JamesKingsley.ca

Dorothy Day on journaling

2012-02-02T22:30:00.002-05:00

"Recording happiness made it last longer, we felt, and recording sorrow dramatized it and took away its bitterness; often we settled some problem which beset us even while we wrote about it."
~ Dorothy Day (from The Long Loneliness)

c/o Andrew Jones' excellent "What Dorothy Day Might Teach Bloggers"

Mavis Staples and The Weight (33 Years Later)

2012-01-07T21:49:00.000-05:00

Mavis sounding just as good in 2011 (and in rehearsal no less) as she did back in '78 on this classic from The Band (which, incidentally has to be rivalling "Yesterday" for most covered song of our day).

Work and the blog for 2012

2011-12-19T08:10:00.003-05:00

As is the case with most Decembers, I've been re-assessing how I want/hope to spend my time "next year."

With a big switch in full-time gigs from Teen Challenge to rtraction, the growth of my role at Hillside (which included a very busy fall with the Ride for Refuge), and a steady number of design contracts on the side, this past year found me "on-the-clock" more than anything else.

2011 also found me scaling back my time online – specifically as it relates to this blog (55 posts in 2011 vs 92 posts in 2010) and facebook (which I pretty much ignored completely). The blogging I miss, the lack of facebook I rarely even notice.

So what does this mean for 2012?

As per "work," I'm planning on turning down more freelance contracts than I accept and investing a larger portion of my time and energy with the inspirational teams I'm part of at rtraction and Hillside. Both these jobs are dream roles for me and I've no doubt 2012 will be just as satisfying as 2011 was in this regard.

As per the blog, I plan to continue to post what I want, when I want. I expect this will be with a bit more frequency, but the desire is to let it happen rather than try and make a discipline out of it. Being creative is the goal, and I'm fine (perhaps hoping) with that happening more often offline.

As per facebook: my vacation is indefinitely extended at this point.

Up next: What/how I hope to read in 2012..

How Come You Never Go There

2011-10-05T18:37:00.000-04:00

I'm still waiting to carve out enough time for a proper first listen to Feist's new album "Metals," but if it's full of songs anything like this one (and I've heard it is) I am sure it'll be a fall favorite of mine.Props to the horn section.

3 Modern Alarm Clocks

2011-10-03T20:03:00.002-04:00

Not an alarm clock itself so much as it is a gorgeous way to store, charge, and use your iPhone's built in alarm clock, Habitco designer Michael Kritzer's Day Maker takes a beautiful less-is-more approach to waking up.

It's a shame Meng Fandi's "Ring" alarm clock only exists in concept - because the idea of an alarm clock that uses a pair of independently vibrating rings could potentially save a lot of marital strife...

Biegert + Funk's QlockTwo Touch speaks for itself – almost literally – as it drops the numeric and opts for a more typographic approach to the age old question of "what time is it?"

50 No Handed Bike Moves

2011-09-28T10:52:00.003-04:00

"Golden Tree" by Martin Brooks from Ninian Doff on Vimeo.

With only a few days to go before London's annual Ride for Refuge, I figured I'd post this instructional/inspiration video on some sweet moves our cyclists can bust out while riding their route.

I'll also take this opportunity to shamelessly ask for you to sponsor me...
The Ride raises funds for a whack of different causes, and my team in particular is riding to support a clean water station in Ethiopia and a local fund that helps Londoner's meet unexpected/emergency bills and expenses. If you can donate in any way, that'd be awesome - because once you do: we're in it together.

Sponsor me

-

p.s. If you'd like to get involved with the ride but money's too tight for a sponsorship (and spandex is too tight to ride yourself) email me via james at hillsidelondon dot com and I'll hook you up with our awesome volunteer team.

p.s.s Cheers to Nathan for the tip on the video.

Gimme Shelter

2011-09-17T19:58:00.004-04:00

Installation: Ryan Ollson

Location: Wellington, near York (London, ON)

Photography: Scott Webb of Flat White Photography

Having recently started riding the bus to and from work - and with the promise of autumn's rain (to be followed by winter's snow) in the near future - the idea of building shelters at all city bus stops has suddenly moved to the front of my mind.

Of course, if said shelters were as beautiful and creative as the one pictured above, I'd have even more reason than my respite from the elements to be thankful.

What say ye London?

Would a renewed emphasis on the design (and number) of our city's bus shelters be worth it amidst talk of rising fares for a service that can't meet demand within the constraints of it's projected budget?

Canning 2011

2011-09-02T09:15:00.000-04:00

Hello southwestern Ontario harvest.

The following will become many jars of delicious pasta sauce and dill pickles... it's the bounty Hilary and Margie u-picked yesterday to process today (along with Lori) for the three of our families to enjoy over the next year.

...

5 bushels of tomatoes (romas)
1/2 bushel green peppers
11 quarts of mixed hot peppers
11 quarts of sweet banana peppers
1 bushel of pickling cukes
10lbs onions
10 bulbs garlic
30 free range farm eggs
10 lbs of potatoes

Logos in the Wild by Helmut Smits

2011-08-13T11:27:00.001-04:00

Territories

Polystyrene, plywood, acrylic

Helmut Smits

2005

via

Long Division: New Works by Darcy Obokata

2011-07-28T11:52:00.001-04:00

If you're around Calgary this evening (Thursday, July 28th 8:00pm), my good buddy Darcy Obokata is exhibiting some new work at The Gallery (113-1013 17 Ave SW Calgary, AB).

Dude has got some sweet style and I'm bummed I can't be at the show myself. Here's what he had to offer last time he was 'round those parts.

(Kudo's to Ian Schwaier on the promo video above.)

4 for Friday

2011-07-22T09:48:00.002-04:00

The pop-up market: Like a rave for foodies
"A hipster response to the current economic recession, fuelled by social-media networking, the underground food scene ... is akin to other recent urban phenomena such as guerrilla gardening, free-cycling, guerrilla knitting and bike-in disposable film festivals." Read more

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Quitting smoking by design

What if smoking was subtly discourage via really bad packaging design?

The Periodic Table of Typefaces

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Breaking Down a Pork Loin: 101
Ever wanted to how the Pork Loin is "made?" The fine folk at Acquired Taste Magazine partner up with Toronto butcher Peter Sanagan for this step-by-step guide. Warning: this post is finitely not for the faint-of-heart ... or vegetarians.

Brian Frank on Civic Criticism

2011-07-18T10:17:00.000-04:00

In his quest to bridge the gap between complaining about and contributing to civic matters, local writer Brian Frank posted an excellent piece last October which I've been meaning to draw attention to ever since.

The whole thing is worth a read, but Brian beautifully articulates the tension between the utility and place of criticism in the two paragraphs below:

"On one hand I know it’s not nice to criticize, and in most cases I prefer to see people actually doing things and making mistakes, rather than over-thinking plans and talking about hypotheticals and going nowhere. Criticism like mine can stifle action which is not something I want to do.

On the other hand I think a lot of us have ideas and suggestions that are worth considering and the last thing I want is everyone going along with mediocre projects to get along."

The agony over how to address the frustration is a pain I share with Brian; as a creative person myself I'm often quick to lose enthusiasm when ideas don't manifest themselves as "creatively" as I believe they could be realized. It's not that I believe "my" ideas are the best, it's just that I'm a fan of thoroughly exploring a number of ways to make things happen – in the end, I like to know why certain choices were made, which ones were rejected, and the overall story of how we got to where we ended up. This is where you'll earn my support.

Call it the designer in me, but I'm a sucker for the process.

So when Brian suggests later on in his piece that lending support is perhaps as easy as lending a hand, my hat goes off to him: finding a way to get more people involved in "making things happen" right from the start rarely fails to increase ownership and in the end, support.

It's a simple concept to grasp, and it's by no means a "new idea" – but it's an effort I truly believe we need to ~~make~~ take in so many of our civic matters, and it's worth an underscore with this blog post.

