Tea with McNair

{ Recapturing Your Creative Spirit! }  

PROLOGUE "When I was a child I thought as a child, but when I became a man..."  I didn't change a darn thing. Tea blog exists to encourage, recapture, harness and pursue natural attributes in each of us: our creative spirit, curiosity, sense of wonder, and our urge to challenge assumptions (color outside the lines.) We ALL have these natural traits, and actively practiced them as children. They are merely rusty, not lost. TEA WITH McNAIR is your tune up. Settle in. Grab the corner table if you can. Try a cup of steamy "Earl" with bergamot or Ethiopian spiced chai and an almond cookie, or three. We never close.

• brainstorming tip, no.6 in a series

Number SIX? Hey, McNair, when did you post the first five?

I haven't, yet.

There's a New Year coming, a time for renewal and re-commitment. And I'm feeling generous. In one of my "next" books—my brainstorming book, TH!NK UP, Stop Arguing, Start Creating—I layout, chapter-by-chapter, my "7 Agreements of Brainstorming®" system.

The word agreements refers to my thesis that learning to do effective, powerful creative thinking (brainstorming) as a team event is merely learning to "play well with others." (We were supposed to have learned that in elementary school.) One of the key agreements is what I call learning to think like Walt (Disney.) Simply put, it means coming up with WILD ideas—the more hair-brained the better.

Every chapter of my book is filled with stories that are actual examples of the 7 Agreements in action with real clients I have worked with over the last several years. I also have been collecting great stories of these principles being lived out by great scientists, athletes, artists and others throughout history.

The chapter in TH!NK UP that explains developing WILD ideas begins with a simple, true, wonderful story. I use it in my live keynote addresses to corporate groups and seminars with business and faith-based workers.

I challenge them—and you—every time you gather to dream, solve, invent, design, create (brainstorm): "Have a contest,to see who will have the wildest idea during today's session."

You want to create lots-and-lots of ideas (hundreds, even thousands) so you will have plenty to choose from when time comes for the Critical Thinking phase. When you think you have enough ideas, add five more ideas from each person in the group. Do this in five minutes!

"Five minutes, McNair?"

Okay, three minutes!

Here's the opening of the wild ideas chapter in my book. The chapter is entitle, Donuts on the Moon.

 BUT, more is not enough. As you are creating a mountain of ideas, be on the lookout for a particular kind of idea. It is neither good nor bad. It is WILD.      

When a colleague of physicist, Niels Bohr, delivered an important speech to a group of their peers at the forefront of science, the speaker was curious as to how it was received by others in the scientific community.
    “Do they think I’m crazy?“ The young scientist asked Bohr.
    “We all agree that your idea is crazy.” Bohr told him. “What divides us is whether it is crazy enough.”

By-the-by, TH!NK UP, has been seen (and rejected) by more than a dozen major publishers. There were actually four editors who liked it a lot, but their marketing geniuses didn't get it. (Whats's the last great book marketing campaign you can remember? Can you recall one? Exactly.) If you are a publisher and would like to see and seriously consider my manuscript (fully illustrated with my cartoons and doodles)  email me and I will connect you with my agent—the indefatigable "Mr. O'Sweeney." (Email link at upper left under my photo.)

OR...I am open to a patron underwriting the cost of self-publishing the book. I am confident we will more than recover the cost in sales through my various websites and scores of speaking engagements.

Here's to a wild and creative New Year!

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• the wexford carol (recording session video)

Here's link to video mentioned in post below. Yo-Yo Ma & Alison Krauss, The Wexford Carol. MP3 audio track is in the post below. Video takes a few seconds to load:

Yo-Yo Ma - The Wexford Carol (featuring Alison Krauss) Video - Contactmusic.com

• don't turn off the music

Is Christmas merely a date on the calendar, a day or two off from work, a reason for 40 - 70% off sales at the mall, a time to get deeper in debt? (Thank you Senator "Grinch" of Nevada.)

Christmas is a big time. It cannot be ignored. The lights, the Christmas trees—except in Washington state where it's a holiday tree. (What a bunch of kidders those Washington Idiocrats.)

 There was at least one television channel still running Christmas greetings in their commercial breaks today (26 December.) Guess who? Fox News...those radicals.

Are you still playing Christmas and other holiday music today, and for how many more days. I always play it until my birthday—and beyond. (It's the fourth day of the year, if you're keeping score.)

The wise men, according to tradition, don't even show up until January fifth. That's also the now-famous "twelfth day of Christmas" for Swedes and others who keep that tradition. (Today is turtle doves.)

If you think there's nothing new in the Christmas music department, grab Yo-yo Ma's splendid new CD, Songs of Joy & Peace (linked at left in Music list), wherein in the indefatigable cellist collaborates with a talented array of musicians from across the palette of styles and around the globe, including: James Taylor, Diana Krall, Edgar Meyer, Joshua Redman, Chris Boti, jazz legend Dave Brubeck (!) and my personal favorite Alison Kraus singing The Wexford Carol (track 8.) Remarkable. Have a listen:

Download 08 The Wexford Carol

(Video link, below.)

Keep the music playing, loud and long. These songs and carols are about far more than a holiday.

Do you hear what I hear?

I hope so.

[ See recording session: Yo-Yo Ma & Alison Krauss, ABOVE, in new post: "the wexford carol."]

• big news

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Friday, December 4th, was my last day at Compassion International as a full time employee.

