RSS Feeds

Tired of checking into my blog or other people's blogs only to discover no new posts or content?

This is a quick not for you readers that don't know about RSS, (I know you exist). It'll save you from loading up a blog only to discover you have read all the posts and it'll save me from feeling like I have to post every other day.

Thanks www.whatisrss.com for the following info...

What is RSS?

RSS (Rich Site Summary) is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. Many news-related sites, blogs and other online publishers syndicate their content as an RSS Feed to whoever wants it.

Benefits and Reasons for using RSS?

RSS solves a problem for people who regularly use the web. It allows you to easily stay informed by retrieving the latest content from the sites you are interested in. You save time by not needing to visit each site individually. You ensure your privacy, by not needing to join each site's email newsletter. The number of sites offering RSS feeds is growing rapidly and includes big names like Yahoo News.

Basically, (if you are using Explorer), all you have to do is click on the RSS icon, (see picture below), on the right hand side of the browser window between the home icon and the print icon.

Then all you have to do is click 'subscribe to this feed' in the yellow box.

You will now discover that my blog is added to your list of feeds (between you list of favourites and history list). Rather than loading my blog or other blogs to check for new content you just click on your feeds list. Any websites / blogs etc with new content will be in bold.

Simple as that...

Reading for a Change

James Macpherson recently posted some great thoughts on reading for a change. You can read the full post here. His main point was that as the bible warns, knowledge without application 'puffs' a person up, we must read to change. James suggested some thoughts to help you apply what you read...

1. Read with a pen.
Write all over the book, notes and thoughts etc, just make sure you own the book!
2. Talk with someone about what you are reading.
Discussion will help you process the information.
3. Make a list of immediate applications you can make to your life.
How could you live, act, respond, behave differently because of what you are reading? Practice a couple of those things straight away.
4. Read slowly.
5. Reread books.


I thought I would add a few things to the list that help me to get the most out of my reading. I try to read 52 books a year and want to make the most of the time I spend in a dust jacket.

6. Research the author.
Where possible find out a bit about the author before you read the book. Knowing a little bit more about the author can help you process and asses their thoughts on a particular subject more accurately. It might help you determine what weight to put on what they write. Tiger Woods' keys to church growth wouldn't carry as much weight with me compared to his keys for playing better golf. Reading takes time which is limited, especially with kids, so you want to read authors who know what they are talking about.

7. Learn to reflect.
This will lead into my next point. Reading for a change isn't just about taking in information. It is about taking in information and then reflecting on it and outworking it where appropriate. You have to take the time to work out what the information you have just read means to you and could mean to your world, job, organisation etc. What is applicable, a challenge, irrelevant, convicting etc etc.

8. Tick, cross, highlight and question mark.
I find the books I read are either about something I know only a little about but am wanting to learn, eg, The Only Wise God by William Lane Craig (a book about divine foreknowledge and things like that) or Boards that Make a Difference by John Carver (a book on policy driven boards and organisational governance). Or the book is about something I have a reasonable understanding of but want to increase my knowledge or skills in that area, eg, Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni (a book on staff and team meetings) or Strategies for Change by Lyle Scheller (a book about implementing organisational change). When it comes to a book about something I am reasonably familiar with I try to summarise either on paper or in my head my thoughts on that subject. Then as I read I tick what I agree with, cross what (after reflection) I just don't agree with, highlight new things I have learnt and can immediately see the merits of and finally question mark the issues the book raises that I need to look into more.

9. Read deep.
Most subjects can be broken down into smaller and smaller pieces. Take leadership for example, there are all sorts of subjects and skills that can fit under the category of leadership. Organisational leadership, team leadership, self leadership, leading through change, leading through transition, vision casting, running meetings, challenging the process, dealing with complexity, strategic planning, inter generational leadership etc etc. Don't just read general books about leadership, know in your mind what makes up that thing called 'leadership' and read deeper in those areas. General leadership books will only scratch the surface and after a few years in the leadership game may not actually add much to you as a leader. Books that go deeper into a particular subject or field though will help you immensely.

10. Read wide.
While you may focus your reading on particular subjects (do diverge from time to time though) read widely on your particular subject. Sticking with leadership, don't just read books on leadership by pastors. Read what sports people write, business people, academics, industry leaders, etc etc. You'll learn a lot by reading wide.

Alex the Kidd

At church the other day, our notices were themed to the classic Sega game Alex the Kidd. It inspired me to hunt around in the garage for my Sega Master System 2 and have another go at the game that brought so much joy as a child.

I had a blast playing the game again and clocked it on my second turn. What surprised me is that it only took me 54 minutes to clock it. The third and final time I played it I clocked it in 42 minutes and think I could even get it down to about 38 minutes if I tried again. I am sure that it took hours and hours as a kid just to get up to the blue castle?

