I found on Vimeo today. It would probably take me years to figure out how to do this.

New American Tea Parties

2009-02-25T08:39:00.003-06:00

In light of everyone going all 1773 on the current political climate, I thought these videos are worth the view. They don't have anything to do with the Boston Tea Party, or the New American Tea Party, or the economy for that matter. But they do say the word 'tea'.

Sip some tea friends. Everything will be all right.

Everything's amazing, nobody's happy

2009-02-23T15:26:00.001-06:00

This got me laughing pretty good.. So true.

Mosaic Theatre @ Camp Fair

2009-02-22T09:31:00.000-06:00

I've been testing multiple photo email apps on my iPhone for mobile blogging. So far my quest has been in vain. I'm trying an app called multi-email for this posting hopefully it goes through. The photos are from a Camp Fair at Memorial City Mall. Friends from Mosaic Theatre Company where there to sign kids up for summer acting camps, if you're in the Houston area and interested in a values based summer drama camp camp, check then out at www.mosaictheatre.org

Tansformers 2 Teaser Trailer

2009-02-20T12:24:00.004-06:00

So I think I like this trailer, over the trailer shown during "The Big Game". It gives you a better idea of what's going to happen and what exactly is going on in the trailer it's self. YouTube's HD quality isn't shabby, it's amazing it has taken them as long as they did to do an update on their content delivery. I still prefer Vimeo I think, mostly as an imbed utility.

2009-02-20T09:02:00.002-06:00

The Nonpossessive Life

To be able to enjoy fully the many good things the world has to offer, we must be detached from them. To be detached does not mean to be indifferent or uninterested. It means to be nonpossessive. Life is a gift to be grateful for and not a property to cling to.

A nonpossessive life is a free life. But such freedom is only possible when we have a deep sense of belonging. To whom then do we belong? We belong to God, and the God to whom we belong has sent us into the world to proclaim in his Name that all of creation is created in and by love and calls us to gratitude and joy. That is what the "detached" life is all about. It is a life in which we are free to offer praise and thanksgiving.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

Midweek @ The Mucky Duck

2009-02-18T20:34:00.000-06:00

Hanging out the McGonigels Mucky Duck with some Fellow FoMers and
friends. Good brew here, great conversations. We usually gather each
week have good times and build great relationships. Any and all are
welcome. Each Wednesday is Irish music night, featuring local
musicians. Come ok out and hang with the crew.

Testing The Twitter Feed

2009-02-18T10:50:00.005-06:00

So I've recently found this program called Twitter Feed. I'm using it to help stream line blog posting notifications. Basically you can set your blog postings to go through Twitter Feeds, Ping.fm feeds or others. I've set mine to send blog posts to Ping.fm as a 'status' message, which then will post an update to various web social networking status sites.

It seems to me, that since MySpace, Facebook, and other Web 2.0 experiences, the next step is integration of all of the technologies, syncing and linking all of the accounts together, and even having these integrated into new software developments such as Apple's new iPhoto. I think mobile application development is concurrent with web software developments. With more people using mobile devices such as iPhones, Blackberry's and etc. it's interesting to see how it is all getting connected. I beyond that, as the new technologies solidify and standardize-ish, growth will probably continue in mobile and device specific integration, such as gaming console and home media servers, as well as emerging service market technologies similar to eGuiders, a video guide for internet video.

Not sure exactly where this bad boy is going, but it continues to grow, and as more and more of the current and next generations continue to use Web 2.0, they're going to want to be able to access it, easily. Maybe Facebook / Twitter feeds via your Garmin GPS? Will Boxee, YouTube, or Netflix Instant be able to stream to your Car's built in TV's? It's the wild frontier out there, and we haven't seen new frontiers like this since the 1800's. :)

Facebooking

2009-02-17T21:12:00.001-06:00

As I was reading through a lot of the Facebook status' from various
friends, and thought, " I have nothing to say,I have never seen an
entore episode of American Idol."

Current Happenings

2009-02-17T17:09:00.002-06:00

So I've started 2009 out interestingly, first sending my camera to the repair shop, then after dropping my barely a month old Mac Book Pro on the concrete and sending it to the repair shop, a cold, and then infected root canal. All great fun and we're barely into the year!