I was not fired and I did not quit. The job I was hired for turned out to be two jobs: Compassion Experience Manager (building tours administrator) and concept designer for the new traveling Mobile Compassion Xperience.

There was a learning curve re-entering the 9-to-5 world. Eventually I settled into a pace that worked—given the smorgasbord of details in scheduling 15 building tours, every week. I discovered a long-hidden ability: I can actually sit in an office and accomplish a dizzying amount of administrative tasks, for hours—five days-a-week. I tracked one day to see just how many “things” and logged 93 items—including two full building tours (more than an hour each.) Just another Thursday.
John Maxwell says:

85% of your life’s activities could easily be accomplished by a moderately intelligent high school sophomore.

My job was to manage (scheduling, coach, re-script...) Compassion’s 3x daily building tours—60-a-month. Plus special tours each week (school groups, VIPs, etc. ) The last tour I hosted, on my last day, was with 3rd graders. Perfect!

Managing the tour program was a very full-time job. I enjoyed every member of the tour team—terrific and delightful people all. I learned MUCH from them. But, we did not have nearly enough hosts. I recruited and trained more.

Before I was hired, there was modest interest in that position. When my position was posted recently they had more than 120 applicants and had not, yet, hired my replacement when I left.

I know that I made a contribution, but not nearly what I had hoped—especially creatively. I presented several ideas for adding new, immersive environments to our building tour, and received enthusiastic response from top leadership. Alas, there is “no money at this time.” I used my what freedom I had to change the content and style of our tour “script”—stories, not stats—and created a new FIELD GUIDE for Tour Hosts—a single document replacing a 3” notebook.

The big “bump in the parking lot” is that most of my time was spent on scheduling and detail management—little creative time. My supervisor shared my frustration at not having the resources to implement my concepts. He remains a big supporter of my creativity.

Mobile Compassion Xperience
Funds had been approved to develop a touring Compassion Xperience. Those funds have been canceled, for now. Here and there I created concepts which I left for that project. My boss hopes I can return for the concept, design, and launch of the Xperience. I remain very interested in that project. 

Next?
A silver lining to my year at Compassion is I now know I can spend hours doing the work (calling, emailing, etc.) to network, promote and create work opportunities. I know that the job of getting the word out about my services is mostly my responsibility. Spending a few hours each day connecting with former and potential clients WILL CREATE WORK.

I love speaking, coaching, and performing. I have done far too little this year—four times all year—only twice at Compassion, for two small groups. Like anyone, I need to be doing what I am best at and most passionate about.

Using the best parts of me, or not
 In October, I spoke to a group or Colorado dentists on “Recapturing Your Creative Spirit.” The reception was tremendous and we are planning a follow-up event for their staffers. This is a far better use of my skills, experience, and talents.

I departed Compassion knowing I made a worthy and creative contribution to their crucial work of “releasing children from poverty in Jesus name.”  Compassion is an excellent organization with high integrity. I will always be an advocate for and contributor to Compassion in my speaking and personal life.

Going forward
My plan is to remain in Colorado Springs for now, focusing on the work of building my speaking, performing, and consulting career.

I  am also in conversations with two successful organizations here in “Da Springs” that are interested in an on-going consultancy. I am open to more. I already have work in Dec., Jan., and Feb.

>> I am speaking at a conference 25-29 January in San Jose, Calif. area. I would  like to add churches or other speaking slots in Calif. on the weekends before and after that event. Email me TODAY!

Scribbling projects
My writing has never stopped. I have two new books that I hope to have in “proposal mode” in early 2010. (And I am still seeking a publisher for my brainstorming book, TH!NK UP, Learning To Play Well With Others. (Or . . . a patron to help self publish it, for now.) I will also pursue magazine work—writing and cartooning—to keep me creatin’.

Contacts and ideas are hereby requested
Mostly, I am interesting focusing on tomorrow and not obsessing on the details of the past. Yesterday really is “the place you can’t get to from here.”  (My HR file states that I am re-hirable at Compassion.) I had at least three senior management folks there ask me if I will be available for consulting. Yup, but not until tomorrow after 6 am.

I learned a lot, made a contribution, and I am ready to move forward, enthusiastically and energetically, to make much better use of the best of me that my Creator entrusted me to make good use of all the time.

Thanks for your support throughout all of this! If you have any ideas about engaging my services call soon. You can afford me.

Warmly,  McNair

email :: bigdesk@mcnairwilson.com

New Snailus Mailus ::
McNairWilson + 4419 Centennial Blvd./№ 252 + Colorado Springs CO 80907

• thankful

WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR: a.) A GREAT YEAR WORKING WITH ENJOYABLE CO-WORKERS ON THE IMPORTANT TASK OF RELEASING CHILDREN FROM POVERTY IN JESUS NAME.  b.) LIVING IN THE BEAUTIFUL ROCKY MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO SPRINGS WHERE THEY'VE TRADED IN BREATHABLE AIR FOR A REASONABLE COST OF LIVING.

c.) A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS WHO SUPPORT, ENCOURAGE, AND INSPIRE ME—EVEN FROM FAR AWAY, d.) A CREATOR WHO LOVES WHEN I AM PURSUING MY PASSIONS.  

