Nostalgia

What is it about Nostalgia that is so appealing?

I am eating at Rubys at the spectrum and feel like I’m in the 50s again. The posters are cool. Notice the big bold letters, “Photographed in COLOR”. Wow how the times have changed.

 

“You complete me.”

It’s 1 AM and this might be the bad pizza I had earlier talking, but I believe I have something to say. Or rather, I have something to say that I believe in. My father once said, “Get the bad news over with first. You be the one to say the tough stuff.” Well, here goes. There is a cruel wind blowing through our business. We all feel it, and if we don’t, perhaps we’ve forgotten how to feel. But here is the truth. We are less ourselves than we were when we started this organization.
[excerpt from This is War – Jerry Maguires Mission Statement]

For me it was 3 AM of New Years Eve. I seem to always have these type of sleepless nights every year around this time. Last night, I wrote a mission statement for the Creative Arts Ministry of Newsong, which I am the director of. It was supposed to be a quick post, but ended up becoming an intimate retelling of my story.

To read it on Newsong CAM’s site, Click here.

 

Stickers at Wahoo

Have you ever noticed the stickers at Wahoos? Since I started to actively pursue inspiration, simple thing like a sticker can be that.

 

Idea Camp

This blog has been my way of expressing my ideas and sharing things and people that inspire me. Charles Lee is definitely one person that has been a person that I look up to. When I was first starting Art United, he sat down with me at a Starbucks in Brea and listened to my ideas and gave me great advice. He also partnered with Justice N.O.W and shared a great message on the issue of Human Trafficking. He also a founding member of Just One, a great organization that really makes a positive difference in this world.

Charles Lee has done it again. This time he put together FREE hybrid conference for idea-makes to share, network, and implement ideas called THE IDEA CAMP.

Here is a quick blurb of what it is about. 

• We are gathering some of the most innovative and creative leaders from around the country (this means YOU!) to share ideas, intentionally network, and move collaboratively into idea-making. Whether your passion is church leadership, non-profit work, social entrepreneurialism, technology, media, creativity, culture making, church planting, spiritual formation, compassionate justice, etc., this is the conference for YOU.
• Dates: February 27-28, 2009
• Location: New Song Irvine <http://irvine.newsong.net/>
• Cost: Register Online for FREE by Creating a Profile at http://www.theideacamp.com <http://www.theideacamp.com>
• Facilitators
   
  • We are gathering some of most creative and innovative leaders from around country to facilitate meaningful conversations about idea-making.
    
• More Info? Email charles@theideacamp.com

I’m definitely planning on being there! I hope to see you there!

 

“Living with Data” – Merlin Mann

Of all the blogs I enjoy reading, there is one that really stands out.  43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

He recently spoke at the MacWorld 2008 Conference.

 

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

A couple of years ago, I bought “The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway“. And recently, while I was trying to put myself asleep, I came across a short story called “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place.” Supposedly, it is one of Hemingway’s more famous short story. I would encourage all to read it if you can get the chance. As usual, when I try to sleep reading something that can be inspiring or ignite my imagination, the end result is being tired the next day.

 

Holiday on Prism

I live in a wonderful, magical place where it snows in Irvine. Truly I was amazed at the lengths Irvine Company goes to keep their tenants joyous.

Today, they blocked off a road and converted into an old fashion block party. They provided FREE Starbucks, cupcakes from a local bakery, sushi from Wasa Sushi, vegi snacks from Veggi Grill and to top it off provided two drinks ticket to indulge in either Guinness, Newcastle, or Harp Beer…. Did I tell you that this was all FREE!

For entertainment, they had a street magician, a DJ and a live band. And the creme de la creme was the snow that fell from the sky. It was the type of snow that falls in Disneyland during their Winter fireworks spectacle. (to be honest, I wasn’t there for that, but I’m pretty sure it was a treat.)

The reason why I share this with you is partly to justify to myself that the high rent I pay is totally worth it but also, how a need to make the village feel more like a community brought out this creative answer… A holiday block party.

I really felt inspired by the simple decor and atmosphere they created. The lighting, the music and even the cold brisk air all worked together to give me the warm fuzzies. It might have been the beers, but still I felt like it was the holidays.

Kudos to the Irvine Company.

 

 

Excerpt from “Relevance, Faith and Art”

I recently read this article on Relevantmagazine.com and thought it was really interesting and wanted to share it with you. Also, maybe we can start a discussion on what it is saying.

We have become irrelevant.

Many contemporary Christians tend to make one of three errors when dealing with art: One, we declare anything that doesn’t explicitly proselytize, anything that depicts brokenness without redemption to be depraved or unworthy of Christian notice. Or two, we decide that the secular world really does have better art, so we copy it, boldly and without apology or thought into our own creativity. Or three, we try so hard to be relevant that we adopt the attitude and worldview of the culture that surrounds us—instead of being the proverbial salt and light, we end up as dust with nothing to offer in the way of hope, because there is only a perfunctory difference between those of us who claim to follow Christ and those who don’t.

Go ahead and click here to read the whole article. Let me know what you think?

 

My Muse (2 of 2)

 

My Muse (1 of 2)