NinetyNineGifts

68. April Fooled

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 00:43:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I announced my plans to move to Kansas City. At the time I didn't know that many other things were changing and coming into play. Long story short, after a number of family issues, timing problems, educational offers, and financial changes I'm not going to KC, at least not for a few more months. My biggest concern with this was that I had already begun making plans in Missouri and was afraid I'd be leaving people in a tight spot. Time to embrace a little humility - and it goes a lot further than you might expect.

I had confirmed housing with a friend that I literally only knew through text, but was going out of his way to help me. He'd even gotten me set up with a job interview at a solid company! Needless to say I felt like a jerk. Not just for having my plans changed (which wasn't an intentional attempt to put him in a tight spot) but also because there had been so much going on that I neglected to keep him completely up to date on what was happening. I humbly sent a message detailing the whole situation, asking forgiveness, and offering to make it up to him because he was expecting rent from me shortly. He graciously understood and told me not to worry about it. This was extremely relieving to me, but it's not what surprised me the most about this entire ordeal.

After this and a few other issues were settled, what I was ironically startled by is how quickly plans and circumstances can change. I'd mentally wrestled for weeks about whether or not to go to KC before making the decision to, and then everything changed. Abrupt change has happened to me numerous times, yet still astounds me. Life sometimes plays tricks on us. Today, I'm remembering to accept that sometimes things happen and different opportunities arise. I'm also making new plans - and holding on to them loosely!

So where I am I going? I'm headed up to Virginia for a bit. I have some great friends there and an opportunity that I can't pass up. Kansas City will still be there a few months from now. And who knows what'll develop in the meantime?

67. In Praise of the Trivial - How I Met Stanley

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:14:00 +0000

I think that trivial knowledge is underrated. In world of extremes it is hard to understand the value of random information. Even on television what is often portrayed is a stereotypical nerd or a lovable dolt. There is rarely an in between, but it must exist. I've said before that I am striving to become a better story teller. I'm vigorous about my academic pursuits and I know their importance. Yet nobody at a party wants to listen to a discussion about the pythagorean theorem. What is wanted is new an exciting information. This was clearly demonstrated to me today in a powerful way. But I wasn't at a party. I was waiting in line to buy a frozen pizza.

I stepped into the line with six people in front of me. A semi-long line but it was the speedy-checkout lane, right? After a minute or so I noticed that the line was moving a little slow. I peered around the lady in front of me and for the first time I laid eyes on Stanley.

Stanley had cheerful eyes. The twinkly kind they put on the Coca-Cola Santa. He was doing his job well and insisted on having a good time talking with customers while doing it. We've all had that cashier. The one who awkwardly comments on what you're purchasing. Except instead of that creepy "I think I'm your best friend because I now know what brand of toilet paper you use" stalker feeling that most of those cashiers radiate, Stanley was actually charming. Undoubtedly part of it was his personality and the smile he'd been working on for 60 years. But more pertinent to was the actual comments he was making on what people bought.

Muhammad Ali's BFF?

Three people in front of me was a young man buying boxing gloves. Stanley grabbed them from the belt and address him. "You like Muhammad Ali?" The budding athlete replied in the affirmative. Punching in the final keys and bring up the total Stanley continued, "Hoo-boy that man was a great boxer! But did you know that he was also a minor spokesman for extraterrestrials? Claimed to see several UFOs. True story! That'll be $32.74" The two had a brief banter back and forth as Stanley retrieved his change. As the young man walked away, I could tell he wanted to talk more. But there were more customers waiting.

I watched and listened as he worked his way through the line, having some tidbit of information for each person. He soon got to the lady in front of me who was buying red hair dye. By this time I was grinning. "Hmm. President George Washington was a redhead. Yep, a real ginger! Just like that Weasley boy from the magic movie!" I couldn't contain myself anymore. This was one of the most random (and coolest) men I'd ever encountered. It was right about this point that I noticed something else - Stanley was leading all of these brief conversations. People were enthralled by him, but not giving much back in the way of conversation.

I put my pizza on the little belt and stepped forward. My lesson for the day? In Iceland there is an industry for growing pizza toppings in greenhouses because the soil can't sustain the plants. I was impressed! "Stanley, I've been listening to you talk to all of these people and I just have to ask - are you for real?" He gave a hearty laugh while the people behind me perked up for his reply. "Son, when you get to be my age you just know a lot of stuff. I swear it's true."

I swiped my card. "Sir, I know a lot of people your age -- none of them know this much stuff." As he handed me my receipt he took a breath and held my gaze for a brief moment. "Well, they could. They probably just didn't pay attention."

I walked to my car smiling and determined to start paying more attention. I'm also going to be proactive about it. With the entire internet at my fingertips, there's no reason not to. I'm not sure if I'll ever get to see Stanley again, but he's not the only friend I made today. Let me introduce you to the other - The Amazing Fact Generator. When you have some free time, check it out and take in some good random knowledge! You never know when it might help you make a friend, especially once you get to be cool like Stanley.

66. Nap Time!

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0000

I believe it is universally accepted that when we become adults we long for the days when we were told to take naps. Ah, those were the days... and we were foolish enough to fight it. Now that we're all grown up we wish we slept more. Studies show that on average 40% of people don't get enough rest. Many countries all over the world combat this by adopting the Spanish custom of the siesta! If only we could understand that. For today's gift, I'm going to try to incorporate some much needed rest into my sleep deprived schedule. While I do that, check out some of the many napping benefits I've found!

