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Just The Facts – Londrina, Brazil Edition
Map showing Londrina, Brazil
It’s hard to believe that the countdown for my Brazil Mission trip has officially begun. In 73 days I will be leaving for Londrina, Brazil – it sounds like it’s far off, but it’s really only about 11 weeks away (about two and a half months). Most people have heard of Brazilian cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, but most people are not familiar with the city of Londrina. Here are a few facts about what has come to be one of my favorite places in the world.
- According to the 2010 Census, the city has a population of 506,645
- The city’s nickname is Pequena Londres which translates into “Little London”
- Londrina is in the northern region of the state of Paraná and is 369 km from the capital of Curitiba
- The native language of Brazil is Portuguese, but English and Spanish are taught in the high schools and colleges
- Roman Catholic is the main religion, but primarily in name alone as most people do not attend church or are not “practicing” Catholics.
- Futbol (American Soccer) is the major sport in Brazil.
- The city can be found at the coordinates 23°18′36″S 51°09′46″W
- There are several colleges and universities in the city of Londrina including Universidade Estadual de Londrina and Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná
- The average temperature in Brazil is 21.5 °C (71 °F) with the warmest average temperature being 30 °C (86 °F) in September and the coolest average temperature being 11 °C (52 °F) in June or July.
- Major Brazilian exports include aircraft, textiles, footwear, iron ore, coffee, orange juice, soybeans, and corned beef
- Popular Brazilian music styles include samba, MPB, choro, Sertanejo, brega, forró, frevo, maracatu, bossa nova, and axé but they also love American music
- The Brazilian currency is called the real (pronounced /reI’AːL/) and the plural is reais. They also use what is called centavos. As of today, the current exchange rate is 2.05546 Brazilian Real to 1 US Dollar.
Learn how you can contribute to my mission trip.
Photo Credit: By http://www.mapsofworld.com
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The Finder – The Battle Continues
It’s not too late to Save The Finder!
Last month I wrote a post about the television show The Finder. The show is a spin-off of Bones and is loosely based on The Locater books by Richard Greener. The Finder premiered Thursday, January 12 at 9:00 PM EST on FOX, but on April 6 the show was given the “kiss of death” by FOX and moved to Friday nights at 8:00 PM EST. What’s so disappointing – it only ran a total of 13 episodes.
If you were not able to see any of the episodes from season one, they are currently available on Hulu. As I mentioned in my previous post, there is a fan campaign that has been created to bring the show back to FOX. It’s easy to get discouraged, but remember shows like Star Trek, Cagney & Lacey, Family Guy, Jericho, and Futurama were canceled and then brought back by the fans. Even Chuck was scheduled to be canceled after two seasons, but the fans made sure their voice was heard and the show not canceled – as an added bonus it ran for a total of five successful seasons.
By now I’m sure you’re asking what you as the disgruntled viewer can do. Here are some proactive ways you can join the fight to bring back The Finder.
- Join the “Save The Finder” Facebook page
- Like “The Finder” on Facebook
- Follow the blogs: KeepTheFinder.wordpress.com and SaveTheFinder.org
- Sign the petition – http://www.thepetitionsite.com/406/663/146/save-the-finder-on-fox/ (right now there are currently 14,935 signatures and we need more).
- Follow the cast and crew of the show on Twitter: Geoff Stults (Walter), Mercedes Masöhn (Isabel), Maddie Hasson (Willa), The Finder on FOX (the show’s official Twitter), Hart Hanson (one of the show’s creators), Richard Greener (the author of “The Locater” books), and you can also follow the “Save The Finder” group
- Participate in events suggested by the “Save The Finder” group (details on their Facebook page) like the mail a map event, PM The Finder Facebook page, and Tweeting the sponsors of the different episodes of the show
Do your part and we will show FOX we miss our beloved show and that it was a mistake for them to cancel it!
One of the fans at the “Save The Finder” Facebook page created the video below to help out with the cause.
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Tender Warrior – A Contradiction In Culture
WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group sent me a complimentary copy of this book for my review.
How can a true warrior be tender?
When you hear the words “tender” and “warrior” together, it paints an interesting picture. How can a warrior truly be a warrior and be tender? Stu Weber’s 1993 (published again in 1999) book Tender Warrior seeks to inform the reader what it means to be a real man. In a society where it is the norm for children to not know their father, Weber is one who challenges the male population to stand up and be men. Using stories straight from scripture (including David, Jonathan, Caleb, Joshua, and Jesus), the reader is shown that being a true man is not defined by society. The ultimate “measuring stick” of a man should be Jesus, and not the picture the world has painted of Him – the true version that comes straight from the scriptures in the Bible.
