Download Episode 11 MP3

Episode 11 is ready for listening...

Show Notes:
Christmas Lights Go Wild
Christmas Lights Go Wild VIDEO
Yahoo! Buys Del.icio.us
Yahoo! Answers Introduced
Adam Curry Caught Editing Wikipedia to Boost His Role in Podcasting
Select NBC Shows Now Available on iTunes
iPod University

Be sure to check back next Tuesday for a new episode and watch for a few Special Spark* Episodes coming soon!

Download Episode 10 MP3 and Listen on Your Computer or MP3 Player

Episode 10 is a little late, but here it is. Enjoy!

Show Notes:
New Service- In Stock Alert VIA SMS for XBOX 360
Xbox 360 Backwards Compatibility
Barcode Scam Redux - TARGET'S $4.99 iPod
Podcast Hijacked and Held for Ransom
Embattled Diebold (Voting Machines) Withdraws from North Carolina

Be sure to check back next Tuesday for a new episode and watch for a few Special Spark* Episodes coming soon!

So I left Murfreesboro today and by the time I got to the airport, I had realized I left my cell phone plugged in at my house. It was too late to go get it.

And then I got to New York City and realized that I forgot my luggage... yes. All my luggage. Ok. Actually, my luggage did not make it all the way to NYC, so I had to continue to my apartment without my luggage. They are supposed to deliver it to me tomorrow (Meet the Partents, anyone?)...

All that to say, if you call or have attempted to call me, I will not answer. However, if a strange person answers and says, "United States Postal Service," you will know that my mom did not turn it off before mailing it to me.

blah. i wish things would go correctly.

So I guess I have learned to value of having friends that will go out of their way in your time of crisis. My whole life, I have made every attempt to avoid these situations for the mere reason that I do not want to depend on anyone to come through for me. Only a very few times in my life have I truly needed someone else to come through for me in the crutch. I guess it all boils down to not feeling inadequate in a situation.

Despite my desperate attempt to never be desperately in need of help, I found myself in a dire situation tonight. Thankfully, I have friends that are willing to put their own comfort aside for my benefit.

To make a really long story short, due to being in Vermont all last week, not having my paycheck until today when I got back to my apartment, and Bank of America’s regulations, I found myself in the position of having no cash to get a cab to the airport.

I was expecting to get back to my apartment around 3:00pm, pick up my paycheck, take it to the bank, deposit it, get some cash, catch a cab and be at the airport by 4:00pm (my flight left at 6:00pm). Well, I found myself without cash. No problem, I thought. I have an emergency credit card that I could use. Some cabs have credit card swipers in them, I will just find a cab that accepts credit cards.

Basically, I stood (no, I walked) up Broadway trying to hail a cab for over an hour. I stopped about 5 or 6 but none of them accepted credit cards. Why do I not just get cash from the card at an ATM? Because I do not have the PIN number for that card.

So, once again, to make a long story short, there I was, cold (VERY COLD from standing outside for over an hour), without any cash, worried that I was going to miss my flight home, trying desperately to hail any cab that I could (most just flew passed me)… I called home, and while they tried to help, it was not going to be in time.

So, completely desperate, I decided to call Ellie to see if she could help out. Oh, thank God for great dependable friends. She came all the way from uptown, got cash out of her own bank account and helped me hail a cab. Whew! So at that point, it was 5:00pm.

If you know anything about NYC traffic around 5:00 AND take into consideration all the Thanksgiving traveling, AND the fact that there was heavily congested traffic, AND the fact that the airport would probably be almost impossible to get through with all the lines, getting in the cab with only an hour until my flight left almost seemed like a lost cause.

So, I told my driver my situation, and even he was like, “ummm, yeah… Good luck.” But he flew through traffic, taking all the detours to try to get me to the airport in time. “What airlines are you flying tonight?” I replied, “United.”

So, at 5:32pm, he dropped me off at Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport. I thank him and then rush inside to try my best to fight with all the Thanksgiving travelers and security. I try my luck at the kiosk to check in… It tells me to check with a representative to check in.
“Where are you flying today?”
Completely out of breath I reply, “Nashville, through Charlotte.”
“Mr. Moore, you are at the wrong airline. We partner with US Airways and if your flight connects in Charlotte, you are on US Airways.”
I look around to the right and left expecting to see US Airways illuminated somewhere near.
“Mr. Moore, you are going to need to go to Terminal C, you are in Terminal B.”

