JIMM 16a - Promo for the Cheryl Dawson Memorial Walk-a-thon Podcast

On Sunday, September 25, 2005, members of the Cincinnati church of Christ, as well as others in the community, participated in the One Voice Cheryl Dawson Memorial Walk-a-thon to help victims of domestic abuse and raise awareness of domestic violence:

Cheryl Dawson was stabbed to death outside her workplace in March of 2002 by her estranged husband. She was a member of the Cincinnati church of Christ. (related post: "One More Angel in Heaven")

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, so this event was aptly timed.

I recorded audio from this event, and the upcoming podcast, as well as this montage, contains excerpts from that audio.

You'll hear audio from the outdoor worship service and comments from church members and others about Cheryl and the event.

Background music comes from the Podsafe Music Network , mostly from Rob Costlow, but there is one of my favorite songs by Adrina Thorpe called "Did You Think" (lyrics page), which is perfect for this type of podcast.

Please stay tuned to the Journey Inside My Mind for more details and for the entire show. Update: The complete show has been posted!

As a note to myself, here is My Odeo Channel (odeo/c6b682aa5fd58ce6) - it looks like I may be able to participate in some alpha testing of their studio software.

The 23rd Post Meme

Here are the rules:

1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the 5th sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.

Here's mine:

Keisha responded, "No, Mommy. It's Keisha's!"

It was from a post entitled, "Learning Grammar", from January 28, 2002:

Keisha came home from preschool today and showed Jennie a piece of paper. Her class practiced tracing their names. When Jennie asked her whose name was on the paper, she replied, "Keisha's." Jennie then tried to correct her by getting her to be grammatically correct and say "No, it's my name." Keisha responded, "No, Mommy. It's Keisha's!"

Picked up from the Official Superblessed Blogger of Journey Inside My Mind.

Google Turns 7!

On Google's front page today, and in the customized desktop, there is a special Google icon:

Joker's Comedy Relief for Hurricane Victims

Hey you! Yes, you! In Dayton, Ohio! You will want to read this e-mail I received (okay you can read it if you're not in Dayton, Ohio):

Jokers Comedy Cafe is proud to join 30 clubs across the country in presenting a comedy benefit show to raise funds for the Red Cross for the victims of Katrina and Rita.

Pat Kilbane from Mad TV, Vince Morris from Comedy Central, Tom Mabe (his Terrorizing Telemarketers was written up in People Magazine), Susanna Lee, Charles Eggerton, Michael Halasz and Geoff Pipoly will be all donating their performance on Wed, Sept 28th at 8pm.

Tickets are ust $10 and all proceeds will be donated. Please join us if you can and pass this email on to others who might be willing to help!

Thanks!

Lisa Grigsby
Jokers Comedy Cafe

937-433-5233 x 16 fax 937-433-7318

Blogging at the University of Dayton

The University of Dayton is paying six students to blog about their experiences as part of an effort to spur enrollment.

Check out the blog at http://mylife.udayton.edu.

via Dayton Daily News: UD hopes Web logs will boost enrollment

Next Podcast Follow-up - Keisha and Walkathon

I mentioned two days ago my thoughts for the next podcast. I'm writing this post to provide an update:

Something for the Kids

Keisha and I decided that we'll do a show together this coming Wednesday or Thursday, when I've been working from home. She wasn't that into it yesterday. It will be a podcast "for the kids", and you'll definitely hear it in the music. Not only so, but you'll get some great commentary and perspective from an 8-year old girl.

Cheryl Dawson Memorial Walk-a-thon

For those that do not know what I'm referring to, here's a link to the post I made back in March 2002, after I'd found out she'd been murdered by her husband: "One More Angel in Heaven".

I collected A LOT of audio footage today. Close to three hours' worth. Most of the time, I had just set the mic to record, so I know I won't be using the entire footage. It does appear that I'll want to break it up into multiple episodes, though.

I got footage from the drive to Sawyer Point, with Keisha and me - maybe I could use some of that for the above podcast.

I got footage from our church service, including some fantastic singing and a message from our minister. Maybe I'll intermingle the songs throughout the podcast, as I would songs I would usually play from other artists. From talking with the sound crew, they didn't record the message. I guess that means that I have the only recorded version of today's sermon. I'll look into pulling that out and send it to the website team; perhaps they'll post it to the website.

