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I am taking some time during an incredibly busy trip to Phoenix to stop and give a solid update on the beard. It’s feeling good.

Very good.

I feel like I could look Grizzly Adams in the eyes, deliver a firm handshake, and say let’s do lunch. I’m not saying this thing is going to continue past the final day in about a week, but I am saying that when it goes…. There might be some tears shed….

All media designers know nothing beats solid type in motion. Young designers out there… here’s a tip… Drop whatever you are doing right now and study type. It is the backbone of solid design, and has single handedly made a piece for me more times than I can count. Anyway. This is about the best motion typography example I’ve seen. Enjoy, and props to Cuarteto de Nos for bringing it to us.

Let’s get a few things straight first. I have never logged a single minute in World of Warcraft. I think Second Life is a bit awkward, and I barely know enough about technology to keep this blog online. But I am currently leading a bible study on XBOX live inside of Halo 3.

The idea for me is simple. If I have a box in my living room that instantly allows me to communicate with people around the world in a setting we all feel comfortable in… I’m going to use it. The gaming community might be a bit different than what you have in your head. It’s not a bunch of 12 year olds playing mario at sleepovers. (that was my early experience as well…) The average age of my study is probably 35. Mostly dads, have a good career, good marriage, enjoy lots of different hobbies, typical, everyday guys. Baseball coaches, school teachers, designers, musicians.

Here’s what I find so interesting about the whole thing though. Anonymity brings confidence. Guys will talk about issues in this environment that they might never bring into the open in your typical sunday school roundtable. I mean we are all sitting at home, talking to each other inside a video game, it’s the least intimidating environment I know of.

I’m not saying this is the church of the future. I’m not saying it’s a perfect model. But it’s something, and I say if we’ve been given opportunities…. let’s not waste them.

now excuse me I have to go pwn some kids to try and level up.

Alright here is the update on 4 cool things I’m digging right now.

1. Beards. With the one beard multiple faces movement going, beards are all the rage. I personally enjoy nothing more these days than a hot cup of coffee as I let my beard grow.

2. Electric Light Orchestra. Sure they have a few songs that sound a bit too much like disco (I’m looking at you “shine a little love”)… but overall how can you not get down to “Strange Magic” or “Mr. Blue Sky”?

3. LSU Sometimes at night I just pray a little prayer of thanks that I am marrying into a winning football tradition. Does this make me a bandwagoner? I’m not sure. I’m debating that as I type. All I can say is if cheering for a winning team is supporting my future wife. Then call me husband of the year.

4. Archer Farms Wasabi Mustard Chips. Best. Chips. Ever.

So there you have it. All the new hotness. Now live, love, and eat wasabi mustard chips.

Alright so I haven’t talked about it here yet because I wanted the picture to back up what’s going on. I have joined with all the guys in the office for a month of quality beard growing. We have set up a site here, and it’s really going off. 

Now, we are not the first to start community beard growing. Taking it to the web has been done for awhile, most notably over at whiskerino. But as I have talked about in a couple facebook updates, and on the site, this is not a competition. We are one beard, multiple faces. Mornings in the office begin with reflection on our beards over a nice cup of coffee. Lunches often turn into full length conversations on beard theory, and famous beards of the past.

This is the real deal ladies and gentlemen. Buckle in, this face is about to get pretty wildery.

I spent last week in Louisiana with my fiancee Rachel. While I was there I went to hear a couple of her relatives play bluegrass at a local restaurant. Since that day I haven’t been able to get the sound of bluegrass music out of my head. I’ve listened to the band’s CD a few dozen times by now, and have my itunes radio permenantly set on some random bluegrass channel.

Anyway, this isn’t about all that. For some reason after that weekend I’ve been thinking a lot more about the song “Seven Bridges Road”, originally recorded by Steve Young on his 1969 album “Rock Salt & Nails”.

If you’re anything like me though, you probably believe the best recording of this track is by the Eagles, and it can only be found in live form on a couple different albums. Most easily on their “The Very Best Of” Album

Well as I listened to this track a few zillion times this weekend during the setup of my new computer I started wondering about what the song really refered to. So here’s the actual word straight from Steve Young himself.

Steve Remembers “Seven Bridges Road”

7 Bridges Road was real. It is still real but I don’t think it exists in the same way as I remember it due to development , etc.

I lived in Montgomery , Alabama in the early 60’s and had a group of friends there that showed me the road. It led out of town and after you had crossed 7 Bridges you found yourself out in the country on a dirt road. Spanish Moss hung in the trees and there were old farms with old fences and graveyards and churches and streams. A high bank dirt road with trees. It seemed like a Disney Fantasy at times. People went there to get away from it all. I thought my friends had made up the name “7 Bridges Road” . I found out later that it had been called by that name for over a 100 years. That people had been struck by the beauty of the road for a long time, however , this is not the official name of the road. It is a “folk name”.

I never dreamed that anyone would understand or like this song. I played it for the first time one night in Montgomery and it got a big reaction. I was very surprised and thought it just because it was a local known thing and that was why they liked it.

Thats how it happened.

Steve Young

Anyway, if you haven’t heard it, or it’s been awhile, give it a listen and remember Alabama for something other than a played out Lynyrd Skynyrd track. That’s right I said it.

Big Show Wonder Bros from Nick Jones on Vimeo.

 Last night was the premiere of the newest Wonder Bros. adventure. It went over really well across the country, and so now as promised I bring it to you. Enjoy.