I am Becoming a Beliver

If you would have asked me a year ago about all the hub bub over social networking I would have more than likely told you it was hype, or a fad, or just a flash in the pan.  I absolutely HATE Myspace, and this facebook thing was new and cumbersome.  Not to mention all the "what am I doing now" apps and services.

But then. . .I tried a couple.  First twitter, then Jaiku, then Pownce then. . . well you get the picture.  I started to use them for a short time but then as with most things I think are fads. . they sort of left the back of my mind. . Sort of like that Franklin Daily Planner I used to think was cool. . .for a week.

BUT. . .here I sit out of work. No longer pastor at FBLO.  I know I have gifts and talents.  I know I can do some cool things.  After all, I would not try if it where not cool. . But I have never found a way to get someone, at the right time, who was willing to pay me to do these cool things.  Podcasts, web sites, custom graphics, network design and installations, you name it. . .  But then something strange happen, after a very long and hard, and ill be the first to admit it, a rather depress filled two weeks.  My buddy Scott Bridwell sends me a Gtalk message at midnight the other night saying.

"Hey Mike, guess what?

What?

I lost my job yesterday."

Heart sank to my stomach for Scott and Becky.  I know the hard road he has had to walk.  We started talking about a lot of things.  Not to put you to sleep Ill get to the point. .He asked me if I was LinkedIN. I'm like, am I what?  I had heard in passing about the site but payed no attention to it.  We talked over an hour about social networks.  So that night after he logged I went to LinkedIN and set up a profile.  Sent invites to all the people in my Google address book and crawled into bed at 2 AM depressed and not sure what the morning would offer.

Today however, after filling in the information, after brushing off my twitter and posting to it the sample mundane parts of my day, and after getting "plugged" back into the tech world I am already seeing results.  Friends I made a year ago and friends from high school have contacted me.  It has really shocked me in a way, but a good way.

So tonight, as I go to bed, as I think about tomorrow, I can say that I'm feeling pretty good.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm sure its not a train. *smile*

Drupal and You

I have just started a new project for the California Southern Baptist Convention's Student Ministries Department. Shhhhew, to many words. I am creating a new site that will allow them to keep in touch with those around the state that need information about the Healthy Church, and specifically, student ministries. In the past they have used flash driven web sites. Flash, although snazzy and sometimes awesome looking, can also be riddles with navigation and just. . plain old problems. What they really want is a way to post things in a timely fashion and yet keep things fluid.

Enter a content management system. I have offered to tune a Drupal install for them and help them tailor it for there needs. With all features that a Drupal install has to offer it will be a very flexible system. It will allow them to post news about upcoming events, post vital information about ministries and offerings. Offer a place to display some of what is happening in the churches around the state as well as attempt to create a social network using forums or other systems to help key students and leaders into place.

Keep watching this particular topic in the next week as the site comes together.