WEEKLY LINKS: Never Too Late Edition

I subscribe to 240 feeds in my RSS reader, but I get through them each day in mere minutes. However, occasionally I’ll run into a great post that I’ll set aside to give closer attention to. I thought that Friday’s might be a good day to start journaling those standout posts. Since I just decided this a couple hours ago, and haven’t saved all the links from the past week, this edition will be a little sparse.

1. (Funny… the first link for this feature is actually three links about the same subject.) When Obama’s selection for the next Supreme Court Justice came out earlier this week I thought about how everyone on the right will be scurrying to see what their talking heads have to say about that, and how all on the left will be doing the same. Neither will actually take the time to consider the qualifications with a different set of glasses because they are all so entrenched in their camp they can’t even fathom another perspective (Which reminds me… it’s funny how everyone can have an opinion on someone so quickly despite never hearing their name before Tuesday. Reminds me of Palin in that regard). So I’ve been sitting back and listening to everyone pontificate on the pick. These three articles really stood out to me — Here, Here, and Here.

2. You’ll see a lot of links from Seth Godin on Friday’s, I can tell you that much. Seth is consistently giving me material to work with. This particular article has to do with one of my favorite subjects—Challenging Conventions.

3. My favorite band (still hanging in there despite Angels & Airwaves making a great run for the title) has been working on a new album for 3 friggin years. Back in 2007 I saw their live show four times, and I’ve been dying for their new album to come out. Yesterday a new interview with Paul Meany was published, and he talks at length about the current status of the album, and the process it’s been to get there.

4. LifeChurch.tv and Craig Groeschel do some great work. I love how they’ve upped the ante on providing free resources for churches. That’s been an issue with me in the last few years, but a topic for another day. Anyway, today’s blog post is something I whole-heartedly believe in regarding church building—Not Just More, But Different.

5. Perhaps the most unexpected link of the week was this one about a Spanish Matador that got gored by an angry bull. At first you’ll look at the picture and shudder. Then you’ll read some of the article and think the author is crass. But then, if you’re like me, you might agree with him… I think he might have got what he deserved. Why do people think that provoking a bull by stabbing it with swords is fun to watch?

Hey, that was better than I thought. I touched on most of the main topics I think about in a given week—politics, marketing, music, church (sports?). I’m not sure this is how it will look every Friday. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’ll always be in the process of tweaking it, but you get the idea.

Have a great weekend.

Filed under: Barack Obama, Church, Links, Seth Godin

Father and Son

Conversation on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 @ 7:23am during our morning commute.

Father: Do you know who you’re playing tonight?

Son: Yeah. Why?

Father: I didn’t know. I was wondering if you knew who it was.

Son: We’re playing the Orioles.

Son: We play the Orioles on Tuesdays. It’s a pattern dad. Orioles, then Tigers, then Marlins. Thursday we’re playing the Tigers.

Father: **Flabbergasted**

Son: **What is wrong with that guy?**

Filed under: Fathers, Sons, Tanner

The History and Future of The Original Mud Puppy

I began blogging on June 23, 2004.

It was simple, and primarily a vehicle to post a picture of my brother’s first child, but I had been following a co-workers blog for a couple months and really fell in love with the medium—not to mention it was FREE!

As I felt my way around my shiny new blogspot, I began by posting once a day. I figured people might miss a post if I did any more than that. I really enjoyed the task of coming up with something to write for the blog, and I loved trying to hone my writing skills, and my creativity. It was sort of like my own little newspaper, a fun little playground. I was also studying web design/HTML at that time so this was a great way to learn on the job.

On April 13, 2005 it started to become more. That was the day I found out my dad was resigning as minister from a church we’ve been attending for 15 years. The blog morphed into a place to process some of the thoughts I was having (although I have never been able to enjoy full disclosure because a lot of feelings could get hurt). During the process a lot of friends started following the blog. It became half therapy, and half a cultivator of community. As a result a slew of new blogs were created and the madness began. I finally had an audience of more than my mother.

On March 1, 2006 I made the switch over to WordPress from Blogger. Around the same time I decided that most people could probably keep up with multiple posts per day if they were interested enough. I also started dabbling in more controversial subjects to create a dialog because I was on a journey of spiritual discovery and all of the differing opinions of those stopping by were extremely insightful. With that, I also started to discover new blogging alliances.

A few in particular really launched my visibility, and began to show me how far you can create an online community. The first was Aaron Conrad in December 2006 (also the first blogger I met in person), then shortly thereafter it was Connor Byrd and Joel Klampert in February 2007. The combination of those three, their blogs, and the community they were involved in really made my blog what it is today.

Later that same year, on March 23, 2007, Jason Bolton and I started exploring the video side of blogging. We started a running series of webisodes called Mud & Steel. We were never going to compete for a Webby, but it allowed us to explore another new medium and Jason and I grew closer as a result.

On May 2, 2007 I received my first unsolicited blog perk. I was sent the first season of WKRP in Cincinnati on DVD to review on my blog. I decided that I could definitely get used to that! Many other offers began to follow, including an offer to be interviewed by Child Magazine for my tongue-in-cheek take on peanut allergies.

