What do people see when they look at you? Initially, they see your physical appearance. However, I believe our bodies are really a small part of who we really are. Man is a three-part being. We are body, soul and spirit. The body is just a casing (or an earthsuit as John Eldredge likes to say) to give our real selves something to walk around in during our brief stay on this planet. And yet... Continue Reading

There are about seven billion people on the planet. Every one of us is different. Every one of us has opinions, tastes, inclinations and preferences. And every one of us is difficult to please. If you work hard at marketing your website and your products, you'll be able to put them in front of a few thousand of those people. Work really hard and build successful products, and maybe millions will see them. Continue Reading

I have to warn you now. This entry is not going to be pretty. But someone has got to say something. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Fine... sigh... I'll do it. Continue Reading

Apart from Twitter's own terms of service which prohibit obvious things like harassment, transmitting viruses and spamming other members, there really aren't many rules to the site. You can essentially use Twitter however you like. However, for people and businesses who want to use Twitter successfully (eg: build a following and grow their circle of influence), there are a number of best practices that can be observed. I cover many of these in my book... Continue Reading

Twitter has experienced massive growth in the past year, with the number of people signing up each month accelerating. It has also become the media darling of the day. It seems that everyone is Twittering. However, with only 10-12 million people on the site, its clear that everyone is NOT Twittering. Don't fret. They will be soon. So where is the media paying the most attention to Twitter? You guessed it. It's all about the... Continue Reading

There are all sorts of reason I love my work. I get to be my own boss. I work with some fantastic people. I get nice checks from Google and others every month. All of those things are fantastic. Continue Reading

'Twas the night before Christmas and all across Twitter Tweeples eyes were lit, they were all a-glitter. The tweets they were flying with speed and delight as each one made plans for that great winter's night "I'm traveling", "I'm eating", "I'm hanging with family" "I just wrapped the presents, I can say now so happily" The news it broke fast, from Mumbai - attack we all were there to say "we've got your back" And... Continue Reading

Online publishing has all sorts of advantages. You become your own boss, you have your own schedule, you get paid to produce content and bring in users. It's all great fun... and you can do it without leaving your house or having to cope with office politics. It's those last benefits that can look so appealing and be a little dangerous too. Social networking sites have made it so easy to chat with other people... Continue Reading

I don't go to the movies much. I enjoy movies, I just don't enjoy the theater experience. Why pay top dollar to sit in a crowded cinema with chatty teens and people noisily crunching popcorn and nachos when I can buy or rent the DVD for less and enjoy the peacefulness and comfort of my home theatre. I choose to go to the Metrolux today in order to get a glimpse of An American Carol... Continue Reading

I'm going to tell you a secret. It's the secret of continued success that every successful publisher knows and benefits from them. Here it is... The secret of continued success is.. to be successful. I know, it doesn't sound very helpful, does it? Continue Reading

When it came time to plan a summer vacation with my family, Mary and I decided we would just do a local Colorado trip rather than fly somewhere. I researched places that would be within driving distance and came upon Glenwood Springs, a popular tourist destination smack dab in the middle of the Rockies. They are famous for having the world's largest Hot Springs pool and it is a beautiful location. Instead of driving, I... Continue Reading

Thor Schrock is catching a lot of heat over his online reality program, The Top Affiliate Challenge. I remember when Thor first told me about his idea for the show. I encouraged him to do it, but I warned him that it would take a miracle to pull off a quality show on a daily basis. When Eric and I produced The Next Internet Millionaire, we filmed for two weeks straight and had a two-week... Continue Reading

I boarded my flight from Dallas to return to Denver yesterday morning, hungry and certain that my first class seat would get me some sort of meal. As I boarded the plane, I asked the flight attendant if there would be food service. He informed me that there would not be and I quietly expressed my disappointment. I didn't really ASK for food, but I did make it known that I was hungry. Continue Reading

Around noon on May 22, 2008, I was at Denver International Airport waiting for a plane to Dallas. My phone rang and it was my daughter calling from her school to tell me that Loveland and northern Colorado was under a tornado warning. Apparantly a tornado had been spotted and they had the students go to the safest place in the building. A tornado? On the front range? I spent 21 years of my life... Continue Reading

