More on satellite radio, iPhone, podcasts and social networking sites

I've been listening to a free trial of XM Radio in our Honda Element during my 60 minute commute. I appreciate the variety and range of easy access music that gives me ideas for worship services and sermons. I've learned of a few more new bands I to whom I wish to give a deeper listen. But it's still not worth $13-14 per month.

My iPhone is the free link to a much broader spectrum than XM radio. I have Pandora and CBC Radio free apps on my iPhone--and I'm sure I could find more. Since I've expanded my contacts on Twitter to more music-related forums--I know I can dig around my Twitter contacts for ideas for music. I am not at a loss for expanding my musical universe. And there's always the good folks I know at Trade Root Music who can fill me in on great music ideas. I will not be at a loss for music once the XM trial expires in March. Thank goodness XM doesn't have a credit card number for me anymore to renew me without permission.

Satellite Radio vs. Podcasts

During my days of driving the back roads of South Dakota, satellite radio was almost a necessity. In 2003, my cassette player and radio broke down in my 1992 Honda Accord with well over 200K miles. I remember some drives I could pick up 1-2 stations if I was lucky--a Jesus station and a bad country station. I could get NPR news and talk in the morning, but I could only listen to so much classical or jazz music. If I was meeting colleagues in the more desolate areas of the state, I wouldn't get any stations at all. I saved up a little money and took the plunge into satellite radio, which was the wave of the future at the time.

I loved satellite radio so much my brothers and I bought my father one for Christmas one year. I bought and set up satellite radio outlets in my house. Depending on contracts and mergers, it was the best way I could listen to Seahawks, Mariners, Oilers and Kansas Jayhawk games on the radio in the hinterlands of South Dakota, where the Big 10, Vikings, Twins and Wild ruled. I listened to the CBC often in the morning in between sporting events and I had better reception for good college radio music, without the faint signal of an actual college station. The service was well worth the 11 dollars a month I was paying. I had every media outlet I could ever want, and I wasn't tied to a television--so I could multi-task on some of my lower mentally engaging activities. With my long commute, I was engaged and had some good thinking time before arriving at home or at work.

Satellite radio was one of the first services to go when my dear wife and I started to be more sensible and cautious with our money. I missed it a lot, but my iPod and the expanding world of podcasts began to fill the gaps. I didn't have to pay for the podcasts. In canceling my service with XM, I was to receive a refund. I never received it after several inquiries into my account, and I gave up, learning a lesson about satellite radio that cost me about $142.

It turns out that XM/Sirius is quite desperate to get some customers back. I received a letter that my service was reactivated for 3 month--Free. Ha.

Sorting through my piles, I found the documents that pointed to my sizable refund. I called XM and asked them, what gives? You're offering me 3 free months when you didn't offer any customer service with integrity? I was on the precipice of giving up on satellite radio for good, and after 2 agents, I found someone who promised me a check, rather than a credit to my account (I was open to a credit, but I'll take a check).

I agree with Bill Simmons that satellite radio lost its niche with a younger generation when the podcast world expanded. The only folks I see using their satellite radio are elderly folks who purchase higher end new vehicles. This observation is completely subjective and anecdotal, but I hear little if any buzz about satellite radio. I am at least somewhat media savvy.

I think satellite radio is going in the tank. Why would I want to pay approximately $14 per month for a good product when I can get a better product for free on my iPod? Or pay less than than a satellite subscription for equal or better content via iTunes? I control the content on my iPod, whereas XM/Sirius controls the content on their end. What I have appreciated about satellite radio over the years on the music level is that I am introduced to music I may not have considered otherwise. However, as I have become reengaged with media after a little hiatus as a stay at home dad (with my iPhone and Twitter and a little with iLike) I still don't need satellite radio to expand my musical palette. I turned on my satellite radio for three free months, but spending 14 dollars a month for good content isn't a necessary expenditure and borderline foolish.

If anyone else has a satellite radio story, I would love to read about it.

Waiting for Klosterman

I have a short list of authors whose books (in various genres) I would buy soon after release, in hardcover, and possibly at regular price (but with Amazon, this is foolish).

