The Amazon Kindle© (which, I’ve previously bashed here before) is growing with potential in my mind. I’ve recently gotten into audio books. I wonder if I could get into the ebooks?

I like that it is a wifi device, so you can browse the net, look at blogs, and listen to audio through it.

So far, the problem with Amazon’s business model with the kindle is the lack of ability to get it in my hands.

Ebooks have been the promise of the future for a long time. Unlike the ipod though, I can’t take it for a test run. I can’t sit in an Apple Store or Target or Best Buy and give it a go…I’m not spending $400 on a device that I can’t get into my hands and take a test drive first.

So, as brilliant as Amazon has been at creating the online marketplace, they have missed the mark so far with this one. I just don’t think you can create a revolutionary hand-held device and not give people a way to get it in their hands…

Last week I shared 3 Easy Ways to Lose Your Identity. This week, I thought I’d flip it around.

Maintaining your identity essentially means you will be intentional about looking on the outside like you really are on the inside.

1. In the words of Buddha, “Be One With Everything.”

In everything you do, maintain one front, one ethos, one spirit that is supported by the overall purpose of your organization. Don’t stray from your purpose. What drives your organization? That should drive your identity too. Remember that identity design is simply about making your outside appearance match the inner heartbeat of the organization. Don’t let the two go in different directions.

2. In the words of Outkast, “So Fresh, So Clean.”

Maintaining your identity doesn’t mean that the same look you had back in ‘88 should still be lingering in ‘08. Your audience changes and so should you. Freshen up. Clean out. Your logo might stay the same, but you can modernize your logo without changing everything. Subtle shifts in color to keep the palette current or even font variations can help you keep your look familiar to your long-term audience while growing and reaching new markets. Don’t be afraid to freshen up a bit.

3. In the words of Madonna, “Express Yourself!”

What’s brilliant and innovative about you. What do you do that sets you apart from the next organization? Your Identity should express yourself. Take all that is unique about you and let your audience know about it and celebrate it. If hip hop is your sound and your culture, then don’t be trendy and scenester. If you use flashy media in your worship services, don’t dilute your print materials by keeping them mundane. Your potential audience needs a reason to choose you over everything else in their lives. Show them why you’re unique and you just might give them a good enough reason.

Just in case you don’t get around to reading the whole book, “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto,” read the Eater’s Manifest by Michael Pollan on your lunch break. Nice read. I find his work to be continually enlightening right now…

Change This has a lot of big concepts in small packages. Check em out…

is too loud for me. I’m out.

• 22:10 It seems like Clinton doesn’t have the fire anymore. Like she’s given up….? #
• 00:33 kickin out some work…and my new blog design… #
• 00:51 I’m a technogeek trapped inside the budget of a technopeasant. #
• 08:42 what’s that pungent aroma? #
• 09:54 design team, up next… #
• 12:28 Let’s put the design in design team! #
• 14:19 NEEEED CAFFEINE! I miss you starbucks. Forbidden Love. #
• 17:28 great meeting with living stones church today. i’m excited to design their website… #

This Daily Twitter Round Up was automatically posted by LoudTwitter

Still looking for someone to slice it up into a Wordpress Template for me.

I’ll trade design work if you’re interested…

• 18:57 lo mein no rock. #
• 18:58 the boys from 12minutes.wordpress.com are gathering tonight. #
• 09:56 Rockin with Spearhead #
• 11:44 Staff meeting was short and sweet. I actually have time to check my emails before lunch. #

This Daily Twitter Round Up was automatically posted by LoudTwitter

Wouldn’t this make a great cabin retreat?

I love the emergence of modern prefab housing. My wife, well, she loves Shabby Chic…Maybe there will be a compromise there someday…

Anyway…check out the weehouse…

Sustainable, clutter-free, simple, beautiful, delivered to your lakeshore.

We’re in our second round of Kiva Loans. Several of the original loans are all paid back.

Here’s the portfolio: The Power of We.

Neeraj points to Saad

I’m such a nimrod with css, but I can’t stand these wordpress templates… I’m designing my blog tonight.

Anybody want to cut up the css for a Wordpress Template from an Illustrator file for me? I don’t want to pay for it. But maybe I figure out how to do it myself…much faster if you help me though…

Seeking rest.

Check em out!

I hate sounding like an Apple fanboy all the time, but it’s hard when you’ve worked on both sides and can easily see the advantage of the Apple experience. I don’t usually have to do much in Power Point, but when I do, I hate it.  

Today, I had to throw together a “state of the church” slideshow for a meeting on Sunday. I decided to use Keynote instead of Power Point. 

Wow. What a better user experience. Almost everything is easier in Keynote than on PP. Apple did a great job. I’m using one of their built in templates. When it came down to making a chart, I could believe how simple they made it. It was also so easy to make it look professional, that I didn’t even try to “design” a slideshow, I just used the template.

