I’d say there are more than three ways to “home school”, but found this CBS news video to be fairly interesting as we are currently listening to and reading about a “method” called “A Thomas Jefferson Education.” A friend of ours got us a two-hour CD with the ideas behind the book, and then we just ordered the book this week. (You’ll notice it’s in the “currently reading” column to the right…) Will undoubtedly have more to say on that here later this month.
Stay tuned…
I posted a video here a few days ago of a Nike commercial that we really liked. (Still do, in fact.) But, the song that we bought from the video—Ali in the Jungle – The Hours—needs to not be missed. (Just in case you did.)
The song was picked up by Nike for use in that commercial because of it’s inspiring lyrics, and it’s true, they are. I mentioned that in the previous post. But then we got to hear the rest of the song, and it’s equally cool. The chorus of the song mentions seven people (well, one might be a boat)* who overcame extraordinary odds to accomplish some incredible task or goal. I’ve linked each name in the lyrics below to a page that tells their story, so be sure to click the links in this post!
Just how are you gonna get up?
It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish
And it’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re atEverybody gets knocked down
Everybody gets knocked down
How quick are you gonna get up?
How quick are you gonna get up?
Everybody gets knocked down
Everybody gets knocked down
How quick are you gonna get up?
Just how are you gonna get up?Like Ali in the Jungle…
Like Nelson in jail…
Like Simpson on the mountain…
Well with odds like that, they were bound to fail
Like Keller in the darkness…
Like Adams in the dock*…
Like Ludwig Van, how I love that man,
Well the guy went deaf and didn’t give a damn, noIt’s not where you are, it’s where you’re going
Where are you going?
And it’s not about the things you’ve done, it’s what you’re doing now
What are you doing now?Everybody gets knocked down
Everybody gets knocked down
How quick are you gonna get up?
How quick are you gonna get up?
Everybody gets knocked down
Everybody gets knocked down
How quick are you gonna get up?
Just how are you gonna get up?It’s the greatest comeback since Lazarus,
The greatest comeback since Lazarus
It’s the greatest comeback since Lazarus,
The greatest comeback, the greatest comebackaudio clip from the “rumble in the jungle”:
This is the most joyous scene ever seen in the history of boxing! This is an incredible scene! The place is going wild! Muhammad Ali has won! Muhammad Ali has won! By a knockdown! By a knockdown! The thing they said was impossible, he’s done!
* – not actually sure first what they are saying on this line, second which “Adams” they are referring to. Could it also be this ship? Maybe a member of The Hours will see this post and leave a comment… 🙂
Nike: The Human Chain
I’m not 100% sure of the title of this commercial, but I saw it several times during the Olympics and really liked it. The commercial is very visually creative (and cool) and I like the song. Especially the line, “It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at.”
We just started reading Oliver Twist tonight (the boys and I) and the first chapter describes how he was born into pretty bleak circumstances. Mom died at birth. No dad. No idea where Mum was from. And to top it off, he was born at a “workhouse” (amongst those at the bottom rung of the social ladder.)
So I remembered that line from this song. It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at. I told the boys of the line from the Bible, “Man looks on the outside, but God looks at the heart.” It’s pretty easy for us to decide who someone is by their appearance, or their life circumstances. It’s easy, but it’s wrong. And often incorrect.
Enjoy the commercial video… it’s cool. And remember, it’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at.
On the half-hour drive home from celebrating our daughter’s 6th birthday, we somehow remembered the famous Get A Mac ads that Apple has so brilliantly done for the past several years. I think it started with our oldest son and I quoting from one of them. Well, from there we remembered that the complete library of those ads is in fact stored on our iPod, so when the kids were asked if they’d like to watch them there was a resounding, “YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
So they did. All the way home!
Does that make us the ultimate “Fan boys?” I think it might.
I seem to read books in spurts. I’ll go a long time without making time to read anything more than email and the daily news. But then, I’ll hear of or see a book or two… and get inspired to make the time to read them.
Now is such a time!
Between books I want to read for my web business and a few personal interests, I have been busy searching our library catalog and, well, check out this stack of books currently next to my reading chair…
(planning to read with the boys, in conjunction with another book we’re just about to finish, George Mueller
)
Guess I better get reading! 🙂
I do web design. All facets of web design. From the graphic design of a site, to the writing of code (in several different programming languages), to the configuring of servers and software, to the maintenance of said websites.
Today as I was going about my business, and after some positive interaction with my main hosting company, I decided to give them a bit of free advertising on my facebook business page. After all, from recent experiences with other hosting companies, this one deserved some free publicity. They’re top notch!
Well, as luck would have it…
Not a few hours after proclaiming their greatness, there was a glitch when fetching email. I submitted a support ticket, thinking nothing of it. But it got worse. And no reply from support. So, I checked again, and finally… my site was down. ALL of my sites were down. All of my clients’ sites were down.
Uh oh.
After a few quick back-and-forths with tech support, it became apparent that this was sadly a much bigger issue than I first imagined.