The next time you're about to set to work on a project – any project – throw your invitation to contribute as wide as you can. If it's support you're after, find it before your project goes public. Don't worry about too many voices slowing things down – you'll have to deal with those voices eventually anyway.

Many hands make more than light work – they make proud parents of us all.

Bad Artists Imitate...

2011-07-16T16:24:00.003-04:00

~~I wish~~ I'd thought of this myself.

The Civil Wars' "Forget Me Not"

2011-07-15T17:18:00.001-04:00

I've been really digging duos as of late, and this performance by the always enchanted The Civil Wars is definitely a big reason for that...plus, I think we can all agree the world needs more musicians who smile no?!

Also, I'm a sucker for a good waltz.

Changes/Mid-Summer Update

2011-07-14T12:07:00.001-04:00

It's been a busy summer so far with lots of sun, travel, and the makings of some big changes for Hilary and I this fall on account of new "work" for both us; Hilary at Woodstock Collegiate Institute for 1st semester and myself joining the team at rTraction.

I put "work" in quotes as we're both stoked to be in employment situations that play to our strengths and passions and will find us working alongside colleagues who deeply care about the well-being of the community around us.

It was tough for Hilary to leave IDCI, but work in the TVDSB is scarce and we're just happy she'll be back there for 2nd semester.

Personally, it's been a rewarding two years with Teen Challenge, but the opportunity to get involved in the great work that rTraction has been producing (and inspiring around this city) was something I just couldn't pass up. I'm definitely looking forward to what the fall will bring there.

Of course, things at Hillside are hitting their summer stride with lots of energy and excitement (not to mention a huge party tonight) and I continue to enjoy serving there with Pernell, Jeff, Karen, and the rest of the crew. I'm also pretty stoked to announce that we'll be hosting this year's Ride for Refuge on October 1st with yours truly as the Event Director.

Regarding this blog in particular: I've got a growing collection of design-minded series that I'm looking forward to posting over the next few weeks. That said, they'll most likely be posted in between our highly-anticipated trip to Victoria, some more time at the beach, and a number of other welcome distractions I expect the summer to offer.

Stay cool.

The Great Canadian Bacon Festival

2011-06-30T12:04:00.001-04:00

I first fell in love with the design of this poster after seeing it on Kelly Hunt's (always excellent) Eat Local London blog, but it wasn't until I saw it in The Met's window during the Car Free Festival a few weekends back that I was able to fully appreciate its execution - namely, the fact that it's printed on genuine butcher's paper.

As a bit of a foodie myself, the festival has me drooling (check out the menu), but I wanted to use this post to tip my hat to festival organizer Sarah Reynolds and designer Jesse Gibb for gracing shop windows and hydro poles around town with such a great poster. Well done!

For more info:
The Great Canadian Bacon Festival
at The Arva Flour Mill
Friday July 1st, 2011

A Couple Couples

2011-06-28T12:37:00.000-04:00

For lovers, by lovers.

Adam & Antonia (of Jets Overhead) from No Nations

Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken from TN EP

Cardon Copy

2011-06-25T10:45:00.000-04:00

Around 2009, artist Cardon Webb attracted some great attention for his vigilante-like campaign on the visual clutter he found in his neigbhourhood.

Under the cover of broad daylight, Webb would scour the streets around him for hand-scrawled posters and flyers of the "Lost Cat" and "Apartment for Rent" variety. Once a suitable candidate was found, it was then removed, taken home, redesigned, and subsequently replaced.

Essentially, the project was an experiment in unrequested makeovers with a healthy dose visual redemption as it's driving force.

As you can see below, the redesigned pieces were often radical departures from their original manifestations, and the attention they have received continues to speak to the power of design in our culture.

Do yourself a favor and be sure to check out the rest Webb's redesigns.

DIY Sport: Urban and Rural Edition

2011-06-17T11:39:00.000-04:00

On both cement and sand, here's some great examples of Canadians making the best of our surroundings for a little DIY fun and games.

Above
"Sarnia Urban Sports" (click for full series)
by: Nathan Colquhoun

Below
"Great Moments in the History of Bocce Buoy" (click for full series)
by: Malcolm Johnson

Car Free Festival

2011-06-17T10:57:00.000-04:00

Car Free Festival returns to town this weekend and shuts down Dundas St. from Wellington to Ridout. There'll be music, vendors, bike rentals, and of course, a whole lot of walking down the middle of the road.

Even better, this is the first of a summer series which will see the street opened to pedestrian meandering four times between now and September...

"So you need a typeface" flowchart

2011-06-04T14:06:00.000-04:00

Artist: Julian Hansen

June is Bike Month

2011-06-02T08:57:00.003-04:00

Don't forget: June is Bike Month, and we'll be seeing more cyclists on the road over the summer.

Hopefully, we'll also be seeing some more creative advertising about the campaign like this great reminder from last year...

Advertising Agency: Grey Vancouver, Canada
Creative Director: Alan Russell
Art Director: David Wong
Copywriter: Alan Russell
Photographer: Anthony Redpath
Digital Artist: Laara Cerman
Published: June 2010

c/o: Ads of the World

Living for Someone (Ivan and Alyosha)

2011-06-02T08:18:00.000-04:00

Living for Someone

Ivan and Alyosha

From "Fathers Be Kind" EP

The world is breaking down

But we are marching forward

My friends are breaking ground

And loving one another

We were not living for ourselves

But we were living for someone else

Now I just quit my job

And sold my fine possessions

Expecting our first child

Amid the Great Recession

We count less than you it's true

It was the spirit of the age

ain't it funny how nothing really ever changes

Now draw the line between

What you want and what you need

Now tell me what you see

Turn your blessings into what it couldn't be

You were not living for yourself

But you were living for something else

And so you limit your own mind

You never were the dreaming kind

'Cause someone told you boy when you were young

You'll never find the things you want

4 to Go

2011-06-01T08:08:00.000-04:00

Here we go Canada; Johnny Canuck and the boys are four wins away from bringing Lord Stanley's Cup back to its rightful home in the true north.

Here's to a solid 60 minutes tonight.

Coupland and Bell

2011-05-23T11:39:00.000-04:00

Over the Easter weekend I was able to read Douglas Coupland's "Player One: What is to Become of Us?" and Rob Bell's "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived;" the former being a mid-apocalyptic tale set amidst the crumbling narrative of our lives, the latter being a mid-apocalyptic tale set amidst the crumbling narrative of our lives.

Both Coupland and Bell are widely recognized as prophetic voices to those of us who Coupland himself dubbed "Generation X," and neither fail to live up to their role – making us uncomfortable with the here-and-now by pointing toward a bleak future should we fail to change our ways.

For those of you – like me – who find yourselves leaning toward Coupland's non-fiction I think you'll find Player One to possess a pace and tone as accessible as his essays, autobiographies and shorter works of reflection and I'd definitely suggest you give it a read.

As per the controversy Bell's book has brought to the surface of contemporary Evangelicalism – I can only hope Bell's poetic poking and prodding will encourage the Church to once again inhabit the space between Orthodoxy and Heresy; a space where mystery, doubt and the "unknowable" can often be found strengthening faith more than weakening it. (Of course, there's much to "work out" between the lines of Bell's prose, but that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's followed him over the years. )

All in all, I'd recommend both books highly.

Ivan and Alyosha's "Fathers Be Kind"

2011-05-20T20:49:00.000-04:00

As I tweeted earlier this evening, I've been enjoying the new 5 song EP ("Fathers Be Kind") from Seattle's Ivan and Alyosha.

Imagine Mumford and Sons crossed with Starflyer 59 and sprinkled with a little George Harrison and you'll get an idea of this quintet's sound; it's all layers of crystal clear harmonies, acoustic guitars and a fair amount of shakers.

The EP was being given away for free via Noisetrade.com over the last few weeks, however, I didn't get this blogged in time for you to take advantage of said deal. Nevertheless you can purchase it (in many forms) on their website or via iTunes.

The tune above, which closes their album (and apparently most of their shows these days) is a fitting ode to Johnny Cash in its playful way of consecrating all that we do - no matter how questionable it may seem from a distance...

