Welcome to Pragmatist City! Population: this article. If you haven't guessed it yet, today's article is all about the nitty-gritty details of “How” 48by48 will come together and operate. I am hoping that it isn't all about figures and digits but that it gives you a sense of tangibleness to the ideas I've laid out in the previous articles.

Once again, I implore you to keep asking questions to help me iron out some of the wrinkles and to make 48by48 even better.

How will I accomplish the Primary Objectives/Goals of 48by48?

1. Travel to all 48 contiguous states in 48 weeks.

• Primary means of travel: 2002 Mazda Protoge.

• Estimate miles to be added to vehicle: 17,000

• Trip Order (Tentative): Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico

• Shelter: supporter's homes, camping, hostiles, churches, organizations, and even my car.

2. Serve / Volunteer in each state for a minimum of 5 days or 25 hours.

• 30-50% spontaneous volunteering | 50-70% scheduled volunteering

• Service project will be found by:

• Interacting with people in communities who of local needs.

• People listing projects on the 48by48 website.

• Using the numerous websites that list volunteer needs.

3. Lead by example in the “Service to Others” (STO) lifestyle.

• Finding practical, yet creative ways to help others.

• Always being on the lookout for people to serve.

• Taking others along on the journey and encouraging them in their ability to serve others.

4. Connect people to local organizations and connect organizations to local people (needs).

• Creating a network of companies, individuals, and organizations who are willing help meet the needs of individuals in their communities.

• Will aid people in discovering their strengths and offer suggestions in where they can best use their abilities.

5. Promote the STO lifestyle.

• Create the 48by48 website.

• Blog twice a week about a variety of topics highlighting the STO lifestyle.

• Contacting local and national media outlets to spotlight the STO lifestyle and highlight area needs.

• Participate in events at schools, churches, clubs, and organizations which emphasize STO.

6. Create a variety of resources to help others accomplish the STO lifestyle.

• Book/E-book/Pamphlets Ideas: A guide to volunteering in different environments, how to make the most out of short term service trips, the STO way of life

• Gather data from community leaders, ministry workers, and other experts; using that info to help make service projects better for both the leaders and the volunteers.

• A skills matching survey to help connect people with ministries/organizations according to their interests.

How will I live (i.e. support myself)?

The whole journey will be funded by donations from supporters, groups, organizations, and corporations. I am not a “twisting your arm” kind of guy, so there will be no gimmicky-style fund raising apart of 48by48. My intention is to genuinely help people and that means doing everything I can to not take from those who are already trying to serve their communities. (Example: A church gives grocery vouchers to those coming down on hard times. I don't want to have to ask that church for grocery vouchers so I can eat.) I strongly believe that there are enough goodhearted people who will contribute to this cause and who will help me live from day. (I hope you will consider being one of those people.)

How will I remain accountable?

The old adage: “trust is hard to gain, but easy to lose” is especially true in the present day. This is why accountability and transparency are absolutely crucial for 48by48 to succeed. To hold myself to the highest standards, I will:

1. Assembled a group of trusted advisors who are topnotch when it comes to asking tough questions and combing through the details. This groups is committed to looking through my books, making sure the money and resources received are being used in the most efficient ways.

2. Write a bi-weekly blog where everyone following will peripherally see what their resources are contributing to. They will be able to comment and make suggestions through the online discussion area and will even be able to directly contact me through email or cell phone.

3. Make available, upon request, a quarterly financial statement to those who have financially given.

How you can help?

In the days ahead, 48by48.com will be up and running. Once up, go to the site, and click on the “Support” page. There you will have multiple options on how to be a part of the 48by48 experiment. While there, make sure you join Drew's Back-Pack (the Pack who got Drew's Back!), subscribe to the 48by48 weekly posts, tell at least one other person to check out this crazy thing, and most importantly, start living with others in mind.

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Why should others care about 48by48?

Three main reasons:

1. To learn.

   B-O-R-I-N-G...right? Not at all! Education doesn't always mean sitting in a stuffy classroom, memorizing a bunch of facts, all for the purpose of regurgitating them on to a piece of paper. Don't hear me wrong, formal education is important, but there is a huge need for the informal side of it as well. Informal education could also be called spontaneous education where the student learns from their surroundings and experiences. Whether you are enticed by one style more than the other, it really doesn't matter since 48by48 will have both elements to it. I will also be encouraging people to come along and join me on this adventure. This will give individuals or groups the ability to use me and my journey as an avenue to exercise the “service to others” lifestyle.

2. To enjoy.

   FYI: I plan on having a lot of fun while doing this. My hope is that you will too.

