Blind Faith & Purple Cows

Facebook: Status Update (Face-to-face)

2011-07-31T20:13:00.000-07:00

Is Facebook good for us? We are so connected. Are we connected because we are so interested in others, or are we interested in how we might position ourselves among others? Are we looking to listen, read, and see, or be heard, be published, and be seen? I'm not saying it's bad or wrong, I'm just posing the question.

I once said, I would never use a computer to apply my God-given (creative) talents. I was a staunch advocate of graphite, conte crayons, Rapidio-graph pens, the straight edge and the french-curve. I don't think I could have ever been more wrong. What a great tool the personal computer has been!

I just wanted to throw that out there before someone throws me a bunch of statistics about how great Facebook is. I know, I know, I know. I am not saying its wrong, I am just saying I have some concerns. I remember when everyone started building decks on the back of their homes, and people stopped interacting with neighbors. Now, I don't even think we use those decks, because we are too busy working to pay for them and the big houses they are connected to.

I'm going to stay on FB, but I hope that I can push for a little more face-to-face. (If Facebook starts going south I have a great idea that I will share for free..."Facebook for Lawyers".) If you really stop and think about Facebook from your perspective—it's a lot about you. What you do, what you think, what you want, where you are, where you went, where your going, and what you got. If you go back to my earlier days on FB and look at my entries, I was all in! Constantly pitching my worldly travels and accolades, and cool happenings. "Look at me!"

Well, I'm hear to tell you. I'm not that interesting or important. I run the swiffer, I am always late putting a new filter in the AC, the guys at my office probably wonder what I do—I am just a regular old guy, probably a lot like you. I wish I was more important, but it is what it is. Picking up poop in the yard, mowing the grass, going to work. I like this stuff! I enjoy everyday to the max! I love my wife and kids, my family, my friends, my church, and my job.

I think I'm going to spend a couple months sharing that stuff with you in person. I hope that I will spend a little more time chatting with my kids, on dates with my wife and having a cup of coffee with a friend or neighbor. And if I lose a few pounds or do P90X, climb Mount Everest or go to the Carribean to hear Dave Matthews live in concert...I will spare you the pain. I know how it is. I know how you are...just like me. 'Probably sitting in your cubical, eating a bag of chips, thinking about losing weight and listening to Pandora—all the while thinking of something marvelous to post on FB.

I am out for a while. I don't want anymore "likes"! Just call me for a beer or Indian food! I like coffee, politics, religion, design, travel and fly-fishing. I'm a believer, a husband, a dad, a son, an employer, and a friend. Give me a shout! I'm not going to broadcast my "status"—I'd just like to connect. If we haven't connected in a while, I hope you will give me a call, invite me for coffee, or just stop in.

Peace. & Thanks!

Kiss Your Wife

2010-11-14T06:19:00.000-08:00

Just kiss your wife.

Random Thoughts: Halloween, Jesus and Bin Laden

2010-10-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

I recently heard my youngest child won't be enjoying any sweets at this year's (elementary school) Halloween party. Candy and sweets are banned, and replaced by cheese and crackers. I am ashamed to mention that we actually have pumpkins on display at our house, and that one day soon, we will be carving them. I hope we can get one more year in before someone decides to take a stand for the rights of pumpkins.

And never mind about Jesus. All the Christmas trees in public schools are long gone. Thank goodness for Walmart and Target, who took a stand last Christmas to allow their employees to tell customers "Merry Christmas"—after a backlash from patrons during the previous year. I am guessing the corporate motivation was not connected to any financial gain... Nah! I am sure finances had nothing to do with it (wink-wink).

Last but not least...Osama Bin Laden. If I were a betting man, I would say he is dead. It's my blog so I will say it—I think he is dead! Man, in general is vain. He would be writing op eds and taping interviews for CNN or doing tweets from the green room on the View if he were alive. Plus, if our government wanted to snatch somebody, they could do it. There is something else going on here, and the cynical part in me is guessing that a few dollars are being spent to perpetuate this hunt.

(I was just watching a special about Bin Laden on the History Channel, so I thought I would bring him into this post.)

Peace. & Thanks!

A Day at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky

2010-09-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of a little hamburger chain called "Burger King"? I had the opportunity this week to meet with Andrew Keller, the Creative Director at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky—the firm that currently handles the creative for Burger King. They are also known for their work with Volkswagen, BMW Mini, and Microsoft Windows.

I was pretty blown away by their huge facility that exuded creativity and employee perks. They had a concierge on staff, as well as an "extreme concierge" where you could take out a couple dirt bikes and go ride the trails before your a.m. meeting. Have a flat tire or need a repair—just drop it off, and it will be ready for you when you leave. It seemed like the Disneyland of creative agencies. The motif was very raw-industrial, and the place was swarming with ideas. Ideas where stuck everywhere! People where everywhere—the place was packed with over 500 creative employees. It was a cross between a rich-kids tree house, and a super-sized college dorm room. (I say this in a favorable manner.)

