First impression of my iPhone XS Max

I rally love this iPhone XS max! I was really close to moving on to Samsung Galaxy note 9 but the bigger screen kept me! It’s funny because it isn’t much more than what I would’ve wrote about my iPhone X but the large screen makes a difference. I also see that it’s fast. The larger my screen is the more likely I am to use it as my primary device! I’m hoping this can finally get me away from a laptop. (I doubt it)! GOD BLESS

IPad Pro 12.9 has me excited about IPad again!

 Since taking a journey into minimilism, the focus of my tech purchases have changed. By changed I mean it has been pretty null in void. Then WWDC 2017 happened and my ears perked and my eyes bulged as I marveled at the posibility of IOS 11  on an iPad Pro. A fool doesn’t reflect on thier history. My history shows that I would like to have a single device that I can take with me at home and at work comfortably.
I have tried the Motorola atriux , two stints with surface and Surface Pro , and even a chrome book. All the previous attempts had come to no avail so the journey still continued. I am now trying to work with something new. That leads me to the IPad Pro 12.9 inch. This thing is amazing!
Previously I have been working with the 13 inch MacBook Air. It was more than ok for me but after using this iPad Pro 12.9 for a while, the MacBook Air looks well blah!
Screen
The screen is huge and bright giving me room to move around. I previously had the iPad Air 2 and it was plenty fast. I wont pretend like others and act as though I noticed a lag a week after I argued how it was blazing fast. The large screen allows me to run this browser I am typing in now on half the screen as if I am using the iPad Air in vertical mode and I’m looking at video and content on the other screen. This is amazing! With IOS 11 you can actually use 3 apps at once. This helps me work on my iPad the same way I work on my MacBook. I usually like to keep up with twitter, while scrolling through facebook or YouTube, while typing up something. Those are the three programs I usually always have open.

Multitasking like a pro 

Early I mentioned how I usually run 3 programs or apps at once commonly. This is great because now I don’t have to chose between working and playing. I can be entertained in 1 window and work at the same time.
Getting adjusted
I still find myself a creature of old habits. I constantly rub the bottom of the Logitech keyboard as if I am using a trackpad. It always take about 4 attempts before It clicks in. I also am nervous dealing with limitations at work. I was thinking about trying to send something to the printer. I can fathom nother less tech advanced teacher insisting that I put a copy of something “on my thumb-drive” . This Logitech case is heavy. I know the IPad Pro 12.9 period is heavy. I have to get used to that. But with the heavy keyboard , it feels actually heavier than my MacBook Air. That kind of defeating half the purpose of getting this. I wanted lighter more mobile tech.
My hopes
I pray that I was a good steward of the money GOD gave me. My thoughts are to get rid of the iPad Air 2 and trade my MacBook for a desktop for the family just in case we need it. I will then get rid of the laptops and chrome books we have around the house. This should end with me having 1 family computer at home that will also act as a media server and service station. “For example I had to use the pc to get the beta set up.
 I am hoping with the ability to load all the textbooks I use for work on here, my online based office apps, and pdf scan sign send ability, this can be my 1 work device!  I would love to keep my MacBook at home and just grab this one device. How minimalist would it be to just walk around with my tablet. Even majority of my assignments will be web based to avoid paper.
Conclusion
If you are like me searching through hundreds of blog posts and videos trying to decide if you should pony up for the iPad Pro and what model. I can tell you this. The added real estate makes a huge difference. I know the hype is on the 10.5 because it’s something new and beautiful but  this is more suitable for productivity. I looked at the 10.5 and it wasn’t different enough for me. It still seemed too tight for multitasking. If you want an iPad that multitask like a MacBook. iPad Pro 12.9 is the way to go! Well at least for the 3 days I had it. So far..:)  This seems to be the portable dream I will need. My move to declutter continues and ironically buying this device is a step in the right direction. GOD BLESS