Prior to the walk, I was able to interview some church members and family about their memories of Cheryl. Understandably, those that were most closest to her had difficultly. In fact, there were a couple of women who were closest to her that didn't want to be interviewed, just because it was such an emotional time.

I was able to talk with the woman who had organized the event as a way of her dealing with her own grief: not only is she a survivor of domestic abuse herself, but she was present at the time that Cheryl was murdered: she heard it as an audio witness.

So, right now I'm going through the audio, annotating it; i.e., identifying what's being talked about at different spots. Then I'll go back and pull the portions I'll want to use for upcoming podcast episodes.

I also hope to find some related websites, not only for the Cincinnati area, but also some others. If those of you reading this know of any yourself or have any other suggestions, please leave them in the comments, send me an e-mail at danimal0416 at gmail dot com, or call the Listener Hotline: (206) 666-5466 (JIMM) and leave a voice message. I really appreciate it.

Podcasting Updates

As much of the nation and world have their thoughts and hearts with those on the Gulf Coast, lamenting the Wet Weather Wenches, I'm ready to share some podcasting updates:

• Thoughts for the Next Podcast
• Podcast Alley Submission Update

Thoughts for the Next Podcast

Some ideas for the next podcast:

1. Soundscape event with Keisha as the co-host:
   Keisha, Jennie, and I have searched the Podsafe Music Network for some songs Jennie and Keisha like
2. Soundscape event at the Cheryl Dawson Memorial Walk-a-thon at Sawyer Point this coming Sunday:
   In addition to having worship service at Sawyer Point, many of us will be participating in this Family Fitness Walk afterward. For more information on who Cheryl Dawson was, please read this post from March 2002: "One More Angel in Heaven"

Podcast Alley Submission Update

I previously mentioned that I submitted this podcast to be listed at Podcast Alley. From time to time, I've searched for it over there, to see whether it had been added. Great news - it has. So now, if you like what you hear, you can cast your Vote for Journey Inside My Mind at Podcast Alley.

Wet Weather Wenches

It's been a rough hurricane season for folks living near the Gulf of Mexico. First Katrina and now Rita; these wet weather wenches are wreaking havoc on all of our lives, but most directly to those living in that region.

My Mom describes her memories of Galveston, Texas in today's post: "Hurricane Rita and memories of Galveston".

Creative Title for An Email Message?

Before I deleted the spam out of my GMail account, I wanted to share this message title with you:

Re [15] - in 1943 WinZip World War II Firestone Tires Teletubbies in 1889

It looks like a bunch of random words linked together.

Senior Courtship - JOKE ALERT!

A very elderly gentleman (mid-nineties), very well dressed, hair well groomed, great-looking suit, flower in his lapel, smelling slightly of a good after-shave, presenting a well-looked-after image, walks into an upscale cocktail lounge.

Seated at the bar is an elderly looking lady (mid-eighties). The gentleman walks over, sits along side of her, orders a drink, takes a sip, turns to her, and says, "So tell me, do I come here often?"

Hungry Lucy in Cincinnati This Weekend!

How cool is THAT? Minutes - literally, after I reported playing Hungry Lucy's song "Shine (F9 Mix)" for "JIMM 15 - Music, the Elixir for Our Souls," I get this e-mail from War-N:

Hi Dan,

Thanx so much for spinning Hungry Lucy. I see you're in Cincinnati ... come
check us out at Midpoint on Friday:

http://electrofest.hungrylucy.com

--

stay loopy!

War-N Harrison
Hungry Lucy Music
www.hungrylucy.com
------------------
"To Kill a King" 3rd full-length album, now available
INFO: http://tkak.hungrylucy.com

JIMM 15 - Music, the Elixir for Our Souls

Mood: Refreshed
Listening to: JIMM 15 - Music, the Elixir for Our Souls

Journey Inside My Mind show 15 (24.9 MB, 27:15) showcases some more great music.

