Public Service Announcement: "X-mas" is not a bad thing!

Every Christian has, at one time or another, held in the back of his or her mind, one thought during the Christmas season: our second-most important holiday (behind Easter) is co-opted every year by the masses and turned into nothing more than a celebration of excess and materialism. Quite often, people point to the abbreviation "X-mas" as evidence that the world is taking Christ out of Christmas.

Even if they think that's true, Christians can go ahead and smile -- because nothing could be further from the truth.

New Laptop First Impressions - Part Two

It's bee two weeks with my new Chromebook, and I can tell you one thing for certain: it was absolutely worth it.

One thing to keep in mind before we get any further into this review: a Chromebook is not going to be right for everyone, or for every task. It doesn't pretend to be. It's "correct" usage is for someone who's life essentially exists on the Web. In my case, that's mostly true. I abandoned tools like Microsoft Office several years ago due to the cost, and aside from the occasional formatting quirk with Google Docs, I've been happy with that move.

However, this isn't a review about the tools available online. This is about the laptop, and how well it works with those tools.

The Hardware

The Chromebook is snappy, to say the least. It boots up in about four to five seconds (yes, I said seconds) when turned completely off. If, while using it, I close the screen, it automatically -- and almost instantly -- hibernates. This isn't a typical laptop's sleep mode; it literally shuts down. As in, it drains no battery. And this is no inconvenience because, unlike with a Windows-based laptop or a MacBook, it restarts from its sleep mode in a matter of about two seconds. My experience with most Windows computers -- laptop or desktop -- is that they can't even restore themselves from a snooze in that amount of time, let alone a full sleep.

The computer really acts a lot like a tablet, because most Chromebooks come with either a solid-state hard drive (SSD) or built-in flash memory. They also lack CD, DVD, Blu-Ray or floppy-disk drives. If you are unfamiliar with what a floppy disk is, go ask your parents. They can take you to a library or a museum so you can find out. If you don't know what a library is, your biggest need is not a new computer. You have bigger problems. Go read something else.

But I digress. The laptop is much like a tablet in that it is completely silent. With no moving parts, and high-efficiency components, there is a minimal amount of heat build-up. That means no fans, which means you can't listen to hear if the computer is running. You have to, instead, do crazy things like look at the screen or check the power light. I know, I know, that takes a little effort. You need to actually open your eyes. Perish the thought.

There are lots of reasons why I chose the Toshiba Chromebook 2. Most Chromebooks come with two gigabytes of memory; I am writing books, so the more memory, the better. This one comes with four gigabytes instead, and from other reviews I've read, it's noticeable.

It also has a dual-core processor, giving it some good horsepower.

The screen is incredible. Even at just 13 diagonal inches, it manages to have full HD resolution -- 1920x1080. Text is crisp and clear, and the screen's brightness is as good and as even as I have seen on high-end laptops.

It has a high-resolution camera which can be used with various Web sites, as well as with Google Hangouts. There is a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI-out connection and it aso can take full-size SD cards to expand its local storage. You'll hardly need it, though, except for doing offline work. When connected to the Internet, most apps will do periodic, automatic saves.

Finally, the keyboard and touchpad are better than I would expect for a sub-$300 computer. The keys are chicklet-style, and they have great tactile feedback (the crispness of the "click" when you type).

Oh, and at less than three pounds, it's comfortable to sit at the couch and type. It doesn't get to heavy, or two hot, and the size means that it fits very comfortably on your lap without trying to drive to one side or the other as you work.

The Software

If you are familiar with Google's Chrome Web browser, you can use a Chromebook with absolutely no further training. It is, quite literally, a computer operating system inside a browser. While that may sound limiting, it is, in a way, freeing. It also is like taking a second run at the way computing used to be in the mainframe days. The idea of a mainframe was that most of the computing that occurred took place on a "master computer" and the computer you used to interact with the mainframe was a "dumb" terminal. Basically, it was just a window into the mainframe. We got away from that with the desktop PCs of the '90s and '00s. But with Chrome OS, we have gone back to a minimalistic computer that connects to servers to do most of the work. It's a hybrid model, where we have some installed, specialized software on our local computers, but a great deal of the work is done remotely. The modern execution is far more robust.

The interface of the operating system is going to be familiar to most people. You have a typical taskbar on the bottom of the screen -- which can be moved, if you prefer -- and a clock and information center in the bottom-right corner. The bottom-left corner houses the search screen, which shows tour most recently used apps, a link to view all apps, another to go to the app store (most apps are free) and a search box to load any app already installed by typing in all or part of its name. There is also a dedicated button on the keyboard to open that menu, much like the Windows key on most laptops and desktops.