I'm grateful to be alive and well, and struggling to find contentment. I haven't been blogging as much lately due to some current events. A lot of really cool things are in the works, and I'll share more to come. One of which is our trip to El Salvador in the Fall, We're going to build a water well and teach water hygiene, I've never really been that far out of the US so it'll be exciting for sure. The road ahead is sure to be interesting, a very exciting time to be alive no doubt!

Peace!

2009-02-17T17:07:00.002-06:00

Houston Traffic from Chase Rees on Vimeo.

This was shot by some friends of mine over at ThinkBig Productions. They have a really nice top end Red One camera package, but most importantly, they're really creative. Keep up the great work guys, ThinkBig!

Some of What I'm listening to

2009-02-17T08:20:00.004-06:00

dj SUN | profile | HD from PR!MO on Vimeo.

DJ Sun is local Houston DJ who also hosts on 90.1 KPFT and also DJ's regularly around Houston. His album is also on iTunes.

2009-02-16T11:16:00.000-06:00

Seeing the Beauty and Goodness in Front of Us

We don't have to go far to find the treasure we are seeking. There is beauty and goodness right where we are. And only when we can see the beauty and goodness that are close by can we recognize beauty and goodness on our travels far and wide. There are trees and flowers to enjoy, paintings and sculptures to admire; most of all there are people who smile, play, and show kindness and gentleness. They are all around us, to be recognized as free gifts to receive in gratitude.

Our temptation is to collect all the beauty and goodness surrounding us as helpful information we can use for our projects. But then we cannot enjoy it, and we soon find that we need a vacation to restore ourselves. Let's try to see the beauty and goodness in front of us before we go elsewhere to look for it.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

2009-02-09T21:59:00.001-06:00

Movie Review for 'Push': Camilla Belle is hot, but still couldn't save that movie.

Movie Review: Taken

2009-02-06T09:12:00.006-06:00

Last night I watched Taken director Pierre Morel's new film starring Liam Neeson. Written Luc Besson (The Professional) and Robert Mark Kamen (Fifth Element, Transporter 1,2,&3), this was actually one of the best action films of the year so far. The story is very focused, it is specifically about the Neeson, looking for his daughter, and leaving a trail of bodies behind him. The actions not over the top or unrealistic. A side note, I think what has helped this film is the trailer. The trailer was cut very well. It tells you what the story is about, what to expect with out giving away too many details, and it doesn't set you up for disappointment when you the film. And yes Neeson's character is as scary in the movie as he is in the trailer. A loving and caring father, who once his daughter is taken basically goes 'William Munny' on the bad guys.

2009-02-06T09:11:00.000-06:00

God's Unconditional Love

What can we say about God's love? We can say that God's love is unconditional. God does not say, "I love you, if ..." There are no ifs in God's heart. God's love for us does not depend on what we do or say, on our looks or intelligence, on our success or popularity. God's love for us existed before we were born and will exist after we have died. God's love is from eternity to eternity and is not bound to any time-related events or circumstances. Does that mean that God does not care what we do or say? No, because God's love wouldn't be real if God didn't care. To love without condition does not mean to love without concern. God desires to enter into relationship with us and wants us to love God in return.

Let's dare to enter into an intimate relationship with God without fear, trusting that we will receive love and always more love.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

2009-02-06T08:44:00.007-06:00

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/090205_state_proposes_film_law

2009-02-06T08:44:00.006-06:00

Pretty interesting video. I've had the privilege of interning for Ross when I was in college. One of the best in Houston. I will have to disagree with the remarks of putting money into private sector, quite frankly that's a load of crap. The private sector is where I would rather see the money go. Sure some of the money will go to Hollywood, but to produce film here, you're also using the logistical services here. Caterers, lodging and transportation vendors will benefit as well as film and video production companies. Congrats Ross on the great segment!

RIP Tom

2009-02-03T15:46:00.005-06:00

Originally posted on Tom's blog:

Thomas James Lawrence – Big Tom to his friends – 52 years old, a madly-in-love husband, son, brother, and friend died on February 2, 2009 of brain cancer.

