Jul

9

The Coolest Desk EVER

Post Category: Completely Crazy | 4 Comments 

Ok, is this not the coolest desk ever?? Think about the authority you could command in a meeting if you were sitting behind Han Solo frozen in carbonite!

Custom designed by Tom Spina Designs this one-of-a-kind custom Han Solo in carbonite desk was made for Mark Hall (lead singer of Casting Crowns). Just add a Darth Vader costume and you’d be all set. This is definitely going on my “things I would love to own but will probably never get” list. (thanks to my bro for sending me the link)

Post Comments: 4 Comments 

Jul

8

Smoking Hot Music Mixtape

Post Category: Music Reviews, Music Reviews, Smoking Hot Music | 10 Comments 


If you want to listen to highlights from the most recent Smoking Hot Music list then check out my muxtape I put together. It includes the 12 best songs I’ve been listening to recently:

  1. White Winter Hymn - Fleet Foxes
  2. Love You ‘Till The End - The Pogues
  3. Washed By The Water - NeedToBreathe
  4. Waiting for A War - The Morning Benders
  5. Forevermore - Katie Herzig
  6. Jesus Stole My Baby - The Fratellis
  7. When Water Comes To Life - Cloud Cult
  8. We Were Free - Priscilla Ahn
  9. Your Face - Joy Whitlock
  10. Primavera - Ludovico Einaudi
  11. Hymn - Brooke Fraser
  12. The Daydream - Tycho

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Jul

8

Smoking Hot Music 2

Post Category: Blog Posts, Music Reviews, Music Reviews, Smoking Hot Music | 14 Comments 


This is the second edition of SMOKING Hot Music! These albums and artists are simmering in my playlist. Some are new, others are old albums I just discovered. Click on any album cover to read my mini-review. I’d love to know what you think.

Special thanks and a little link love for some music friends…

  • Steven Russel for the Joy Whitlock tip. Joy actually goes to Steven’s church. How cool is that?
  • Brody Harper for the Katie Herzig tip and tons of other great music. If Brody recommends something I can almost go out and buy the album without listening to it. Great taste in music.
  • Brian Alexander for the Ryan Star tip (I’m still waiting for your first music video)
  • CJ Mills for being so cool and having musical tastes so similar to me it’s scary (remember CJ, what we have is very special)
  • Reba Baskett turned me on to Brooke Fraser and has awesome taste in music. I would like her more if she didn’t go to so many cool concerts and make me jealous.

Is there new music out there you think is good enough for my SMOKING Hot Music list? Leave a comment with your suggestions.

Post Comments: 14 Comments 

Jul

7

What Would You Pay for Good Music?

Post Category: Blog Posts, Culture, Music Reviews, Music Reviews, Technology | 12 Comments 

Last week a revolutionary new music download service was launched that, in my opinion, will redefine how independent artists get their music to new listeners. This new service is called NoiseTrade and was started by none other than singer/songwriter Derek Webb who in 2006 gave away over 80,000 downloads of his ‘Mockingbird’ album for free online.

The concept behind NoiseTrade is simple, “A great record is its own best marketing tool,” says Webb. “All the marketing dollars in the world can’t accomplish what one great record can, especially if it’s set free to roam around and connect with the right people.”

NoiseTrade gives you two ways to download music.

  1. Tell 3 friends about NoiseTrade or
  2. Pay what you want

That’s right. This service lets you actually set your own price for what you think the album is worth. Even better, 90% of what you pay goes directly to the artist as opposed to iTunes where well over half what you pay gets split between Apple and the record label (see this article).

Even though this service was launched last week I’ve already seen the catalog of albums offered grow. Even better, there are some excellent artists getting in on this such as Joy Whitlock and Katie Herzig. I’m convinced that this represents a huge paradigm shift in the way that new music is distributed in the future.

What do you think of the NoiseTrade concept?
If you had a choice, would you pay what you thought was fair for good music?
What do you think is fair for a digital album download?

Post Comments: 12 Comments 

Jul

3

Travel Tips for The Weekend

Post Category: Blog Posts, Completely Crazy, Videos | 17 Comments 

If you’re travelling this weekend here’s a timely tip that will help speed up your trip. A new study by the Department of Travel suggests that most traffic congestion problems could be solved with a simple ‘Honk’ of your horn.

(click here if you can’t see the video)

Post Comments: 17 Comments 

Jul

2

Rocking Our Sunglasses

Post Category: Family, photos | 8 Comments 

Here are a few pictures just for fun of me hanging out with the girls from yesterday and over the weekend. A couple of observations:

  1. We all enjoy wearing sunglasses
  2. We think we look cool in each other’s sunglasses
  3. Emily can make one heck of a “I’m mad at you” face
  4. I have no idea where Chloe learned that pose but it scares me!

You wanna know the difference between you and me? I make kid sunglasses look good!

Post Comments: 8 Comments 

Jul

1

I’m a “Chicken Killer”

Post Category: Family, Videos | 5 Comments 

The other night we bought a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, much to my daughter Emily’s horror. We’ve had conversations with her before on this subject but this time Lisa grabbed the camera and got it on video.

The best part is when she calls us, as only a 4-year old can do, a “birdy-eater-head.” Watch this video that Lisa posted on her blog.

Post Comments: 5 Comments 

Jul

1

Get Your Grav On

Post Category: Blog Posts, Blogging, Technology | 39 Comments 

I just added a feature to my blog that I should have added a LONG time ago. This new feature is called Gravatars, which stand for “Globally Recognized Avatars.” Pull that one out at your next dinner party if you want to impress the socks off someone (or let them know how big of a geek your really are).

In simple terms, Gravatar allows you to associate a small photo of yourself so when you comment on a blog your avatar appears. It’s simple and can be set up in less than 2 minutes.

So what are you waiting for? Go get your Gravatar on! Then come back and leave a comment so we can put a face with a name!

Post Comments: 39 Comments 

Jun

30

Indulge My Curiosity

Post Category: Blog Posts, Technology | 39 Comments 

I always like to learn new things about my readers, but first something you may not know about me. Did you know, I’ve been on the Internet long enough to remember connecting onto Compuserve through a 28.8k modem? Downloading 35k .wav clips, listening to MIDI files and downloading “high res” jpeg images at 800×600! Ahh, those were the days.

I know this is total blog/web/computer geek curiosity but I’m just wondering, what kind of Internet connection do you have now?

Cable?
DSL?
Dial-Up?

Indulge my geeky curiosity.

Post Comments: 39 Comments 

Jun

28

Dancing With The (Star Wars) Stars

Post Category: Blog Posts, Completely Crazy, Videos | 10 Comments 

Chewbacca getting footloose with a sandman and Darth Vader dancing to Thriller.

On a Saturday, it doesn’t get better than that.

Post Comments: 10 Comments 

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