Bouchet's Shopping Cart Lounger

2011-05-09T08:33:00.000-04:00

Mike Bouchet
'Argento Libre', 2011
Zinc plated steel
205 x 60 x 50cm
Courtesy of the artist and Nathalie Karg / Cumulus Studios, New York

There is so much to be said through this piece about the relaxation we seek through consumption ... but great art speaks for itself, so I'll leave my editorial at that.

c/o Inspire Me Now & Design Boom

National Parks Project

2011-05-04T14:19:00.000-04:00

"From May to October, 2010 the [National Parks]project sent groups comprised of one film maker and three musicians to a park in each province and territory to capture their experience of the landscape in a short film and soundtrack... Groups spent five days in the park, exploring sights and sounds and collaborating on sounds and images that would communicate the unique essence of the surrounding environment."

This film looks/sounds absolutely stunning and I'm definitely looking forward to carving out some time to watch it soon.

Learn more at www.nationalparksproject.ca

Purchase individual episodes on iTunes here.

Get your vote on

2011-05-01T15:55:00.000-04:00

Dear Canadian readers,

I don't care if it's for the mustache, the hair, the eyebrows, or the scarf: please cast your vote on Monday May 2nd.

Thank you.

Faith + Works

2011-04-27T12:38:00.000-04:00

"No one will believe that God is good in these times unless there are a people who belong to a community that demonstrates that truth."
~ Len Hjmarlson

(From another beautiful post by Len which is worth a read in it's entirety here.)

Death in His Grave (for Easter Sunday)

2011-04-24T06:29:00.001-04:00

Death in His Grave

John Mark McMillan

Though the Earth Cried out for blood

Satisfied her hunger was

Billows calmed on raging seas

for the souls of men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony

Turned their head in disbelief

Their precious Love would taste the sting

disfigured and disdained

On Friday a thief

On Sunday a King

Laid down in grief

But awoke with the keys

Of Hell on that day

The first born of the slain

The Man Jesus Christ

Laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept

The Morning Sun of righteousness

But rose to shame the throes of death

And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men

Would pay not their dues again

The debt of blood they owed was rent

When the day rolled anew

On Friday a thief

On Sunday a King

Laid down in grief

But awoke holding keys

To Hell on that day

The first born of the slain

The Man Jesus Christ

Laid death in his grave

He has cheated

Hell and seated

Us above the fall

In desperate places

He paid our wages

One time once and for all

McCracken on Trees and Death and Palm Sunday

2011-04-20T07:13:00.000-04:00

"In the dead of winter, an ugly, dead-looking tree is still very much alive, ready to spring forth with greenery and oxygen when the weather turns. It’s a comfort, and I feel it keenly this Palm Sunday weekend: there’s always a hidden life behind dead-looking things. There’s always the promise of newness and rebirth.

Nothing is ever really dead."

~ Brett McCracken from "Trees"

On Working to Connect

2011-04-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

“Groups are how we connect here. Groups are how we care for people, grow people, and involve people in ministry and mission. If you don’t join a group, you will never really be one of us.”

~ Len Hjalmarson from Small Groups - Cell Church

That last sentence can sound a little harsh and exclusive but I really don't think it's anything other than the cold hard truth about the way(s) in which humans connect and "actually" care for one another. Life together is work, and it isn't as easy as we often expect it should be.

Taking this thinking a little further I woud suggest that some amount of exclusivity is necessary to foster a truly inclusive environment where people connect and care for one another; having to break down some sort of barrier to begin with paves the road to come so to speak (perhaps this is where rites of passage and initiation ceremonies have worked so well in creating group cohesion over the centuries).

All this to ask: if our effort to join the community prepares us for the effort it will take to maintain it, how do we create a welcoming community which doesn't shy away from asking more of those who wish to join it?

Furthermore: how do we develop such rites of passage without at the same time contributing to a view of the world which draws hate-fueled lines between "us" and "them?"

The Stones Cry Out

2011-04-18T09:45:00.000-04:00

Artist and Title unknown, photo c/o hsupreme

I meant to post this as part of yesterday's Palm Sunday celebrations, whoever the time got away from me... the inspiration of course being Jesus' response to those asking him to quiet the rowdy crowds who had gathered to welcome him into Jerusalem.

On Fitch and Politicized Churches

2011-04-17T18:26:00.000-04:00

Recently, David Fitch has put forth the idea that localized faith communities of the more organic/unofficial variety should consider manifesting themselves politically if they truly wish to be a visible presence to the culture surrounding them. It's an interesting read, and before we go much further I'd suggest you give it a thorough read yourself here...

The thing is, I don't really feel all that confident in David's advice to "make it official."

Just because political bodies are more readily "visible" to the culture around us, I don't believe they are necessarily the best way for the Church to draw attention to God's mission.

If not solely for the fact that Jesus resisted the partisan route Himself, I'd argue politicizing your community leans a bit more toward "of" than "in," and I'm not sure how helpful that is in a world where politics often seeks (and finds) its power through division.

Writing from within the context of a Church community with a 125 year history as a political body already I would argue the greater witness of the North American Church (politicized or not) is on its best display when we partner with the political bodies in our midst already (city councils, parent teacher associations, etc) and work for the Kingdom therein; subverting even while supporting, and ever mindful that our participation within these bodies introduces Jesus to those already inspired to work alongside each other by an "unknown god."

In particular, at Hillside I'm fascinated by the challenge to take a politicized-body-with-minimal-political-clout and encourage our members to engage their neighbour on a personal level; to manifest the Kingdom around our dinner tables and on our soccer fields, to weave Christ throughout the fabric of our civic lives.

If the personal is political I'm arguing we need a real dose of personality.

Well-informed and doing little...

2011-04-11T12:48:00.003-04:00

"We are simultaneously becoming the most well-informed and slothful generation ever. Knowing everything, and doing very little. Our bodies crammed so full of del.icio.us fresh information that we are unable to move."

~ Kester Brewin

I know I've linked to the post containing this quote numerous times in the last few months, but these three sentences are so succinct I think they bear re-reading on a semi-regular basis.

House of SLIDE

2011-04-04T12:56:00.000-04:00

House of SLIDE
Nakamaguro, Japan
Level Architects

Who wouldn't want a house with a slide down one side and stairs up the other?
This is exactly the kind of design that puts the "fun" back in functional.

c/o Dezeen

Generally Speaking (The Beautiful, The Quiet and The Still)

2011-04-02T20:17:00.005-04:00

In our effort to affect change, I wonder what would happen if we moved from highlighting generalizations which focus out the worst side(s) of our collective behaviour and instead shine a light on the anomalies within our culture where people are already living/thinking differently.

The fact of the matter is that our bad habits are denied, defended and protected by so many years of practice that we develop the ability to tune out any hint of chastisement without even realizing it. Resistance becomes our subconcious default.

What's needed at this juncture is something that cuts through the noise and catches us off our guard. Something so beautiful and out of the ordinary that we're forced to strain our ears and capture every little line of it's melody.

For years, this kind of inspiration was known as "art" and was employed hand in hand with silence and retreat as sure-fire ways to shake us out of our complacency.

Subversion preceeded conversion, and inspiration proved itself more profitable than condemnation as we exposed ourselves to the beautiful, the quiet and the still.

Indeed, it would seem the task before us these days is to seek "change" second to the challenge of creating the kind of environment where change is possible in the first place.

Lights Out

2011-03-25T15:31:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure of the name of the artist behind this image for last year's Earth Hour, but I absolutely love the simplicity of it.

via idsgn

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In related news: I'd love to hear your plans for the party tomorrow night via the comments...

Tompkins on Art and Truth

2011-03-24T09:51:00.000-04:00

"Where there are artists, there is truth."
~ Bryan Tompkins

POM Wonderful presents

2011-03-23T08:20:00.000-04:00

The irony in this upcoming documentary from "Super Size Me" director Morgan Spurlock is as thick as Jif® Peanut Butter...

