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(Some) Instant Gratification May Not Be So Bad After All

The other day I saw a mother taking a picture of her small child with her digital camera. What do you think was the first question the child asked after the picture was taken?

“Can I see?”

When I was a kid we had to wait days, if not weeks, to see photos. You had to finish the whole roll of film, take it to the drug store or photo shop, wait until they were developed, and then go back to the store to pick them up.

Now there’s instant gratification. Take a kid’s picture and she gets to see it right away. No waiting. No delay. Results now.

Some would lament the fact that there is no such thing anymore as delayed gratification. I choose to look at it another way. (Some) Instant gratification can spur creativity and enhance ideas. Here’s how:

  1. Instant gratification means opportunity for higher quality. If I don’t like my picture the first time, I can immediately take another one. The same applies to a blog post, a digital film on youtube or vimeo, or a song recorded digitally. Don’t like it the first time? Improve it. …And, in this day and age, you better.
  2. Instant gratification means more output. If I can see results immediately, I have more time to put into “shipping” a quality “product” (See #1 above). More output. Higher quality. Sounds like a win-win to me.
  3. Instant gratification means that I want to do more. When I have to wait for the finished product, my enthusiasm often wanes. But when I see immediate results, I get more and more excited about pursuing my passion and shipping my art.

When a child asks, “Can I see?”, let her see. Then encourage improvement, output, and motivation. Creative kids will thrive on it. Use (some) instant gratification to do the same for yourself. The technology of the digital age can be to your advantage: check out immediate results to create art of higher quality, greater quantity, and motivation to do more.

Where have you seen “instant gratification” work to bring about greater art?

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9/11: Yesterday, Today, and Forever

The week of September 11th, 2001, time stood still. It seemed as though Yesterday, Today, and Forever stood shoulder to shoulder, staring into the blackness of the New York sky, mourning over a ditch in western Pennsylvania, and saluting the charred side of the Pentagon.

Businesses shut down, schools closed, our nation was transfixed for hours and days with our TV’s and radios. Yesterday, Today, and Forever would never be the same.

Candice Trigonis, a police detective from New York, said: “I worked 19 hours yesterday. I’ve been here since 5 o’clock this morning. I’m tired. I’m angry. Upset. I’m afraid to cry because if I start, I’ll never stop.”

Just as the nation was beginning to realize the breadth and depth of that horrific event, President Bush said: “Today we’ve had a national tragedy.”

And already thinking about “forever,” Congressman Mark Green said: “Nothing will be the same in this country after today. Nothing.”

Yesterday, Today, and Forever collided on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, and caused one big, fiery ball that radiated fear into the hearts of Americans. Another “day that would live in infamy.”

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ~Hebrews 13:5b-8

Even if we lose everything we own: “goods, fame, child, and wife,” we still have the presence of a Father who loves and forgives. Earthly economic and military power is frail and fragile. Human life is frail and fragile. But “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:1-2,7)…yesterday, today, and forever.

When we ask, “Why?” God shows us the cross. It was there that evil was used for good. No worse terror could there be than the Son of God suffering hell. No worse enemy could there be than the devil himself. No more awful experience could there be than God’s Son being crushed under the weight of the world’s sin. But through His divine bravery and courage He willingly faced it all so out of the depths would arise new life, new victory, new hope, and new hope…for yesterday, today, and forever…for you.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Our nation, our world, our lives may never be the same again. But Jesus is always the same. Through all the changes and chances of life Christ is, above all, unchanging in His faithfulness. He offered Himself for sinners in the past, He intercedes for us in the present, and will forever remain our faithful Savior.

“On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.” …Yesterday, Today, and Forever.

How have the events of 9/11 impacted your faith?

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Write What You Know (And You Know A Lot)

There is an old adage that says, “Write what you know.” It means that your best writing will be about the things that you know best. If you are a teacher write about teaching. If you are a son write about being a son. If you are a camper write about camping.

This applies to most any art, vocation, or creative endeavor. What do you know? How can you use what you already know to create something new?