Ups:

• Fast
• Intuitive
• Clean and Uncluttered
• Puts the polish on for me
• Nice built in templates
• Animation is a hundred times easier on Keynote than PP
• Font consistency. A dream come true. PP is always trying to resize things

Downs:

• Still not crazy about how Apple deals with the font pallet. It seems clunky for the most widely used tool in the program.
• Floating pallets are still a clutter factor when you have 5 of them open and they don’t lock into a position. 

Though I’ve missed somedays just because of the insane busyness of this season for Sarah and I, I’m still committed to seeing things through…. visit 3 friends on a 12 minute journey at www.12minutes.wordpress.com 

Oh yeah. I love this….

You’ve got to check out TastyPlanner.com

So, now that I’m getting into my own recipes, I wondered about how I could share them online.

Tasty Planner allows me to do just that.

Here’s how Tasty Planner describes what you can do:

1.  Find & Share Recipes
2. Save recipes to your Recipe Box
   
3. Plan meals weekly
   
4. Create a grocery list
   

1. Have too many of them.

Not everything in your organization needs a name, logo and stylesheet all to itself. When you overbrand, you dilute your core message. When everything has it’s own identity, you end up competing with yourself. It’s like Fight Club all over again.

2. Borrow it from Someone else.

It’s easy to get inspired by design. Somethings are just drop dead beautiful. But it’s hard to be yourself, if you’re trying to be somebody else. Be inspired, but design yourself, don’t design to be somebody else.

3. All Sparkle, No Substance.

Design is great, when it communicates truth. if you’re trying to sell yourself as more than you really are, eventually, people will figure you out. You can only fool people for so long. A candy coated brussels sprout isn’t going to hide the bitter taste when you bite into the core.

As a designer, I’ve been guilty of all of these, but I always strive to be a better communicator.

This is too haaaooot!

thanks Ariah. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjqqZyfpeUQ&rel=1]

I’ve been obsessed with creating new recipes lately. A few weeks back it was Salmon with Ginger Orange Glaze, Last week it was Asian Lettuce Wraps.This week, I made my mark with Caprese Mozz Burgers. The picture isn’t so great; mostly because I ate half of it, before I remembered I wanted to take a picture. But you can tell what’s going on…The recipe is loosely based on this Elvis Burger from Jamie Oliver. 

Here’s the Recipe (I never measure, so I’m just guessing, sorry): 

Ingredients for the Burgers

• 1 1/4 lbs. Organic Grass Fed Ground Beef (splurge a little on the fat and get 85/15)
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesano Regiano
• 1 Organic or Free Range Egg
• 1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 Shallot, finely diced
• 1 Red Chile, finely diced
• 1 tbls. Tarragon (fresh is better, but hard to find in MN)
• 4 Fresh Basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 Tsp, fresh Thyme
• Sea Salt & Coarse Ground Pepper

Get down and dirty and mix all of those ingredients by hand. Form it into 4 patties and chill for bit.

 

Ingredients for the Caprese Mozz.

• 1 Large Tomato, cubed (discard the seeds and watery portions.
• 6-7 Fresh Basil Leaves, finely chopped
• Sea Salt and Coarse Ground Pepper
• Hearty Drizzle of Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Mozzarella, cubed (1/4 inch cubes)

Stir it up, and throw back a hearty spoonful (this stuff is great by itself).

Fry the patties over medium high heat for 10 minutes, turning every minute or so to keep them from getting scorched.

 

Get some big crusty buns and slice them in half. Toast the inside of the buns by laying them in a hot pan with some olive oil. Push their faces in the pan to give em a nice even crustiness. 

Serve that Spicy Burger on the crusty bun and drop a heap of the Caprese Mozz on top. 

 

 

P.S. I’d love it if someone else would give it a try and let me know what you thought.

 

I love cooking. I love trying new recipes. Jamie Oliver is my new favorite for recipes….Check out his podcast, or catch him on the Food Network. 

I’m making these for dinner tonight.

Create a Net Disaster. Have fun demolishing your website…. http://www.netdisaster.com 

We’re still young. We’re learning. We’re growing. 

Neeraj wrote a little about Redwire and being an entrepreneur. 

He pointed to this piece we just did for a good friend and client with a great business model and skills to match. 

Things that are happening at Sanctuary this year:

1.  We launched Love Minneapolis. A place for people to “just show up and serve.” There’s been two events and already we’re extending far beyond our doors. 
2. We have a series of Amazing Hip Hop Sunday’s featuring the 3 of the hottest acts in Hip Hop. Starting this weekend with The Ambassador also of Cross Movement. This guy is amazing. The real deal. Not “Christian Hip Hop,” but Hip Hop that’s Christian. We can’t advertise it, because we already know that there won’t be any open seats unless the temps drop below 0 again. Soon to come Phil Jackson and his crew from Tha House. Urban D and others from Crossover Church (#21).
3. We’re adding another service. We’ve been maxed at 1000 for a long time. It’s time to open the doors a little earlier. I’m betting we’ll double in size this year.
4. Efrem will be speaking somewhere that might shine a bit of a spotlight on what we’re doing.
5. We’re tightening the belt. We’re moving to a new office. We’ll start a capitol campaign for our first semi-permanent facility. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-iCUm24bM0&rel=1]

Guy Kawasaki points to the “Cleverest idea he’s seen in years.” 