I have just brought Wonder Boy and will now clock that just for the fun of it.

Here are a few of the games that I loved as a kid (20 years ago as a kid when I was 7, and also now as a kid at 27)...

Sega Master System 2
Alex the Kid, Wonder Boy, Double Dragon, Golden Axe, and California Games. There is a full list of all SMS2 games here.

Sega Mega Drive
NBA Jam, Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat and X-Men. Full list here.

Nintendo
Star Wars.

Playstation
Resident Evil, Micro Machines V3, Tomb Raider, Bomberman, Cool Boarders, Tony Hawk, Die Hard Trilogy, ISS Pro Evolution Soccer, Shane Warne Cricket, Jonah Lomu Rugby, Tekken 2, NHL 97, WWF Smack Down. Full list of games here.

Nintendo 64
Golden Eye, Pod Racer

Playstation 2
Stacey Jones League, Guitar Hero, Cricket 2007

Playstation 3
Never really played it.

X-Box
Tiger Woods Golf

X-Box 360
Never really played it

What are your favourite games?

Cultivating Creativity

Thinking creatively means different things to different people. I remember once when talking about creativity, one of the guys on my team throwing his hands in the air and exclaiming, quote; ‘what even is creativity?!’ Funny thing; he was a musician! You would think that they of all people might know something about creativity?

If your business, church, life is to be all it can possibly be it is going to take creativity. You are going to face all sorts of unexpected difficulties and challenges. You are going to have to get creative as you look to navigate these challenges.

Here are a few short cuts to creativity and developing your creative side:

* Thinking hats. When you need to get creative in regards to an issue in your world try putting on Edward de Bono’s thinking hats in order to look at the situation from all angles. The red hat has you looking at the situation from a emotional point of view, the black hat pessimistically, the white hat looks at facts and figures and so on.

* Creativity of others. Pull a group of people together and give them the situation, scenario or problem that your working through. For the price of a few coffees or a lunch you’ll find plenty of people willing to share their opinion. They could have the answer that is perfect for you, and they don’t even need to be in the same industry as you.

* Team brainstorm. If you leading a team get them together for a team brain storm. In one of her recent blog posts, Kem Meyer, the Communications Director at Granger Community Church in the States had some interesting thoughts on a team brainstorm. She asked everybody to bring "one-thing" to the brainstorm. Anything. It could have been a cool web site. A random new tool they’ve found. A scripture. A commercial. A prayer request. A new toy. Whatever. Everyone just needed to bring something they though was pretty cool. Just one thing. They devoted the first hour-ish to everyone sharing their “one thing”. It breaks up the “task mode” and gets brains working a little different and gets a different type of conversation going before busting into the actual brainstorm. I was a great brainstorm warm-up to get the creativity flowing.

* Keep at it. Never stop with the first idea you come up with. Keep working until you have three ideas, and then take time to develop them each a little. You’ll be amazed how ideas can trigger ideas. Your first idea is not always your best. Make a habit of coming up with multiple ideas and options. You’ll train yourself to be creative over time.

* Record ideas. You’ll never know when a great idea is going to come to you. Write it down. You don’t always have the time to explore an idea or develop a concept when it comes to you. So easily these are forgotten latter on when you have time to reflect, dream, think and get creative.

* Adapt the world around you. Everything you ever do doesn’t have to be a unique idea and initiative that you have thought of and no-one else in the world has ever contemplated. Chances are it never will be. Don’t be afraid to take things you see in other businesses, industries, organisations and so on and adapt them to suit your purposes. Don’t break copy write of course, just be adaptive. The ability to adapt is a genuine form of creativity.

* Ask God. Ask God for some help. He created the heavens and the earth, he created you. He is quite creative! Ask him to drop a few ideas into your head. Rainbows, pigmy hippopotami, underwater mountains and glow in the dark bugs are pretty amazing!!!

Keep developing your creative genius, you’ll sort it out, solve the problem, circumnavigate the obstacle and take your business forward like you know God has called you to do. Keep at it. Now get creative!

Rotorua Marathon

Well I completed the Rotorua Marathon. My first marathon and at least as I was running it, defiantly my last. Now I am not so sure. Maybe I'll have another crack sometime. My knees gave out after 36 minutes (6km), that left me 36km (4 hours 22 minutes) of extreme pain! My overall time was 4 hours 58 minutes. I was happy enough with that, especially considering the pain in my knees. 5 voltaren and 2 panadol were helpful but I would like to have a another go without the knee issues. I think I could do 4:12 and maybe even 3:59. I'll try to get some more thoughts posted about the marathon, why everyone needs to do one, what I learnt through the process etc and some photos as well. That'll have to wait though until I get back from LIFE 08 conference that I am at this week.