The book contains sixteen chapters dealing with topics including the relationship between a husband and his wife, the relationship between a man and his children, being a leader, the tender side of being a man, a man and his friends, and a man’s relationship with his Savior. It is an easy read and even has questions after each chapter that would be suitable for a men’s small group study to use while reading the book.
Here are a few takeaways I got from Tender Warrior:
- Being a male doesn’t necessarily make you a man.
- Real men conquer for a cause.
- Masculinity was made for connection.
- Real men should be pro-visionaries. They plan ahead to set the standard.
- A true man is called to be a king, warrior, mentor, and friend just like Jesus.
There were only three things I didn’t really like about the book: 1) The majority of the book was written for married men (especially men with children), but there was something in it for men of all stages in life. 2) Numerous times Weber’s illustrations seemed dated (he constantly used an illustration about a western television show he used to watch in the 1960s). 3) At times the author seemed to ramble a little. Some of the chapters could have easily been combined if he had cut back on some of the illustrations and just gotten straight to the point.
As a whole, I would highly recommend this book to any male who would like to make sure he is on the path to being a real man. For those who are interested, you can read the first chapter of Tender Warrior online.
Photo Credit: By http://www.scribd.com
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Remember Me?
“I’m Buckwheat! Uh member me?!”
There was an old Saturday Night Live skit with Eddie Murphy as a grown up version of Buckwheat from the Little Rascals. His catch phrase was “I’m Buckwheat! Uh member me?!” It was like that familiar friend from our childhood (okay, some of us saw the show in reruns) was back just as we remembered him. It was like he had never left.
Sometimes I feel like God says to us “Hey, I’m God. Remember Me?!” We get so caught up in our daily routine that we neglect the most important person in our life. Circumstances may come (be it a death in the family, loss of a job, divorce, etc.) and though it might not seem like it at the time, they will also pass. The comforting thing is the reminder that Deuteronomy 31:6 gives us –
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.
The end of this month will mark eleven months that I have been without a job. It’s been a tough and trying time, but there have been many instances where God will orchestrate something in my life (like an unexpected interview) and it feels like He is gently whispering “Hey, remember Me?! I’ve got this!” I know that I will eventually find a job and I’ll be able to look back on this time in my life as something that was well worth the wait.
How has God been telling you “Remember Me?!” lately?
Photo Credit: By Michael Lehet
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Introverts Unite (Or Not)…
Introverts are people too!
What do Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, J.K. Rowling, Steven Spielberg, Sir Isaac Newton, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Harrison Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, and Matt Lauer all have in common? They are celebrities or people from history who are introverts. Add one more “not so famous” person to this list…me. Hi, my name is Scott and I’m an introvert! To be technical, I am what’s called an “extroverted introvert” (which means I am an introvert by nature, but I can “turn on” and “turn off” characteristics of an extrovert as needed, but in the end I need down time alone to “recover” from these times).
I borrowed some great links from my friend Kelly, who is also an introvert. One of the main problems is that those who are not introverted do not know how to really interact with those of us who are. They feel like something is wrong with us, when in actuality it is just how we process things. A few misconceptions of introverts are that we are oppressed or arrogant, when it is quite the contrary. Others tend to think introverts are shy, rude, loners who don’t like people and don’t enjoy going out in public. Introverts are just like everyone else, but we must have down time in order to function and take in the things around us.
One of my favorite blogs is called Introverted Church and it talks about the challenges that introverts have when they are in leadership positions. Jon Acuff at Stuff Christians Like also did a humorous post on introverts.
Are there any other introverts out there?
Photo Credit: By Joe Wolf
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Maxwell’s Winning With People Is A Winner!
Another winner from John C. Maxwell!
Former pastor turned leadership guru, John C. Maxwell is known for his insight and experience when it comes to the business industry. What I find helpful is Maxwell’s teachings are applicable to other environments such as church, small groups, and relationships. His 2004 release Winning With People specifically deals with relationships. Quite frequently the mindset of the business world is “What can I do to get ahead?” or “How can I succeed?” Maxwell challenges the reader to think outside of the box and change his or her thoughts to “How can I help others succeed?”
