Profound Thoughts Are In Your Immediate Future.

Some of you may recall how I stabbed myself in the hand last March. Then had hand surgery in May. Then all kinds of stuff happened and God’s been taking me on a whirlwind tour ever since.

I’ve written some stuff over the past few months, just snippets here and there, but I feel God’s wanting me to get more in-depth lately. Be specific. Share all the good stuff that the Teacher has shared with me.

So. Over the next few days & weeks I’ll be writing quite a bit more. My prayer is that somehow God will use my feeble words and attempt to share His love and goodness will come across to you, the reader. I pray that your life might be changed as drastically as mine has been the past six months.

I do NOT pray, however, that you stab your hand with scissors. Conversely, I instead pray that you’ll learn to SLOW DOWN your life to normal. Keep going at warp speed and you’re gonna burn out. Yes, I’m talkin’ to YOU. Put the brakes on and save yourself a few setbacks.

The bald one has spoken.

-Kevin

The Writing Life.

Continuing to have a blast writing every morning. Slowly making progress, but forward movement is key (and the reality). God continues to whisper that it’ll take time, that it’s not a race, and that I’m capable of accomplishing what He’s calling me to do. :)

I’ll finish the book this week, rewrite it next week, and work on the book proposal the week afterwards. Then I’ll spend December landing a literary agent and begin sending it out in January.

Bottom line? It’s all about the ideas and, more importantly, how they’re presented (and to whom). In the end, it’s a numbers game. A checklist, if you will. Fill in the blanks, check off the boxes and you WILL reach your goal. It just takes time, patience and the patience of a badger. Or a bull dog. Or something intimidating.

And me? I’m nothing if not one tenacious S.O.B. (no offense, Mom).

Kevin

November Update.

I’ve started writing the Baby 101 book, and it feels good. After months and months of research & lists & organizing the thing, I’m finally at a place to begin, and I’m making decent progress. I should be done with the first draft by the middle to end of next week, and then I’ll work on drafting a book proposal the week after.

When I say it “feels good,” I mean it feels right. Natural. I’m doing what I believe I was designed to do (or at least a part of it). I’m writing. I LOVE writing. Playing with words for effect. Rearranging them, mixing and matching… it’s fun.

Kim’s in D.C. this week, so I’m juggling the boys by myself. Kaleb’s been teething the past few days, so he’s had to say home with me rather than go to his Nanny’s. Yet despite that, I’ve still gotten a lot done. I have a clear goal in mind, and I’m taking steps to get there.

There’s a chance a friend of my Dad’s is going to sell me his iPhone. It’s the original iPhone (not the 3G w/GPS, which is what he upgraded to). We haven’t discussed price yet, but if it’s under $250 then I can easily sell my Palm Centro and iPod Nano 3g to make up the difference.

I’m pretty excited, of course. I put off buying it this summer because of the unexpected cost of Kim’s visit to the hospital with her MRSA bout. Couple that with a $500+ ride in the ambulance (which insurance has yet to cover), and you can see why buying a new gadget wasn’t a high priority.

The only hitch about his iPhone is the silent ringer switch is permanently depressed. It was dropped on the corner one day (makes you wince), and has forever been silent. It vibrates, and the system sounds & speaker still works fine, but there are no ringtones. Which is sad, because that’s one of the joys of owning a customizable phone: assinging unique ringtones to each caller.

When I do some Googling, however, I find that a replacement switch is under $20 on eBay. The downside? I’d have to crack open my iPhone and muck with the innards to switch ‘em out. And that makes me… Hesitant. I’ve installed RAM, Hard Drives, screen protectors, etc., but intricate wires in an iPhone? Yikes.

I guess I’ll see how long I can go without the ‘tones before I make that purchase. First on the list will be a simple audio adapter to let me use MY earbuds to listen to stuff on it, rather than Apple’s default stuff. (Thanks,but no thanks.)

