Filter: Netflix Recommendations

March 20, 2013 — Leave a comment

Yesterday I got thinking about filters. You can read that here.

Today, I want to act as a filter for you. You’re probably reading this because we know each other somehow, and I love having a place to write and discuss ideas.

That’s why I wanted to offer up some of the things that have influenced me, and help “filter” some choices for you that I’ve connected with. Obviously, not everyone has the same tastes, but with the glut of choices out there, a personal recommendation from someone you know goes a long way. 

So that’s why I went with Netflix first. If you don’t have Netflix, you can obviously find the choices other places, but for $8 a month, their streaming really has been worth it for us (we had the DVD service before the price debacle, don’t currently have it.)

So here are some of the best shows/movies on Netflixs you might not have seen:

Netflix

America, the History of Us – Originally aired on History Channel, I have to admit I’m predisposed for this kind of miniseries because I love history. I was a history major for a year (before I switched to Business) and have always been fascinated with what got us to where we are today. This series did a great job showing smaller events that might not be text book worthy, and the implications those events had on the country. One example was how Hollywood got started (Episode 5) and how it became “Hollywood”. Beginning to end it’s excellently done, definitely worth watching.

Conan O’Brien: Can’t Stop - I am a Conan fan, so when everything went down at the Tonight Show (more here) I followed along intently. Part of his contract was he could not be on TV for a year, so he took his show on the road to theaters around the country. This was a behind the scenes look at that show, seeing him as a real person struggling with the situation instead of a “funny guy’ was very revealing and made me a bigger fan.

Battlestar Galactica (reboot) – I actually typed this one first, and this was the whole reason I wrote about Netflix, but I didn’t want you to lose interest because of a sic-fi show. If you’ve read this much, give me a chance. I’d always heard about Battlestar (negatively on the Office), but the now defunct Steelehouse Podcast turned me on the the deeper meaning of the show. This reboot of the 1978 series had all the Sci-Fi elements with a lot more story. Started in 2004, the show is really about terrorism, morality, and religion that just happens to be set on a spaceship. Issues like where we find our identity and torture were addressed week in and week out, not just an occasional PSA like when Family Matters addressed drugs. This show hooked me into the characters more than almost any other show (Lost is close) and did a fantastic job challenging my beliefs today via a futuristic space show. Give it 3 episodes, and even if you aren’t a Sci-Fi fan, I think you’ll be hooked. 

The Constant Gardner (No link, don’t want there to be any spoilers ;)  - The 2005 film staring Ralph Fines and Rachel Weisz is a film I connected to on a deep level because the setting, Kenya, was a place I visited in 2007. The slums in the film are places I actually walked, and the idea of a pharmaceutical company taking advantage of the poorest of the poor makes me furious. The concept is actually based on a real life case in Nigera, and it’s a great thriller with a convicting look at how businesses operate overseas. 

Arrested Development – One of the funniest shows I discovered after it was off the air, a friend was such a fan that they practically forced me to buy the first season on DVD. I became hooked. It’s the story of a highly dysfunctional family who’s patriarch, Jeffrey Tambor, lands in prison and the only “normal” son, Jason Bateman, has to hold the family together. Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, David Cross and more make a great ensemble cast, and guest appearances from Ben Stiller, Andy Richter, and tons more just add to the hilarity. It perfectly fits my sense of humor, and I laugh (still) more per minute than almost any show I’ve ever watched (30 Rock and The Office would be right up there.) All 3 seasons are on Netflix, they’re approximatly 22 minutes per episode, so you can watch a season before you realize you’ve sat there 3 hours. Plus, it’s timely beacuse they’re making brand new episodes exclusively for Netflix in May! Go watch, or you’ll make a terrible mistake. STEVE HOLT! (Those last two lines will be much funnier when you watch.)

So those are some of my picks, what are some under the radar choices on Neflix I need to check out? Comment below.

In Entertainment
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What are your Filters?

March 19, 2013 — Leave a comment

I love lists.

I don’t feel like I’m alone in this, because it seems like ever sports show / website / talk show have lists. My favorites like Not Top 10 from Sportscenter, make large amounts of information digestible. It’s helped make David Letterman’s career. Lists like the best movies of the year help me decide what’s worth seeing.