  

• original source

Websites, blogs, news reports, radio talks shows,  magazine and newspaper articles, and chats with good friends are all full of it. Full of ...? Misinformation. Untruths. (Formerly known as lies.)

misinformation | misinfer may' shen -noun, false or inaccurate information, esp. that which is deliberately intended to deceive

"But it must be true," a friend says, "I heard it on (name of well known TV program)...I read it in (popular magazine or blog site)." So what? Untrue is untrue. We rarely hear, read or site the original source. Without that bit of key info, the statement should be suspect to all. Always—especially if it seems counterintuitive. That just doesn't make sense.

One of the top speakers and business consultants for many years is Alan Weiss. I have heard him speak and attended his course on the business of consulting that he teaches with speaking maven, Patricia Frip. Alan is adamant about tracking down original sources. Al says:

Believing non-original sources. Just because someone says something at a meeting, from the stage, in a loud voice, or with authoritative inflection, doesn’t make it true. Nor does a listing in Wikipedia. Find the original source, especially if you’re going to use the information with a client, as part of your intellectual property, or in writing.

Those of us in the speaking and writing biz love to sight exciting statistics and outrageous quotes—especially when they gree with us and assist in making our point.

Rich Buhler is a journalist, radio host, and the proprietor of the highly useful website TruthOrFiction.com. He is a frequent speaker at conferences of journalists where he implores them to pursue original sources. He loves to sight his top ten most repeated fictions.

No. 1 fiction in Rich's book for years: 50% of all marriages end in divorce.

"But it must be true, I heard it on ...I read it in . . ."

So, what? It's not true. Not even close. Where does that "fact-lette" come from? What was the study and how was it validated? You can Google all night and not find the original source because it doesn't exist. It grew, like any juicy rumor, from a series of trends, probabilities, and political agenda.

Far too many of the "truths" we all love to sight are cobbled together from estimates, probabilities, and conjectures that are too often based on a pre-desired outcome. 

It's not always easy to get at the the truth but it is always worth pursuing—even when you discover that there are actually five times MORE polar bears today than there were in 1950 and the warmest year in recent history was 1997. (And it has been getting cooler ever since—contrary to those now famous estimates.) Whatever you thoughts are on "global warming" (or the more innocuous phrase "climate change") you should look around. The truth is out there, though sometimes it is difficult to find the unpopular truth—the truth the corrects popular fiction.

A key part of this truth telling business is for authors and speakers to tell your story. But when you find a good story (from someone else) that illustrates your talk or article, quote them. Tell the source, accurately.Telling another persons story as though it happened to you is plagiarism. It is the same as telling a story that is not true.

A key story in my signature presentation Recapturing Your Creative Spirit (keynote address for conventions) is the story of my conversation with an member of the men's USA Olympic kayaking team. I have received reports of other speakers telling this story as if it happened to them. It did not. Ask Max Miller, Tim Swift, Terry Olson, and a host of other friends with whom I was working at the time (at the Olympic games in Atlanta.) It is a good story. Just quote me on it. I've been telling it since it happened in 1996. I have never made any effort to track down speakers who have used this and other stories of mine. I know what's true and am comfortable in telling that story as it happened to me.

For the last eleven months I have been at Compassion International's Global Ministry Center in Colorado Springs. I am the Compassion Experience Manager heading up a team of staff members who serve as hosts for our three-times-a-day building tours.  The biggest change I instituted was that we are story tellers not statisticians. A few statistics go along way. A few more and you've lost your audience. In the new "FIELD GUIDE for Tour Hosts" that we created, we separate out all the stats. We use the stats mostly in response to direct questions. We also double and triple checked all the stats, even when the source was one of our execs. "Where's that from?" We asked everyone.

We had been telling our guests that 27,000 children in the world die everyday of preventable causes—malaria, HIV/AIDS, diarrhea, malnutrition, etc. Then Dr. Scott Todd, on our staff, shared the latest number 25,000. More interesting than that and more important Scott told me that less than ten years ago the number was 40,000 a day. "It's coming down and we can make it much lower."

Now that's a story. What's yours?

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• what's new?

 "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." The man who re-imagined and redefined time itself also had his eye on simplicity, Albert Einstein.

I love to create anything new: even something as simple as a cartoon on a napkin that makes someone smile or giggle. Cracking the code on a difficult subject I want write about in a brief and pithy chapter for a new book project. No endless paragraphs and strained logic, just make the point, make it fun to read, and set down your pen.

This week we needed to create by re-purposing some of our lobby area at Compassion. The plan was to enhance the experience our guests and professional consultants have when visiting Compassion International's lobby. We are not building or painting anything. Mostly we are rethinking the most effective use of some prime real estate in our lobby. It will include adding some new lighting, replacing a short video with a different video. We believe this "other" video (it is not new, but it hasn't been on public display) will have a strong impact.

Two brief meetings with a handful of people: walking around, each putting in their ideas, and all of us arriving at a collaborative solution. The outcome will not be the ideas of any one person, but new uses, better uses of our resources. Was anything wrong with the current set up? No. Had there been any complaints about the videos or the under utilized space? No. But a few of us knew we could do better. So, we're tweeking.

Some of these changes will be in place before the end of the week.They will be, for all intents and purposes, new. We will have, in a matter of a few days; imagined, brainstormed, collaborated, planned, and executed.

Team work, clear focus, agreement on the ideas, proper planning, and simple execution.

What's new? Not much really, but as for the effect, lots.

So, what's new with you?