Kevin

Books I’m Reading – November 2008

In no particular order:

Positive Imaging – Norman Vincent Peale

How to License Your Million Dollar Idea – Harvey Reese

The Mom Inventors Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea into the Next Big Thing - Tamara Monosoff

The Tongue: A Creative Force - Charles Capps

Changing the Seen and Shaping the Unseen - Charles Capps

The Incredible Shrinking Man - Richard Matheson

The Blessing of Favor: Experiencing God’s Supernatural Influence - Kate McVeigh

How Millionaires Made Their Fortunes and How You Can Make Yours - Dr. R.C. Schafer

The Law of Rewards: Giving what you can’t keep to gain what you can’t lose - Randy Alcorn

Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life - Keri Wyatt Kent

The Alphasmart Saga.

I’m always looking for better ways to write. Not so much the content, but just easier ways to capture my thoughts and get ‘em out there. Blogs, books, notes-to-self – the whole bit. My life runs on the written word, so the easier it is to write, the more my life is in sync with the way God designed me.

So with that in mind, I purchased an AlphaSmart Dana Wireless on eBay last month. If you’re unfamiliar with the AlphaSmart series, they’re basically keyboards with a small display at the top of them, usually 3-5 lines of text. They run on 3 AAA batteries for a long, LONG time and they sync easily with Macs & PCs. Their beauty lies in their simplicity. They’re designed for text entry. An’ that’s it.

Except for the Dana. The Dana (and the Dana Wireless, with Wifi capabilities) actually run the Palm OS. Thus, the thousands of apps that run on Palm OS 4.1 will run on the AlphaSmart Dana. My thining was simple: I’d have a full-sized keyboard that would also allow me to run all the apps on my Clie AND check e-mail in a pinch. It’d be the alternative to bringing my entire laptop places. If I just need to check e-mail and work on writing, it’s perfect.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t. In fact, they sent the Dana – not the wireless version. That’s the first hitch. The second is the fact that I just didn’t like it. The keyboard action was excellent, as the reviews suggested. The screen angle, however, was unacceptable. I either had to lean over or scrunch the thing up on my crotch to get the proper angle for contrast. Neither option made for comfortable writing.

Add to this the fact that I couldn’t get it to save a simple text file as a TEXT FILE (rather than a .pdb), and the frustrations just kept mounting. All in all, I wrote to the seller and explained that what they sold me was not what was described in the title, and that I’ll be sending it back on their dime with the expectations of getting a full refund. I have yet to hear back. (That was Tuesday, though. I’ll give ‘em until Friday. Then I’m getting serious & going through eBay.)

All in all, however, I’m grateful. Not only did I get the chance to check out a genuine AlphaSmart myself, but I still had the option of sending it back. So I kind of rented it, I guess. And now I know that spending my money on one would’ve been a mistake.

I’ve now come to the conclusion that my current set up with my dated (but highly-functional) Clie TJ37 is more than sufficient. Not only do I get the color screen, the wifi, the excellent Stowaway keyboard and the ability to write and save text files, but it’s still small enough to take with me anywhere. PLUS it plays MP3s, MPEG videos, photos (including my scripture JPEGS), and so much more. :) It’s ol’ faithful.

I might spring for an old SJ33, though. Just to have a spare on hand if I ever need it. And I’ll readily admit that if Apple ever allows you to pair their iPhones with an external Bluetooth keyboard, I’ll be sorely tempted. Ah, I’m tempted already, I’m just unable to spring for it yet. (Insurance still has to say they’ll cover for the $500 ambulance ride for Kim’s Nasal brush with Death last summer.)

Kevin

Prayer For Sarah Palin. (from Kim)

My heart is so heavy today for the Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin. I just wanted to pass along a request for prayer covering for her. I can only imagine the chance she took when she accepted the Republican VP nomination, knowing that her own life was filled with its own every-day problems. As I think about her life and the major life-changes she has undergone in the last 12 months, I see a mixed picture of joy and pain, feeling of accomplishment and yet a feeling of being unqualified, pride and humility, strength and fear.

She’s still adapting to life as the mother of a Down Syndrome baby. She’s still adjusting to the idea of being a grandmother. She’s likely struggling with the disappointment of her daughter having to grow up quickly, and not only that, but to see her daughter’s pregnancy put in front of the nation for them to conjecture about and make broad statements of hypocrisy and other attacks. Can you imagine the whirlwind that the last few days, weeks, months – even the last few years – has been for her?