1. Chuck Klosterman
2. Douglas Coupland
3. Bill Bryson
4. James Wellman
5. Nancy Ammerman

Klosterman makes great appearances on Bill Simmons' B.S. Report Podcast at ESPN.com. Pastors generally don't get into weddings, but I would have loved to officiate at Klosterman's wedding. He tells about the event in his October B.S. Report podcast interview. My favorite part was the music at the reception done by an ELO tribute band. That would have been AMAZING. If money was no expense, I imagine that my wife might have enjoyed an ABBA tribute band at our wedding reception, maybe someone like Bjorn Again. I'm considering taking her to one of their shows in the Puget Sound region.

I ordered Klosterman's new release Eating The Dinosaur and should cruise through it in a few days, probably wanting more, and wishing Klosterman would blog, tweet, something. He has great material, but my voracious web appetite leaves my expectations too high, thus he is able to get me to buy a hardcover copy of his book. Nice move on Chuck's part, he can get people to pay for his content, while Bill Simmons writes about stuff I can't care about anymore, the NBA. I hope he enjoys his book tour--at least he stuck up for the Seattle Sonics.

Enjoying Google Chrome

In office exile I have been relegated to using a PC again, to which I end up having to ask questions of the resident computer expert to get basic things figured out. Forget intuition and learning things on my own, I am stuck with this computer.

My oasis has involved installing Google Chrome as my default web browser. This is the first time on a PC I've felt like I have a Mac-like interface with intuitive movement on the computer. It's interesting working with Microsoft products that sputter, lock and frustrate. This is not to say that I am never frustrated with my Mac, but we are able to resolve our issues together 95 percent of the time. With Microsoft, I usually need a mediator.

I am a Mac, and I believe in direct communication.

Thank you, Google for making a fine browser for me to survive the PC world.

Expanded mass transit in Seattle--a long time coming

Pacific Northwesterners are an interesting lot. Many are passionate about the environment and social justice, yet they have this independent, pioneering and entrepreneurial streak that holds enough suspicion about taxes to keep things in check.

Seattle is probably one of the last major cities to implement some sort of rail component to their mass transit system. My Granddad was against it, as were many Seattle area residents. I think some of them were scared off by the Seattle Center Monorail--a space age transport idea back in the 1960's that became a bit of a money pit and had low ridership.

After living in Washington D.C. and Copenhagen, and taking other rail systems as a tourist (London, Oslo, Munich, Stockholm, Edmonton, Chicago) I came to love mass transit. I appreciate minimizing parking and traffic headaches, and giving me an opportunity to read and think before I arrived to work. Is there a little less freedom on the rail? Sure, but for me the pros outweigh the cons. After many crazy drives into downtown Seattle in my lifetime, I was giddy with excitement about getting on the Central Link, dropping off the car and taking my girls and visitors on the rail ride into Seattle. My girls loved the trip and what they saw--they weren't the only ones excited--a slew of children shouted with glee over every little pass: "Wow! The Beacon Hill tunnel!" I didn't think that part was so exciting, but I was happy for them.

We got off the train, walked calmly into a restaurant, and enjoyed a nice lunch with minimal stress to begin our day in Seattle. Is Central Link a perfect set up? No--I think there should be more parking available near stops--I also miss some of the vendors near the stops as in other systems. In the end, I was pleased, and I'm looking forward to my next ride on the rail--Seattle opportunities feel that much closer and reasonable.

Sparse posting in August

August is shaping up to be a fun month, and without a fabulous smartphone in my possession, vacation will keep me from posting at my new normal pace.

On the docket for August:

+ An anniversary celebration with my dear wife--although that anniversary is in September, with employment on the horizon, we thought this was a better time to do it while I'm not working. Congregational service has killed our getaways before, most namely, tickets to see RENT in Milwaukee. We are going to enjoy a seafood meal, with a nice suite and a trip to Washington wine country.

+ A trip to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. I've wanted to go here for years, but our trips back to the Pacific Northwest have never afforded us the time to go outside of visiting family and friends. Now that we live here, it's time to check it out. We rented a vacation home in Sunriver, Oregon. I'm thrilled with the possibilities.

+ A family gathering to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary and their birthdays on the Pacific Ocean for a few days. We haven't had a family gathering like this outside of a birth for years. We're looking forward to watching the kids frolic in the ocean and go back to some days of taking our beach vacation on the cool, windy and overcast beach. My kind of beach--though it could be sunny and warm, the odds are low that it will be blazing hot. Pacific Northwest beach fun is my kind of beach fun. It's usually around 15-20 degrees cooler on the coast in the summer than the Seattle metro.