Increase your on-the-job alertness by 100 percent
Sharpen your thinking so you make more accurate judgments and better decisions
Ramp up your productivity
Regenerate skin cells so you look younger
Help you lose weight by altering metabolism and shifting chemicals that affect appetite
Reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular problems
Lift your mood by bathing your brain in the neurotransmitter serotonin
Speed up your ability to perform motor tasks, like typing, operating machinery, even swimming
Improve your accuracy—in everything
Improve the way your body processes carbs, which reduces your risk of diabetes
Sharpen your senses so you take in what's important in your environment—and screen out the 24-hour culture chatter that surrounds us
Put your brain into its creative gear so you can come up with fresh ideas
Trigger a naturally occurring hormone that blocks the destructive chemicals produced by stress
Boost your ability to learn something new—and, better yet, remember it
Zap the need for drugs like caffeine and alcohol to manipulate your mood and energy level
Relieve migraines
Improve your nighttime sleep by eliminating that wired feeling and thus shutting off the brain chatter
Make you feel good all over

If you're like me, you might have trouble trying to take naps and still have any semblance of a normal sleeping pattern. If this has been problematic for you in the past, you might be able to use some tips from sleep expert Dr. Sara Mednick:

The first consideration is psychological: Recognize that you’re not being lazy; napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up.
Try to nap in the morning or just after lunch; human circadian rhythms make late afternoons a more likely time to fall into deep (slow-wave) sleep, which will leave you groggy.
Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and sugar, which meddle with a person’s ability to fall asleep.
Instead, in the hour or two before your nap time, eat foods high in calcium and protein, which promote sleep.
Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones won’t disturb you.
Try to darken your nap zone, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates melatonin, the sleep- inducing hormone.
Remember that body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room temperature or use a blanket.

But don't nap on benches.
They're already claimed.

Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired duration.

I say do whatever you can to work in a nap (or at least a full night's sleep). The world will be a better place for it - and so will you! Who knows - I may even start shopping for a hammock. What's your favorite way to nap?

65. Go For a Walk

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Go! It's ok. You can do it!

Pecan pie. I couldn't get it out of my head. I was craving it like crazy and nothing else would do. The problem is that my car was in the shop and I had no way to get to the store. Having always been partial to hyperbole, I was quick to declare that I would do ANYTHING for a piece of pecan pie. Realizing my sprawled out position of sloth on the couch, I quickly realized the error of my words and the laziness many of us carry. When did walking get ruled out as an option? It was a nice day out and I was in no particular hurry. Besides, adventure is out there!

Sadly, I had no swash-bucking escapades on my pilgrimage to the blessed destination of pie-dom. But I did have time to take in a lot of great things. I also had opportunities to think. I focused my mental energies on trying to figure out why people don't walk much anymore and some of the benefits of picking it up again. Here's what I came up with:

Moving is healthy for you. There's a reason the stereotypical couch potato is a fatty slob, and it ain't his commitment to fitness. Walking gets your heart rate into the fat burning zone and helps keep muscles toned.
Walking helps you slow down... without stalling. We live in a hurry up and wait society. We all complain about it, but we do nothing to change it. But we can! In our personal lives at least.
You can think through things proactively. TV and movies use scenes of walking conversations to give the appearance of the story moving forward. There is a psychological factor here. Use it to your advantage.
Adventure is out there! Okay, I said that already.... and I stole it from the old guy in Up. But the point is - you've got to leave the comfort of your couch if you want to live.

This is not a long or in any way a definitive list. But I do hope it's enough to get you motivated to get up and go for a walk. Go encounter the world! Slow down enough to see the things in your neighborhood that you never notice. You'll be surprised what you find. You may even be surprised where you end up. Go for a walk. Get swept off somewhere.

"It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."
- J.R.R. Tolkien

64. Self Talk

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:31:00 +0000

Today I have been reading through a lot of my recent posts and I've come to a conclusion: I don't like the way that I talk to myself. I don't think I'm alone. I suspect that this is a universal truth.

I beat myself up a lot about my shortcomings and my lack of progress. While there is part of it that is legitimately rooted in a desire to grow and get better, much of it is simple insecurity. We are understanding with others. Yet we are our own worst critics.

No long ramblings today. No funny anecdotes. Just a commitment to be more aware of how I address myself and a hope that you do the same for yourself. After all, I'm pretty awesome. And if you're reading this you're automatically awesome by association.

63. Eliminating Bad Influences

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:03:00 +0000

"Bad company corrupts
good character."
- 1 Cor. 15:33

Just over a week ago I received a very unexpected message from someone who in all honesty is the last person that I ever expected to hear from. Okay, that's an exaggeration. But it was unexpected nonetheless. It wasn't particularly bad, but was not good either. As with most things in life, it's kind of complicated.

My mother taught me that if "I have nothing nice to say, then to shut my dang trap before I tick somebody off!" Gotta love mom. I unfortunately insisted on learning this lesson the hard way at the tender age of eleven in an incident involving a teacher who hated me and her battle with IBS. Let's just say it's sad when a fifth grader has more wit than his educator. But it's also mean. I've since tried to keep my mouth shut.