For some, this is the problem with this generation; instead of thinking for ourselves and reading/researching in depth, we let someone else do it for us. The problem is, with the flood of media/information/entertainment available, it is literally impossible to read/watch/listen to even the “best” things that are put out there. 

Nick Hornby, author of High Fidelety and About a Boy, said it this way: 

“In 1450, there were 100 new books published, 2008 there were more than a million. There is a new book published every 30 seconds. It would take you 15 years just to read the titles of every book every printed. And you’re going to watch TV tonight?”

This is why I think Seth Godin has his finger on the pulse of what’s happening today; he encourages marketers to form a Tribe in a “niche” that will buy into what you’re selling. You don’t need to reach 50,000,000 people with a Superbowl ad; you need 1,000 who buy into your product and will tell their friends. He promotes “relational marketing” where your customers trust you, have a relationship with you and what you’re selling. Social Networking has made this easier than ever.

Trust in a source that recommends books, TV shows, movies, and everything else in-between is critical. With our finite time and money to invest, knowing where to turn is critical. For me, sources like Relevant Magazine, bloggers like Michael Hyatt, and sites like Lifehacker are sources that I trust and turn to for reviews, new products, and entertainment recommendations. Unless you are seeing every movie that comes out, downloading every new CD, or buying every new product on your own, you have filters as well.

Before the internet, limited filters existed. Three channels weren’t hard to scan; 1,000 are. Gone are the days of Siskel and Ebert guiding movie choices; instead Ebert’s one voice in Rotten Tomatos crowd sourced reviews. 

So the next couple days I’m going to post a few of my “favorite lists”. I hope you find some things that you aren’t aware of, things you might give a chance. I hope to see some of your favorites that can expand my own lists.

So who are the people/sites/companies you trust for recommendations? Comment below.

In Uncategorized
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Twenty Percent Done

March 12, 2013 — 1 Comment

 

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2013 is 20% (19.45 to be precise) done. 

Think about that. 

It’s March 12th, and 1/5 of the year has already passed. It’s hard to believe. The year is flying by, and now with daylight savings, it’s beginning to feel like spring.

So I wanted to do a check of myself, and I hope you do the same. The more understand how I work, the more I find that I need goals/ deadlines /something to work towards to keep maintain motivation.  Just thinking about these goals have challenged me again to not slack off, to get back on them. Here are my goals for this year and where I stand: 

1. Read 12 Books

Sucking this one up. I’ve only read 1.5, Out of My League by Dirk Hayhurst (Baseball Book) and half of Multiply by Francis Chan and David Platt. Both have been really good, and I’m hoping once I get through fantasy baseball draft season I get back to reading

Grade: D

2. Take Mallory (my wife) on a date every week

Probably the goal I’ve done best so far, I believe in 11 weeks we’re 9 for 11, one being a weekend I had to speak at a D-Now and the other when we decided together we’d rather just chill at the house. I don’t think it’s an accident that the goal I’m doing the best at has someone holding me accountable to it.

Grade: A-

3. Weigh Under 200 Pounds

Started the year at 243, the biggest I’ve been since my senior year of high school. When I worked at Bigstuf camps in 2007 I was the smallest I’d been since about 4th grade, 171 lbs. It’s been steadily ticking up ever since. As of this morning (when I was at the gym this morning at 5:30 a.m.) I weighed 236 pounds, 7 down from January 1. In 11 weeks it’s a little under where I want to be, but at this pace I’ll be a little over 200 at the end of the year. 

Grade: C

4. Write 150 blog posts

Probably the worst goal. This will be the 8th post, which at this pace would mean 40 this year, only about 11o under the goal. I think my biggest problem is if I don’t get to it in the morning, i’m putting it off for other stuff. Not good at all, but I am excited about going to Rwanda in May and will be post in a lot during that trip (in theory)

Grade: F

5. Read through the Bible

I have really enjoyed this one, I’ve read through the Bible cover to cover twice, and this will be the third time. I’m still seeing things I have never noticed. The last week or so, I have been reading through the story of Joseph and hope to get a blog post out of that soon. I’ve missed 10 days or so in 70 and I’ve been reading 2 a day to catch up the last few days. 

