Well, I have pretty much been blown away again by Apple’s new product onslaught in the past 30 days. First, the iPod nano (which is so much smaller in your hands than the TV commercial can really convey). Then, this week, the new iPod with video and iTunes 6. Add to this a revised iMac with standard WiFi, a new super cool Apple media remote, Front Row media software, the touch sensitive Mighty Mouse and a built-in iSight camera—all former options or new features—all included in the same iMac prices as before ($100 lower on the 20 inch iMac), and you can see why I’m trying to outrun the raging technolust welling up within me. I’ll have to stay away from the MOA Apple Store a while longer--perhaps move to a secluded monastery with no broadband for a time.

In all this, I was predicting a WiFi and internet enabled iPod (more so than the video iPod the market was expecting). Back to my concept of a future podcomputer, I still think the WiFi capability could be a compelling feature that brings with it a new internet and communications experience centered around mobile digital media and human interaction.

Well, I’m still waiting. But don’t be surprised if this is next year’s big iPod innovation. This year, it’s all about the videos baby. Achtung!

Of course, Robert X. Cringley has a very fascinating (as always) perspective on this over at PBS. Check it out, and if you have the stomach for it, read the second half of the column on the Google AdWords research his friend is conducting. If you’re into mathematics and game theory (from John Nash, featured in the film, “A Beautiful Mind”), you’ll be in heaven.

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Can you hear me (chat) now?

Saturday, October 15, 2005

While my readership is pretty small right now, Windows users may have experienced a glitch in my main page content in the past week (text was being pushed way down the page). Troubleshooting this caused a dearth of new blog entries. Please allow me to explain. (Warning: boring technical details follow.)

You may have noticed, I discovered how to add linked graphics to the sidebar on my page. Most of these are more eye candy (and for the sake of learning how to do it), but the important one to note for AOL instant messenger (AIM) and iChat users is the new iChat status box.

This box will show “ONLINE” with a green dot when I am available to chat via my computer. If it shows “OFFLINE” and a red dot, then I am not available to chat. If you click on this box, it will boot your AIM software and contact me for a chat. Pretty cool. Sorry to you MSN Messenger users. Get AIM if you want to chat live with me. It’s free, just follow the link to AOL.

The reason for the glitch was related to the size of the ONE campaign graphic I added (a worthy campaign that everyone should learn about—just click on the link to find out more). It only affected IE 6 for Windows—no surprise (he said with disgust). The upside if being forced to use Windows at work is that I get test all my web code in IE 6 (whereas my pages looked fine in Firefox, Safari and Omni web browsers). In any case, a few minutes on the RapidWeaver forums and I found the easy fix. As you can see, it works fine now.

So chat with me when the box goes green (or even audio and video conference me if you have the ability to with iChat).

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Preaching "The Choir"

Saturday, October 08, 2005

Lately I've been exploring different types of worship songs beyond that of the basic personal testimony-oriented praise/pop song. Yesterday my iPod cued up and played this one off of the new Album (Oh How the Mighty Have Fallen) from The Choir. Sometimes I find that God is in my iPod--an unexpected and cool aspect of omnipresence. I had been pondering what a modern lament (such those in the Psalms) would sound like. I do believe this is it.

Enough to Love (Words and Music: Hindalong, Daugherty)

If I could touch with my fumbling hands your scars
If I could know in my rebel mind your heart
If I could see with my lusting eyes your face
If I could taste on my withered tongue sweet grace

Would I trust You near enough
Would I trust You near enough
Would I trust You near enough
Enough to die
Enough to love

If I could hear with two muffled ears your voice
If could find in my troubled life true joy
If I could feel with numb fingers your spirit
If I could drink for my barren soul your tears

Would I trust You near enough
Would I trust You near enough
Enough to die
Enough to die
Enough to love

If I could touch with my trembling hands your scars

Would I trust You near enough
Would I trust You near enough
Would I trust You near enough
Enough to die
Enough to live
Enough to love

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My new big, fat, Greek word

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Funny how the church is also known as the bride of Christ, and how I learned a new Greek word and idea that I thought I would share, and how this movie title ties those two things together in a mildly humorous way.

Okay. That's a bit of a stretch, but maybe it made you smile.

In any event, I ran across this concept in linking to the church site of a Blogger and V-Logger I have been reading/viewing in the past several months. In working out the mode and practice of what our little emerging ministry will become, I think this is something worth considering. Here's a quote from the church's website:

“MetaKaleo is a Greek word meaning to ‘call through.’ To our community it is an analogy for our time together in communion. We are called from individualism to being in communal relationship with one another and God. MetaKaleo also reminds us of the need to invite others into relationship and community. The first Saturday of every month, we gather for MetaKaleo. In community, we celebrate the sacrament of communion by having a meal, sharing life, prayer, and worship with one another.”

With all due props to Circle Church in Orange County, CA, I love the alternative this presents to consumer oriented, individualistic body life.

And while few would argue with this idea of MetaKaleo, in practice I see many churches pursuing ever more creative ways to make the consumer culture work to their (and God’s) advantage, asking: how can our message connect with the individual (or target market segments)? Rather, maybe the question should be: how can we help connect the individual to the community, and how can the community integrate the message relationally.

Small groups, Bible studies, cell groups, growth groups or whatever they may be called to connect people in a larger church body is not exactly what this is getting at (although these groups can be wonderful vessels of relational community).

Instead, what is done through the sacramental elements, common meal, interactive prayer and worship facilitates being “called through”—beyond a strictly personal faith to the relational, communal life of the body Jesus describes as His kingdom now come.

It's good to expand your vocabulary once in a while.

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