For Peace Comes Dropping Slow

2011-03-20T06:08:00.000-04:00

Innisfree
William Butler Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Changes

2011-03-19T11:33:00.000-04:00

Change from within any community (or organization) is hard. Change from within one's self is often harder.

It seems we most demand of others that which we will not ask of ourselves. If we're honest, many of us reprimand the communities of which we're part for knowing what we ought - and not doing it - while at the same time failing to significantly address the need for said change in our own lives.

True, there is a place for those who point the way, but more often than not, this kind of "showing the way" is only made possible thanks to the well-worn path others have laid on their own in the first place.

Understanding that "B" is a better reality than "A" isn't the hard part - it's covering the ground between the two where we get hung up.

This is not a new argument (and Gandhi put it much more succinctly when he inspired/admonished us to "be the change we want to see in the world"), but I think it bears repeating.

If not only to remind myself.

Lunch Break

2011-03-16T14:33:00.002-04:00

Please excuse the mess, I was updating this template and then got hungry for lunch...I'll be back to spruce it up in a bit.

Being Pat on the Internet

2011-03-15T11:29:00.001-04:00

"At the end of the day we’re all just a bunch of humans trying to swim our way through a series of tubes that will hopefully lead us to a deeper level of connection with each other and ourselves."
~ Pat Dryburgh from Being Me on the Internet

Similar to Pat's take on the matter, I've always been curious to know how I come across online...

New Year's (Media) Diet Part 5: RSS

2011-03-02T18:27:00.000-05:00

This is the fifth installment in a series about new approaches to media I hope to adopt and maintain throughout the year.

Part One was a list of reading/thinking that has inspired me to make some changes, while Part Two honed in on the realization of my "intellectual obesity." I then jumped into Facebook headfirst in Part Three before Part Four found me all-a-twitter.

Today's post explores how I've cut back on the online reading I do via Google Reader.

Note: Before I get into things, if you're not familiar with the term "RSS," you should watch this 90 second introduction/explanation first.

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When I first starting cutting back my RSS intake last year, I was subscribed to about 200 feeds; according to the stats that Google Reader keeps, since October of 2005 I've seen over 45,000 items pass through my reader.

With this torrent of information before me, making the choice between what to read (and hopefully respond to) and what to let pass by wasn't all that different than trying to tak a sip of water from a fire hydrant. It was just too much, too fast. It was time to diver the stream somehow.

To start, I grouped my feeds by theme. I had one for art + design, one for theology, one for "friends," and so on. This cut out the intellectual whiplash I'd often experience and helped my focus by keeping me on one topic at a time, but in the end it did nothing to stem the amount of items to be read.

So I decided scrap the "themed" approach and instead focus on organizing my feeds into daily/weekly/monthly folders. This way I was able to stay "in the loop" with those sites whose content was timely (Daily) and not worry about the growing unread count from those providers I wanted to spend more time with (Weekly/Monthly).

I really enjoyed this strategy and it actually helped me unsubsribe from a few feeds when I realized how many of them cross-posted a fair amount of the same content. But after a while of reading this way it felt like I was following three disctint tributaries - and I really missed the single stream.

Fast forward to today where I follow closer to 50 feeds regularly (the "A" feed) and subscribe to another dozen or so (the "B" feed) who rarely update, but are worth keeping tabs on for those times when they either awake from hibernation or officially retire.

(It's worth noting here that I've also begun to use Instapaper for those posts I used to continually "mark as unread." I'm finding the real meaty content is much easier to read and digest when I'm doing so outside of reader.)

The result of simply unsubscribing has been great, and I often find myself with fewer than 10 unread items in my reader at a time - which is a great feeling. Such a great feeling in fact that I might try and whittle the A-List down even more in the next few months...

There's some more stuff I could talk about in regard to this part of my diet, but the post is getting longer than I'd hoped and I'll leave anything extra for either the comments, or perhaps another post another day...

Up next: "Addition and Subtraction...."

Breaking bread with strangers

2011-02-09T15:19:00.000-05:00

"Great food aside, the best feature of the underground supper club is the random social mix. Breaking bread with strangers can be a delight. In fact, it is the very opposite of what many of us do on Facebook and the like. Instead of “friending” acquaintances in cyberspace, supper-club aficionados use online networks to meet real-life people and have real experiences."

From Hannah Sung's Why underground supper clubs work

Douglas Coupland's "Digital Orca"

2011-02-04T14:55:00.000-05:00

Following yesterday's post on the natural/digital divide I thought I'd post one of my favorite pieces from Douglas Coupland last year: Digital Orca.

From the plaque in front of it:

The 'Digital Orca' sculpture breaks down a three-dimensional Orca whale into cubic pixels - making a familiar symbol of the West Coast become something unexpected and new. This use of natural imagery modified by technology bridges the past to the future. It speaks to the people and activities that created Vancouver's thriving harbour culture, while addressing the massive changes reshaping the BC economy. The sculpture's metal construction and lighting components evoke the daily moods of the harbour and the diversity of those who work there.

Douglas Coupland 2010

Photos c/o Coupland.com

There's quite a few more photo's here as well as an interesting little "making of" clip below.

2 Birds

2011-02-03T10:37:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if the photographer on whose flickr stream I found these is the actual artist, but I love the mix of the natural and the digital in these portraits.

Source

Media Diet will return shortly

2011-01-29T15:04:00.000-05:00

I was hoping to wrap up my series of posts on my New Year's (Media) Diet before February arrived, but it's not looking like that's going to happen anymore - partially because I'm still in the process of sorting things out when it comes to RSS subscriptions and the websites I keep daily'ish tabs on.

The other reason is a bunch of new design gigs that just came across my desk.

Stay tuned for more later...though you can expect the linkage to pick up around here as I've been prepping a list of said inspiration to roll out over the next few weeks.

Be Small, and Love Huge

2011-01-26T08:03:00.001-05:00

Though it's a reflection from nearly two years ago, this gem of a paragraph - penned by friend Jordan Shaw as he started work in Vancouver's Downtown East Side - still resonates with me today.

It's a summary of advice from his mentor regarding the struggle to love and serve in the midst of chaos, despair, and the smallest seeds of hope. At it's root is a simple reminder: let tomorrow worry about itself and get on with humbly loving those in front of you today.

Here's how Jordan put it:

"[My mentor's advice] can most easily be summed up in this thought: Be Small, and Love Huge.

What this has meant for me is giving up my long-term plans to Christ, and not worrying about what the future may hold, but instead focusing on the challenges and rewards of today. It also means that the biggest question that I should be asking on a day-to-day basis is this: 'How do I love this person (whether he or she be addicted, homeless, ill, etc) better?'

This change to local, short-term goals from massive, long-term planning was jarring at first, but I have quickly seen the benefit ..."

A New Year's (Media Diet) Part 4: All-A-Twitter

2011-01-22T11:07:00.000-05:00

This is the fourth installment in a series (part 1, part 2, part 3) about new approaches to media I hope to adopt and maintain throughout the year.

Part 1 was a list of reading/thinking that has inspired me to make some changes, while Part 2 honed in on the realization of my "intellectual obesity." Part 3 jumped into Facebook headfirst....

In today's post I'm all a-twitter...

--

Here's the deal with Twitter: I try to keep it fun, light, and easy. I'm learning to be cavalier with it. Casual even.

Since signing up for the service it's been a hard road to adopt this attitude, but I think I'm almost there. Which is great, because otherwise I find it much too easy to be swept away downstream amidst a torrent of disjointed thought and random asides.

I know there are many people out there who rely on Twitter to keep them in the loop, to stay informed of the latest breaking this-or-that, that's just not why I enjoy it myself. I enjoy it for the quick connection, the quick queries, and the quick camaraderie that has developed between those of us who've put ourselves "out there" and "available" to interact via the medium.

But as with most good things in life, too much of it will start to work against you, and I've found that without some sort of self-imposed discipline it's just not worth the time it can eat up.

