Emotional Baggage
Why is it that all princesses are heroes, and all queens are nasty in fairy tales? Have you noticed that? Today we took Blue’s girlfriend a little girl that lives across the street from us to lunch with us and she drew a picture of a princess on the napkin. Fascinating for a family with three boys. We don’t draw princesses. We barely know they exist. Thing is, it got me thinking.
It seems like every little girls dream is to become a princess, not a queen. Interesting don’t you think? After all, don’t princesses become queens at some point? Here’s my theory. These princesses that are emotionally abused and mistreated as princesses eventually get that crown and then look out! Someone’s got hell to pay for all those years of being forced to clean floors and talk to animals and stuff. And guess who’s next in line? That’s right, the next princess. It’s an ugly cycle really.
Here’s what needs to happen. Someone needs to break this cycle of emotional baggage in the animated princess world and rid the world of nasty queens forever. Someone needs to step up and be the good queen. The singing, dancing, nice to animals queen. Then and only then will little girls everywhere be able to dream of being queens instead of being princesses.
Spaceman
This song’s been on repeat in our car for the last few weeks anytime the kids are in the car. Something about singing about ‘spacemen’ that really connects with our boys. I’ve said it once and I will say it again, Brandon Flowers is one of the best front men in the business. Theatrics still have appeal in the music industry… if you can do it right.
What’s on repeat in your car these days?
Do You Follow?
There’s two theories out there when it comes to who you follow on Twitter and I think there’s value in both. Though I think it’s important to have a plan when implementing either, especially when it comes to artists.
Theory One. Follow everyone that follows you. This grows your followers list quick, gets your name out there faster, and ultimately increases your Twitter ‘popularity’ and maybe even your Twitter Grade. And if that’s what your going for, great. The downside? Everyone you are following now has the ability to ‘Direct Message’ you, which (for an artist) forces you to have your phone off to all updates. Relinquishing the point of having Twitter hooked to your phone in the first place. Mark Lee made a great case for this theory on this (now put to sleep) blog and dealt with some of these questions and issues and is one of the best artist, follow those that follow you, Twitter-er out there.
Now, here’s where I see this theory working in favor of the artist or band that is running it. If it’s a Twitter for a band as a whole, and it’s looked at as more of a news feed or for giving updates from the band, great. Follow everyone that’s following you and grow that followers list as fast and as big as you can. That will ultimately get the news out to more people looking for that sort of Tweet from you.
Theory Two. Follow the folks that you would if you were a normal person on Twitter. Most people on Twitter aren’t ‘marketing’ something. They don’t have an end goal of selling you a record, or getting you at their shows, or really anything. They see Twitter as a way to connect with their friends and some new people they find interesting. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Connect with people?
If the end goal is to be authentic and real on your Twitter does it then become a numbers game of following everyone that’s following you just to get the word out about something? Does that defeat the purpose of Twitter in the first place?
Me personally, I don’t follow everyone that follows me, but I do follow a lot of people. I like seeing what people have to say and if I start to lose interest, I don’t follow anymore. After all it’s called ‘Following’ for a reason. But, the SkörInc Twitter account does follow everyone that is following it and then some. It does that to gain followers and get the word out about things related to what we do.
So which is it? Which are you? Any other thoughts on following?
I Wesh I Kud Geve To The Poor
A long time ago I wrote about our Compassion kids that we sponsor. We’ve been sponsoring them for a few years now, and they have really become a part of our lives. The other day Blue (6) came home from school with this drawing on a big piece of construction paper and I thought I’d share it.
When I asked Blue who that was in the picture he shyly said, ‘I don’t know, maybe James Kasaatu.’ I asked if that’s who he was thinking of when he was drawing it. He looked up at the picture hanging on the bulletin board and said ‘Yep, and look at how funny my hair is’.
I love it.
Shane & Shane
Alright folks, check it out. Please give a big fat ‘welcome’ to SkörInc’s newest friends Shane & Shane or more affectionately called ‘The Shanes‘. Most of you knew this was coming, and were involved in the ‘Preview‘. We appreciate all you input and have filed away some of the suggestions to add later (read: when we figure out how).
Anyway, head over to the brand new, simple, clean, informative Shane&Shane.com and give them a big internet hug…. also, make sure you are following their Twitter.
And while you’re here… Favorite Shane & Shane song or record? Go.
Positive Post Tuesday
Welcome to Tuesday. I know it’s getting close to wrapping up, but I wanted to make sure that I got mine in. Originally I had something else planned for today’s post and I thought about how I was excited to write about it all day. Then all of the sudden I am completely blown away by something else amazingly positive that I can’t ignore it.
As most of you know, Bart’s newborn baby, Sophie has been in the hospital for the last few days with RSV. Not only is she battling that, but today took a turn for the worse and was admitted to ICU. Now, I don’t know how many of you have kids, but I can’t imagine the feeling of your couple week old baby being admitted to ICU with something affecting their breathing.