I remember seeing Ben Stein for the first time in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Who could forget the monotone deadpan teacher repeating "anyone... anyone... Bueller... Bueller". And then there was "Win Ben Stein's Money", a campy television quiz show that demonstrated Ben's ability to stand toe-to-toe with the best of them. I sure would have liked to have seen him go up against Ken Jennings. As a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a... Continue Reading

I'm not a big fan of the major airlines. In fact I have written several entries that demonstrated poor customer service by United and American. However, I had a uniquely good experience on United a couple days ago and wanted to share it with you. I was traveling to Los Angeles with Joel Ownby and Tim Prince, en route to Yanik Silver's Internet Underground conference in Los Angeles. The three of us board the 737... Continue Reading

I'm currently in Atlanta for Matt Bacak's Marketing Madness conference. I'm set to speak to 150 or so people tomorrow. So Dan Nickerson and I are in our hotel room right next to the airport. I mean DIRECTLY next to the airport. Our balcony overlooks all the runways, so we've enjoyed the sights and sounds of planes continually taking off and landing. But as we were coming back from dinner tonight, I noticed lightning in... Continue Reading

I'm in Las Vegas for Affiliate Summit and am looking forward to the a few days of networking and learning. And while I have nothing to say about the conference yet because it hasn't started yet, I do have an experience to share with you. As you know, I enjoy blogging about my customer service experiences... especially the bad experiences. Why do I do this? I place a very high value on customer service and... Continue Reading

I make no secret of it. I am a 43-year old man who loves playing computer and video games. And why not? I was a teenage when Space Invaders, Asteroids and Centipede took over the arcades. I was sixteen when I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. It was great for primitive gaming. And I've got a great collection of old computer software in a special room in my basement. Perhaps I'll do a video... Continue Reading

I'm at Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City, getting ready to make the trek home to Colorado after a week of visiting with family and friends. I've had some time to reflect on the year and would like to take a stroll down memory lane. The year started with a crazy idea. I knew that others had dabbled with the idea of doing an Internet reality show, but no one had really taken the concept... Continue Reading

It was only a matter of time. Google is coming out with their own phone. But Amazon has beat the Big "G" to the punch with their own electronic device. It's called Amazon Kindle, and it appears to be a contender for the coolest device of the 2007 holiday shopping season. Imagine being able to access thousands of books wirelessly and read them on a crystal clear display anywhere you go. Continue Reading

There's no doubt that Google is challenging Microsoft's dominance of the desktop. Search, office applications, email... the list goes on. But here's a surprise that was discovered as an easter egg hidden in Google Earth... ... The Google Earth Flight Simulator Continue Reading

I'm not a negative person. Generally, I've got a smile on my face and a bounce in my step. But the moment I got off the plane in Miami for Affiliate Summit, I felt like I needed a shower. No offense intended to any of my subscribers or friends that live at the tip of Florida, but I found it to be just a notch below absolutely miserable. Continue Reading

We arrived on Maui on Tuesday afternoon, snagged our rental car and made our way to the hotel. We're staying on the west side of the island in the Ka'anapali area. It's absolutely gorgeous here. From my fifth floor balcony I can see the ocean, the mountains, palm trees, sandy beaches and a beautiful landscape. It's 6 am Hawaii time as I blog this (my body says it is 10 am MST) and I've enjoyed... Continue Reading

I'm sitting at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia, awaiting my return flight to Colorado. After living on the front range for nearly three months, I already find myself missing the beautiful mountains and am eager to get home. I wanted to send this newsletter today because I have just spent the last few days at Big Seminar #9, where I had the privilege of speaking to four hundred attendees and teaching how anyone can make... Continue Reading

Where in the world are you? I thought it would be cool for people to check in and share their location on this planet we share. Maybe even tell us what you like the most about where you live. I recently arrived home from Washington, D.C. where I attended an internet marketing seminar. While I as there, I got to spend some time with Tom Kulzer of Aweber.com. For those that don't know, Aweber is... Continue Reading

If you read yesterday's entry, you'll see that we had a heck of a time getting home from Chicago to OKC. Our flight was cancelled and we ended up rescheduled for an 8:55pm departure. Of course, the flight didn't leave until closer to 9:30 pm. And then we sat parked outside the gate in OKC for 30 minutes waiting for the plane at the gate to leave. All told, it was twelve hours from door... Continue Reading