In 1999, Tom married his best friend and soul mate Theresa Strong. Never a brother-in-law or son-in-law, Tom was a brother and a son in at least two families.

Tom’s passion for photography and video was apparent both personally and professionally. Involved in many projects, he was particularly proud of his efforts documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the last days of death row inmates, with a compassionate yet honest eye.

Big Tom ran ten marathons and climbed to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tom loved music. He played the sweetest acoustical guitar you have ever heard; he loved the Blues but never sang them; he celebrated classic rock and was a Beatles scholar. He was a master of technology and loved all things Apple. Despite his credentials, Tom's real strength was never external. His power came from within, very deep within. Big Tom knew about balance: he valued a good movie on a Friday night with Theresa as much as running 26.2 miles or editing a documentary. Truly unflappable, Tom was sage to his friends; knowledgeable, kind, and revered for his wisdom and good judgment.

Tom impressed everyone he met with his quiet strength, and we all will continue to be inspired by the way he lived his life. Thank you Big Tom. Namaste our dear friend. We will see you again soon.

Tom’s Memorial Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at Second Christian Church, 4801 Edison St. , (Corner of Edison and Cavalcade) Houston, TX 77009. 713.692.3503. A celebration will follow at Tom and Theresa’s home. At Tom’s request, donations can be made in his honor to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch (www.calfarley.com) ; or Habitat for Humanity (www.houstonhabitat.org).

2009-02-03T09:47:00.001-06:00

Befriending Our Inner Enemies

How do we befriend our inner enemies lust and anger? By listening to what they are saying. They say, "I have some unfulfilled needs" and "Who really loves me?" Instead of pushing our lust and anger away as unwelcome guests, we can recognize that our anxious, driven hearts need some healing. Our restlessness calls us to look for the true inner rest where lust and anger can be converted into a deeper way of loving.

There is a lot of unruly energy in lust and anger! When that energy can be directed toward loving well, we can transform not only ourselves but even those who might otherwise become the victims of our anger and lust. This takes patience, but it is possible.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

GI Joe Movie Trailer Superbowl 2009 HQ (official)

2009-02-02T10:14:00.002-06:00

I am really stoked about this movie.

Commercials and other banter.

2009-02-02T09:57:00.004-06:00

So last night we watched the big game a good time had by all. The commercials have gotten better than what they have been before, but still somewhat missing the higher production values you normally see in a Super Bowl spot. The game was good, and kudos to the Boss for sliding junk first into the lense of an HD camera. A lot of 3D stuff broadcast this year. Here are a few of my favorites. Poll - who nerded out to the GI Joe trailer? Thanks to HULU.com for the embeds.

Charity:Water Featuring "TIme Bomb" by BECK

2009-01-31T14:48:00.003-06:00

charity: water promo featuring "Time Bomb" by Beck from charity: water on Vimeo.

Found this cruising around Vimeo today... Charity Water is a great organization working on a really important problem. Another great organization is Living Water International. Our church is traveling with LWI to El Salvador this summer to help build a water well.

GOOD: The State of the Planet

2009-01-29T10:57:00.002-06:00

Thought this is was a good video.

2009-01-28T08:47:00.000-06:00

So evidently the new aluminum Mac Book Pros aren't as strong as the
concrete stairs at the office. Also it seems the zipper on my backpack
is a piece of crap as well.

President Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

2009-01-21T17:38:00.003-06:00

There's no one as Irish as Barack O'Bama

2009-01-21T17:37:00.003-06:00

This is pretty funny.

Steak Night and not much else.

2009-01-21T17:04:00.004-06:00

Not a lot happening here lately, been somewhat busy, will share the details later.. Bandit's in the Hill Country enjoying the lovely weather, and I'm here working. To help ease the time and enjoy an evening I hit steak night at the Hideaway on Dunvale. and let me tell you friends. It is awesome. The Houston Press rated it the best Steak Night of 2007, and I believe 2008. If you live in the Houston, visit the Houston area, or can get to the Houston area on a Tuesday night, you have to experience steak night. The hideaway is a old house converted into dive bar supreme. The Hideaway has two steak nights, I prefer Tuesday nights, because it is blues night with Houston Blues man, Rick Lee. Be sure to check it out and since I live across the street I am sure there will be more steak night gatherings ahead.