Lots of young people, mountain bikes all over the place, girls walking by with their dogs, and people meeting in small groups with laptops and whiteboards. As I sat down in Andrew's office he pressed a button and two translucent garage doors silently closed behind me. It was pretty cool. As my eleven year old son would say, it was "sick nasty"! Out of all the cool and creative things I was exposed to, the coolest thing was that a total stranger, at the top of his game would spare an hour or so out of his busy schedule to talk a little shop with me. I believe Andrew had just gotten back from Paris the morning of my visit and was headed to New York later that day.

I have often been somewhat cynical on this blog, but today it feels right to just be thankful. It was a great experience, and I am truly thankful for my friends (and neighbors) Bryant and Carol Spann, who made the connection—and for Andrew Keller who shared his time.

Be good to someone today.

Peace. & Thanks!
Steve

Hey Apple!

2010-09-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

I am a "Mac" and have been a "Mac" for a long time. The new OS for the iPhone is terrible! My 3g has never been the same since I upgraded the OS, and apparently I can't go back. Since I upgraded the OS it has been sluggish to answer calls, sluggish on apps, and drops calls like crazy. It sounds like the only solution is to upgrade to a new phone, which I may have to do. That might be great for Apple in the short term, but what is going to happen when guys like me won't pump up their products anymore? I hope they are thinking about that...It won't show up on any studies in the short term, but could bite them in the butt over the long term.

I have raved about Apple forever, but those fuzzy feelings deep down in my gut, are getting ready to come back up! It's not pretty.

Come on Apple! I am all for making a profit, and a good sales strategy...but if you think you are going to string us along on your gadget-magic, and bypass the excellent quality you have provided us over the years, you are sadly mistaken.

What does "C" stand for?

2010-05-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

What does the acronym YWCA stand for? My guess would be—"Young Women's Christian Association." Their mission is "eliminating racism, empowering women". I like that. Who would be against that?

I get emails and newsletters from the local YWCA and have noticed that none of these correspondence ever mention anything about "Christian" principals or values. I went to my local YWCA web site and entered the word "Christian" in the search box, and got "0 (zero) responses for my search request. Not one mention of the word Christ or Christian on their web site. My guess at this point is that they must not align themselves with Christian principles anymore. Maybe they never have, I don't know. I can't find anywhere on their web site that defines what their acronym stands for. I only mention this is because of my familiarity with the YMCA whose mission is "to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build health spirit, mind and body for all." I would only assume that the difference would be in regards to the different genders—but I don't want to assume. (That is why I am asking you.)

Anyway, I am aware of their new branding campaign (aka—enhance your donations campaign). It was created by Landor which is a very successful branding company with locations in 21 different countries. Wow! They work with some big clients and have some great solutions, but I have to say, I am not a fan of this one. I read their case history for this client and it stated they were asked to help create a new identity that would more effectively communicate the organizations mission. This case study also stated, "that the new signature features YWCA in bold lowercase letters and places the mission above the YWCA in the same typestyle, tying the name of the organization directly to its mission." And I don't want to forget to mention that Landor also states that the color (orange) is "engaging, warm, and welcoming." From my perspective I think it is about as nondescript as the acronym it doesn't stand for.

I did find an article by a lady named Barbara J. Nelson, about the YWCA's mission expansion and the origins of the Y's anti-racism campaign. Pretty interesting. Apparently, the Y did have Christian roots, but changed focus when the organization shifted from putting Christian values into social action—to a focus based solely on the need to eliminate racism. The thrust of this mission expansion became realized in 1970 through a resolution called "One Imperative" which was the pre-convention product of a Conference of 500 black women of the YWCA, that emphasized the elimination of racism over all other priorities of the YWCA.

On a personal note—sure, I hate to see that the YWCA has dropped their Christian affiliation. But on a professional note, I just wonder why one of the world's leading branding firms would not address the name of the YWCA in it's recent rebrand (especially since they were charged to create a new identity). After reading this article by Barbara Nelson, I see this shift in focus has been brewing since the early 1900's. The recent rebrand would have provided for a great time to re-work the identity (and possibly the name) to align better with the overall emphasis and focus of the organization. My guess is that the money-stick prevailed once again over the principal-stick, because the client and the design firm decided that the brand recognition and value was too great to risk a change. I would hope that wasn't the case, but if I were a betting man, I wouldn't bet against it.

If KFC stopped selling chicken—people would know, and people would talk. If Burger King quit making burgers—people would know and people would talk. If the United Negro College Fund, would give scholarships to rich white kids—people would know and people would talk. So how can an organization that has 25 million members in 122 countries drop such an important word from its association without anybody knowing about it, and anybody talking about it?