The information age really does move at the speed of light. Technology is advancing faster than we ever conceived possible. I've been online for 26 years now. In 1980, I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. This machine had 4K of RAM (not 4MB... 4K) and a cassette player that was used as a storage device. There wasn't even a floppy disc drive! I owned a 300 baud modem that I used to dial into... Continue Reading

Today is a day of reflection. I can't believe it has been five years since Islamo-fascist terrorists barbarically hijacked airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Center and The Pentagon. Time really does pass by in an instant. As we remember the destruction wrought by evil people, lets take time to remember the lives that were lost and the impact that it has had on so many other people. I'm sure that the trauma... Continue Reading

This is a very creative and fun diversion for those who have nothing better to do than to play Solitaire in between tasks. The creator used maps from Google and implemented a graphic of an airplane that you can fly above the map. Click the link below to check it out and select your flight destination! Goggles Continue Reading

Everyone has their pet peeves, present company included. Being Saturday, I had to go to the store for a couple different things. I needed to pick up a framed poster at Hobby Lobby and I took my son to Best Buy so he could spend a gift card. At Hobby Lobby, I approached the checkout lanes and found there was only one girl handling all the customers. I took my spot in line behind the... Continue Reading

If you've been following my life at all, you know I've been working with my mother to help her build her website, TravelsWithSheila.com. Acting on my advice, my mom has issued a press release today. Continue Reading

The Sony PSP is a handy little gadget. I've been getting a lot of entertainment mileage out of it while traveling miles across the country. It acts as a great diversion to pass the time on an airplane. From Hawaii to Orlando to Vegas, I've enjoyed playing Daxter and have just about finished the game. But the PSP is good for more than just playing games. Whether you want to listen to music, surf the... Continue Reading

My family and I just returned from a wonderful week in Kauai, Hawaii. I'll say this. Six nights is not long enough to be in paradise. And a paradise it was... Continue Reading

Spore is Will Wright's latest computer game, and it is set to revolutionize the PC gaming world. Creator of Sim City and The Sims, Spore is unlike anything else you have ever experienced in computer gaming. Due out in 2007, Spore will offer an open-ended gameplay style that will appeal to a wide variety of gamers. Continue Reading

An intoxicated couple en route from the U.K. to Jamaica caused quite a stir in their attempts to join the "mile-high" club. The British Airways staff became suspicious when the couple's moans of pleasure were all-too-obvious. Continue Reading

We awoke at 8 am so, preparing for our Thanksgiving journey to Chicago. You won't believe how smoothly that journey went. Continue Reading

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Of course, all hotels are beginning to look the same to me. Though were it not for the fact that I looked out the window of the airplane and took in a spectacular view of the Smoky Mountains, I wouldn't know the difference. Continue Reading

My favorite Aunt in the whole world is my Aunt Joan. She is my mother's younger sister and I have some fantastic memories of her from my childhood. She was always bubbly, gregarious, fun-loving and pleasant to be around. She loved her parents, her sisters, her children, her nieces and nephews and her grandchildren with a passion. Everyone knew when Joan was in the room. Her laugh was something akin to a "cackle", and she... Continue Reading

Launching a new product can be both an exhilirating and terrifying experience. The thrill of launching out into the unknown is matched only by the trepidation in wondering if the launch will fail. However, it doesn't need to be this complicated. Continue Reading

Tonight, I grudgingly sat through War of the Worlds. I went with Mary and another couple because we wanted to do something and all the other movies looked like garbage. The movie promised that I would be "on the edge of my seat". And I was. But that was only because I was slumped so far into my chair that my butt was hanging over the edge of the seat. With the exception of some... Continue Reading

Silly fun. That's my two word review of the new animated film from Dreamworks Entertainment, Madagascar. A light-hearted story about some Central Park Zoo animals that wind up in the title country, Madagascar is an enjoyable way to waste 90 minutes, especially if you are in a theater of kids who make laughing at the silly gags even more enjoyable. As a children's movie, Madagascar succeeds with it's colorful animations and goofy characters. Dreamworks tossed... Continue Reading

I've been slaving away attempting to make sense of this thing we call the Internet. In order to put things in proper perspective, I have composed this paper which I hope will prove useful. Continue Reading

