Positive Post Tuesday-Outdoor Encounter
Randy and I have had the awesome opportunity to meet and get to know some folks doing some great things just South of Nashville. Rebecca and Ben Wynd have started the ball rolling for the creation of a recreation park in the Spring Hill area including a disc golf course, hiking trials, biking trails and a bunch of other things called Outdoor Encounter, and (imagine that) they’ve started to blog.
Growing up in Northern California I think I always took the beauty there for granted. We lived ten minutes from one of the most amazing rivers I have ever seen, and living in “nature” just seemed to be normal. Now that we have found ourselves living in the suburbs south of Nashville, more than once I have realized that I really missed nature. I miss the peacefulness of walking around a park in the trees watching the leaves fall, and families play. It’s awesome to hear the vision of Outdoor Encounter and see that align with what I think the area needs.
Here’s the deal. This is a two-fold “Positive Post Tuesday”. This time I need something more from you. If you live even remotely near the Nashville / Franklin / Spring Hill area, and I know a lot of you do, and I also know a lot of you are really into the outdoors (Randy, Spence and Jeremy), I’m asking that you start talking about this. Start blogging about it, and help the surrounding areas get excited about it. The more a community is involved in what is going on, the better that community becomes.
So for all you locals, make sure to check out Outdoor Encounter and also make sure to follow their blog. At the very least, head over there and welcome them to the neighborhood. It’s going to be a pretty cool process to watch take shape.
Happy Tuesday. Let’s make this week massive.
(WCW)
Dear Christian Music Industry (Part Five)
Dear Christian Music Industry,
This week my friend Phil did something a little out of the ordinary. It wasn’t completely unheard of and it’s not like it hasn’t been done before, but Phil decided to record a show, make a record and give it away. Did you hear about it?
Here’s the thing Christian Music Industry, some of you are listening now. Some of you are listening and I think I know why. I think you’re listening because of the simple fact that you are seeing results. You’re seeing results like the fact that in six days now, over 9,500 people have downloaded Phil’s record. Results like the fact that Phil’s site has had over 40,000 page views in the past six days. You’re seeing results like both of Phil’s previous records taking significant jumps up in the Top 100 Christian Albums on iTunes in two days. You’re seeing an album that is nearly a year old jump from number twenty-five on the chart to number ten, and a record that is over two years old jumping from number ninety-four on the chart to number twenty-five. You’re paying attention to that because you want those results.
There’s only one problem Christian Music Industry, and here it is. All of this didn’t happen because Phil has a blog. Do you know how many people in the world “have blogs”? See, most of you are still looking at blogs as something that kids that live in their mom’s basement, and collect action figures have. They are something that you talk about your cat on and what you had for breakfast. And if you’ve gotten past that spot, you think blogs are a “fun extra” that bands can have like buddy icons or something. You’re looking at it as an extra that fans will just feel blessed to have. You want to hear what I believe? I believe all of this happened because in the last six months Phil decided to engage his fans, create a community, involve his readers, and the result was something special. Phil was given the ability to blog well.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not so foolish to say that the only reason Phil’s record has done really well, along with his other records, is because of his six month old blog. Phil is an unbelievably talented musician, with a progressive label behind him, and it was only a matter of time before this happened, but there’s only so much we can attribute to coincidence, don’t you think?
Not enough of evidence for you? How’s this? Two days ago Bart Millard of MercyMe fame, (You’ve heard of him right, Christian Music Industry?) announced on their blog that his solo record called “Hymned Again” was available for pre-sale. He encouraged his readers to pre-order it and asked for his “blogging community” to help make a dent in the iTunes chart by ordering a record that no one thinks will do well. Wanna hear something funny, Christian Music Industry? It’s currently number nineteen on the Top 100 Christian Albums on iTunes. Not bad for a record that isn’t even out yet.
So there’s a few examples of why I think we should talk. It’s not that I think that I can do something magical for you and make you end up at the top of charts. If I could do that don’t you think I would be sitting there myself? No, I am saying that if you are getting the slight idea to start a blog because you’ve seen these results and want to give it a go, I might suggest blogging well. Just a thought.
Your Friend, Brody
Who Would It Be?
If you could choose five artists that you would want to be blogging, who would they be? And when I say blogging, I mean regularly, actively, participating in a blogging community. Who would you want to hear from the most? More specifically, who do you think I should talk to next about blogging?
Ready? Go.
“Positive Post Tuesday”
So, here it is Tuesday again. Time for another “Positive Post Tuesday”. Time to say something nice or not say anything at all. This week is a little different because I wanted to build up you guys. The readers of this here blog. The people that, for what ever reason, keep coming back here to hear what I have to say everyday. The folks that show an genuine interest in our family. Who pray for us even though they may not know us, the friends that I have gotten to know better because of this blog, and also the new friends I have made.
Almost two years ago now, I started this blog with no real intention of actually keeping it going. I had no idea what to talk about and even if I came up with something to talk about, I wasn’t sure anyone was listening. Now almost two years later, I have met some really cool people, created a “profession” and been more encouraged than I could have expected from a blog. There is a pretty solid group of people here that come back and comment, and are involved in this little community online. I call it a community because I know that there are people involved in this blog that, if I were in trouble, would jump at the chance to help out, as I would with them. For that to happen with people that I may never know just blows me away.
It’s been amazing to see the support and interest that you guys have shown in what is going on here. There is no way that I would be getting to do what I am doing for a living without this little community here, and I appreciate that. One of these days we need to have a big fat “…in case you were wondering” party, and you are all invited.
You guys know what to do. I know there are more people out there that have nice things to say. Let’s make today a very Positive Tuesday. Who can you build up today? Who needs it most? We do plenty of tearing down throughout the week. Let’s see how many we can get on this list today.
Powerful Community
Blogs are a powerful community. I think most people that are in to blogs get that, but sometimes there are stories where a blog quite literally is more of a community than a regular one. Just this week I heard of a musician diagnosed with Leukemia and with no medical insurance raise nearly double the amount of the medical costs from his online community. Another funny story but one that spoke loudly to me was when I joked about needing money to keep me out of jail. I received several phone calls throughout the day from people telling me that they were organizing fund raiser things to find me the cash. And these don’t all have to be associated with money.
Just today I got an email from a frequent commenter, Melody here on my blog. I have never met Melody but because of the community here she felt comfortable enough to share. She writes:
I posted a brief special “prayer request post” on my blog for my precious aunt, Stacey Adams (in Texas) who is undergoing a massive brain surgery today to remove a tumor. I know that the surgery and recovery are going to be very difficult and intense and I was hoping to have lots of people out there praying for her. I’d also like to have some of those same folks go to this special prayer request link and post an encouraging comment for her to read as she is trying to heal and recover throughout this trial. It’d be great for her to know people from all over are praying for her.
With all that said – you and your family came to my mind as someone special I could ask to help. So, thank you for taking the time to read over this and God bless.
I think it would be great for all of us to head over there and offer some encouraging words and obviously keep Melody and her aunt in prayer. This is really what it’s all about.
This is the same mentality that I try to explain to these bands when I am taking to them about blogging and it’s especially true within the Christian music industry. These are the communities that are so amazing to be a part of and I believe have the ability to bring people closer together. They are also the communities that have the ability to do great things for the industry, great things for people personally, and great things for the Kingdom.
