The Magazine

Do you have an iOS device? Have you ever wondered what to do with the Newsstand App? Well, even as The Daily is being shuttered by News Corp there are other options. There is hope that there is viable content that is being produced for the Newsstand App. Marco Arment, the creator of the indispensable iOS app Instapaper and host of the podcast Build & Analyze on the 5by5 network, has entered into the publishing venture with his relatively new venture simply titled The Magazine.

I'm a fan of Marco even when he is wrong. This sentiment has perfectly translated over to The Magazine. I don't, in fact I cannot, agree with all the articles. However, each article is excellent. As a Dominican friar it provides me an opportunity to step into ideas and concerns that I don't always share. It's a pleasant way to encounter a way of living life that is radically different than my own. Yet, the readers share many of my interests, dare I say obsessions. They are nerdy superstars. As a fellow nerd I appreciate the opportunity to share in these common concerns.

If you too are a nerd or even an aspiring nerd I would recommend subscribing to The Magazine. It is only $1.99 a month. If you don't like it you can always unsubscribe. Don't expect to agree with every article. You can, however, expect well written content from people who care just a little too much about the intersection of technology and culture.

Just search The Magazine in the iOS Newsstand Store. If you don't know how to do that, this magazine is probably not for you.

Apple's Earpods

I'm not an audiophile but I like good clean clear sound. I also don't have a lot of money because the allowance that I receive is really small. So, if I'm going to purchase headphones they need to be inexpensive and good quality. I've looked high and low, I've tried various brands. I've tried earbud style headphones, in-ear headphones, over the ear headphones, etc. The new Apple Ear Pods are the best I have ever used.

The sound is clean. This is the most important part for me. I listen to a lot of Podcasts and I'm neurotic about the audio quality for talk programs (because I'm a nerd). The difference between the previous in-ear headphones and the Ear Pods are like night and day. The richness they add to the recorded human voice is nothing short of amazing.

I also listen to music. When I purchase music I'm really selective because of the whole money thing. So, when I listen to it I really want it to sound good. The dynamic range of the Ear Pods is also amazing. The design shape is what allows for this. They spent 3 years in development and it shows.

Their design is strange. But, they are extremely comfortable. It is as if they float in your ear. while still being secure. I'm really impressed with the way that they feel. It is necessary to be a little more careful when putting them in your ears. This isn't because of anything bad. Rather, the shape requires that they can't just be placed in any ear. The right must go in the right ear and the left must go in the left ear. 

The best part about them is that they are really, really, inexpensive. These puppies are about $30 which is a steal. If you need a set or want a set of headphones I highly recommend them ... even if you are a non-Apple-fan.

Techno-nightmare

I really hate when technology gets in the way.

I've spent the better part of two days getting my techno-self back in order. First it started with Wordpress. I was pretty happy with it as far as a free service goes. Then it started including obnoxious adds into my posts. Now, I have nothing against ads on free sites or services. The problem is with how it is done. I abandoned Google over a year ago because their Privacy Policy became creepy. Well, yesterday, I left Wordpress because they started including video ads in my posts in such a way that it appeared like I was linking to some random video. It was dishonest. Creepy Google & sneaky Wordpress. Then, this morning I couldn't use my iPod Touch with headphones. Somehow, while I was sleeping, a large piece of pocket lint crept into the headphone jack. It was small enough to get in but it was large enough to deny access. It was pressed so far in that it was unremovable. Honestly, I was having a few other problems with the iPod so it occasioned an opportunity to drop by one of the local Apple Stores.

I love the Apple Store

Anyway, I hate when technology gets in the way. Good technology should get out of the way so you can create awesome stuff. Fortunately, in this case, technology getting in the way is providing an opportunity for me to do some awesome stuff. My frustration with Wordpress got me to make my transition to SquareSpace. I love SquareSpace. Not only are their hosting and creation tools wonderful, the folks who run the place are heroic. You should have heard what they did to keep things running in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. I had wanted to make this move for a while but I was worried about the cost. Fortunately a benefactor came forward to help with a portion of the cost. Also, my overheating (yes ... overheating!!!), plugged up iPod Touch was replaced by a new pristine iPod Touch.

So, two parts of my techno-life are in reboot. I'm pretty happy with the site, I'm pretty happy to have a new iPod Touch. I'm happy that someone has offered their charity to help me continue this ministry. So, I guess this is the modern world equivalent of God writing straight with crooked lines. It really is amazing. Yes, my time is in the can, but God can do some pretty cool things with otherwise useless frustrations. I guess we need to be like good technology too. We should get out of the way so God can make awesome stuff.

Now that the new site is live, take some time to look around. I've organized some things a little better than on my Wordpress site. I've also added a web form for contacting me. You will also notice that I added a donate page. Currently there is only a link to the main Donation page for my Province. Over time I will add other benefactor opportunities. I have a few things that need to be funded that I have permission to do but have yet to move forward on them. I always beg for the Order when I speak, it probably good that I do so when I write.

I hope you enjoy experiencing the new site as much as I enjoy creating it.

I Love the Apple Store

Tuesday is my day off from ministerial responsibilities. Usually I'll spend the day at home listening to podcasts, watching Stargate SG-1, going to the dollar movie theater, scoping out a new eatery, and hiding at the Mall. I thoroughly enjoy hiding at the mall. It's one of the few places I feel solitude (but that's for another post). But lately I've been taking advantage of the classes at the Apple Store. Some of you may be surprised. I can hear a cacophony of voices raised in incredulity, "why don't you spend your day before the Blessed Sacrament in contemplation!" (<— no question mark because when people ask this "question" it isn't really a question. It tends to be a passive aggressive accusation). My only response to these people is an attempt at education. They may not understand the human requirements of holiness. Holiness is achieved differently in each person. It is not necessarily achieved by spending hours upon hours in prayer. Holiness is achieved, however, by integrating prayer and contemplation into the mundane activities of life. Holiness is achieved through becoming an integrated and balanced human person infused by God's sanctifying, transformative grace. Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Reading, and other acts of piety have their place and shouldn't be neglected. However, watching movies, golfing, weaving, painting, and other leisure activities do have a place. We should strive for a life that is balanced in it's activities but intensely Christocentric in each activity.

I think Americans have a hard time understanding this. We are taught at a young age that activities that don't produce a tangible product are superfluous. Because of this we have a hard time understanding why leisure is a necessary component to holiness. This is why the life of the priest is not understood (even by priests). This is why the life of the religious, or monk is scorned in a production based society. The monk should make something. The friar should get a job. We privilege what we perceive to be productive over what we perceive to be unproductive. As American Catholics we perceive prayer to be productive and reading Robert Jordan to be unproductive. Prayer is in, art is out. When reduced this way, it's easy to see the Puritan influence on our thinking.

I'm reminded of the second Master of my Order, Blessed Jordan of Saxony, when I speak about this topic. On a certain occasion, the nuns asked him how much time he spent in prayer each day. His response was striking. He said that he didn't spend any time in prayer, he was too busy preaching. I'm sure the nuns were scandalized.

I wonder how many people take advantage of the Apple Store classes? More people should. The beauty of the architecture, and the products are enough reason to be there. I'm a Mac nerd so I love spending time at the Apple Store. But, to learn about new apps and product functionality that can help my workflow (the salvation of souls) defines my flavor of nerdy bliss. As long as Apple continues to offer classes that aren't simply introductory level I'll be there. I highly recommend you do the same. Don't have a Mac? No iDevice? I'll pray for you ... when I find the time.