3. To do.

   Thinking without doing and doing without thinking seem to have disastrous results throughout history. But when people think ideas through and then act on those principles, incredible things can happen. One of my goals is to motivate people to go out and do something great in the realm of service to others. If I can encourage, captivate, or inspire a group of people to go out and help others, then this world will have already become a better place. Ben Franklin once said, “Money begets money.” I believe that formula is true in other matters of life too. Kindness begets kindness. Service begets service. Love begets love.

Why does the world need 48by48?

Most people could answer this question with the a simple four-year-old's answer...“duh!” But that seems a little rough. I know I've mentioned this a few times already, but 48by48 is meant to be more than just a year-long trek that canvases the U.S. of A., showcasing its beauty and wonder. It is meant to be the start of a movement. To see people raise their hands and say, “I'll help out.” Just imagine if the spirit of serving others was the norm in America. Think of what could be accomplished. Closer communities, better public services, lower crime rates, superior educational systems, and the list would go on and on! It's an exciting world to imagine, but until those dreams are put into action, everything remains the same. I do not know about you, but I want a better world. That is why I'm going to try and make it that way by serving others.

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I've also been asked a few other “why” questions since letting the cat out of the bag. Here are the most common of those inquiries.

Why forty-eight states and not all fifty?

Trust me, I would love to call this 50by50. Even though it is definitely doable, I have a couple of reasons why 48by48 is the best fit.

1. I want to spend the majority of my time helping others. I don't want to spend my time worrying about getting plane tickets and rental cars.

2. The need to have four weeks of flexible time seems crucial to having this succeed. This flexible time makes room for family emergencies, quarterly reviews, and the dreaded tax week.

Why only five days or twenty-five hours a week?

The numbers here are the bare minimum for me to claim 48by48 a success. Just knowing the way I am wired, I have a feeling I could have put 50 hours a week down. But over the years, I have learned the importance of taking time for good rest. Especially when pouring yourself into others, taking the time to step back reaps more benefits in the long run which enables you to serve more.

Even though serving others / volunteering will be the weight of this project, there is a lot of other work that goes into making this be successful. Blogging, accounting, speaking to groups, administrative work, fund raising, writing resources, and even traveling take lots of time and energy. Because of all the extras, I figured five days or twenty-five hours a week would be a good starting point and was at peace with using those numbers. This isn't going to be a walk in the park, which is why I'm prepping for it to be the most challenging thing I've ever done, and with it, the most rewarding thing too.

Why not spend your energy on one community instead of traveling all over the place?

1. As stated in the “what” article, I really enjoy traveling.

2. Sometimes it is necessary to do something big and a little bit crazy to gain attention for a cause.

3. Doing the 48by48 will help promote the “service to others” lifestyle to many instead of a few.

4. I'm planning on collecting a mountain of data which can be used to help people and groups get the most out of short-term service trips.

5. It will help me better assess the needs in my own community by comparing them with others.

Why now?

I say why NOT now? To me, I feel like there is enough in life to put off until later. Why not make life about going after what you desire? Why not do the things you love and let everything else revolve around that? I know that is a simple answer, but it's the best I have.

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I will be posting the “how” article within the next two days. This section of the overall plan for 48by48 will be the nitty-gritty details in what it will all look like. Please make it a point to read all the articles and to leave any comments or questions you might have.

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However, please don't think I have answered every question that could be asked. That's something I hope you will help me by bringing up tough questions along the way that will constantly refine the vision and fortify the intentions of this journey. Even though the dream may have its roots in my head, it can't stay there for it to be considered a success. My hope is that everyone who reads this will have a stake in bringing this way of life into being.

I figure I'll start with the three “biggie” questions and then finish with some commonly asked “why” questions that I have been bombarded with lately. With that said, I will conduct an interview with myself.

Why is 48by48 so intriguing to me?

I think there are a few recent events and many years of character development that makes 48by48 so exciting/interesting to me. The events that really sparked 48by48 were the spiritual road bumps in February of 2008, the death of my Grandpa Johnson, and being introduced to the writings of Chris Guilleau.

