I'm Better Than You

I'm listening to: "Lost Fur" by: Karen O the Kids

First I wanted to show you the Where You Are shirts that have been created by Sarah Scotti (she is the best, period) These shirts are work the AIDS walk that we are doing on March 28th. We are excited to walk with whoever wants to join us and do something different!

I wanted you to see the company that made them, because they are sponsoring the shirts as well, and Real Thread is ran by this guy named Dru, who is such a great guy. Dru thanks so much for believing in us. I can't wait to meet you face to face. Isn't it crazy how a project, can bring people together without even meeting.....think about that.  The other thing that sealed the deal for us to work with Real Thread is that the shirts are special Eco-material that is awesome for the environment.  My sister Heidi would be proud of me. Anyway, we will have a bunch of these, and if you like them, we will sell them on the Where You Are site.

To walk with us on the AIDS walk, contact Sara Shake (sara@exposedprandevents) our awesome Publicist. She will walk you through the process.

Now I'm listening to "All is Love" by Karen O the Kids ( i love this song)

I was thinking about all the things that we are doing. The AIDS walk, the Where You Are Project, The Revolt, and our entire company as a non-profit... Sometimes, I'm around people that travel the world, doing missionary work, or all kinds of probono type of work, and some people (sometimes not on purpose, and sometimes on purpose) love to make you feel like what they are doing is better than what you are doing.  Traveling to Africa and working in Uganda with children is much better and more admirable than working at UPS in America.  Sometimes, I'm around these people and they get so caught up in what THEY are doing, that they forget about what they are actually doing.  Believe it or not, some people love to travel around the world helping people just so they can tell people that they did it.   I usually end up in this debate:

I love missionaries, I think everyone is called to something special and unique.  However I see people leaving America traveling to other countries to help, and I think that is awesome!  I'm glad people are doing it.  However a huge part of C&I Studios vision is...America.  I believe that America is the country that needs the outreach the most.  A big problem I see with America is that we see what is right and wrong, and sometimes we still choose what is wrong.  Our midset, our selfishness, and how corrupt we are.... thats our mission field.  Here.  I know you guys don't know the story of Where You Are, but the film is about this American midset and how materialist and small minded we are.

And we aren't better than anyone because of this project.  Just because we are traveling to Swaziland doing this project that doesn't mean that we are better than the man that is working at UPS.  We are both doing what we are called to do.  Sure working at UPS might not be what he is called to do, but being a dedicated father, husband, and community leader might be.  And UPS just funds his dream of starting a community center, and gives him the time to be a real father and husband.   People automatically assume unless you are overseas what you are doing is pointless, and that isn't true.  Some people are called to be good fathers.  Some people are called to be Pastors in churches, or teachers in our schools.  And teaching a child to read on American soil or international soil is amazing.  Holding an orphan in Atlanta and telling her that you love her, is just as amazing as holding a child in Sudan. There is no scale.  Love knows no boundary, its doesn't grow based on your geographical location.  Love is Love.

And I know that there are countries and children that have needs that are greater than here, but don't let that dis-credit all that other people are doing here in America.  To all you good people, all you teachers, pastors, parents, foster parents, musicians...Keep doing what you are doing.  Never stop.  Do what you were meant to do, and let that love take you where ever it may take you.  This life isn't a love competition, it just life.

Thanks Freedom

I'm listening to: "The sound of the air coming out of the air thingy on the plane"

I'm listening to that, because Freedom broke my earphones.  She loves to try and eat them, and apparently Apple doesn't make them waterproof.  I would normally be zoned out listening to random music on my phone, but not tonight.  Everyone is quiet, listening to their music.  Everyone has iPhones around me, by the way.  They have made it so easy to just zone out.  You can instantly be disconnected from everyone and everything is you want to.  I feel so connected to everyone though, the plane, people. Then this guy next to me said "I'm sorry, I noticed that you didn't have your earphones in, and I was wondering if you wanted to talk?" I said "okay" (like how I say it) and we talked all the way to LA.

Ryan is cool, we talked out life, the war, bragged about our kids.  It was awesome.  He was/is in the military, I'm not sure which one, but he was cool.

I wonder how many connections and conversations i've missed out on because of this great technology, forever surrounding my life.  Funny, how people stand in line together, get on the plane sit next each other, and we don't even say "Hi" or introduce ourselves.  The waiter comes to our table in the restaurant, and we order, we don't say "Hello Sandy, how is your day going?" instead its "Yeah i'll have the chicken picatta, and can you substitute the baked potato for french fries".  Why talk to them?  It's their job right?  We are a fast train far from our rails.

Where You Are makes me hopefully that we all will be inspired to return to being real people, instead of us all trying to be these robots, who's programs and schedules are far more important than any real interaction. We are so worried about talking to people because we might "bother" them, or we don't want to be "bothered". Crazy. The first thing Ryan said to me was "I'm sorry" like talking to me was a crime.

Walk

I'm listening to: "Swallowed In The Sea" By: Coldplay

Hey guys, I know its been a while since I've typed on this page.  I'm a constant work in progress.  Hopefully by now you guys have seen the Where You Are site.  If not, please check it out. We will be updating it soon with two Where You Are shirts.  The first shirt is for an AIDS walk that we are doing in Fort Lauderdale.  It is a six mile walk where in Fort Lauderdale.  Thousands of people do this walk, its really cool.  So we are actually going to walk the walk.  We found out about this walk in a cool way. It was last year...March 15th. My wife decided that she really wanted to do this walk.  We all have a really big heart for children, all over the world (including America) and kids with AIDS just doesn't seem right to us.  So, she really wanted to do her part.  I did try to talk her out of it, because she was 9 months pregnant with Free-Free at the time.  But sometimes a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do. So, Amy and Tara did this 6 mile walk, and the then, the very next day, my Freedom was born.

March 16th

So, as we gear up for this next walk, I can't help but think about last year.  And now we will surrounded by our friends, walking with us, supporting this cause, supporting Where You Are.  For me, when people are standing next to me (literally, and figuratively) that goes so much deeper than any money that can be given.   We are excited about it, and we will post photos soon, I'm sure.

We are staying the course with Where You Are.  We are working pretty hard and we've got a few more things we need to do this month, to promote Where You Are.

Thanks for following us.  Never give up...Never Surrender!