From the archives of every post I wrote for shaycam.com, my very first blog.
We went on our annual trip to the pumpkin patch over the weekend with our friends. It was a perfect Fall day: 65 degrees with overcast skies and a little bit of rain. But as usual, we’re back in the 90’s this week…. just another California day I guess.
One of the great things about having a blog for over seven years now is that I have watched as people in my close circle and around the world have tried and failed at blogging. People tell me all the time, “I started a blog”, to which I reply “great.” Then I proceed to get the address to their blog and read their very enthusiastic “first post” which usually consists of “I know, I’m behind the times, but here’s my new blog!” They even have the perfect template for their blog that fits their personality just right, and normally I’ll find a detailed “About Me” section in the side bar. But days, weeks, and months go by and I return to their blog to the same excited first post, but nothing else. All the writing they planned on doing hasn’t made it to keyboard, and if cobwebs could come in digital form their blog would be covered in them. And it’s with that in mind that I don’t think you should start a blog–I don’t think you’re ready for it.
Blogging (or writing) takes both commitment and thought–both of which many people struggle with, myself included. Sure, not everything I write on my blog is up for a Pulitzer, but I constantly feel that I need to push myself in my writing for the sake of those who might take the time to read it. For me, blogging is another way for me to communicate ideas, flesh out thoughts, further my opinion, and even just a way for me to relax. But why should I expect someone to spend ten minutes or more listening to me ramble on about whatever and not put any thought in it. I think people have this skewed view that just because they started a blog that everyone should read it. More and more I hear “… oh, I’m gonna blog about it.” Well, OK great. But if you think I should spend my time reading about your experience or your opinion, then you better make it worth my time. Don’t waste my time (and your own) by thinking that something magical happens when you put your thoughts on screen. Unless you take the time to develop your thoughts, think clearly, and write in a way that helps me understand, your blog (or any writing) won’t be read by anyone. Furthermore, you should probably just tell me about your thoughts and opinions in person–it’ll probably be more exciting. But can I add one more thought? Be committed to your writing.
One of the great failures of anyone that wants to blog is that they just aren’t consistent. The common excuses are: “I have nothing to write about”, “I don’t have time”, “I’m just not that creative”, etc., but all of these are just that: excuses. Writing is a discipline in and of itself that takes time to understand and get into the habit of. If you have to, start a journal first. Don’t share it with the world just yet, but try to write consistently for a period of time. Be that every day (which is hard), once a week, a few times a month, whatever you want. You might start by writing about things you love and then move on to others. Write about your days, but expound on things you find your mind going back to–there’s probably something there that wants to come out. I trust that as you do you will have more content than you can shake a stick at, and then you’ll find yourself writing more frequently. You don’t have to be a NY Times journalist to write frequently, but you do have to work at it and a big part of that is being committed to it. So if you’re contemplating starting your own blog or just feeling the peer pressure, I think these things will help you. Writing is still an art and therefore some rules just don’t apply, but with any art there are rules that should be followed in order to create something of significance.
If I could suggest one major resource to you it would be the book On Writing Well. The title makes it sound like a text book, but it’s far from it. It’s an enjoyable book to read and I know that it will get your mind thinking on just what writing is and how much better you could be doing it.
Like many Americans this weekend, I went and saw the new Indiana Jones movie, but to my own surprise I left the theater a little sore with George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg. I understand that I’m not a movie maker and never will be, but after watching the credits roll I couldn’t help feeling that Lucas and Spielberg missed it–they missed the point of Indiana Jones.
The greatest thing about the three previous Indiana Jones films is they were real. Technology in the late 70’s and 80’s (when the first Indy movies were made) wasn’t exactly what it is today, and movie makers were forced to use both their imagination and creative minds to create worlds and adventures we never thought possible. The sets had to be made by hand and built in such a way that the actors could interact with them and make it look real. Back then it wasn’t about digital artists who could make a spark look like an explosion–it was about really blowing stuff up. If the story called for a huge round rock to chase Indiana Jones, then they were going to have to figure out how to make such crazy idea possible. This lack of technology also forced the writers to write stories that captivated our hearts and minds. In the case of the first Indiana Jones films, they were both adventurous and funny. We loved Indy because he didn’t have a plan, but he was smart enough to figure it out as he went a long–and with a little bit of luck thrown in, he would somehow escape certain doom. The lines of fantasy and reality were blurred so far that we actually started believing that–if discovered–the cup of Christ contained a water that could make a man live forever. Unfortunately, George and Stephen apparently didn’t feel like repeating those great attributes, which is probably why the latest installment in the Indian Jones legacy lacked characters we really care about and lacked the believability factor that keeps me captivated.
