In Memory Of Shevlin Whitaker

Facebook is an interesting world. A few years ago I met an LDS missionary by the title of Elder Whitaker (Mormom missionaries go by Elder and then their last name). After his time as a missionary, he found me on Facebook and friended me - apparently I left enough of an impression on him. His name is Shevlin, and he was a truly nice guy (more on that in a moment). Last night, I hadn't heard from him in a couple months and decided to look and see how he was doing on Facebook. Somewhat to my surprise I found out that he died less than two weeks ago.

This was not a huge shock to me, one nice older man whose house we met at several times (I wish I could talk to that guy again) told me right before Elder Whitaker was reassigned that he had serious heart trouble and had been through a lot to live as he did. His obituary tells the story of a kind, well-liked gentleman, and that's what he was. I would now like to tell you my story of Elder Whitaker.

A young Mormon girl I met asked me for my phone number and if I would be okay meeting with Mormon missionaries (who turned out to be Elder Whitaker and his partner). I agreed, figuring I'd just blast a couple of guys who wanted to hear nothing with some facts from the Bible and that they would never come back. I was very surprised! The first time they came over, it was to watch BYU TV, we watched a program where their church leader (I believe he is referred to as the prophet, but I do not remember for sure, so don't be mad if I got that wrong) addressed the whole church body. We then discussed the program afterwards. As I was living with my mom at the time, we had to meet in the houses of other LDS church members most of the time.

Elder Whitaker, his partner, and myself met at the Gloschat's (whose pizza was amazing...), the older couple I referred to earlier, and a few other places. I asked them lots of questions. All of which they were prepared with answers they clearly believed with all their hearts. They gave me a complete copy of the Mormon scriptures to study, which I did with an open heart. I joined them at their church for a service and for a baptism. They joined me at my church for a Christmas musical. We each gained a better understanding of the other's faith, and a greater respect for life.

Obviously, there were major theological issues I simply couldn't find the proof I have found for Jesus that I disagreed with them on. If there weren't, I'd be a Mormon today. Obviously, Shevlin and his buddies found major theological issues they disagreed with me on. If there weren't, they'd have became Pentecostal. The reason I'm writing this is that those issues didn't change friendship, respect, or a mutual desire to study the Word of the Lord seeking His Truth.

Furthermore, I will add that most of the people I met in the LDS church along with Shevlin were some of the kindest, most inviting, warm-hearted people I have ever met. The meaning of sharing the love of Jesus with all has not been lost on them. As I fear it has on too many of us today... Their hearts were sincere, their warmth embracing. We had a fun, meaningful, few months of weekly meetings. I will never forget you, Shevlin Whitaker. The impression you made on my heart is forever. The importance of showing love - of truly loving others. The meaning of commitment, faithfulness, and perseverance. The strength to continue on through the struggles and hard times.

Shevlin, may the Lord bless you and your family and friends, and as you all enter 2010 remember the old saying that only the good die young. Shevlin was a good guy and he is missed :) Furthermore, may his death remind us that this life is but shifting sand, blowing through with the changing tides. Remember what we're living for, and the One who we are living for.

Blessings and joyous memories,

Mark

Netbooks... The Little Things Count!

I have an Asus EeePC 1005HAnetbook for running Windowsapps and Ubuntu Netbook Remix to play around. It's a travel and troubleshooting computer. I mostly loved it, though I put up with it's weaknesses - the terrible screen being the biggest one. I figured all netbook screens were the same - very poor color accuracy and gamut (greenish tint, very poor pink/magenta/skin tone reproduction). It makes it useless for even quick on-the-go photo editing, but it's fine for blogging and posting photos (because you know they'll turn out fine when viewed on other people's screens).

I thought it was a fine little machine, cute, pink, portable, and with a long battery life. Until my cousin bought an Acer Aspire Oneand I've been getting a chance to use it some. The screen is so vastly superior it's not even funny. Brighter, more saturated colors, far more accurate white point, deeper blacks. Her screen comes close to my MacBook Proand beats the screen on my old MacBook. The webcam actually looks good, not like the blueish grain-fest that is my Eee's webcam. The build of the machine feels much more solid, with sturdier materials. The downside is hers has a 3-cell battery, but the Aspire One can be bought with a 6-cell.