It seems so long ago that I ran into what I call my spiritual road bumps, but the truth is it was only a year and a half ago. I resigned from a wonderful church in November of 2007, serving as their youth director, and left thinking I was called to plant a church or ministry somewhere in the world. While spending my newly found downtime reading and studying for my new ambition, I came across an excerpt by Francis Schaeffer. Before Schaeffer started the L'abri Fellowship in Switzerland, he went through a season of doubting. He later positioned himself on the side of an unbeliever in order to work out the reasonableness of the faith before giving his life over to this same faith. I thought this was a great discipline to undertake but instead of it making my faith soar, I got stuck on a some “road bumps” along the way. Needless to say, I got to a point where I didn't think it would be in the best interest of others that I be in the church planting arena until these bumps got worked out. But what did come out this time (and the months to follow) was the knowing that even though a person's worldview doesn't always line up just right, that person still has to function. That person is still required to act upon the good they perceive and understand to be true.

The second event happened in late June with the death of my Grandpa Loren. My dad and I had the privilege to be with him for a week before he died. Those long days came with many hours of me reflecting on my grandpa's well-lived life and also brought a healthy dose of self-examination along with it. I remember looking at my grandpa and thinking to myself, “just imagine all the things he saw and experienced.” (My grandpa served as a medical assistant in China, Burma, and India for the US Army in World War II.) It made me think about why I chose not to go into the armed service (I was kind of a pacifist at the time) and it made me imagine myself in his shoes. I also thought about his decision to come back to the States to farm and raise a family. My grandpa was praised for being a great father and an all out servant in his church and community. With all this said, I think that the seriousness of death is powerful motivator to correct and change one's life to do what they know they should. I think regrets can be looked at from two angles: 1) stuff we did that we wish we didn't, and the more uncommon thought of, 2) stuff we didn't and wish we did. Either way you look at it, I am quickly beginning to think I will have a regret in life if I don't at least try to do 48by48.

The third juncture was the introduction of Chris Guilleau's writings. Chris is an expert at unusual living and makes a living creating resources for people who feel like they are in the same boat he is, all while completing his goal of traveling to every country in the world in five years. I've read through his works and have been encouraged and motivated to seek out what you love in life and then use that to help others. He also emphasizes that a person doesn't have to live life the way others tell him/her to. Taking his advice, I spent a couple of weekends figuring out what those loves are. (To recap from the “what” article”, they are: travel, technology, and volunteering/helping others.) Once I figured these things out, I had an epiphany to travel throughout the United States, volunteering as I go, and to use technology to communicate a “service to others” lifestyle.

Apart from these events, I also have strong characteristics that fit the 48by48 adventure perfectly.

1. I am a people person. The story goes that once I started to talk as an infant, I never stopped. I also have an uncanny ability to speak to strangers.

2. I like to do lots of things. Variety really is the spice of my life and I naturally gravitate toward it. Just check my iPod.

3. I love storytelling. Once upon a time...just kidding. Other people's stories and having experiences myself that warrant a good tale have always been apart of who I am.

4. I get charged serving others. I think this developed from the flood of opportunities I've had being involved with service programs. Working with people from a multiplicity of ethnic backgrounds, varying ages, and from all across the country (and beyond), my passion for people being successful in their own life only grows the more I serve.

5. I really believe this can have a lasting impact. Our communities need a renaissance uprising of servant leaders and participants. 48by48 would be the perfect event to kick off a modern movement of people living a “service to others” lifestyle.

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Since this section is already over a thousand words, I will publish part two tomorrow answering the rest of the “why” questions.

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Even though I was in a euphoric state of mind about the idea, I decided I better take a personal day to start breaking this down. Is it realistic? Is it needed? Will it even matter? Is it too simplistic? Can I live off of donations and goodwill for a year? Etc.... I also contemplated the impact it would have on my current business, wondering if it would completely destroy the confidence others had in me to create and maintain their websites. These were heavy questions, but they needed to be answered.

The more I thought and planned, the more eager I got to go out and do this. But instead of just doing it, I made a deal with myself to actually work through this with others. I wanted them to share their insight with me and for me to use the time beforehand to give structure and stability to this idea. The hope was to make this a lasting, sustainable movement that would be successful in its goals, not just a hasty action that would be later interpreted as a silly intention.

Since it will be people like you (those who are reading this) that hopefully will be supporting, sponsoring, encouraging, and following along with me on this journey, and even participating in it, I want to lay out the “what” part of this dream. This is not a one-way avenue where I only tell you what I would like to do and accomplish without allowing any input. I STRONGLY WELCOME feedback, questions, helpful criticism, and encouragement. Tell me what you like about this or what you don't like about this. Let me know some of the bumps you foresee, some of the troubles that could lead me to crash and burn, or even if you think this is the dumbest thing since the “Snuggy”. (Encouragement would be nice too.)

What is 48by48? 48By48 is the name of my plan to travel to the forty-eight contiguous United States in forty-eight weeks doing a variety of volunteer/service work in each state.