The problem is we’ve seen it all and we know all the tricks. Any four year old can tell you what “CG” means and we know when were looking at something real or not. We also know when we’re being cheated or talked down to. Which is exactly how I felt when Shia Labeouf’s character was swinging like Tarzan through the jungle. Sure, not everything in the original Indy films was believable, but seriously–he starts swinging from tree to tree faster than monkeys can and just happens to swing fast enough to catch up with the cars he fell from to save the day. I’m sorry, but I’m not buying it George. I’m also not buying the fact that Shia Lebeouf’s character is sketchy at best. He just shows up on a motorcycle, through a thick cloud of train engine steam, with no context for his arrival, and proceeds to talk to Indiana Jones out of getting off the moving train (which is never shown) and going with him to a diner to sit and chat. Again, I’m not buying it George. I might be dumb, but I’m not stupid. The real Indiana Jones does whatever he wants and no punk kid is gonna tell him where to go or what to do–his own father could barely do that.
Dangit George Lucas! We wanted romance, we wanted action, and we wanted characters with personalities. What we didn’t want was a dumbed down Indiana who needs a sidekick kid to get the job done. We wanted the Indy who hates snakes and has funny conversations with people in the midst of wild action sequences. We wanted a believable story line and something a little more original–not something picked up by every other Sci-Fi movie in existence (minus Star Wars of course). We don’t care how good your “CG” artists are because we saw you make great movies before those guys were even born. What have you been doing for the past 20 years? Yeah, I know you made those “other” Star Wars films, but I thought maybe you would’ve gotten the hint from them too. We wanted something with a good story, but again…. you didn’t deliver. I’m sad, you’re sad–we’re all sad.
This one’s for any artists out there–it blew my mind.
MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.
It’s one thing for me to talk about my wife, but for someone else to say something about her is a different deal altogether.
This past weekend we spent some time away camping with the college ministry at our church. As we were eating dinner one night, one of my friends made a comment about Bethany and her beauty. The friend–a guy–wasn’t trying to hit on my wife or make a move, but he was seriously giving her and me a compliment on how Bethany presents herself. My friend even continued by saying that it must be a joy for me to be able to photograph her whenever I want and for her to always look so incredible. Of course, Bethany was blushing and I was stoked, but it was a really nice and genuine thing to say about her.
Just last night I found out about a blog that another friend had written about Bethany. This was actually from a high school girl that we know and it was a joy for me to read. This young woman calls Bethany “Mrs. Shaycam” which I think is hilarious. But the real crux of that blog is that Bethany is a true friend and companion. She genuinely cares about people and loves to love. Of course as I read this, it put a huge smile on my face and reminded me of the greatest blessing God has ever given me–my wife. You would think thoughts like this would only come around your anniversary–I mean thoughts about my bride. But for me, there’s no more important time than now. I can’t wait to tell you about her…
I can think of no other person on this Earth that cares like she does. It doesn’t matter if it’s the bug I squish for her or the family that is hurting in our church, she cares about everything. She has no scale for which to weigh what she will care about, it’s all the same to her. She cares for me the same way she cares for the high school girls she disciples. She loves my friends equally as much as her own friends. She hurts when I hurt and she hurts when others hurt. She is a model of compassion. My wife makes me a better man, and I don’t want that to sound cliché. But what more could I say? Bethany is my true love. She is my true friend. She is a true helper to me. She is my better half. She is my favorite. She is my bride.
I got an email today about the new Starbucks website which allows people like you and me to post our ideas for the company. Of course, it didn’t take me long to write something up so get over there and vote for mine!
Click Here To See My Idea and Vote! (and if you’re really excited you can even comment on it!.. woohoo)
P.S. This post pairs really well with “Dave: The Future of the Starbucks Coffee Company“.
I went to get a routine SMOG check on my car and got more than I paid for.
You see, I take my car to Ned. He’s a good guy–really honest and reliable. In fact, he’s almost brutally honest at times. But I never feel like I’m getting cheated when he’s working on my car. He tells me what I need to do and then I get it done–no questions. He only has two other employees and they both make me smile. One is shorter and really serious most of the time. He doesn’t say much, but you know he’s taking care of business. The other is louder and loves to chat. Many times I’ve found him singing while fixing breaks or joking with the other customers. Ned however, is a mix of the two. He’s serious about cars and knows a ton of information, yet he loves to talk about life, photography, and this past visit he talked about business.
The conversation actually began as we were talking about photography. It actually surprises me how much Ned loves photography. He even showed me a few of his shots on his really dirty, oil covered computer in the shop. In our conversation about business he asked me what my plans were for photography. I told him I was still learning a ton, trying to build clients, and working on getting my equipment up to speed. But Ned said something that sort of surprised me–he told me I need to “know people.” With his accent (which I think is middle eastern?), he said:
Shay, you have a good relationships, I can tell. But you need to keep learning and know people. You think ‘I could do this by myself’ because you are young, but you need to continue to allow people to help you. You will look back on your life in business and it will be the people around you who have gotten you where you are.
What intrigues me most about Ned’s comments is how similar they are to those men who led great companies to the top in the book “Good to Great” (which I have talked about before). Some of the greatest C.E.O’s in the world attribute their success to the people on their teams and not their leadership.
