Nothing Like The Olympics

Friday night while watching the most amazing opening ceremony of olympic history I was reminded of the importance of such an event. Not only is it a terrific display of athleticism and competition at it’s highest level, but at the same time it’s such a significant display of global unity. As I watched athletes from around the world marching into the stadium I couldn’t help but notice how proud they were to be there representing their country. It didn’t matter if they were a team of 1 or several hundred. It didn’t matter if their country was small or large, or what economic advantages they did or didn’t enjoy they were thrilled to be an official ambassador for their homeland. 

During the Parade of Nations, which I have to admit I don’t view as the highlight of the opening ceremonies I observed and learned many things about the cultures of the various countries. It’s amazing what you can learn by watching the facial expressions and body language of people as they make their way around the track. Some people were over-the-top boisterous while others were much more reserved and stoic. Their body language says as much about their culture as their official olympic costume, perhaps more.

And then there was the nine year old boy helping lead the home team of China into the stadium. This little national hero is a survivor of the earthquake that killed so many people earlier this year. The great part of his story is how after he’d been rescued he went back into his school to help free his classmates from the rubble. I think that too speaks to the culture of his country and the values they hold. I think China is scoring big points these days and making the most of these games to boost their image. There’s nothing like the olympics to help tell you story!

Left Hand, Ring Finger

A few days ago Jacque and I were fixing dinner, and I as I was slicing a cucumber (fresh from our garden) I got a little aggressive and nearly sliced the tip of my finger off. Do you have any idea how much you use your left hand, ring finger? Ever even considered it? Probably not. It’s not something I’ve ever sat around contemplating either, but when the usefulness of a finger is interrupted by pulsating pain your perspective changes. That finger is an integral part of my body!

Later that night I was working on some music I was leading in church the next Sunday and realized I would not be playing guitar for quite a little while. Each time I woke up during the night I was reminded that my heart was beating. Not because I was alive (although that should have been my first clue) but because I could feel my heart beat at the end of my left hand, ring finger — not ideal for sleeping. The morning after I sliced through my finger tip I was working on my email and realized just how much my self taught typing style relies on that finger — ouch! After the three Advil kicked in my typing improved.

Now that a few days have passed the healing is noticeable, and although I still won’t be playing guitar for several more days the worst of the discomfort seems to be over. So, the moral of this little tale — don’t discount the digit.

Happy Birthday…Again

When I turned 50 back in March my wife did some very cool things, and one of those allowed me to celebrate all over again by going to a concert with Chicago and The Doobie Brothers — two of my all-time favorite bands. The thing that ended up being so cool about the gift is the way my wife let it be my night.

The concert was outside and unless you’ve been living under a rock lately you know the midwestern part of the U.S. has gotten a lot of rain. As luck would have it, the closer we got to the date of the concert the worse the forecast became. We left home that evening under some sort of warning (I think Jacque’s blog gives you those details) and drove to the outdoor venue of the concert. We stayed dry until we were near the end of The Doobie Brothers set. I wanted to believe people were taking pictures with a really bright flash, but I knew that wasn’t true. Right as what became their final song ended the rain began. At that point we entered a rain delay situation.

Fortunately Starlight Theatre has some covered areas that most of us retreated to as the rain came down. We assumed the concert would restart — at least we hoped it would since Chicago was more our band of choice (although the Doobies are really incredible musicians–especially for old guys). Finally they came to the stage and began playing as the rain continued to fall. Now, any other time Jacque would have voiced her concerns about the weather, pushed for going home, etc. but this night we both sat in the rain and sang hit after hit with Chicago. I’m sure we looked pretty silly in our rain ponchos (not to mention the singing at the top of our lungs) but neither of us cared as we re-lived memories of the past and created new memories to carry into the future.

We got soaked but we had one of the best times ever. Thanks Jacque, for not letting a little rain dampen your gift. It was great fun celebrating 50…again!

Churches, Homes, Bed & Breakfasts

For a number of years now I’ve had this romance with old churches. Wherever we travel I enjoy seeing them, and if possible just walking through to take a closer look. It’s fascinating to imagine all that happened inside those walls throughout its history. Perhaps this romance began in high school during my first visit to Europe. No matter which village or town you go to there’s a church of some sort. I guess it could also have something to do with me being a former pastor, but I think it’s deeper than that. There’s a real connection with these old buildings of faith. So much so that I’d love to buy one and convert it to a home.