What's the Mission Statement of 48by48? To lend a hand to people and organizations of all ages, backgrounds, and affiliations around the United States while promoting a “Service to Others” lifestyle.

What are the Primary Goals of 48by48?

1. Travel to all 48 contiguous states in 48 weeks.

2. Serve / Volunteer in each state for a minimum of 5 days or 25 hours.

3. Lead by example in the “Service to Others” (STO) lifestyle.

4. Connect people to local organizations and connect organizations to local people (needs).

5. Promote the STO lifestyle.

6. Create a variety of resources to help others accomplish the STO lifestyle.

(How these goals will be accomplished is a separate article in itself and will be expounded on next week.)

What does the “Service to Others” lifestyle look like? The identifying marks of a person who exemplifies the STO lifestyle is one who:

1. Cares deeply about the needs of others.

2. Actively looks for ways to serve others.

3. Has a good balance of realism and creativity when helping to meet the needs of others.

4. Spends ones thoughts thinking about how to see others succeed.

5. Using their influence to bring about positive outcomes in the people and organizations they serve.

What comes next? Tomorrow I will be doing my best to describe the “why” of the matter. This will consist of the story behind the idea along with the “why this matters to me”, “why this matters to you”, “why now”, and other “why” questions. Then on Monday, I will post the “how” article. This will consist of all the gritty details (ya!). After that, I will start to layout a more detailed plan of action, including tentative dates and a list of needs. Along with all that, I will continuously be gathering data and feedback to update the founding articles for final presentation.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts with me. All are welcomed and I even encourage you to share this with strangers to see what they think. Believe me, I know I have blind spots and I deeply believe you can help me see where I cannot. Also, remember that each one of these articles are in beta form and will be reformed when all is ready to go.

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(Inner Voice) "Hey you! Get up and get going. It's a beautiful day out there full of possibilities and promises. You have everything inside you to accomplish anything you can imagine...just believe you can and trust in the promise of past victories."

(Other Inner Voice) "Ummm...you sound really familiar..."

(Inner Voice) "I should."

(Other Inner Voice) "You should?"

(Inner Voice) "Absolutely!"

(Other Inner Voice) "Ah-ha! I know who you are! I've let Joel Osteen become my motivational coach inner voice. How'd that happen?"

(Inner Voice) "All I know is that you would rather have it be my voice than Al Franken's Stuart Smalley voice."

(Other Inner Voice) "How true. OK...you can stay."

Obviously, I am a very disturbed individual. No argument there. But I find it interesting that the people in life who I once characterized as destructive and damaging have made their residency in my subconscious as positive inner voices. Maybe they have the reputation of being the angel on the shoulder and I unknowingly personify them as the voice inside...or maybe...I've talked about them so much that they naturally became a byproduct of my everyday.

Either way (or something completely different), I just know that I'm glad it's Joel's voice verses these other possibilities:

• Stuart Smalley (SNL Character)
• Barney the Purple Dinosaur
• Tony Robbins
• Billy Mays or Vince Offer
• Gilbert Godfrey
• Rush Limbaugh

Any other I'm missing?

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If you didn't know, my primary job is not blogging but web/graphic design. My company name is changing to Ruryl Studios (pronounced rural) and I value your opinions so much that I want your help in choosing the new logo. Actually, I just need your help in picking one of two colors...black or white. I also would greatly appreciate a small comment to why you like the one that you like. Nothing big...it just helps me chose. Who knows, I might just give something away for the best response. I'd like to have your votes in by Sunday if possible...the site really needs to be launched early next week. Thanks in advance.

I'm opening the youth ministry vault today with a golden oldie: the theme to "Game Show Garage". If you missed out on this gem of a theme night, wow...I feel for you. Anyway, now you can at least enjoy the theme song over and over by adding it to your iTunes playlist or by coming back to drewbe.com on a regular basis. Enjoy!

P.S. - You can request other items in the vault to be unlocked. Just leave your request in the comment's section below.

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OK... I admit that was a little overdramatic this morning, but I'm deprived of strong coffee and was up really late last night. One of the reasons for my loose bedtime was the indecision of me trying to buy a simple t-shirt. With summer coming on fast, and laundry day being on Monday, I realized that I have a shortage of wearable tees. I have plenty of undershirts but no actual printed short-sleeves. So I've been trekking around the internet, looking for classy shirts.

I've stumble across two in which I need your help in making a decision. You see, I've only got enough dough for the purchase of one fine shirt (at the moment) and want to get the best one first. (Oh the dilemmas we have in America!) The choices before you...chose wisely.

