POP GOD POPcast: Episode 3 – Zack Elledge

/ Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

slide.001Welcome to Episode 3 of the POP GOD POPcast – an exploration into the lives of people seeking God in the present tense.

This week’s guest is Zack Elledge. Zack is one of the writers/directors/composers/stars of The Midnight Room, a new YouTube anthology series. The Midnight Room is a blend of The Twilight Zone and Lost, and we talk about Zack’s inspirations and dreams as he tries to make his mark on the entertainment world. Zack breaks down his cinematic and musical influences and we explore how brokenness leads to the best art. Zack is a true fan in the greatest sense and we passionately discuss his love of Lost, Star Wars, and even Pocahontas. Plus Zack takes the POP Quiz and gives a free suggested plotline for the next Star Wars movie, so listen up JJ Abrams!

I’m so excited to open up POP GOD into a new area and share more stories of people seeking God in the present tense. I’d love to hear your feedback. Leave me a comment and let me know how to improve things, what you’d like to hear discussed, and give me your ideas as to who you’d like to see on the POPcast.

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, share it on Twitter and Facebook and anywhere else. I’d really appreciate it. Thanks. Enjoy.

Listen here:

[audio http://adoriot.podbean.com/mf/web/ymt5q/popgod3.mp3]

Listen and Subscribe on iTunes.

Or download here on Podbean.

What’s The Story Behind Your Souvenirs?

/ Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Every souvenir tells a story. Every keychain or coffee mug means something, whether a memory of a mighty experience or a tangible reminder of a foolish impulse.

When the youth group I lead embarked upon our very first international mission trip to Jamaica, I knew I needed a special souvenir to bring home. When we went shopping on our final day, I spotted this bowl.

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I wanted something in my office I could look at each day as a reminder of the incredible journey God sent me on that week.

What I thought I was getting was an authentic piece of Jamaica craftsmanship. When I got home and unpacked, I realized I had something else. Continue reading →

Don’t Be Mad, Hermano

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Hey brother. It’s Friday. The Final Countdown to the new season of Arrested Development is less than 48 hours. The sun is shining. You’re awake and breathing. No reason to be a blue man.

You have too much good going on to get mad over the little things. Don’t let a careless older brother bring you down with his illusions. Have a sense of wonder today (did someone say wonder?).

Happy Friday.

(Credit to Funny or Die for the image above.)

What If Arrested Development Fails?

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arrested“What if it fails?”

It’s a question near and dear to the heart of every “Arrested Development” fan. For 7 years we’ve been clamoring and campaigning to bring the cult hit back to the airwaves.

There have been many false starts and glimmers of hope, hints and clues dropped by various stars that a reunion might occur.

Then out of the blue came the confirmation: “Arrested Development” was really and truly coming back. And not just for a brief reunion, but for an all new fourth season.

Come on! This was unthinkable news. The cult of “Arrested Development” has been steadily rising since the show went off the air in 2006. Many young adults discovered the show on DVDs borrowed from friends who couldn’t help telling people they were making a huge mistake if they had not seen it.

This Sunday all 15 episodes of the fourth season debut on Netflix. Still, the question remains in articles like this from The Hollywood Reporter: What if it fails? Continue reading →

Mr. Imperfect

/ Alex Doriot / 1 Comment

Lately I’ve been plugging my way through the new WWE Blu Ray “Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart – The Dungeon Collection”.

The “Hitman” is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, and this Blu Ray collects many of his unseen and rare matches.

A few nights ago I watched the chapter on one of Bret Hart’s greatest opponents – Curt Hennig, also known as Mr. Perfect. bret_2

Bret’s match against Mr. Perfect at Summerslam 1991 is quite possibly my favorite wrestling match of all time, so I was giddy to see a rare earlier match between the two.

Before the match Bret was interviewed about the first time he and Hennig ever met in the ring. The pair had a reputation as being the best two technical workers of their generation.

Their first match was eagerly anticipated by fans and fellow wrestlers alike. The boys in the locker room gathered around the curtain to see these two second generation superstars put on a five star match.

So it was much to my surprise to hear what Hart said next: Continue reading →

Bill Gates and The System Reboot

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Bill-Gates-Bill-Melinda-Gates-FoundationA few weeks ago “60 Minutes” profiled Bill Gates. You know, the  founder of Microsoft, richest guy in the world, etc.

Check out the interview here if you haven’t yet. It’s worth your time.

Bill Gates may still be making all sorts of money from Microsoft, but the computer company doesn’t take much of his time now.

Currently he works with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation bringing life-saving vaccines to 3rd world countries who need them most.

It’s not that Bill Gates is using his fortunes to do charitable work that’s fascinating. What’s incredible is the level of innovation The Gates Foundation is involved in. Continue reading →

Stuff I Learned From Love Does Stuff 2013

/ Alex Doriot / 11 Comments

Sometimes your heroes let you down.

And then sometimes your heroes are Bob Goff.

This weekend author/lawyer/”real-life Great Gatsby” Bob Goff led the first ever Love Does Stuff conference in Tacoma, WA. My girlfriend and I were lucky enough to be able to attend, all thanks to the graciousness of a few loving people in our lives.

I’ve looked up to Bob for years. Meeting and hearing from him in person did not disappoint.

IMG_8663Bob has an incredible philosophy and appetite for life. He invited a few of his incredible friends along, and over two days they shared how they do love in the world. Here’s a few things I took away (I did my best to attribute certain ideas to their respective speaker, in case you want to find out more about them):

Continue reading →

Skip Work And Watch These Office Bloopers

/ Alex Doriot / 1 Comment

dwight laugh

What did you think of “The Office” series finale last night? Was it everything you ever hoped for, or did it make you want to toss the series aside like a worthless piece of paper?

Whatever your thoughts, let’s celebrate what “The Office” gave us over the past 8 years. Let’s follow their lead in these blooper reels and laugh off all the mistakes and shortcomings. Let’s remember the good times and rejoice in this new day with an hour’s worth of giggles: Continue reading →

The Office and The Quest For A Happy Ending

/ Alex Doriot / 2 Comments

The-Office-the-office-556868_1024_683

Not every story gets a happy ending.

After 8 years and nearly 200 episodes, I’m worried “The Office” will become one of those stories.

After dismissing the show when it first premiered as yet another soulless remake of a British series, I fell in love with the Dunder Mifflin drones through DVD  marathons of the first 3 seasons.

My friends and I watched and rewatched Jim’s slow and subtle courtship of Pam, Michael’s tasteless jokes, and Dwight’s beet-loving eccentricities over beach trips and long afternoons when we should have been studying instead.

Now with the finale airing tonight on at 8 PM on NBC, “The Office” comes to the end of its story. For diehard fans, this comes with disappointment and with relief. Continue reading →

What To Remember When You Start

/ Alex Doriot / 1 Comment

start_book_3dIf you’re reading this blog, I can’t tell you how grateful I am.

I just wish there were more of you.

Look, I realize I only started this blog a couple months ago. I realize I’ve only written 60 posts or so. I realize it takes years, decades even to grow a following.

But I want more than a dozen people to read this blog every day. And I want that right now. I want it today.

I think that’s why I needed to read Jon Acuff’s latest book Start. Continue reading →