Chris Marsden @ chrismarsden.com

Coming soon to a city near you (Ok, not near you, unless you live near the little city of Ocoee,  FL)…

A New Adventure Begins

This summer is going to bring with it some huge changes. Huge changes for this site. Huge changes for my company, No More Box. Huge changes for my life (did I mention we are having another baby and it’s a girl). Things are going to be different and it is going to be an adventure.

Except…

That word adventure keeps getting stuck in my brain. When I write it like that… Adventure… it feels ok. But when I think about putting it on my business card (presently designing a new one), or on my about page (did I mention I was redesigning the site), it comes out as Chris Marsden… Adventurer.

And that, I guess, is an accurate description. I am Chris Marsden and I am engaging in the adventures of life.

Except…

I keep picturing myself climbing to the Summit of Denali (Mt. McKinley to most people), or more likely dying/giving up trying to climb to the summit of Denali. Maybe it’s just the PBS special I watch the other night, but that’s adventure.

Except…

I think I had it right the first time. Adventure is life. Or at least it should be. Too often we get stuck in the rut of getting through life instead of embracing the twist and turns, whatever they may be, and embarking on adventure. If necessary, that adventure will lead me all the way to the backyard, or the grocery store, or perhaps Disney World. Of course it could lead me further. It could lead me to actually climb Denali (unlikely since I heard it is kinda cold up there).

The key, I think, is to embrace whatever adventure is thrown your way.

As a famous man in a yellow suit once said to a curious monkey, "you brought adventure to my life." Now I don’t plan to wear yellow anytime soon, and it is not to a monkey but to the three (about to be four) wonderful women in my life, but "You brought adventure to my life."

So…

New adventures begin. Life gets a little messier (literally with a new baby), and we keep going. My new business card, about page, and email signature will include adventurer in the job description, and someday maybe I’ll go on the kind of adventures that get you into National Geographic or on PBS. And if not, at least I’ll know that my life was filled with adventure.

Thanks girls (and little one yet to be).

[btw… anyone else in the mood to hear Jack Johnson Now?]

What a Night! Beamo, Sammy Witness, and Jeremy West. The music was mostly original and was incredible. Afterwards, the guys from Beamo, one of their friends from work, and I headed next door to Ale House to hang out a bit more before heading home. Next time I’ll let you guys know sooner about upcoming shows. You should have been there.

If you aren’t using RSS to read your favorite websites, you should be. Everything else is just a waste of time. So save time, be more productive, and check on the updates of your favorite sites via RSS.

On a related note…

RSS Feed publishers…

PLEASE publish your whole feed. I hate having to click through to read something. I know you are only doing it to get the ad revenue traffic. I hope it is working for you. Quite often I do click through to leave comments, bookmark your article, etc… but if I find that your site is too much trouble to read, chances are I won’t be reading it for long.

Photo by Altus on Flickr (found on WeHeartIt.com)

Photo By Bryan Villarin

My obsession with photography has been growing lately. I still don’t have a "real" camera and the one I have I don’t carry (I know, lame), but I have been looking at and tracking more photographers lately. Good writing comes from reading good writers. Good photography (and design for that matter) comes from checking out good photography.

I have been following Bryan for a while. His photography has taken some intentional steps towards more artistic. He has a great eye and mixes some of everyday life in with his more artistic shots.

Recently I started subscribing to the feed of WeHeartIt.com. (Also FFFFound.com, but I can’t get an invite (if you have one, send me one please)). It has been great to be exposed to so many diverse photographers and designers. It is definitely broadening how I think about photography and what I see as possible subjects to photograph.

Now… to convince myself to carry my camera with me even though it is not the amazing camera I wish I had.

Over the past couple of years, I have had the great "privilege" of introducing people on stage. I have never quite been sure what to say. In February, I got to do a string of introductions MC-ing the Ocoee leg of the Vox World Music Jam. As always, I felt like I was rambling, but I was assured that I didn’t do too bad a job, even though I introduced Berkana as Berkana, Ansus Berkana, and Erica.

However…

Here is a great introduction. I am going to have to up my game before next years World Music Jam.

I have been a bit lax in posting lately (quite possibly the understatement of the decade), but I have noticed that many people post a list of links (some with context and some without) once or twice a week. Since the primary purpose of my blog is a brain dump for me, I am going to pick up this habit. As often as possible, I will post the links with comments regarding why I’ve linked to it, but it will be my way of wrapping up Friday and moving into the next week.

These links are basically things I stopped to read, things I meant to write about, but didn’t, or just things I wanted to share. As I write more, I’ll link less.

TODAY’S RANDOM WRAPUP

110 Best Books

1930’s-40’s in Color - I have been thinking a lot about history lately and these fit along a line of thought I need to post about soon.

The Slash/Slash Generation - I instantly thought of my business card. (Reminder - get more business cards printed before monday).

Q Sessions via Scott Hodge

Q

Multigroup youth ministry - I need to wrestle through some of this and how it pertains to other aspects of life.

The Future of Social Networking - I still need to read this.