As you can see, the choice is hard, but I know you'll make the right decision. BTW...thanks.

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The picture to the right is the after shots of my workout shirt. Needless to say, I sweat more than the average person. Now I know this is one of those disturbing "too much information" blogs, and I am not trying to gross anyone out, but the truth of the matter is, I look like I've done a cannonball into the pool when I get done with sixty minutes of cardio. With that said, I did some research into what's available to keep people from sweating.

The treatments from MILD to EXCESSIVE.

• Aluminium Chloride Hexahydrate (Anti-perspirant) - Blocks the sweat glands which causes the pressure of fluid inside the gland to rise to where it shuts off the sweat production.
• Botox Injections - Blocks the sympathetic nerve supply in the sweat gland. Basically, it paralizes it.
• Laser Sweat Ablation - Laser is used to permanently destroy sweat glands which are then removed by suction.
• Sweat Surgery - Procedure removes a specific part of the sympathetic nervous system by removing a section behind the third rib.

Here's the deal...I really don't sweat more than usual. It's just that I'm a tall guy who does strenuous exercise and I need to be cooled downed. Believe me, after reading some of the side effects and common problems these treatments have attached, I won't even think twice about having them done.

Interesting though...huh?

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If you sign up, make sure you search for me, ellidrew so we can be GymBuddies! Honestly, it's really great, and I've been adding my recipes to the database, so you can enjoy them too. See you in the virtual gym!

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When I was ten, I received Monopoly for Christmas. I couldn't wait to play the game with my dad. So one Sunday, we pulled out the board, handed out the cash, and got schooled! I remember actually crying when I landed on my dad's hoteled Park Place that knocked me out of the game. I vowed that day to never lose again and went out and bought a book (from the Scholastic catalog) on "How to Win at Monopoly". (I'm a nerd...I know.) My dad graciously played me again and I gained the upper hand and the win. (I don't think we've ever played since then...hmm?) Needless to say, I have a really hard time losing at Monopoly.

So...what's your Monopoly? What boils your blood when you lose at something? Is there an event that might have triggered this? Just wondering.

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The onion is what triggered this thought...you know the old object lesson of having layers...it made me look at what I think about myself while shedding those tears. Do I consider myself a deep or a shallow person? How do others see me? Am I attempting to be a deep person or am I just acting like I'm a deep person? Do I even want to be a deep person? Is being shallow wrong or immoral?

For some reason, I always feel like these questions should have been settled back in adolescence and it kind of disturbs me that adults don't seem to prep children and teenagers to handle these basic philosophical questions. Maybe it's just me, but does asking these questions make me deep? I don't believe so. But I think it's a means to becoming a fuller person.

(I think I just answered one of my questions...I do want to be a deeper person...but not too deep that I float back up.)

I'd love to hear what you think and if you have any words of wisdom to those questions. And sorry for making this post so serious...nothing against serious, but when I have these round-a-bout questions floating in my head, I feel like Vizzini from The Princess Bride. So I've included his famous scene below for your enjoyment.

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For instance, this morning I spied my beagle, Elli, lying in the grass. Not that this is out of the ordinary, but it made me wonder what she felt while in the grass. So I took off my shoes and socks and tip-toed across the cold pavement. When my left foot touched the grass, I instantly knew why Elli does what she does.

It was a purely magical feeling!

The grass was warm from the sun and felt like it had been washed in fabric softener. Elli and I laid in the grass for a while, soaking in the Spring sun and enjoying the moment, then we returned inside to tackle the necessities of the day.

Don't be so occupied that inspiration can't take root...and remember that inspiration doesn't always have to be world-changing, it just has to be seized.

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

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So...I know this is silly and trivial, but I'm making a list called:

Top 10 Movies That Make You American (In no particular order.)

1. Saving Private Ryan
2. E.T.
3. The Sound of Music
4. Star Wars (IV-VI)
5. Titanic
6. Forrest Gump
7. Jaws
8. Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)
9. The Lion King
10. The Ten Commandments

What's your Top Ten?

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This sad day has finally come.

No more eating kids' cereals! Actually, the day came back in October when I swore allegiance to my nutritional lifestyle plan but the truth of it sunk in last night at the grocery store. I've been eating my weight in Raisin Bran, Shredded Wheat, and Grapenuts and truthfully, I've gotten a little bored with my choices. So when I saw the giant display for Golden Grahams sitting comfortably next to the Shredded Wheat, my heart sunk deep into my chest. I so wanted to buy a box and consume it in one sitting. I flirted with danger as I picked up the shinny rectangle. I tried to justify purchasing it by repeatedly looking over the colorful banners emphasizing its nutritious minerals and vitamins, but my conscience shot back with "stay true to the course" logic.