To that end, I'm discovering that a light-hearted vigilance serves me best. What makes Twitter work for me is when it isn't that much work.*

If I can keep it "fun" I'm in a good spot. And while "fun" is nearly impossible to engineer when you're working with lots of other people, I've found that a good deal of whim and fancy go a long way to ensuring some measure of success.

That said, it's not easy to take technology so non-chalant these days (this series is a case in point) and so I've gently adopted some of the following guidelines :

1. Don't be afraid to stray from the guidelines.
2. Follow more flesh and blood people than twitter accounts representing organizations.
3. Follow more people I know than those I don't know yet.**
4. Don't be afraid to Unfollow.
5. Use lists to slow your main timeline down.

And that, my dear friends, is where I'm at with Twitter these days.

Up next: Google Reader Redux...

--

*For those of you interested in my twitter setup, I oscillate between tweetie for mac, and twitter on my iPhone. Though I do enjoy it, I don't find myself using the web client nearly as much as either of these apps.

**I know this sounds slightly anti-social, but I've found that following people I know in "real life" has deepened these relationships moreso than following people I don't know has led to new relationships.

Wanda Jackson's "Thunder on the Mountain"

2011-01-20T09:32:00.000-05:00

If this Dylan cover doesn't knock your socks off - you're either barefoot already, or wearing shoes too tight for dancing...

For those of you unaware of the frantic medium delivering this message: Wanda Jackson was the first woman to break into the rock n' roll scene back in the 50's.

Dubbed "The Queen of Rockabilly" Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year and has since been up to some shenanigans with little Jack White.

She's got a new collection of songs slated for release next week, and if this single is any indication of what's to come, despite - or because of - her 70-odd years: we've got a party going down.

Thunder on the mountain indeed.

A New Year's (Media) Diet Part 3: Facebook

2011-01-18T07:58:00.000-05:00

This is the third in a series of posts (part 1, part 2) on some new approaches to media I hope to adopt and maintain throughout the year.

Part 1 was a list of reading/thinking that has inspired me to make some changes, while Part 2 honed in on the realization of my "intellectual obesity."

In today's post I recall what it has meant to severely limit my profile on facebook.

--

Last April found me essentially shutting down my facebook account. Should you visit my profile all you'll see is a picture of my face (fancy that) and a message containing my email address.

I didn't shut down my account completely as numerous people still message me through fbook (which I forward to - and usually respond from - my email regarding), and I still somewhat manage the page Hillside has on there, but I otherwise dropped out of all groups, stopped importing my blog posts, untagged myself from a lot of photos and now rarely accept new friend requests.

Why start here for my digital diet you ask? Why begin with arguably the most "social" of all "social media?"

Essentially, I began with Facebook because I found the amount of time I spent "keeping in the loop" could've been better used actually "keeping in touch." And I emphasize "touch" because the more technology makes it easier for us to connect virtually, the thinner I believe it's making our relationships.

A good friendship is often a matter of quality over quantity. We've all got friends to whom we feel intrinsically connected regardless of how much time we've spent together or correspondence passed between.

What makes a friend a friend is one of life's most celebrated mysteries and technology really can't change that for the better or worse - but it can erode and distract and just plain waste your time.

And this was the nail in Facebook's coffin for me.

With Facebook added to the mix I was consistently tricked into believing I was actually investing in my friendships. More often than not, the sad reality was that I was merely eavesdropping electronically. I was watching life unfold rather than take part in it myself. It felt so exciting and convenient - and oddly natural - that I rarely noticed my absence from the pictures I was viewing and the status updates I'd read.

And so I took the counter-intuitive step and decided to pay less attention in order to pay more attention. Believe it or not, it's one of my favorite aspects of this diet so far.

Just like in the days before Facebook, I look forward to - anticipate even - catching up with old friends in person. Waiting to be in the same room - around the same table - and learning how lives have changed since last we were together is proving much more satisfying than reunions where there's little to be surprised about because I've already seen blurry pictures of it online.

I may not be as informed as I used to, but I am beginning to feel more attuned. Attuned to realizing when it's been too long since I've hung out with someone I care about. Attuned to when I haven't heard from a good friend. Attuned to the people in front of me right now.

Up next:
Twitter trends....

A New Year's (Media) Diet Part 2: The Need

2011-01-17T08:13:00.000-05:00

On Friday, I listed a number of formative articles, essays and songs which have inspired me over the last while explore a "digital diet" of sorts. Today, I look a bit deeper into the need I was feeling to start making the shift...

--

Does anybody else remember a time when dieting was about food and not media?

It all began last January when Michael Krahn unintentionally called me out with this great post on "Intellectual Obesity."

Krahn's contention that "[j]ust as overindulgence in food immobilizes the body, so the over-consumption of information immobilizes the mind" resonated with me greatly and got me thinking of the vast amount of "information" I was ingesting on a regular basis.

For those of you who know me well, you know I'm one of those people who tends to know "a little bit about a lot of things." I'm no Ken Jennings, but I do take pride in spreading the love when I come across a good idea or interesting story - and there's lots of those to find if one looks hard enough.

Thing is, thanks to the ever-growing reach of the internet, it really isn't that hard to find such stories/ideas anymore.

In fact, for those of us who Gladwell would call "Connectors" it has become increasingly hard to find the right balance between collecting and sharing. To stick with the food analogy, we're so busy ingesting, that we rarely make the time to digest anything anymore (as Kester Brewin notes in this post on "Digital Obesity,"the conveyor belt of information that we have before us is moving "too quickly for us to reflectively process it").

This was me; slowing down under the weight of too much information and making increasingly less time to allow this learning to inform my life. Mentally I was neither lean nor inspired anymore, just "full" and "heavy." It was gluttonous and it wasn't healthy.

The growing list of unread posts in Google Reader was proof enough, but the rapidly increasing space between posts on this blog made it even clearer: I was in need of a media diet.

And so I slowly started to take stock of how much information I was taking in, trying to pinpoint where I was ingesting the most empty calories, and challenging myself to better digest that which I did consume.

Up next:

Why I started with Facebook...

New Year's (Media) Diet Part 1: Inspiration/You are what you read

2011-01-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

Next week I'll be starting a series of reflections on the increasing amount of digital culture many of us are ingesting these days. Specifically, I'll be sharing some of the changes I've made to my digital/information intake and the reasons behind such a shift in my electronic diet.

In an effort to give credit where credit is due, before I launch into things I figure I should point you to the source(s) of inspiration for many of these changes. The following list isn't exhaustive, but it's as good a place to start as any.

Of course, every good season of change comes with it's own soundtrack, and so I've also included a few tunes as well. Consider it my workout mix.

Enjoy. And stay tuned for more.
--

The Reading List

Michael Krahn on Intellectual Obesity
The article that started it all.

Kester Brewin on Information Obesity
If Krahn's article dealt with the message, Brewin here takes the medium to task...

James Shelley on Focus and the social media streams
James Shelley on Twitter and "following less"
It's always nice when Shelley steps out and chronicles his first steps into any new venture. Here he breaks it down in a way that made it easier to start striking out on my own path.

Douglas Coupland's radically pessimistic look at the future
Expect the worst, hope for the best, and take heed when its Doug thinking out loud...

Mark Hurst's Bit Literacy
While I've adopted very few (if any) of Hurst's specific techniques in dealing with the technology that surrounds us, the way he approaches each of his solutions was so thorough and focused it's worth greater reflection.

CBC The Current's Death of Anticipation
I only caught a few minutes of this segment while driving into work on a snowy day over the holidays, but what I heard came at just the right time. Of course, I'm anticipating a listen to the show in it's entirety soon...

Minimal Mac / Zen Habits / Pack Light. Go Fast.
Though this triumvirate of simplicity-driven blogs covers a wide range of topics (Apple Computers, life, travel), their common thread of the search for "enough" never ceases to reward those looking for that extra nudge to work toward true satisfaction.