Whenever I walk into an old church there’s an instant connection deep within my soul. It sort of draws me in and envelopes my spirit – it’s hard to explain. I can feel it even when the building has been repurposed and is no longer being used for public worship. As mystical as this sounds, it’s as if there are spiritual remnants left behind that begin to minister to me from the moment I walk into the space. This past weekend Jacque and I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary at a bed & breakfast in Liberty MO — a bed & breakfast that’s in an old church.

From the moment we pulled up in front of the old building (the cornerstone says 1847) I knew it was going to be a special place. When we opened the heavy, solid-oak doors I could see through the foyer, down the center aisle to the front of what used to be the sanctuary of a neighborhood Catholic church. As we stepped across the threshold I turned to Jacque and we “wowed” in unison. I’ll admit that part of that was due to the romanticized notion I’ve created in my mind, but most people would agree that there’s just something about an old church. And there’s something special about The Steeple Inn.

The two guys who own and operate this B&B have only been open for business for a few months but you can easily see their vision coming to life. The overall vibe of the place is serene and peaceful as you’d expect, the breakfast presentation matched the setting and was very tasty. In addition they offer massage services in the lower level of the old church. A great weekend that just fueled my desire to buy an old church. Who knows what might happen.

It’s Gonna Be FUN!

For the past 3.5 years our company has been managing our projects with a web-based software called Creative Manager Pro. It’s worked out very well for us, although it was a HUGE adjustment when we made that initial switch. I’m at a point where I know the ins & outs of the program so well I barely have to think as I navigate from one screen to another. I’ve grown quite comfortable in my little CMPro world, and for some people I’m probably a little too much of an advocate for the product. This afternoon I spent 30 minutes talking to several people from another agency about the software and answering all of their questions — maybe I am a bit of a freak.

Yesterday the CMPro people loaded their brand new, upgraded, all flash version of their program onto our servers. I’m still a little unsure about the name but I’m having a lot of fun playing with my new Workamajig (yeah, that’s the name). They’ve managed to take what I consider a great project management tool for the creative industry and make it better. And in the process they’ve made it sort of fun. 

The basics of the program remain but what they’ve added is pretty cool. Without going into a bunch of detail they’ve created a flexible palette that users can customize into their own work space. Multiple widgets have been designed for placement on the dashboard. These widgets can be added, deleted, moved, resized, and modified in a variety of ways. You can even make the widgets disappear leaving a clean desktop that is covered in whatever canvas you prefer. OK, I’m going to stop now before you think I’m a total freak.

In a couple of weeks we get to roll it out to the entire company. My task will be to convince everyone else it’s gonna be fun. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Closed Circuit Creativity

A lack of funds didn’t stop The Get Out Clause from making a pretty cool looking music video, and in the process gain fame around the world. Fortunately for them Britain has more than 13 million closed circuit television cameras around the country so the band set-up in front of about 80 of them and shot themselves. Then under the Freedom of Information Act they requested the footage from the various camera owners and actually got 20 of them to comply. The result is an effect other bands (or their labels) would have paid serious money to achieve. Amazing how creative you can get when most of the resources you can afford have to be free. 

Since WordPress isn’t allowing me to insert the You Tube player for some reason, you can see the video here.

The Morning After

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted on this blog. Life has been somewhat of a whirlwind and I’ve just sort of been hanging on. So, Idol is over and many of us in Kansas City are pretty happy (and have that hometown pride) about the David Cook win — I was very surprised. We shared the finale with some family members and made fun of the cheese factor throughout the entire show, but I’m going to fight the urge and not comment on that.

I find the entire American Idol phenomenon so fascinating. We’ve been watching for 5.5 months (which is sort of sad when you think about it) and then last night I look across the room and both of my twenty-something daughters were on the edge of their seats as they announced the winner. Both of them told me how nervous they were and confessed to having butterflies in their stomachs. I reminded them that the outcome of the show had absolutely nothing to do with them personally, but that didn’t get rid of the butterflies. When all was said and done they were both slightly disappointed in the result, but that was short lived. I’m sure they’ll get up today, go to work and have a very normal day. It’s just another morning, after a fun night of entertainment.

On the other hand, David Cook will wake up this morning to anything BUT a normal day. It’s a very significant morning after for him. The power of the American Idol brand has become a huge force with enormous impact and value (more value for a select few than for the masses). It’s a brand you interact with and become truly engaged with as you get to know your favorite contestant and cast your vote week after week. I’ve seen even the casual watcher become engaged quickly, developing a strong tie to their favorite contestant. So much can be learned from the way this brand has woven itself into the fabric of society. 