I guess Landor has done a great job. I am sure that they knew—and sure that the talked...about the dollars at stake and the stink they would cause if they would pull "Christian" from the name. Even though I believe the YWCA does a lot of great things in our community and around the world, I certainly don't think they stand for their brand. You either go with Christ or you don't. If Burger King didn't offer burgers anymore, would they still be Burger King? There is no in between. (That is unless you are a democrat or republican—I think they both stand for everything.)

Anyway, I don't have anything against the YWCA. I am all for helping others. However, if they are getting donations and memberships under the guise of a "Christian Association" (which is inferred by their identity/acronym and corporate history)—I would have a problem with this.

A note from Gabriel (today)

2010-04-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

The story starts three days ago. As a principal of a creative strategy firm (Blackwell and Co.) I consider myself somewhat off-the-cuff, scatter-brained, OCD, ADD—and do my best to keep all my thoughts and notes organized in my Franklin Planner and Moleskin sketchbook. That is it. I have files, and stacks, and drawers, and binders...but my lifeblood is poured into one of these two books. Well...I lost the sketchbook. What a bummer! It actually made me sick to my stomach, plus it came with a good dose of rage that was hard to keep in check. How could I have been so careless!

On the second day, I got home from work and was reading the news on FB and clicked on a link to a story about some political stuff. BAM! Like a bolt of lightning I found myself eye-to-eye with some type of virus on my phone. As fast as it happened it was over. The phone was dead. I called my friend Jens who offered up some encouragement, but it didn't really help. A lost sketchbook and now a dead phone. Whoa is me. (I do know that in the scheme of things this really isn't a big deal, but it does get better.)

Oh well, today was a new day. I usually start each day out with a nice hot shower and a little prayer for my family and friends. Despite my previous blunder, I am still a pretty thankful man. Anyway, at the end of my prayer, I slipped in a little request to God and asked if I could please see a way to get my sketchbook back—and here is what happened.

I got back from lunch around 130pm and Allie (our Account Coordinator) says she got a strange message for me...Someone called and had the sketchbook. They did not want to share their name, the did not want to share a phone number, and did not want me to meet them. They said that they would take the book back to where they found it (Chase Bank), and that it would be available after 2pm. So around 215pm I went to the bank, asked the teller if anyone left a package for me and sure enough they did—the book!

This book was pretty new, but had several thumbnails and scribbles as well as some of my thoughts regarding certain accounts and certain prospects. I am a faithful guy and try my best to keep Christ focused...and a lot of my notes (to myself) and about certain situations often refer back to how "something" relates back to Christ. Now I am no saint, and that is for sure—so don't take any of this the wrong way. If you ever see me having a hotdog and a cold beer, I am not a hypocrite, I am just a regular-old-man. Anyway, as I was paging through the book I found a note stuck to a page with some tape—it read:

From Gabriel

Steve,
Hmm...Humans are so very interesting and so very confused at times. No matter what this "Christian" venture is your company is pursuing, if God has not ordained it, it will not prevail. Always remember that it is by the Lord's spirit; not by works!

Without sharing too much information, the note followed a section in my book, regarding my thoughts about a prospective client that I believe was "out of focus". So, the note was positioned in a very appropriate spot. But wait! There is more. Shortly after I picked up my sketchbook, I headed out to run an errand. While I was out I had a visitor stop by. It was a familiar local homeless person who we often call "The Shem" (I know that sounds bad...but its the truth.) This is a very tall, lanky, dark-haired man, who dresses as a woman. He/she has been around Charleston for many years wearing the same hose and skirt. I often see him sitting on the ground in front of some of the area storefronts talking to himself, and have at least on one occasion caught him relieving himself in my back parking lot. In my 13 years of business, I have said hello to him, bought him some coffee, and maybe some food—but I never had a conversation with him, and he NEVER came to my office—not one time—until today. He came in the front door, asked to speak with "Steve Blackwell", and as someone went back to my office to get me, he left.

Weird. Crazy. Strange? Could he have been the guy that kept my book for three days? Could he be Gabriel? Is Gabriel a real guy that found my book? Is this some kind of joke? Could this be "Gabriel" the angel? Did God answer my prayer? Is the "Shem" part of this or was it just a coincidence? I don't know. But for a guy who believes that God sent His son, who died on the cross, was buried and rose from the grave on the third day—and who now lives with the Holy Spirit inside him...I wouldn't discount it.

I don't know much about the angel Gabriel, but found this on Wikipedia:

Gabriel is usually portrayed as male, but sometimes also androgynous or female, as in some contemporary art imagery, in popular imagination, and various new age beliefs that say that although all angels are androgynous, Gabriel is more female than male based on astrological properties.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] However, according to the traditional Christian Bible, all angels are neither male nor female, and they also do not reproduce or marry.^[11]

iPhone fixed (thanks Jens!), sketchbook back (thanks Gabriel, stranger, or whoever), and thanks God—I enjoyed another day. What a day!

