Tag / GregsHead.net

by Greg

Six Years of Blogging

Hello faithful (and unfaithful) blog readers! Believe it or not, it has been six years today since I began this conglomeration and elaboration of all the stuff that goes on inside my head! As we begin year number seven, there may be some changes to the appearance of the site, but as far as I can tell, you can expect to see a continuing stream of thoughts, links, opinions, fun stories, and even questions to you the reader all posted here at GregsHead.net.

Thanks for reading along, and commenting along the way. Always fun to interact.

Today might be a good day to scour the archives for some of your favorite posts and leave a link in the comments. I’ll start off with a few here…

The Extras
My Computer Had a Heart Attack
Living in Perfect Harmony
Alex’s Fish Story
Stopped on a Dime
Don’t Go to Church?
God Saved Our Bacon

Enjoy!

(Don’t forget, it’s fun to click the tabs across the top of the content, too… those help categorize the posts and make for slightly less random and wandering thoughts from Greg’s head…) 🙂

by Greg

The Itch

It’s happening again. I never really know why. It just happens.

It’s time to change up my websites.

All three of my main websites. For some reason I have new ideas for this blog (cool ones, actually!) and my web design site, and our music site. All three will actually be a bit simpler (maybe not this one…) and cleaner, and more web-standards-compliant (you may not care about that part much…) and utilize some cool web technologies.

And it’s just time for a new look.

Bloggiversary number 6 is coming up next week… and I’ve had this look for a few years now as well… time to make a change.

I’ve been dabbling with WordPress for some clients… anyone want to weigh on on whether I stick with Blogger, or delve into the WordPress universe? I could go either way… as long as the export/import of my six years of posts isn’t too painful. (I don’t imagine it would be.)

So… stay tuned. Changes to come!

by Greg

Advertisement: Amazon Gift Cards

If you are new to the GregsHead.net scene, you may not have seen/heard/noticed that if you are a regular Amazon.com shopper, with a simple click of any Amazon link here, you can get what you are looking for, AND help to support the free-to-you service of this weblog. It’s a fantastic “win-win”! 🙂

I received an email from Amazon today reminding me that they have gift cards, and I thought I’d pass that reminder along to you. Amazon literally has everything under the sun. I’m pretty sure that’s not an exaggeration. And they often have the best prices. So a gift card lets your beloved recipient get 1) whatever they want and 2) more of it … in whatever amount you’d like to give them. You can choose to send an email code (redeemable immediately, or delivered on a specific day and time) or print out a certificate and mail it or deliver it to them in person. Very cool.

So, if you’re looking for a gift to give someone… Amazon Gift Cards are a pretty cool option! (And we thank you for you clicks!)

(NOTE: you can always click through the banners at the top of the page, or the search box at the top of the right sidebar column. Every bit is appreciated!)

by Greg

Reposting: "Evangelists"

I’m not usually one to recycle here, but I’ve been reading a good deal more than writing these days, and one of the books I happen to be re-reading is the one I compiled a few years ago, There’s The Steeple, Here’s The Church. I had a chance over the past several months to revisit all my thoughts on the current way we Christians relate to God and his church, and so it’s been neat to re-read some of these chapters and think through the stuff God had me chewing on not that long ago.

The latest chapter I re-read was called Evangelists, originally taken from this post, and then a follow-up post. There was a pretty cool quote midway through the original article:

Life with Jesus is just that. Life. You can’t package it up. You can’t layout the perfect plan to follow so that you can have it. You can’t sell it, promote it, market it, label it, franchise it, brand it, advertise or really even pass it along. Just like I can’t pass along the relationship I have with Jen to anyone else, I can’t do that with Jesus. He and I have a unique relationship that you can’t have with him. Sorry… but it’s true. 🙂 He wants a better one than that with you. If you try to do life with him the way I do, it probably won’t work. It might for a while… but you’re just living a copy. He knows every intimate detail about you, and wants to relate to you personally and intimately. Sharing every bit of life with you, not just a few moments here and there, and a special dress-up occasion on weekends.

There’s more in the original article, but it was a cool reminder that our connection is not to a tradition or an organization or even to a pastor or teacher. We have a direct connection to the Vine. Each one of us. And it’s an everyday reality, not just our “spiritual life”. Jesus knows me, and I know him.