Ok, and if you know anything about LaGuardia, this is not just a matter of walking a little bit inside… you have to go outside and walk… Think about trying to get all the way across a college campus when you have your final in just a few minutes.

Oh, and did I mention that I am crippled because of a sledding accident yesterday?! So, not only did I have to make it to another terminal before I even CHECKED-IN, but I had to hurry even through my leg was injured. So imagine this: me trying my best to run/limp across the parking lot/sidewalk all the way to the other terminal whilst trying to pull my bag behind me. My flight left in 15 minutes.

So, once again to make a long story short, I rushed into Terminal C after about 8 minutes of a combination between limping and speed-walking and finally check in, hurry through security and on to my gate.

Luckily, my flight had been delayed about 30 minutes. Whew. I just stopped, posed myself against one of the walls and slowly slid down with my back until I was rested on the floor. I could once again start to breath.

So here I sit, on the plane to Charlotte. Luckily I made it. I am thankfully for great friends, God’s faithfulness, Thanksgiving air traffic, and mild weather… for those are the only reason that I am even on this plane right now. That, and one heck of a cab driver.

Spark Episode 08 is out. I was not able to make it for this one either because I am in Vermont with dial-up... but listen to the other guys. I am sure you will enjoy.

Even if you do not like technology, it helps you gain a better understanding of what is going on. You should try it out!


Download Episode 08 MP3

We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. Here is episode 08 for your enjoyment!

Stories we cover in Episode 08:
Zero-Day Exploit Targets IE
iTunes outsells traditional music stores
TiVo To Work With Video iPod(Google Dark Fiber / Drop Server)

Facebook.com source code
http://www.facebook.com/policy.php
Google Analytics

So, I guess there is really nothing to do in Vermont except ski and bowl. And since I did not go skiing yesterday, I guess it was inevitable that bowling was on the plans for last night.

We kept the same teams from Gallery Bowling Night Part 1 - Aaron's team wanted another shot to beat my team... we took 2 out of 3 the other night... And once again, we took the game last night. After such a defeat, they were not up to another game.

So I guess it is Nathan, Maria, Stephanie, Ellie, and Roy G. Biv that take 3 out of 4 bowling games during the retreat.

Sadly, Aaron, Stan, Cynthia, Todd, and Carmen just don't have the skills to beat such a great team...

Here is the photo recap... we also watched paint dry, but after reviewing those photos, they just were not as fun:



Steph and Stan


Me being... errr... me?


Steph and me... the two hatted freaks (that is hatted, not hated...)


I guess Steph got a strike, or did not go in the gutter... or something


Just a little psychological fun to throw off the opponent


Me and my sister (not really my sister)


Ellie got a strike


Maria and some strange guy


More psychological messings


I am serious about bowling...


So that is it... I promise we have been productive this week, but that would not be of interest to my readers.

Have a great week! I will see some of you guys next week while I am in Murfreesboro! And Rachael, I miss you!

Here are a few photos from our trip to Vermont... everyone is out skiing today. I decided to stay in, and thus needed something to do, such as uploding photos to PhuseBox. I guess more will come as the trip progresses. Fun. fun.



We went bowling... and I have extremely long fingers. :-(


just hanging out


Todd and Sidney... they are my family this week


me as a bowling ball...


Todd and I face off...


the gals


me and my team... we won 2 out of 3... oh yeah. i got a strike (ok, so we just posed this way, but I could have gotten a strike)


The Gallery Church Staff


Hope you are enjoying your week!

-nt

So, I am sitting in a private ski lodge in Vermont next to several slopes that do not yet have snow (though I did not plan to ski on this trip anyway)...

I finally was able to get some internet access... yes. I feel like I am back in 1996... why? That's right, dial-up. Now, those of you with dial-up may not really know what you are missing by not having broadband... but once you go broadband, you never go back. It is such a stretch to have to connect through a phone line (not to mention I had to fork out $8.95 add will probably have to give my first born in order to cancel my account after the first month)... but it is internet access. My communication portal to the world... plus, my cell phone does not even work here. I guess it's the network (I will be switching to Verizon soon)...

I hope everyone is having a great week. And there is my dialed-up update from non-snowy Vermont...

I am off to Vermont for a week. I will have limited internet access. Ergo, if anyone messages me, do not expect a prompt return. I will try my best to manage PhuseBox even while I am out of town. Hope everyone has a great week!

[nt]

Download Episode 07 MP3

SUBSCRIBE TO SPARK* ON ODEO.COM!