Low Tech but cool....

2009-01-14T19:49:00.001-06:00

So this really isn't all that of high tech gadget, but I think it
ideally is awesome. Case Logic makes this external drive case that
holds 2.5" drives awesomely. I keep my iTunes library and photos and
stuff like that on an external drive, I had one and it died from all
the abuse of carrying it around. This dude is a champ, designed for
one drive but can hold two, this is worth picking up. Available at
Frys and other places.

Music Review: 'Warchild' Emmanuel Jai

2009-01-13T12:56:00.006-06:00

While on vacation I picked up Emmanuel Jai's album Warchild. I'm not really into a lot of rap, but I do like to listen to it on occasion. This is probably one of my favorite rap artists, the lyrics and message to his music is very powerful and relevant, which clearly comes from his story. Born in Sudan, at the age of seven, Emmanuel became a part of the SPLA army, in the albums song Warchild, he tells this tale. Emmanuel raps brings a message of hope, and freedom from oppression, and lyrics that speak out against injustice. Emmanuel uses music to bring awareness to the struggles in the Sudan; he also is involved in building schools in Africa.

RJD2 Review and iTunes via 3G

2009-01-13T12:48:00.004-06:00

Last week I mentioned I downloaded a track via iTunes on the iPhone. You can download tracks easily from the iTunes Music store via 3G, However, entire albums will be a bit trickier to download, evidently there is a 10mb download limit for 3G downloads, still a cool feature but none the less, a painful reminder that bandwidth and compression are two areas of growth. The album I downloaded as ">RJD2's Magnificent City of Instruments . A really great instrumental album. It's not just synth beats and techno pops, it incorporates actual instruments and adds sounds and styles from various genres, respectfully. Check it out, its really good if you want to listen to something and not be distracted by the words. A side note, the album was a part of iTunes Plus, so it is DRM free. So awesome.

Lazy Sunday

2009-01-11T13:53:00.002-06:00

Today has been a great Sunday. I met with some friends for coffee @
Catalina's Coffee on Washington. Catalina's has some of the best
coffee in Houston by far. After coffee, I came home, took a nap while
lunch cooked in the oven, and read a little bit. Once the sun came out
Bandit was laid out under his window soaking it all in. I may try to
get some laundry done before heading off to a church group and services.

2009-01-10T23:24:00.001-06:00

Forgot to type 'Apple' in last post.

2009-01-10T23:19:00.001-06:00

Last week Announced iTunes via 3G. I noticed a 10mb limit, more than that and you'll need wifi connection.

New FOM Series

2009-01-04T15:26:00.001-06:00

Here's the graphic I designed for a new series of talks we're starting
at the FoM this week ( www.thefom.com ). I'm happy how the art turned
out for this series, and i am really excited about the content of the
series. We're discussing financial practices, not a bad idea in the
current economy. The reason I am excited though is because I really
know what it feels like under serious financial debt and pressure (see
previous posts), but I also know how great it feels to finally get the
emergency fund into the savings account and to pay off several debts.
I'm going into 2009 with no consumer debt, only student loans and
medical debts! (thank God for His grace!). If you're interested in
these talks we'll be meeting at St. Pres. on Memorial. We also have a
podcast you can access through iTunes.

Onion Creek - Blog via iPhone Test

2009-01-04T11:55:00.003-06:00

I'm testing out how to blog via my iPhone. So far posting text and
pictures is interesting. I snapped this at Onion Creek restaraunt /
coffee bar / bar in the Houston Heights district on Friday night. I
was at a friends birhtday. This is a really cool place to hang out.
Decent food, good coffee, a great atmosphere and a nice selection of
wine and draft beer. Parking is interesting, especially during peak
hours, avoid the area with no parking and tow away signs and you
should be good.

Merrry Christmas!!!!

2008-12-25T20:25:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

GOOD: Christmas Made in China

2008-12-22T21:05:00.002-06:00

I thought this was somewhat interesting. Not really earth shattering or anything. The song cracked me up pretty good though.

Enjoying the Vacation.