For me, as I said before, the fact that Chromebooks are basically just running a Web browser is actually very convenient for me. Outside of my current day job as a software engineer, most of what I do on a computer is done on the Web. My music is all in Google Music. I do all my office-type documents through Google Drive's various apps. I spend time on Twitter and Facebook. My email has been through Gmail for the better part of the last decade. I take notes in Evernote and Google Keep. My calendar and address book are in Google's gigantic ecosystem, too. And I use Youtube, Netflix and various parts of my Amazon Prime benefits. In the end, there is precious little that I do on a computer that doesn't interact directly with one of those Web sites. If I want to play a Windows-based game, I have a desktop computer for that.

Conclusion

In the end, I'd say a Chromebook is a useful tool for most people to have around, I have a smartphone I use a lot, and a tablet, as well. The one I enjoy using the most, though, is the Chromebook. It just does its job, and things don't crash. It's not Windows or Mac OS, but I knew that going in. It has its own niche, and it may fill it better than either of the other two main operating systems available today.

If you want to use software built for Windows, get a Windows computer. If you want to spend more money than you should on a computer, get something from Apple. But if you want to live your computer life in the cloud, you can't go wrong with a Chromebook. And, for the best bang-for-your-buck deal, the Toshiba Chromebook 2 may be the best option available today.

New Laptop First Impressions - Part One

As a writer, I try to be mobile. Years ago (2009, I believe it was), I bought myself a laptop with the goal of being able to "compute anywhere." Of course, at the time I was single and wanted to replace my desktop computer, so being the master of overkill I am, I went and bought what is known as a "desktop replacement" laptop. In other words, it's a laptop that's a "laptop" only by tribute of name; keeping it in your lap for any extended period of time would result in numb feet and, potentially, second-degree burns.

I can't see the grand plan -- and that's okay

Ego has long been a big challenge for me. It's not that I'm a narcissist, and it's not like I was never taught the value of humility. I was, and I try my best to live a humble life. But, for someone who has bounced from the highest of emotional highs to the lowest of emotional lows -- many of which were driven by naivete more than anything else -- ego can be a dangerous thing.

Add to that my tendency toward an obsessive personality -- I either give something everything I've got, or I don't do it at all -- and it makes for a roller coaster than can be hard to control. I've learned through the years how to stay at a much more even keel, and I have learned how to not let things get to me -- so much so that, at times, I think my ability to let almost anything slide off me like water off a duck's back drives my wonderful wife absolutely crazy. It's just that I know my triggers, so I try to avoid them.

So it was a hugely revealing -- and refreshing -- moment tonight when I came to the sudden realization that there is a very good reason why God doesn't often show me the bigger picture: I'm better off if I can't see it.

See, one of my other somewhat-destructive personality traits is self-sufficiency. I have long prided (another weakness) myself on taking care of my own affairs. I try not to rely on others for much, as I have always tried to be as little of a "burden" (my own words, not theirs) as possible. Unfortunately, this do-it-myself attitude has, at times, caused me to forget that my strength, my ability and my provision ultimately come from God. Often, I take credit for things when I really ought to give God the credit and the glory. It's not intentional; it's just that I still have trouble, at times, remembering that I am merely God's means to accomplish some things here.

So, when you put it all together, what it comes to is this: if God was to bless me with a longer, wider view of things, both past and present, there's a significant chance that I would become more acutely aware of just how well I've been blessed. However, my self-sufficient nature could see that and view it as personal success, not Godly blessing. Heaven knows the last thing a person with even remotely egocentric tendencies needs to is to become even more aware of what he might have done right and well.

So God, who knows me far better than I even know myself, gives me the ability to see the short-term a whole lot better than I see the long-term. It makes things like running a business and following through on ideas to completion a challenge. But it makes me exceedingly adaptable and easy-going. There are things that are bad, but I sure do enjoy and appreciate those last two things.

And there is peace in not knowing: God has plainly told me that I don't need to be concerned about all the long-term details -- because he already has it under control. Jeremiah 29:11, a very well-known verse, says it plain and clear:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I don't need to worry and fret about the long view. God has that in control, as long as I don't try to take it from him. In the meantime, he gives me what I can handle, and let's me thrive there. Maybe some day he will lead me to a place where I can deal with the long view and not self-destruct because of it. Until that day, if it ever even comes, I'm okay with that.

The myth of Starbucks' "War on Christmas"

Starbucks is waging a war on Christmas? I think not.

Look, I don't hide my Christian faith. I wear it willingly and openly, as any Christian should. And as a Christian, I couldn't care less about the designs on Starbucks' cups.

Let's get a few things out in the open here.

1. Starbucks does not claim to be a "Christian company".
2. Starbucks has no obligation whatsoever to put any particular design -- or class of design -- on their cups, their signs, their walls, their aprons or anything else.
3. They removed things like snow flakes and reindeer, not nativity scenes and Bible verses. The only thing Starbucks may be waging war on is the secular concept of Christmas, at best, and winter at worst. Perhaps if you think they are being "seasonist", you may have a valid argument.