Her outward confidence is going to be bombarded with fear on so many levels – fear that she’s sacrificing her family for her country, fear that she could come across as a poor choice for VP, fear that her children will not be protected from media and criticism, fear that her family will not be physically protected from harm…

So, I’m writing this so that we, as Christians, can take some time to pray for her today. Pray for her protection, grace, mercy, and provision. Pray that the fear laid out by the enemy will not take root in her mind. Pray that she will be focused and sincere. Pray that she does not lose sight of who she is in the Lord. I have no real idea of her religious convictions or the level of her relationship with the Lord, but we can pray that she seeks Him with all of her heart. That she will find her peace and strength in Him. That He would be glorified through her.

The Bible says the Lord “sets up Kings and deposes them.” (Daniel 2:21) I am praying that He is “set”-ing her up, and that He is preparing her for what’s ahead.

She is speaking at the RNC tonight, so it seems fitting that we take a moment and surround her with a covering of prayers.

Please join me in prayer for Sarah Palin today.

Thank you,

Kim

Mills Creative Minds – September 2008 Update.

Well, it’s been a whirlwind of a summer. I’ve done a ton of work on creating Mills Creative Minds, so I’ll try to summarize some of the elements for those curious readers out there. Forgive the abrupt format of the entry – I gotta go pick Kyler up from kindergarten in about 20 minutes.

Children – Kyler’s in full-time kindergarten now, so that means getting him up at 7:00am each day to get out of the house at 7:30am. Then pick him up at 3:00pm. Long day, but he’s sleeping quite soundly at night. Heh.

Kaleb’s now in part-time daycare with a nanny about 3 minutes away. I knew I was going to need a good 4-5 hours a day to work, but we didn’t want him to be in one of the overcrowded daycares. So we discussed the dilemma with our LifeHouse (church group), prayed about it, and one of them had a sister-in-law (Rhonda) who was interested in being a part-time nanny. :) Voila! Problem solved! (Glory be to God!)

Patents & Licensing - I’ve read up on the invention process, and it’s clear that a patent offers good protection when developing a product. It’s also clear that you don’t have to have a patent in hand to approach manufacturers about their licensing the idea from you. (Indeed, you have a year from filing a provisional patent to manufacture & SELL a product, regardless of whether your patent goes through or not.)

I’m NOT going to manufacturer my ideas, and the majority of them don’t even need a patent to make a profit (it wouldn’t be worth it). I have too many of them to narrow it down to just ONE to pursue, plus I don’t want to spend the exhaustive man hours & money establishing an entire company (aside from mCm, that is). So after doing the basic market research to make sure any given idea isn’t already out there, my next step is to write up a simple one-sheet to present to a licensing agent. The licensing agent, in turn, will take whatever ideas he finds worthy and approach the appropriate manufacturers. Once you get a manufacturer on board, you draw up a licensing agreement (where you & the agent split a 5-10% profit from each item sold) and away you go.

My plan is to narrow down my top 5 ideas, do the necessary research & legwork, and present them to the agent(s) or marketing company. I haven’t decided which one to use yet (there’s quite a few to choose from), but I’m confident God will lead me to make the right decision when it’s time to make it. (Your prayers for wisdom & discernment are always welcome.)

Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC – I’m currently a Sole Prop., but after doing some research I think I might upgrade to an LLC. Mainly because if I license an idea to a company and they make it & sell it & then some idjit decides to hurt themselves with it, I could be liable. As an LLC, I’d have more protection from litigation, at least on the surface. As a sole prop., ALL my assets are free game. So I figure I’d rather be safe than sorry.  (Granted, I still think there could be a clause added to each licensing agreement which absolves me from litigation, but I’m new to this, so I’ll just go with what I know.)

Ideas – they just keep coming. Non-stop.  And yes, I’m biased, so they’re “all good.” :) This is another confirmation that I’m on the right track. I’m definitely not a “one-hit wonder” when it comes to ideas. I simply have more than enough, so I wanna share with others. :)

mCm – I’m working on developing the brand of it all, both as one-sheet summaries & on the website. I need to straddle the fine line of “I’m a creative inventor” and “We’re a serious business.” God, give me wisdom, please. :)

The Vision – Last week as I was stressing out about composing a bonafide Business Plan for mCm, I decided to sleep it off. As I was drifting away, I was thinking about my financial goals for mCm. One of the primary motivations for creating mCm was to provide for missions. In fact, I had privately resolved to give away $200,000 of the first $300,000 I made. Arbitrary, I know, but that was my goal.