After taking last week off, we are back this week with a new episode of Spark*. In Episode 07, we discuss:

- The iLoad
- Internet Service to Put Classic TV on Home Computer
- Microsoft Joins Fight Against Sony Copy-Protection
- (List of Sony's Copy Protected CD's)
- Backwards-Compatible XBox 360 Titles Revealed
- A Look at the XBox 360 Launch
- Jobs offers Mac OS X for $100 Laptop

You do not have to have an iPod to listen to our podcast, just Download Episode 07 MP3 and listen to it on your computer...

So, I post this every once in a while to provoke some feedback for PhuseBox...

So, what are the things that need to change on PhuseBox? What would make it better? What do you like? What annoys you? What would you like to see on the site?... etc.

Here is your chance to voice any ideas to make things bettre or anything that needs to be changed on PhuseBox... Have at it... remark if you read...

If you read this blog post, please respond:

About a week or two ago, I implemented "PhuseBox Notify"
With this, you are suppose to be receiving notifications by email every time you receive:
 
    - A NEW MESSAGE
    - A NEW FRIEND REQUEST
    - A NEW PHOTO REQUEST
    - MORE THAN 5 UNREAD REMARKS

I have received reports that some users are not recieving any notifications to their registered email address.

Please remark to this post and let me know if you have been receiving these notification emails (and any feedback that you may have). Thanks!

Well, I am back in New York City after almost a week of being away...

I went to Louisville for a missions conference at Highview Baptist... That was good. I also got to hang out with Matt Beck. It was good getting to see and meet some PhuseBox users at St. Matthews Baptist on Saturday night! That was great.

Instead of flying out of Louisville on Tuesday morning, I was able to change my flight and drove down to Murfreesboro on Tuesday to surprise Rachael. It was great. I was able to hang out with my fiancee for a couple days (She is one awesome and great girl if you have never met her)...

And then, I had to get up (well, I did not really get up, due to the fact I never went to sleep that night) to catch my flight out of Nashville at 6:00 am Thursday morning.

I have finally caught up on most of my sleep and now have to get back to normal life in the city even though I still miss Rachael and my family.

I was planning on going to Belle Aire on Wednesday night to see everyone... that was until my dad gave my some news about 15 minutes before I left. At that point, I no longer felt like going and putting on a false face in front of everyone. I hope I will get to see all you Belle Aireians soon...

[nt]

Tomorrow morning, I will be leaving New York City for a few days. I will be in Louisville, KY for a mission conference through Tuesday. Ergo, if you send me any messages and I do not respond immediately, it is not because I hate you, it is because your mom told me not to talk to you.... errr... I mean it is because I am out of town.

Erg... 4 AM in the morning is just WAY too early for me. I am not a farmer.

Thanks for making PhuseBox rock...

[nt]

Ok, so I really laughed out loud at these... It turns out that PhuseBox is supported by the Republican and Democratic parties... woo hoo. Although, I have not seen Dub on here for a while...


photo from aTouch_Overrated



photo from aTouch_Overrated

So, I almost overlooked these, done by Caleb...
These keep making me laugh...


photo from xMrFrosteex


photo from xMrFrosteex

Apparently, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse now support PhuseBox... woo hoo!
(it looks like W.D. is balancing the PhuseBox logo on his finger... perhaps he has basketball-spinning skills too...)


photo from lauraebeth

Looks like Paul did some work on his lip...
His post was titled, "Got PhuseBox?"
These are really entertaining me...


photo from Recklessmortal



We also have an airplane banner from Lauren...


photo from aTouch_Overrated



very nice.

I guess the war is on...
who is next?!


photo from davidangel

So I guess Kim took the suggestion from my last post and went with it:


photo from kim


AWESOME.

Woo Hoo!

PhuseBox just reached 1,300 users... keep spreading PhuseBox... you know, like all around the internet... email your friends, IM everyone on your buddylist, call the local airport and fly a banner over your city, write "PhuseBox" on your dinner plate in BBQ sauce, get a "PhuseBox" tatoo... ok, maybe that is a bit far.

Thanks everyone for making the site great! We have some exciting new stuff coming soon!

-[nt]

- download the MP3 of Episode 06-





In Episode 06, we discuss:
Apple Hits 1 Million Video Downloads in 20 Days
Million Dollar HomePage Surpasses $500,000
New Jersey High School Bans Blogging
What Is Up With Google Base?