The purpose of that digression is to tell you this: I won't go into detail on the message received except to make a point. At the end of the exchange I realized that I not only wished it hadn't happened, but there is also a part of my that wishes I never met this person or the individuals they associate with. It's not that I want to say they are bad people. They just aren't uplifting. At all.

In a time that seems like ages ago, I was pretty close with a group of people who were absolutely hilarious to be around. We hung out a lot and had a lot of fun. But there are also a lot of downsides to it and in short, it was a group that was very self-serving. And I was becoming the same. Now that circumstance has had be away from these people for quite some time, I realize how unhealthy it was for me.

So for today's gift, I did some thing really hard. I decided to cut out people who are not good for me. I've gone through contacts and social media and severed ties. Sadly blocking a few. This doesn't mean that I don't still care about them. It means that I have to trust the wisdom of the Bible over anything else. These people were bad for me, and I've been much better in the time I've not seen certain people. I know I need to continue doing that to be a better man. It's actually very humbling to admit. But necessary.

I challenge you do to the same. Be honest with yourself. Is there anyone that you would be better off cutting out of your life, no matter how hard it might be?

62. Using Fewer Words (Hopefully)

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 23:26:00 +0000

I have to agree with my friend Calvin. I can't stand school. Why? Because of the way I have always been taught there. Don't mistake me - I thoroughly enjoy learning. But formal schooling has left myself and millions of others with a residual plague: verbosity. We simply use too many words. I blame standardized tests and assignments that value length over quality. My most recent term paper read like watered down coffee after having to add two pages of fluff. Sure, everything necessary for the buzz of academia was present, but so was filler to meet a certain word count. Less often really is more.

The major problem with this is that I always feel I must use more words than necessary. It's been ingrained so much that I experience conviction if the writing isn't long enough. Though I'd prefer to learn to write, speak, and communicate more effectively. So be it. Gift 62 is an active attempt to use fewer words than necessary. For writing I've already found a great tip:

"Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very;' your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be."
— Mark Twain

Now I just need a strategy for speaking. I'm a natural rambler once I get going. Hmm... this may more effort than anticipated. Suggestions?

61. The Proximity Principle

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:58:00 +0000

Ever notice how close mama ducks keep their babies?

If you've been a regular reader of this journey at all you've undoubtedly discovered that I love books. Because of my mild dyslexia, this hasn't always been the case. In fact, reading for pleasure has been a relatively new endeavor for me. Part of the reason that I'm so gung-ho about it is because I aspire to be a polymath, a modern renaissance man. In the course of the last year of trying to decide a college major, I came to the realization that I'm not interested in specializing in anything in particular. I'd rather learn about as many things as possible. The best way to do that is to live life and to read. I'm seeking both.

For Christmas what I really wanted was an unabridged hardback copy of The Count of Monte Cristo. A good friend of mine obliged and unknowingly out did herself. What I ended up with was a 100 year old copy that came all the way from England! It is the best present I've ever received - it was exactly what I wanted and I didn't even know it! The problem? Between school, personal projects, and trying to get many aspects of life figured out I simply haven't made the time to read it.

Today I remembered a habit that I used to have. A number of years ago I was in an internship that allowed me to work in full time ministry while taking classes at the same time. The leader who was in charge of the group of guys I lived with did an object lesson to help us understand the importance of the bible - especially in full time ministry. For a month we had to carry it with us everywhere we went. If caught without it we'd have to do 300 push-ups. The point of this was not to enforce some legalistic habit or to make us beefy (though I could use it!). It was to help us understand that proximity plays a huge part in what we value.

There's an old saying that you can tell a lot about a man by what he carries in his pockets. It means that what he keeps close is what he cares about. This is what I like to call the proximity principle at play. Whatever you keep nearby is what is important to you. This is true for items, hobbies, ideas, and especially people. This explains a mama duck's protectiveness and why grandparents have 50 bajillion pictures of their family. And why else do you think so rarely talk to that close friend you never see?

My new full time companion!

I figure that the principle can be used to our advantage - whatever you keep near you will become important to you and you'll make time for it. Proof: during that month of soreness and muscle fatigue I read my bible more than any other time in my life - just because I had it with me! I'm going to apply this to The Count. I want to find more time to read this great work of literature so I'm deciding to carry it with me everywhere. Today I was able to get some reading done while at the laundromat. Tomorrow... who knows? Maybe in a hammock sipping some sweet tea!

Your turn. What should you start keeping nearby to let it grow in importance?

60. Wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 23:42:00 +0000

Only 40 days until my birthday!

Today's gift is a little different. For the last 12 years or so, I have very actively asked for nothing for my birthday. I've reasoned this away by saying that I don't need much and that I'm more than happy just to spend time with friends! While this is true, there's more at play. There's a part of me that felt unworthy of gifts and didn't want to convenience anyone. I also had asked for other things in life before and not received them. I learned to dislike expecting things and didn't want to get my hopes up. Recently I've been learning a lot about having proper expectations of people, and today I'm putting it to use! What do I mean? For the first time in over a decade I'm telling people what I want for my birthday!

My list isn't long, but here it is:

Unabridged, hardback copy of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Anything from Postertext.com! Specifically:

C.S. Lewis! All of my Lewis books were stolen (except for Narnia) I especially miss my well-worn copy of Mere Christianity
Soft-lead colored pencils! I accidentally bought hard lead.
Anything that is handmade! The best gift is knowing that someone took the time to really think about what you would like. Sometimes that can't be found in a store.
That's all I can think of for now...