I will bring some photos and reflections back with me, and report it the old-fashioned way--not in real time. I hope you have some peaceful days in August as well.

Facebook and Tribes

Yesterday I received a good comment about another Seth Godin work Tribes. Not having read the book (hopefully I can find it at the library), and surmising yesterday's comment I thought about my own tribes: the only tribes I have are related to home. One is my dear wife and girls, the other is my parents and brothers. Outside of those tribes, I have friends, but those friendships aren't necessarily part of a tribe.

I am thankful for the tribes I have, I can't make a value judgment about not having other tribes--it's not something I can control at this point in my life. To what do I attribute few tribes? A series of transitions and moving.

1. We didn't move a lot when I was a child, but the times we did move and when I changed schools significantly altered my friendship communities. I attended one school from grades K-1, then another school when I was placed in a new school district program from grade 2-6. The program involved kids from all over the district, bussed in from many neighborhoods all over the district. I saw different kids in sports, in my neighborhood, at school, at church. In middle school I continued in the school district program, but later withdrew over conflicts with teachers. I also discovered my family was moving 60 miles away, and I wanted to spend more time with another tribe outside the district program.

2. After moving, my family stayed in the new town much longer than I did. I lived there 4 years. I think my parents were there 14 years or so, and my brothers went to elementary, middle and high school in that town--they are much more tribe-oriented to that town and their friends than I am.

3. My higher education from 1988 to 2003 involved several institutions:

University of Kansas
South Puget Sound Community College
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Luther Seminary
Catholic University of America
Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg
Wesley Seminary
South Dakota State University

I stayed the longest at Luther Seminary (a little over 3 years), but I began my program in the middle of the academic year, then switched classes after I was engaged to my dear wife. She started in the class after me--so I graduated with her class. I have friends from some of these institutions, but not a tribe.

4. During my ordained ministry, I have never served in a congregation or town more than approximately 2.5 years. While serving as an interim pastor, there's always been a distinct distance from groups that I encounter in congregational life. I think it's the nature of my vocational demographic, the moving around I do, and the nature of the interim pastor role. Though I have made some friends along the way, nothing has formed for me that resembles a tribe. My dear wife has tribes from our time in South Dakota--she benefited from staying in one congregation and the established connections from her time as an undergraduate student in South Dakota. My vocational path and location hasn't lent itself to tribal formation.

5. As I reflect on the Facebook invitations I have received, some appear to be about friend accumulation, some are about a fringe tribe welcoming, some I don't understand the motivation. In tribe speak, my response is: "not my tribe." In family system speak, the question is, "is this of self or is this not of self?" The answer is "not of self."

I don't need Facebook to communicate with my dear wife, my daughters, my diasporic friendships, my parents, or my brothers. It makes sense that effective communication among tribes can be enhanced by Facebook. I will probably read Godin's book to better understand tribal behavior in the congregations and communities I serve. Thanks to yesterday's responder for providing good reflection for me today.

Something sane and intelligent about Facebook and blogging

Approximately 5 invitations to Facebook came to my inbox in the month of July--pushing my total in my life to around 12-15 (although in previous posts I made it appear that I get 12-15 invitations a day--pure hyperbole). I have not joined Facebook, and I rant about Facebook every so often. A summation of my theories on Facebook to this point:

1. Facebook is a time suck.
2. Facebook reminds me too much of a high school dance.
3. Facebook could be useful when I move back into the working-outside-the-home world.

I've been passively searching for some healthy analysis about Facebook usage that doesn't come from somebody who wants me to come to the high school dance.

A recent post by media and marketing guru Seth Godin helped me make a step toward clarity about Facebook. If you haven't read or listened to Godin, I recommend him as time well invested, especially these brief YouTube videos.

I am not a business-type person, but Godin's astute commentary on technology and public life offers me more wisdom than most theologians on these topics. I'm sure business types have been reading Godin for years. I found an audio book of Godin's about "The Idea Virus" on a closeout book scrap heap at an outlet mall while driving cross-country a few years ago. I troll for this kind of stuff when I have a long drive ahead of me. Sometimes it's a waste of 3-5 dollars, but Godin was a home run. Godin is refreshing because I grow weary of societal critique at times, especially in my line of work. Godin offers descriptive analyses that drives a reader toward deeper thought. Godin is no Luddite, but he essentially calls Facebook wasted time unless it becomes an avenue for deeper interaction--and his credibility behind his statements on Facebook have few rivals.