For a frame of reference, here are some thoughts about the greatness of music:

• "There are things that music can do that language could never do, that painting can never do, or sculpture. Music is capable of going directly to the source of the mystery. It doesn't have to explain it. It can simply celebrate it." -- Marsha Norman
• "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." -- Aldous Huxley
• "Music is a universal language of emotion, mood, and message." -- Dan Johnson, Jr. (Hey! How'd he get in here?)
• "The greatest moments of the human spirit may be deduced from the greatest moments in music." -- Aaron Copland, composer of "Fanfare for the Common Man"
• "Music is edifying, for from time to time it sets the soul in operation." -- John Cage

Songs played:

• "Westerneast" by Incoherency (3rd time on this podcast!!)
  Check out Scott's blog: incoherent mumblings
• "80s Modern" by Confused
• "Cool Jam" by Ryo Sode
  Download the album alternate route -- it's FREE! Head over to ryo sode: music
• "Shine (F9 Mix)" by Hungry Lucy
  Hungry Lucy - intoxicating trip-pop music with enchanting female vocals
• "In A Long Time" by 46bliss
  Head over to 46bliss.com and you'll find that their songs are being featured on TV in shows like Veronica Mars and CSI:NY. In fact, tonight 9/21/2005, is when they'll be featured on the season premiere of CSI:NY.

As always thanks go out to the folks who help make this possible:

• Audacity, a bit unstable at times, but it gets the job done. Just remember to save early and often!
• 
• OurMedia.org and their partnership with the Internet Archive
• Anyone else I may have left out

Please call the Listener Hotline (206-666-JIMM), leave me a comment (guidepost), or send me an e-mail to let me know what you think!

2005 Sept 28 Update: Just claiming my Odeo feed at My Odeo Channel (odeo/c6b682aa5fd58ce6)

Thoughts on the Podcasting Journey Thus Far

On my way up to work this morning, I listened to JIMM 14 - Let's Rock! once again. I think that show is probably one of the best produced ones I've done thus far. Don't get me wrong - I like the others, but I like how this one was done.

Some observations for myself:

• Keeping it down to less than 30 minutes lets me included another podcast on my media player (limited to 60 MB). It's not that I don't mind hearing my own voice so much - maybe it is - as much as it is that I want to hear other podcasts, too.
• I need to use the envelope control in Audacity to "turn down" the background music while I'm talking. It sounded like I was trying to compete with the opening music. There were certain times when it felt distracting to me as a listener. I think the envelope control is the one that lets you set control points to adjust the amplitude over a certain time frame.
• Show preparation is key. I sounded so much together because I'd already laid out what I was going to say. Having said that, I would like to get to a point where it does sound more impromptu rather than just read from a screen. The more comfortable I am with the material, the more easily it will flow throughout the show.
• I really like using "sweepers"; i.e., shout-outs, show identifiers, PSAs, and so forth.
• I love being able to feature my family on the shows.
• I like that this show, and the one prior to that one - "Jazzmania" - were centered around a particular genre of music. I may like to continue that trend with other genres, or I may like to mix it up a bit.
• When using Audacity, save early and save often!
• It's going to take longer to put together a show than I initially thought. Getting the songs together is the easy part. Recording is relatively easy, as long as I know what I'm going to say. Mixing, editing, writing show notes, and publishing is what takes the most time.
• I'm probably going to have to set up a schedule to only do one show a week until I've been able to achieve better balance between podcasting and the other aspects of my life. My tendency has been to be hyperfocused on that which interests me the most, neglecting everything else, which isn't right.
• I love getting feedback, but that cannot be the reason why I do this show.
• Now that I'm using this blog for the podcast, do I still want to blog as usual with the same gut-level openness and honesty I've done in the past? I'm a bit hesitant because I don't want to necessarily drive listeners away. It probably shouldn't matter.

Braingle: Mentalrobics: Memory Consolidation

Braingle: Mentalrobics: Memory Consolidation: "The reason why people need to sleep is still mostly a mystery, but many scientists believe that memory consolidation is part of it. Memory consolidation is the process by which recent memories are strengthened into long term memories. It is believed that memories are stored in the hippocampus for a short time, and that they are transferred to the cortex as part of consolidation.

An important thing to learn from this is that sleep reinforces learning. If you sleep after learning some material, you will remember it better than if you did not sleep. Thus, it is not advisable to study and take an exam on the same day. If you can sleep in between, the memories will have a chance to become consolidated and you will have better recall."

JIMM 14 - Let's Rock - 050916

Mood: recovering
Listening to: JIMM 14 - Let's Rock!
Reading: His Needs, Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr.
Eating: Tim Horton's Turkey Club sandwich, coffee, and donut

Journey Inside My Mind podcast 14 (22.3 MB, 24:22) is a show where I wanted the music to do the talking. I've been feeling a little under the weather, and you can hear it in my voice. Also, instead of the usual techno/trance/electronica intro, I opted for some instrumental rock.