I know that's not very extensive but I'm new to asking for stuff! I think people who know me will be able to figure out something if they want to. If YOU want to get me something I won't complain. Just let me know and I'll send you my address! Shameless, I know.

Remember folks, today's gift isn't about me asking for stuff. I used to have this uncanny fear that if I asked for something I really wanted (or more often needed) and didn't get it, then whoever I asked didn't care much about me. That's just not true. I'd bet that's part of how so many of us become entrenched in our self-reliance. Are you ready to move past that? I am.

59. Acknowledging Mistakes & Being Honest

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:23:00 +0000

I received this email today. I was pleasantly surprised.

Many people are familiar with Netflix. I myself am battling an addiction to it! Last night their site went down for a while and no one could watch any videos instantly. In a great show of customer service they sent an unprompted email to their subscribers offering a small credit for the inconvenience - all you had to do was click the button and it was instantly applied. I did the math and the credit was only for $0.24. That's not really a huge dent to anyone's wallet but is still an awesome show of loyalty to their customers and to their service. I was encouraged because it's so rare that a company will do this. In fact, it happened to me about 5 months ago as well when I was trying to watch. I got the same offer then. I learned a lesson today about owning up to your mistakes and making things right. However, that's the most important thing I learned from this experience.

My immediate thought when I received this was, "I wonder how much they are going to lose total on this?" On their site, Netflix claims to have over 20 million subscribers! If everyone of those clicked the button for the credit, Netflix essentially offered to give back up to $4.8 million. Yeah. Now here's the thing - I wasn't actually trying to watch anything at the time that the site went down. I wasn't inconvenienced by the short outage and I didn't need $0.24. For about 5 seconds I debated before choosing to do the right thing. The honesty of this company inspired me to be honest in return, even though I had every "right" to claim the credit. I wish that this kind of thing happened more in life.

LIGHT BULB! It can. I was inspired by the humility and honesty Netflix displayed. Which means that others can be inspired by me (and you)! In the words of Ghandi, "Be the change you want to see in the world." It really works.

Also, I just really want to toot the Netflix horn. Last summer I decided to forsake cable and satellite companies. Since then I've received better quality, better customer service, and a price that is less than 10% of what I was paying before. The one drawback is that I don't have access to live or very recent television. But the internet provides plenty of free and legal options to make up for that, such as Hulu. If you've been wondering about Netflix, I say take the plunge. Totally worth it.

58. Life and Death

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:57:00 +0000

One of the best lines from
one of the best movies ever...

"Every man dies...
..not every man really lives."

For some reason today I am thinking much about my own mortality. I'm looking at life and questioning a lot of things, mostly about myself. I belief strongly in God and I have put my faith in Him. I know where I am going when I die. No, that is not the topic of today's ruminations. I'm wondering about what it is to really live.

This morning I stumbled upon an interesting website that launched this whole line of thinking. It's called the Death Clock. According to it, I'll live to be 77. I laughed. I'm not sure what the criteria are that they use but I know we are not promised tomorrow.
But it did get my mind going. I don't really have much to say today. Mostly I'm thinking and challenging you to do the same. If you do a search you'll come across many thought provoking questions that could truly cause you to pause and ponder. Here are 11 good ones that I've come across:

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
If not now, then when?
What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make them?
What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

Go ahead. Start thinking. Evaluate yourself. Become better. LIVE.

57. College... Still

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:43:00 +0000

...but I have decent grammar

I have been a college sophomore for the last 4 years. Oh, how I wish I were exaggerating. My freshman year went by fast, but then I began to get other priorities. I put off school for a couple of years and moved to Texas to work for a youth ministry. I then started my sophomore year, while still working in full time (often overtime) ministry.I was only able to take a class here and there and was often "too busy" some semesters for any classes. Because of how my priorities were stacked, I even ending up failing a few of the courses. School just wasn't enough of a priority. This has to change.

When I was young my mom told people that I marched to the beat of my own drummer. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I realized just how much I deter from "normal" paths. I don't regret the decisions I made to work in ministry because it was one of the best things I've ever done. But I do wish I'd been more diligent about taking classes at the same time. In all reality, I should have graduated by now. In the past this has gotten me down. But it's time for a new leaf.

Today I start two new classes. I've been back in school full time since last October and so far I'm on a roll but I've started to lose motivation. Because of this, gift 57 is a commitment to myself to see this through to the end. I have two years of school left, and I WILL graduate in that amount of time. I'm not delaying it anymore.

Here's my question for you - what have you been wanting to accomplish for a long time, but keep putting on the back burner? Are you willing to make a commitment to working on it now? If so, I'm with you. Let's do this!

56. Slow and Steady

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:37:00 +0000

The sun blinded me as I left the locker room. Squinting, I saw everyone headed over the the track. I waddled my 11 year old body over and stood at the back of the group in sheer terror. I'd usually gotten by in gym class by staying out of the way and moving around enough to where I wouldn't be called out. Fortunately the day we were supposed to climb the rope I'd been sick. But this day lady luck had forsaken me like the fickle shrew she is. I gazed at the rows of hurdles and pondered how I was going to get enough speed or height to launch my girth over them. I wasn't an athletic kid. I was a fatty, and the other kids made sure I knew it. I went up to the coach and feigned illness. It was my only shot. Out of what could only be a mixture of compassion and pity, he let me sit out. Everyone there knew what was going on, so I walked away in fat kid shame. And it's back.