Grade B

So put that all together and I’m a C. At this pace, if nothing changes, I’ll only accomplish 2 of my 5 goals, which is why I wanted to write this post. First, to give myself a kick in the pants. Second, to encourage all of you out there not to just quit and write off something you want to do this year. There still 304 days in 2013, and you’ve got plenty of time to change, accomplish goals, and make it a great year. But you have to start now, work gradually, and commit to them.

And that last sentence was probably more to myself than you.

So I want to know, where are you on your goals for this year? How are you doing? I’d love for you to comment below.

In Goals
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The Black Keys: Two Dudes Making Music

February 20, 2013 — Leave a comment

Two posts in a row! 

Yesterday I was thinking about music, it’s been on my mind after watching the Grammy Awards. You can go  read my post about it yesterday here.

Today I want to talk about one of the bands I actually liked on the Grammy’s, The Black Keys. I’ve never considered myself a “music snob”. I didn’t follow the Black Keys until their first “big” album, Attack and Release in 2008. “I Got Mine” got some airplay, and it was a catchy song. But when their next album, “Brothers” came out in 2010, I got hooked on “Tighten Up”. It had a great hook and got a lot of critical acclaim, including 3 Grammys that year. Plus, I think it was one of the funniest, most sarcastic album covers I”d ever seen. (And the title of my post yesterday was a nod to it.)

220px The Black Keys Brothers

Then they released “El Camino” in 2011 (which is dumb that the Grammy rules made it up for awards in 2013) and they went on to win 3 more Grammys this year and perform with the super weird Dr. John.  I had listened to some of the album, but it was on sale and went ahead and bought it after the Grammys. It’s a really good album. 

My mind is funny though, and when I find an artist (or really anything) that I like,  I want to know their backstory. I think that’s a big reason I liked Lost so much (posts about that are coming one day). So I started reading about the Black Keys history and listened to some interviews with them. It’s pretty shocking in this day and age to find a band with their story. 

The Black Keys are 2 guys, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. They met when they were 9 and lived in the same neighborhood in Akron, Ohio. They started the band in high school, even though Dan was captain of the soccer team and Patrick was an indie kid. I personally relate a little more to Patrick. 

Evan Patrick 

Patrick Carney from the Black Keys and High School Senior Evan Semanco

They dropped out of college to tour, put out 5 albums before they “broke out”, gradually building a fan base. They got produced by Danger Mouse (the other guy with Cee-Lo in Gnarls Barkley) and started getting bigger. As it seems to happen, the band started to unravel with success. Patrick got divorced, Dan made a secret side project without telling Patrick. On the brink of breaking up, they reconciled and put out their best album (in my opinion): Brothers. (A very intentional title they say). 

After the success and the Grammys in 2010 (which, after they won for the first time, they left 15 minutes later while the show was still going on. That’s so Rock and Roll.) they went back and worked harder and changed up their process for their next album, El Camino. 

Black Keys El Camino1

The van on the cover is the one they actually toured in in the beginning of their career, their parents bought it for them; the air conditioner was broke, and when they sold it it had 190,000 miles. I had a purple minivan that was passed on from my parents and the air conditioner didn’t work. It had about 150,000 miles on it, and I can’t imagine going more than 20 minutes in it. 

All of that to say, when you listen to the Black Keys, watch interviews with them ( I think they’re hilarious, I relate to their sense of humor. Like a video where they get shot and blown up and then talk about being dead in a diner), and see how they dress/act even with their success, I think there is an authenticity that people relate to. 

In the One Direction/Justin Bieber world (The Black Keys have a well publicized feud with the Biebs) where artists can become a success over night (looking at you Willow Smith), I think the Black Keys are a refreshing change, two guys who loved music who worked at what they loved. They became “successful” without changing who they were. 

Are they role models? No. Are they people I’d be friends with or want to date my sisters? Nope. But I think the bigger takeaway from their success is how badly we crave authenticity. For me, I want to listen to music where I believe what the person is saying. I believe that these guys have made mistakes and are dealing with the pain the only way they know how: music. I think the church as a whole has been portrayed as inauthentic, with scandals and groups claiming to “love their enemies” bombing abortion clinics. It’s a sad generalization, and there are tons of great churches out there. But public perception of Christianity seems more Beiber lip syncing and less authentic Black Keys. 