Where Pigs Come From - CAUTION - Not suitable for all audiences (aka vegetarians)

Buy Azatadine Buy Foradil Buy Iodine Buy Felodipine Buy Tocainide Buy Foscarnet Buy Imipenem Buy Methocarbamol Buy Prinivil Buy Pyrazinamide Buy Mirtazapine Buy Perphenazine Buy Morphine Buy Dextromethorphan Buy Azathioprine Buy Butaperazine Buy Coreg Buy Prometrium Buy Plavix Buy Trimethoprim Buy Nizoral Buy Acitretin Buy Mechlorethamine Buy Advair Buy Cogentin Buy Sotalol Buy Bacampicillin Buy Bontril Buy Lipitor Buy Piroxicam Buy Lasix Buy Clonazepam Buy Cefpodoxime Buy Antazoline Buy Flonase Buy Diamox Buy Interferon Buy Calan Buy Decamethonium Buy Deferoxamine Buy Acetyldigitoxin Buy Dilaudid Buy Isosorbide Buy Pantothenic Buy Methotrimeprazine Buy Celexa Buy Trandolapril Buy Oxymorphone Buy Aspirin Buy Tretinoin Buy Pargyline Buy Phenyltoloxamine Buy Ergocalciferol Buy Sucralfate Buy Mepindolol Buy Letrozole Buy Cialis Buy Ethionamide Buy Trichlormethiazide Buy Amlodipine Buy Pentamidine Buy Ethisterone Buy Fenofibrate Buy Motrin Buy Norepinephrine Buy Pentazocine Buy Duragesic Buy Lovenox Buy Streptokinase Buy Timolol Buy Anileridine Buy Lypressin Buy Ecstasy Buy Arava Buy Paroxetine Buy Promethazine Buy Homatropine

I am not much for politics. I avoid television during the elections and skim over articles referring to political news.

But…

This coming election seems to me to be huge. It seems to me that where we are at, as a country, is not where we should be at. There needs to be a significant change.

Unfortunately…

I don’t see that any of the candidates are much of a hope.

Until…

Today I stumbled across this article about John McCain.

It was one man saying to another, party political differences cut only so deep. Having made that step, they found much to agree upon and many useful ways to work together. This is the reason McCain keeps coming to see Udall even after Udall has lost his last shred of political influence. The politics were never all that important.

I am not much for politics, but I am huge on heart and motives, especially when there is no net positive for you. It seems to me that Hillary and Barak are all about themselves. They want to be president.

There is still a long way to go before the election. There are issues to look into and prayer to be had and things to decide. I still don’t see that any of the possible candidates are much hope, but without hope, I would rather vote for heart.

[BTW… I am leaving comments open but probably won’t respond. I really am not interested in politics or their debate. I will censor inappropriate comments so be adult]

A re-occurring passion/obsession in my life has been photography. I still lack the free time and a decent camera, but I have been looking more and more into photography the last several months. What I am looking for today is a list of good, artistic photographers to follow on Flickr.

Right now I am following Bryan Villarin and Jonny Baker.

Any suggestions?!?

So the last 6 weeks have been… well… crazy.

First of March, my boss, and good friend, decided that he needed to close his business, Garden Music Center. After some debate, prayer, discussions, and some interesting turns, the building owner decided to open a new business, maintaining all the lessons and teachers. We are now, Garden Music School.

So anyways… that was about 6 weeks ago. Since then, we have created new lesson policies, completely remodeled the store, lost a few students, gained a few students, had some piano adventures, and this past weekend was our "grand opening".

I am still sad for Gregg and what was Garden Music Center, but I am excited for the possibilities that the future holds.

Other things that have happened while all this was going on…

• Robyn’s birthday
• Taxes
• My brakes broke on the old van
• Easter
• New Van
• More steps with vox
• Camp team meeting
• Flat tire in my new van

Needless to say, I have been swamped.

It is now April 15th. My taxes are done. My bills are paid (mostly). The store is remodeled and opened. The holidays are past. Tonight I sleep. Tomorrow, coffee with Mark, getting my tire fixed, and the next steps at work.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!!

I have GOT to get back on the GTD wagon. And I have got to get back to writing. I need to write mindless nonsense. I need to write deep thoughts. I need to just simply write.

See you soon.

Fridays are always kind of a weird day at the store. Of course, with the transition to being just a school, they are going to be even weirder. Today is the the first Friday since we closed/reopened and all I have been thinking about all week is that I get off early this Friday and can go home and spend time with the family.

Until just now.

The time warp of the insanity of my life has completely removed Easter and Good Friday from my radar, except as a busy Sunday that is coming up this week.

It is the first Easter in a long time that I am not on staff with a Church. In some ways, it will be easier than those in the past. Mostly it will just be weird.

And of course, that’s the problem. I have been thinking about this week and my insanity as if it were all about me. But today marks the occasion of Christ’s death and Sunday marks the occasion of Christ’s resurrection.

So in the busyness of today stop and remember the death of Christ. And as you celebrate on Sunday (however that might be) remember that Christ conquered death to live again.

I’m still feeling mostly overwhelmed by the current insanity in my life, but a little perspective helps.