The basic facts are that we can never stop learning. When we stop learning, we stop growing. This has been a recurring theme I have heard from numerous businessmen and pastors and I can’t help but think that’s the point of Ned was trying to communicate. You see, if you leave me alone by myself my skills will only go as far as I can take them–which probably won’t be far. But when you allow other people to teach and mentor you and help you–you will grow. This is true in both business and our spiritual lives. We need the input of others. This why accountability works and why the Church is so important. We need each other. It’s only by the grace of God that I can continue to learn and be shaped, and my prayer is I’ll listen to the simple yet important advice of my mechanic.
Ever since the WGA strike ended this week, everyone’s wondering when their shows will return. Here’s my list of the 5 shows I want back and when they’ll actually be back–plus a few words of my own:
1. 24
Expected return: January 2009
Season 6 (the last season) was probably the worst they had made, but I was looking forward to seeing Jack Bauer in Washington D.C. I’m sad we won’t see it for eight months, but hopefully the writers will have had some time to think through how to recreate blowing things up, assassinating the President, and always making sure Jack comes out alive.
2. The Office
Expected return: April/May 08′ (6 new episodes)
Probably the most unfortunate loss of the strike were my Thursday night meetings with the good people at The Office. My wife and I have definitely enjoyed watching the first 3 seasons on DVD, but when when we ran out of discs it was a sad day. The Office is easily the funniest show on television right now and I can’t wait to see that look on Jim’s face when the expected unexpected happens.
3. Heroes
Expected return: Fall 2008
The nerds go back and forth whether to love or hate this show, which is to be expected. Anytime you have comic book loving, super hero believing, video game worshiping guys running around talking about TV, you’re bound to have some fanatics. But I’ve enjoyed this show immensely. It’s got tons of layers, great character development, and freakin’ sweet powers. Plus… I miss Monday nights hanging with Gary.
4. Pushing Daisies
Expected return: Fall 2008
The irony for me with this show is that I watched the entire season online–which is exactly what the writers were striking against. But this is probably the most under appreciated show on TV right now. Visually, the show has Tim Burton written all over it and he’s not even working on the show. It’s almost like watching a dreamworld. The story line is seriously great… basically: Some guy can touch people and bring them back to life. That is, he can bring them back to life forever or for a minute. Exactly 6 months, 2 days, and 98 seconds until we see this show again (well, not exactly I guess–you just have to see it).
5. Everybody Hates Chris
Expected return: maybe Fall 2008
Everybody Hates Chris is the ghetto version of The Wonder Years. This, like Pushing Daisies, is a show I don’t hear people talking about–which surprises me. Chris Rock is at his finest (and cleanest) and it bums me out that more people don’t watch this one. It’s truly a family show and the added commentary by Chris Rock is seriously hilarious. If you haven’t seen it, set your Tivo for Fall ’08.
That’s all for now. I really don’t have time to watch much more than that. As it is I’m speeding through commercials on the Tivo trying to turn hour long shows in to forty minutes and thirty minute shows into twenty. But I do look forward to seeing these shows come back on the air…. a little entertainment never hurt anyone.
You all know I’m rooting for Starbucks to make some major changes. This is despite the fact that I had a really bad experience this weekend at a Starbucks I used to work at. Actually, it was the store that hired me… nevermind that, here’s just 2 things they are doing right now that I’m getting excited about:
1. Free WiFi is coming in the spring. According to the article Starbucks is getting rid of T-Mobile access and adding ATT. Free WiFi will be available for the first 2 hours of your visit. Win one for Starbucks and college students.
2. Bye bye sandwiches. When Starbucks first launched the hot sandwiches I thought it was a bad move. Then I tasted one… and it confirmed my original opinion. But soon they will gone and they won’t be trying to be another McDonald’s but simply a coffee shop.
I’ve got a lot on my mind right now–all good things. Here’s a few for starters:
1. I drove home from work with the window down and my jacket on yesterday. I figure this way I have the best of both worlds. I get the feeling that summer is here and I can relax on my drive home with the window down, and secondly I can wear a big puffy jacket and feel like it’s actually doing something and not just for looks.
2. I said I was stoked about Howards Schultz being back at Starbucks, and I wasn’t joking. I have a great feeling about the things that he’s been saying and writing. Be sure and go to http://starbucks.com and read the kind letter he wrote to you… you might be surprised. It takes a humble company to admit when they’ve screwed up and I think they are seeing what they have been missing. Starbucks taught me a lot about work, leadership, and customer service and I want to see them do well. And of course, as I said before, I hope we’ll start seeing more “Dave’s”.
3. I am legitimately thinking of starting Shay Thomason Photography… but we’ll see. I mean, it’s basically happened, but I might brand that part of me.
4. This one’s for the students who read my blog. I’m looking forward to hanging out with you at winter camp this year. The Lord is doing amazing things in your lives right now and I know that winter camp will be another growth time for you. I’ll be leading music and I look forward to worshiping our God together.
5. I’m still running every day. I take the weekends off, but it’s been going good.
How is everyone doing? Are you resolutions still going well? Talk to me goose.