Peace. & Thanks!

Jesus is a Purple Cow

2010-04-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

As I celebrated Easter this year, I spent Good Friday morning watching Mel Gibson's, "Passion of the Christ" with my friend Jens. I can't say that I enjoyed the movie, but it really helped me to reflect on what Christ did for us. (As tough as it was to watch, it is something that you should see if you haven't seen it yet.) I spent some time reading these accounts in the Bible this weekend and was reminded once again of our historic passion for money and power. From my perspective it usually gets in the way of everything. But from God's perspective it was just part of the plan.

Everybody was giddy and blown away by Jesus, His knowledge of the scriptures, His miracles...there was a buzz in the air. I always hear people talk about change, and their sincere desire to make change...until you mess with their money or their power. The same thing was going on thousands of years ago. The existence of Jesus threatened the power and stability of the Sanhedrin, and the abuse of power and money lived on as the story unfolded.

Leading up to His death, he had performed some remarkable feats. He walked on water, He healed people, He foretold the future, He healed the blind, and raised the dead. No PR machine, no iPhone, no agency, He just did amazing things that people talked about (and still talk about). That is what author Seth Godin might call a Purple Cow (I would certainly call it that). Don't get these stories confused with a Disney movie or a Greek myth. Jesus was a real person. He did not perform the ridiculous, He performed the remarkable. He is the red thread that ties the entire Bible together. It wasn't a storyboard by Pixar, but a plan from God. That red thread was foreshadowed and concealed in the old testament and then later revealed through the gospels in the new testament. A good friend shared it to me this way, "the old testament of the Bible is the new testament concealed, and the new testament of the Bible is the old testament revealed." —What a plan!

A virgin birth, a life with temptation but without sin—a brutal punishment, and crucifixion, coupled with darkness an earthquake and a mass of bodies rising from their graves as Christ died on the cross, and arose from the grave three days later. Not for money and not for power—and not because we deserved anything, but because He loved us...Now that is a Purple Cow!

News Bummer

2009-09-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

I am a conservative guy, with a pretty conservative viewpoint, but I have had it with the news media. It is no longer news but spin. Spin for ratings and personal agendas. It is a joke. I am so tired of the combination of entertainment / political spin. Just give me the news and keep your personal feelings to yourself. I don't want entertainment, I don't want feel good about my viewpoint, I don't want propaganda—I just want the news! I am tired of Fox and flipped over to MSNBC, and got the same crap from a different angle. What a bummer.

I love staying informed—but I am done with TV news. If these guys were musicians, I'd say, "shut up and sing"! (I am not a big fan of musicians spewing their politics either.)

Signals

2009-09-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

Signals provide us with a clue of what is to come. A signal is a transmission used to relay information or instructions. Over the past twenty years or so, due to my background in design, I have been extremely tuned in to the visual signals that exist and what impact they play specifically in the area of market positioning. Many clients I have worked with over the years have had the right stuff, but lacked the ability to provide the appropriate signal to the market. Companies that had great ideas, great products, people and expertise—provided signals that were contrasting their exceptional capabilities. It happens. It happens all the time in fact. What starts out as a perception problem often blossoms into full dysfunction.

Companies will surge and grow regardless of the poor signals they send. Besides, most of these companies and organizations aren't communication companies, they sell widgets, and build bridges—signals and communications aren't important—just widgets and bridges...or whatever it is they hock for a buck. But what happens is they grow into big companies and their small signal / perception issue becomes a gargantuan communication problem. Now we don't have 33 people sending the wrong signals, we have 33,000 people degrading a brand. You can see where this could get a little messy (and expensive).

Let's look at a turn signal (on a car) for an example. You might take it for granted but consistency, frequency, and standardization have really helped this simple little signal communicate with clarity and connect with people at the highest level. Misunderstanding about this minuscule little light could have grave consequences. Just think if some people tapped the brake 3 times for left and 2 times for right. Or, what if others honked their horn, or waved a hand to indicate or signal which direction they were turning. With over 250 million automobiles on the road in the U.S. it would be devastating not to have our signals jive up with our actions.

What signals are you sending? What signals do we send as parents? What signals do we send to our spouse? What signals do we send as a church? What signals do we send as a business. What signals do we send as a state—or as a nation? Are we sending the right signals?

I plan to write a series on this topic, and hope that these posts will inspire you to stop, refocus, and look at things from a new perspective. Why does it matter? —Stay tuned.

Remembering the Purple Dragon

2009-06-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

"Purple Cow" is a book by Seth Godin based on a concept of being remarkable and different. In his book Seth discusses the reaction one would have if they were driving through cattle country, and came upon a purple cow. He says we would definitely take notice. We might stop and take pictures, call some friends, knock on some doors, call a reporter...It would just be a freak circumstance that would definitely be worthy of conversation.