In one of the YouTube posts today from Godin's blog, Tom Peters also offers some good thoughts about blogs, which has led me to reflect on what I will do with blogging in the future. Peters calls it one of the most important thing he does in his professional life--something Godin affirms as a powerful opportunity to refine thought processes. I affirm those thoughts, something that I would have said when I started blogging regularly, though not as eloquently. Considering Godin's and Peters' statements, I have found several warnings about blogging that a blog could be held against people, especially in academics, a field in which I hope to find myself in the next few years. I have recently pondered that my blog needs a change, though I can't put my finger on it. Godin and Peters gave me worthwhile reflection points.

Album Rock, Continued

The more I think about the topic of "album rock," and figure out if I had to take 10 CD's on a cross country road trip, which ones would I take? A few factors to consider:

1. I can only think of a few reasons that I would take CD's on a road trip: a) something in the mp3 circle of life is out of order, b)surveying the equipment available on the trip, CD's would be the way to go. Therefore, the CD discussion is nearly obsolete.

2. The concept of album craft appears nearly obsolete. This is not to say that vinyl is obsolete--vinyl can be a better sound than digital in some cases. In addition, the graphic art associated with CD releases is not dead because of the development of mp3 software. Putting together songs on an album/CD release in the album craft art is nearly obsolete.

3. What does the development of mp3 music culture say about music choice? Or choice in general? The amount of choice available occasionally boggles my mind when I ponder its magnitude. Though mp3 platforms like iTunes have been good in the past in separating me from my money by giving me song samples, reviews and free songs, I find that the magnitude of choice sometimes paralyzes me in spending money on music. Considering the Frugal Rule, this is a good development. I consider this paralysis of choice a bad development because I miss out on some hidden gems of music.

Back to the list of choice CD's--I only dealt with the scenario of a cross country trip with a little music once. I drove from Southern California to the Puget Sound region with a high school friend in 1989 in his olive green 1975(?) Dodge Charger. Our music choices were limited, but I remember we had 4 cassettes:

Boston-Boston
Boston-Third Stage
Alabama-Greatest Hits
Bobby Brown-Don't Be Cruel

I don't listen to any of these CD's with any frequency anymore, let alone any of the songs (except I had a little reunion with Bobby Brown's "Every Little Step," several months ago. After following a little bit of Brown's career and life path--this is really a song glorifying stalking. A bit creepy.), but we survived and enjoyed singing some of the songs repeatedly.

Because the legitimacy of the cross country CD question is just about dead in an era of choice and mp3's, I don't need to drag out this question any longer. My 10 cd's for the trip (in no particular order):

Great Big Sea--The Hard and the Easy
Whiskeytown--Strangers Almanac
Rush--Moving Pictures
Jason Falkner--Bliss Descending
Alison Krauss + Union Station--New Favorite
James Taylor--One Man Dog
Barenaked Ladies--Gordon
Lloyd Cole--Love Story
Bach--Brandenburg Concertos 1-6
R.E.M.--Life's Rich Pageant

I needed a little classic rock, a little power pop, a little rockin' country, a variety of singable songs at all volumes, music where I don't have to sing, some distinctly ethnic identity music, some songs to make me think and songs to lead to prayer. It may not be the best list, but it's one with which I can live for 1-7 days of driving. It's also a list where there's plenty of songs that my dear wife would enjoy, though we might put together a rule that we each get to choose 5 CD's.

Okay now, I think I'm done with this topic.

Distinguishing personal and professional use of Facebook: is it all the same? What are the implications for religious communities?

My resistance to personally using Facebook and Twitter remains resolute. A recent conversation with my brother confirmed my intuition when he said, "it's a big time suck." My lack of participation in the technology itself does not mean I am not paying attention to its affect on communication. I do not proclaim it's potential for usefulness, especially in the Church.