I'm not still hugely overweight, but recently I've been feeling like every hurdle I encounter has smacked me in the face. I'll use this site as an example. NinetyNineGifts is one of the best things I've done in a long time, and I am growing tremendously from it. But I also feel like I'm overwhelmed and failing at it. I get behind on writing (currently by a week) and often have huge difficulty in identifying what my next task will be. I'm constantly trying to improve my writing, yet finding myself rushing to get caught up and not learning anything to get better at it. I'm just meeting deadlines... late. Many of the gifts that involve me developing new habits have been struggling. They are practically in an iron lung. I've had a goal to get the site on my own domain and to work to get a solid following but for various reasons I've been unable to plug away at either of those. I've been a little tempted to dust off my 5th grade acting hat and conjure up some sickness. Though if I really returned to my elementary school level of brain power I'd probably die of dysentery.

Obviously I need a different approach, and in truth I wish I'd taken one back then. I'm going to take a lesson from Simon Pegg in Run, Fatboy, Run (a surprisingly good movie, by the way). I'm going to just go do it! I wish I'd tried the hurdles back then. Because in the end, it really doesn't matter what other people think or even if you fail. It may sound cliché, but the only people who fail are the people who don't try. No matter what the outcome you gain experience and growth. That alone makes it worth it.

Today's gift is a renewed determination to keep on truckin' - just like me friend pictured above. Why? Because there are a few things that I have to believe: tortoise beats hare, good triumphs over evil, and every fat kid has his day. Cake is optional.

To My Regular Followers:

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:59:00 +0000

Hey all, I know that I've gotten behind on posting. It has been a very crazy couple of weeks. I'm still about a week behind in writing, but the tasks are going and I'll have the articles written soon. Thanks for bearing with me.

In the meantime, here's a cool idea I want to try: quick homemade ice cream! I may even find a way to make it one of the gifts!

Who WOULDN'T want to do this? And I have a sneaking suspicion that 7-10 minutes of dancing around as vigorously as this lady would be fun AND burn a good chunk of those ice cream calories!

Ok, here's my idea: This Sunday let's all make some homemade ice cream and share our creations right here! Who's with me? Any takers? Comment here so I know you're in!

Oh, and on a random note: Howcast.com is purely awesome. Thanks for great content!

55. Love/Hate (Mostly Hate) Relationship

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Water. It is the most influential and necessary physical factor to every thing earth. It is the one ingredient that is required by the entire realm of beings - including plants. It is gentle enough to provide life sustaining power yet destructive enough to carve huge canyons through the rocky soil of the earth; so massive that some would even call them grand. It covers 70% of the globe and makes up about 60% of the human body. It is rumored to be the healthiest thing for us. And I despise it.

You have to understand where I'm coming from. I grew up poor. This means that we couldn't afford a lot of juices or sodas or anything like that. The option we had was municipal tap water, complete with it's many "added nutrients." I should be able to rest my case on that alone but I'll press forward: this stuff was gross. It tasted like metal and always had traces of the chlorine used to treat it. To this day, despite knowing it is untrue, I shudder to think that it was just reclaim water. This was NOT cool in my book. What we could afford was generic kool-aid and bulk sugar. Thus I survived childhood.

Since then, I've carried more than a mild distaste for water. But the fact is that water really is good for you. Because of this I've tried a few times to drink it more regularly. Those times I have eventually started to feel better but there were two main problems I had. First, water didn't quench my thirst. Perhaps because of my dependence on sweetened beverages. Second, it ran through me almost instantaneously. Drinking the recommended amount of daily water had me literally running/dancing my way to the bathroom at least twice an hour. On the plus side, I got in a lot of cardio exercise and was always ready to put out any spontaneous fire.

Difficulties aside, there are many benefits to drinking more water. Here are just some of the reasons I found to drink more:

Weight loss: Water is one of the best tools for weight loss, first of all because it often replaces high-calorie drinks like soda and juice and alcohol with a drink that doesn't have any calories. But it's also a great appetite suppressant, and often when we think we're hungry, we're actually just thirsty. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar. Drink plenty to help your weight-loss regimen.

Heart healthy: Drinking a good amount of water could lower your risks of a heart attack. A six-year study published in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who drink more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses.

Energy: Being dehydrated can sap your energy and make you feel tired -- even mild dehydration of as little as 1 or 2 percent of your body weight. If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated -- and this can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and other symptoms.

Headache cure: Another symptom of dehydration is headaches. In fact, often when we have headaches it's simply a matter of not drinking enough water. There are lots of other causes of headaches of course, but dehydration is a common one.

Healthy skin: Drinking water can clear up your skin and people often report a healthy glow after drinking water. It won't happen overnight, of course, but just a week of drinking a healthy amount of water can have good effects on your skin.

Digestive problems: Our digestive systems need a good amount of water to digest food properly. Often water can help cure stomach acid problems, and water along with fiber can cure constipation (often a result of dehydration).

Cleansing: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body.

Cancer risk: Related to the digestive system item above, drinking a healthy amount of water has also been found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%. Drinking lots of water can also reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 50% and potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Better exercise: Being dehydrated can severely hamper your athletic activities, slowing you down and making it harder to lift weights. Exercise requires additional water, so be sure to hydrate before, during and after exercise.