The world is waiting to learn from you. You know something I don’t know, and you can say it, create it, paint it, or write it in a way that is uniquely yours.

If you’re a

  • teacher: show us your most creative teaching method.
  • pastor: tell us how you prepare for your sermons.
  • writer: let us read about when and where you write.
  • actor: teach us how to engage people in a story.
  • musician: share the way you craft a song.
  • visual artist: relate your thoughts about conquering a blank canvas.

You know a great deal about your craft, your life, your creativity. There are people eager, ready, and waiting to learn from you.

Write/tell/teach/share/show what you know. 

We’re waiting.

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20 Surprising Things You Probably Never Knew About Me

One of the keys to being a blogger is a certain degree of transparency. I want to build relationships with you, my readers. I want you to know me better. And I want to know you, too.

Toward that end, I want to tell you twenty things that you may have never known about me. But you have to promise: no laughing; no making fun; no mockery. OK? OK.

  1. I once had permed hair, down to my shoulders.
  2. I was the lead singer of a Christian, heavy metal band called Messenger.
  3. I shook President George H.W. Bush’s hand.
  4. I played Jesus in Godspell, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
  5. I was a starting half back on my high school football team.
  6. I swam the butterfly on my high school swim team.
  7. I met my wife, Tammy, in a Christian band called Joy, Inc. We traveled the entire country for nine months.
  8. While in Joy, Inc. I sang in a maximum security prison in Texas.
  9. When I was a boy scout I got a badge for doing a mile swim in a lake.
  10. Along with my daughter, I stood on a Broadway stage.
  11. I held Bono’s hand, supporting him on the edge of the stage as he sang during a U2 concert.
  12. I coached baseball for twelve years.
  13. I flew to Israel on Y2K (remember that?)
  14. My first car was a Chevy Vega.
  15. The first band I saw live in concert was ELO.
  16. My first job was as a caddy. I later became a bus boy at the same country club.
  17. The first album I ever bought was Queen’s A Night at the Opera.
  18. Mice scare me to death.
  19. I have lived in Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia.
  20. I once went surfing in the Pacific Ocean.

Now that you know more about me, I’d like to know more about you. It’s your turn.

Tell me one surprising thing about yourself.

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10 Awesome Apps for Your Smartphone

It’s always fun for me when people share their favorite smartphone apps. It seems I always learn something new, find a cool way to get something done, or discover a way to enhance my work or make it more efficient.

Here are ten apps that I really enjoy and use often. Maybe you’ll find something new here, something to help you in your daily workflow, or a way to enhance your hobby or leisure time.

  1. Google App. It’s just Google. But the really cool thing about it is it’s voice recognition software. Speak into your phone and whatever you say will be “googled.” I’ve used it more frequently than I’d care to admit.
  2. Creative Whack Pack. I used to own the physical deck of cards. Now I just shake my phone and it gives me a whack on the side of the head to stimulate my creativity. It’s a virtual deck of 84 cards that gives thinking strategies and questions to get you going.
  3. Shazam. Have you ever found yourself in a place where you heard a song in the background and really wanted to know the title and artist? Open up Shazam, let your phone “listen,” and it will tell you both the title and the artist. It will even give you links to purchase the song if you like. And it’s free. Amazing.
  4. ESPN ScoreCenter. This app does what you’d expect it to do: It gives you the scores for all the games. You can even set it for your favorite teams. But what I really like about it are the in-game alerts. When your favorite team (or their opponent) scores, you will receive an immediate alert and the circumstances. I love it when it tells me that Prince Fielder has hit a home run with Ryan Braun on base.
  5. Yelp. Yelp is an app that will tell you all the nearby coffee shops, gas stations, drug stores, and banks. But what I use it for is a guide to local restaurants. With the help of Yelp (I’m a poet and I don’t even know it) I have found incredible restaurants in cities other than my own. It was really helpful when I found myself in New York City surrounded by hundreds of restaurants. The reviews (sometimes to be taken “with a grain of salt”) are especially helpful.
  6. HeyTell. Without signing up for an account you can instantly communicate with friends and family. HeyTell turns your smartphone into something resembling a walkie talkie. It comes in handy for quick conversations on the run. Try it. You’ll love it.
  7. Instagram. Instagram is a new kind of social media, allowing you to share fun, quirky, and unique photos on almost any other social media platform. Instagram is its own platform, too. You can connect with others who use it, and see the wonderful photos your friends (both near and far) take and and share. You can run your photos through filters that make them look incredible.
  8. FlightTrack. This app has been useful when I have friends or family traveling. I can literally follow them through the air while they’re flying. It instantly tells me whether the flight is on time, where it is, and even how fast it is flying at how many feet in the air.
  9. Evernote. Want to capture notes and ideas on the run? This is your app. It syncs with all of your computers. You can even cut and paste web pages with it. It’s too complex to explain in a couple of sentences. Suffice it to say that once you use it, you won’t be able to live without it.
  10. Talking Carl. You have to see Carl to believe him. Trust me. He will make you laugh. Check it out.
What are your favorite apps? Please share.
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10 Ways to Say Thank You to Your Favorite Teacher