The book is broken down into five sections that ask the following questions: Are we prepared for relationships? Are we willing to focus on others? Can we build mutual trust? Are we willing to invest in others? Can we create a win-win relationship? Each section has 5-6 different principles that will help the reader refocus to help answer the respective question in a positive way.
I found so many takeaways within this book including:
- “You can’t control another person’s response to you. All you can do is make yourself the kind of person others want to know and with whom they can build a relationship.”
- “People respond to what they are prepared to believe. And what prepares them for what they believe is their experience.”
- “It takes four positive statements to negate the effect of one negative statement.”
- “You may be able to impress people with your successes, but if you want to influence them, share your failures.”
This book is an easy read and is one from which almost anyone can gain something – especially those in a leadership position (be it professionally, church, or in relationships). I highly recommend this book and if you are also interested in more leadership principles, make sure to read Developing The Leaders Around You, Becoming A Person of Influence, and Developing The Leader Within You (all by Maxwell). You can also follow John Maxwell’s Leadership Blog.
Photo Credit: By The John Maxwell Co.
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Save The Finder!
Save The Finder!
Have you ever had a television show that you really enjoyed watching only to have the network snatch it out from under your nose via cancellation? Unfortunately this has happened more often than not – Pushing Daisies, Breaking In, Reaper, and the list goes on and on. Recently FOX announced that they have decided to cancel the Geoff Stults crime dramedy The Finder. What really irritates me is they are cancelling a great show likes this while they keep garbage like Glee! I missed the first few episodes of The Finder, so I didn’t really get into the show until it was too late.
If you’ve never watched the show, it’s a spin-off of the show Bones. Geoff Stults plays Walter Sherman (A.K.A. “The Finder”) an Iraq War vet who suffered brain damage in an IED explosion. This injury gave him the ability to “find” things. With the help of his “legal advisor” Isabel (Mercedes Masöhn), his friend and bar owner Leo (Michael Clarke Duncan), and a teenage parolee named Willa (Maddie Hasson) he solves some pretty cool crimes involving everything from a meal to music. This show has everything – for you ladies you’ve got the good looking, quirky guy in Walter. Guys, we get the hot eye candy of Isabel. There is romance between Walter and Isabel. You find camaraderie (a “bromance” of sorts) between Walter and Leo. Willa adds a little rebellious teenage angst for the younger crowd (and she’s kind of cute).
If you are like me and really enjoyed the show, let FOX know how you feel! There is a “Save The Finder” Facebook group. You can also sign a petition telling the network they should renew the show. Someone has even created a Keep The Finder blog you can follow. Fans have also been asked to participate in the “Send A Map” campaign where viewers will be mailing Kevin Reilly (the president of FOX) a map of their state with the words “Save The Finder” across it. There is also a campaign to get the USA Network to pick up The Finder (go to http://www.usanetwork.com/feedback/ and at the bottom of the page there is form – fill out the form and select “USA Network Programming” under Topic then for Program under “Other” select “Suggest A Program” leaving a comment telling them how much you love The Finder on FOX and how you think USA Network should air the show). I don’t know what if anything will happen as a result of all of this, but it never hurts to try.
Enjoy the promo video below for The Finder.
Photo Credit: By Amazon.com
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Disney Kids Go Wild!
Why do we rush to be “grown up?!”
Something has been on my mind lately (not in a “keep me up all night” kind of way, more of a general wondering). Why do former Disney Channel stars feel the need to prove to the world they are “all grown up” now? Miley Cyrus has been caught doing everything from smoking a bong to dressing very provocatively for her age. Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens are both trying to disassociate themselves from their Disney squeaky-clean, good girl images with a new indie movie. Demi Lovato hit one of her backup dancers and then ended up going to rehab.
If you think I’m just calling out the ladies of former Disney shows, the guys aren’t exactly angels either. Former Disney star Mitchell Musso was busted for a DUI and he was only 20 years old at the time. Not to mention Musso’s numerous tattoos – did he not think about how they will look when he’s sixty and has “moobs” like Steven Tyler? In a 2010 interview, Disney star Hutch Dano (18 years old at the time) was asked by a reporter “What do you think of the fact that when you type ‘Hutch Dano’ into Google, one of the first suggestions it makes is ‘Hutch Dano shirt off?'” and his response was that he “became immediately uncomfortable.” Apparently it no longer makes him uncomfortable because he is now posing for shirtless pictures. Disney’s High School Musical star Zac Efron is trying to shed his Disney image as well.