**As a quick update Bart just sent out a Twitter saying this: “Sophie has taken a huge turn for the better! Will most likely go to a regular room by morning and possibly home in a couple of days. YES!”**
Now here’s the part that blows me away. This is what community building is all about. It’s not about selling records, it’s not about filling arenas, it’s about the community around the world that gathered today to pray for an infant. Now, this isn’t some ‘subtle pat on the back’ or anything that has to do with SkörInc or me or anything like that. What this is, is simply a shout out to the amazing people that are gathered because something has been built and cultivated. Something real and something valuable. You couldn’t go anywhere online today without hearing about little Sophie and those that were praying for her. That’s what blogging should be about and it was great to see that today.
Now, Sophie isn’t completely out of the woods and I want to direct all of you over to Third Day’s Fan Club Blog where they have all decided to fast and pray for Sophie tomorrow. How amazing is that? Could there be a better representation of blogging communities coming together for something greater than themselves, or selling records? This is the stuff that I love to see, and the stuff that makes everything I do worth it.
So there it is folks. You know the rules of Positive Post Tuesday, and if you don’t they are simple. Write something positive, then fill out the box below. I had a talk with Luke Mundy and I’ve got some ideas that will mix up PPT from now on but we will start that next week. I’m excited to see some new things happen with this. For now, it’s your turn.
How Old Do You Feel?
I turn thirty in just over two weeks from now. I don’t feel remotely close to thirty, but I’m sure that’s how most thirty year olds feel. It’s not that I’m freaked out about it, or sad about it or anything really. I had several goals laid out that I wanted to accomplish by the time I turned thirty and I’m not doing too bad on that list. Some of the goals have changed the older I’ve gotten, I’ve added some new goals, but for the most part I feel pretty ready to move from my twenties. I think I can handle it.
Thing is, there are days where I feel like I just stepped out of high school, and other days I look around and feel like I have already lived fifty years. Today I feel pretty good. I feel like I have the responsibility of an adult, but the irresponsibility of someone younger. If I had to pin it down to a number I’d have to say, ‘Today I feel twenty-four’. That may change tomorrow, but twenty-four is my answer for today.
So that’s the random question for the day, and really it’s two. How old are you, and how old do you feel? Sounds easy enough right?
Ready? Go.
Songs You Sang
So, today someone sent me an idea for another ‘Sunday Series’ and I thought it was a great idea. The more I thought about it I realized it was a great idea for someone else and I wanted to get it jump started here. How’s that sound?
The idea was basically this. What songs did you sing today at church? Sounds simple right? Well, here’s the thing. My friend Damian is doing sort of the same thing already and I think it would be cool to continue it over at his blog for two reasons. One, he leads worship weekly and is continually selecting songs that he is playing on Sundays, and two he’s already got something going over there called ‘Songs I Sang On Sunday‘. Not to mention since I don’t play every Sunday, it’s hard for me to remember all the songs we did when I don’t play.
So, I talked to Damian and he’s going to continue his ‘Songs I Sang On Sunday’ with the open invitation to comment with the ‘Songs You Sang On Sunday’. Sound good? And this isn’t just for worship leaders, this can also be for people that don’t play on Sundays but have a far better memory than me.
Ready? Go.
Stats Suck Sunday – In Bullet Points
Welcome to Sunday. You know what’s going to happen today, and most of you know how this works. There really isn’t much of a method behind what’s going on here on Sundays because I’m half tempted to post another Michael Bolton video again today or something else just as random. Although it seems like the bullet point thing is kind of fun so here goes.
- Obviously, based on yesterday’s post, this is the inaugural post on a brand spankin’ new MacBook Pro. It’s pretty amazing, but the thing that I am most excited about is being able to get more work done faster. Fast computers beat slow computers every time when it comes to work. And since I have a lot of that piling up it’s good to have something to handle it. Justification complete.
- Expect some pretty big news from SkörInc this week, including a launch from Shane & Shane and the announcement of some new friends.
- Lilo & Stich is a pretty weird cartoon. I’m surprised that show has been around so long after the movie and taken on a life of it’s own.
- Garlic Hummus and Pita bread at ten o’clock at night makes for some interesting morning breath.
- As I’m typing this I just got my 700th Twitter follower and it’s this person, so make sure you all go say hi.
- I promise to do a Positive Post Tuesday this week, since several of you are asking. It’s something I’d like to keep going.
- Speaking of Twitter there’s a couple new folks on there that I’d like to point out to you all and encourage you to follow. And not only follow but spread the word about. First up, The Rock And Worship Road Show (which may or may not have something to do with bullet point #2) and Addison Road (which also may have something to do with bullet point #2).
- The other day I started some Lego trucks with Aiden and need to go finish those before church.
- No Super Bowl today so it looks like I have time to play with this computer more.
There it is folks. An early morning Stats Suck Sunday. What’s on your mind today?