Purple Dragon is the studio my old friend used to own in Atlanta. It is also the tattoo that he revealed after pulling his pants down in a conference room full of people. That was definitely a meeting worthy of conversation. Over the years, I came to love this friend. His love of life, his love for his family and his love for the people he met—he really loved life (maybe a little too much). His life stories and experiences were over the top, some of the things he shared with me were beyond belief.

He came from a culture that was totally foreign to me. I don't think I can recall a time that he didn't arrive or leave without a manly embrace, and a kiss on the side of my cheek. His entrance and exit was that of a rock star. Loud, boisterous, usually trailed by several expletives and his signature-"ROCK N' (F'N') ROLL! He was a true character, but he was genuine. The purple dragon was definitely a purple cow. Maybe somewhat crazy, but definitely remarkable.

This guy had done everything everywhere. His life was unbelievable, but unfortunately his death was not. He had everything and he had nothing. I know that nothing was left unsaid between the two of us, and I hope that nothing was left undone. I ran out of time, and so did he.

I'll miss him greatly.

Be Nice Have Balls and Dream

2009-05-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

This entry is in response to a comment I made on Facebook. After spending the morning at a conference about leadership, I heard some fantastic stories. I thought the speakers, the setting, and everything was great! However, I guess I am getting somewhat cynical in my old age...in the half day that I attended, there was not much, if any reference to faith, or God's role in the success of these leaders. Great analogies for sure. Linda..."think small-be nice--(it can come back to you)", John..."Dream" (a safe book to write), Kevin..."follow your passion" (Red Rubber Balls), and Tony..."Look to yourself" (?). Again, I was just their for a half day--but what was the focus? Teaching points for us to learn from the pros on leadership? (If so, from the part I heard, there was not much acknowledgement of the role faith played.)

Listen. I am growing but guilty of the same thing. I don't stand for my brand as well as I should. I hope God sees me as a work in progress--and I certainly can not cast any stones. I just think that we as people and as a country are missing the focus. At our office we try to practice an idea we call "absolute function". Absolute function is something that works--all components work together and no one part fails the test. In the ad business we can design a great ad, have it on- time, and on-budget, but show the client's phone number wrong and "we fail". We could have the best ad copy, everything could be correct, on-time and on-budget, but the design is not creative enough to stop the reader and grab their attention...and guess what - "we fail".

All I am saying is in the world we live in today we better get back to Jesus. We can still use the balls, the dreams and the stories, but will only get true success when the focus is on Christ, and the order puts Christ first. I know, I know, I know--this may sound deep and extreme--but it is the simple fact. If the measuring stick for Maximum Impact was selling seats and promoting books, I would say it was a great success.

Please don't take this the wrong way. I am just a regular guy (without a book deal) sharing his feelings....and that's all.

Peace. & Thanks!

Burger Kings and Queens

2009-03-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine (Ed Jackson) always says if you want to be King, you need to treat your wife like a Queen. Sounds like pretty good advice. I think the same could apply with Burger King in general, "if you want to be the Burger "King", treat your customers as if they were the Queen. "How you are", defines "who you are". Make good food and treat people right, and you will be the "King". Get greedy and deceptive and you're likely to lose your throne.

This weekend I noticed that when you order a small coffee at Burger King you are actually getting a medium...and a medium is actually the large. Their small is "the 12 oz" coffee. So, naturally people communicating their request for a small coffee are getting duped and up-sold without their knowledge. Pretty disappointing, but I guess I am not surprised.

I can remember our President (Clinton) defining the definition of "is". Banks define the definition of "Totally Free Checking" (which is not really free), and now Burger King (and probably others) are redefining "small coffee". All for a few extra coins...

Can't we just say what we mean, and mean what we say anymore? A man can't even buy a simple cup of coffee without getting screwed by another man trying to make a few more pennies. What have we done to ourselves?

I hope you get two things from this entry. 1. Treat people how you want to be treated, and 2. when you want a small coffee at Burger King ask for the "12oz coffee" (it will save you a few pennies).

Nashville

2009-03-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

Nashville seems to be a great city. We did a lot of walking, people watching, picture-taking, and eating (oh, I spent a day learning as well). It was a great trip to learn about managing creatives...but I think someone must have got the wrong idea concerning my L.A. Blog entry :(

Creative directors are truly a unique group of characters. I guess I should mention that I was attending a seminar by David Baker entitled "Managing Creatives".

Coming out of the closet: The L.A. trip!

2009-01-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

Wow. I have to say Los Angeles is an interesting place. People are very nice and pretty laid back (unless you stop on a yellow light). Anything and everything seem to be okay. I attended a planning retreat, complete with incense, candles, a chime, and even a little yoga. For a a meat and potatoes, conservative, non-sushi, married to a woman kinda guy—I actually liked the workshop, and felt I learned a lot.