Send Us Your Feedback and Comments:
info@thespark.tv

Sorry guys! PhuseBox has been running extrememly slow lately due to the increase in traffic (which is a good problem to have)...

We are going to be moving over to new servers very soon. After that, the site should run pretty quickly. Sorry again!

Keep spreading the site!

[nt]

…to the most beautiful girl in the world.

So, as many of you may have heard by now, Rachael and I are official engaged. We were waiting to go public with this announcement until now because she wanted to announce it Wednesday night to the youth at Belle Aire Baptist (Murfreesboro, TN) first.






This weekend marked one of the biggest chapters in our story. It was months in the making, and I really was surprised and thankful that nothing got back to her throughout the planning stages.

If you do not know our story, it is a great one… patiently waiting for God's timing in all this. We have both followed His heart in all this even when I suddenly moved to New York City to help plant a new church in SoHo. Leaving her behind in Murfreesboro was one of the hardest things I have ever done, despite the fact that we were not even dating at that time. That's right… mark it up, a little under three months and we are engaged, but the story goes much further back than that. Both of us have known for a while that we were meant to be together. That is another story for another night. This story is our engagement night.






So, I decided to fly Rachael to New York to visit for several days. She flew into the city last Wednesday night (special thanks to Ellie and Maria for letting Rachael stay with them). We got to spend several days together *fast forwarding sound*

So then came Saturday night, the big night.

I rented a private car service (you gotta get the private car service…). We went to dinner at a trendy place in Union Square called The Lemon. It was excellent. It was fun looking at and talking to my future fiancée right across the table from me. We had to rush through dinner because we were running a bit late (thanks to my driver for helping me find a florist on the way to pick Rachael up)…

After dinner, I had our driver drop us off at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. Now, it was cold and wet on Saturday night, but I was determined to propose on the Brooklyn Bridge. You see, the bridge is one of the places that Rachael and I went on our first official date when she was here a few months ago… The same bridge that on the night of our first date, while playing the "I like you more than…" game back and forth, I accidentally slipped, "I love you more than the Brooklyn Bridge…" Funny slip on the first date, and it was actually a couple months later that we started saying this on a regular basis, even though we both knew it was true.

So, we walked the first portion of the Brooklyn Bridge. A couple yards from the first platform, we started seeing rose petals sprinkled about. As we approached the platform that overlooks the cityscape, the rose petals increased in number until we were standing in a bed of rose petals (I had some help having this arranged). The twinkling lights from the cityscape created a nice backdrop.






At this point, she started to know something was up. I nervously fumbled my way through several lines that probably did not make any sense and then pulled the ring box from my messenger bag. You can imagine the rest… I got down on one knee and asked Rachael to marry me… making me the happiest guy in the world. She accepted immediately (after repeating "Oh my gosh" about 57 times)…


















So now, we were officially engaged. We made the appropriate phone calls and headed back to the foot of the bridge… we had to go to our next location.






We arrived at 72nd Street some time later. This is the building in which I work. We took the elevator up to the third floor and as we exited, people were standing on either side, tossing rose petals in our direction.








I had arranged a special after party/reception for us to celebrate (which really would not have worked out too well if she had said, "no"). Thanks to Maria, Susan, and Ellie, the third floor looked amazing… The room was covered in rose petals… all over the floor, the window sills, the tables. Christmas lights strung from the ceiling and candles in the windows and on the table lit the room. It was perfect, though the original plan was to have it on the roof. It worked out nicely and the room looked amazing.

We mingled for a few minutes and then proceeded with one last surprise… I blindfolded her and sat her down in a chair. I then sat next to her, awaiting the next event. The next thing she knew, the first chords of our song, "Bigger Than Us" were being played. I took off the blindfold and there, sitting before us, was Andy Davis. Andy Davis is from Nashville and her favorite artist ever. And it worked out nicely that he also wrote what we consider "our song." So there it was. Andy Davis gave us and the others at the party a special private party. It was amazing.




















So that wrapped up the surreal night. It still does not feel like it really happened. I tried to completely make it the best night of her life and think I came pretty close. She deserves a lot more than what I could accomplish though.






So now the next step is the wedding. I still cannot believe that we are actually engaged. I would not rather share this moment with anyone else.




Make sure you check out the photos in my photo box and on her PhuseBox site. Also, make sure you check out Andy Davis at http://www.andydavisonline.com.

I am off to Gallery Church Bible study...

BIG announcement coming later tonight... hmmm...

-[nt]