When there were some issues noticed by the tech support guy, who could not access the server, he initiated a system reboot. Unbeknownst to him, the (remote) servers were being rebooted already … somehow this all created the perfect storm and the entire system crashed and all data was lost … for everyone. Not just me, not just my clients, but everyone this company hosts.
Holy moly.
Well, that’s just never a good thing. But I found it quite ironic that on the day I chose to praise this company, their entire service goes kerplunk. 🙂 Ain’t that the way it goes?
However, true to my praise, they are now back up and running (this blog is evidence of that statement) and I and my clients are all much happier. (As is tech support, I’m certain.) All data was recovered, and all within about 5 or 6 hours of a total system crash.
Not bad. Not bad at all!
So, I’ll say it again. If you have a website, or hosting for a website (or just email) I would like to recommend a great web hosting company. eVerity Web Hosting & Domains has been trusted by Basic Web Design & Graphics for over 6 years now, and even with a minor (or major?) catastrophe … they came through with flying colors. You can click their link and manage your own hosting, or contact me, and I’ll do it for you.
*Sigh* … Next time, I may think twice before endorsing some service I really enjoy. It apparently can lead to complete chaos!
Are you ready for the winter olympics? It’s almost here! The Campbell household enjoys watching all of the olympic sporting events, but I am partial to the winter sports. (Perhaps because I like snow and cold?)
We’re excited to see the hockey, featuring all of the world’s best players (kind of like an extended NHL all-star game!) including Ian’s new favorite team, the Russians! 🙂 We watched the 80s movie, “Cool Runnings” (with John Candy, about the Jamaican bobsled team) so we’re excited to watch the bobsled event. Figure skating, speed skating, all the skiing events…
CURLING! (Need I say more???) 🙂
To prepare for the upcoming games we have been doing all sorts of olympic-related things. Watching “Cool Runnings” was one. Jen has picked up some books from the library. The boys used the rest of their Christmas money at Blockbuster to rent Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games! (Which we have found is quite entertaining! We highly recommend!)
AND, finally, once we discovered that NONE of the hockey games would be on regular NBC TV, we decided to “bite the bullet” and upgrade our cable for the month. (Ian also offered to chip in, since he has had a paper route since last year, and has some extra spending money. That was awesome.) 🙂 Even “awesomer” was the flyer we received in the mail the day we ordered the upgrade … the current promotion will cost us only $5 extra per month! Sweet.
So we are psyched. Looking forward to two weeks of winter sports fun. Go USA!
Steven Curtis Chapman has always been one of my favorite songwriters. At least, “always” since I began listening to music that would be labeled “Christian” in my late teens. (Holy cow, that seems so long ago…) For whatever reason—for many reasons—his music and his lyrics really connect with me. (And I with them?) I was talking about this with Jen last night and was realizing the perhaps a key part of it is that he and I think on the same things, and think similarly on those things. And how he says it must also resonate with me as well. (Plus, the music is great, well-done, excellent, too.)
Sometime last week I decided to listen to an album of his—the album in the box at the top of this post. Often when we play music in our house, we make full use of the “shuffle” feature on our iPod and let the tiny musical device be our DJ as it selects from any of our 4000 or so songs, making for a very nice eclectic mix of styles. But after hearing one of Steven’s songs, I thought it would be fun to actually listen through a whole album.
I was right.
If you own This Moment, I would like to recommend that you pull it out now (or queue it up) and have a good listen. If you don’t yet own the album, BUY IT! Really. It’s very worth it. Not only is the music fun, excellent, and fairly diverse (style-wise) … the theme of the album is what we all really need to hear and know.
You are being loved. You ought to hear his version of Amazing Grace. It’s crazy things that love will make you do. There’s a wonder in the here in now, right there in front of you. Don’t miss the miracle of the moment.
I contemplated actually posting thoughts on each of his songs here individually, and perhaps someday I may, but for now, I’d really rather you have a listen yourself. He does such a great job of capturing the truth of how much our father loves us (including, I think, through a song about loving every moment of his daughter’s life, being her Dad—Cinderella.)
It’s definitely not just this album, but for the moment, I am highly (as highly as I can) recommending this particular album—This Moment. If you have an hour where you can really take in the lyrics, do. The words flow from a real, living, deep relationship with our loving Father, and will hopefully remind you of just how loved you are as you listen.
You ought to see the smile you’re bringing to your Father’s face
You ought to hear him sing his version of Amazing Grace.
Following up on yesterday’s recommended Hulu show … they announced today that there is a slew of NFL content now available on their site. They even have their own channel there!
This is great news, and I hope to see more. Perhaps next season NFL GameDay will be there as well? (Come on, NFL!)
Until then, we in the Campbell home will be watching some great NFL games from the past, including some video from when our team was actually good, too! 🙂
Enjoy!
Jen and I will be watching this via Hulu.com tonight, so I thought I’d share here… in case you haven’t yet experienced Psych. It’s definitely our favorite current TV show! (You’ll love it more if you are around our age… tons of hilarious and random references to 80s pop culture.) 🙂
Hulu – Psych: You Can’t Handle This Episode – Watch the full episode now..