Minimizing my tech, the next step

Looking at my tech is the hardest part of my journey so far into Christian minimalism. I had to look at my gadgets because I know as I try to lead my family away from stuff I have to show that I am all in. One of those things is limiting my technology. I am a techie in Christ! cmon man!
I first got rid of the gadgets in the garage that I tinkered with , like a LCD projector, HDMI cords, adapters. I had to get rid of my baby, the one I birthed from the picture in my banner, my gaming pc! I didn't need a PC that I played by myself or against people hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Bye bye PS4
If I play a game most of the time I want to do it with my family. That's why I haven't been playing my PS4. I originally got it for so called "grown up games" which really mean games "too sinful for your eyes to see kids" haha. So I knocked out two birds with one stone. Well I am selling it now. I just spent 375 on it in February before GOD began working on me and I am trying to recoup my losses. I know I want to get to the point I give up stuff and not think about the losses but my wife don't want me throwing away money. So until a buyer comes, it collects dust! At least its not building dust on my relationship with those around me and my prayer life!

Whats the next tech purge?
I began July with canceling Comcast. I used to use it exclusively for internet so that I can use my Apple Airport Extreme router. I had a jungle of cords set up! Now I sacrificed a little speed, gave up the extra features, and simplified the cords to keep things a little tidier and easier to maintain. I now have one bill for everything keeping it simple. I can always come back when I am considered a new customer for a cheaper price.
 I am down to using one computer. We have an extra laptop as a family , so I am trying to get rid of one of the older slower 2 in 1s. I gave away most of the cords in such and sold some things, I still have old flip phones I need to trash and condense down some old floppy drives. I am debating and praying over the movement to a cheap phone. I am selling my 6 plus honestly to prepare for the iphone 7. Some are rolling their eyes but that is progress for me, a person who upgraded legit probably every 6 months to something. I really enjoy my iphone, rather its taking screenshots, saving passwords, letitng it talk with other devices or Apple Pay! The greatest thing that I love when using my Iphone is Apple Pay. I use apple pay all the time much more often than I swipe my card, rather its gas , groceries , subway, etc.. Its convenient clean and , dare I say it , minimal?,,,,,, haha talked my way out of that one!

Chromebook makes me not miss macbook?

Working with this Chromebook again has been pretty fulfilling. I am typing this using a Asus c300. I have just sold my macbook on my continued journey. My plan was to actually sell my old macbook to acquirer a newer macbook because the old one had battery issues and it was getting dirty and worn from the years of use. I wanted something fast that I can keep for another few years and I still think its ok to get something that you will use everyday if feel like its a tool that  bring pleasure to my life. The crazy thing is , I have really been enjoying this Chromebook. 

The keyboard is very responsive and it feels good to type on. I am typing quickly without any typos (my gramar is human error haha)  so that is showing that the keys are layed out well. The space bar gives me an old mechanical keyboard type bounce back and its a joy. The screen resolution sucks compared to my Macbook air but this Chromebook was dirt cheap. The browsing is fast for me. I noticed the battery life is amazing too I have been typing for 3 hours doing work and now blogging and the battery is at 80 percent! 

I also found out today that there is a easy way to take a screenshot too. I know its something so simple but after using the iphone screenshot daily to work on my daily scripture reading, I find myself taking screenshots all the time. It basically transformed my photo album into a file cabinet. In today's world with much online purchase activity, it comes in handy taking screenshots of confirmations and payments. Especially when many of our email providers trying to protect us from spam, inadvertently hides stuff in clutter or junkmail or the sort. 

The instant on is pretty cool too and the lightness feels pretty good. I became conditioned and even spoiled to thin and light because of the macbook air, but this isnt as bad as I thought it would be. Its light enough. I am also excited because I got a easy hdmi out for my presentation tomorrow. 

I guess the biggest revelation I had since using this chromebook is that my workflow is not really OS dependent. If you read many of my articles in the past you probably seen me go in and out of my desire to use a chromebook or tablet over a mac only to come back to it after 6 months or so. However things really have been changing for me now that I am diving into this idea of Christian minimalism. I love having my computer power just in case I need to tinker or hack away at something, but now that I am trying to get away from the "just in case" precautions and things, I can have something cheap to get just what I need to get done and get out the way to experience other things in life. Is $800 worth me getting the power just in case? Decisions, decisions.... 