I have noticed that the older I get, the more I see, and the more I listen...people are becoming much more accepting. Wow, that is pretty nice! Or is it?

It seems okay now for a man to be gay, for Sally to have two moms, to wear a head-dress and a face-cover at the airport, to bash the President, to be conservative, to be liberal, to cheat, to lie, to over indulge--it seems like anything goes.

I am a "lifer". I don't separate church and state, freedom and religion, work and play, career and family. I just call it "life". What you see is pretty much what you get. I spend countless hours helping clients study and identify who they are, what they do, and how to communicate those things to others.

As a man, a husband, a father, and a business owner. It may have taken a trip clear across the country to help me do this, so I have to thank the L.A. culture for teaching me a little more about myself.

Even though I am married, I have to tell you that I met a man who changed my life. He is my hope. He gives me strength. He provides for me. He cares for me. He supports me, and He loves me. Even though I don't always act like I should--He even forgives me. What a great man! In a time where anything goes, I have decided to come out of the closet. No, I am not gay. I am a Christian.

If you are a man, woman, gay, straight, white, black, conservative, liberal, pope, pastor, or criminal...I only wish you the best. I hope and pray that someday we can once again light a public Christmas tree, send a Christmas card, tolerate each other, love one another--without feeling awkward and out of place.

May God bless you all, whether you believe in Him or not.

Peace. & Thanks!

West Virginia Apple Buyer's Beware!

2009-01-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

Growwwlllll! Hisss! Errrrrr!!!

I have purchased Apple computers for over 15 years. Very rarely do they break. BUT, when they do, don't look to Apple for any help if you live in West Virginia. Now that we don't have any authorized technicians, you will have to hand carry your desktop systems to the nearest provider (Roanoke or Columbus). The guys I dealt with at Applecare (which I have religiously supported over the years), have really let me down. After 4 or 5 calls where I thought we were making progress——I got shut down after they told me that they don't accept shipping of desktop units for repair. (--Would have been nice to know during the first 5 conversations we had about shipping the unit back.)

What a great resource for West Virginia business owners who use their product. Maybe there should be a new caveat..."AppleCare, cares...unless you live in West Virginia."

I would imagine Apple makes a pretty penny on all the AppleCare they sell. After this experience, I will certainly think twice before purchasing additional support help from Apple.

The price of not failing

2008-11-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

I keep hearing how complex everything is and how only the brightest can fully comprehend the scope of our recent economic and national security dilemmas. I am somewhat perplexed how a ton of people running national and global organizations can get paid gazillions of dollars and mess up so bad. I thought they were so smart that the rest of us just couldn't comprehend?
I think we need to refocus. What happened to ingenuity, honesty, integrity, faith, and hard work? I think too many of us have caught a case of the "greed bug", and checked their faith and integrity at the door for an extra buck. As a world leader, that is a pretty scary example to set.

I once heard a Naval Aviator speak on the price of not failing. He talked about the Navy's mindset that "failure was not an option". The result of this was that everyone played it safe. The ships cost billions of dollars and no one risked ingenuity or extra work to make things better. He commented that U.S. Naval ships were in a sad state of existence. They frequently broke down and required a full maintenance department to be at the ready to repair. Parts would break, so they had to have a full machine shop to rebuild broken hardware. All of these extra resources and the ship could only run at partial speed for reduced periods of time.

He compared this mindset to the Air Force which pushed to excel, they encouraged ingenuity and constantly pushed the envelope to make things better. Yes there were risk and consequences involved, but they were a necessity for growth and achievement. He commented that a fighter jet would go as fast as he wanted for as long as he had fuel, and it did so with grace, agility and an edge of cool that is beyond explanation. All this capability without a huge crew of technicians on board, or without any parts breaking and needing repair.

Sure, there were probably great sacrifices made. Sure there were probably financial losses. Sure there were probably people hurt in the process. But the outcomes have provided significant growth and the hard work and determination have provided great success for our country in the field of aviation. In fact we are a world leader today, due to the efforts of those in the past.

I hope the story above will help illustrate my fears of all this bail-out talk. When we think we can outsmart capitalism we lose out on the new opportunities for growth. I recently heard a news anchor comment on how the loss of TWA, spurred the birth of Southwest Airlines, and while shoe retailers have been hurt by this economy—business at shoe repair shops has skyrocketed. It is part of the circle of life my friends. Their is a balance to all this. We just have to let it work, accept the consequences of our actions, learn and grow from it.

If we risk nothing, we gain nothing. And if intervention deletes the consequences we don't have an opportunity to fail or to learn. As I mentioned above: we need to refocus. We need to check our "greed" and "complacency" at the door, and start this next go-around with a dose of integrity, hard work and faith. The price of not failing might be a solution for the short term, but if we want to continue to enjoy the freedom and flexibility we enjoy as Americans, we better take a look at the long haul and do something for the future, and not for ourselves.

