Wedding Proposals

I love hearing how other couples got engaged, and I've shared how I proposed to Jennie back in 1994, but this is the first time I think I've ever seen it on a video blog.

I would love to hear how you got engaged and share it with other people. Feel free to send me an email to danimal0416 at gmail, call the voicemail number at (206) 666 - 5466 (JIMM), or record something and send it to me as an attached file via email.

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Turn off your radio and listen to me

Seriously. There are so many great programs available for your listening ears. Like this one I just released:JIMM 77 - Double Shots IV - In the Key of M

On this episode you'll get a double shot of some fantastic independent music.

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Hybrid cochlear implant provides hope for partial hearing loss

Hearing Loss News and Articles reports that a hybrid cochlear implant has been developed at the University of Iowa that may be something for us and Keisha to investigate further. Whereas hearing aids amplify sounds, cochlear implants convert sounds into electrical impulses and shooting them along the auditory nerve.

Here's an interesting excerpt that talks about the cochlea:

Strangely enough, the cochlea is laid out like a coiled piano keyboard: Cells along the corridors are tuned to particular frequencies entering the ear. In the case of a low-pitched sound, cells tucked away deep inside the cochlea alert the auditory nerve; cells that respond to high notes sit close to the cochlea's entrance. That's fortunate -- because cochlear regions where "ski-slope" patients need a boost are those most accessible to surgeons.

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Feedburner and GigaDial Log In problems

I recently clicked in Firefox the Tools | Clear Private Data, and ever since then I've been unable to log in to Feedburner and GigaDial.

I searched my GMail archives for related info, such as original password info, etc., but that has so far proven fruitless.

Kinda frustrating. Maybe I should have looked before I leaped into choosing that option. Can anyone out there help?

Update: I may have figured out what I need to do. I've been able to log back into Feedburner okay. I may need to re-create an account at GigaDial.

JIMM 76 - Ramblin' Man

This podcast contains my ramblings about the weather, being a good neighbor, media sightings of yours truly, and being a superhero. Mix in some great independent music, and you've got JIMM 76 - Ramblin' Man

Call +1 (206) 666- 5466 with your superpower. Or any other comment.

I told you I'm a superhero! (lol)

I just took a superhero quiz and found out which one I'm most like. I guess I had nothing better to do at the time.

Your results:
You are Iron Man

Iron Man 90% Spider-Man 85% Superman 85% Batman 65% Robin 60% Catwoman 60% Green Lantern 55% The Flash 55% Hulk 55% Supergirl 50% Wonder Woman 45%

Inventor. Businessman. Genius.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

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Site Info for Journey Inside My Mind

No time to post anything real substantial here, but I found some gorgeous information from the folks at Alexa about journeyinsidemymind.blogspot.com you might find all warm and juicy.

This meme is brought to you by the letter 'E'

Oh my gosh! I'd started the draft of this post back on 12/14/2006, and just recently remembered it.

Ganns, the Official Superblessed Blogger of Journey Inside My Mind, posted a ten things that begin with the letter ___ meme. Here’s how it works: When you see this meme and want to participate, post a comment requesting a letter (as I did at Ganns’s site), and the blogger will respond in the comment form with a letter of his/her choice. Then you go back to your blog and post about ten things that start with that letter.

In response to my comments, Ganns, who says I'm one of the "most creative men [he's] ever had the pleasure of knowing", has given me an “E.” These were the top 10 things that came to mind, in no particular order of importance:

1. Encouragement. I have been told that I have a gift for encouragement. I have the ability to see something good about something or someone and point it out. In college I used to call up friends and leave encouraging messages on their answering machines.
2. English. Not only is this my native language, but I was very good in it in school. I could one day become an English teacher, and the English teachers I had in school had a profound impact on my life.
3. Expressive. This word really describes my work personality. For example, at work I am gregarious and outgoing. I draw motivation from social interactions and relationships with others. As a result I help to make the company a better place to work.
4. Empowering. This word describes my leadership style. I am encouraging and motivating, and I help others reach their goals and dreams. People see me as a good mentor for my patience and talent for giving direction.
5. Elves. It's Christmastime, and there is a lot of talk about elves, especially a certain jolly old elf that pays a visit to girls and boys this time of year. I have been fortunate to have worn the suit at different occasions in my life, and I have the opportunity to do that again this coming weekend. But don't tell my daughter that, okay?
6. Emmanuel. God with us. We remember the birth of Jesus Christ at any time during the year, but especially during this time of the year. God invaded our world, grew up into a man, showed us how to live, and gave his life, enduring suffering to show us the extent of his love for us, to reconcile us back to him. Were there enough clauses in that previous sentence?
7. Eternity. God has set eternity in the hearts of all men. Everyone thinks about what will happen once they are gone. We can have eternal life with God through Jesus.
8. Evanescence. A couple years ago, while working at McDonald's, Evanescence's song "Bring Me To Life" came on over the stereo system being piped through the restaurant. Those familiar with the song will know that there is a crescendo as it builds up to the chorus. Well, it was during a busy part of the day on crew, and that song came on, and when the chorus first broke, I really got into it. I got into it so much that I yelled the chorus. The manager, who was in the far corner of the building in the back, came out to see what was wrong. I was a little overzealous, I guess.
9. Ed's Mixed Bag. This is one of my favorite independent music podcasts, and Ed, as the Official Audio Commentator of the Journey Inside My Mind Podcast, has become a great friend.
10. Elvis. Back in the early 1990's, Mojo and Skid has a song called "Elvis is Everywhere". I was living in the Detroit, Michigan area, and I rented a video camera and made a music video of me singing this song. Lip-syncing it, actually. If I remember correctly, the chorus goes something like this:

    Elvis is everywhere
    Elvis is everything
    Elvis is everybody
    Elvis is still the King
    Man oh man
    What I want you to see
    Is that the King
    He lives inside
    You and me

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Five Questions Interview - Part 2 - The Answers

... previously on the Journey Inside My Mind... the Five Questions Interview - Part 1 - The Questions...