On January 31, 2008 I finally broke down and created my Twitter account. Prior to that I thought it was ridiculously self-absorbed, but now I only wish I had an iPhone so I could fully utilize its capabilities.

A year and a ton of posts later my stats went a little nuts. I hit my all time record on May 20, 2008 (a year ago today) with 3,105 hits. For that particular week I averaged 2,700 hits per day. Perhaps not the eye-popping stats of some blogstars I keep up with, but pretty solid for a regular guy like me.

A month later on June 23, 2008 I began a Summer Sabbatical.

Some people may consider that a little crazy considering the arc my blog was following, but that was part of the problem. My blog had become more statistically driven, and had succumbed to mediocrity and a follow-the-crowd mentality. Not only that, but it seemed to consume my thoughts. I had to make a choice as to whether I had control over this thing or it had control over me. So I pulled the plug on the spot and didn’t come back for over 2 months.

When I came back on September 3, 2008 I vowed to be different. In some ways I’ve succeeded in that, but I’m a long way from where I want to be and from what I want it to become. It’s slowly getting back to simply a journal to archive my thoughts and experiences for posterity. I don’t care about stats anymore. I don’t care to get free stuff to review. I don’t care if people read it or not.

It’s for me. The way I originally intended it.

I still love the community it produces, and I do love the interaction, but I am no longer driven by a nagging need to be affirmed in some way. It’s now just a cog in the online representation of The Original Mud Puppy, aka Russell Hawkins.

Some may find it a pleasurable experience, some may (and already have) unsubscribe from me, but I’m happy with this little piece of online real-estate I’ve created. Just remember, to get the full experience these days you’ll want to delve into all 5 senses of The Original Mud Puppy:
Blog / Twitter / Tumblr / Facebook / Delicious.

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FREE GIVEAWAY’S

Simply because of the good timing of this post, I’m giving away a bunch of stuff today in honor of the one year anniversary of my all-time stat record. To win any of the following items, simply leave a comment on this blog from now until May 27, 2009. List your order of preference as well. I’ll use a random number generator and the first number gets first dibs, and so on down the line.

DVD’s
WKRP In Cincinnati Season One

CD’s
Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson (Audio Book)*
Gentlemen At Arms EP — Gentlemen At Arms
Come Undone — Jackson Waters
Combinations — Eisley
Singing Back to You — The Swift
WOW Worship Yellow (x2)
WOW Worship Red
WOW Hits 2004
WOW Hits 2005

BOOK’s
Tribes by Seth Godin
The Noticer by Andy Andrews
Confessions of a Caffeinated Christian by John Fischer
Through The Storm by Lynne Spears
Coached by Jesus by Alan Nelson

*Ironically this particular item was the inspiration for my giveaway because a friend had given it to me (by the second blogger I’ve met in person) and I wanted to pass on the love to someone else. However I can’t seem to find it anywhere. In the case I still can’t find it after the week is up, I’ll send the paperback version of the book in its place.

Filed under: Blogging, Mud Puppy

5-Star Rating System

You might think that I would rate my movies by using the 5 major categories listed in this post, but you would be wrong. Although my ratings are based on the Netflix 5-Star rating system, I’m finding that more and more this is something viscerally I feel at the end of the movie. But despite that, I have found a certain pattern in my ratings.

1 Star – Hated It
For a movie to receive one star it usually means that I am proactively telling people to stay far away from it. I may occasionally use words like “sucked” or “garbage” while describing it to someone else. Examples: Firewall, Rocky V, Stone Cold

2 Stars – Didn’t Like It
Something really didn’t sit well with me after watching it. Maybe there was too much crude humor for my taste, maybe it had lousy acting, maybe the story was juvenile. Whatever it was, my gut told me that I just couldn’t say that I “liked” it. Examples: 88 Minutes, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Fireproof

3 Stars – Liked It
This is the catch-all rating for me. I usually describe a three star movie as “just another movie.” It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great or memorable. Examples: Charlie Barlett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Mr. 3000

4 Stars – Really Liked It
A four-star movie is one I could easily watch again. I had a good experience watching it, and I’d recommend it to others. Usually it’s lacking one little thing that could have taken it over the edge to a 5-star rating. Examples: 300, August Rush, Brick

5 Stars – Loved It
Five-star movies are the ones I’d buy. I’m also proactively telling everyone I know about how great it was. Movies with a great message or that involve a true story usually get bumped up here from a 4-star rating. Examples: Blood Diamond, Fargo, Juno

Filed under: Movies

Cautioners

Cautioners — Jimmy Eat World

The time I would spend
with pictures I would not send
I watched you go from left to right
I followed you all night
Across my blinds

You’ll change your mind come Monday
and turn your back on me
You’ll take your steps away with hesitance
Take your steps away from me

I’m making my peace
making it with distance
Maybe that’s a big mistake
you know I’m thinking of you
I miss you

You’ll change your mind come Monday
and turn your back on me
You’ll take your steps away with hesitance
You’ll take your steps away from me

You’ll change your mind come Monday
and turn your back on me
You’ll take your steps away with hesitance
You’ll take your steps away from me

Filed under: Lyrics, Music

Losing Our Religion

Religion, politics and America is such a lethal and intriguing combination. I have contemplated, wrote and deleted more religion posts than I can count. This one will not be worth the wait, but I still think there are some nuggets in here to chew on, and next year I’ll be better for having written my thoughts down somewhere.

