reyes-chow :: FAITH

Advice for me and my 3G?

Yes, I am taking one more step deeper into the cult that is Mac.  If all goes well with some phone account gymnastics, there is a pretty good chance that in the next few days I will be in possession of a new 3G iPhone.  I know that there are some image/status issues going on here, so sue me, I like my mac and have fully gone over to the Jobs darkside.   I will not bore you with my justifications, it is what it is.  Google and Mac kinda own my organizational life.

The thing that makes me really nervous about the whole iPhone thing is that I have never really been a "phone guy" before.  I text some, but for the most part all of my online interaction has been via my lap top.  I wonder if I will be online more now and via what interface.  I so do like my MacBook Pro, so we'll see how fast I make the transition to using my phone more often.  Whereas before I could simply close my computer and exit bloglandia, now I will have to be even more disciplined about not interacting every single dingle second of the day.  Yeah, good luck with that.

But on we go.  So to help me get off on the right foot, I turn to those of you who have already learned the art of the iPhone.  Please feel free to offer your insights:

• What apps should I download?
• What usage or software advice do you have for using the iPhone most productively?
• What accessories, gadgets or add-ons have you found useful?
• Anything else you wish you knew when you first got yours?

I have a friend who blogged about the experience of his wife getting her iPhone, The iPhone 3G experience, so if you have other links and or stories to share, please do.

Thanks in advance my geekyfantastic friends!

Jesus owes me big time

Okay, so tonight it finally happens.  All the talk, all the prep, all the reconnecting with friends and asking folks to give up even more time to something as crazy as a denominational moderator election.  5:30 today, it happens.  SF Presbytery will decide on whether or not they will endorse me to stand for Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the PC(USA). 

Approved or not, the journey really has been a lot of fun even before it has become official in any sense.  Thanks to those who have helped me discern, pushed a little and have been the voices, faces and eMails of Christ for me over the past six months.

Yeah, yeah, in some ways this is HUGE: this under-40, pomo, urban, pastor looks create some movement for a 2million+ member denomination.  And yeah, yeah, in so many ways it is pretty insignificant in the whole scheme of the things.  Sitting with both voices in my head, I am.

If this should happen it all begins with some kind of sacrifice, willingly done, but a sacrifice nonetheless.

Mine begins with the fact that I have a ticket to opening day of MacWorld, but because of this whole moderator thing, I can't go until tomorrow.  Oh the sacrifices we make in the name of Jesus ;-)

Sad macboy, I'll try not to let it show at Presbytery today ;-)

And, if you care, check back on this blog at 8:00 Cali time to see how it went.

Say a little prayer that God's will be done AND we recognize it for what it is, not just for the moderator endorsement, but for our decisions regarding the ordination of Lisa Larges.

Why I don't want an iPhone

Seems like every conversation last week had some component of "So Bruce, are you going to get an iPhone?" in it.  Now I fully admit I have an unhealthy love for my MackBook and I am a card carrying member of the Mac Cult, but for some reason(s) the iPhone just doesn't yank my apple.

Here are a couple reasons:

1. $500 freaking dollars.  Yes, yes, as a over-consuming American, where do I get off diggin' on the cost?  Because if I had $500+ bucks of play money, I would send my booty to Hawaii.
2. I already have a loptop. And despite the conventional wisdom that I NEVER unplug, I do when I am not in front of my 'puter.  I don't have a crackberry or  palm device, my phone rarely gets used for anything other than the whole talking thing and well, I do like to unplug sometimes.
3. Sprint owns me. *sigh*

Now of course, I may change my mind later, especially if the cost comes down, AT&T decides to play nice, and the bugs are worked out, but until that day, I will remain a mobile phone luddite.

Will My Apple Go Green?

Apparently Apple will debate the "Greening" of Apple.  In addition to the investors that are pushing Apple to at least catch up to Dell's environmental commitments, Greenpeace has also been pretty active with the "Green My Apple" campaign.

Apple shareholders will vote on a resolution at the company’s annual meeting May 10 on a proposal to remove certain hazardous chemicals from their products.

Apple’s board says it opposes the resolution, arguing that it already has adequate environmental standards.

The resolution was submitted by Trillium Asset Management, of Boston, an investment firm that specializes in making socially responsible investments. It holds shares in Apple and also is a member of the Investor Environmental Health Network, which pressures public companies to remove toxic material from its products, including makers of computers, consumer electronics, fertilizer and cosmetics.

[Full Article]

If all goes well, we of the Mac cult can by Cool AND Green . . . just like Kermit.