I really appreciate the work that the folks over at Podshow are doing.

In this podcast I share a couple of messages my 8-year old daughter Keisha left me when she called my work.

Songs played:

1. Andrwe Kesler - "Ice 9"
2. De La Vega - Wait Too Long
3. Accident Hash Hurricane Relief PSA
4. The Reverse Engineers - Sunshine with the Shade
5. Hotrod Cadets - Not the Only One (second time played on this podcast!)
6. Dave's Lounge Promo

As always thanks go out to the folks who help make this possible:

• Audacity, a bit unstable at times, but it gets the job done. Just remember to save early and often!
• 
• OurMedia.org and their partnership with the Internet Archive
• Anyone else I may have left out

Please call the Listener Hotline (206-666-JIMM), leave me a comment (guidepost), or send me an e-mail to let me know what you think!

0919 Update:Uh oh. It appears that the song I used for the background to the opening of this show might not be podsafe after all. According to Andrwe Kesler's page at the Podsafe Music Network, it's a Joe Satriani song called "Ice 9". Darn. I might need to remove this show or redo it.

My Dreams Are Weirder Than Yours

Keisha's not feeling well today. Actually she's not been feeling well for the past couple of days. We think it may be cold or allergies or something like that. Congestion, coughing, lethargy.

I've already contacted the school to inform them, and we'll pick up homework later. I've also obtained a list of pediatricians in the area so we can schedule an appointment.

But that's not the main reason for this post:

I had a bad dream last night. We'd found out that Keisha had terrible schizophrenia. It was going to be difficult to treat, and I felt helpless and scared. The medications available are for adults, if my memory serves me right.

It was just weird, and I'm glad Jennie called me to wake me up out of it.

JIMM 13 - Jazzmania - 050914

Mood: mellow
Listening to: JIMM 13 - Jazzmania!

In Journey Inside My Mind show 13 (41:45, 38.2 MB) I chronicle the evolution of my love for jazz music. Before getting into the detailed show notes, let me remind you that the JIMM Listener Hotline is now open! Call (206) 666-5466 and leave me a voice message with your thoughts about the podcast.

Here's what happened on this journey inside my mind:

The Evolution of my Jazzmania

• The backup music used as I spoke was KCentric - "Woo Who"
• Replayed "Permission" segment from show 4 - Romantic Movements. Special notes about that piece:
  • ambient sound samples from F7 sound and vision
  • tenor sax sample: "contemplatin G Maj 16beat 90.wav" by simondsouza
  • 30-second sample from "On the First Day" by Marriott Jazz Quintet
  
  
• Then we heard the complete version of the Marriott Jazz Quintet - "On the First Day"

After playing this song, I felt a little bad for not playing more! That song is off their album Septology! In other words, you're only hearing a small sample of the great jazz music from the Marriott Jazz Quintet. I think I mistakenly referred to them as a "quartet" a couple of times in the podcast (sorry about that, guys!).

You can find out more about the band at their website, http://www.marriottjazz.com/, where you can also buy their music! Check out Red Raspus: Music in Seattle, Dave Marriott's personal weblog, for more information about the Seattle music scene.


• During sophomore year of high school, fellow band member turned me onto 91.7 WVXU Cincinnati
• WVXU had special programs related to a particular type of jazz music: big band, blues, bebop, swing, dixieland
• I heard about the Blue Wisp Big Band, which performs at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati and listened to their albums, dreaming about sitting in with the band
• Really into saxophone, jazz music - played in the short-lived jazz band, improv solo
• Band field trip on BB Riverboats to hear the dixieland jazz band
• The Jazzmania
  • Started writing "sax appeal" on my notebooks, and even on my senior t-shirt
  • We had FBLA - Future Business Leaders of America; why not FJMA - Future Jazz Men of America?
  