I really don't like water. But in the interest of better health, I'm going to stop being a baby and try to drink more. That's today's gift. That, and maybe one of those water filters. You know, just in case.

54. Rethinking Happy

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:25:00 +0000

It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.

- Dale Carnegie

As I'm writing this I have a huge grin on my face. I've had one all morning, and I feel great. Would you like to know why? Ok, well.... there is absolutely no reason at all. And this is exactly how it should be.

Most of us go through life waiting for reasons to be happy. We long for good news from a friend, for a promotion at work, or to be lifted up by the love of our life. We often feel we need things to ‘happen’ to give ourselves permission to be happy. But when you think about it, isn't that ridiculous? At any moment in time, you can have complete control over how you feel. Don’t look for reasons to feel good and smile, you’re alive, that should be enough.

After the horrendous time I've had during the age of 25, this news is refreshing. Today's gift is simple. From here forward, I'm going to remember that it isn't circumstances that make me happy.

And on that note, I'll leave you with the words of Bobby McFerrin...

53. Ditch the TV! Well, Mostly...

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Growing up I knew the TGIF lineup by heart. I would look forward to spending my Friday nights watching Cory muck things up with Topanga, and I still am enamored by the Urkel dance. I won't even attempt to deny it - I tried to follow along with the moves at home! As an adult now, I find that I still feel the same way about television - I love it. Maybe too much...

If you're anything like me, you've probably wondered on more than one occasion if you watch too much TV. I'm a single guy with little extra cash and no real vices, other than media. I've often justified my television binges by concluding that it is relatively cheap entertainment that keeps me out of trouble, and from spending money I can't afford. But there is also a very negative side to watching TV - for someone like me it can draw you in with it's siren song of entertainment and suck the life right out of you.

Can YOU do the Urkel??

Over the last few months I've found myself watching upwards of 6 hours of television per day. Now, to be fair, I'm counting all the time that I have it on in the background while doing something else. And the truth is, I've become addicted to the instant viewing capabilities of sites like Netflix and Hulu. Things like this are only convenient if they add to the quality of life. Taking away all of my time does not achieve these goals. On this note, I also have problems with the internet, but that's another conversation altogether.

Gift 53 - I'm regulating how much television I watch. I'm going to limit myself to 3 hours per day. I know that this still seems like a lot, but I'm also being realistic. Again: a single, ill-funded man with no vices doesn't have much else to do that isn't either costly or detrimental to society. I think cutting it in half is a good start.

Here's where I need your help - what ways have you found to effectively reduce your TV intake while simultaneously enriching your life?

52. Too Much Info - Avoiding Overload

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:11:00 +0000

This Picture = Immediate Conviction

I am guilty of reading many different blogs and articles online. In an age where an immeasurable wealth of knowledge is available at the click of a button I would feel irresponsible to let it all go to waste. I'm an avid fan of RSS and Google Reader is in my top five visited sites. But today I came across this picture and had a mini-epiphany: I am receiving way too much information to take in and process. After having consumed all of the recurring blogs, articles, news, and the many books I am required to read for school I have come to a startling discovery. In the last month, I've only spend about 2 hours reading books that I want to. Considering that I've spoken several times before on my desire to read more books, I am not content with this result. I decided that I have to do something, and I have to do it fast.

Every few days my RSS reader is backed up with articles to look at. I seriously have anywhere between 50-100 unread items at any given time. Right now, after having read through it for a few hours today, I still have 52 unread. Yikes.

A few weeks ago I read an article from Zen Habits that encouraged the reader to delete every RSS feed they received. If after a little while the updates are missed, then sign back up for them. They even encouraged deleting the feed to their own site. Pretty gutsy. I'm taking their advice... mostly. There are some feeds I have that I will keep because they are the blogs of personal friends, or I already know that I'd miss them. I'm going to either go through the 52 unread and read them or mark them read so I can start with a clean slate. Then I'm going to limit the amount of time I spend reading online. I'm way too attached to my computer anyhow.

Part two of this plan: re-visit my beloved reading list, grab a great book, and go read it somewhere in the sunshine. What about you? What do you do to make sure you are getting great information, but not being overwhelmed by too much of it? It seems like such a delicate balance... thoughts?

51. The Value of Meditation

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:31:00 +0000

I recently was able to read a portion of a great book called The Art of Happiness written from a series of interviews with the Dalai Lama. As I dove into this book I was enthralled by the profound simplicity of the Dalai Lama's words. So much so that in the three weeks I had the book I was only able to get through the first third of the pages. The reason? Because the content cut deep. His thoughts were simple enough to understand yet proved gripping once they were allowed to sink in. I do not adhere to the Buddhist belief system but I believe that there are disciplines within it that can lead one to a better life. The depth of his words' meaning launched me into one of these principles before I even knew it. I was compelled to meditate on everything that was presented.

When most of us hear the word meditation, we conjure images of yoga, new age religions, and monks from the far east. But we must also remember that the bible commends meditation - Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-2, and Psalm 119:11 are just a few of the many examples of this. I've often read these words in the Scriptures but have always had difficulty with meditation. Mostly because I was unsure what it really was.

I always had this picture in my mind of meditation being an attempt to completely clear one's mind and commune with nature or something by repetitively chanting some non-sense word. Basically... images of yoga, new age religions, and monks from the far east. There is also a lot of psycho-babble about it that, regardless of any potential truth, just rubs me the wrong way. Hence my difficulty with the discipline. But as I read the words of the Dalai Lama and saw past his world-view, I began to truly understand what it is.

