More blog plz

I have been remiss these past few days in making posts. I have been away on vacation. I went down to San Diego for a working group meeting.

There's been so much going on the past few days I cannot begin to start at the beginning. So, before I begin talking about Sara Palin and Barack Obama, I will share with everyone a few pictures from my trip to San Diego.

Beautiful scenery taken with my 3.0 megapixel camera phone.

A little night life action. This band did a tribute to Parliament that was not half bad at all. They actually performed the song Maggot Brain (after receiving a $50 tip from a drunk acquaintance of mine) and did a really good job. This song has incredible guitar sections that you would not believe. Here's a link to Maggot Brain @ YouTube to view it there. Not this group performing the song, just the original song being performed.

That's My Car!!!

Have you ever played the game "That's My Car"? Well, here are the rules,

Take turns. Choose one of the next 5 vehicles that you pass (or that pass you) to be "your car" as if it were your very own. All players mutually decide if you are a "winner" or a "loser" based on how nice a car you "own" compared to the other players current cars.

From what I saw in San Diego, I think I was the winner of this game.

Praise and Thanksgiving

Ok, I admit this is filler. I wanted to post something. But I really don't have much to go along with what I want to say.

But then again, the word of the Lord is more powerful than any two edged sword. It can stand all by itself. So without much further to say, introducing to some and presenting to others... Psalms 100:4.

NIV
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

AMP
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

KJV
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Creative Marketing

While watching today's olympics, I was not excited about anything I saw. That is until I saw a commercial for Round Table Pizza.
The commerical is a good play on words, comparing their slogan "More for Less" to the "Les", the name of the guy depicted in the commercial.

At first I didn't understand the commercial when I saw it. But at second, when the tag line was spoken, not only did it make sense, it was inspirational. I had to blog on it. But it took me a little bit of hunting through Google and Youtube to find what I was looking for.

So, here is the commercial found on Youtube.

Enjoy!

Way to go Woot!

The 2008 edition of Inc Magazine's annual list of fastest growing companies in America.

I recently received an email that Woot! has garnered some really nice kudos.

In part the email says that Woot.com :

• Woot was acknowledged as the #1 fastest-growing retailer in the United States
• The fastest-growing North Texas-based company
• 25th fastest-growing company in the nation

The rest of this entry can be found at Woot Named Fastest-Growing Retailer In The Inc. 5000 on the Woot website.

Congratulations Woot!

Now get rid of the Smart Post method of shipping, I bed of you.

A belated tribute

(click photo to enlarge)

I am really going to miss the late, great Bernie Mac. The Mac Man left a rich legacy. So many facets of my life will be forever changed because of the man he was.

I recently came across a video of DL Hughley speaking at Bernie Mac's memorial service. It was originally taken from the SmokingSection website. The video is hosted at Youtube.

Please enjoy this clip while I have a few moments of deep, contemplative time to remember the late, great Bernie Mac. May you rest in peace Mac Man.

How Fast is Fast?

(image courtesy of http://www.sportsnet.ca)
(click all photos to enlarge)

There are two other countries that I enjoy cheering for in this 2008 Olympics. I am pulling for

BRAZIL and
JAMAICA

Not because I have ever been to those countries. Not even because of the similar colors in their flags or that they are dark skinned people like myself (but it does weigh heavy in my mind).

But rather, I believe in the sportsmanship that the country's program sponsors and supports. Yesterday I was privileged to watch an awe inspiring event unfold before my very eyes, and it was beautiful.

The headlines read:

Jamaica sweeps women's 100m

I believe the true star of the hour last night was 21 year old Shelly-Ann Fraser. She was the winner of the women's 100m dash last night (Sunday). Her teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart came in for the silver and the bronze in a "dead heat tie" according to the commentary on NBCOlympics.

A question boggled my mind. It rattled around in my mind so fiercely that I could not sleep until I found out. I just had to know. Shelly-Ann was clocked in 10.78 seconds in the 100m. How fast is this in miles per hour?

Well, I am no scholar of the metric system thing thanks to the education I received (or did not receive) at schools such as Pine Forest Sr. High. So I simply consulted the oracle, or rather the internet.

The website Machine Head Software has a Speed Distance Time Calculator that made the task of converting her numbers so easy. Unfortunately I had to round her 10.78 seconds up a little bit to the 10.8 mark, but in this instance it is surely forgiveable.

And the results from the calculation is that Shelly-Ann ran at an amazing, alarming, exciting speed of 20.7 miles per hour!

Here's proof of the calculations.

Getting High to say Hi to my High School.

Recently I was comparing the quality of aerial photos between Google Maps and Microsoft Live Maps. As I traversed the world from South Korea to Beijing to Seattle, I began to think about the places I've been that I would like to visit one more time.

Then I flew to Pine Forest Sr. High. This is the school my sister and I graduated from. I really did a lot of learning and maturing at this school. I had more bad days than I had good days. But that is a topic for another time.