I was devastated when 80s pop stars Debbie Gibson and Tiffany both posed nude for Playboy because they were my age and were good, clean, wholesome role models prior to this. I’m afraid the same is going to happen to these kids. How much longer until Playboy comes out with a “Former Darlings of Disney” issue (the thought totally creeps me out by the way)?! I also hope that none of these guys get caught in a sexting scandal like Anthony Weiner or Brett Favre. I just don’t understand why they feel they have to go to the extreme to prove to people they are no longer a little kid.
It’s been proven that one of the basic human needs is a sense of belonging, but I think we as a society tend to take it to the wrong extreme. Why can’t someone enjoy their childhood and not worry about proving that they are an adult? As I get older, I wish I had embraced my childhood longer – as an adult you have to worry about bills, work, money, relationships, and more. I wish I could tell these former Disney stars not to stress so much about proving to the world they are no longer a kid. I also wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to enjoy life more and not worry about growing up so much.
If you could tell these former Disney stars one thing, what would it be? If you could go back in time and tell your childhood self one thing, what would it be?
Photo Credit: By Silwertand
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Clearing The Clutter
Time to clear the clutter!
I know it’s sad, but I moved in March and I’m JUST starting to go through and unpack things right now, two months later in the month of May. Clearing the clutter can be a painful process – sorting through things that may have emotional attachment, accepting that a certain part of your life has passed, or realizing you can’t go back to the way things used to be during a certain part of your life. This week I have gone through old clothes, cds, and books – most of the excess will end up at Goodwill or used music or book stores. Whether you hate or love it, the process is a necessary evil (otherwise you’ll see me on a future episode of Hoarders).
Those who know me well will attest to the fact that I am definitely my father’s son when it comes to being a pack rat. I will find an excuse to keep anything and everything. Well, I finally parted ways with a Mickey Mouse phone that I’ve had for at least ten years and never used once. A three cd disc changer stereo (with only two of said cd changers working) has now taken up temporary residence at Goodwill. This weekend I will be going through several books and cds, then making a trip Monday to a couple of local shops to see if I can get cash for some of the things I just don’t use any more.
Purging the unnecessary has become quite liberating – I don’t feel tied to my “stuff” any more and have more room to just live. I feel like this has also been a “clearing of the clutter” for me spiritually as well, as I find myself asking what things I need to get rid of in my life that are taking a negative toll on my spiritual life. Regardless, I feel like once I am on the other side of this time in my life I will be able to see things more clearly for a lack of a clutter. I can easily relate to comedian Bone Hampton when he talks about the clutter in his life in the video below (NOTE: go to 4:00 in the video to see the part about cluttter, but the rest of this bit is really funny as well).
Photo Credit: By Sean MacEntee
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What Does Your Birth Order Say About You?
Where do you fall in birth order?
Lately I have become obsessed with topic of family dynamics. To be honest with you, I’m not even sure why. Several months back I was rummaging through my local Goodwill, when I came across a book that sparked my interest. “The New Birth Order Book – Why You Are The Way You Are” by Dr. Kevin Leman is a very interesting read that kept me informed from cover to cover. When you mention birth order, people tend to think it only references whether you are first born, middle child, or the baby of the family. While this is true, there are other factors that come into play – what birth order are your parents, how much of an age gap is there between you and your sibling(s), your gender and the gender of your sibling(s), and how your parents raised you are just a few other components that Dr. Leman speaks of in his book.
Your first thought may be, “Oh great! A psychology book!” This book is written in layman’s terms so you won’t have to grab the closest dictionary while you’re reading. Leman is a Christian and uses Biblical stories (like that of Jacob and Esau) to illustrate his points. I am the oldest of three boys and could easily see myself and my two brothers in the examples he gave (trust me, this is not a bad or negative thing, but very informative as to why we act the way we do). He mentions that the oldest child tends to take on characteristics of being a natural leader, a perfectionist, a list maker, and more. I can easily relate to this assessment. Leman reminds the reader that not all children will exemplify all characteristics of their birth order, but it was interesting to see how many actually fit in the description of me and my brothers.
In the book, Leman discusses his own family experiences (he and his wife have five children) which makes it easier to relate. Topics in the book include how to discipline your children with respect to their birth order, what birth orders should and shouldn’t marry, and applying birth orders to your job. I think this book would be a great read for anyone in sales as it talks about how the different birth orders make decisions when it comes to business. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the different components of personality – especially what makes us think, do, and react the way we do.
Photo Credit: By monkeysox
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Scott Couey 