One of my favorite quotes is this…
“Reject Religion. Embrace Jesus.”

I think that proposition has a lot to do with what’s going on here. Kids today are starting to see through the double standard in mainline christianity that preaches one thing on Sunday, yet acts in complete contradiction.

I couldn’t give two craps over Obama’s statement that America is no longer a “christian” nation. First, most are completely missing his point. Second, and more importantly, it has absolutely no bearing on my salvation nor my calling.

If we really wanted to be a christian nation, we would start listening more to Christ and less to Rush Limbaugh, or Barack Obama for that matter.

Filed under: America, Politics, Religion

What I Look For In A Movie

I’ve been watching a lot of movies lately. Seriously, a lot.

Here’s a breakdown of the new movies I’ve watched for the last three years (which doesn’t include movies I’ve watched that I have seen before—such as those 48 viewings of Star Wars with Tanner).

2007 – 105
2008 – 191
2009 – 91 through May 4

But this post isn’t really about how many movies I watch, or what I do with my time. This post is generated as a result of a debate I recently had on my Facebook page about what constitutes a “good” movie (more specifically, I said Fireproof was crap while many others said it was good simply because, although they admit it had horrible acting, it had a good message).

So it got me thinking about how I rate movies. Here’s what I’ve come up with as major factors I use in rating a movie. All parts being equal.

Acting
I want to feel like I’m watching something real, even if it’s set on Mars and they are fighting a six-legged octopus. I don’t want to feel like the actors are snoozing their way to another paycheck or haven’t researched for their parts. I also don’t want to see Mud and Steel quality in Hollywood. Good acting is a cornerstone to rating a movie.

Story
The story must be compelling. Of course there are a lot of rehashes out there, but if it’s a timeless story, and done well, then there’s no harm no foul. But the story needs to captivate me. I hate nodding off during a movie, and that happens most often due to a bad story line.

Originality
Originality will carry a weaker story line. If it’s never been done before you’ve peaked my interest already. Originality is almost like bonus points in that regard, but I personally give it a little more prominence than that in my ratings. Not just originality of story, but in delivery as well.

Cinematography
If you have visually stimulated me, you are going to get some major points. However, I’m not a big CGI guy, so you’re going to have to do a lot more than computer generated graphics to impress me. I love a beautiful picture.

The Rest
The last factor is a combination of all the other aspects to movie making that can make or break a movie for me.

Cast
Inspirational
Dialogue
Pace
Style
Quotable
Cleverness
Timelessness
Topical
Challenging
Entertainment Value
Music
Escapism
Humor
Drama
Suspense
Action
Truth

All that said, sometimes a movie hits a nerve with me that disregards all reason, which is why you’ll find Dumb and Dumber in my list of Top 3 all time favorite movies. So much for rules, eh?

How do you rate movies?

Filed under: Movies

April Debrief

• April was the month the warmth came
• Easter service was priceless
• Tanner began his first season of Little League
• I bought a new lawn mower and grill
• We booked all of our vacations for the year
• April was the ‘Tipping Point’ of my coffee consumption
• Tonia and Tanner became addicted to the Wii

But April 2009 will be best remembered for Tanner’s performance in his first 5K. He ran it in 37:45, finishing in first place in the 1-10 year-old division (he’s only 5 btw). The more I think about it, the more impressed I am with his feat. What a stud. Just the thought of it has pushed me in my own training this month. Love that little guy!

I also decided this week that I’ve been letting a lot of valuable information fall by the wayside by not recording the best quotes and thoughts from the books I’ve been reading and the movies I’ve been watching. So beginning with May I’m going to start keeping a moleskin with me to record all of the inspired thought that comes out of the books and movies I consume. I’m really looking forward to seeing what I capture!

With that said, I read a lot of great books this month, and the movies were decent with only a couple stand outs.

Books Read:
Sin Boldly
The Alchemist (Audio Book)
Angels and Demons
The Noticer
The Tipping Point
So Beautiful (Audio Book)

Movies Watched:
Saints and Soldiers – 4/5
Religulous – 4/5
What Just Happened? – 3/5
Knowing – 3/5
Race to Witch Mountain – 3/5
Sweeney Todd – 4/5
Lucky Number Slevin – 4/5
The Day the Earth Stood Still – 2/5
The Golden Compass – 3/5
I.O.U.S.A. – 4/5
Doubt – 4/5
Edward Scissorhands – 4/5
Bedtime Stories – 3/5
Marley & Me – 5/5
State of Play – 4/5
Monters vs. Aliens – 2/5
Fireproof – 2/5
The Wrestler – 5/5
Ed Wood – 3/5
The Holiday – 3/5
Beetlejuice – 3/5
JCVD – 4/5

Previous Months:
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009

Filed under: 2009, April, Books, Movies