(Click Here if you can’t see the video above)
Seeing Nike’s latest commercial all over college football this weekend got me thinking – Is winning really everything?
Sure, it’s nice to see ourselves ahead on the scoreboard. It feels good to get the win every now and then. And we should always strive to be the best at what we do.
But maybe winning isn’t everything. Continue reading
(Click Here if you can’t see the video above.)
It’s Friday.
You need to laugh out loud today.
It doesn’t matter what type of laugh you have. God made you with that laugh in your DNA.
Don’t be ashamed of it. Let it out in all it’s glory.
You may have a lot on your plate today. You may be hurting. You may be devastated. You may be bored. You may be stressed.
Wherever you are, take 5 minutes to just laugh a little bit. Find the funniest video you can on Youtube. Put on your favorite episode of Parks and Recreation. Find a classic comedy on Netflix or at a Redbox. Let the healing power of laughter cover over your hurt.
Laugh big and strong and silly today.
Happy Friday.
Last night I watched a wonderfully fun and intimate new documentary called “Springsteen and I”. The film is comprised entirely of video footage and testimonials submitted by Bruce Springsteen’s biggest fans.
These aren’t scripted, ‘reality-show’ type testimonials. These are raw, honest, personal tellings of each person’s Springsteen story. Some are shot on cell-phone cameras (some even flipped on the wrong side of the iPhone). All of them are unique in the way they relate to The Boss.
There’s the blue-collar couple who’ve never been at the right place or time to see Springsteen in person but hold their own concerts dancing in the dark in their kitchen. There’s the young female truck driver who wouldn’t seem to fit into Bruce’s demographic but connects to the working life he sings so soulfully of. There are children. There are seniors. Citizens all over the world who share how much one man’s music means to them.
None of the people in “Springsteen and I” are storytellers for living. They’re not actors or performers. Their stories aren’t rehearsed or well-polished. Perhaps this is why they resonate so well – they’re just real. Continue reading
A thumbs up. A like. A checkmark. A retweet. A gold star.
Seems like we’re constantly seeking a seal of approval. No matter if it’s a big budget movie, a work of art, a Youtube video, or just a simple Facebook post, our work is not validated unless it bears some mark of approval.
On the flipside, it can take years to recover from a bad review. Some poorly reviewed films go on to cult classic status. While others never do and dwindle in the $5 bargain bin at WalMart.
A bad review can go a long way in sinking movie. In recent years After Earth, John Carter, and Battleship have all been sunk by poor early buzz.
What would you do if God reviewed you? How would it influence your opinion of yourself, or your idea of purpose? Continue reading
You’re never too old to learn something new – even about something you’re as familiar with as the High Five.
(Click here if you can’t see the video above.)
Be open to new ideas today.
Happy Friday.
(You can find more great videos from Tripp and Tyler on their Youtube Channel. Check them out.)
The dream of my childhood is alive on Netflix.
When I was a kid I used to fantasize about watching any television show you wanted whenever you wanted. In my head I dreamed of a network called “The Channel” – an on demand wonderland where viewers weren’t subject to schedules or programmers, able to watch any episode at any time.
I wasn’t the only one dreaming back then. The technology I once only imagined is now available not only through Netflix but Hulu, Youtube, Amazon, On Demand, and countless other streaming services.
The archives of television (and film and music) history are at your command. If you want to watch that episode of “Sanford and Son” where Fred thinks B.B. King is trying to kill him, you could right this second.
Take a moment to be in awe of this. Less than a decade ago if you missed your favorite tv show the night it aired (and you forgot to set your VCR) then you simply missed it. Continue reading
Welcome 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.
(Click Here if you can’t see the video above.)
In honor of going to see Bob Dylan in concert tomorrow, I give you this video of Bob Dylan rehearsing his one line from the charity single “We Are The World” for 8 minutes.
This is not your typical short and to the point Happy Friday post. But there’s something magical about the grin Bob Dylan gets around 5:07 in the video.
Even after decades in the music business and unmatched success, he’s still a perfectionist. He’s still humble. He still gets frustrated when he doesn’t sound good. And he still smiles when people like something he did.
Don’t think you’re too big to keep trying hard on something. Don’t think you’re so much of an expert that you can’t improve. And don’t forget to smile when people pay you a compliment.
Happy Friday.
(If you have an extra few minutes, you must read Rembert Browne’s hilarious second by second dissection of this video from Grantland. It will make your day.)
I’m not a foodie, but I love the Food Network show “Chopped”. Like as in the stay up until two in the morning marathon watching random episodes on a Tuesday night kind of love.
What I love about “Chopped” isn’t so much the actual cooking. Don’t get me wrong – it’s really fun to see top chefs try to brainstorm an appetizer using goat cheese and fruit roll ups in just 20 minutes. But if I just wanted to see people cook random and ridiculous items, I’d watch Epic Meal Time on Youtube.
What I love about “Chopped” is the honesty of the judges. I really think the judges are the most honest in all of reality television. Continue reading
Want to know why the Harlem Shake is so popular that a new version appears on Youtube more often than a new baby is born these days? (I didn’t fact check that, but I’m willing to stand by it.)
Because we’re ok with being average.
Look, I’m not judging anyone for creating a Harlem Shake video. In fact I just participated in my first one this weekend. I’m in the back somewhere. I promise.
But the Harlem Shake phenomenon encourages us to just be average. And being average sucks the life out of you. Continue reading
POP GOD 