• mcnair-ipedia

All of a sudden I have my very own Wikipedia listing! I did not post it, but thanks muchly to whomever did! It was mostly accurate. I added just a few bits and removed the opening line that I am "Billy Graham's nephew"—I am not now, nor have I ever been related to that good man (except as we are brothers in God's kingdom.) Have a look at my new McNair-idedia lisitng,  HERE.

• read me first

IT FINALLY HAPPENED: AN ENTIRE DAY WITH ZERO READERS OF MY POST. (WELL, HALF A DAY, 16 HOURS, TOO LONG!)  WHAT MUST I DO: OFFER FREE MONEY, GIVE AWAY CARS, OFFER CASH FOR CLUNKERS, REVEAL MY STRATEGY FOR WINNING AT TEXAS HOLD 'EM POKER, ANNOUNCE A FOOL-PROOF DIET FOR LOSING 10 POUNDS-A-DAY, PUBLISH THE NEXT INDIANA JONES OR STAR WARS SCRIPTS, PROVE (SCIENTIFICALLY) THAT RED WINE & CHOCOLATE WILL EXTEND YOUR LIFE BY FOURTEEN YEARS, OR TELL YOU WHERE I RECENTLY SAW ELVIS (OR WAS IT JACKO), SCOOP TMZ, POST CUTE PUPPY PHOTOS, GIVE YOU DOWN-LOADABLE CASH, OR PUBLISH OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE FROM... There. Did I get in all the current buzz words of meaningless news items to catch Google's attention?  What's it take to get you excited, enthused, motivated to tackle a creative project that's been collecting dust (ignored) in a garage, attic, or basement, and is now ready to meet the world? If you were a sailboat, lean into the wind. What are you waiting for? Start. Re-start. Try, fail, try some more. My current book project gets a few minutes, a couple hours, a big chunk of my time—everyday. Even on the "few-minutes-a-day" days I feel I have accomplished something worthwhile. That leads to me being in a more enthusiastic, proactive, affirming state of mind. Every one around me benefits from that. Go light 'em up, friend. The rest of us are counting on your effervescence. Get fizzy! Stay fizzy. (Repeat often.)                  

• iHop iDea

iT was late. iHad a very big day at work, as did our entire Compassion International team. iT was the annual Day on the Green (at a park across the street and behind the Coffee & Tea Zone.) iNside our offices, the morning (Friday, 14 Aug.) was filled with a playful, frenetic, and remarkably creative event.    I had brought several items from home to be used in our teams creation and loaded all of them in my car to make the first trip home, half a mile away.

    iN a scant five minutes I was home, garage door open and unpacking everything. iMagining this would be the first of two trips, I ran upstairs (apartment is over the connected-garage) to shower and change into my Friday-night-go-to-dinner togs. Clean and refreshed from the quick “hose-down”, I sat on the couch to catch the news and my breath.

    iNstead, I slept for four hours and woke up groggy and filled with indecision: should I fix dinner at home or finish dressing, head back to my office to retrieve my laptop, costume and a few other stray items, then go for dinner at any one of several favorite local eateries. iN my mind I spent five minutes weighing my options: home or out. iN reality I  dozed off for two more ours, curled up in front of a crackling television.
    iN a flash—after now more than six hours of napping—I was in my jeans, red Crocks, purple (!) golf shirt, and Compassion fleece (black), and out the door. My new boss pegged me early on for a no-time-restraints guy and arranged for me to have 24/7 access with my ID badge. Popped in, grabbed my gear (the place seemed nearly haunted with minimal lights and no one else about) and I was out. By now, 1:00 AM even all my favorite local places were done for the day. Champs, “our kitchen is open till 2 AM” was dead. I know ‘cause I stood at the hostess stand for five minutes watching their wall of sporting events on too many screens and saw no other living person. I chose iHop. I was not alone. Half way through my breakfast/dinner an iDea occurred to me for a chapter in one of my new book projects.
    Untying my new, hand-bound, leather sketchbook, I began to scribble a few thoughts. Two pages became five, and by the middle of page seven I had a full chapter on the subject at hand. Reading Natalie Goldberg’s WILD MIND, some years back, convinced me that chapters can be short if they accomplish their objective. (Wild Mind is the last book on my “Books for Your Spirit” list at the left here on Tea Blog.) I am always strolling through a handful of new-to-me books at any given time. (Can you say “Avid Delver into Diverse subjects, aka ADD?)  The best book in my current reading stack is the War of Art by bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield. (Also at left in “Current Reading” list.) My long-time friend and mentor, Wes Roberts said, ”You could have written this.” I had to take a look. It is in my bag NEXT to my sketchbook, daily. Many of Pressfield’s chapters are less than a page, but full, rich, and remarkable!
    All of the above to share this simple, important thought with you, dear reader, the time to create is NOW. Waiting improves nothing.
    Michelangelo never owned a clock. Da Vinci probably made a dozen time tellers but likely ignored them. iT is the stuff of legend that Thomas Edison, who personally held over 1500 patents, slept only four hours in a 24 hour cycle. (Kids, don’t try this at home!) 
    Got an idea now? Scribble it now. Hence the legendary “it started with a doodle on a napkin” cliché. Well, my friend, I can take you to Disney theme parks around the world and show you multi-million dollar projects that began as ideas on a napkin—literally. Further, ALL of my books started as scribblings in sketchbooks...more than a few in iHop.
    iHope you’ll seize the moment wherever, when ever the sparks fly. Be sure, too, take time to doodle and scribble when there are no sparks, but plenty of napkins near by.
    What have you scribbled today?