2008-12-21T22:12:00.002-06:00

I've taken the last two weeks of the year off from work and headed up to the hill country. So far it's been great. Don't be surprised if there is a lot of insane blogging going on. I've had a few on the back burner and may try to get them out over the next few weeks. I've got a wide variety of reading materials I hope to finish before returning to work.

Peace and love. More to come.

Ozark For All Video.

2008-12-17T16:52:00.004-06:00

Camp Ozark Foundation - Ozark for All from Camp Ozark on Vimeo.

Here's a video I recently produced for Camp Ozark, and their Ozark For All Program. For those interested, I wrote, edited, and created the motion graphics for the spot. The voice over is performed by Angie Torn, one of the Camp Ozark staffers. We where able to take a group of our FPR kids to be a part of OFA this past summer. I believe we're going to try to take another group this summer. For information on how you can donate or participate with OFA go to www.campozark.com/foundation.

New MacBook Pro

2008-12-17T16:49:00.002-06:00

I haven't been blogging a lot lately, because well, I've been kinda busy, I also recently upgraded to a new MacBook Pro this past week! So far it is awesome! I finished completely installing everything onto it, and I am working on getting everything into place. My iTunes external hard drive is starting to go, so I replaced it today. So far it's been a pain to move everything over. Once the iTunes transfer is complete, I'll be set to rock out with this bad boy. I haven't had a chance to work on any specific projects, but will hopefully work on somethings over the holidays.

Peace!

Netflix Instant on My Mac.

2008-12-17T16:45:00.003-06:00

So Netflix recently made their Watch Instantly queue available on Macs. Evidently this seems to be limited to Mac's with Intel processors. Good thing I recently upgraded;) so far, It seems pretty cool. Video quality is not that bad, and the list of available titles is growing. I am a supporter of online streamed video, especially video that is commercial free.

Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson

2008-12-04T16:39:00.002-06:00

I picked up this album off of iTunes before thanksgiving and worked really hard at not listening to until after turkey day. It's a really good album, and this is a really good song.

Been slightly busy...

2008-12-04T15:46:00.004-06:00

It's been a little busy lately, been wrapping up some projects that I'll be mentioning on here later. This is a picture of flyer for a local theatre event. I've been doing a lot of print / web work lately, which has been fun. It's been helping strengthen the design skills. I'm really hoping that 2009 is more of a video year though.

latest happenings

2008-12-03T10:55:00.000-06:00

Well work here at Gotham Image Works has began it's seasonal decline...I've started to load a lot of our stock footage in Apple ProRes, so far I am really digging ProRes as a format, esp. for HD. Once the footage is on the computers we'll keep a copy of it in ProRes, we'll create two additional copies, one will be downconverted into a 16x9 Standard def. format, the other file will be a 4:3 pan and scan Standard Def. format. I'm really looking forward to playing around with the footage in Apple's color grading software, Color. I've also gotten my hands on some Red One footage to play around with. The stuff I am seeing from that camera is amazing.

Consolidated Blogs

2008-11-26T11:36:00.001-06:00

So I combined my "video stuff" blog into my personal blog. No big deal I guess. Wasn't posting much onto the other blog that much thought this might help out. I also changed the layout a little bit.

Advent Conspiracy

2008-11-24T21:14:00.006-06:00

This year our church is participating in Advent Conspiracy. We're going to try to raise money to dig a water well in El Salvador. More to come.

Christmas Shopping: A Thought

2008-11-24T21:14:00.005-06:00

Debt is the tangible manifestation that we are owned by possessions, just as Giving is the tangible manifestation that we are free of our possessions.

Every year people spend money on stuff, especially the day after Turkey Day, a.k.a as black friday. Have a Merry Christmas this year, but don't let shopping leave with you with a bill that your paying off until July. (aka Christmas in July).

Recession Survival Guide.

2008-11-21T09:00:00.003-06:00

So it continues each day to look as if we are in or definitely heading into an economic recession, for how long or to what extent, no one really seems to know. I've had several really good conversations about personal finances on the upcoming recession. From a personal finances standpoint, I've been working through Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, which is a great plan, even if there's not a recession.

