My most read blog posts in 2012

"Busy" would be a pretty good summary word of my 2012. Traveling with Logos, pastoring New Life Lincoln Park, teaching at Moody and having an amazing family pretty much fills up every second of every day (and then some). So though I wasn't able to blog anywhere near as much as I would like to, below are the top blog posts from my blog in 2012

Top and favorite posts from 2011

Last year I posted 122x's in this blog, or a third of the year. Looking back over the 2011 entries, I've compiled a list of the top posts. Some of these are on the list because they were visited a huge number of times, some are on the list for the simple fact they were my favorites:

• Bono, the blind man, and the second commandment
  
• Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt's search for the myth
• Everyone Mad Libs
• Critiquing Criticism: a lesson from the Smurf movie
• My two year old and G.K. Chesterton
• "Daddy, can I listen to Justin Bieber?"
• Remember Snowmaggedon?
• "I want to be holded"
• No Slutty Halloweens
• Thank you Steve Jobs for being brilliant
• Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by?
• My answer to "What apps should I download?"

My goal is to blog more in 2012, at least 4-5 times a week. Why? Because this is a huge help to me. This morning I reread this old post from when I first started really getting into doing this:

T-shirt I bought around the time I started blogging.
It's a good reminder of perspective. =)

I had a conversation with a friend last night about blogging - the main point being, "Why do it?" The repeated phrase that we shared was, "processing life." Hence, the renaming of this blog. As I read books, watch movies, experience things with my family and friends, or whatever - I'm going to try and process it here as much as I can, should.
 

Most people I've met who blog fall into one of three categories
1. They think the entire world reads their blog.
2. They think no one reads their blog.
3. Starting out within either #1 or #2 they quickly forget that they have a blog.

I know those are huge exaggerations. Just the same, my goal is to avoid #'s 1 and 3 and just write as if #2 is true.

If someone decides to check back here periodically to read what I write...well, it's your internet bill.

But if you do decide to check back here, I hope it is an encouragement to you. 

Give me some feedback on things. What things that I write about do you enjoy most or are most helpful to you?

If you want to keep up to date with my blog, the easiest thing to do it click above on "Get emailed when I update"

Thanks!  

How to daily keep up on 125+ different blogs

Last week I shared a large list of many of the blogs that I follow on a regular basis. The type of blogs I peruse are normally in the topic range of ministry, tech, culture, leadership, art/creativity, theology/Bible, and then various people who inspire and challenge me. If you still haven't checked out Seth Godin's blog, you are missing out! He's had some real killer posts lately.

All in all, I follow over 125 different blogs, for the most part on a daily basis. It's not impossible, it's actually pretty easy. Here's how you do it:

How to not stress out about the new Facebook changes

Take the fact that Facebook has become such a part of our culture, add to it that change is generally hated by all, and what comes out to the right of the equal sign is an understanding of why people get worked up when the site gets an overhaul. The fact that Facebook has been branded as not respecting poeple's privacy doesn't help clear up the perfect storm. Last week the site made changes to the Home page, Mark Z then introduced us to the new Timeline profiles, and these changes were followed up by either praise or rather loud complaint. 

For those crying mutiny - take heart, you can survive this wave of changes! Here are some things to consider:

It's worth your time to check these blogs out

Supposedly, there are 152 million blogs on the internet. "What in the world is a blog?" you might ask (please don't ask what the internet is). It is basically a way to share information. That's a pretty short, unsexy definition, but it works.  

Blogs can be a way for people to record their daily ongoings and feelings, or they can be a means for corporations to share about their products and vision. There's pretty much a blog out there for any area of life, and any nuance is passionately detailed and received by those who care. 

I follow about 135+ different blogs. Some are written by people that I know, most by people I've heard of. Some have to do with ministry, some with culture, some with techie news, and some are just for fun. Here's a breakdown of some of the blogs I follow that would be worth your time to check them out: 

Keeping this going

The traffic to my blog near doubled in August, which is pretty sweet. Writing on a somewhat consistent basis will help with that I guess. Trying to create and maintain a groove here. It's helpful for me, and hopefully at least one or two are also encouraged along the way. 

Looking back over things in August, these were the most read posts:

1. Critiquing Criticism: a lesson from The Smurfs movie
2. Me & N.T. Wright
3. Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt's search for the myth
4. Is anyone else as cheap as I am?
5. "The 1st day of school" or "Why blinking sucks"

At the top of the page is the link for "Get emailed when I updated." If you don't use an RSS reader (or know what that is), an email in your box is the easiest way to get the latest meanderings.

Processing a new layout

I think I have the site the way I want it.  Now I just need to get writing again.

Writing here is something I know I need to do.  Thinking through things at a deeper level - whether it be something experienced that day or a movie I watched - is something that makes me...me.  When I'm not doing this I know I'm either too busy or for whatever reason closing myself to who I really am.  For the last few months it has been a little bit of column A and a little bit column B.

But as I move into the next chapter of my story...I need to write, I need to process.

And I also need to update my other two incredibly out of date pages, my fam page & my study/teach page.  One at a time...one at a time.

Blogging Absence

It's been one month since my awesome son was born. In less than two weeks I start teaching Hermeneutics at Moody. Also have been preparing and teaching a mentoring training class at our New Life location. These three things have created a lot of busyness, more so than normal - hence no blogging for the last month.

But...time to start back up again. Stay tuned.

In the mean time, if you haven't subscribed to my blog you can do so by following the links at the top of the right column. I recommend doing an email subscription.

Blog fixed: Subscription Links

A couple people told me there were issues subscribing to my blog, so I fixed the links and made them easier to utilize.

To the right you can see the two options.

If you click the first you can follow my blog in a RSS like Google Reader. If you click the second and then follow the instructions you will receive an email whenever I update.

There is a third option if you use Google and/or Blogger - and that's to click on "follow blog" at the top of the page.

Thanks for reading my blog. Leave some comments and dialogue with me when you can.

And since this is a short, lame entry, let me take some space to recommend a couple of my friend's blog you might want to check out:

• Kevin's: Caffine, Please
• D's: dikrankoundakjian.com
• Amy's: Mentholatum Is Cool