{ This post draft over a smooth latte at Serrano's Coffee, Colorado Springs. And posted at Biaggi's with my friend Gnarly Head Zin.}

• mr. pivot's questions

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Based on the “Proust Questionnaire” then reworked by French TV host Bernard Pivot (right) and popularized by James Lipton on cable channel, Bravo’s The Actors Studio. Here are my answers...until Mr. Lipton calls me.

What is your favorite word?

Grace: as in graceful execution of an art form, grace-filled spirit, and the Grace of God

What is your least favorite word?

(I never say it—it is a vile four-letter word that you don’t hear everyday, thankfully.)

What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?

Creativity—dashing off a playful cartoon on the butcher paper table covering at a favorite eatery or in my current sketchbook, acting in a play and finding a new wrinkle to my character after several performances of the same play, writing a few pages in my latest book project and rereading them the next day and enjoying the word play. 

What turns you off?

Name-calling: when there is no intellect or cogent argument to be made, ridicule your opponent—like we used to do in fourth grade.

What is your favorite curse word?

CRAP!

What sound or noise do you love?
Laughter—anytime, anywhere, by anyone—except as an act of ridicule.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Anyone yelling into their cell phone.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Painter or pianist (composer/lyricist)

What profession would you not like to do?
Any job that involves tedious, repetitious, work that doesn't challenge me creatively.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
(No words—just a big, long hug. And in my ear....giggling.)

Tell me a couple of your answers in the comments section or post all ten on your blog and post the link here in the Comments,Dept.

Have a look at the original Proust Questionnaire and his answers.
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• the reason for the box

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Moving from a 1600 square foot loft in a transformed cotton mill (built in 1917) to a very nice, 1100 sq. ft. "2x2" apartment is a big adjustment (actually small-er). It has all the appliances in the catalog.  There are lots of walls. Why do we need to divide...everything?  (Loft fire door from living room into 16' x 24' studio, at right.)
    Today, I will descend into my extra-long, attached garage and explore  my treasure trove of BOXES. We keep stuff, we put it in boxes. The boxes get stacked and shoved into the corners of garages, closets, spare rooms, and basements (for out Midwest and New England viewers.)
    Those boxes (and the stuff inside) stay there till....well, most likely until we move again. But no one moves, especially not the boxes—or the stuff inside. Everything stays put and collects more boxes of stuff.
     I am keenly aware that I live in a box full of boxes and go to work in a large (and very nice) box full of boxes (offices, cubicles, conferences rooms, auditorium, cafe.)
    [ To the benefit of my new employer, Compassion International, I must mentions last Friday's outdoor burger bash: featuring your choice of beef, veggie, turkey, or bison, and an array of toppings! Very successful and NO ONE wanted to go back inside.]
    If you've been visiting TEA BLOG (here) a while you've seen my other posts on sorting, storing, and "reducing your stuff." (Go there now, even for a refresher.) This is a never-ending battle for actively creative types (you and me.) Keeping too much stuff is also a battle for...everyone else.
   Today I turn my garage-full of boxes (okay half-full, I can get me car in there as well) into a treasure hunt. Some of the treasure I will keep and it will graduate to the upstairs living quarters and home studio. A good bit will be tossed, given away (at work), or "Goodwilled." Sadly, too much stuff will be kept—in boxes, in a dark garage.
    I shall, once again, employ my long-standing rules for keeping stuff: do I love it, does it still fit, does having it (even in a box, in a dark garage) make me happy, or can I get it elsewhere: online, at a library, or from a friend. (Do we really need all those CD boxes and original art? Having purchased my own copies why not store many of them on an external hard drive, or generic disks? Whereas I do not have the most books within my circle of friends, I do have more than I need to keep—and that's after getting rid of about 30% of my books before my move in January. (I also plan to break all my log-standing rules for sorting stuff.)
    I haven't yet explored the used book and music store scene here in Colorado Springs, but any of my stuff that I sell, I will use the money for Compassion's Child Survival Program (CSP) that's a new website about our "holistic" approach to releasing children from poverty. CSP is my new pet project that assists families with little kids and babies with health and survival issues. ($20 a month supports a center for prenatal to pre-school kids and parents. This is Compassion's newest and quite vital work.)
    For the next few hours I am on a different mission, a treasure hunt. Wanna play?

• stopping the sun

I found an extra day a few years ago. I have been discovering them ever since. I hide them, keep them to my self. It is my biggest area of selfishness—time.