An organization I love, People of the Second Chance, posted this picture with a lyric from their song “The Next Girl” the other day:

Photo Feb 18 7 44 59 PM

That’s something that connects with me, more than “All I need is a beauty and a beat.” But that’s just me. 

What about you? Agree? Disagree? Belie-ber who’s gonna post death threats? Do it below. 

In Uncategorized
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This is a Blog Post. It is called “How Music Shaped Me”.

February 19, 2013 — Leave a comment

My life was changed my freshman year of high school by someone who probably has no idea what they did. 

It’s a dramatic statement, but it’s true. I had just joined a small group of guys at my church, and one of the juniors in the group lived nearby, so he started giving me a ride to church. This was awesome, because we forget, as a freshman it’s a huge deal to have a ride without your parents. The guy was great, and we became friends. When we would go places, he’d play music I’d never heard of. Some was weird, but some I really liked. 

Growing up with great, Godly parents, they did their best to protect me from the evils of secular music. Up to that point, I’d been shaped by the weird Christian ska movement going on at the time (Five Iron Frenzy or The Insyderz anyone?) and Newsboys were a huge deal. I’d sneak songs on the radio (for some reason an angst filled 7th grade Evan really like Eminem) but for the most part I didn’t have access to anything but the Christian music my parents bought. Remember, this is 2001 and the iPod had just been released to the world. I still didn’t have a portable CD player. I rocked my parents hand-me down walkman and some cassettes. (Side note, the only “secular” tape they had was Green Day’s Nimrod because they wanted “Time of Your Life” and since that was the only way to get it at the time, they bought the whole tape. I wore that tape out. Literally. Thank you for making music so much easier to get now iTunes.)

Back to rides with the cool upperclassman. Listening to music with him was awesome, but I wanted more. So I saved up my money and bought a portable CD player and some blank CDs (because they were expensive back then!) and asked if he would burn some of his favorites on CDs for me. This opened the floodgates, and I got way more than I bargained for. But none impacted me more than - 

Dashboard Confessional.

220px DC SAR I had this in Vinyl. Seriously. 

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, go look some of their stuff up on Youtube. To a shy, awkward freshman who was still pretty intimated by girls, this was gold. Someone who was way cooler than me (he had sleeves!) singing about his own girl problems. I was hooked. Little emo Evan was born, and from that day on I started looking for music that related to me. I couldn’t really relate to Jay-Z’s lifestyle or even the Strokes; but wondering if he ever got the girl, that I connected with. That was my life.

With my musical world suddenly opened up, I began my search for artists or songs that might not be “mainstream” (whatever that means anymore) but have a message, a story I relate to like Dashboard did. I like things that are different (most would say “weird”), not just to be hipster (although I did see the Fray open for Ben Folds in 2005 before anyone knew who were they were, and I called that they would be big. And they were better before they got big.)

I do not claim to be an “expert” or really even in touch with the music scene anymore. At one point in college I would buy/download a new CD every week and listen to it on repeat just to learn new music, but now it’s less of knowing the next big thing and more of finding something that has a message. 

Adults reading this, you are probably forgetting how critical music is in your teenage years. Even now, at 25, I’m less likely to listen to music and more likely to listen to talk radio. But being around teenagers, it’s their world. It’s a huge part of what they talk about. They repost lyrics. They cover songs and put them on Youtube. They remix them. They buy everything an artist puts out because they relate to them. They illegally download tons of stuff they’d never be able to get otherwise. Music is a part of who they are.

That’s why as a Pastor, I try to stay in touch. To be honest, I dislike most of the stuff that my students listen to. I’m not going home listening to the new Taylor Swift or Lil Wayne just for fun. But I do know who those artists are. I know what they’re saying to the teenagers when I’m not around. They listen to those artists a lot more than they listen to me. Personally, I feel responsible for knowing those messages, and how to use them as an example of either what not to do, or sometimes what truth they have tapped into that could be pulled out of the Bible (You had a lot of moments that didn’t last forever, Now you in the corner tryna put it together, How to love) ((and how you just read that shows how in touch with music you are)).