In short, while the differences are small, the little things are everything. Her netbook is a vastly superior machine to mine - and worst, it cost substantially less. Make sure you check out the little things like screen quality when buying a netbook - or any computer. The little things make all the difference.

Kalispell Needs An Affordable Family Health Club

Today, I went to the Summit with my cousins on one of their guest passes. It was fun, I got a workout and went swimming and had a good time and realized how out of shape I was. Which got me considering joining, which I've considered before. Which reminded me why I didn't. I'm sure they picked a name like The Summit to symbolize peak performance, fitness, etc. But it also symbolizes peak pricing. Based on their website, single one-month membership would cost me $88.50. Joining would require a $169 initiation fee *and* $56.50 a month *and* a one-year contract. Yeah right, I can't come close to affording that epic rip-off.

For comparison, I decided to compare that to the price at a similar facility in Missoula - the Missoula Family YMCA. Based on their website, they charge for young adults (my age) a $30 initiation fee and $30 a month with no mention of a contract.

The difference, is, of course, their reason for existence. While both are theoretically non-profit corporations, the YMCA is a charity with a history and reputation for excellence and wanting to improve people's lives, and remains based on Christian values. Northwest Healthcare, not so much. I don't know details, but I do know that the Bible says "You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" - Matt 7:16 (NLT). Looking at the prices not only of The Summit, but of hospital services (bills I've heard from people unfortunate enough to be their patients) and the like, those are not fruits that, to me, appear to belong to people worthy of being called non-profit. I'd love to know exactly how much money the people who run Northwest Healthcare make...

Kalispell needs something like Missoula's YMCA. The benefits to our community would be enormous. And if any of you know any way to negotiate with The Summit on membership prices, that'd be nice. It *was* good for me. Trust me, I'm so tired and sore writing this that I can tell :)

P.S. to anyone who wants to start comparing Missoula YMCA and The Summit to defend the Summit, I'm not saying they're identical facilities. Just that for many they serve a similar purpose and that Kalispell could use a facility like the Missoula YMCA. I'm also not socialist. Turning a profit is good, running a profitable company is good, with their prices I don't understand how on earth Northwest Healthcare remains a non-profit for tax purposes though... unless I totally don't understand the non-profit thing, I kinda thought the whole idea was that you were in it to charge as little as possible and provide a community service.

How much can you abuse your customers before they leave?

It's the age-old question Microsoft has been trying for years to figure out. How much can a company abuse it's customers before said customers decide to just say "good bye" - or is that "good riddance?"

Despite slow gains in Mac OS X and Ubuntu (the most common desktop GNU/Linux distribution), the answer has consistently been that Microsoft customers will happily take a lot of abuse. But, Microsoft is going too far with the products most likely intended for their youngest (and therefore longest-lived with most purchasing power ahead) potential customers. You see, yesterday, my 12-year old cousin bought a netbook pre-loaded with Windows 7 Starter. She's a really artsy creative type and before I ever saw it she started playing with it. When I came over to help her set it up, her first question was "how do I change the desktop background?"

I had already wanted to put Ubuntu Linux on it (dual-boot so she COULD run Windows apps when she absolutely needed to), an idea she was lukewarm to. Open to play with, but she was comfy in Windows. Well, when I told her that "you can't do that with Windows 7 Starter" she was ready to cry and return the netbook. I told her "but Ubuntu will let you" and she had a smile on your face.

Guess what? While she will need Windows occasionally - one artsy 12 year old is using Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 happily exploring the world of free and open source software and has on her own, with a tiny bit of help to get started, got herself a very customized purpley desktop and theme - with more customizations than even Win 7 Home Premium allows. She's making cool art stuff with free software projects and loving it.

She'll need Windows occasionally, but I bet she won't use it but once a week - if that. Time will tell, but I think that Microsoft alienated Becca as a customer forever. All because they hoped that crippling the ability to change the background would sell some "Windows Anytime Updates" - maybe it will, but I bet it'll push a lot more *FREE* downloads of the Ubuntu Netbook Remix.