I put down the box and shuffled over to the Shredded Wheat section... "looks like it's just you and me", I thought as I added the rusty-brown cereal to my cart. {sigh}

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Now before you think this is going to be a bashing blog on Jimmy's show...it isn't. Even though I thought Conan was a late night genius, and can't wait to see if NBC has brainwashed him during this "holding time" while we wait for Leno to move to prime time, I really want Fallon to do well. I know that it takes time and experience to get where he needs to be and am confident he will make it.

One of the best ideas Jimmy has come up with is to reunite the Saved By the Bell cast on his show. Since 2009 is their 20th anniversary (hard to believe, but true) he thought it would be fitting to see where everyone is now and for them to come together in sweet harmony. Last Friday, he had Dennis Haskins (Mr. Belding) on the show to help promote a petition to get the cast back together. (I have to admit that I actually signed it.) Talk about a great show if they ever get it worked out...and believe me, I'll let you know when that is. I also included the clip from the show below.

Keep up these good ideas, Jimmy Fallon, and stop laughing at your own jokes and your show will be unstoppable for the generations ahead.

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Anyway...now that I just wrote a seemingly natural paragraph, it's amazing how easy it is for my brain to segue into what I wanted to actually blog about. You see, when I was talking to my friend, I told him that I used to be very mechanical and academic in the way I wrote letters, speeches, notes, and even blogs. We discussed how our schooling probably was the cause of this tragedy which led us into asking the question "how do we become better communicators"? In answering this, I mentioned how I usually set goals and then break them down into steps to accomplish what I set out to do.

When it comes to writing more conversationally, first, I found people I could emulate and read their works, then I practiced writing something everyday, and lastly, I got people's (whom I valued) input on how I was doing. (Believe me, the goal is far from being over and will be checked "done" on my deathbed or if I win a prestigious writing award. Which ever comes first.)

All that introduction to say that I added another goal to my growing list. I want to be a better drawer, sketcher, and illustrator. To accomplish this I have set up the following steps:

1. Find people whom I admire and learn from them.
2. Enroll in an art class.
3. Draw, sketch, or illustrate one thing everyday for 365 days.
4. Get feedback from those who know how to improve.
5. Enter a piece in a local or regional contest.
6. Host a gallery exhibit with my drawings being featured.

I will also be posting each days work on my Picasa page, so check back often to see weekly updates.

I do have something YOU can help me with. I'm looking for suggestions of interesting things to draw, sketch, or illustrate. I would love to see your creativity in action as you write out your thoughts below in the comment section.

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What a great day! Even though it would have been fun to celebrate with family and a few more friends, I think today went down as one of the most fun birthdays I've ever had. Most of you who are reading this are over the age of 18 and agree with me that birthdays aren't the same as they used to be when you were, say, 10! No big parties or sleepovers or action figures or wishing for that one big present and getting it...birthdays become very routine year after year. And so they were with me...

UNTIL TODAY!

When I woke up this morning, I made it my mission to get as much free stuff as possible. And here's what I got:

• 3 Pancakes at IHOP
• A scoop of ice cream with topping at Coldstone Creamery
• 8 Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from my 2nd Cousin Heidi
• A Whiskey River Cheeseburger, bottomless pit of steak fries, AND a hot fudge sunday with a cherry on top at Red Robin
• Cheese Fondue with veggies, bread and chicken, guacamole salad from Sarah & Jack
• A scoop of Raspberry Cheese Louise at Baskin Robbins
• My choice of 1 Krispy Kreme doughnut

I also got a ton of really swell cards (my Grandma Johnson sent me a card with 30 stickers on it...only 22 made the trip), even more birthday phone calls, waves of greetings through Facebook, MySpace, & email, and a partridge in a pear tree. I actually had more places to go but I couldn't fit any more food in my stomach. (Maybe next year.)

I really had a blast and thanks so much for all the encouraging wishes for a happy day and an even happier coming year.

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Today I am still in my ignorant  20's... so why not enlighten everyone with some random wisdom I've seemed to have picked up over the last three decades.