The Book of Ecclesiastes
There's nothing like studying a book which questions the meaning of everything to put things into perspective. Thanks to Pernell, Tim and everyone else who led myself and the rest of Hillside through a few chapters of the book back in early fall.

Hillside's Fall Retreat

Though not "reading" in a sense, our focus on fostering community around the dinner table at this year's fall retreat with Hillside Church was quite formative. Thanks to Pernell Goodyear for the program that day.

--

The Soundtrack

Ray LaMontagne's "New York City's Killing Me"
Justin Rutledge's "Heart of a River"
The Arcade Fire's "City With No Children"
Charlie Winston's "Generation Spent"

Benny Hinn lights it up

2011-01-10T08:21:00.000-05:00

I couldn't resist posting this one. The real magic starts at the 19 second mark.

Holiday Renos

2011-01-03T10:59:00.000-05:00

Late November and pretty much all of December found our weekends and evenings tied up with basement renovations as Hil and I worked hard to bring the house up to snuff energy-wise with new windows and new insulation. For an unfinished basement, that meant all the framing and plumbing and electrical needed to be roughed in beforehand.

And so we dove in.

After more contractors than we care to name dropped out, with the help of some great friends (professionals themselves) we made our deadline for the spray insulation and even managed to throw some drywall up before Hilary's family joined us for the holidays.

The extra space has served us well already and it's feeling great to make our main living area that much more roomy and conducive to chilling out. After spending two months with a basement's worth of furniture scattered throughout the house, the end of the work is more than welcomed.

That said, I've been stung by the drug of renovations and am seriously considering building a loft in our garage this summer....

A few pairs from 2010

2010-12-26T23:54:00.000-05:00

While nowhere near and exhaustive list of my year's favorites, here's a few pairs to keep it interesting.

Mavis Staples (You Are Not Alone)
A-Side
Wrote A Song for Everyone
CCR never sounded so soulful.

B-Side
You Are Not Alone
One of Tweedy's best, performed by one of the world's best.

Shad (TSOL)
A-Side
Rose Garden
Quite easily the song of the summer, this track shines just as bright the rest of the year.
Best line: "Rabbi said, don't trust them cash prizes / Same things that float your boat can capsize it"

B-Side
Ya, I Get It
While the album's mix is as dirty as they come ( listen here), this mix by Oddisee is as smooth as they come. And you can thank a flute loop for that...
Best line: "The cats out the bag, the new Shad's out / Now they spell it S.H.A.D.D. the way I spaz out"

Gungor (Beautiful Things)
It's been a while since I've purchased an album of songs meant to be sung in church - and maybe the reason I loved this once so much is that it really was written to be sung just as easily in forests and wherever else one finds oneself.

A-Side
Beautiful Things

B-Side
The Earth is Yours
Notes

Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles (The Grand Bounce)
What can you say about Gord Downie that hasn't been said already after all these years? Here's two of the best off his latest...

A-Side / The East Wind
B-Side / The Hard Canadian

Justin Rutledge (The Early Widows)
A-Side
Be A Man
While the album version is all epic strings and a full-on gospel choir, this pared back performance is brings the song's raw-yet-restrained power to the forefront.

B-Side
Heart of a River
Gorgeous. And a great story behind the song to boot...

The Cristmas Story c/o the kids of St. Paul's

2010-12-20T22:14:00.000-05:00

The neglected cars or mechanics. Or, why I haven't been "online" so much these days

2010-12-06T16:28:00.000-05:00

When it comes to my own personal endeavors online (this blog, my portfolio) sometimes I feel like that mechanic whose own car is always up on blocks and ever in need of some new part.

There's a lot I could do to start producing on a more regular basis, but the truth of the matter is that I'm spending so much time in front of a screen on behalf of other people that I'm just not feeling it at the end of the day; the pull to "get things out there" simply isn't as strong as it was in this blog's younger days.

That's not necessarily a good or bad thing, it's just the way it is right now...

First Sunday in Advent

2010-11-28T07:22:00.008-05:00

Image: Matt Gruber

The responsibility of complacency/Help Child Soldiers Fight

2010-11-10T07:59:00.000-05:00

Visit HelpChildSoldiers.com for more info

Related: GuluWalk

via The Canadian Design Resource

Coming soon to your local supermarket

2010-11-08T08:46:00.002-05:00

Here's two amazingly simple design ideas sure to be coming soon to store shelves near you...

Easy PB and J Jar from skforlee (via Inspire Me now) and Two Way Toothpaste by Dominic Wilcox from (also via Inspire Me Now)

Abe on "Charity and..."

2010-11-04T11:01:00.000-04:00

"I would suggest that charitable donations to your local shelter or soup kitchen, should be accompanied by similar energy and resources given to social and political action. Someone has to turn the train around."

Abe Oudshoorn from the excellent "Why Charity Will Never Be Enough"

Abe hits on more than a few issues we (you, me, everyone) are going to have to deal with as the gap between Canada's rich and poor continue to grow in this great little post...

Growing a beard vs. bloggling

2010-11-03T09:25:00.000-04:00

A beard can't help but grow if you just let things go. A blog on the other hand, well, a blog won't do anything unless you intentionally tend to it.

Just saying.

Also, my beard is back.

Voting Day

2010-10-25T08:26:00.000-04:00

Time to get your vote on London. Happy casting.

Resources:
www.hackthevote.ca

A Radical Pessimist's Guide to the Next 10 Years

2010-10-11T15:14:00.000-04:00

In addition to usually expecting the worst (even while hoping for the best) I've always had a soft-spot for the apocalyptic (Mad Max, The Road, Children of Men, etc); so I guess it's no surprise that these 45 "prophecies" from author/artist/prophet Douglas Coupland resonate so much with me.

Of course, I hope Doug's got it all wrong. Which is where we come in I presume....

Seek Beauty

2010-10-09T11:28:00.000-04:00

"Seek Beauty"
by: Cardon Webb

3 Reads

2010-10-07T08:54:00.000-04:00

Lots going on offline including a(nother) new job, new family members, and a renewed focus on what's right in front of me.

I've also been enjoying some new (to me) reading in the following:

Malcolm R. Johnson
Photos, quotes, music, and all in glorious black and white.

Wanken
Lots of art, design and a fair bit of gorgeous architecture.

HackTheVote.ca
London's election is fast approaching and HackTheVote.ca is likewise fast becoming the place to stop for loads of information and inspiration.

Rifflandia III

2010-09-21T07:11:00.001-04:00

If you're not lucky enough to be in or around Victoria this coming weekend for Rifflandia III, at least you can tour around their gorgeous website.

Staples and Tweedy write a song for everyone

2010-09-17T08:29:00.000-04:00

I couldn't think of a better way to start your Friday than with this cover of one of CCR's greatest c/o Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy. Enjoy.

15 significant albums in 15 minutes (or less)

2010-09-15T18:34:00.000-04:00

Here's a fun one making the rounds on the ol' Fbook which I'm breaking out into the land of the greater internets...

The "rules" are to take 15 minutes and list 15 albums that will "always stick with you." Speed is of the essence, so here we go. It's 6:26pm and I'm listing:

1. Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet
2. Perfecta - Adam Again
3. The Freewheeling Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
4. Achtung Baby - U2
5. The Ultimate Experience - Jimi Hendrix
6. Gold - Bob Marley
7. Rocket and a Bomb/Strip Cycle - Michael Knott
8. 88 - 77's
9. No Nations - Jets Overhead
10. OK Comptuer/Kid A - Radiohead
11. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
12. Call Me - Al Green
13. Abbey Road - The Beatles
14. Cake - Fashion Nugget
15. Gold Greatest Hits - Zamfir
16. Neil Young - 12 Greatest Hits

It's now 6:32 and already there's more I'd like to list (The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Matt Mays' Terminal Romance ...), but I've already hit my 15 (plus one).

Don't be afraid to play it loud.

Hack The Vote - London

2010-09-14T08:15:00.000-04:00

Nice to see Hackthevote.ca up and running in anticipation of our local elections (Monday Oct 25th) here in London.