Why is dyslex so hard to spell? Why do airplanes have flotation devices instead of parachutes? Do you need a silencer if you are going to shoot a mime? Do pediatricians play miniature golf? How can a house burn up while it burns down? Why is it called "after dark" when it is really after light? What do you do about an endangered animal that eats only endangered plants? I would just like to know... Continue Reading

I just got back from seeing The Aviator with Leonardo diCaprio as Howard Hughes. I believe Leonardo has gotten a bum rap as an actor for some time. I liked him in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I thought he was perfectly cast in Catch Me if You Can. And whatever else you say about Titanic, his part as Jack Dawson will go down in history. But as eccentric inventor/businessman/aviator Hughes, diCaprio should be awarded an... Continue Reading

The biggest earthquake to hit planet earth in 40 years hit Southeast Asia with a vengeance today, triggering tidal waves and tsunamis that have killed thousands of people. JAKARTA, Indonesia - The world's most powerful earthquake in 40 years triggered massive tidal waves that slammed into villages and seaside resorts across southern and southeast Asia on Sunday, killing more than 7,200 people in six countries. Tourists, fishermen, homes and cars were swept away by walls... Continue Reading

Over the years, many atheists and agnostics have enjoyed mocking Christians and people of religion who choose to believe in God. The most frequent criticism is that belief in God is unscientific, therefore it is foolish. What many people don't realize is that the Bible and the stories within have an incredible amount of evidence to support them. More and more scientists are recognizing that the complexity of the universe necessitates a divine Creator as... Continue Reading

And I thought it was going to be as simple as getting on an airplane... Our flight home was initially scheduled for 6:30 pm, putting us into OKC around 8:30 pm. However, our schedule for the day was clear, so we decided to head to the airport early in hopes of catching an earlier flight on standby. We arrived shortly after 12:15 pm and attempted to book on the 1:11 pm flight. It had been... Continue Reading

On Thanksgiving Day, I did what any respectable guy would do. Besides stuffing my face, I took some time to browse the sale papers for Friday's big bonanza. I found the usual suspects. Circuit City, Comp USA, Best Buy and Ultimate Electronics. Even Target's ad got a once over from me. Many of the bargains looked quite appealing, but there was no way in the world I was going to get up at 5:30 am... Continue Reading

Some sites I have recently bookmarked... Oklahoma City Astronomy Club - My son has become increasingly interested in the planets and stars, so I believe I am going to look into checking these folks out. American Oddities - You have got to see this unusual collection of photographs of homes and office buildings. What's My IP? - Need to know your IP address? Not sure what an IP address is, or why you would need... Continue Reading

Way back in July 2004, Disney released America's Heart and Soul without any fanfare. I reported about the release of the movie and indicated that I was eager to see it. While the film received virtually no screen time, it is now available on DVD. I finally viewed the movie tonight and I am perplexed as to why Disney did not put some promotion muscle behind this brilliant and inspiring picture! America's Heart and Soul... Continue Reading

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, its the Perseids! No, I am not nuts. The Perseids is a meteor shower that has been around since the time of the Civil War. From Space.com... "The Perseids are the result of stream of debris in space laid down by comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 130 years and spends most of its time in the far reaches of the solar system. On each... Continue Reading

A Review of the IBIZ Virtual Keyboard Up until now, portable keyboards for PDAs have been clunky and fragile This review is being written on a device the size of a cigarette lighter with a keyboard that is invisible. I am speaking of the IBIZ Virtual Keyboard, a new device from IBIZ Technologies that combines infrared and laser technology to deliver a keyboard that is both functional and portable. Using a standard laser, the VKB... Continue Reading

Call me Mr. Wonderful. No, its not Mary's pet name for me. And no, I don't have a super-inflated sense of self. Mr. Wonderful has been my alter-ego these past two weeks in City of Heroes, a massively multiplayer online game recently released by Cryptic Studios. The fictional location of Paragon City has had a difficult time lately. What with an alien invasion and several gangs of thugs battling it out for control of the... Continue Reading

I don't know why, but this sad story got my attention. A couple idiots took someone's 2-pound Yorkie and punted it like a football, killing the poor pup. A Priest Lake man killed his neighbor's 2-pound miniature Yorkshire terrier by kicking it into the air like a football, police said, and authorities have charged him with animal cruelty. Jelani Lewis and Jessica McKenzie say they are outraged at the death of their 17-year-old pet, Gizmo... Continue Reading