1. If something smells like mothballs, throw it out. There's no chance in Hades of ever getting rid of the horrid stench.
2. To make friends, be the friend you want to have.
3. Emotions are not bad, just tricky.
4. Surround yourself with a variety of people. Variety is DEFINITELY the spice of life.
5. Own at least one dog in your lifetime.
6. Baseball games, fishing trips, taking an interesting your child's interests, seen & unseen acts of love, and a lot of self-sacrifice are the keys to being a good father. (Thanks dad.)
7. Do things that force you stand out. Especially if you just want to blend in.
8. If a kid dares you to do something, do it!
9. Chunky chocolate milk means you shouldn't drink it. No matter how thirsty you are.
10. Things in life are more existential than I originally thought. Things like: success, life and death, music, love, and (I have to admit) God.
11. Really enjoy your grandparents if you are so fortunate to have them. Talk and talk and talk and listen and listen and listen.
12. Don't mess with the IRS.
13. If someone gives you the chance to be really great at something, check the yes box. (Long story.)
14. Learn how to read whole books.
15. Praise your mom for her cooking and always ask her to make your favorite meal. She gets joy, you get fed...what could be better?
16. Try to get past small talk. Even with strangers.
17. Don't take revenge on your sister, even when you're young. Life has paired you with your siblings for some mysterious purpose.
18. Sleep in your car overnight at least once a year.
19. Luck favors the prepared. ("The Incredibles")
20. Be glad that others can do and create some really cool things.
21. Greatest two words ever paired together: ROAD TRIP!
22. Learn to love a beverage. Preferably coffee.
23. If your grandma makes you a pair of Zubazs for your birthday, wear them more than once to school. Even if it has a giant "Made by Grandma" label sewn on it.
24. Everyone has vices, sins, and regrets, therefore, be merciful to others since everyone includes me and you.
25. Blush on occasion.
26. Don't howl like a wolf when you're deep in the woods of Northern Minnesota.
27. Always write more "thank yous" this year than last.
28. Simple living is just fine. Preach to yourself contentment.
29. It's OK to have unanswered questions in life. See the beauty of mystery.

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Yesterday, I joined the local Planet Fitness gym. I had been bouncing this idea back and forth in my head trying to figure out if it was going to be worth it or not. Obviously, I decided it was. But in the process of scoping out possible sweat factories, I came across this news clip about a man getting kicked out of for grunting. Let's just say I thought it was a heroic victory for business owners everywhere. Go businesses!

Anyway, enjoy the clip below and look forward to fitness updates (gag!).

If you start to go through drewbe.com withdrawals, may I suggest that you use the be.tags to the right to cruise through past posts, just to keep you refreshed. You could also go on a drewbe.com binge where you start at the earliest post and read all the way to this post in chronological order. What a treat that would be!?!

Anyway, I'll be back next Wednesday (3/18) with a new post and lots of techno energy. I will keep Twitter updates going so you can see get a glimpse at what I'm experiencing at the big show. Cheerio!

While worrying about my Mazda's oil leak, I sat down in the local Jiffy Lube to await its judgment. I had a couple of options to occupy my time with:

1. Watching Judge Judy

2. Reading the local Coffee News

I opted for the paper.

One of the ploys the weekly advertisement page uses to get people to look at the ads is a "Find the Hidden Coffee Cup" tactic. I personally think it's a stroke of pure genius and a lot of fun to do. This is specially true if you're waiting for the Grim Reaper of mechanics to come and tell you about the death of your favorite car.

Anyway... I found the coffee cup in some ladies hair selling salon products. I felt the mental pat-on-my-back from my brain congratulating myself for being so observant even though I was deprived of Where's Waldo books growing up. (Go Highlights Magazine!) But then I didn't think anything else about it until I got home that night.

While taking a break from staring at the computer screen, I skimmed over it to see if there was any coupons I needed to clip. That's when I noticed the competition. "Monthly Drawing - You could win $50!!" So, guess what? I sent in a quick email and thought nothing more of it.

UNTIL TODAY!

Well...actually yesterday... when I stopped in at Planet Fitness to check on their membership specials, I just so happened to pick up the latest edition of Coffee News. I didn't read it until this morning (over my morning coffee) when I spied the coffee cup and thought, "I wonder who won last months drawing?"

I was stunned... literally stunned...

I did a double take and re-read the winner's name. IT WAS ME!! WHOO-AH! RAMA-LAMA-DING-DONG!! KABOOM!! I actually won fifty bucks.

What am I going to spend it on? Shots for Elli. (Kind of anti-climatic.)

Cheers for Elli though and double cheers for Coffee News of Idaho!

