Vintage Jesus

Our church is entering into a series (after easter) called Vintage Jesus. In designing the art for this series I decided to take a different approach.

In most series art (or usually anything else I design for church) I start with an idea or concept I've seen somewhere else. I often purchase a stock photo or design and go from there. With this design I decided I'd like to start from scratch and see what I can create on my own. It was very freeing (and fun) to let my mind wonder and to see it take shape.

Here are my original sketches of Jesus, as well as the final design for Vintage Jesus (I ended up using a purchase vector art background to give it texture).

This post is a part of Watercooler Wednesday

Craig Gross Rocked Cypress

Craig Gross from xxxchurch was with us this morning for our services and did a phenomenal job at addressing the issue of pornography. After the services I was able to sit down with him (and his daughter) over some tae food. We got to talk about xxxchurch, how it began, what's happening now, and the impact that they are having globally. It was a great opportunity to get some time with a church leader that I have a huge amount of respect for.

A new way to be creative

I sat in a art design meeting last night and listened as a friend talked about how surprised she was at her husbands artistic side. She had never known her husband to be "artsy" and was surprised to see how much he enjoyed it.

I began to think more about this and how we all have a need or desire in us to create. Whether its a story, or a garden, or a microcontroller (see below), we all need outlets for our creativity.

So for you - if you're looking for a new outlet for your creative side, check out a magazine I recently stumbled across. It is the DIY guide to projects you couldn't even dream of. You can check it out and subscribe at www.makezine.com

This post is a part of Watercooler Wednesday

SNL Sketch of the week

GOOG-411

Another way that Google is in the forefront of revolutionary business ideas.

AT&T and its competitors rake in $7 billion a year from directory assistance, charging 50 cents to $1.75 per call. Google, on the other hand, offers its automated GOOG-411 service gratis. How can the search juggernaut afford not to charge?

A) Get free data. Each time callers to GOOG-411 request a phone number, they're giving Google valuable information. Each call provides voice data representing unique variations in accent, phrasing, and business names that Google uses to improve its service. Estimated market value of that data since the service launched last spring: $14 million. B) Invest in the next big thing. Still, the value of that information hardly compares with potential earnings if Google were to charge $1 per call. Why give away the store? Honcho Peter Norvig has said that GOOG-411 is a test bed for a voice-driven search engine for mobile phones. If it serves ads to those phones, Google's share of that market could be measured in billions.

Google sacrifices a potential revenue of 144 Million by 2012 for the potential earnings from the north american and european mobile search market (estimated to be 2.5 Billion)

From Wired

Clive Davis

I just read an article on Clive Davis in the newest edition of Rolling Stone.

How can a man stay on top of the music industry for 50 years. Popping out hit after hit. The man has an ear for relevant culture. And though we share different tastes in music, it is very impressive (to say the least)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Davis

xxxchurch and a hotel

On March 16th our church will be hosting Craig Gross as we hold our first ever "Porn Sunday". Its part of a series we're doing called "Elephant in the Pew". Two weeks long covering Politics and Porn. Not something you usually talk about in church. Interestingly enough the topic causing the most stir is politics...

But about Porn Sunday...

I had a very funny phone conversation this morning. I stepped out of my office for a bit and when I got back to my desk I had a message from the hotel reservations office about my reservation. When I returned the call I was informed that I could not use the name that I used (xxxchurch) to reserve my room. They thought it was a joke and needed another company name or an individual. I got it all sorted out, but as I hung up I thought of a few other things I could have said to settle their confusion...

Like maybe I could have just given a name for them to use (then asked that they have a ready supply of ices cube, two tubs of Crisco, and all of the furniture cleared out of the room).

I hate it when I have great ideas just a little too late.

Were Official

Yes - its finally true. We now live in Florida. After two years of bumming while we tried to sell/rent our house in Indiana, we signed a lease on a house in Land O Lakes.
We will be official on April 1st. Whoo Hoo!

A First...

Sunday marked a big first for me. I have been writing music for quite a while, but I have always felt weird about using my original stuff in a worship service I was leading. It felt to me like I was forcing my creativity on the people I was leading. It just was hard for me. I think more than anything, once I finish writing a song, I'm pretty well done with it. I love the process of writing and recording, but then I hardly ever really enjoy my finish product. Its probably a self confidence issue or something.
Its also really hard for me to write worship songs. They just don't come naturally to me. I either try to over simplify it or make it to lyrically complex. Its a hard balance for me.
But this Sunday I mustered up the balls and played an original. Over all a pretty positive experience.
You can hear the song here.