“And this is eternal life: That you know the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom he sent.” – John 17:3

If you don’t have a copy of my book, visit my online bookstore and either purchase or download a copy today. You can get a copy through Amazon.com if you’d prefer, but it’s cheaper through GregsHead.net. (Including a free PDF download if you’re strapped for cash) 😉

There are some good, easy to digest, but make-you-think short writings to read in that book, and I’d love for you to do so. (And I’d love to have a chat with you over anything that intrigues you as well.) So, have a look (go ahead and click right now!) and may you know him more every day.

by Greg

GregsHead.net Readers Are Smart!

I was working with Google Analytics today for a couple of my web clients and I remembered that I had my own account with Google, so I logged in to check that out. (It’s been a good long while!)

Now, I think traffic overall is down to GregsHead.net since I don’t post nearly as much content here as I used to. But even if it’s less traffic, I’d have to say it’s smarter traffic!

Check out this report of the browsers used to access the site this month:
Browser Used to view GregsHead.net

Yes, folks… (you who frequent this website) Firefox has the slight edge over Internet Explorer! And look at Safari’s admirable contribution. Combined, those two browsers are over 56% of the total! IE is at a mere 33%! Nice!!

I love you guys. 🙂

Keep it up! Spread the word! There are much better browsers out there!

NO ONE SHOULD BE USING INTERNET EXPLORER!

If you are one of those 33% and just don’t know there are other options… there are! Most of these are available for Windows and Mac OS. (Chrome is … coming soon? Hopefully?) Click a link and improve your web experience today! Follow the trend setters at GregsHead.net! 🙂

Safari (Mac/Windows)
Firefox (Mac/Windows)
Google Chrome (Windows)

by Greg

Speaking Engagement: Village Bookmarket

I’ll be talking about my book, A Journey Shared as well as self-publishing options in general at our local bookstore, the Village Bookmarket, tomorrow at 10:00am. If anyone in the Palmyra area would like to come join us, should be about an hour-long event, and I plan to really just field questions and see which way those attending would like it to go. I’ll talk about A Journey Shared, as well as my other two books. I’ll talk about this blog, and blogging in general. I’ll talk about social networking sites a bit probably, and I’ll talk about various self-publishing options if there are any there who would like to know such things.

It’s pretty neat that I have been able to publish three books over the past couple years, and it will be fun to talk about that process, and the content of the books as well. Since you are here reading what I write, I thought you may enjoy joining me for that fun!

Maybe see you there. And, if you didn’t know I had published three books, then… my page header and sidebar are not working… 🙂 You can click here to see all three books at Amazon.com… that’d work, too.

by Greg

GregsApples.com … is back? (Sort of.)

Gregs Apple (and more!) Store
Hey folks! Just wanted to give you a quick heads up. I was reminded today that I used to be an Authorized Apple Business Agent, for which Apple paid me a commission on any sales I generated for them. That was neat. Then I was an Apple Business Store Affiliate, similar deal, just not working directly for Apple. THEN, I actually worked for Apple as a trainer at the local Apple Retail Store… which was awesome! But… I didn’t have enough time to give them. Too bad.

So now… I decided to use my Amazon Associates account to make a new little “GregsApples” store (though I have let that domain expire…)

If you are into that sort of thing (Apple, iPod, iPhone, Mac, etc) and you’d like to support GregsHead.net and the Campbell family (well, at least, a little…) I’d invite you to check it out! It’s pretty cool actually. Like my own little mini-Amazon … and only Apple stuff!

Click the banner above to visit, or it will be in the sidebar even after this particular post gets pushed off the front page of my blog … or, here’s the direct link:

http://astore.amazon.com/bwdapple-20

Check it out and let me know what you think. If you have any Apple/Mac questions, I’m pretty good at answering those, too 🙂

by Greg

Intake

For a long while now, I’ve been feeling a strong pull to read. Read anything, really. We have a lot of books in our house, so, when I see those I think, “Wow, I’d really like to just sit and read one of those right now!”

I’ve borrowed some books from the library lately, and read bits and pieces, but still haven’t made time to read. I have a book from a friend that he highly recommends, and it’s sitting here on my “to read now” pile… unread.

I have gotten to continue reading through Genesis again, mostly. That’s been nice. But just short bits mostly. Again, I really want to read more.

So what is holding me back? Life.

Not only are we busy with the five kids we currently care for, but we do enjoy visiting with friends as much as possible. There’s everyday stuff at home to take care of, as well as a busy season for my website design business … plus, it’s NHL Playoff time, so we’re frequently trying to catch those via the magic of Tivo… 🙂

There are just too many options. Way too many.

Add in all the electronic distractions… Madden games with the boys, other video games, using our Netflix subscription, other fun TV shows we like to watch on DVD or from iTunes… it seems to never end.

Soon it must stop. Maybe now.