I am embarrassed by the state of our affairs. I am sure I deserve my portion of the blame and will accept the consequences due me. But I guarantee you that I got the memo. I will not sit back and wait for a bail-out, but will push forward and seek new opportunities. This difference between "failing" and "not failing" could change the course of our country. We can be an expensive ship drifting haphazardly in the sea, or we can be the jet fighter—it's up to us.

Deep water and deep thoughts

2008-11-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about how long you could tread water if you had to? Not to be morbid, but mortality has been a topic around the office lately. My good friend Jens lost his father and another friend lost her grandfather...and another good friend struggles with cancer.

I can remember when my own father died––it was very sad and strange. As much as I wanted to talk with him about death and comfort him, I couldn't. It was if my dad drifted to the middle of the ocean and thought he could keep treading. He was just a man and could only tread the water for so long before he got tired and his body just quit.

I don't want to go out like that. I hope and pray that when my time comes I will have a smile on my face before and after my last breath. I have had a great run and God has truly blessed me, but I know that there is much more to come. My goal is to go out in charge (not in charge of people or things, but of my decision). I don't want a grave circumstance to thrust me into faith in my last days. I have been studying a good bit lately and agree with the premise that you either accept God or deny Him. There is not really any middle ground. You either do, or you don't.

Who really knows how we will handle things when the chips are down? I just hope and pray that we can have a good conversation, share a cold drink or a cup of joe, and talk about the great times from our past, and the good times to come—and truly look at fear with faith and trust.

Before you face the deep water, I hope and pray that you will spend some good time with some deep thoughts.

Make it home on time, and change the world.

2008-08-28T05:30:00.001-07:00

Usually these entries deal with travel in some form or another, but not this time. After writing the entry about my trip to see Bill Strickland, I started thinking about some bigger picture stuff. Bill's model seems to be based on treating others with respect. That is pretty basic, huh?

I am a dreamer, and want to be a "world-changer". But I can't even show up on time for dinner with my wife and kids! With the political discussion and conventions happening right now, I am somewhat discouraged. I still hear, see and smell the same stuff coming out of Washington. I might not be able to impact a world leader, but if I can figure out how to make it home for dinner on time, and do what I say I'm going to do--and lead by example, then maybe I have some hope.

What the heck is going on? We need to get back to the basics! We need to be on time. We need to work on our marriages. We need to instill basic values in our children. We need to take care of our homes. We need to be good to our neighbors. We need to stand for who we are. We need to be thankful. We need to stand for truth. We need to get over ourselves, refocus and get back to treating one another with graciousness, kindness and caring--not because there is a buck attached, but because it is the right thing to do.

If we all could make it home for dinner on time...mow our own grass, instill values in our children, be good to one another, and do what we say...Maybe together we can make a difference. And maybe that difference will come in the form of new leadership choices for the future--not just political leaders, but leaders in the home, in business, in the church, in the courthouse, in the statehouse. Don't get me wrong, I am not doom and gloom with the leadership choices we have, I just think things have gotten too complicated and we are missing the point. If the objective is to raise millions of dollars and somehow spend more than we raise--I think we have that figured out. But if the objective is make something better than we found it, I think we have some work to do.

Pay attention, get involved, take a stand, place your vote, but if nothing else...just make it home on time for dinner.

Making the Impossible Possible (Pittsburgh)

2008-08-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

The title of this entry is a rip-off from Bill Strickland's new book. (I haven't read it yet but I will pick up a copy today.) I first saw this guy in Boston, he was the keynote speaker at the HOW Design Conference and he delivered a very inspirational message. He wanted to change the world, and over the past 40 years he has.

I was so impressed by this guy that I thought I would give him a call and request a meeting and a tour of his facilities. Wow! Never thought that would work, but it did. On Tuesday, my friend Mark Burdette and I traveled to Pittsburgh, met Bill and toured the facility. This guy is not just a visionary, but he has brought vision to life and has developed a proven model for positive social change. His model is first class, his financial backing is first class, his staff is first class, and his facilities are first class! I just hope some of his mojo, wisdom, or excess vision rubbed off on me while I was there.

This guy is the bomb, the real deal. One of Bill's beliefs is- "do one hip thing every day". Bill has surrounded himself with art, jazz and photography and believes the arts are the gateway to the human imagination. One of the products of Bill's work is MCG Jazz, a studio and concert facility that have produced over 1200 concerts and won multiple Grammy Awards.

I pulled a lot of this stuff off of Bill's brochure, but you have to make a point to check him out on your own:

www.manchesterbidwell.org
www.manchesterguild.org
www.mcgjazz.org

A dog, a jeep, a blog, and a Facebook page

2008-08-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

I thought having kids would be enough, but somehow we had to get a dog too. I recently downgraded my slick, black, "old man" car with leather and all the trimmings to a rag-top Jeep (midlife crisis) Rubicon. Earlier this year I started a blog to share my travels, thoughts and experiences with really-bored friends, colleagues, and family members. And now...I have a Facebook page! In fact, I think everyone in the office has a Facebook page.