Dave Ramsey's steps are seven steps ordered in specific priority, 1) $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund, 2) Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball, 3) 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings, 4) Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement College funding for children, 5) Pay off home early, Build wealth and give!, 6) Invest in mutual funds and real estate

Where I am at in the Baby steps, is step 2, the debt snowball. I have a tweaked baby steps, by having steps 1 and 3 quasi consolidated. I have the emergency fund in an ING savings account, the difference for me is that I have my paycheck direct deposit, so I have a portion of my check deposited into savings automatically. I do this for two reasons, one is that my career choice is in an industry that has a varying market stability so to speak, so savings is a good thing, and having more saved than not is great. I also do this for my debt snowball. A large portion of my debt is medically related, so as I get money saved up I can negotiate settlements with my debtors. I'd recommend a regular savings plan for folks in careers that don't have regular pay frequencies, such as contractors, freelancers, sales people, etc. Ideally though, it's good to have the $1000 emergency fund in place before you start attacking your debt.

I'm no expert, but I think we may be in a tight financial situation for a time. Markets are cyclical, and they usually come back. I don't know the future, but living under one's income is a wise practice despite the economic climate.

Step 2, aka the debt snowball is a pretty solid plan to paying off debt. You basically pay off your debt smallest to largest and work your way out of debt. The principle idea of this plan is that you make your regular monthly payments, once the smallest debt has been payed off, you take the money you where paying and apply it to the next debt "in line".

Some suggestions for life in the recession, maybe even some considerations in addition to the listed steps above. One is that if you don't have any money in savings, you need to change this pronto. Prioritize getting the emergency fund, and don't touch the funds unless it is a legitimate emergency. Maintain a zero-sum budget every month, and keep your budget balanced every month, during tight financial times, it doesn't help if you don't know where your money is going. If possible, I'd recommend paying off as much consumer driven debt as possible, i.e. credit cards. get rid of them fast. So you may have to make some lifestyle adjustments, but this is not the end of the world. A positive lifestyle change may be to switch from eating out more often to eating at home. This can be beneficial in several ways, one, is savings in money, you are spending less on groceries than you would eating out, thus saving money, or freeing up the money spent on eating out to keep a good supply of staple foods in the house. I generally like to keep non-perishable foods well stocked up in the pantry. Saving for "rainy days" may also need to include foods that can last.

Interesting Business Idea

2008-11-21T08:50:00.004-06:00

I found this article online, reported by Fox's WDRB Louisville station. I found the contrast between current US news reports of CEO's getting called on excessive salaries and luxurious spending. Not wanting to make this into a good vs. evil, us vs. them, stick it the rich guy posting, the question that has been going around in my mind is if making piles of money is not the end then what's the point? I am curious as to what the market landscape would look like if people chose professions by what they really really wanted to do or services to provide? What would a grocery shopping experience be like, if the guy selling you produce really loved being a grocer, and served people accordingly. I think where we have gained large profitable companies, that have consolidated certain markets into one or two large entities, it has cost us sustainability.

Japanese airline president and CEO "shares the pain"

The airline industry is going through rough times, but Japan Airlines is still managing to fly high, winning the "Airline Turnaround Award" from the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation.

JAL's chief executive is largely responsible for maneuvering his company through aggressive reforms as he takes "sharing the pain" to a whole new level.

After his morning commute on the city bus, Haruka Nishimatsu heads into the office and gets busy at his desk with the rest of his Japan Airlines co-workers.

At lunch, he lines up in the cafeteria and hopes his meal doesn't get cold as he waits to pay. It's not exactly the glamourous life you'd expect from the CEO of one of the world's top ten international airlines.

Perhaps that's why, then JAL slashed jobs and asked older employees to retire early, Nishimatsu cut every single one of this corporate perks. Then for three years running he slashed his own pay. He made about $90,000 last year, less than what his pilots earn.

Nishimatsu says, "The employees who took early retirement are the same generation and age as me. I thought I should share the pain with them. So I changed my salary."

Nishimatsu shrugs it off, saying it's not a big deal. But that certainly stands in contrast to CEOs in the United States being grilled by Congress over perceived corporate excesses and balooning salaries and bonuses.