Meditation IS about quieting oneself and attempting to understand something bigger and deeper than before, but it's not about doing so as a means to escape reality or to try to get to some higher plane of existence. Meditation is simply blocking out everything else and concentrating on a single thing/issue in an attempt to better understand it. In today's fast paced culture this practice is, to say the least, an anomaly.

People who have mastered the art of meditation are noticeably more peaceful, understanding, and often more intelligent. My goal is to start taking time to slow down and really think about what I encounter in life. I want to begin learning more and really taking things in. Anybody with me?

50. Big Decisions. Life Changes.

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 03:42:00 +0000

Off I Go... (also a great song: click here)

Today, March 14, marks the halfway point of this journey to become a better man. In the last 50 days, I know that I have grown more than in the 5 months prior. As many of you know, the year that I had before beginning this project was extremely difficult. I'd been let down in more ways than I can name and at one point I lost all confidence in myself. That's part of what inspired all of this. I needed to prove to myself that I am better man than some were telling others. I also needed to prove to myself that I could become better than was. Today, halfway through the experiment, I see in the mirror a good man about to embark on another great adventure.

It seems fitting that today would be the day that I get confirmation on some big changes that are about to happen in my life. My friends, I'm preparing to once again pack up all of my belongings and drive across the country to a new home. There are a number of reasons that I'm going, but the simple answer boils down to this: despite any fears that I may have, I know that this is what is right.

After wrestling over it for some time, I have made a decision and taken care of the details. I got confirmation from my new landlord today. In a couple weeks time I'll be leaving Florida and moving to my new home in Kansas City. There are some great people out there that I'm looking forward to entering into community with.

Gift #50: The courage to make huge life changes. Changes that are needed.

My challenge to you: Is there anything that you know you need to do in your life? Don't make the decision lightly, but don't neglect a change that you should make. Don't put yourself in the way of becoming the person you are supposed to be. All I ask is that you seriously think about it. You'll be glad you did.

49. Prayer - More Meaning, Fewer Words

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 03:14:00 +0000

When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart.
   - John Bunyan, author, The Pilgrim's Progress

God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.
   - Mother Teresa, nun, missionary, amazing woman

There come times when I have nothing more to tell God. If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said. At such times it is wonderful to say to God, "May I be in Thy presence, Lord? I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence.
   - O. Hallesby, priest, fervent Nazi opposer

I just spent an hour and a half writing a long post on my need to pray more, and to learn to pray more effectively. After seeing these quotes, my words seemed feeble. Today I am learning to pray more effectively by learning to listen to God more than I speak.

And that's all I have to say about that.

48. Early to Bed, Early to Rise...

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 02:24:00 +0000

This reminds me of elementary
school. I've no idea why.

...makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise? Ben Franklin seemed to think so. So does the U.S. military - and I don't think anyone would argue that that soldiers do more than most of us. But here's the thing: Winston Churchill is one of my highest role models, not Franklin. Churchill was a night owl, often staying up until 4am and sleeping until noon. Despite his sleeping patterns he lead Britain through WWII. I'm also a fan of Mark Twain. He said, "Put no trust in the benefits to accrue from early rising, as set forth by the infatuated Franklin..." So, who's right? My conclusion is both - because a sleeping schedule isn't the real issue.

A few days ago my friend wrote a post describing everything she'd been able to accomplish since she'd starting waking early. I was, to say the least, impressed. Thus my sparked interest in rising early. But when I began to really think about it, I realized that it was not really sleep schedule that Franklin, Churchill, or even my friend had mastered. It was what they did with the time that they were awake.

Some people are naturally night owls and function better that way. I tend to ascribe to Churchill's methods, and am often awake until just before sunrise. However I'm not accomplishing nearly as much as I could. This may be because there aren't many others awake in the middle of the night, but I have a feeling it's more to do with my mindset. At 10pm, I may still have another eight solid waking hours ahead of me, but my brain tells me the day is over. Following this logic, by sleeping through the morning a person effectively loses half the day. No bueno.

I love my late nights, but I want to be more productive. I'm going to start a challenge I received to begin rising early. It will probably take me awhile to get my days and nights turned back around, so I figure this should be a long term challenge. I'll do it for at least 4 months, and then evaluate my productivity. Within a few weeks, I hope to be rising at 6am every day rather than finally falling asleep. We'll see how it goes.

What have you done to help with early rising?

47. Consistent Bible Reading

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:03:00 +0000

A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.
- Theodore Roosevelt

I have a confession to make. I don't read my bible nearly as much as I should. I use the busyness of life, specifically my college classes, as an excuse for my lack of dedication to studying the bible. I do make an effort to read Proverbs each day, but that's a very minimal effort when compared to the vastness of God's Word. Today I came across this quote from Theodore Roosevelt (one of my favorite men) and was convicted. There is no reason for me to value my college education over the richness of knowledge and wisdom contained in the pages of the bible.

For today's gift, I'm making an effort to read my bible every day. Here is where I need your help: I've yet to find a bible reading plan that I have been able to stick to. I know that I need dedication on my part to do it, but I'm also wondering what resources you have found that may help me. Do you know of any reading plans that are realistic to follow?

