The Power of Introverts

February 1, 2012 in Acappella, Health & Wellness with 0 Comments

I’ve been a raging introvert all my life. The common response from most people who hear this is, “No way!”  Well, sorry… very much way.

One of my favorite things to do as I was growing up in Lubbock was to sit in my parents bedroom under the evaporative air conditioner and play with my Johnny West figures. You know… the ones that we’re about 10 inches tall and made of hard plastic? Sort of like the old G.I. Joe but much cooler. Anyway, I would sit there for hours with my 10 or so figures and pen and paper and hold a diving contest. Those things were great for flipping in the air. They’d do all kinds of spins and stunts. It was like Olympic diving. I would give them scores and hold tournaments.

Geronimo seemed to win the most. I guess it was something to do with his weight distribution.

I would do this for hours on end, all by myself (I was an only child). And I was perfectly happy to be all by myself. I suppose that was an indication of my personality and my introversion. My life proceeded in much the same manner.

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Why Every Entrepreneur Should Self-Publish a Book

January 31, 2012 in Acappella, Social Media & SEO with 0 Comments

I have always been interested in publishing a book. Even in my early days as an artist, I flirted with writing. I remember 1990. I had finished writing my first “professional” song and pitched it to Keith Lancaster for possible inclusion on a new project we were starting. After listening, he replied that maybe I should try another one.

Rejection.

After consideration, my response was, “I think I’ll try my hand at writing a book instead.” He said he really thought I ought to give it another shot. So, I spent the next several days giving it one more shot. The end result was the song “Drop in the  Bucket” which wound up on the first Acappella Children’s album. Songwriting had begun. At this point, I have over 80 songs registered with BMI, but I’ve never gotten back to that book.

Which is why I find this article by James Altucher interesting. As with the music industry, the book publishing industry has changed considerably with the advent of the Internet. In his Techcrunch article Why Every Entrepreneur Should Self-Publish a Book, James presents a very strong argument for jumping in feet first and doing it yourself.

I reprint it here in edited format. Enjoy.

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Google Chrome Fail – Pt.2

January 25, 2012 in Apple, Social Media & SEO with 0 Comments

Google and Chrome Fail again

Ok Google, you’re killing me here. I am trying to get everything I do online to be Google-oriented so that syncing things up will be a breeze. I am sticking with you because I had being doing this long before I bought into Apple products – which would offer the same services for me. Alas, I am heavily invested into all things Google, so I stay with you for now (which incidentally is why I bought a new iPhone… I was too deep into apps to choose otherwise).

But why, oh why, do I continue to have troubles using Chrome (your product) and Gmail (your product) together? About a third of the time it hangs up. Sometimes it just sits there with a blank page looking at me (see earlier post). And today, you tell me you don’t trust yourself? So what am I supposed to take away from that?

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5 Tips for Effective Facebook Marketing and Content

January 24, 2012 in Social Media & SEO with 3 Comments

As I continue to study and immerse myself into social media, I’ve picked up several very good recommendations on making social media marketing work for you. The landscape is constantly changing and marketing solutions change with them. I am concentrating on techniques that are broad in their application and should (hopefully) continue to work amidst the changes. With a shout-out to Hootsuite University, here are five great techniques for creating effective Facebook marketing and content.

Your Content Must Tell a Story

If someone comes to your page, they are obviously displaying a base-level interest. The root of our social media experience, perceived or not, is driven by our own self interests. Consequently, your content must tell the story of how your products and services interact with your customer’s lives. To catch someones attention and keep it, you must offer more than personal blurbs about your lack of sleep, or how much you dislike the current team that made the playoffs. Your posts must appeal to your readers, even if minimally, in a way that demonstrates a connection to what you have and what they want (or might wish for).

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Food for Thought: Is Our Food Killing Us?

January 19, 2012 in Health & Wellness, Videos with 0 Comments

I ran across this video from TEDx Austin of Robyn O’Brien. She spoke on the state of the food industry in the U.S. with emphasis on the additives and the connection to food allergies. It is pretty sobering.

One thing that really struck me was the information on milk additives. As you’ll hear, the milk industry made some sweeping changes in 2004… which coincidentally (?) is the same year my wife developed an allergy to dairy products.

This video is just short of 20 minutes, but well worth the time. Pull up a chair, get comfortable and watch.

Should You Buy Professional Arrangements?