Well, its Spring Break. We tossed around the idea of leaving town, but couldn't agree on where to go. Instead of hitting the road, we are redoing Zach's room. He is almost a teenager and it is time for his room to grow up with him. And so we say goodbye to the red and blue primary colors, and the cars and planes wallpaper border. His room will soon be Khaki (why can't we just... Continue Reading

About three years ago, I came upon the soundtrack for Seussical the Musical at Amazon.com. Seussical is a Broadway production based on the works of the late Dr. Seuss. The story follows many favorite Seuss characters including The Cat in the Hat (the Narrator), Horton the Elephant, Mazie McBird, Gertrude McFuzz, a cast of Who's and many more favorites, in a family-friendly joyful walk down memory lane. My family and I have worn out the... Continue Reading

Ladies and gentlemen, we now have proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that God exists, and that He has an incredible sense of humor! This story from the Drudge Report... In what political watchers are calling possibly the biggest gaffe in years, former Vice President Al Gore is set to give a speech on Thursday on the perils of global warming -- on what is expected to be the coldest day in New England... Continue Reading

Today the four of us hopped on a plane to Illinois, where we are visiting my family in the North Shore suburbs. We'll be here all week. However, my mom is watching the kids Tuesday and Wednesday, so Mary and I are heading downtown to enjoy a couple days and nights in the great city of Chicago. I hope to post movie #14 in my list of Best Movies Ever in the next day or... Continue Reading

I've been scouring my extensive DVD collection lately, attempting to figure out what makes a great movie. Certainly, films have the potential to entertain us. But a real filmmaker wants to do more than make us laugh or cry. True cinematic art is manifested in an engaging storyline, convincing acting and masterful directing that trancends the big screen, either affirming or transforming the way in which we see our world. As a Christian, I view... Continue Reading

After spending time in Philadelphia, Boston and Washington D.C., I am more persuaded that the system of government that we operate under is as close to perfect that can be had on this planet. However, it is people that corrupt the system through their greed and selfish motives. Tonight, the Republican Senate majority has called a 30-hour session to bring a serious matter to the attention of the American people. Over the course of the... Continue Reading

Woke up this morning and decided that Bennington, Vermont would be a very nice place to live. The colors of the leaves are absolutely beautiful. I know it won't last long, and before you know it, the cold weather will come and the snow will fall. I don't care. The town has so much charm, history and beauty. After a quick breakfast in the room, we followed the usual ritual of packing the car and... Continue Reading

Mary and the kids needed to take some extra time for school today, so I dropped them off at the Cleveland Public Library. I then excitedly drove down the street to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I've always want to visit this place and was thrilled to have the opportunity. The architecture of the building was very cool with a wide open atrium and six levels of exhibits. I only had a couple... Continue Reading

Started the day in Dayton, Ohio. It really is getting hard to keep track of where we are at any given moment. The cities and hotels are becoming one big blur. After breakfast and the daily schlep to the van, we went to the United States Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There were two massive hangars of airplanes, including the original Wright "B" Flyer flown by Wilbur and Orville Wright. We saw... Continue Reading

You want talent? You want creativity? You want a wry sense of humor with a twist of Monty Python? Take a look at Yellowlane.com, the Internet home for one Joshua Williams. I've known Josh since he was a teenager, and he is responsible for much of the artwork that appears on the WorldVillage sites, including the character illustrations at FamilyFirst.com. Josh is a professional designer and he has some great samples of his work on... Continue Reading

We got a late start this morning, but isn't that what vacationing is all about? Jenna is so excited about going horseback riding, so we walked to the stable and made a reservation for tomorrow at 10:30 am. She will be riding a black and white horse named Questa. Every time we passed the stable today, she pointed out Questa to all of us. Took a photo of Jenna out front of the lodge. For... Continue Reading

I slept in this morning and Mary didn't feel great, so we planned on taking it easy today and not doing anything too physical. We jumped in the van and set out for Taos, about 45 minutes away. On the way, I was reading about things to do in the area and asked Mary to take a detour. About 20 minutes later, we found the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River Recreation Area. It was... Continue Reading

Call me crazy. Call me whacko. I just don't care. Today, I bought an acre of land on the moon. For real! Can't wait to get my deed. Want to own your own piece of the moon? Click here!. Admit it. You want a chunk of rock in outer space too, doncha? Continue Reading