Changes will be coming. This pull is very strong. I think it’s time for more/better intake.

I wrote a song this week. Haven’t done that in a while. I have lots of blog topics in the mental queue, but something else always comes up, and as I said, the pull to read and even just “disconnect” from electronic input is stronger.

Not sure exactly what it will look like, but … personal schedule changes are coming soon.

(Perhaps some of the results of more and better “intake” will be evident on the pages of GregsHead.net not much later?)

by Greg

A Journey Shared… Again

Yesterday a friend called and said that she had been reading my book, A Journey Shared, and was really enjoying. She talked about the conversational style of the writing, but how it made her really think about the content. I was really glad to hear it, especially almost four years now after I published it.

In fact, I was intrigued, so I picked up a copy of the book – one of the two we have in the house I think! – and read the brief introduction, as well as the first “chapter”. (Chapter is in quotes because they really are just short “entries” more than chapters, as a chapter seems worthy of more lengthy prose. At least to me.)

As I read the introduction, I was glad for what I had written. Made me want to read more. (Some of it was kinda funny… a little advertisement for iUniverse.com, the publishing company I chose… but, that’s nice too.) And, I thought about what my friend had said. She was right. It does make you think. 🙂

At the end of the intro, I recommended that people might buy a copy for a friend. Some have. But it’s been a long while since there was any talk about this little book. I thought it might be good to change that.

Below is the introduction to the book, A Journey Shared. You can purchase it in many places actually. Probably easiest via Amazon.com (linked to the right.) I actually don’t make much money at all from the royalties on the book, believe it or not. But I would love to hear that you have a copy, or gave a copy to a friend. There are some cool thoughts about life with God in there, and perhaps it would be an encouragement to you or someone you know.

As I say below, “This journey is meant to be shared.”

So, I wanted to share it with you… again. Enjoy.

Introduction
January 31st, 2005

Hi. My name is Greg. You have already seen my head, it’s on the cover of this book. This book has been an adventure for me. A Journey, as the title suggests. Most of the material published herein was first posted (grammatical errors and all) on my blog page. It has had several homes, but has finally rested at www.GregsHead.net.

I am a writer at heart. I always have been. From my earliest childhood memories, that is what I wanted to do! So, the advent of the blog page has been a wonderful thing for me – a simple, fast, and free place to write about anything and everything. And that certainly has been what you can find at that website. There is definitely a good reason to call the page “Random & Wandering Thoughts From Greg’s Head”.

But I began to hear from people. Some simple comments, “Hey, good blog!” But a few were more in-depth. Some people were really touched by my blogs. I have heard that several folks have used them as personal devotionals, or even devotionals for group meetings. That is so great! My primary purpose for writing these “blogs” is not really for the reader. It is, (read Audience) but mostly it is a way for me to process The Journey.

As comments continued to come in, a few suggested that I should print the blog for those who can not access the internet. (Namely, my Grandparents!) I thought it was worth checking into, so I did. I found iUniverse.com. They are the publishers of this book. They offered a great way for me to make the blog page (in an edited, and compiled, and organized way) available without having to go through a publisher who would require printing 1000s of copies up front! I did not want to do that. This way, the book will be available through my website, and through iUniverse.com and at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and more! Sounds like a great deal!

I am excited to share these writings in this format. As I went through and corrected spellings, and grammar and punctuations, and added or repaired sentences a necessary – I also got to relive the journey. What a year it has been. Every day with God is an adventure, but you string a year or a year and a half of those together, and you have quite a Journey.

And the Journey was meant to be shared.

You may not agree with all of the things I say. I have a friend who doesn’t agree with most of the things I say. But hopefully you will hear things from my Journey with our Father that will encourage you. That will ring true in you. That perhaps, you can share with someone else.

Thank you for purchasing this book. It certainly helps us when you do. I encourage you to purchase copies for people who may be strengthened by reading the life shared within. But money is not the goal with this book. If you can share my Journey with another, please do. Please visit the blog page. It is updated quite often. Please send a friend there.

The Journey is meant to be shared. So please do.

See you inside…
Greg Campbell

by Greg

Newsvine Column Resuscitated

I mentioned in a previous post today that I have not been using my Newsvine column (blog) much, and indeed that has been true, but I think I am going to start using that for posting links to interesting articles I come across in a day. They might be about anything from Apple and technology, to politics, to sports, to life with God, to… well, like the stuff you might see here, but written by other people. 🙂

It’s pretty easy to post there, and I’ll figure out a good way to import the content here via RSS. But… later. Stay tuned, and for now, bookmark gregshead.newsvine.com.