January 18, 2012 in Acappella, Music with 0 Comments

I ran across a blog entry by Mike Chin, co-founder of The A Cappella Blog, and it raised a good question. I thought I might pass it along. It seems to be a pretty hot topic in collegiate a cappella, especially in light of the hit TV show The Sing-Off. I haven’t heard as much about it in the Christian a cappella ranks, but I know it’s present. I’ve dealt with it myself over the years.

He states, “There’s an established market for the sale of professionally written a cappella arrangements. With this in mind, it is best for your group to buy arrangements rather than trying to compose your own?” He goes on to point out dissenting viewpoints.

Buy It Quickly and Move Forward

There’s a pretty good argument for buying an existing arrangement or contracting someone to knock it out for you. As more people come into the a cappella fold every year, the number of arrangers and arrangements increases making songs more available and more affordable. Pay for it and get it done quickly. You’ll save countless hours of energy trying to work out the arrangement that will pay off in a perfected performance.

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Is Heartburn An Issue of the Heart?

January 11, 2012 in Health & Wellness, Spiritual with 0 Comments

My family history has an issue with health. Most of my uncles (Father’s side) have heart troubles of one sort or another. Every time I go to a new doctor, I fill out the requisite questionnaire which always asks if I have a family history of heart attacks, diabetes, hangnail, athlete’s foot, etc. Consequently, this little fact keeps hovering in the back of my mind.

More often than I care to admit, I deal with heartburn and I wonder (and hope) that heartburn is all it really is. For a period of time last year, I took an OTC heartburn medication daily… well, in two week periods. Then I would go off meds for a couple of weeks and it would return. As did the medication.

Where does heartburn come from?

Obviously, it has nothing to do with the physical heart. It just happens to produce pain in that same general area, which in turn causes anxiety and stress which may actually feed the heartburn. That’s not a fun cycle.

I read an article by Dennis Thompson of HealthDay entitled “Chronic Heartburn a Growing Problem in U.S.” He says that, generally, heartburn and acid reflux strike many people as an annoying and painful but ultimately harmless problem — a result of overindulgence and gluttony that must be endured. Frequent bouts of heartburn and reflux constitute a real medical condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, which is on the rise worldwide.

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6 Health Tips: Make Eating a Family Affair

January 9, 2012 in Family, Health & Wellness with 0 Comments

I ran across some suggestions by Diana Kohnle in HealthDay News that I found to be mostly common sense – but mostly ignored by our fast-paced lifestyle. In the same vein as the advice found in Ecclesiastes 4:12 (a cord of three strands is not quickly broken), it’s much easier to eat healthy when everybody in the family is practicing the same nutritional habits. Easier said than done? Most certainly. But it’s worth looking at.

Cook meals at home, together as a family.

This suggestion provides multiple benefits. Family time comes at a premium these days. Between the ridiculously overbooked schedule of parents, electronics games for the kids, 248 channels on television and school activities, it’s getting harder and harder to find time to share with your loved ones… whatever age they may be. Involving the family in preparation of the meal provides for great conversation and, just as important, education. Teaching your children how to cook will go a very long way toward keeping them healthy as they set off on their own.

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Training A Capella Worship Leaders

January 5, 2012 in Acappella, Spiritual, Worship with 2 Comments

I had an interesting conversation over lunch today. A dear friend of mine was lamenting the fact that a good education for an a capella worship leader is generally hard to come by. For generations, learning to lead worship in an a capella church consisted of Wednesday night services when the youth had a chance to lead singing. We’d throw some Jr High boy up there, let him start a song in the wrong key, and the regular song leader (sitting on the front row) would join in (in the correct key). Then it was off to the races.

There are a few organizations who spent summer sessions teaching young men how to lead, and I believe some of those are still out there. I would hazard a guess that they are much less attended than they used to be.Things have changed a bit (understatement).

A large number of churches have not changed at all. They still proceed with worship as they always have, and more power to them. I suspect that, as the years go by, it’s getting harder and harder to find new song leaders. It’s nice to see motivators like Keith Lancaster pouring themselves into training leaders (see his Worship Leader Institute).

Many a capella churches are moving to the “team” concept. I say “moving” as if this were a new concept, which it is not. Many churches have being doing this for years, but more and more are heading that way. This may seem like a foreign concept to those of you reading this that are not from an a capella church. Believe me, it’s a big step from a solitary man leading singing to a worship leader with an 8-10 person team.

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