Don't worry. I'll repost them here, this time with the answers:

The instructions:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your journal with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

*****
Now, for my first interview, here are some questions from Ganns, the Official Superblessed Blogger of Journey Inside My Mind. Thanks for the questions, bro! It took me awhile to come up with the answers, but after stewing on them for awhile, they just seemed to flow.

1. Describe yourself in three sentences, from the perspective of any movie character.

   These three come from Dicky Fox, from "Jerry McGuire (1996)": "I love getting up in the morning! I clap my hands and say, 'This is gonna be a great day!'" (that's 2, here's the 3rd): "Roll with the punches; tomorrow's another day."

2. What five things bring you most joy?

   Relationship with God, spending time with my wife, spending time with my daughter, music, encouragement - giving and receiving

3. What is the Bible verse you recite to yourself most during times of trouble?

   It's so hard to pick only one because I remember several during times of trouble (This almost sounds like the beginning to "Let It Be" by The Beatles.). I would have to say that, if I could only choose one, it would be Romans 8:38-39, which I reproduce below from the NIV:

   For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

4. Ultimate dinner party. Who are three of your guests?

   Jesus Christ, my wife Jennie, and my daughter Keisha. Otherwise I'd be in big trouble, huh? ;)

5. Why should we journey inside your mind?

   Where else can you find out what happens when a man goes through his own portal? Seriously, though, you need to find out all about my super powers, and being here is a good start.

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Daniel Johnson, Jr. - The Blog

I have updated my Blogger Profile to further delineate my super powers. In addition, I have decided to start a new blog (I know, yet another one) where I describe my professional exploits. It's designed to be more of an online portfolio, and I write about specific projects I have worked on, with more technical details than you would find over here:Daniel Johnson, Jr.

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Jazz and Java at the Library

Fortunately for us we came to the Lane Public Library on the first Sunday of the month. It turns out that they have someone playing music from 2-3PM, and they provide some coffee as well. Not just someone, but a great guitar player named Bill Littleford. When we walked in, I thought the library was playing a jazz guitar CD. Then I saw Bill playing over in a corner. It was really nice to watch his technique of playing the different positions along the fretboard, as well as his style of picking and plucking the strings.

I also got to meet some other musicians in the audience, including DuWayne Cunningham's brother.

We'll be sure to come back next month.

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JIMM 75 - You Want Rock - You Got Rock

The latest Journey Inside My Mind Podcast episode is now available, featuring some great independent rock music from Uncrowned, Angel Vivaldi, Kathy Valentine, and Black Lab, along with some discussion about the online voting for the best pitch for a Super Bowl XLI ad:

JIMM 75 - You Want Rock - You Got Rock

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Vote for the Best NFL Superbowl Ad Idea - NOW

More than 1700 fans pitched their idea in a contest to best express the NFL experience. The leagues called the competition, "Pitch us your idea for the best NFL Super Bowl commercial ever. Seriously." The finalists have been chosen, and their ideas are available for everyone to vote on: One guy, Jay, is from Cincinnati. There are several really good ideas, and I'd love to see each one become a commercial in and of itself.

I'm especially partial to Vanessa's because it describes the experience of being a fan from a deaf perspective.

Now it's your turn to vote: http://www.nfl.com/superad/vote

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Five Questions Interview - Part 1 - The Questions

I have been tagged by the Official Superblessed Blogger with the following five questions, which I'll have to respond to in a separate post:

1. Describe yourself in three sentences, from the perspective of any movie character.
2. What five things bring you most joy?
3. What is the Bible verse you recite to yourself most during times of trouble?
4. Ultimate dinner party. Who are three of your guests?
5. Why should we journey inside your mind?

These are some tough, open-ended questions that require more thought than I can provide at this time. Readers want to know, so I'll be sure to reply soon!

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Work Changes Exercise Routine

It's been a few days since I posted anything here, and something just came to mind that I thought I'd share:

I recently started back to work in an office, after four months of being at home every day. I had the flexibility to take our dog for walks, which also gave me good exercise. I'd taken up these Two-Mile Weigel Walks*, as I call them, to help my lower back get healthy and to lose some weight.

Now that I'm working in an office five days per week, I don't have that discretionary time anymore. So I got to thinking, how am I going to get the exercise I used to get? I've opted to do more walking to get around. My job takes me up and down a floor in our office building, and the elevator is a convenient option.

So I'm hoping that walking up and down the steps throughout my day will help me stay active. In addition, we have a membership to our YMCA, and I'm going to make time to go there every weekend.

Another thing I think I'm going to have to watch is the snacking. Every day it seems that someone has brought something into the office to share. In addition vending machines are readily available for snacking and for sodas.

Speaking of sodas, I'm going to keep on limiting my intake. When at home, I'd usually only drink coffee and water. I'm going to keep on doing this as I'm at the office.

* The walk from our home to Weigel Elementary School and back is two miles.

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JIMM 74 - Double Shots III - In the Key of G

First show of the new year is now available, containing double shots of Kelly Goodlad, Geoff Smith, Greg Federico, along with a dream Keisha had and more! What are you waiting for? Go check it out: JIMM 74 - Double Shots III - In the Key of G. Alternatively, here's the direct link to the mp3.

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Happy New Year! VSP - 010107

Just because I can do this, I'm posting this retroactively at the very start of 2007.

Make it a great year!