46. Choosing a Good Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:50:00 +0000

There are some things in life that are just absolutely necessary. One of these things is underwear, and I needed more. Time to go shopping. I drove up and down the aisles trying to find an empty space, growing more frustrated by the moment. When I finally did I whipped my car in and turned the key toward me. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I took a breath and just sat watching. People were zipping by in their fast little cars while talking on their phones and hastily eating their paper wrapped lunches. Customers streamed from the building with their bags full of goodies. New arrivals darted to the doors to take their place inside. I'd been to this mall many times before, but had never liked it. Or any mall for that matter. Too many people. As I watched I couldn't help but notice that all of these people looked stressed and angry. That is, all except one.

My eyes fell on a young child, probably about 4 years old. He was looking around happily while his mom got his sister out of her car seat. "Jimmy, stay right here. Keep your hand on the car!" Her voice was strained and it was obvious that the car seat straps were giving her trouble. "O.K. Momma," came the high pitched reply.

He then took a death-defying leap to close the 10 inch gap between him and the vehicle and grabbed the door handle while laughing at his own antics. I couldn't help smiling, but then quickly looked around to scope out my surroundings. I wanted to make sure no one thought I was a creepy guy stalking a kid. Yes ladies, unfortunately we've come to a point where this is something that decent, good men have to worry about whenever they are around kids they don't know.

Suddenly there was a loud rumbling and his face lit up. Four F-15 jets screamed across the sky as they moved toward the air force base just a few miles away. Jimmy started jumping up and down in excitement trying to get his mother's attention, but she refused to look up. She wasn’t the only one too busy to notice what had captured the boy’s attention. I looked around to see that Jimmy and I were the only ones with our eyes toward the sky. Everyone else was so consumed with their own stresses to pull away for anything else.

That's when I began to wonder. Would I have given regard to the jets if I hadn't made an active decision to pause and take a breath? Just minutes earlier I'd arrived at the mall tense and anxious about what other stresses I might accumulate around all these other people. I find it extremely easy to become overwhelmed and focus on immediate troubles. I can't imagine that others are much different.

I lingered in my car for some time after Jimmy and his mom disappeared into the mall doors. I thought about the perspective that most of us carry through life. The perspective that what we are doing or concerned about that moment is extremely important. So many times this just isn't true. I sincerely regret how many times I've stressed myself out over situations that ended up working themselves out with little to no help from me. This doesn't mean that we can ignore the realities of life. But it's ridiculous to sit in a crowded parking lot frustrated over a need for underwear.

Gift 49 is this: from here forward I am going to make an active effort to keep a good perspective on circumstances. Stressing out doesn't really help anyone, anyway.

45. A Woman's Words

noreply@blogger.com (White) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:17:00 +0000

I walked through the door, textbooks in tow, and was met with the unmistakable scent of slightly burnt coffee beans. Three women sat giggling in the corner and speaking in hushed whispers. It struck me odd that women in their mid-twenties would act like teenagers. I must have allowed my confused gaze to linger long enough for them to notice. They quickly sipped their lattes and resumed looking around the room. One of them appeared to be throwing furtive glances my way as I requested my cappuccino. She was cute, but I wasn't interested. I was on a mission that certainly didn't include beginning a career searching for women in coffee shops.

The table nearest them was the only one open. Sitting with my back to them, I put in my headphones and furiously began typing notes while the monotone voice of my professor invaded my ears. I fell into some academic trance and everything else faded. I was completing my homework like a mad man! Everything was going great and I was sincerely pleased with myself. The first lecture ended and the sounds of the coffee shop reappeared.

I could hear the lowered voices of the ladies behind me as they commented on the other people in the room. It took me only a moment to realize that they were only commenting on the men.

"What about this guy right in front of us? He's kinda cute."
I glanced at the window and caught their reflection. Their commentary was now focused on me. Curiosity piqued, I left my earbuds in and neglected to start the next lesson. Perhaps this was slightly deceitful, but it isn't very often (if ever) that a man gets to hear a women's honest opinion of his appearance.
"Who? The guy whose face I can't see?" Her friend apparently hadn't gotten as good of a look at me before.
"Yeah, this guy with the headphones in. We saw him when he came in, remember?"
"Oh yeah. Well, I guess he was okay," came the disinterested reply.
"Just okay? Hmm. Yeah, you're right. He's cute, but nothing special. Pretty forgettable."
The third friend chimed in, but only to change the subject. "What about that barista? He's hot!"

At this point, I just stopped listening. I was uncertain how to feel. Bothered? Angry? Disappointed? Insecure? Objectified? I didn't know these women so I shouldn't let their words affect me. But still, nothing deflates someone's ego like hearing they are forgettable. Sure they were only talking about my appearance and not my personality, but guys like to be thought of as attractive too. I mean, The Elephant Man may have had a great heart but the comments on his appearance did nothing to help. I'm not horribly disfigured, but the latter part of that sentence sticks in my head.

I sincerely believe that if those ladies knew I could hear them, they would not have said what they did. Why else would they have been whispering? They were careless words that hurt, but I don't think they wanted me to hear them. But that doesn't make it right. Ironically, in many ways I am grateful they they said them. It made me think.

There are many times that I have said things in confidence about someone that I wouldn't want that person to hear. That's just wrong, and I'm sorry I've done it. Today, these women reminded me of that. And I've decided not to do that anymore.