200th Post... and the Last..

This is my 200th Post on Blogger and my last. The new www.DanisLinus.com has launched so head there.  Also, I just realized that I had two different feed links here on Blogger.  One through Blogger (which will no longer be active) and one through Feedburner.  So, if you are a subscriber... first of all, thank you.  Second, please check your feed to reflect the address below.  Thanks.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/DanisLinus

New DanisLinus coming soon...

I know it's been a while especially compared to my previous posting rate but we have a monthly limit on our wireless broadband. A new and improved Danis Linus is coming soon and I'm redoubling my commitment to sharing life. So, sitting here in Derry City Airport waiting to go London I thought I'd launch out... introducing... www.youtube.com/danatchison. Much love.

BTW... updated the Flickr as well. Enjoy.

Flickr Update - The Wall

Tons of new pics from our walk around The Wall in Derry this afternoon. Check 'em out... and Happy Valentine's Day from Derry, Northern Ireland.

Time Stands Still at Grand Central

In the words of Chris Farley, "I've seen a lot of things in my life, but that was awesome!" Improv Everywhere's latest stunt is extremely clever if for no other reason than it's subtlety. Much more subtle than their previous stunt 3 weeks ago where over 2000 people in 10 cities took their pants off on subways around the world simultaneously.

This time, a much smaller 200 people made time stand still at Grand Central Station in New York City... for five minutes. "Improv Everywhere Agents froze in place at the exact same second in the Main Concourse of Grand Central Station. Over 500,000 people rush through Grand Central every day, but today, things slowed down just a bit as commuters and tourists alike stopped to notice what was happening around them."
Check it out...

In Honor of Super Bowl XLII

Some MC Hammer commercial love - Pepsi 1991

In Honor of the LEGO 50th Anniversary

I know I'm a couple days late on this one but I've been out of town and away from the Mac. I've posted before about LEGO bricks and how much I loved them as a kid and so I couldn't let this one go. This week, LEGO celebrated it's 50th Anniversary. The word comes from the Danish phrase leg godt, which means "play well." Click the timeline above for some creative inspiration but if you really want to be moved head over to The Brick Testament.

The site claims to be the world's largest, most comprehensive illustrated Bible. With over 3,600 illustrations that retell more than 300 stories from The Bible, this "one-man labor of love" borders sacrilege at times but is fun for the most part. The shot below is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. via Jess Potter

The Coldest Places on Earth

After having spent the last decade in places like Los Angeles and Clearwater, I discovered something about myself. I'm such an incredible wuss when it comes to cold weather. And Alabama has been quite cold. I forgot how cold it was. Last week, we had snow. It was Ben's first and didn't quite know what to do with himself (I've posted up a couple pics on Flickr as promised).

Anyway, after reading this article it only reinforced what an incredible wuss I am. Try for example, the Snag airstrip in Yukon, Canada which recorded the lowest temp in North America on February 3rd, 1947... -81.4°F (-63°C). At this temp, voices of people can be heard up to four miles away since "frozen breath" hangs in the air for up to fifteen minutes. Honestly, that's just weird. via Digg

So, to remedy this situation, we're spending some time in Northern Ireland... yeah, that makes sense, I know. Actually, it's not bad there... 10 degrees warmer than here although wet. Still beats -63°C. (Notice the use of Celsius... like a good Irish boy should.)

Let it snow!

Wow... It's been a while since I've seen this. And... it's Ben's first. Love it.

Surfing on the Thames in London

"Visit London in 2011 to partake in the world’s first outdoor artificial surfing experience. It is reported that six-foot swells are set to break on the Thames at an attraction aiming to tempt the growing ranks of urban surfers. Estimated at £20 million (about $40 million), this first of its kind outdoor artificial surfing machine will try to rival the Atlantic breakers of Devon and Cornwall using cleaned river water. To create a more natural ambiance, an artificial beach with palm trees, boardwalks and rentable fire-pits and barbecues is planned for post-surf relaxation. Surfers can expect to pay £30 for an hour's session that will offer at least 10 waves per rider, each rolling more than 100 meters as the swell spreads from the dock to the wide beach. The wave machine can be set to make the surf break left and right from a central peak, allowing surfers to ride comfortably without fear of collision."

via NewLaunches and Luxury Launches

IKEA opens its doors... to Mark.

Mark Malkoff needed a place to stay. His NYC apartment was being fumigated and none of his friends could accommodate him because they all have tiny studios. So, he did what any of us would do... he contacted IKEA. IKEA has been known to open it's doors for an evening so people can "test drive" furniture but this is pushing the envelope... 7 full days. At first, he didn't think they'd oblige but they did. And it's all captured for our viewing pleasure on YouTube of course.

"Mark moved in early morning Monday January 7th to the IKEA in Paramus, New Jersey and will stay for the week through Saturday January 12th. Every day people can watch a video recap of his day. He will be living in IKEA 24/7 and eating all his meals in the restaurant (he may order Domino's take out once or twice). Thankfully they have a shower for him in the back offices. " Hit the jump to watch all the episodes.