The New York Times recently ran a story about the big three world religions and social networking sites as did The Christian Century on a more limited scope. I intimately know that the Church by enlarge is coming to social networking sites more out of desperation for survival than out of place of building community, though it's quite possible that congregations may learn something in the process if they are willing to give this form of community building a try. As I continue pondering my return to the working outside the home world and moving into full-time ministry I wonder about using social networking sites in order to solidify some of the messages for ministry? With a semi-anonymous blog I know that a few people take a passing interest in what I write. If I am more intentional about presenting opportunities for Christian community through a congregation I serve, would I be foolish to maintain a resistance to Twitter and Facebook? On a personal level, I have no desire for "reunions" or collecting "friends," or fitting in to a particular group. I am also open to making new friendships, but I'm not going to dredge Facebook to do this on a personal level. The professional/vocational scope makes sense, however, and understanding Christian public leadership in light of these technologies will be important. I am glad the Christian Century took on this topic, and I hope this isn't the only time. I am curious about the commentary, especially to gawk at the Luddites.

Or maybe I'm a neo-Luddite being gawked at...

A word I enjoy, and why I enjoy the Seattle Mariners Baseball Club

When I lived in South Dakota, on sweltering summer days I would saunter to the backyard while the girls splashed around in the plastic pool (aka, The Beach). I didn't think there was a lake or swimming hole worth the travel in South Dakota, so we hung out at "The Beach," and looked forward to hanging out with our neighbors--sharing a beer, some barbecued shrimp, and a fire later in the evening with a cocktail. If we weren't hanging out with our neighbors, I would take my laptop outside and listen to the Mariners, while Dave Niehaus hosted the girls and me like he was our uncle. It didn't matter how good the team was, but it added a little excitement when they played well. I learned this leisurely summer practice from my father--Niehaus painting the story of the game while Dad pulled weeds and my brothers and I explored and played outside, sometimes crafting our own Mariners game through the magic of wiffle ball.

Mariners and baseball games in general give shape to the summer--storytelling by Niehaus, learning the characters/players of the game, excitement and disappointment, and statistics to solidify observations about heroes. I would listen regardless of the state of the team, but this year's edition of the Mariners is enjoyable because they are a plucky team. Back in the PNW, I now have more media outlets with which to enjoy the Mariners--TV, radio, and on the computer if necessary. Playing in the hallowed walls of Fenway Park in Boston--where legends and passion are cultivated, and history wafts in the smells of the park (I'm not exaggerating, it's a pilgrimage), the Mariners played with no fear. They have less talent than the boys from Boston, but the stars (Felix Hernandez) played well and the apprentices stayed focused, and contributed, all the way down to the mediocre stick of Ronny Cedeno. This team is so much better planned and crafted than in recent years. Thank you, Jack Zduriencik, for building this team with a plan. Thanks, Don Wakamatsu, for being a good steward of these baseball resources (I appreciate your style). I'm having that much better of a time with my family this summer already. Keep it going. Stay plucky.

A sad realization: web browsing with Safari 4 (my first meager attempt to comment on tech)

I generally appreciate Apple products--their interface, their functionality, their ease of use. I strongly dislike Safari 4, mainly because I can't use it--it feels like I'm partying on my computer like it's 1999. That is, I'm waiting for what seems like minutes to get into the browser. Even when I get into it, eons elapse before I can navigate anywhere.

Granted, my Mac Mini is going on 4 years old--filled with music, pictures and software. I thought I was doomed to buying more hard drive space or, perish the thought, a new computer (not possible on the Frugal Rule right now). My back up option for web sites that don't want to work with Safari has been Firefox for about 3 years. Firefox opens and navigates quickly and is now my first choice for browser over Safari for the first time since I left Internet Explorer around 2003. The difference was negligible with Safari 3, but it's a huge difference now. I'm not sure why Safari performance on my Mini has slipped so much--did Mozilla do better work or is Apple with Safari dealing with its Apple Luddites?

Though I haven't investigated much, some find hangups with Safari 4, but with Apple prices coming down so much, maybe I will remain behind the times longer until I can save enough money for the Apple power I want. I am not willing to sell my soul for something that will be cutting edge for 2 weeks. My relationship with Apple is not in jeopardy--I began my relationship with Apple around 1980 at computer camp in Seattle, where I sat around writing simple programs with an Apple computer and printing things on a dot matrix printer. Talk about brand loyalty, I came home and got my hands on a computer whenever I could. When I couldn't do that, I made computers out of cardboard boxes my Dad brought home from Albertson's.

I'm disappointed with Apple because I've never been disappointed with anything Apple. They've had me for almost 30 years (You had me at 'Hello!'). It would take a lot to lose me, especially after that ghastly 2-year relationship with a PC.