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I've always been on the side that says Star Trek is more credible because it's based in the future and falls into the science fiction category. Star Wars is based in the past (even though it might be the future for us because of the galaxy's size - again... you can stop laughing) and is classified as fantasy. Even though there is science-type themes involved with Star Wars, the ideas are not based off of what may come but of what has been. Confusing as this might sound, I stand my ground.

You might be wondering what prompted such a posting and why I chose to waste your time writing about such a trivial topic. Excellent observation (and thanks for reading this far)!

Enter the new Star Trek movie (coming to theaters May 8th of this year). I proudly admit that I'm looking forward to it's release, not because it is a Star Trek movie, but because J.J. Abrams is producing and directing the film. Abrams is the creator of ABC's LOST and is known for creating excellent drama series. (If you have a few minutes, it's well worth it to watch his presentation at TED. Very inspiring!) What he brings to the table has me wondering if the newest Star Trek movie will be more like the Star Wars series and therefore submit to being inferior to George Lucas' Star Wars dynasty?

What are your thoughts? (Please don't mock me too badly. I am still human and have some feelings.)

BTW...here's a link to the new movie, Star Trek.

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As a treat, I thought it would be entertaining to watch some of the labors of people who kept time by taking a picture of themselves every day for years. There are a ton more of these on YouTube if you search for "time-lapse". WARNING: these videos are hypnotic!

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The question of whether you believe things happen for a reason or a matter of pure statistical calculation is a theme that runs throughout human experience. It's one of the BIG questions in life and is apart of how one sees and operates in this world. This discussion is a good one to have, yet the conversation always ends the same -- we'll just have to see what happens in the end.

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With the heavy bass drum pumping in my ears, we made it to the first entrance of Optimist Park. At that very moment, I turned my head to the north to check for oncoming traffic and noticed a streak of a rainbow just peaking over the Western Foothills. I smiled again. This time thinking about the thrill of seeing something so rare.

But here's what caused me to stop dead in my tracks...

At that EXACT moment, these were the words in the song:

"And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out."

 So... my question to you is this, was that moment meant to be taken as a sign from God or should it be seen as mere coincidence? I have no reason to believe it was anything more than statistical probability that had all of those instances line up. But this is where I struggle. What makes something more than circumstance? Why do some read more into events than others? What gives it the seal of approval?

While continuing on with my walk, I began to think about the story of Noah (the guy whom God told to build an ark because the world would be destroyed by a great flood and whom those U2 lines are in reference to). My train of thought led me to ask: is it possible that when he saw the rainbow he was moved to believe it was God's sign or did God actually "vocally" speak to Noah to tell him of the covenant?

To me, this is a huge deal. Here's why... if I believed God audibly speaks then I have little reason to see signs in events or objects and the opposite would be true if I believed the contrary. How about you? What's your opinion on signs and wonders or chance and circumstance? How do they fit into your beliefs?

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The article brought in a flood of memories for me going all the way back to learning how to play the game from my Grandma Rust. I still remember the emotions of finally winning against the greatest chess player alive (she was the only one I knew who played chess). My grandma learned the game from her brothers and would tell me that the only way to advance was to play better players like she did.

I also remembered taking my first chess board to West Elementary where I spent many of my free times engaged in playing against friends and foes. I found out that most people are non-intentional in their play and just move the pieces without calculating the next series of moves. Doing the opposite is the key to becoming a better chess player. It served me well until I arrived at high school. (Dr.) Dan Harris and (Dr.) Brent Heeringa were the two people I dreaded playing because they never seemed to lose. Many band trips would be spent in the back of the bus trying to win (or in my case, force a stale mate) against these opponents with a crowd of overseers coughing and twitching, trying to drop hints. But my grandmother's words kept me coming back as I got trounced again and again.

I suppose my favorite loss came during a ski retreat at Camp Forest Springs in Wisconsin. My youth pastor, Greg Loy, was rumored to be a decent player (given his age, j/k). I pestered him to play and when he finally gave in, he took me to town and cleaned house! The thing I remember most about the match was after it was over and Greg said he would never play me again. His exact words were, "now I can always say that you NEVER beat me." Let's just say I lost sleep over that phrase.

Even with all those notable losses, I still kept my chin up and enjoyed playing the game with whomever sat in the chair across the way. With this all said, I have a deep gratitude in my heart for my grandma teaching me the game. I know this comes across as a bit cheesy, but I really wouldn't be the same without her taking the time to pass on the gift of playing chess to me.

If you have the ability to play the game of kings, make sure you share it with others too.

P.S. - While writing this, I thought of five other memories associated specifically with the game. I'll have to share those with you some other time. Would love to know if you have any memories of the game?

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Just can't get enough of my doggy!