Category Archives: Life

A New Day and a New Month

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It’s almost been a month since I posted. I know, I’ve been a slacker. The month of April was definitely a hectic one. Nevertheless, I am glad it is May. As I reflect back over the last few months I have realized just how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday that it was January and it was a new year. Now 2009 is almost half over. Is it just me or is that crazy!?! It’s awesome to think about the future, but it is also scary to think that the days we live will never be lived again. It will never ever be May 5, 2009 ever again, except for today. Time is definitely a precious thing.

The reality of time has been fresh in my mind lately, mainly because one of my friends past away last week. It was a rough week and hard to deal with. It reminded me just how precious life is and why it’s so important to live life to the full. Lately I feel like I’ve just been going through the motions and approaching each day as a task to accomplish. Yet each day is a gift from God that we must choose to cherish. I feel that too often I miss out on this gift, and instead focus on things that are not important. Oh that we would live life to the full!

At the first of the year I posted some of my goals and have personally themed this year EXCEL. So far, there are areas where I’ve done well in, while others not so much. I have a tendency to beat myself up at times if I don’t feel like I’m meeting expectations, but with these goals I have been way more optimistic than I usually am. But my desire is not to accomplish a lot and be successful. My ultimate desire is to live life to the full and seek to excel in everything that I do. When I say excel, I simply mean to give everything I got in everything that I do. I want to look back on the day and say that I gave it 100%, from the smallest of things to the biggest. I fail at this and make mistakes constantly, but there is comfort in knowing that, on this journey called life, I am trying my hardest to be the person God has created me to be.

So tomorrow is a new day and honestly I am excited about the month of May. On Thursday I get to join with others to celebrate the life an incredible guy who experience the amazing redemption of Jesus Christ. Though there will be some painful moments, I know that it will be a time of joy [he is in a better place!]. Also, later this month on the 17th I will compete in my very first triathlon…FINALLY! I’m registering tomorrow and I’m so excited! A week after that I will be heading to Indianapolis to experience the Indy 500 for the first time. I can’t even tell you how thrilled I am about that! On top of that, I get to live and work and spend time with incredible people everyday. I am so thankful for the family and friends that God has blessed me with. I definitely have nothing to complain about. God is good and he is worthy to be praised in everything. What an awesome gift we’ve been given – this gift called life. May we live it to the full and spend every single day loving God and loving others.

John 10:9-10
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Why They’re My Favorite Band…

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Coldplay was recently featured in an interview with Steve Kroft on 60 minutes. You can check it out here. I love me some Coldplay!

I really appreciate the humility, determination, and work ethnic this band has. They aren’t out there to be the “greatest band in the world.” They are just doing the very best they can with what they have. Here are some quotes from Chris Martin that were inspiring to me.

“We rely more on enthusiasm than actual skill…Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically and people will like it more.”

“I can’t dance like usher, I can’t sing like Beyonce, I can’t write songs like Elton John. But we can do the best we can with what we’ve got…so that’s what we do. We just go for it.”

Kroft comments that before the end of their tour they will have played before 3 million people, but you wouldn’t know it from talking to them. Je found them modest and self effacing. He says:

“You won’t catch this band in tight leather pants or snorting drugs off the back of a stripper. The British press often rags on them for being too earnest and boring. They are extremely consciences, dedicated to their music, and leave a small carbon imprint. They all share equally in the profits…”

What is more, the band has certain rules that they abide by when making new music/albums. This is incredibly fascinating and just awesome! You can see them in the interview and I also found them on a website:

1. ALBUMS MUST BE NO LONGER THAN 42 MINUTES, OR 9 TRACKS.
2. PRODUCTION MUST BE AMAZING, RICH, BUT WITH SPACE, NOT OVERLAYORED, LESS TRACKS, MORE QUALITY. GROOVE AND SWING. Drums/Rhythm are the most crucial thing to concentrate on; diff. between bittersweet and science of silence
3. COMPUTERS ARE INSTRUMENTS, NOT RECORDING AIDS.
4. IMAGERY MUST BE CLASSIC, COLOURFUL, AND DIFFERENT. COME BACK IN GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOUR.
5. MAKE SURE VIDEOS AND PICTURES ARE GREAT BEFORE SETTING RELEASE DATE. And highly original.
6. PLEASE KEEP MYSTERY. Not many interviews.
7. GROOVE AND SWING. RHYTHM AND SOUNDS MUST ALWAYS BE AS ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE. Once jon has melody, twist it and weird it sonical.
8. Promo/review copies to be on vinyl. Stops copying problem. Sounds and looks better.
9. Jaqueline sabriado, ns p cc, face forward
10. Think about what to do with charity account. Set up something small but really enabling and constructive. Ref; j oliver fifteen

Totally Impressed

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Recently I had two pieces of electronics go bad on me – my macbook laptop screen and my Xbox 360. On my 360 I received the infamous “red ring of death.” After making Apple and Xbox (division of Microsoft) aware of my problem they immediately starting the process of helping me with a solution.

For my mac, there was some sort of crack on the inside of my screen. I called Apple and made an appointment with the Genius bar at the nearest Apple store. When I arrived to my appointment I was pleased to see 60″ screens on the back wall letting everyone know that “Jared U.” was the next customer to be helped. Someone got right to me and took a look at my laptop. After the technician inspected it, he determined that the crack was not covered under the warranty. This was seemingly bad news since I paid for a three year warranty. However, after a manager was told about it, he intervened and assured me that it was indeed covered. In the whole process I was treated very well. Apple made it easy and when I received my laptop back in a short four days, they completely replaced the whole interior of the laptop. A new keyboard, all new plastic parts, and a brand new shiny screen. Way to go Apple!

For my Xbox, I searched online to find a number to call and inquire about the “red ring.” Turns out that they have an online service request form that is quick and easy. After determining that I would have to send my Xbox out to get fixed, they gave me three options: 1) print out a shipping label, 2) have them send me a shipping label, or 3) have them ship me a box that has a shipping label with it. This blew me away. I opted for option 3 and four days later I received a box with a plastic bag for the Xbox, foam to keep it safe, a shipping label, and even a strip of packing tape! It doesn’t get easier than that. All I had to do is drop it off to a UPS store and wait about two weeks. I dropped it off two days ago, so I’ll see if it continues to be a great experience. So far I am completely impressed. Way to go Xbox!

Highlights of 2008

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I got to do some cool stuff in 2008. Here are some favorites…

Travel:

- in February visited my friend JJ in LA
- in March I lead a mission trip to Salamanca, Spain
- in April the 3F team went to New York for the Q Conference
- in July I visited friends on Nantucket Island and spent a few days in Boston
- in November I visited my Grandma in Boise, ID which is where I grew up

Favorite Books:

- Lone Survivor by Marcus Lutrell
- The Shack by William P. Young
- Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell
- Following Jesus by NT Wright

Favorite Movies:

- The Dark Knight
- James Bond: Quantum of Solace
- Ironman
- 21
- Get Smart
- Valkyrie
- The Spirit – NOT!