Enjoy the pictures compliments of Google Maps and Microsoft Live Maps.

(Click pictures to view larger size)

Seven Golds for Phelps

In a remarkable showing, I just watched Michael Phelps win his 7th Gold medal. It came down to just 0.01 of a second. It was amazing. Cavic, the guy that lost did so because he took his last stroke and tried to coast in with his arms stretched out.

It really looked like Phelps was not going to win even fresh out of the blocks. At no point did Phelps lead in the race. In the final closing second Phelps took two strokes to the Cavic's one stroke and that is what propelled him to the win.

7 Gold Medals for Phelps!!!

To taint this win, however there was a petition that has been filed on behalf of Cavic. The Serbian swimming officials filed this protest. To the naked eye, it appeared that Cavic was gonna win...but digital electronics and slo motion replay does not lie.

He is doing it BIG!

(Photo courtesy of http://www.timalanstudios.com)

He is on a quest for an unprecedented 8 gold medals. As of when I am writing this he has gotten 6 of them. I recently watched him win the 200 meter.

I haven't been this excited about watching the Olympics since watching Mary Lou Retton.

This kind of reminds me of how baseball was in a major slump following the 1994 Strikes. Thanks to the home run hitters stepping up (whether juiced or not) they really helped to turn the sport around in the public's eye.

Well Mike Phelps is doing just that very same thing for me. I am trying to keep up with the Olympics and show my kids how "awesome" the games really can be. We try to watch some highlights from the NBC Olympics website. As often as we can.

For the good...

Biblical scripture reassures us in Romans 8:28 that God has the ability to work things out for our good. There are two things I am reminded of in reading this.

1) This statement does not mean that everything bad that happens in our lives was caused or allowed to happen by God. Often times people lose the life of a loved one or friend and question "Where was God in all of this?" Let me assure you that God was there. God is still there. God is in the midst of everything that is going on. But so is our adversary the devil. Scripture tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 that the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Even though he is going back and forth, to and fro, he cannot be everyone at the same time. But God is everywhere.

2) The second thing I am reminded of is that God is working on behalf of those who satisfy two requirements. He is working on behalf of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose.

I am still working on the second part myself. So often I say "I love you Lord", but then turn around some time later and do something that makes my heavenly Father sad. But through it all, I know I am a work in progress.



Dottie Peoples has a song entitled God Meant It For My Good. A portion of the lyrics and chorus are:

I've had trials and tribulations
Unexpected situations
Living here below
I've had friends to turn their backs on me and
leave me standing in the
cold
...
Chorus

He meant it for my good
God meant it for my good
He brought me out without a doubt
I knew that he would
Now I know no defeat, I'm strong when I'm weak God gave me a song, now I
must sing on The devil meant it for bad, but I'm so glad God meant it
for my good

Please stay strong and encouraged. This message is not over.

Fleeting Life

I read today in one of my most favorite blogs about the untimely demise of a great comedian, Bernie Mac. This is a sad day in the lives of all whom his comedy has touched and moved.

Reading the words of Salt and Light (the world's greatest up and coming blogger) reminds me of the scripture James 4:14 illustrated in the picture above.

Our lives are but a fleeting moment in time. Many people will say its not about the years you have in your life, but the life you have in your years. Life is for the living. Because tomorrow is not promised to any man or woman, we must... we have to... we gotta gotta gotta treat every moment as a fine jewel or a delicate gift. After all, it is the "present".

Iron Sharpens Iron

My sister raises a very valuable concept in her blog entry titled More to say already.

The bible tells us the scripture in the picture above.

It is in our conversations with fellow believers that we grow stronger in our convictions, thoughts and are focused on a singular purpose of life. Profound words? Not really. Just think about the people you hang around. The people in your circle of friends strengthen the desires and goals you have in your heart.

The people close to me encourage me. They build me up. They sharpen me. And I sharpen them in return. My sister encourages and inspires me (what a wonderful MUSE she is) in ways that I only hope to encourage and inspire her in return.

I must return to my school work. I am currently attending University of Phoenix Online. Believe me when I say the course work is for real. The MBA program is not just a degree that will be handed out.

Renewed Vigor

I have a renewed vigor for blogging. I am excited. I am elated. I am overjoyed.

Please don't look at the date stamp between now and the last time I made an entry here. Ok, I know you are going to look, so go ahead. I will wait....

Now you are probably wondering why am I writing again. Well, my sister has began to blog. I am so very happy for her. This has given me a new, happy, warm feeling. I now have the desire to add to my own blog just to tell others of hers.

So make your way over to http://saltandlight888.blogspot.com and check out her spot on the web.

I really like the name she has chosen for her blog. The 888 portion is because today (8/8/2008) is the day that she began. The name, Salt and Light has a more deeper meaning.


Matthew 5: 13-16 (The Message Translation) says:

 

Salt and Light

13 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

 14-16 "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

 
Visit her sight and enjoy her musings, http://saltandlight888.blogspot.com.

See ya next time.