90 Til 30: Why Inauguration Day Is Bigger Than Politics.

Just three months from today, while much of the United States is trapped amidst a bleak and gray winter, a bright and warm moment will bring the World together as one to celebrate the passing of one age into an entirely new one. Regardless of whom they've supported in the past, or the cumbersome worries they may carry into the future, the World will unite and look beyond what we've known these past few years. Partisan politics will be forgotten (if just for a brief time) and the World will finally turn the page to move ahead with hope and optimism. Men will weep. Women will cheer. Songs will be sung. Bibles will be sworn upon. Children will be forced to pretend they care.

January 20, 2009. My 30th birthday. It also happens to be Inauguration Day. Either way, seems like it's worth celebrating.

Before all that happens, I feel as though there are still a great many things I should do, experience, and accomplish before I exit my twenties. Moreover, I'm interested in your thoughts and advice as to what you might recommend I do within the next 90 days. They can be big things or little things, as long as they are achievable things (its doubtful that I can win an Olympic medal between now and January).

Give me advice. Tell me one of your favorite accomplishments or destinations. Tell me something you've always wanted to do and why. Just make a suggestion. It could be to learn your favorite birdcall or to visit a favorite locale. It could be to play chess in a park or to learn to drive a motorcycle. Share something. Teach something. Plus, you get super triple extra bonus points if you go so far as to help with a direction or recommendation for HOW to go about doing whatever it is you suggest.

Here are a few random uncompleted items off of my Life List that might spark your thinking. I won't get through them all yet, but I'll cross a few of these off in the next 90 days (and some others, too).

16. Buy an ice cream cone for a stranger.
20. Commission a work of art.
31. Write a story for mom.
47. Speak at TED.
48. Swim with a manatee.
49. Learn to surf.
63. Drive the entire PCH.
66. Beat Super Mario Brothers.
67. Get ink.
74. Learn how to sew on buttons.
95. Travel to make a difference, not just for business and for vacation.

You will, of course, be updated about progress, especially concerning any recommendations or advice you might give.

I Just Hate Metallica

I follow a lot about politics and I despise, yet appreciate the strategy behind the rhetoric. However, I don't know if I've ever been more disgusted by a blatant attempt to mislead followers into a false sense of appreciation than what Metallica is now attempting to do on YouTube.

After having spent years suing any fan or distribution outlet they could find who mentioned their work online, they have now taken the obvious plunge into the realm of  "if can't beat 'em, join 'em" with the hopes that fans won't realize their record. Watch Lars choke back his resentment of his publicist in the video below.

Seems genuine enough, don't you think? Please, stop spending money supporting this band. They are the epitome of why the recording industry is missing the point and destroying itself by mistreating fans. They are now embracing tools they have fought against not because they believe in them or appreciate what they facilitate, but because they see the possibility of the revenue it will bring them. Makes my skin crawl a bit.

Carrotmob Organizes Local Consumer Spending to Save the World

Pretty sweet idea. The video is a bit long, but it's a good story that makes a good point. What happens when consumers organize their collective spending to negotiate with retailers or service providers? Well, it turns out, they can get more than a good deal, they can make a difference in the community.

Carrotmob is a group currently forming in San Francisco whose mission is to do just that. Their model is basically to create a bidding war between businesses who will ultimately benefit from a flashmob of purchasers. The great part is, they are bidding on how much of the impending proceeds the store owners are willing to commit to making ecological improvements to their own store.

It's a true win-win and its pretty scalable.

Check out their first event:


Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.

Color Week

Charlie Fan
Originally uploaded by ropegun

I spent the week playing around with photography for the first time in quite awhile. The challenge was to pick one color each day and keep an eye out for it. It was a lot of fun, very challenging, and highly recommended. That's Charlie, who is a brilliant model, posing on Red Day.

Check out all of the results on Flickr.