This is not an endorsement of any artists as people. Most of the time, even today, we have no idea what really happens behind the scenes in the lives of “celebrities”. The ones that are vocal about their faith sadly fail, often. The ones that are living “like the world” could be searching for God and find him, then radically change (see Haggard, Ted and Welch, Brian). Growing up very conservative, I still cringe at cuss words and sexual lyrics (doesn’t that make me sound old). I am a firm believer that what input you take in (music, movies, and television, etc) affect who you become. Especially in the critical years of development from 11-18.

But I also believe that if we stick our heads in the sand, we’re not going to reach anyone. Separating from culture is not the answer. We’re to be in the world, not of it. Key part of that is still being in the world. So over the next couple posts I want to go through some music that is “popular” now and attempt to look more critically at what these artists are saying, good or bad. 

Because people are listening. Teenagers are listening. I want to be ready to engage them where they’re at, and that includes music. As I’m writing this I’m listening to the Black Keys after seeing them on the Grammies. I’m trying. 

So how do you feel about “popular” music? Hate it, love it, tolerate it? Comment below. 

In Music
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Softball’s Life Lessons; My Worst Moment as a “Coach”

February 12, 2013 — Leave a comment

It’s a milestone day for 2013. Football has gone, and pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Games don’t start for a few more days, but it means baseball is back. 

I’ve liked baseball since I was a kid, played (if you could call it playing) a terrible right field, and had maybe 2 hits in 3 or 4 years. I got into soccer and basketball, leaving baseball behind in middle school (mostly because I couldn’t play). After my only attempt at organized sports as a teenager (going out for the 8th grade basketball team, didn’t make the first cut), I gave up on the idea of playing team sports and really clicked playing golf with my dad. 

In high school though, I got to play with our church softball team, which made me fall in love all over again. I was definitely not the all-star softball player, but on a co-ed team with all my friends I found a perfect way to connect with people and have a purpose, a start and finish, a united goal. 

I really learned a lot about leadership, being a good sport, and working as a team. As a junior in high school I became the “captain” of our student ministry team, mostly because I cared enough to call everybody and make sure they’d show up (remember no texting back then) and put together a lineup. Again, I had my opportunities and made plenty of mistakes. The worst was the day when I led two girls to a hatred of the sport.

In my defense, we were having one our better seasons (most of the time we were under .500) and there was a lot on the line…in my mind. You had to play four outfielders, two had to be girls, so I set our outfielders and we started playing. Around the second inning a guy smoked one to the wall in right field, where girl A (I’m protecting their identities) took approx 45 minutes to get the ball, throw, pick it up again, throw it again, and get the ball in to the pitcher (me, who had given up the long drive. But it wasn’t my fault…).

Needless to say, it was an inside the park homerun. A couple batters later, with 2 on base another guy jacks one to girl A. Girl A, again, gives up an inside the park home run. The second for those of you keeping score at home. So as calmly as I could, I had her come in and switched her with girl B. Girl A took it surprisingly well, and we were set. Girl B proceeded to give up between 2 and 4 inside the park home runs that inning (it’s hard to remember, I’m pretty sure I blacked out with anger) and not to be outdone, Girl A threw a ball out of the field and cost another couple. 

At this time, the game is out of hand, and in hindsight it was pointless, but i snapped and benched both of them. In a church league softball game. I believe I actually went into the stands and got two other girls from other teams (again, it’s all hazy). When we finally got out of the inning, Girl A was furious and gave me the business and Girl B had already left to go home. Neither of them played again with us, and I’m pretty sure they go around and slash tires at the ballpark now out of their hatred of the sport.

Not one of my finer moments. Sports definitely brings out the worst in us (me particularly), but learning from that incident and many others I’d care not to relieve, I’ve learned to be more patient. I’ve learned it’s not all about winning. I’ve been able to control my temper and stop to remember that people who play sports are still people.

I think I love baseball so much because there is no time limit; the game goes until it’s done. The team shares the spotlight; a quarterback touches the ball every play, the point guard almost always sets the tone. But in baseball, a pitcher rarely goes the whole game; he has relievers to pick him up. You go to bat, but most of the time you need someone to knock you in. You can be the hero one day and strikeout 5 times the next. A guy like Marco Scuatro can come over late in the year and lead a team to the World Series.

Is watching baseball, or sports in general a waste of time? Probably. There aren’t many things in life that are truly life or death. But for me, baseball/softball taught me a lot and still is, so I will watch games this year. I will play fantasy baseball. I hope to have a softball team again.