As I lay on the bed, however, I asked myself: why stop there? Why should I only aim to give 66% of the first $300,000? Why not do that ALL the time? And why not bump that to 70%? (Just to round up, make it an even number, to appease the OCD hand-washer inside me…)

And at that point… I cried. Not because I was freaked out about the idea of giving so much away, but because I was thrilled with the idea of giving so much away.

I am, by nature, a generous man. I love to share, to meet the needs of those around me. It’s the way I am, the way God wired me. And I am constantly frustrated when I run into a situation where I want to give, but I can’t because I don’t feel I have the money. (Translation: it would threaten my comfortable cushion.)

So by making the act of sacrificial giving a permanent cornerstone to Mills Creative Minds, I’ve effectively removed the “I can’t afford to give” mentality that holds me back. And THAT’S why I cried. Because honestly? I can’t WAIT to give the money away. Even before this new direction, I had compiled an extensive list of organizations, charities, causes, etc. that I want to bless. (And God keeps expanding my list with new areas of need…) I am so incredibly excited to give, it keeps me up at night. With a permanent, gleeful smile.

And the 30%? I can hear someone (most likely a relative) say something to the effect of:  “How can you live off of only 30%?” Well, now, that’s just doubting God’s providence. And abundance. Read Colossians 1:16. Read Psalms 24:1. It’s all His. EVERYTHING. 30%, 90%, 100% – what does it matter what I take home? He’s the one who will provide it all, regardless. I might be planting the mCm seeds, but only He can make them grow and prosper. It’s completely in His hands.

God was the one who began this process, He’s the one who continues to give me new direction, a renewed vision, and I fully believe that He’s going to help me see this through to completion.  I have a newfound purpose and JOY that I haven’t relished since college. My life has changed so dramatically in the past 4 months, it’s astonishing. But as much as I’m enjoying the present, I really REALLY look forward to next year. And the year after THAT. It’s gonna be fantastic.

Kevin

P.S. On a side note, I will say that my music addiction is almost completely destroyed. No longer do I spend countless hours adding to “the list” of songs to download “someday.” eMusic has since dropped me an e-mail, offering an additional 75 free bonus songs if I come back. It was tempting, but when it’s a choice between having the time to pursue Mills Creative Minds or adding to my Stack of Stuff, it’s no contest. God’s vision trumps my never-ending collection. Maybe I’ll rejoin after the new year, just to take a Big Swig and grab all the stuff on my list. But to be honest? That doesn’t really appeal to me anymore. That just means I’d have to reinvest more time LISTENING to the new stuff. And that just doesn’t interest me anymore. :)

Candy To Swap.

So, this is the candy I have to offer. I’m offering it to someone overseas, where they can’t get candy like this. (Don’t know who yet… we’ll find out soon enough.) Basically, Gimme Your Stuff is about swapping with people around the world. :) Visit the link to find out more info, then read my offering below. (I should note I REALLY like candy, so I took great care in selecting the perfect mix to swap with that special someone.)

Special Thanks to Jolena for pointing me to the site. :) You rock, Jo!

Kevin

http://gimmeyourstuff.blogspot.com/

Airheads – Cherry (1)

WarHeads – Extreme Sour Apple (2)

Skittles Gum – Extreme Fruit (1)

Trident Gum – Tropical Twist (1)

Ring Pop (sucker) – Blue Raspberry (1)

Reese’s Pieces (1)

Hershey’s Take 5 (1)

Life-Savers Gummies – Original 5 Flavors (1)

Bazooka Bubble Juice (gum) – Slammin’ Blue Raspberry (1)

PEZ Candy & Dispenser – Puss in Boots character (from Shrek) – (1)

Lightning Bugs Gummy Candy – Strawberry & Lemon (1)

Jelly Belly – Assorted Flavors (2)

Jelly Belly – Bean Boozled (1)
You’ll want to read about them here.

Jelly Belly – Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans (1)
Read about them here.

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