The site's creators still have a few sections to fill in and wrinkles to iron out, but it is well worth the look as it stands regardless.

There's no such thing as multi-tasking

2010-09-14T06:55:00.000-04:00

"Frankly, there’s no such thing as multi-tasking. What’s really happening is a rapid shifting of focus. A human can only keep that up for a short period of time before errors start creeping in. And rarely do we see the best work out of people who are continually interrupted."
~ Randy Murray from Staying Continuously Connected and Sane At The Same Time

c/o Minimal Mac's Two Good Posts About Email

Conflict Kitchen

2010-09-08T08:31:00.001-04:00

This art/peace project/restaurant has been quite the inspiration lately. I've been wanting to comment more on it, but I really believe the video above and quotes below speak for themselves!

From their website:

"Conflict Kitchen is a take-out restaurant that only serves cuisine from countries that the United States is in conflict with. The food is served out of a take-out style storefront, which will rotate identities every 4 months to highlight another country. Each Conflict Kitchen iteration will be augmented by events, performances, and discussion about the the culture, politics, and issues at stake with each county we focus on."

From their Kickstarter page

"It is easy to forget that behind all of the government conflicts there are people and a culture. When this personal connection is lost, things become dangerous. Conflict Kitchen creates a public forum and space for discussions that might not normally take place, mediated by food.

Conflict Kitchen also programs public events to more directly connect everyday Americans with everyday people from the country of focus. For example, Kubideh Kitchen [their current iteration] brought together members of the public for a live Skype meal between Tehran and Pittsburgh, during which groups in both countries shared the same meal on a virtually connected table: an inter-continental dinner party."

Click here to support Conflict Kitchen's next iteration (which will feature a favorite Afghan meal).

Walk A Mile London

2010-09-07T06:23:00.002-04:00

London's "Women's Community House" is hosting another "Walk A Mile in Her Shoes" event this Sunday September 19th, which will find me and a bunch of other gentlemen donning a pair red high heels and walking around Victoria Park to raise money and awareness toward the end of ending violence against women.

I took part in the walk last year and would encourage any men in the London area reading this to join in and strut your stuff with us this year.

Of course, if you can't take part yourself, you can always follow the steps below to sponsor me.

1. Click on this Link
2. Click "Sponsor" (on the bottom left of the page(
3. Click "Donate Now"
4. Fill in the Donation amount (I'm aiming for $200 this year)
5. Pick "James Kingsley" using the dropdown menu under "Fund/Designation"6. Follow the rest of the steps to finish

Thanks!

(Please note, I won't be able to personally thank those who do end up sponsoring me as all online donations are collected anonymously.)

Sanagan's Meat Locker in Acquired Taste Magazine

2010-09-06T14:53:00.000-04:00

If I grow up to become a Butcher, it'll be due in large part to this fascinating article from Acquired Taste Magazine.

iTunes view/sort by Complete/Incomplete Album

2010-09-04T09:46:00.000-04:00

With the release of iTunes 10 I'm left wanting the ability to sort/view by Complete/Incomplete Albums.

For example, if I had all 12 songs from The Joshua Tree, but only 4 of the 17 from Rattle And Hum, clicking on "View Complete Album" (or something like that) would only display The Joshua Tree.

I would think that with iTunes "___ out of ___ songs" track number feature it shouldn't be that hard to program....

If anybody has found a workaround to this, or knows somebody at Apple, please let me know!

Hawken on the impossible

2010-09-04T07:47:00.000-04:00

"Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done."

~ Paul Hawken from University of Portland Commencement Speech (2009)
c/o James Shelley

Missing the "Summer Beard" already.

2010-09-02T12:51:00.000-04:00

I grew a "Summer Beard*" over these past few months. A few days ago I shaved it off, and started growing what I'm hoping will become my "Fall Beard."

The real trick will be convincing my wife to let me keep the "Spring Mustache."

*For the record, a Summer Beard does not make your face hotter. In fact, on those most humid of days, if you throw a little bit of water in your Summer Beard it actually keeps your face cooler. And now you know.

Oddisee remixes Shad

2010-09-02T08:02:00.000-04:00

Nice to hear Shad given the Odissee remix treatment; there's nothing like taking a hard beat and smoothing it out without losing any of the original's energy.
You can download the track here.

Gone Fishin'

2010-08-20T08:23:00.000-04:00

I've got some great ideas for some posts bubbling away on the backburner, but summer is fading and I'm headed north to soak in as much of the great outdoors as I can before September arrives. Until then...

SoCal morning

2010-08-17T10:55:00.000-04:00

I've been on a bit of a SoCal punk kick this morning with the likes of Social Distortion and this classic from Lifesavers' "Huntington Beach" - which, I suppose I should've posted yesterday...

Summer Metabolism

2010-08-12T23:10:00.001-04:00

Currently Ingesting:
Arcade Fire's Funeral
I fully realize I'm about 6 years behind on this one, but the album just didn't resonate for me back then nearly as much as it has been these past few weeks. I'm guessing it was tuning in for the finalé of their recent YouTube broadcast that hit the light switch for me...that and the fact that I can't seem to get "Wake Up" out of my head.

And yes, I've got their newest (The Suburbs) just waiting for a devoted "first listen."

The Brothers Karamazov
I was probably 200 pages in before I realized that what I presumed to be half of novel's main characters were actually just nicknames for the other half I was trying to keep straight. Hopefully the rest of the story will be a bit easier to follow now that I've got that under control.

Steam Whistle Pilsner
In a can. A 'tallboy' can to be exact. It is summer, after all...

Mad Men: Season 3
Depressing and fascinating all at the same time; like watching a train wreck in slow motion – except the train is very sharply dressed and trying to pretend the tracks it's on don't exist.

Currently Digesting:
Good: The Neighborhoods Issue
Good is easily one of my favorite magazines and I devoured this issue easily in one or two sittings while camping and couldn't wait to get back into town to start loving my neighbour(hood) with renewed gusto. I've now got my eyes peeled for a suitable park bench to grace our front lawn.

SBC Surf: Summer 2010
My surfing experience is relegated to a very failed attempt on the shores of Lake Huron two summers ago, but I'm still amazed at how much I enjoy each issue of this magazine. Canada's surf community is a hardy, earthy bunch with their feet firmly planted on the ground - regardless of how much time they spend in the sea. This summer's issue was yet another winner...

Ontario Peaches
They're in season right now and they're absolutely brilliant. We peel the skin off and serve 'em up with cream and maple sugar.

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On Rice and "Quitting" Christianity

2010-08-10T08:20:00.000-04:00

Aside from a few tweets, I've tried to stay away from commenting on Anne Rice's recent announcement that she was "quitting Christianity" - mainly because I haven't had the time to sit down and make a succinct statement myself, but also because I wanted to spend a bit more time on the semantics of the statement (rather than on Anne's person).

Regarding the former, Brian McLaren has come along in the meantime and sums my sentiment up succinctly when he shares his following reasons for not "quitting" Christianity:

"I hang in there for several reasons. First, if I want to be affiliated with any group of human beings, sooner or later I will be associated with bigotry, intolerance, violence, stupidity, and pride. In fact, even if I stand alone, distancing myself from every other group, I know that within me there are the seeds of all these things."

I couldn't have said it any better myself and am quite thankful Brian shoots straight to the heart on this one.

Regarding the whole semantic side of the conversation...

Is it just me or does "quitting" Christianity while maintaining adherence to the Man/God it was named after seem to ignore Christ's own admonitions to work toward peace with each other as both sibling and friend?

You don't "quit" a family so much as you "leave" one, and to my mind you're walking a very self-righteous line to say you can pick your parents on the one hand and reject your siblings' parentage on the other.

I don't mean to call Anne out on this point in particular as I realize that placing so much weight on the written word ignores the person writing those words, but I do feel there's some good mirror-looking to be done by those of us left kicking about trying to keep this family from devouring itself.