 
    Mostly, I am a people person, an extrovert (off the Myers-Briggs chart.) I spend more time writing my books, magazine articles, and blog posts in public than I do writing at home in my studio. After full days of hosting guests to Compassion International and giving them building tours (or training and coaching new tour hosts), do I retreat to my cone of silence? Of course not! I go to a coffee place or cafe and spend a few hours writing and interacting with the staff and other guests. 
     But about once a month I need to say, "Stop the world I want to get off."  Or at least I need to take a break from responsibilities, flashing IM's on my computer, alerts on my iPhone, and the near-constant stream of extra questions, encounters, and new projects that come through my life every day.
    But when I found an extra day, I figured out how to recreate such moments IN BETWEEN real time. These extra days  are completely mine. Here's how it works:
    Whenever I am traveling all the way across country for a speaking engagement I try to travel the day before to arrive, rest, and get the lay of the land. As soon as an engagement is booked I put the date prior into my mental calendar and that's the day I'm headed out.
    While living in San Diego, I was to be traveling to Rhode Island for three days of Creativity training with a successful company. I arrived at the airport, began to unload my luggage curbside, and interact with my favorite skycap. As he took my ticket envelope he noticed I was indeed headed East, "But your ticket isn't going there until tomorrow."
    I tipped my friend, Eddy, reloaded my bags in the car and headed home. Once there I changed into very casual clothes (un-ironed Dockers, t-shirt, denim over shirt, casual sport coat, and favorite hat.) Leaving my luggage packed, I spent the day at a series of diners and bakeries, ending at a tiny wine bar and music club.
    I called no one to say I was still in town and had an extra day, "Let's play." (That would have been my nature.) That day was my first "Joshua Day."
    In the Old Testament (Joshua 10:13) at the height of a great battle Joshua asks God to stop the sun and the moon to give them more daylight to vanquish their enemies. God "stopped the sun." The battle was won.
    We could all use an extra day now and then. I make these extra days for myself. Even half days and one hour mini-vacations in the middle of a busy day. These are my Joshua Days...McNair Days.
    I put a block of time in my calendar that is just for me. It appears as a real appointment and I treated with the same importance. When anyone asks if I am available on Friday, 2 July, I say no, I am busy all day. That is the truth. Even if I choose to spend all day today cleaning my apartment, unpacking boxes in my garage (from my move), organizing my media library, studio, closet, or just going to a few movies (I need to get caught UP), whatever I do is my day.
    During the last decade, living in the Bay area, I frequently sneaked away to Napa Valley for a few days. These mini-vacations were remarkably restorative no matter what activities filled those days and nights.
    Another "trick of time" I employ is to add an extra day onto speaking trips to enjoy a day in downtown Chicago, Seattle, Madrid (Espana), or Vancouver, B.C. McJournal
    Wherever we can find and grab a bit of time that is unencumbered by the usual routine, it is a chance to catch our breath, work on a favorite hobby, art project, further develop a passion, or visit an inspiring gallery or theatrical event.
    This weekend—even if your employer has not given you Friday (7/3) of Monday (7/6) off, grab a few Joshua hours. Tell the spouse, family, roommates, co-workers, "I have an errand to run on the other side of town. You're on your own for dinner. Byeeeee."

    Now that I have blown a junk of my Joshua/McNair Day posting this blog, I gotta go! Time to get to some more creatin'.
    And you?

[ If you have not yet watched the short video below, please have a look. It was created by some talented coworkers here at Compassion Int'l to celebrate our having ONE MILL1ON fully-sponsored children currently in our 25 program countries.]
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• 1, 35, 10 thousand...M1LLION

Go to Compassion.com and find a child you can assist in releasing from poverty. Go now.

Thanks for helping,

McNair

• how much is one million?

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    ~ Making a graphic point

One million jelly beans, stacked one on top of the other, is six miles high and would be higher than the world's tallest building setting on top of Mount Everest. (Click image to enlarge)

If you were to read the names of Compassion Internationals 1 million fully-sponsored children (averaging 2 seconds to say each name, and speaking around the clock for twenty-four hours-a-day) it would take you 23 days to say all their names.

1,000,000 children holding hands would stretch from New York City to Nashville, TN, or from Barcelona, Spain to Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.

This Friday, 12 June 2009, more than 2,000 Compassion staffers in thirty-six countries around the globe will "follow the sun" and celebrate reaching the milestone of one million fully-sponsored children—all at one time—in our 5,058 centers in 25 countries.

If you are a Compassion sponsor, thank you for assisting in "releasing children from poverty in Jesus name."

For the rest of you, please consider sponsoring a child, one kid at a time. 83% of our sponsors support just one kid. Go to Compassion.com and see who is waiting for your assistance. You can look up un-sponsored kids by country, boys or girls, and you can even find a kid who shares your birth date.

 As Wess Stafford, president of Compassion, says, "The opposite of poverty is not wealth, the opposite of poverty is enough." The kids Compassion assists live in abject poverty (family income of one or two dollars-a day.) Enough for those 1 billion children is the cost of about a dozen medium lattes or less than the average video game. But for these kids it is life or death, not a game.

~ McNair

• one in a million

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        ~ A Fellow from Togo and a Gold Medal Olympian

There was a lot of screaming and yelling at work yesterday morning. Wednesdays are not any louder than any other day at Compassion International, usually. But just before 10:00 AM, 20 May 9009, we all heard the annoying emergency alert horn crack the air and reverberate through our offices and cubicles.

Immediately I grabbed a fistful of felt pens and spun around in my chair to locate my  sketchbook. If we going to stand in the parking lot for a while, I'm bringing something to do, I thought.

We'd had two actual evacuations in the last month or two: firetrucks, flashing lights, and seven hundred plus Compassion staffers moving in an orderly, albeit chatty, fashion to a place of safety.

But yesterday's alert was about was celebration not evacuation. After the piercing sound of emergency came the soothing voice of our friend and colleague, Wess Stafford, President of Compassion International. In a nut shell, Wess said, "We knew this day was coming and after fifty-seven years of releasing children from poverty in Jesus name, it is finally here. This morning we have reached the milestone one million fully-sponsored children—simultaneously!"

Cue the screaming, cheering, clapping, teary-eyed, Compassion staffers. (Put me down for all of those reactions.) And after Wess's brief announcement, he called us to a minute of silent prayer and reflection.