As Christians, we need to accept one undeniable truth: there are two Christmases today. There is the holiday on which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and then there is the version of Christmas that is driven by Park Avenue's marketing and Wall Street's cash. Sure, it feels great to celebrate that version. I love giving gifts, and I love the decorations. But, if Starbucks decides to eliminate any hint of that version of Christmas from their cups, their menus or their entire stores, that is their prerogative. They never had anything representing the true meaning of Christmas on their cups to begin with.

The reality here is that this story is being perpetuated by the media. I'd go so far as to say it's being done to make Christians look petty. The sad reality is that it's working.

So, here's what I recommend to my fellow Christians: if you feel slighted by this mess, do the following:

1. Stop going to Starbucks and spending six bucks on something you can make at home, over and over, with a $25 stove-top espresso maker and your favorite coffee.
2. Take that six bucks, instead, and drop it in the offering plate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
3. Sit in the pews, or the chairs, enjoy the timeless music and remember what the holiday is actually about.

Today, I chatted with a legend.

Today, I got to do one of the coolest things I've ever done in as a writer: I got ten minutes on the phone with Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jack Ham.

Anyone who has known me for more than, oh, 37 seconds knows how much I love the Steelers. And I have been fortunate enough to have written about them off and on since 2008: first for The Steel Tradition of the now-defunct Most Valuable Network, then my own sites at Big Snack's Sweatsocks, Steel City Musings and Frazer On Sports. I've contributed to my friend Chris Cotter's One for the Other Thumb on occasion, and since April I have been a Staff Writer for Behind The Steel Curtain -- the largest Steelers-centered site not named Steelers.com.

Over the years, I've met a few former NFL players, including some who had played or coached for the Steelers. I met Bill Cowher at a high school basketball game, and I spent half of a high school football game talking defense with former Steelers cornerback DeWayne Washington.

But nothing I've done covering the Steelers -- heck, nothing I've done in journalism, period -- has been as cool as having the undivided attention of one of the best players to ever put on the Black & Gold and one of the best linebackers ever, regardless of team.

I'm not about to give away any of the content -- you can check Behind The Steel Curtain tomorrow morning to read it. I'm just excited to have had the opportunity, and thankful to Mr. Ham for taking ten minutes to let me pepper him with questions.

On the Cool-O-Meter, which goes from 1 to 10, this one comes in somewhere between "World's Best Banana Pudding" and "Every Happy Childhood Memory Ever".

UPDATE: Here's a link to the article.

Crap, he created a new blog.

I'm going to keep this first post short, sweet and to the point.

I'm starting over with personal blogging. Again. For roughly the seven zillionth time. Zillionth is a word, because I said so. And 'round these parts, I'm Sheriff, Citizen and Resident Moron Extraordinaire.

In the past, I've blogged because I was feeling introspective, or because of narcissistic tendencies, or even because people wanted to read what I had to write. If that's you, just keep in mind that I think you are nuts. And if the crazy guy thinks you are crazy, what does that make you?

That might be a double-negative. In which case, that would make you sane. So ignore that. Pay no attention to the stupid thought behind the curtain that I could easily destroy with the BACKSPACE key, but won't because it would kill the effect.

See? Mindless ramblings.

I'm a professional writer, among other things. I write coherent, meaningful stuff elsewhere. If that's what you hope to find here, then one of us is in the wrong place. I'm pretty sure it's me, actually, but I'm the one who picked the blog title.

<Childishly sticks out tongue>

I feel this blog needs to come with a few disclaimers, so here goes:

1. This is as raw and no-holds-barred as I get. No, there won't be foul language or explicit content. I don't do that. I'm a Christian, I hold to my faith as best as my faulty human nature will allow, and I don't believe it has to be shocking or disgusting to be entertaining. Which, of course, leads me to number two...
2. Entertainment guaranteed or your money back! Which, ironically, leads to number three...
3. This site is free of charge. If yo add 2 and 3, the result is...
4. All Complaints Will Be Ignored. It's a policy here, for one simple reason: because I'm not getting paid for this! This is me. Take me or leave me, your choice. If two or three people read each post, then...well, then that's about four or five more people than I expected. Don't do the math, it's the result of a cosmic rift that occurred after reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in reverse on a Monday in February. It's very sciency.
5. Five is a nice, happy number, so I added it just to make the list dynamic a little less dissonant.

So much for "short, sweet and to the point." Then again, I make the rules here. I hereby declare that "short, sweet and to the point" is to be synonymous with "everything I just wrote" until you get to the end of this post.

And, there you are.

Fin.