Because I still need to learn.

What has taught you lessons in your life? I’d love to hear about it below!

In Sports
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What’s on Your Home Screen

February 8, 2013 — 2 Comments

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Happy Friday!

 

There is no hiding the fact that I am an Apple Fanboy and all things tech in general. So this morning I wanted to share some of the Apps I use everyday and see what’s on your home screen. I have a 16GB iPhone 5 (which I got for $12 thanks to a Target trade in deal in December; they were awesome) and use my phone more than anything else I own. I’ll give a quick description and a link to each App, but I’d love to see what you use!

** 2 Quick notes:

1. Yes, I do organize my apps alphabetically. I have a problem.

2. If I don’t put a price, that means the App is free!

 

App Store: Duh. If you don’t know what this is, you’re probably not reading a blog. I do use this a lot more than iTunes on my phone, which is why it’s not on the home screen.

You Version (Bible): When I first got a smartphone, I tried multiple Bible apps. This one is free, easy to use with social networks, and has great reading plans built in.

Calendar: Again, common sense. I did use Calendars by Readdle for a while because you could connect Google calendars, but I’ve gone back to the original calendar because I’ve stopped using Google calendars.

Camera: Again, I used Camera+ for a while but with the IOS 6 upgrade Camera is just as good in my opinion, and I use apps like iPhoto and Snapseed when I want to edit pictures.

Catch (note taking): The first of my favorite discoveries. I’ve used tons of note taking apps, and I’m constantly trying to save things I think of on my phone. Catch has a button on the main screen to easily add notes, gives you the note options for checklists, voice note, picture note, text note, or an alarm. It also works from their website so you can access any note from any computer. I have not upgraded to add any extra “spaces” so it’s still free. I mostly use it to move stuff into Evernote or Reminders (more on those in a minute). 

Chrome (Web Browser): I’ve been a Chrome user on my Mac for years, and the Chrome app is good, but with the latest updates i’m considering going back to Safari because many of the things Chrome did better, Safari has caught up.

Clock: Again, obvious, but I’ve tried different alarms/clocks and none of them do anything clock couldn’t for me.

Downcast (Podcast Manager) $1.99: First of the paid apps, I’m a huge fan of podcasts because I tend to be in the car a lot and like listening to something while doing chores, working out, etc. Podcasts are free “talk shows” and there are literally millions of options. I listen mostly to sports (Baseball Tonight, Fantasy Focus Football etc) and churches (Northpoint Community, Newspring) and love Downcast because unlike Apple’s podcast app, Downcast will automatically update your feeds instead of manually having to click each one to download new content like Apple’s version. This is probably the app I use the most on my phone. Love this.

Dropbox (cloud storage): Probably the second most used app, there is no reason for you not to have Dropbox. You create a free account and are given 5 GB of storage that is saved somewhere in the cloud. You can save any type of file from any device (PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, iPad, whatever) and access it on any other device you have Dropbox connected to or any computer where you can access the Dropbox website. It’s so incredibly useful; I share stuff with my wife she needs, co-workers, or just to keep from having to email myself something or stick it on a thumb drive. Go sign up now.

Evernote (cloud storage): They have literally written books about Evernote ( go get it! ). Evernote prides itself on being your “Digital Brain” (hence the Elephant, because they never forget). 6 years and 5000+ notes later, Evernote has ingrained itself in my everyday life. As a cloud storage site, you create “notebooks” and save any kind of information (picture, text, video, etc) into Evernote.  I use this in every part of my life, from saving a picture of the air filter for my house to receipts to sermon illustrations that I can easily find later, on my computer or phone or whatever. They also have a “Web Clipper” so you can send anything from a website directly into Evernote, the ability to send emails into Evernote, and a “paper” setting that scans a great image from your camera. It’s got a bit of a learning curve, but their website is great and there are tons of resources out there. Go watch the video tutorial and join me and the other 46+ million users (that’s more than the entire country of Spain).

Facebook (social network): More and more people I talk to are getting “tired” of Facebook, but it’s still the biggest network. I have downloaded the Facebook chat and messages app, but didn’t use them enough to justify keeping them on the phone. Go like the EvanSemanco.com page for updates from the site.