So, now that it’s over what’s life like for you the morning after? Have you already forgotten about it? Are you mourning David’s loss, or celebrating David’s victory? I can tell you this: They just added a second American Idol concert in Kansas City, and I’m not going to either show.

Now That’s Service

Last night I had an amazing dinner at a remarkable restaurant in Sedona AZ. We’d eaten there before but last night I was reminded why we enjoy it so much. The setting is somewhat surreal, nestled in the gorgeous red rocks surrounding Sedona. The evening was one of those amazing Arizona nights where the air is spectacular and the atmosphere somewhat magical.

The restaurant itself is somewhat new but has real old-world charm. When my wife and I first ate there in 2004 it was relatively new and undiscovered. Now, four years later reservations are usually required and you’ll likely need to park quite a distance from the door. The fresh bread, accompanied by green chile infused olive oil is a great surprise to your palate and something hard to describe or even imagine. I don’t mean for this to sound like I’m trying to get a job as a restaurant reviewer but it really was an amazing experience. 

The food, wine, atmosphere, setting, everything that comprised the experience of the evening was designed for our pleasure. On top of all of the tangibles was something most of us may consider intangible. However, good service is a mix of the tangible and the intangible. The good service began when we arrived as we were taken to our table with efficiency and it continued throughout the meal and even as we left. The most tangible form of the great service came in response to us commenting on how much we enjoyed the house salad dressing. To that comment our server thanked us but also said they made it available for purchase at the gourmet food shop next door. When we expressed an interest to go next door to buy some he told us the store had already closed for the day, but if we’d like he could get into the store and get some for us. 

He didn’t offer to do this because he had nothing else to do, or because it was going to add a large sum to his tip. He offered because he wanted to be of service and wanted to extend our experience beyond the evening. We left, with our salad dressing in hand, but also with the intent of returning as soon as possible to enjoy another wonderful evening. In the meantime however, we will enjoy the memories, and the salad dressing. Now that’s service!

What’s Your Brand?

I attended a luncheon not too long ago where Shel Holtz was the guest speaker. During his presentation on Social Media he asked how we defined brand. After several very predictable definitions from the audience he shared his definition with us: “The definition of your brand is whatever Google says it is.” He then went on to explain that if you want to know what people think of your brand type it into Google and see what it returns. Not only how you rank but also what is being said.

As I’ve reflected on this I’ve come to agree with Shel. Furthermore, you not only need to be in touch but you should also be adding to what is being said about your brand at this level. You can’t control what is being said, especially within the various social medias but you can at least be aware of it, and whenever appropriate join the conversation.

Not too long ago I spoke with one of my clients about this very thing. They’re a conservative, non-profit group and they came to me about posting a video on You Tube. I told them I thought it was a great idea and it would be a positive way to get their message before a younger public. Then they asked if people would be able to comment on the video. When I told them yes they had serious concerns. As it turned out they were much more interested in delivering their message to the public than in receiving feedback from the public. They ended up posting their video but on their corporate website where they felt they could better control it and where people couldn’t talk about them.

I’ve not yet given up on helping this client enter into the conversation where appropriate. What a shame that they can’t let go and allow people to experience their brand at an interactive level. The public is ready to engage but the organization is unwilling to provide the platform for them to speak. In essence, the organization is unwilling to listen to what is being said about their brand. In our Web 2.0 society there may be no greater offense.

Hackintosh? Excuse Me?

I ran across this while reading my son’s blog and found it bordering on absurd. I have never owned any computer other than a Mac. While I understand that Windows machines are computers, I can’t fully understand why anyone would choose to own one, but that’s another post altogether.

Owning and using a Mac has been like a rite of passage in the Cork family. It’s the only computer our family has ever had in our home and all three of our kids have taken Macs away to college with them. It’s one of the ways we define normal around here. To throw a non-Mac box running Mac software into the marketplace might be attractive to a few, but real Mac users won’t bother. It’s like, what’s the point?

Using a Mac is not just about the software. I mean have you seen the keyboard on the latest iMac, or have you felt the smooth curvature of the new MacBook Air?  It’s not about price. Macintosh is an experience, not some sort of utilitarian device available to the lowest bidder.

Obviously the person who developed this “box” doesn’t understand Mac and the true Mac user. Otherwise they wouldn’t be wasting their time and money. While I understand them trying (Windows has always copied Mac) I don’t understand how they think money could be a deciding factor.