If I start eating tofu or sushi...watch out!

Copper Mining Research - Tucson

2008-07-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

Today I visited a client and learned the ins and outs of their office, and spent a good bit of time learning about copper mining. After learning that a tire on a dump truck that carries 300,000 tons of dirt cost over $40,000 per tire, and each truck has 6 tires that need replaced twice a year--I am going to take the next couple of days to brainstorm how to change careers. LOL

Getting Priorities Straight (Bahamas)

2008-07-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone has to have priorities. And a couple weeks ago I blew-off work and spent some great time with my biggest priorities. Just about everyone in my extended family spent time on a cruise together, and it was awesome. (Special thanks to the guys in my office who allow me to vacation worry-free.)

This trip to the Bahamas was a true blessing, and a real blast! I often spread myself too thin, and this time together with my wife and kids was just what the doctor ordered. I often struggle with prioritizing my time with family, church, work, recreation, friends, etc. I like to commit to everything, which often leads to overbooking, and under-delivering.

I am sure there is more struggle to be had--but what doesn't kill you, will hopefully make you better. (If it does kill me please note that I had a blast in the Bahamas with my most important clients, my family. Also, Chriss and Tonya at National Travel our Godsends! If you're ever in a jam and need to swim with Dolphins - they can work some good travel mojo!)

Me with my boss and her assistants—in the Bahamas

Over the top! Banff Springs, Canada

2008-05-29T05:20:00.000-07:00

Wow! God is great! Banff is incredible. I'm attending a business development workshop for creatives, which is in an old castle in the resort at Banff Springs. Truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen (stay tuned for the pictures).

In effort to strike a better balance...I brought my wife. Traveling with your spouse (and without kids-in-tow) is pretty cool. I highly recommend it! Each year the two of us try to take 4 or 5 days and travel abroad. (Out of 365 days a year, that doesn't sound like too much balance.) Over the past several years we have visited, the crystal blue waters of St. Lucia, a volcano in Costa Rica, and now a castle surrounded by snow-capped peaks in the Canadian Rockies! Next week we are joining the entire Blackwell family (minus a couple) for a cruise to the Bahamas.

My cup overflows. I believe that creativity is born from life and the experiences it provides us. On my worst day I have been truly blessed. It's not about me, and it's truly over the top!

How Design Conference - Boston

2008-05-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

The How Design Conference was a blast! A couple days after my return from Oslo, I was able attend the How Design Conference in Boston with my entire team. From a conference standpoint it was about 50-50, but overall it was a great team building and learning experience.

If you haven't heard of Bill Stewart from Pittsburgh you should "google" him. He is an awesome visionary!

Game 7 Courtside: Boston v. Cleveland!

I guess it was a true blessing, but I was fortunate to get a court-side ticket for game 7 in Boston. It was a once in a life-time opportunity and I took it! (And I would do it again in a heartbeat - Stub-hub is a Godsend!)

Here are some pics from the trip:

On the way out

2008-05-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day in Oslo. I had a great opportunity to interact with other designers and creatives from Norway, which has been a real treat. After a day of many meetings my host took some of us out on her boat and then to dinner. It was a great evening.

It has been and excellent networking and relationship building trip. I am eager to get home and see my wife and kids before I set off again. This month has been pretty crazy from a travel standpoint.

Oslo, Norway Trip

2008-05-11T20:36:00.001-07:00

Oslo, Norway

2008-05-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

Oslo is beautiful.

As I am putting together this blog, I have noticed that the sun sets around 10p and rises around 3a.

Note to self:
Take train not taxi from airport, and don't complain about gas prices when you get home. I think the 30 minute taxi ride cost almost as much as my flight from Detroit to Amsterdam.

What's Up with Blind Faith & Purple Cows

2008-05-11T17:44:00.001-07:00

Hmmm . . . Specifically, "Blind Faith" is the name a project completed by one of our clients, and "Purple Cow" is the name of a book by Seth Godin. There is a little more to it than that—if you're really interested drop me a note and I'll go deeper.

Refocused

2008-05-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome

For the first time in my life I finally feel comfortable in my own skin. I have found my focus through my refocus. Focus is something that we often talk about in the professional world used to direct our attention. It is a great concept however, we often miss the mark because we didn't have the correct focus in the first place.

It is time to take the proverbial "breather"—our cultural pace has skyrocketed out of control. We need to come up for air, take a breath, and refocus. Whether it is your family, your faith, your marriage, your job, or your project—take a second look, there is too much at stake for you to waste your resources on the wrong focus. Being refocused isn't the end-all, it's just a part of the process.