  
• Evan Tate - "Round One"
• Larry Seyer - "Conscious Restraint"
• Junior English research paper on Miles Davis
• Official Miles Davis website
• Miles Davis - Wikipedia entry, biographical article chronicling the man and his music
• Wikiquote has collection of quotations by or about Miles Davis
• Amazon.com link for "We Want Miles", my all-time favorite album, in case someone wants to get it for me (hint, hint)
• At a time when I had been painfully insecure, his devil-may-care attitude was like a drink of cold water - refreshing
• All things Miles - immersion - his persona, his music, his attitude - I wanted to imitate Miles
• Research topic presentations. Initial one, I bombed - not really prepared. Final one - success!
  • Toy trumpet, back to the audience to get their attention
  • Taught them about the opening riff to "So What" from "Kind of Blue" and what it meant to jazz music at the time
  • Demonstrated it by playing my saxophone in front of the whole class
  • The boldness is what impressed everyone - quite a change - I got an A+


• Promo: No Idle Frets - podsafe jazz guitar podcast. Head over, take a listen, and subscribe!

20 September 2005 Update: I was just browsing through the archives, and I found a post about Miles Davis. Check out Paving the Milestones from January 2003.

As always thanks go out to the folks who help make this possible:

• Audacity
• 
• OurMedia.org and their partnership with the Internet Archive
• The folks over at K7.net for the new JIMM Listener Hotline number
• Anyone else I may have left out

Thanks for listening and for subscribing! Call the JIMM Listener Hotline at (206) 666-JIMM, leave me a comment (guidepost), or send me an e-mail to let me know what you think!

Podcast - What the Heck Is a Podcast?

Update, 10/26/2005: Rob from the podcast411 probably better explains this stuff than I do in the text that follows.

This post goes out to everyone who is still playing the show directly from this website. By that I mean that you click the link within the post (either the post title or another link) and start playing the show that way.

You mean to tell me that you're staying connected to the internet all that time just to hear my show? I'm flattered by that attention, but I'd like to offer some advice to make your experience a little more efficient:

1. I think it's better to save the mp3 files to your computer instead of listening to them online. That way you can listen to them at your leisure over and over again if you wish. In many browsers this is relatively intuitive if you right-click your mouse over the link to the mp3 file and select something like Save As.. or Save to disk... something like that.
2. An even more efficient way is to use podcast receiving software, such as iPodder, which is what I use. Head on over to iPodder.org to learn how to use "podcatching" software.

Here's what happens in a nutshell when you download iPodder:

1. Download the setup file and launch it to install it on your system
2. Go to the Subscriptions tab within iPodder
3. Go to my blog (i.e., where you are right now)
4. Find the section that says "Other Basic Stuff"
5. Find the "chicklet" that says "XML"
6. Right-click the chicklet and select copy link location or copy shortcut
Go back to iPodder and click the green button with the "+" sign
7. Paste the feed link into the dialog box and click the Save button
8. The top pane of the Subscription window shows the names of podcasts you're subscribed to; the bottom pane shows individual episodes within selected podcast feeds.

Did I say "in a nutshell"? It seems like that was a lot. Maybe it wasn't. I don't know. It's late.

Update: This article I found at Podcasting News provides step-by-step instructions on downloading and using iPodder - even with screen shots. Way better than I can do.

Good luck and happy listening!

Announcing the JIMM Hotline (206-666-JIMM)!

Ladies and gentlemen! Podcast listeners! You can now leave your voice comments via the listener feedback hotline number: 206-666-JIMM (5466). Hear me announce it to the world:

So go ahead and leave your comment any way you please: e-mail, guidepost, and now voicemail! (can you tell I'm a little excited?) Your comments could end up in a future podcast. The number again, you say? Okay, here it is - one more time: 206-666-JIMM

Thanks for listening and subscribing!

That Crap On The Highway

In this audio post - also done while driving home early from work, I talk about all the crap that's on the side of the highways:

I Want To Promo Your Show!

Recorded live from southbound Interstate 75 this morning, it's me! Take a listen:

In that audio post I mentioned how Audioblogger sets up the post and everything and how I need to come back and add the title to make it come across as meaningful - especially for all who subscribe to the audio feed with iPodder or iTunes or some other podcast receiver software. By the time I got back home and checked the computer - iPodder - which I have set to check for new podcasts periodically - had already downloaded this one and the one right after this one!

Nevertheless, I still would like to promo your show, either by using audio files you send me or by making a "Hi, this is Dan Johnson from Journey Inside My Mind, and you're listening to !" spot. Whatever.