When Nishimatsu was told the top-paid U.S. CEOs make tens of millions, in some cases nearly $200 million a year, he expressed surprise, and when he was asked whether he could imagine making that much, he said, "Noooo."

In Japan, says Nishimatsu, there's less of a pay gap between the top and the bottom: "We in Japan learned during the bubble economy that businesses who pursue money first fail. The business world has lost sight of this basic tenet of business ethics."

He says his airline has a long, difficult recovery ahead. As far as his pay, he's dug into his savings like many other people. "The air conditioning broke, and the water heater, and the car. My wife is still telling me, this is all your fault."

But relating to what his employees and his passengers are feeling and living in the global slowdown might be the ticket to his own airline's survival.

An Empty Heart.

2008-11-16T09:36:00.004-06:00

Nouwen on the Poverty of Mind

"Someone who is filled with ideas, concepts, opinions and convictions cannot be a good host. There is no inner space to listen, no openness to discover the gift of the other. It is not difficult to see how those "who know it all" can kill a conversation and prevent an interchange of ideas. Poverty of mind as a spiritual attitude is a growing willingness to recognize the incomprehensibility of the mystery of life.

Nouwen on the Poverty of Heart

Not only is the ministry but in all other helping professions as well we have to remind ourselves constantly that an inflated heart is just as dangerous as an inflated mind. An inflated hear can make us very intolerant. But when we are willing to detach ourselves from making our own limited experience the criterion for our approach to others, we may be able to see that life is greater than our life, history is greater than our history, experience greater greater than our experience and God greater than our God.

- Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out; The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life

The first time I read this, I realized I've let my self, my heart and mind, become full. I realized that in my mind and heart becoming full I have made no room for others, but also no room for Christ. I've began to realize that this poverty of mind is spirit is an essential step in becoming close to God and close to others.

Blessed are the poor.

Movie Review: Call + Response

2008-11-12T17:25:00.005-06:00

I viewed this documentary recently that blends various musical performances, interviews, and stories all focusing on modern slave trafficking. It was really an interesting film. It was very somber, challenging disturbing, and yet uplifting to see many people wanting to bring awareness to this issue and try to change it.

Some interesting facts on modern slavery:

Experts estimate that today there are 27 million people enslaved around the world.

The CIA estimates 14,500 to 17,000 victims are trafficked into the “Land of the Free” every year.

Slavery today is defined as forced labor without pay under threat of violence.

600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked internationally every year.

Approximately 80% of them are women and children.

Slavery was officially abolished worldwide at the 1927 Slavery Convention, yet it continues to thrive thanks to the complicity of some governments and the ignorance of much of the world.

In the 2000 Refugee Report, “Trafficking in Women and Children: A Contemporary Manifestation of Slavery,” former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright calls human trafficking “the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world.”

Slavery is an extremely profitable, international industry. Experts estimate trafficking in the US yields $9 billion every year.

Around the world, trafficking in women for commercial sex purposes nets $6 billion per year. The trade of human flesh is so lucrative that authorities complain that even as they close in on one smuggling ring in the US, another one pops up.

The four most common types of slavery are: chattel slavery, debt bondage, forced labor, and sexual slavery.

1.2 million children trafficked every year (2)

In 1850 slaves cost $40,000 (todays dollar), today they only cost $30
(Bales, 1999)

2004: 7000 traffickers prosecuted, 3000 convicted (3)

Most common type: debt bondage

Fastest growing: trafficking

Maximum Jail Time for trafficking: 20 yrs-life, depending on offense (4)

Convicted traffickers must "provide full restitution to victims" (4)

Check out the documentary, also check out www.callandresponse.com to get some more information on this problem.

Henri Nouwen

2008-11-12T16:54:00.002-06:00

I've been reading a lot of Henri Nouwen's work lately. I've read Reaching Out:The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life, and The Way of the Heart. I'm about to start The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Meditation on Fathers, Brothers, and Sons.

I've really enjoyed Nouwens writings, they are very reflective and help focus on inward spirituality. It's been helping lately on prioritizing quiet time, times for prayer and reflection.

Pick up a few of his books, and I think you'll enjoy.