Feeddler Pro (blog reader) $4.99: Just like podcasts, I’m a huge fan of blogs. I mean, since I am writing one that makes sense. I have a Google Reader Account (free, and super easy if you already have gmail) and what Feeddler does is gives me the ability to scroll through all my blogs (I subscribe to about 120ish), click on any that grab my interest, “star” them for later, and if I decide to keep it, send it straight into Evernote (synergy). I can skip something that doesn’t interest me and check all the updates in about 15 minutes. 

Instagram (social network): When I first got it, didn’t think I’d really use it as much as I do. Easy to use, and more and more people are joining (especially the students I work with). Go follow me @EvanSemanco.

My Fitness Pal (health): As part of my 2013 goals (you can read about those here) I’m trying to slim down, and I love this app because it helps me track calories and exercise. Coolest feature is a barcode scanner that will enter the exact thing I’m eating straight into the app.

Photos: I like having this on the main page to easily edit, email, and upload pictures I take to Evernote or Dropbox. Wasn’t on the home screen before I got the iPhone 5.

Reminders: When I first got it, I didn’t use it. After reading an article about the updates in IOS 6, I’ve given it a try. I’ve really liked using it as my “daily” to do list because of the ability to remind me at a time and location, plus it’s handy on my Mac to enter things that come up. I use Catch more for notes to remember or things to check out later. Reminders has become my “don’t forget to pick up the prescription on the way home” app.

Settings: Wasn’t on my home screen until I got the iPhone 5 and added four more apps. Convenient to have quick access, especially for conserving battery by turning off Wifi and adjusting brightness.

Tweetbot (social network) $2.99: Just like Instagram, i’ve really used Twitter a lot more than I thought I would. Tweetbot has a great layout, the ability to change the main buttons across the bottom, and my favorite feature, the ability to swipe a tweet and see any response that Tweet has gotten. My favorite Twitter client hands down. @EvanSemanco

Wallet (password manager) $9.99: One of the most useful things I have on my phone. I love Dropbox and Evernote, but Wallet is a lifesaver because it remembers all my passwords and serial numbers and it syncs them from my Mac and my phone, so I can access them anywhere. It’s the most expensive app I use (you also have to pay $19.99 to download on your Mac from the App Store) but it’s encrypted, requires a password to use, is easy to add new logins, and helps me login to just about everything from WiFi at my office to eBay. I’m a big fan. 1Password is another option, but Wallet is actually cheaper if you can believe that.

Youtube (social network) : Antoher one that wasn’t on my homscreen before iPhone 5, but there’s just so much out there. Like this. You’re welcome.

 

That’s my home screen! I also use the e-mail client a ton. Also, in case you didn’t know you can replace any app on your “dock” down there if you don’t use the ones that come default.  

So I want to know: What’s on your home screen? What are the apps you can’t live without?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

In Technology ,
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Do I Really Believe in Grace?

February 5, 2013 — 1 Comment

Do I?

The Superbowl has passed, and for me that means baseball season is officially here. I have never been a big football fan, but playing fantasy football for the first time this year (and second place, losing to Stephen Knight thanks to stupid Alfred Morris) has led me to watch more than I ever have. Like most of America, I’m fascinated by the Ravens story and specifically, Ray Lewis.

All I really knew about Ray Lewis going into the season was that he had killed some people and got away with it, and that only came from an animated short on Saturday Night Live years ago. As the Ravens got deeper into the postseason, more and more coverage was on Lewis and I became intrigued. Sports Illustrated did a great article in 2007 called “The Gospel According to Ray”, it’s a great read. (http://bit.ly/y4W5rk)

 

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If you don’t know the story, at a Superbowl party in January 2000 Ray Lewis was leaving a club with his entourage, and a fight broke out where two people ended up stabbed to death. Even before this incident, Lewis had been investigated 3 times for assault on women and was not known as a character guy. He has 6 children to four women, and was known as a “thug”. Lewis and 2 friends were arrested, Lewis was charged with murder, but he made a plea deal to testify against the other 2 and got off scot free. Inconclusive evidence, including the missing white suit that Lewis was wearing that night, led to all 3 men getting off. 2 people died, and there is still no murderer.