JIMM 12 - The Week That Was - 050911

Mood: a little mellow
Listening to: JIMM 12
Eating: Keebler Mini Stripe cookies

Ever had a bad week? This past week felt like one. But I'm still hanging in there.

In Journey Inside My Mind 12 I talk a little bit about it. I get encouraged by the music, though, and there's some great selections to boot.

Here are the details:

1. Share a little bit about the week, how I produce the show, beginning to promote it, and so forth.
2. The Reverse Engineers - "Mercury in Retrograde"
   
   The Reverse Engineers website, where you can find their podcast, in which they tell Stories Behind the Songs - like this one!
   
   CDBaby.com page for The Reverse Engineers
   
   FACTOID: The Reverse Engineers is a trio comprised of brothers William, Daniel, and Charles Cote. They've been creating music for just over seven years.
3. Promo for The Mr. Nice Guy Show. I've been subscribed to this podcast for nearly two months. It's quite entertaining!
   
   FACTOID: Marv used to work for the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
4. cloak - "Not Bad Just Ordinary"
5. Colie Brice - "Heavenly Peace", which reminds me of Robert Plant's "Big Log"

As always thanks go out to the folks who help make this possible:

• Audacity
• 
• OurMedia.org and their partnership with the Internet Archive
• Anyone else I may have left out

Thanks for listening and for subscribing! Please leave me a comment (guidepost) or send me an e-mail to let me know what you think!

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?

It's been four years:

• Moving On - editorial cartoon Jim Borgman
• 9-11 Remembered
• 100 Words -- September 2002 -- danimal0416
• 100 Words - All entries for September 11, 2002

PodcastAlley Submission

Mood: tired
Listening to: JIMM 11
Eating: Leftover pizza for lunch (someone brought in a bunch yesterday)

I just finished submitting this podcast to PodcastAlley.com -- The place to find podcasts. I'm only up to 11 episodes, but I figured it would be nice to start letting others know that there's something here. I haven't figured out just what that "something" is just yet. Maybe someone reading this has an idea:

So now I wait for my submission to be accepted. While I do that, I'm enjoying listening to the latest episode. I really like that music, and that's what I wanted to do when I was younger - be a DJ. So I think I'll try to find the right balance between hearing the sound of my voice and the voices of other, more talented individuals.

It's also great for listening during the work commute.

So, "keep sticking it in your ear" - the podcast, I mean. <*grin*>

BassTalk - JOKE ALERT

Q. What do you call a bass player on the front porch?


A. The pizza delivery guy

This is so funny because in high school I delivered pizza as a part-time job, and one of my coworkers - another delivery driver - also played the bass!

spotted on the Bob and Tom Bass Talk jokes page (careful... some of them are off-color)

JIMM 11 - Songs for Survivors - 050908

Mood: UNSTOPPABLE
Listening to: JIMM 11

Journey Inside My Mind podcast 11 is dedicated to all those affected by Hurricane Katrina: victims, relief workers, and anyone else touched by this disaster. By the time we're done we'll have listened to nine songs from the Podsafe Music Network.

Many of these songs are ones I've played before - they've become some of my favorites. I chose all of these songs because of the encouraging effect they've had on me, and I hope they'll do the same for you.

Sandwiched in the middle of this podcast is the Hurricane Relief PSA, pared down slightly from what you heard in show 9.

Here are the details:

1. Butterfly Catchers - Wake Up (second time played on this podcast!)
2. Mike Chappelear - What Is This Moment? (second time played on this podcast!)
   Mike e-mailed me when I played his song earlier to mention that all of the profits from the sale of the CD from which this song comes, "When Push Comes To Shove" will be donated to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief effort. Many artists on the CDBaby website are participating in this event.
3. De La Vega - Breathe (second time played on this podcast!)
4. Journey Inside My Mind Hurricane Relief PSA (second time played on this podcast!)
5. Scott Helms - Westerneast
6. Slackstring - Stranded (second time played on this podcast!)
7. Jennifer Helane - Delivery
8. Scott Helms - Chill Waters
9. De La Vega - Someone Else (second time played on this podcast!)

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." -- Joshua 1:9

As always thanks go out to the folks who help make this possible:

• Audacity
• 
• OurMedia.org and their partnership with the Internet Archive
• Anyone else I may have left out

Please leave me a comment (guidepost) or send me an e-mail to let me know what you think!

