Hello Wordpress!

You can now find a new and improved version of my blog at chrismorton.info! The main change you will see is a new focus. Every week, you'll find posts on these four topics: God, Life, Church and Culture.

There are also new features:

• Fund layout powered by Wordpress.
• Twitter bar.
  
• More about me, including a bio and my resume.
• Examples of some work I've graphic and video work I've done.
• Booking and contact information.

Check it out at chrismorton.info!

Time + Talent = Treasure

If someone were to look at my life, here's what they'd see me spend my time on in the average week:

• 56 hours sleeping
• 30-35 hours a week in the office
• 10-15 hours listening to podcasts/audiobooks
• 7-10 hours surfing the internet/social networking sites
• 7-10 hours of prayer/bible
• 6-10 hours with friends.
• 5-10 hours non-office related work
• 5-8 hours watching TV/Movies
• 7-12 hours eating
  
• 4-8 hours exercizing
• 5 hours reading
• 3-5 hours networking relationships
  
• 3-5 hours with my small group
  
• 2-5 hours writing
  
• 2-4 hours reading blogs

I can't say I'm happy with the results of this little exercise. Where is your treasure?

What movies have you seen this holiday season?

This year I was pretty overwhelmed by the number of interesting looking movies. Limited budget led me to just pick one.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a beautiful movie. It was great to see CGI and incredible makeup used for drama and not just science fiction. Cate Blanchett (best acress of a generation?) is fantastic as always. I'm a huge Brad Pitt fan, but I felt a bit underwhelmed by his performance. It was a poignant reminder of the inevitability of old age and death. It captured the last American century in the way that Forrest Gump did, but without the charm.

Next on my list is Slumdog Millionaire. Then it's probably back to Blockbuster for awhile.

What holiday movies did you see?

Dr. Horrible's Got a Point

In Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog he explains his desire to rule the world. Penny, the girl of his dreams, approaches him about helping the homeless. He explains that helping homeless is great, but homelessness is only a symptom of the disease. He says the fish rots from the head, and humanity needs to be completely rearranged.

Now, while I don't have a deep yearning to takeover the world, I do understand the struggle between treating the symptom and treating the disease. Symptoms are easy to identify and complain about. Often, they are also easy to cover over and ignore. However, this only allows the disease to go unchecked. Symptoms must be addressed, but the disease has to be treated.

What are the diseases in your world? Some of mine are chronic disorganization and failed relationships. Now, in order to treat the symptom I need to buy a planner and sign up for some on-line dating service. Symptoms cause a lot of pain, so you shouldn't pretend to ignore them.

But the true problems- a life time of bad habits and procrastination, lack of teaching in basic organization, struggles to maintain basic friendships, ignorance on how to interact with the opposite sex, not really knowing one's self- those are the source of the disease. Overcoming deep personal problems takes a commitment to the slow, prodding process of change. It takes the humility to seek out help, and to submit to guidance. But in the end, you'll be free of the symptoms, and the disease behind them.

What Goals Have You Set?

It's that time of year. By the time this post comes out, you have probably already taken a stab at your New Years resolution. Hopefully you're succeeding at them.

What are your goals for 2009, and how do you plan to accomplish them? How did you arrive at your goals? For an example of some goals, check out my roommate Trevor's big ideas for 2009. I've been doing a lot of goal setting work recently. Personally, I use Dan Miller's breakdown of 7 areas of life:

1. Spiritual
2. Career
3. Financial
4. Social
5. Family
6. Physical
7. Personal Development

Using these seven areas, I set four benchmarks: immediately, three years, five years, and ten years. I like this because it allows me to think long term, dream big, but also think about immediate steps.

Dave Ferguson of Community Christian Church posted an interesting goal setting exercise here. Tim Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Work Week, doesn't think that setting goals is risky or concrete enough, and he recommends what he calls dreamlining.

What are some of your goals for 2009?

28 things that happened in 2008

1. Moved in with Trevor and William
2. Fell for a girl when she told me that God had given her a dream about us.
3. Did a lot of Swing Dancing.  
4. Wrote a script for a short film.
5. Was used by God to pull off two HUGE service projects with hundreds of people.
6. Hosted a few parties.
7. Grew really close with my small group.
8. Stayed in touch with people from college.
9. Reconnected with a friend from High School.
10. Voted in the Presidential election.
11. Started Twittering.
12. Said goodbye to William, one of my best roommates yet.
13. Learned to judge by fruit instead of potential.
14. Baptized a few people.
15. Started running.  
16. Gave up on gaining muscle with a high protein diet.
17. Watched Battlestar, How I Met Your Mother, Veronica Mars, Lost.
18. Had a party to celebrate BATMAN!
19. Read a few books.
20. Listened to hundreds of hours of podcasts.
21. Got my heart broken.
22. Learned that being right isn't all that great.
23. Saw how I hurt people.
24. Had a few sexy haircuts.
25. Ate a lot of Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Wraps.
26. Went to a lot of counseling sessions
27. Made on-line contact with people who's work I respect.
28. Wrote in a journal everyday for four months straight.

So This Was Christmas.

Without much fanfare, Christmas 2008 has come and past.

This year I happily listened to Christmas Carols. Did not give or receive much in the way of materials. Read the first few chapters of Luke. Spent a lot of time alone. Did some reading. Did some writing. Was taken in by two families from Church. Watched a few movies. Feel rested and blessed.

The simplicity of this Christmas gives me hope for future Christmases. I have hope that Christmas can be simple. It can just be about food, family and friends. I have hope that movements like the Advent Conspiracy will help Churches focus on the needy during Christmas. I have hope that wherever I am, and whatever my circumstances, God will surround me with people that will help me get through. I have hope that someday, I will do the same for others.