Publicly, Lewis became a changed man. One year after the alleged murders he was MVP of the Superbowl (he didn’t get to say “I’m going to Disney World for PR reasons”) and settled with the families of the victims in a  civil suit for approx $2 million, still clinging to his innocence. 

The Sports Illustrated article had a great quote on the issue:

“Hero to villain, good to bad, is a very quick walk in America. The reverse is much more difficult; the fall is always easier to believe than the redemption, if only because nobody wants to be played for a sucker.”

So just like me, you came to a conclusion about Ray Lewis based on what you just read, things you’ve seen or heard before you read this, and maybe somehow you have met him in person or have talked to someone who has. But you now have an opinion on Ray Lewis, even if you didn’t before.

So what is it? During the Superbowl, people I know and accounts like FakeSportscenter online blasted Ray Lewis, one guy in particular made comments like Ray Lewis deserved to die.

What is your opinion? We all have one. The more I’ve researched  Ray Lewis, the more confident I feel about this:

 

I don’t know.


And neither do you.

 

We weren’t there. No one but the people at that party and God know what actually happened. One of his friends that was there is writing a book about the murders and maybe the truth will come out. Or maybe it’s a publicity stunt to sell books. 

I do know this. I believe in a God that forgives. I believe I don’t deserve it. I believe Ray Lewis doesn’t deserve it. I don’t understand how God can love us and really let things go. I can’t wrap my head around it. 

I believe that’s what grace is. Underserved, impossible to really understand. I tell friends and students all the time that we are not our past. We are what we chose to be from this moment forward. If I don’t really believe that about Ray Lewis, I don’t really believe that about them. Or me.

Are there consequences? Absolutely. In that article Ray Lewis says he fears that someone will come up and put a gun to his head everyday. The 13 year old nephew of one of the victims has publicly made death threats against Lewis. One of his best friends in college was killed by his girlfriends ex-boyfriend, and Lewis referred to that in the article as a fear he has.

But the Bible I read is full of murders. David, Saul, Moses. Jesus forgave the guy hanging next to Him and told him that day he’d be with Him in paradise. If we really believe in grace, that goes for your friend who stabbed you in the back, for yourself, for Ray Lewis, and for me, just to name a few.

 

So do you really believe in Grace? 

 

PS I can’t wait to read this next week

 

Rlsi

In Church
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What are you advertising?

January 30, 2013 — Leave a comment

Your Words are an advertisement for your heart

In Uncategorized
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How I Approach my Wife

January 29, 2013 — Leave a comment

Last week I attended a one day conference called “Preach Better” with our high school pastor, Tyler Powell.* We got a lot of good info, but Andy Stanley, pastor of one of the biggest churches in the country, has really got to me. Here’s the takeaway:

The approach is as important as the content.

He explained that with his family, even when he knows the right thing to say most of the time, if he approaches them in the wrong way they miss the information.

As a married man, I completely relate to this. I’ve been friends with Mallory, my wife, for 11 years now and we’ve dated/been together for 6 (that’s a post for another day). Over time I’ve learned what to do (more often what not to do) when I’m trying to communicate with her. I know when she’s shutting down, when she responds to what I’m saying, when we connect. I am far from perfect, but I like to think I am better at this today then I was 11 years ago.

That is the idea that’s challenging me in ministry. I want to relate to students and communicate the information (that is incredibly important), but I know there are times when my approach interferes and even prevents them from connecting with the important stuff. 

Things like jokes I think are funny and bomb (wah wah). When I fumble a point or illustration. When something makes sense in my head but comes nonsensical.

Now, if you’re not a “preacher” (weird to call myself that) I still believe this applies. What is your approach to your friends? None of us treat every friend the same way; some need lots of quality time, some need to be encouraged more often, etc. How are you approaching your job and your coworkers? Your parents? Siblings?

Andy said this “18-25 Year olds don’t go to church because they’ve been to one.” I think of my friends, and this rings so true. They know what church is. They’ve been before. But they don’t get connected, they’re doing their own thing. That’s what I love about Simple Church; it’s changed the approach for the sake of reaching people, but kept the content. I am personally challenged by this, and hope you can be too.

So I’d love your feedback, what’s an area you need to change your approach?

*PS Tyler is blogging now, go give him a read at http://powelltyler.wordpress.com/

In Church
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