Chinese Fortune Cookie Fortunes

Have you ever played the game where you add "in bed" to the end of a fortune you got from a fortune cookie? Apparently it's a pretty common pastime. Some of them turn out to be rather, um, interesting:

I got one a few months ago that wound up being really interesting:

• "Behind every able-bodied man are other able-bodied men."

Add "in bed" to that one and you see what I mean.

Jennie and I went to the local Chinese restaurant this afternoon and got fortune cookies which I fed to our dog Jake. I kept the fortunes so that I could add them to this blog:

• "Sometimes... money costs too much."
• "Compassion is a way of being."

Adding "in bed" just gives a different meaning.

I've come up with a couple that might be found in a fortune cookie, that also have a different meaning with "in bed" appended to it. Why not share some of your own?

1. "You're about to learn a new position."
2. "You will get a raise."

Harmless-sounding, until you add "in bed". Can you think of any others?

ONEPAGEDAILY.COM

I saw this in the top banner ad section and checked it out. I don't know who comes up with this, but it looks very comprehensive. Wow.

ONEPAGEDAILY.COM

Subject 710

Got this in the e-mail today:

A few days ago I was having some work done at the local Ford Dealership. A blonde came in and asked for a seven-hundred-ten.

We all looked at each other and another customer asked, "What is a seven-hundred-ten?"

She replied, "You know, the little piece in the middle of the engine, I have lost it and need a new one." She said that she did not know what it was but this piece had always been there.

He gave her a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of it wrote 710. He then took her over to another car, which had its hood up and asked, "Is there a 710 on this car?"

She pointed and said, "Of course, it's right there. (See below)

At Least It's Comfortable

"It's Ohio, but it's comfortable."

Please tell me that there's more to Ohio than that. It's as though the statement is saying, "Ohio is not the best place to live, but at least it's more comfortable than where you are now." Way to promote the state. Geez.

I think I need another cup of coffee.

Don't Push the Red Button

How about a little fun? Don't Push the Red Button

spotted at Bene Diction Blogs On

Speaking the Truth

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

-- Ephesians 4:14-16

Which is better:

1. Speaking the truth, but not necessarily in love, or
2. Not speaking the truth at all?

What if, in an effort to stave off further emotional pain, you speak up - in a way that could be perceived as being not "in love" - is this not better than saying nothing at all? What if an environment of mutual openness and honesty is not present or someone is or comes across as "unapproachable"?

In the past I've noticed that I've been one to stay quiet because it hasn't felt worth it to speak up. I've rationalized that I'm just being too sensitive/emotional/thin-skinned. Suck it up, I've told myself, and be a "man".

I've learned this past week that not being honest about my feelings is not being honest. As I write that previous sentence, it seems rather obvious. Yet I've been in this habit for so long of not being open and honest when my feelings have gotten hurt by someone else.

This realization shows me how subtle lying is. I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, where the apostle Paul mentions that "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" and likewise where Jesus says in John 8:43-45:

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

I've developed a pattern of holding my hurt feelings inside, and it's done me more emotional harm than good. I've mentioned in earlier posts about my struggles with Compulsive Scab Picking (CSP), and I have come to realize that I engage in this behavior to compensate for not being open and honest about these emotions. I've tended to channel the inner hurt into external harm to myself.

While I've used much of this post to describe how harmful dishonesty is to oneself, I could probably use at least as much space to discuss how harmful dishonesty is to the person who has done the hurting.

If someone has hurt you, especially if by design it's "supposed to be" a close relationship (e.g., family or friend), then it does that person no good to not say anything. In fact, because you don't say anything, he or she will probably continue in the offensive behavior not only with you, but also with others.

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

-- Romans 1:28-32 (emphasis added)

I want to develop the practice of "speaking the truth in love", but I'll start with just speaking the truth if that's what it takes.

JIMM 10 - 'Getting Real' (Jennie) - 050904

Show #10 of Journey Inside My Mind is an interview with my wife Jennie about a book she's been reading, called Becoming Real - Defeating the Stories We Tell Ourselves That Hold Us Back by Gail Saltz. Along the way we hear some great podsafe jazz music, too.

