Stephen Bleile

• Working on project with my partner in England. Is Google wave the tool we should be using to interact? #

• Got a coupon for some free google ad words action, but it didn't work. #

• ack. apathy attack. #
• The more money I make, the more I think I need to make more money. #

• teehee hee i'm still having fun – even though garage band is the only program i can actually figure out! #
• Hi Friends. Would any of you be willing to teach me / help me set up my recording software and controller board? #
• Ah yes… this is the feeling I get when I don't write stuff or play some music… a little dried out. #
• Things are oddly peaceful when I trust him #

• Today is a day of celebration. #

• Supper was so good I burned the roof of my mouth wolfing it down! #
• Kids need us in Canada and Abroad #sctnow http://bit.ly/5bxOqR #

“We’re not obsessed by anything, you see,” insisted Ford. “And that’s the deciding factor. We can’t win against obsession. They care, we don’t. They win.”

This text is taken from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (The trilogy in four – not the actual guide; which the book refers to; which is not currently available on earth as it is scheduled to be demolished for a new hyperspace hi-way anyways.)

Ford’s thoughts seem horribly relevant to our culture. If for no other reason that it poses a few questions we might want to consider.

I mean, as a whole… what are we obsessed with? And who DOES care? And what will they win? And what do the rest of us lose?

We lose!

As many of you know I have now been to Vietnam twice.  First as a musician following his mentor around, ending up playing for orphans.  (Too many orphans. I like big crowds, but it’s more than a little disturbing that there was so many to play for.)  Second as a businessman scouting out opportunities for a UK based company.

Both trips it was almost impossible to escape the sense of rebuilding in Vietnam.

Obviously in the scant 40 (ish) years since what we call “The Vietnam War” there was plenty of stuff dismantled in a less than civil manner – we’re talking lives, families, infrastructure, the very earth- that needs to be put back together.

Less obvious are the forces of nature, or acts of God if you will, that continue to ravish the country side.  Particularly TYPHOONS.

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a house (read: shack) made of stuff scrounged from the dump, but I can assure you they don’t really look like the most solid structures in the world. Like, if the wolf walked by and happened to sneeze he would definitely blow it down.

Typhoon Ketsana has ravaged central Vietnam over the last three days.  It huffed and puffed and ripped apart those little shacks like my little (almost) nephew batters my other (almost) nephew’s carefully stacked block tower.

I’ve seen the remnants of other typhoons – even years after they pass through.  It’s not pretty.

Anyways, when my friend who runs a non-profit in Vietnam (who I inadvertently ended up traveling with in Vietnam) sent me an update on the current situation I thought I should pass it on to you. Their organization helps rebuild homes, provide cows and chickens to make the people self-sustaining and even connects young people with badly needed heart surgeries.  Now they’re just trying to help any way they can.

You can see pictures of the typhoon here:  http://bit.ly/2skjQb

And read about what my friend (Giving It Back to Kids) is doing:  http://bit.ly/YBDPh

Or read about his NGO here:  www.gibtk.org

I’ve tried donating money to them through their website before, but it hasn’t worked.  Maybe it can’t take Canadian cash?  Anyways, if nothing else – please pray for them and especially they people they are trying to help.

Hmm… it’s been a while since the last post.  If you’re reading this you’re probably wondering how to get to the wedding, or perhaps what to get for a wedding present.  Well, good news, fellahs!  I just went to Bass Pro and yes, gift certificates for that store would be awesome. (Product ideas available in the new updated registry – click on Bass Pro link)  Of course, from what I can tell, there are a lot of lovely items available at the other stores we have registered at, too.

Tash has been feeling a bit sick lately.

I’m not sleeping much.  I mostly lie in bed with this sort of nervous excitement that I can’t shake.

If you’re praying types… you may want to pray for the weather on July 18th.  Just so we’re all on the same page I think we should use words like “warm” “nice” “sunny” “pleasant” or any other words that come to mind that describe something other than what it is right now.  (No kidding… two people just walked by the house wearing hoodies!)

They have giant trout in a tank at Bass Pro.  It reminds me that I would like to go fishing.  This will be the second season I haven’t gone out and Tash hasn’t gone skiing.  I guess we had other things on our mind.

This morning I was pretty much convinced that I was a useless boob.  I was convinced that my book -my YOU CAN DO ANYTHING self-help-esque book should be retitled “Another Waste of Time by Steve Bleile”   I’ve spent most of my life considering myself to be a failure.  This would be another among many “almosts” in my trophy cabinet.

A despondent me showed up in my office at Tash’s house this morning where my astute fiancee asked me what was wrong.

I told her.

I even served God with the sentence of being cruel.  If I couldn’t finish it was HIS fault.

We prayed and I must admit something changed.

I started writing and wouldn’t you know a whole section popped up on all the adventures I’ve gotten myself into because I was almost good at something, but not quite…

I even discovered that when we can’t quite do it like we think everyone wants us to it’s because we’re unique.  Our non-perfection is actually our uniqueness and it should be celebrated.

Here’s an example:

As a musician it felt too hard to call coffee shop owners to arrange to play.  Plus, I felt discouraged at the prospect of performing for a hand-full of people.  So, with no easy alternatives in mind, I put on my own concerts seating hundreds of attendees each. Now our Alderman calls me to arrange to get me funding for future shows. I wanted to do it like you’re supposed to, I just didn’t have the confidence to call.

And another:

I tried to be a part of my community, but I could never remember when the next town hall meeting was.  I always seemed to miss the stampede breakfasts, too. So I thought i’d put on a little party.  600 people came.

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like a failure, but maybe that’s a good place to see how unique you are?

What about other people’s failings?  What if you turn what drives you nuts into an opportunity?

Here’s an idea:  Next time you feel critical of how someone has done something consider how you would do it and realize that your unique solution probably IS better.  Then, go do it.  (Be nice, though!) Odds are that other person doesn’t like doing said task anyways; which is why they don’t do a great job.

Blue Footed BOOBie