It’s not just students going back to school. Teachers are going back to school now, too. Say what you want about the nice summer vacation teachers get, when school’s in session teachers work long and hard hours.

The school year is a day in and day out march leading students toward reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic, proficiency. It’s a hard, and often thankless, job. Teachers go hard from the end of August all the way through the beginning of June.

For a teacher, a little expression of thanks goes a long way. Here are ten ways to say thank you to your (or your child’s) favorite teacher:

  1. Have a bouquet of flowers delivered.
  2. Send a gift card with your child to the teacher’s favorite restaurant or store.
  3. Write a simple note of thanks, being specific as to your favorite things about the teacher.
  4. Arrange to sit with the teacher’s class during lunch time, so that the teacher can have a small break from the students.
  5. Volunteer to carry out small tasks such as grading papers, putting up a bulletin board, or cutting out construction paper letters.
  6. Be a recess monitor for a week.
  7. Deliver a cup of your teacher’s favorite coffee drink just before school starts for the day.
  8. Take the teacher out to dinner on a Friday evening (Hint: Teacher’s love Friday evenings).
  9. Tell the principal all of the things you love about the teacher and how much you appreciate him or her.
  10. Arrange an all-expenses paid trip to a tropical location right smack in the middle of February.

OK, that last one may not be very feasible. But you get the idea.

What ideas do you have for showing appreciation to your favorite teacher?

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Six Tips for Planning a Successful Community Event

This past weekend our church, in one of Milwaukee’s urban neighborhoods, hosted a neighborhood BBQ. We served food to over 550 people, gave away sno cones, set up a “bouncy house” for the kids, played live music, and had dozens of conversations with our neighbors.

Before the event even started, our band was warming up. A woman who lives across the street came over with her face in her hands, near tears, and said to our musicians, “Was that you playing that song?” She proceeded to relate how that was one of her favorite songs; how she hadn’t been to church in a long time; how she wanted to join us for worship and make it a habit again.

The whole event was a rousing success in any number of ways, but it didn’t just happen. Here are some of the things we learned that may help you organize your own successful community event:

  1. Put the Right People in the Right Place. The two men who organized our event were a former food service Human Resources manager and an extremely well-organized graphic artist. The skills that they have used in real life work situations were naturally transferred to our event planning.
  2. Get the Word Out Early and Often. We began spreading the word in our community already a month before the event as we canvassed our neighbors. We want to know what local people feel the community needs most. As we posed the questions, we also invited them to our BBQ. In addition, each of our teachers invited all families during their pre-school meetings. In the week leading up to the event we blanketed our community with flyers at as many homes as possible.
  3. Make it Free (Or as Inexpensive as Possible). Thanks to careful budgeting, special grants we had written and received, and a suburban church that donated the time and meat to produce the BBQ, we were able to create an event that was completely free to our guests. A free event is attractive in most any community, but especially in an urban community at a time of economic distress.
  4. Plan Plenty of Things for Children. Where there are children there will certainly be adults. Kids bring parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors.
  5. Plant Your Own People in the Crowd to Create Conversations. Our congregation had volunteers who helped with food service, event coordination, music, and security. There were others whose “job” it was to show the warmth of our church by conversing, inviting to worship, and simply being friendly.
  6. Learn and Evaluate in Anticipation of Your Next Event. As people were given wrist bands (as a way of counting the number we served) we asked them how they heard about the event. Immediately after the event our two leaders were already discussing ways to improve and things they will do differently next year.