Moments later a brief video announcement from Wess appeared on our employee intra-net site, The Source. (See it HERE.) The ticker on The Source that had been keeping a running tally of sponsored kids in the 25 Compassion countries of Latin America, Africa, and Asia, was already at 1,000,016 by the time I logged on to watch Wess's video. Soon our email in boxes all received the story of our one millionth child and his sponsor.   

< Fellow Blewussi Kpodo (left)
    of Togo, West Africa

Meet eight year old Fellow Blewussi Kpodo of Togo—Compassion's newest country (located in West Africa.) Fellow live with his dad and three siblings. Like all Compassion kids, there live in abject poverty with a total family income of about one dollar a day.

On a recent tour of of our Compassion Global Ministry Center here in Colorado Springs a sixth grade boy asked me, "One do you mean a dollar a day?"

"That's how much most of our families have to live on for a day." I repeated.

"My video games are like forty bucks and I get as new one almost every month." He said.

"That's a little more than most of these families have for a month." I explained just wanting him to get a bit of perspective.

"So, I could support a whole family?"

"You sure could. Or buy four mosquito nets on BiteBack.net to save the lives of kids in four families."

"I'm gonna do it."

More children die from Malaria in Africa than HIV/AIDS. In fact, 27,000 children a day die (somewhere in the developing world) of preventable diseases—including complications arising from lack or clean water.

Compassion's one million plus kids each have a sponsor (an individual, a family, a small business.)

 < Jang Mi-Ran  (left)
    South Korea

As an apt coda to our fifty-seven year history Fellow's sponsor is Jang Mi-Ran, from South Korea, where Compassion began in 1952. She has been a Compassion supporter and spokesperson in her country for a long time.

Jang is also the Gold medalist in women's weight lifting at the Beijing games. There she hoisted more than 410 lbs. overhead at last Summer's Olympics.

As Wess Stafford told us in his email, "So, the strongest woman in the world is now sponsoring one of the most vulnerable children in the world!"

Our work here at Compassion is filled with the stories of folks from all over the world, every imaginable walk of life who are sponsoring more than a million Compassion kids in twenty-five countries.

Lifting a million children out of poverty, now that's heavy lifting.

I would love you to consider partnering with Compassion. You can find boys and girls of all ages in twenty-five countries that need a sponsor today by visiting Compassion.com. You can select a child by country, gender, age, even fins a child who shares your birthday. Compassion is dedicated using fully 80% of every dollar donated on the programs that directly effect and assist the children. Honestly, though, the last three years we didn't hit or goal of 80%, we did 83%. (Over achievers.) Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator, rated Compassion in their four star category. This places Compassion in the top 1% of hundreds of charities they review for financial accountability and integrity. We have received their four star rating for the last seven years.

 At right, click photo to enlarge) we are visiting a home in Tanzania (Feb.'9.) I'm the guy in the beard. It was built by a teenage boy (in brown shirt to my right) and his father (standing in far door, arms folded) The young man, now 19, is in a Compassion program and used gift funds received from his sponsor to purchase the building materials. Through the door in the background you can see the sticks and mud walls of their old home that is far more typical for these families.

 There are more than a half billion children living at the $2-a-day family income level—or less. Lots to do. Have a look: Compassion.com.

   ~ McNair

 

• out of africa

Departing the gracious Impala Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania at 5 PM on Tuesday, 4 March, we headed for the Kilimanjaro airport on the long trip home.

Click. I started the stop watch tool on my iPhone— curious to determine just how long the journey would take. The following day, late into the night I clicked the to stop my digital time tracker. How long did it take to fly from Tanzania to Amsterdam, hold over on Amsterdam then fly to New York's JFK airport, and then on home to Colorado Springs—through Minneapolis? (See photo for answer.)

That's a long slog, but I'll write much more on  my experience as co-leader on a 51 person Compassion International Sponsor trip to Tanzania. My report...soon. With pictures-a-plenty

• reducing your stuff

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         { Spring Cleaning Comes Early } 

A good friend emailed to ask:

    So if I were to take a page from the book,
    HOW TO REDUCE YOUR STUFF BY 50%, by McNair,
    What would it be? My wife and I are looking at all the useless stuff we never use but can't get rid of. What was your process?
    Trash? Good Will? Ebay?

Here's my reply. (Only for this who have more stuff than they need):

McGuidelines for sorting and purging (books, CD's, DVD's, LP's, magazines, et al) that I used before my recent (1.2.9) move to Colorado Springs:

Can I remember the last time I played, read, or referenced this? If it is more than a year (or I can't recall), bye-bye.

Two views of the "art" area in my loft. This about half my books, before the big sort-n-purge. (Click pix to enlarge.)

 

BIG RULE: Does having this make me happy? Some items I keep cause they have sentimental value, nostalgia, etc. If I might want it “down the road”, can I access this online and not need it on hand?

First I got rid of books I barely read, will surely never touch again, were gifts from the author (not a close friend), or were purchased during a period of (for example) research on creativity in the workplace. Lots of those were duds and not worth the “used book” price I paid.

LP - got rid of a few hundred, kept about 50. I play maybe an LP a handful of times a year.

CD - what I like and want to listen to at home are two very different lists—the "at home" is quite a bit shorter. Lots of stuff I downloaded to my MacBook (for personal use), then sold the CD’s.

VHS - I kept a few rarities that I have taped over the years and are not on DVD, especially TV shows.