Check out the video of the Play Pump.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQu_Jppvzyk&rel=1&border=1]

Innovation comes through many channels. Clearly, in someone’s mind watching the wheels of a pump spin, they reached back to the days of their youth and remembered these wheels spinning.

In the book, “A Whole New Mind,” Daniel Pink talks about PLAY as one of the six senses or aptitudes of the future right-brain ruled economy.

Joy comes from play. Jesus wants us to make our joy complete (see John 15:11) in him. Joy and play go hand in hand.

When was the last time we set out to party as a church. To play together. To share God’s joy with one another. When was the last time we played together to get inspired, to imagine, to innovate.

It sounds fun to me.

However, I can’t believe how well done this video is…

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fZHou18Cdk&rel=1&border=1]

I couldn’t turn it off. 

Imagine building your entire brand on the hope for something better. On the hope that we want to take care of each other. On the reality that if we don’t actively participate in our future, the future will be dictated to us.

Sound like anyone you know?

One of the many differences between Barack and Hillary are their websites. 

Who in the world designed Barack’s site? It’s beautiful.

It’s clear, from the get go, Barack has had a very clear strategy on the web reaching out to a younger more web 2.0 audience. And it’s worked. I can’t recite verbatim the numbers I’ve read over the last few weeks, but it’s clear, he’s been right on with creating a grassroots campaign through the under 40 crowd and has raised insane amounts of money, with insane numbers of contributors on the web.

It becomes clear when you look at the two sites next to each other. While Clinton’s site isn’t horrible, I find things more distracting on the site. There’s so many levels trying to attract attention, that I inevitably don’t land anywhere.

These sites actually match up with their personalities.

Clinton’s is a bit louder, Obama’s a bit more serene.

Clinton’s tries to have the gooey web 2.0 feel, but misses the mark with a color palette that is bit too traditional.

Obama’s nails the color palette and has an ethereal feel which really does fall on the message of hope that he tries to convey.

I’m not announcing anything new, but our web strategy at the church will be evolving over the course of 2008. I hope we land on our target audience a bit more solidly, and offer more reasons to keep coming back…

Welcome to the Jungle

Love Minneapolis was today…

Elliot and I went to pack food for children and families affected by hunger and starvation. It was fun to see my boy pouring the rice and getting the chance to help him understand God’s justice even at an early age…
 

www.loveminneapolis.org

Flash Mob Improv in Grand Central Station. 

I saw this about a week ago. I love how safely disruptive it is…

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3PJDxuo&rel=1]

I came across this.This whole site really gave me a happy fresh feeling. Interesting site navigation using flash video and people who are both extremely happy to see me and extremely happy to share their aftercare methods with me.thx Amber mac 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t87QKdOJNv8&rel=1]

feel free to watch time fly….join us at 12minutes.wordpress.com

this is just for you. you. the one person who reads this blog. stare at my forehead. do it. seriously.

that’s the way it’s gonna be. until I get the gumption to actually design this blog, you can stare at my forehead. sorry.

i hate wordpress themes…!

How much difference can you make in 12 minutes?In a month, that’s 360 minutes. Six hours. Six hours of conversation. Maybe with God, maybe with the inner thoughts need to be shared, maybe with your spouse. 

3 friends commit 12 minutes a day over 3o days. A personal experiment in incremental growth. Check back daily for your 12 minute update at www.12minutes.wordpress.com 

Here’s some things I suck at:

1. Managing the Family Finances by myself (I’m much more successful when there’s someone holding me accountable).
2. Staying connected to friends and family when I don’t “need” them (I’m busy. When I’m not working, I want to be with my wife and kids, or I need to be filling a role. I should still do a better job reaching outside of that small lens).
3. Letting others take care of me (since my wife’s back has been out for years, I’ve been a get it done person. Now that my back is on the rocks, I have a hard time with being the one who needs others).
4. Reading the Bible daily  (I just don’t do it. I probably don’t believe in the return. That’s on me).
5. Praying (I like it short and sweet).
6. Not thinking I’m the best at everything I do (I’m often viewed as cocky. I might be, but I also believe in myself to “do things.” People can do things I can’t. I shouldn’t be such a big-headed jerk.

Isn’t amazing how little those early numbers mean?Last Summer, Giuliani was leading on the republican side, and Obama had half the percentage as Clinton. I’m amazed at the poll numbers going into Super Tuesday where nationally, Obama and Clinton are in a virtual dead heat and Giuliani is backing McCain for President. I’m addicted to CNNPOLITICS.COM. Built on wordpress.Dead HeatCNNPolitics.com