Painfully Hopeful

Workflows brings Automation to iOS

Computer Automation has been something that geeks have known about for a long time. The ability to create a script to run a backup at a particular time each day, pull down tagged information from a text file or database, or set up a template with customized information has been an incredible time-saver. Still, for…

Pastoring the Misfits

I pastor a strange church. A few years ago I began to refer to it as The Land of Misfit Christians 1. It’s about as good a description as any. Central Baptist is filled with people who have odd senses of humor, a goofy relationship with formality, and an uneasy truce with social convention. We…

Messaging Migration – Part II

Note: Yesterday I wrote about my messaging migration. This is part II of that post. Follow the link to see the rest of the story. As I wrote yesterday, I’ve long loved the idea of Internet Messaging. Real-time text communication over the Internet is a “killer app.” The tools I’ve used to send messages, however,…

Messaging Migration – Part I

Back in the ancient days of dial-up internet 1 I went out and picked up my first modem, a 14400 baud “winmodem.” I didn’t have the cash to “splurge” on the then-dominant 28800 speed. Inside the modem box were several trials for internet services so, of course, I took a trial run on AOL Online…

Cashing In – The Economic Bias of News Media

Yesterday some despicable person 1 decided it would be a wonderful idea to blow up the NAACP chapter office in Colorado Spring, Colorado. Thankfully, their homemade explosive didn’t work as it was intended. The building suffered only minor damage, and no one was hurt or killed in the incident. The story was slow to reach…

My Goal – Constructive Blogging

Thus far, I am enjoying this new discipline of blogging something every day. Blogging can be a difficult practice to do well, and I’m committed to making Painfully Hopeful a valuable destination for blog readers. As I begin this journey I want to make to myself regarding the nature of Painfully Hopeful. It would be…