On my way home from work a few minutes ago, a commercial I despise with every bone in my body came on - Budweiser's Code Blue.

Maybe it's because I'm not a beer drinker, but I just don't get the commercial. I have several issues with it, maybe someone can enlighten me on it.

If you haven't heard the commercial, this guy opens his bottle of beer, and thanks to a new "breakthrough" by Budweiser, the label turns blue notifying the drinker that the bottle is really cold. He then texts his friends with the words "Code Blue", sharing his achievement with others less fortunate and inviting them to join in his wondrous luck.

Let's start with the cold thing. I just can't get why this guy gets so excited that his beer is cold. Is this a common problem with bear drinkers, that where ever you normally drink has a shortage of cold ones? If so, I'd complain. Something like, "Hey, this beer is warm...can I get it cold?" I mean, sure, it's gonna have spit in it after that, but at least it's cold. Maybe I'm having a problem because my vice is drinking Coke. You see, when I get a Coke out of the fridge, or from a restaurant, it's always cold. Every time. At least once I moved out of my parent's basement and starting keeping drinks in a fridge (Sorry Matt). So I don't really get that excited about it. It's like waking up and being pumped because your bed didn't catch fire during the night - it's an unlikely event, so you really don't think about it until it happens. If it's a Coke, you get some ice - if it's your bed...sorry. That really bites.

Secondly, does he really need a label that turns blue to be able to differentiate between warm and cold? I would think the frostbite on his hand would be a good sign that the beer is the correct temperature. Is he already too drunk to know the difference, or am I missing something again about how great color changing from temperature technology is? If it's really that great, I say bring back Hypercolor clothing so I can start texting my friends every time the armpits of my shirt change color. CODE YELLOW: I'm sweating and it's awesome because everyone knows it.

Which brings up my last issue. If my friends started texting me "Code Blue" I'd be pretty pissed. First of all, you've just wasted my time and text by telling me something that I don't care anything about, except that now I know you're an idiot.
Secondly, it seems to me like this guy is just rubbing it in his friend's faces that he's off work, in a bar, and about to get drunk. That doesn't seem very nice. I mean, I don't work somewhere where I can just drop everything because someone's label turned blue, which is apparently some kind of signal that I should join them. So I'm still working, and now I'm annoyed that my friend isn't. It really ends up being a play by play of a random event in someone's life, which is rather odd. How annoying would it be if we all starting doing that every time we did anything?
CODE RED: I just opened a coke! CODE PC: I just booted my computer! CODE BANKRUPT: I just filled my gas tank! CODE TWITTER: I just twittered...oh. Yeah, that is annoying.

Hey, if you're reading this, I'd like to ask a favor. Say a quick prayer for me :)
I'm very, very stressed, not sleeping well, and I'm getting very frustrated. Basically we have a large shipment of computers and equipment that I needed WEEKS ago, that has still not come in. I'm going a bit crazy worrying about it, and I could seriously use some sound sleep. And yeah, I know - I'm taking the stress too personal. It's the same thing I fuss at Shannon about, but right now I can't help it.

Thanks!

It was an odd experience. Here's the video if you'd like to watch it! I honestly don't know if it was any good or not, I haven't watched it yet. I can say this - I've lost 25 pounds since then!

Man, what a great idea/funny video!


Part II
Part III
Part IV

but I just can't help it.

I know Lisa will join me on this one!
KotOR3 - will be some form of MMO!

Edited:
And...confirmed.

One of my all time favorite books is Ender's Game, which you need to read before Garret ruins the ending for you.

According to the author, Orson Scott Card, Marvel Comics and the Dabel Brothers are going to start working on a graphic novel based on the original story...I'm drooling already. Next steps - a movie and video game, both of which had better not suck.

Tonight I went to hear Matt speak to Avalon Church youth group. It was fun seeing that environment again, and being in a church that is located in a warehouse made me a bit jealous. The band did a good job, the drama was VERY odd but amusing, and Matt did a great job of explaining the need for community with God's people. Good job, man.

I was poking around on my web server and I found an audio recording of a message I gave at our college group a couple of years ago. This is one I really enjoyed! However, a warning - I went long :(
It really should have been a two part message. Oh well, listen to it in two halves if you have to ;) Here is the link if you'd like to listen: The Prodigal Son
I'll try to find the video I used so I can post that later.

"Christians, especially ministers, so often think that they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking.

Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians, because Christians are talking where they should be listening. But [the one] who can no longer listen to his brother [or sister] will soon be no longer listening to God either... This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there is nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words."

-Deitrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

This goes into the category of things that come naturally to me. My problem is, once I do speak up, I'm apparently a conversation killer. I'm not sure why, it just seems to be how things go...which is one of the reasons starting a blog was difficult to me. I guess it will be a good exercise in starting discussions.

James 1:19-20 says, "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."

I've probably taken that verse to its furthest extent at times, but I really have found something important in life - people work out things by talking it out. Very few people tell you about their problems so that you can be a bright, illuminating, brilliant star in their life, they just need to get it out!

This applies to discussions as well, I think, and here is where debating and discussion styles really come in. Think about it next time you are discussing a problem, philosophical question, scriptural topic, or whatever - how much of the discussion did you take up? You see, in my mind, I already know my position on things...what I'm interested in is how other people think. I do want to get time to share my opinions and thoughts, but I think the more valuable thing I can do is to let people get out what they are thinking about so that they are really working through it. Because when you really think about how we learn, it's not usually through an earth shattering argument or a mind blowing debate...it's through working through our own thoughts, evaluating our own experiences, and receiving opinions from people that we know love us and can express themselves in a loving way.

That is my literal conversation killer of the day.

This is for Lisa and Greg...I saw this today and thought of you. Actually, who am I kidding, I'll be watching it too. The episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer where they did the entire show as a musical is actually one of the coolest things Joss Whendon has ever done, in my opinion. (The other one that I can remember is when the entire episode was done without any of the characters speaking...and I promise, I didn't watch the show that often.) I like when a TV show breaks from the normal sitcom mold and is brave enough just to try something new.

As I was thinking through the idea of an introvert blogging, one of the items that struck me as both interesting and productive is the exploration of what I think are misconceptions that other people have about me. I came up with a long list of those misconceptions while cutting the grass the other day, but now I can't remember any of them. Obviously they were important.

However, I can start out with this one - People that I know believe that I hate Apple computers.

In reality, I'm fine with the actual computers. Many times I think they are neat, have good innovations, nice gadgets and creative implementation of what Macs "do". I can work perfectly fine with one, I can eventually find settings I need and files that I have stored. I still believe that Microsoft is better geared toward the work force / corporation environment as a whole, and the only way that deploying a Mac environment in those situations for a reasonable cost is if Mac sponsors it.

When it comes down to it, I have very little brand loyalty - I just want a product that does what I want it to do when I want it to do it! And as much as Mac and Linux fan-boys will turn up their noses at this, so far that solution has been Windows.

Here is what I actually hate - I hate the mentality behind the advertisement of the Apple brand. I hate it for the same reason that I hate political mud-slinging. The new Mac Guy/ Microsoft Guy commercials are just the tip of the iceberg...the "getting ahead by making the other guy look bad" concept has been going on for a long time, and I don't like it. (I REALLY hate the commercial that suggests Mac computers are more "fun" somehow than Windows - exactly when did playing commercial games become feasible for Macs? Maybe 2006? I've been using my Windows computer for that since about 1992.)

I think it plays on some of the worst flaws in Mankind's personality to engage in that type of warfare, to try to beat out your competition by simply saying, "Look, they have too much of the market share! That's not fair! Tear them down so that we can compete on equal footing!" It's like playing Monopoly when you're the current winning player - the other three gang up on you just because you're winning. (Think about that next time you're playing ANY board game...someone will always try to play the "underdog" card...I've never really understood the psychological reason for people to want to bring down the person who reaches the winning position first when they are going to lose anyway. Why do you care if the person in second wins over the person in first?)

Here's an idea - try actually competing for the marketshare. Try making a product that people can actually use in their day to day business. I think Mac has finally reached that place, but are too busy being snide to really advertise it well.

Take the Iphone for example...that's competing. No one else has a product that holds a candle to it. And Apple is perfectly happy with that, I'm sure. They don't stop and say, "well, hang on, this isn't really fair." Quite the opposite. They say, "Hey, only one phone company gets this. Oh, and you can't insure it except through us. Did we mention that you have to use iTunes to manage it? Oh, and before we forget, iTunes means selling your soul."

Here's what I really hate about Apple. They have complained for YEARS about monopoly practices that Microsoft has, one practice being when Microsoft tied Internet Explorer in so tightly into their product and actually had the never to not deliever Windows with other internet browsers from competing companies installed. (To be clear, Apple was not involved in that particular lawsuit, it is just an example.) Man, you would have thought Satan burned his mark into Windows 98! (I tend to think Satan actually came into the picture for Windows ME.) But when Apple, the "underdog", controls their Operating system, hardware, software and accessories with an iron fist...no problem. No one says a word. Oh, and what browser comes installed on Macs?