Mark currently works as the audience coordinator on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" and is also known to have visited all 171 Starbucks located in Manhattan in a single day.

PaperCritters

If you're looking for something creative to do with your child while Rockabye Baby! cranks in the background, head over to Paper Critters. It's an online 3D modeling app that allows you to create your own critter. You just create, preview, print, and then put the little booger together. It's not just for kids either... I even found a Gene Simmons critter. Thousands of other designs can be found in The Colony. This way you can show off your design skill in some weird, wonderful way. I found Spongebob and put him together for Benaiah. Check out my craft skills...

Human Tetris

I wrote about Urban Tetris not long ago and it seems yet another group of people with no time on their hands has adapted this addictive gravitational geometry time-killer yet again... Human Tetris. Check out these other 'human" video games by the same makers including Pole Position, Pong, and my favorite, Space Invaders.

Drop a line on NYC

Messages from all around the world will be printed on the confetti that falls on NYC and the New Year. For the first time, anyone can get a message printed on a piece of the multicolored confetti by visiting the Times Square Information Center or by using the Internet to type a message on a "Wishing Wall Online". The messages will be mixed in with more than one ton of confetti. Messages can be silly or serious. So far, they have included everything from wanting to be taller or having a smarter boss to healthy children and asking for the safe return of a child from Iraq.

Head over and leave your own message and then come back here and let us know what's going to drop tomorrow night.

8 Ways to Look Ahead

I wanted to post up a piece from Jon Swanson over at Levite Chronicles. If you don't subscribe to his feed... you should. In his 8 Ways series, he suggests some words to think about as we look ahead and set new goals.

1. More. More often, more intentionally, more consistently.

2. Less. Less often, less reactively, with less intensity, with less (fewer) people.

3. Better. You know what better means for you. What do you want to do better?

4. Worse. What are you, what am I, willing to be worse at…if it will buy space for what is better? Do I want to be a worse packrat? Do I want to be a worse daily blogger?

5. Faster. What could I do faster that would create more time?

6. Slower. What could I do slower that would create more relationship?

7. Thoughtfully. What do I need to actually stop and think about? And how can I plan for that? (Gift-giving, for example)

8. Impulsively. What do I need to release from planning and strategizing?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! May you sense the presence of Christ in such a real way this season and upcoming year. May God bless you all... especially those in Nepal today.

Card Me...

The Gift Card industry has risen to be a 45 billion dollar industry. Ever wonder how many gift cards are unused? Some reports say at least 10%. That means billions of dollars are waiting to be used on Gift Cards.

Jeff and Andre Shinabarger (formerly of Catalyst) have launched www.GiftCardGiver.com to help you figure out what to do with all those balances leftover on your cards this holiday season. They write...

How many gift cards do you have sitting in your wallet? We guess you have at least $5 of unused gift cards in your wallet or purse right now. What’s 5 bucks going to buy you?

GIVE YOUR GIFT CARD
Five bucks in Gift Cards will buy you a pair of socks…but 10 people giving 5 bucks will buy a kid a winter coat or 100 people giving $5 from Home Depot will give that same kid a warm bedroom to sleep through the night.

For more information and to donate your gift cards, hit them up at www.GiftCardGiver.com and join their Facebook group.

Handbell Hero

In the spirit of Christmas and to spread holiday cheer, I present to you... Handbell Hero. I've only played Guitar Hero a few times and didn't do very well. This proved to be just as challenging. With all the pressures and frenzy of rushing around to buy gifts for your loved ones, take a moment and give it a whirl. It's sure to fill your heart with joyful bliss (or more frustration). It's some good fun except the only thing missing are the scrolling pentagrams.

Urban Tetris

As a kid, I can remember playing Tetris so long that when I looked at buildings or everyday geometrical shapes, I could see how they would all fit together on a Tetris board. Well, some college students in China have actually made it happen on this scale.

A couple of months ago, I posted a piece about using light as an urban artform. I don't know if this qualifies as art but the execution is amazing. They've taken Tetris to a whole new level (pun intended).

I'm learning to not walk alone...

For regular readers of Danis Linus, you've undoubtedly seen the lack of posts these past several weeks. They have been crazy to say the least. For those that don't know, I've resigned my position as Master's Commission director in Clearwater and we have moved to Alabama for a season of healing and restoration. The two year mark of losing Josiah came last week as well. I won't go into all the details and specifics but your prayers, encouragement, and grace are coveted as we walk this journey. I'm learning to not walk alone...

So... Danis Linus is back up and running. Check back daily for personal updates as well as the random nonsense that you've grown to love.

Sacramento Here We Come!!!

It's gonna be a little slow around here for the next few days.  I'm sure I'll squeeze some time in to post some stuff up though.  Maria and I are headed to Sacramento, CA to speak at the Northern Cal/Nevada District Youth Convention.  It'll be good to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones... Steve and Peg Edwards, Alan and Dorothy Graham, Joey Macias, and Jeff and Stacey Leatherman among others.  We'll be hitting up Napa Valley as well for a couple of days so it should be a good time.