Related:
- Bill Shakespeare's take on the matter
- Paul on "biting and devouring" one another
- Read the rest of McLaren's response here (c/o @NathanPederson)

Jazz Camping

2010-08-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

So there we were, sitting around the campfire on the shores of Georgian Bay when the sweet soul of a lone saxophone arose from a few campsites down,floated out over the water and bounced off the bluffs right back into our midst.

I tell ya, after years of camping beside whackos who can't seem to relax without blaring the worst of yesterday's hard rock, it was nothing short of heaven to be serenaded as such.

Who knew live jazz could mix so well with roasted marshmallows...

Related:

Church as Building...

2010-08-05T00:09:00.034-04:00

Whether you think your church's building is a blessing meant to be shared with the community around you, or a utilities-sucking burden which keeps you from truly investing in your neighbour(hood), there's a lot of good discussion out there when it comes to the bricks and mortar we surround ourselves with at least one day a week.

While I'm a fan of making the most of whichever direction your church moves (and I'd love to hear more stories of those of use going the building-less route) I wanted to pass along these two challenges for those who've decided to keep hold of their buildings...

and Relevant Magazine's The Biggest Waste of Space in America.

Facing Violence

2010-08-04T07:12:00.001-04:00

"Once the face of the other is seen, once they become a person, threats of physical violence are far harder."
~ Kester Brewin

Related:
Richard Dew on "Us" vs. "Them"
Seth Godin on "the Monster's" Shadow

Turn the Distraction Off

2010-08-03T00:35:00.001-04:00

"Focus is concerned with input, not output. It is not about turning one particular thing “on” but about turning other distractions off."
~ James Shelley from Focus: Controlling the Inputs of Social Media

For those of you/us looking for a little help "turning it off" here's two simple apps you can use to render your computer useless (save for the actual program you're wanting to concentrate on).

1. Steve Lambert's Self Control allows you to create a "blacklist" of programs etc and will lock them down for a pre-determined amount of time.

2. Similarly, Workabit doesn't let you pick and choose which programs to shut down, but instead locks everything but the program you're currently working in.

Bonus:
Of course, there's also this thing called the "power button" which works wonders in driving one toward a pen and paper.

Y Change

2010-07-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to share the following two articles on Generation Y's tenacity for change for some time now; seems like the kids are doin' alright these days, and I'm inspired.

While both articles are related to "work," it fast becomes obvious that what is accomplished by/through "work" is about to change. And for the better too, I might add.

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Tod Maffin on Generation Y's desire to drive change
"[Generation Y] want their time working for an employer to be much more than helping to pay “the man’s” mortgage, or that of some shareholders. And by “world,” it could be that they want to change their community, or they want to change how the office runs, or they want to volunteer for a company-supported charity. But they want to have some direct impact." Read more...

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Katya Andresen on why Gen Y is going to keep us on our toes

“[Generation Y] need to feel a connection with an organization, and they want opportunities for deeper involvement, such as opportunities to work with leadership and to help craft direction for the organization. Plus, they want to know specifically how their gifts will benefit the organization’s constituents.” Read more...

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Related:

Hear both sides full stereo
World full of pain got us waiting on a miracle
Waiting on the world to change
When we should wait on the world like a waiter
Serve the world man this world is strange
Bizarro, lovers of tomorrow to break under the weight of the wonder and the sorrow
~ Shad "Call Waiting"

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Not-quite-related-but-makes-a-good-pun-of-sorts:
The Y gets re-branded

Two on "Christian Identity"

2010-07-29T06:42:00.001-04:00

"Here we do not lay down our identity only to pick up our new identity in Christ. Rather it is in laying down all our identities that we directly identify with Christ."
~ Pete Rollins on identifying with Christ

'We are all tempted to pick and choose our fellows, buffet-style. “I’m with Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa, but not the Southern Baptists.” No! We’re part of this body, with all its dazzling glory and all its tragic flaws, and cannot claim the former without the latter. Further, we are responsible for those parts presently misbehaving, and for its misdeeds through time—if we want credit for its virtues.'
~ Jason Bayassee with a hard-hitting commentary on the growing "Christian" vs "Christ Follower" trend

Park(ing) Day London shaping up

2010-07-28T14:42:00.000-04:00

It's good to see London's participation in Park(ing) Day (Sept 17th) gaining some wider exposure after an article in the LFP a few days ago.

Today, the fine folk behind our city's campaign have posted a sneak-peek into some of the submissions they're wading through right now. You can check 'em out here.

The submission deadline of Aug 13th is fast approaching, and while I've yet to decide whether I'll make an entry or not myself, I am looking forward to at least stealing out of work a bit early that day and heading downtown to check out the spaces...

(image c/o )

Godin's problem with the unlimited

2010-07-27T10:24:00.001-04:00

"If you want your best users to do more, one way to do it is to announce the most they can do. While this may dissuade a few people from pushing ever farther, it will in fact motivate a large number of people to up their game."
~ Seth Godin from The problem with unlimited

Yet another radical post from Seth Godin arguing for a less-is-more approach to asking for help with your _______.

I'd love to opine further, but in the spirit of less-is-more, I'll merely direct you to the rest of Seth's post for now.

Tarp Surfing: Good clean fun for the whole family

2010-07-26T08:03:00.012-04:00

"We're so addicted to hunting slabs, that when it's flat: we just improvise. We make our own slabs..."

Yet more proof of the fun we'd all be having if surfers ruled the world.

Related: Jan and Dean's "Sidewalk Surfing"

Fake Placards Drown Out Actual Protest

2010-07-23T07:11:00.000-04:00

If you can't beat 'em, drown 'em out with even more ridiculous signs!

That's exactly what this group of counter-protesters did when the infamous Westboro Baptist crew made their way into town with their placards in tow. Read the full story here.

c/o Josh Brown

"Less" need is more help

2010-07-22T06:56:00.004-04:00

"If you've got a small, fixable problem, people will rush to help, because people like to be on the winning side, take credit and do something that worked."

~ Seth Godin (with a great follow-up post by Katya Andresen here)

Related:
Kyle tweets about "the system."

I Share Therefore I Am

2010-07-21T07:08:00.001-04:00

Watch Renny Gleeson on how technology may be rendering our current reality less interesting than the story we'll tell about it later....
While I'd argue that as humans we have always found our meaning in and through story, Gleeson's three minute presentation serves it's purpose to make one seriously question whether our current use of technology is making us less human in the process.

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Defining 'Friend'
There's an interesting study reported in the Globe and Mail stating that users of social-media are, in fact, more social than those who are online less. While I found the report an interesting read, I did have to stop and wonder how much more telling it would be if the researchers had set out to measure feelings of loneliness.

Case in point: here's another study that found students couldn't handle being offline for more than, say, a few hours.

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James Shelley follows this up with an excellent read on why following fewer people on sites like twitter actually shows greater care for them.

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Slate is running a series by James Sturm about his experiment in taking four months away from the internet.
I haven't personally been following the entire series as I've been online a lot less myself this summer, but I'm stoked Strum's adventure has been receiving the amount of attention it has as of late.

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Take a break to help you remember
I figured I should post this one last...

Eighth Letter Commercial

2010-07-20T06:55:00.000-04:00

Nathan and co. have definitely hit it out of the park with this advert for their upcoming Eighth Letter conference.

Hil and I picked up our tix back in May when they were on a mad discount, but you can still pick up early bird tix at a steal of a deal for $75 each before August 15th.

As a bonus to joining the two-day event, you'll be in Toronto for 2010's Nuit Blanche.

Related: Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues

Cabinology with Jordon Cooper

2010-07-18T06:48:00.007-04:00

Providing perfect daydreaming/planning for those of us relegated to an office job during these hot and hazy days of summer, Jordon Cooper has been posting some great cabins over on the Cooper Cabin Weblog.

Some recent favorites of mine have included:
Swedish Summer Fun
The Crib... (pictured above)
Seaside Beach Huts
The Katrina Cottage
and
Pretty much everything tagged with Architecture

Bonus:
Garden Shed with Green Roof