DVD - is it a real favorite that I'd like to be able to grab and watch NOW, rather than waiting for Netflix in a few days. (Some DVD’s are rare finds Netflix doesn’t carry.)

Magazines - Most everything went, including every issue of WIRED since the premiere issue (which I kept.) Also gone: years of Fast Company, American Theatre, and tons of graphic design mags (which I gave to the library at College of Art.) I retained a few recent and favorite issues of each. I got rid of only duplicate copies of MAD, kept every issue of The Wittenburg Door. (I have a complete set of “The Door” from June 1971 and duplicates of the issues I art directed.)

Clothing - Does it fit? Do I love it? ("Like" is not enough.) Also, do I wear it at least once in a three month period?  (Seasonal clothes like warm coats, sweaters, etc. were reduced, as well. I tossed out (trash) lots of socks, underwear, and thrashed t-shirts. All other clothing was dropped off at the Salvation Army. Lots of it.

CD's, LP's, DVD's, VHS tapes: first big haul was taken to a big store in Berkeley that gives good prices on used media. I didn't get as much as I hoped, but it was better than keeping it all. Used bookstores are picky. You take in three boxes, they buy 3, 7, or 13 books (if you're lucky.)

This season of purging I was fortunate to have a new shop, one mile away, in the great little town of Alameda, CA—the Blue Rectangle—so named for the glowing console TV (vintage 1950's) in their front widow playing old, black and white TV shows. It really is blue-ish.

They have a huge online site—HERE—primarily about used books and textbooks

They deal in ONLY used materials: VHS, CD's, DVD's, LP's and now, vintage clothing. Their policy is everything you bring in, they buy. The offer is always a cash or trade offer. One recent two box assortment netted me an $18 cash/ $36 trade offer.

Previously, I took books to Berkley’s three great bookstores, two blocks apart. Whatever was left after making the rounds, I place on the street with "FREE BOOKS, Help Yourself" writ large on the box flap. Often I'd watch for a few minutes. One guy pick up the entire box and marched immediately into one of the shops I'd already visited.

eBay: Could I make more money on eBay, probably. But I am not now, nor have I ever been and eBay seller. I need no new hobbies. If I lived in the same town as my friend Heidi (an eBay goddess) I'd turn the goods over to her and split the profits.

I had decided that I wanted to significantly downsize my stuff. I was willing to give it all away, rather than hold it for a "best offer" . . . someday.

Other stuff—art supplies, note cards and envelopes, a large  aluminum pot full of felt pens (still usable), a few old chairs, canvas tote bags (from scores of conferences), and a menagerie of "props" that spice up and season my bookshelves and desktops—I put them in the hallway of the 1917 cotton mill I’ve lived in for the past 3 years. A simple email in the intra-net of my building alerted neighbors in the other 73 lofts. 90% of what I put in the hall disappeared in a day or twosome in a few minutes! This included a good bit of furniture—knowing I would not be moving into another 1600 sq. ft. loft.

Had I remained in the Cotton Mill Studios, this down sizing was long over due. I finally got rid of the elephant who had been sitting on my chest. (At the very least, I got a much smaller elephant.)

I have already opened three boxes that made the trip in my now deceased Land Rover. I am going to purge about 40% of their contents: more blank sketch pads and art materials which I cannot live long enough to use.

I suggest you do at least two or three rounds or sort (deciding) and purge (getting rid of) your stuff. Go through everything!

One more key roadblock for which I developed a detour to my propensity to stop, read, thumb-through, or examine almost every item. Decide instantly: keep or toss. When you come to an item you are not sure of and want to sit and examine, DON'T. Create a small maybe pile or box to examine later. By the time I got back to the "maybe" box, most of those were no longer a "maybe.”

By the time I came to the second and third round of purging, I was ruthless. "Why are you keeping (name of dumb movie)?" 

I know there is more to purge, and I will. It is refreshing, renewing, and required for growth of my soul.

Let me know how it goes for you. We all have more than enough.

McNair

• a bit much, maybe

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Thanks to all who wrote to wish mE the best in my new liFe and career here in Colorado Springs. But one group of friends went to unexpected lengths. See what you think:

BE PATIENT AS VIDEO LOADS....

Onward,

M-C-N-A-I-R

• in my own voice

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. . . Me Live! (sort of)  

Recently, I was interviewed by a great online magazine, Lingk2us. Their goal is to bridge the gap between faith and popular culture. Though I think that gap is narrowing more and more these days.

They've posted most of this interview on their site (HERE) in the form of six audio clips in which I discuss:

• The nature of creativity
• Recapturing your creative spirit
• Keys of effective brainstorming
• Experiencing a creative block
• So what is an Imagineer?
• Inspire your team

Besides personal coaching and inspiration, these clips could well be used as a good teaching tool with your team at work, a classroom setting, youth group, your writing group, or an evening salon with chocolate cake, tea, and McNair. Listen to one clip and then discuss my comments as to how they apply to you.

Have a listen and please come back and leave a comment here at the old Tea blog.

(On the Lingk2us home page there is a large photo the rotates among the five main stories. I am story No.3. Click on the "3" to get to the story and audio clips, or use the direct link—HERE.)

And . . . a very Merry and Blessed Christmas

 ~ Mc!

> > Illustration of McNair (above, right) by my remarkable friend Clark Tate! Husband to the beautiful Valerie, father of Jonah the Great. Clark is a gifted and extremely versatile illustrator, designer. Hire him. Your won't be sorry!                                                               
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