On Sunday morning our church had visitors that came as an immediate result of the event we held the day before. Members and guests alike had a glorious time at our Neighborhood BBQ. We look forward to seeing how the efforts will be blessed.

Have you ever hosted a community event? What did you learn?

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How A Trip Back Home Lights Creative Fires Through Early Memories

All I could think was, “The trees are so BIG!” I recently drove down the street where I lived my earliest years. How could the trees be that big? They were so small when I lived there. Now they arch over the street like a grand cathedral.

And how could my house be so small? I remember my tiny, three-bedroom ranch being a virtual mansion. I remember running down the 15-foot hallway as though it were a 100 yard sprint. I remember the back yard being like our own “back 40.”

Time has passed, but my memories have not. As I drove down the street I remembered our homemade haunted houses occupied with Frankenstein and Dracula, the evenings playing Statue Maker out in the dimly lit front yard, and the plays we wrote, directed, and for which we made sets.

I remembered the endless evenings we spent playing Marco Polo in the backyard pool. I remembered shooting a BB gun at a target in the basement, Billie the Brownie hiding in the study around Christmas time, and whittling my Pinewood Derby car in the workshop.

I was reminded of my childhood friends, riding a two-wheeled bike for the first time, and pretending to be Bart Starr crossing the goal line. Our homemade go-kart raced the Indy 500. My first ten-speed bike took me on a race against imaginary Olympic athletes. I was a fisherman catching crayfish in the creek down the block.

As I reflected on a literal trip down memory lane, I was reminded just how wide open my creativity was as a kid. My right brain knew no bounds. My little house burgeoned with big ideas. But those ideas didn’t just remain trapped in my head. My sisters and I, along with our neighborhood friends, brought them to life.

It’s a great lesson for adult-style creativity. An occasional trip down memory lane is a reminder of how infinite and exciting creativity can be. It’s also impetus to carry through with ideas that right now may only be floating around in one’s head.

Dream as though dreams will come true. Create as through the creation will come alive. Follow through as though the follow through really matters.

Don’t be afraid to be a kid again.

When was the last time you visited, drove by, or even spent a few moments thinking about the house that provides your earliest memories?

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Creating a Clean and Lively Atmosphere for Creativity and Learning

My wife, Tammy, has always been an “environmental watchdog” of sorts. What I mean is that she sees the necessity for bright, clean, orderly, and “put together” public spaces and work places.

I have appreciated the way she has always kept our home that way. I wonder if other people notice that she does it in her church and school work place, as well. This past week she, along with her co-workers, have been preparing for a new school year:

  • Brightly colored bulletin boards
  • Swept corners
  • Colorful fabric creatively hung
  • Fresh paper decorating the walls
  • …Even going above and beyond to make bathrooms spic and span

Clutter, dirt, grime, darkness, and old worn out surroundings have crushed my creativity. When I need to do something different, make something imaginative, or learn something new I truly appreciate surroundings that feed that creativity. My own experience is an admittedly limited scientific experiment, but bright, light, and clean spaces feed the creative spirit.

Thanks to my wife, I have learned that:

  1. Clutter closes in on a creative mind
  2. New and fresh surroundings mean new and fresh ideas
  3. Clean rooms activate the senses
  4. An orderly room brings order to the brain
  5. Art on the walls inspires artful creations

This Thursday our school’s students return to class. They will find bright, clean, colorful surroundings to feed their creative spirit. I’m excited for them.

Need a creative boost? Find yourself a bright, clean, colorful place and watch your art flourish.

What’s your favorite place to create?