Here are the details:

• James Lileks - "Que Sarod Sarod" (second time played on this podcast!)
• My wife Jennie discusses the book Becoming Real - Defeating the Stories We Tell Ourselves That Hold Us Back by Gail Saltz
• KCentric - "Woo Who"

Additionally, the following song was used as background music throughout a portion of this podcast:

• a.b.e. (anthems of a bygone era) - "latin groove"

As usual thanks go out to the folks who help make this possible:

• Audacity
• 
• OurMedia.org and their partnership with the Internet Archive
• Anyone else I may have left out

Please leave me a comment (guidepost) or send me an e-mail to let me know what you think!

JIMM 9 - Hurricane Relief PSA - 050904

I've put together a Public Service Announcement (PSA) related to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort for this podcast. Here is the text of what you hear:

Hello, this is Dan Johnson for Journey Inside My Mind.

The devastation brought on by Hurricane Katrina is being called the most catastrophic natural disaster in U.S. history. Mary Landrieu, US Senator from Louisiana, recently said:

Having toured Sri Lanka with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist after the Indian Ocean tsunami in December, it saddens me to report that the devastation I've seen here at home is equal to that which I witnessed half a world away.

Our nation came to the aid of the tsunami victims then, and to hurricane victims in Central America before. I am deeply moved to see us come together with the same love and fellowship today, as millions of Americans have rallied to support their brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast.

I urge everyone listening to this podcast to please support the relief effort by making a monetary donation to the American Red Cross at redcross.org. Hourly news reports from the region affected by Hurricane Katrina are revealing an enormous need for humanitarian assistance for the citizens of the coastal regions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The Red Cross will accept an online donation as low as $5. You can also call 1-800-HELP-NOW to make a donation by phone.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

This is Dan Johnson, saying, "make it a great day."

The first 30 seconds of "Westerneast" by Scott Helms (Incoherency) was used as background music during this podcast.

20051012 Update: I just posted this to the Hurricane Relief site at Podshow. That means that others can download and use it in their podcasts, too.

8 Reasons Why You Should Listen To Coverville 127!

I've been listening to Brian Ibbott's Coverville for about a month now. I thought I'd recommend his 127th show - it's all a capella - really! Here are my reasons (I could post more):

1. All legal cover tunes of popular songs
2. September marks the one-year anniversary of the show
3. A Capella Intro
4. Pride (In the Name of Love) - a capella!
5. A Capella version of Squeeze's "Tempted"
6. Awesome a capella version of Led Zepplin's "Kashmir" by House Jacks
7. An a capella version of "Walking in Memphis"
8. Toxic Audio doing "Stand By Me" - dedicated to victims of Hurricane Katrina

Keisha - Rise and Shine

Recorded while taking Jake for a walk this morning (warning, it's kind of loud):

JIMM Podcast 8 - NanaCast 2 (Happy Birthday) -050901

Mood: hot and sweaty (humid day)
Listening to: NanaCast 2 - Happy Birthday!

Episode 8 of Journey Inside My Mind is a second NanaCast, to say "Happy Birthday" to my Mom, the Official Mom of Journey Inside My Mind! Friday, September 2, 2005, is her birthday!

It contains part of a phone conversation Keisha had with her Nana (my Mom) last Saturday. You may recall that Mom lives near San Francisco, California. Most of their conversation in this podcast is about being in the second grade - from both Keisha's and Nana's points of view.

Along the way we feature some fantastic selections from the Podsafe Music Network and encourage my Mom for her birthday.

Here's more of the details:

• Keisha's 2nd Grade Teacher
• Adrina Thorpe - "Did You Think?"
• Nana's 2nd Grade Teacher
• Geoffrey Wickham - "Has Anybody Seen My Girl?"
• Other teachers and what makes Keisha's school a great school
• Uncle Seth - "Cloud Song"
• Class rules and being responsible
• Matthew Ebel - "Drive Away"
  By the way, albums are available at http://www.matthewebel.com and at iTunes

The following song was repeatedly used for ambient background music throughout this podcast:

• a.b.e. (anthems of a bygone era) - "string groove"

As always thanks go out to the folks who help make this possible:

• Audacity
• 
• OurMedia.org and their partnership with the Internet Archive
• Anyone else I may have left out

Please leave me a comment (guidepost) or send me an e-mail to let me know what you think!

For Our Troops! Post your fav pet pics!

The Official Mom of this blog e-mailed me this link:

For Our Troops! Post your fav pet pics! - Topic Powered by Groupee Community