I despise, that as a computer technician, I cannot buy parts for a Mac at fair market prices. For example, last year one of the fans in a co-worker's Mac died, so the Mac began overheating, running sluggishly, and crashing. Normally, ordering this part for a PC is about $5. $7 with shipping. When I finally figured out how to order it from Apple? $80. Seriously.

And don't give me the party line of "supierior craftsmanship". I can show you the part, you wouldn't pay $80 for it either.

I'll finish with this - although I can feel an icy hand gripping my heart when one of the Macs in our office crashes, because I know that a) it will not be easy to fix, and b) it will not be cheap to fix, it also makes me smile a little inside. Because I also really hate false advertising. The idea that Macs don't "crash" makes me chuckle every time. "Crash" is too light of a word for what happens when an Apple computer has issues.

So there is the misconception - I don't hate Mac computers, or Mac users. I just like products that can sell themselves without stooping to slander.

Just a quick note about a great tool - YouVersion.com.
Designed by the people at LifeChurch.tv, it's an Online Bible with study tools, along with social and collaborative aspects. I'm getting into using it (switching from BibleGateway.com, another good resource) due to the attractiveness of using YouVersion to study Scripture with other people, online. Cool idea, imo.

If you get on, look for me by searching for kennycsnow @ gmail.com

I'm still working out the format for how I want the blog to go, so I'm having trouble formulating how I want to explain my thoughts. I guess that's not really the point of the blog, now that I think about it. So let's jump right in.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the difference between Spiritual leadership and Natural leadership. To be honest, this subject comes to mind quite a bit, so I guess that it's only fair that it is the first thing I really write down here.

I see a vital importance to Christianity and the Church body (and when I reference that body, I'm not talking about my church specifically, but THE body) in finding spiritual leaders rather than natural leaders. When I was a teenager, one of the people I respect most in the world (Butch Entrekin) took our youth group on a retreat to Tocca Wilderness Camp. That weekend I learned about spiritual leadership, and it had more of an impact on me than any other camp or retreat I ever went to. I'm going to have to split what I learned over a couple of posts, but I'm going to try to introduce the concept here.

Basically, it is our natural tendancy to follow natural leaders (makes sense, right?). Natural leaders are charasmatic, entertaining or passionate, usually have forceful, inspiring personalities, and generally can convince people to do or believe something just by saying it.

I've always been jealous of those leaders. That seems SO much easier than what God has called me to - leading with an introvertistic personality, struggling with inspiring people because "excitement" is difficult for me to display, and always being so annoyingly self concious! That is the person that God created in me, and I have always been a little annoyed that He then expects me to lead people.

That weekend is literally what keeps me going. If for nothing else, I hope God recognizes Butch and the people leading the camp for the impact it had.

You see, they taught me that while natural leadership is an amazing gift, and something to aspire to, it also has a huge failing. Natural leadership, by default, outside of God's grace, points toward one person - the leader.

I think you can see where this is going. Spiritual leadership, in its very heart, ALWAYS points toward God as its head, its leader, its guidance. It doesn't point toward self, it doesn't depend on a charasmatic personality, and it many times will go against everything that natural leadership is about (try telling a natural leader that the first will be last sometime!).

In other words, it is difficult, frustrating and impossible outside of the grace of God.

The GOOD news is, it doesn't depend on me. I can be a spiritual leader, and in fact I know that it comes easier to me than trying to be a natural leader.

More to come!

I've been meaning to start a blog for a long time now, and haven't actually done so by convincing myself that a) I have nothing interesting to say, and b) no one would read it anyway. However, the more research I do on social media/communications, the more I realize that this is an environment where I can achieve one of my primary goals - I can get to know people better.

You see, I really struggle with getting to know people because I am such an introvert at heart. That's a big problem when I know that God calls us to work with people. I really care about people, I want them to find their passion, I want them to find God's love...but I'm really horrible in social situations.

So here is what I want to do. I want to begin posting my thoughts, that I normally keep inside my head, so that people can get to know me better, and maybe through that I can find some way to know them better. In some ways I am looking forward to the process, but I know the challenge will hit me right away, as I'm normally a very task oriented person and "writing my thoughts for other people to read" doesn't make it very high on the list. We'll see how I do I guess. I'm not claiming all the posts will be earth shattering or anything, but I'll try to keep them interesting.