Sorry Microsoft, you are really being quite stupid. Alienating your youngest customers - or potential customers - is a sure-fire plan on the fast track to failing within a generation.

Why Claire's "Gets It" and Most Retailers Simply Do Not...

Last night was Christmas shopping time, yes, very last minute. Myself, my aunt, my cousin, and our friend showed up at the mall knowing we had about an hour until closing. Within 15 minutes or less of getting there we found ourselves in Claire's. The next thing I realized, the mall was announcing they were closing in five minutes. We had spent over 40 minutes in Claire's without me even realizing it. My 12 year old cousin and I were basically just being goofy, trying on crazy weird fake glasses, my aunt was playing with fake rings, as was our friend. I was looking at a cell phone hugger half price that caught my eye, and a really cool paint-splattered baseball cap (that I ended up buying). My cousin bought a piano wallet for her piano-teaching sister. The management and employees are all really cool about you just hanging out in their store - and every Claire's seems the same. This has always impressed me as a company that just "gets it" about what makes people buy. Fun, funky, girly, and really friendly. That pretty much sums up Claire's.

However, I learned today that Claire's has taken this to a new level, with their "Bling Your BFF" contest. In this contest, you're encouraged to goof around in the store, try stuff on, take a picture with your BFFs, and send it in for a chance to win $250, a limo ride, and your 15 minutes of fame in their advertising. We wanted to do it, but my cousin is 12 so it couldn't happen, you have to be 13 or older - everyone in the picture has to be (no doubt due to COPPA...).

Contrast this to your average paranoid store that freaks out when they see you with a cell phone camera even out of fear you might be a spy trying to steal their store's look, feel, whatever. Like Wal-Mart which kicked out our church youth group a few years back for videoing in the store (uh, it was a youth group video project). Or Target, which certainly does everything they can to make people, especially young people, feel like unwanted criminals the whole time they're in the store (note, this has got FAR better in the last two years - it used to just feel like an insult to my humanity to shop at Target). Or Best Buy, who are always trying to push you to buy or leave and are just rude, nasty, and arrogant the whole time (note - I have several great friends who work for Best Buy and for Target and they're all wonderful people, these are management attitudes that get passed down - I don't blame the average workers *at all*).

Is it any wonder you can't go into any (normal, not fancy upscale stuff) shopping mall in the world and NOT find a Claire's? I don't think so. Claire's is pricey and kinda junky costume accessories. But when you can make a store primarily targeted at pre-teen girls somewhere fun enough that an adult guy hanging out with his cousins doesn't realize 40 minutes has passed by while goofing off looking around - and walk out with a really sweet hat that cost far too much and I realized it as I bought it - guess what, you've done something right. Congratulations Claire's.

P.S. On a local scale, I'll give the same congrats to Glacier Stationer's Hallmark Gold Crown; with the disclaimer that I used to work there - one summer, years ago, but still. It's not as *FUN* as Claire's obviously, but the general attitude and friendliness is quite similar. It was when I worked there and it still is. If anything it's got better... a couple people who weren't have left....

Wow it's been a long time!

Sorry world, my life is totally hectic. Be sure to follow my Twitter. Anyways, I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm going to be attending the FPBA convention in Las Vegas, NV. It's similar to the much larger FABAIC convention - a big festival of face painting. I have always dreamed of going to FABAIC, I buy all my supplies from Silly Farm - the company that runs FABAIC, I LOVE Macela Murad's amazing books like The Face Painting Book of Fairy Princesses and The Face Painting Book Of Masks. They're amazing and a great resource. But it is far far too expensive to travel to Orlando from Montana. When I found out about a similar conference, but in much cheaper and closer Las Vegas, with many of the same amazing artists (though sadly not Marcela and the Silly Farm team since, well, they are competitors) I knew I had to try and go and I figured out the money to go! So excited... I'll actually blog from there too, I promise (pictures and all!). I'd also like to remind all my friends of our church musical, The Gospel According to Scrooge, you can still catch it today and tomorrow, 2pm and 7pm. It's an amazing show - don't you dare miss it! :)

And pics, as always, will be on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/comicexpressions/sets/

Blessings and much love for all y'all,

Mark