A Christian Minimalist,, of course it makes sense

The Start 

This past year I have made a dedication to give more as I try to grow in my spiritual walk with JESUS. It all came to a head as I was looking at my first contract I signed as a teacher too long ago to want to talk about. I still consider myself a young man but I have to admit as I look around at the new teachers in the building , including my former students, I am not such a young man anymore. But I digress ,, While looking at the stub I began thinking about a conversation I was having with my wife when we where just talking of getting married. I was telling her about some financial issues I was having and how I just needed $300 more a month, "I would be living really good. " Once married we where on double income and we was still having meetings together wondering where our money was going. We then naturally continuing in the American dream began thinking about Children and I got a raise just in time. " I should be ok once I get the raise". Years later as I type on my macbook air on the island of the open concept kitchen, in the suburban house that doubled the size of our condo I  think about my current pay check, as much as mines and my wife check at that time combined, and I now know, it wasn't the money. The raises over the years never did have me "living really good", consumerism is the problem!

Worship Argument

I am not naive to think the US could have achieved its global economic dominance without the birth of consumerism but I also know that capitalism is a system set up by man and has little respect for the  tenants of the Christian faith. We know that GOD is concerned with the humble obedience of man that money can not buy. So here in lies my problem. Am I showing humble obedience with my almost cult like allegiance to Apple and Google products. Can one question the direction of my worship when I am up late at night trying to order my phone by midnight ending with a sigh of praise when the order is processed. I thought to myself, even in my intentional focus of reading GOD's word morning and night, I may read about the latest gadget news much more often. I was "spiritual enough" to put "in Christ" but in that same vein I corepresneted myself as "a techie".  We are called to cast all those things away

Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Financial argument 

With a new attitude on life I will let go of the hustle and bustle trying to get the next item. I can save money that I can use for others. I always wanted to be able to tell someone I can pray for them , and not only that financially bless a good cause following the will of GOD and not trying to reason with GOD as if he doesn't understand I think I can't afford to help.  I can save more so I am not stressing over money and the future and instead focus on GOD more. Without financial stress it is less antagonism with my wife when something big comes. We often hear money can be a point of contention in many marriages. Also I delight in the thought of the security she will feel when she see that her husband is not out spending up all the money. A happier marriage brings glory to GOD.

Distraction argument 

I also need less distraction in my life. Less stuff means its less stuff to maintain and keep up with. The less distraction in my life like tv internet video games, means I have more time for the important people in my life and my service to GOD who is most important! Just tv alone can open up more potential for memorable  conversation with others and meditation with GOD. The less I'm doing something by myself on my own the more available I am to others for GOD to use me in their lives.

Declutter Argument 

Maybe I can find things easier. Its hard to loose something if you only have a few things. Its much easier to find something to wear when you don't have much to choose from. Cant be rushing looking for shoes if I only have 2 pair. I don't have to search for a tool if their not all over the place. Maybe the biggest thing, if there is not much paper lying around and I throw things away right away I don't have it around hiding the few things I need to keep. Less clutter also makes it easier to clean . I see maids clean hotels room quickly because its not much in them to clean. I was at the library that had 4 toys. I watched my kids play for a whole hour and when it was time to clean it was less than a minute. When we are at home they switch from game to game and begin looking for me after an hour to entertain them and I have a 15x20 room with 4 bins full of toys that take 20 minutes every night getting them to clean. I (This will be my greatest struggle to change). Thats 19 minutes more time they can have fostering innovation and even I can spend that time playing with them rather than fussing with them. With less clutter I don't have to say, " I know I put this in the garage somewhere" .. as I spend hours of distraction from what GOD Will for me to or keeping my mind fixated on the loss item with regret not thinking about the blessings in my life.

The buried lead ...

So thats my non minimalist intro into a new path I plan to take in life and I am hoping I can document my experiences on this site. Unless of course it becomes too much of a distraction because my Christian minimalist journey includes less stuff and less distractions with more GOD and HIS WILL.

So yes it does make sense for a Christian to embrace minimalism......

Matthew 6:25-34New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Cure for Anxiety

25 “For this reason I say to you, [a]do not be worried about your [b]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the [c]air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single [d]hour to his [e]life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clotheyou? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But [f]seek first [g]His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be [h]added to you.

³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will ^[i]care for itself. ^[j]Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So here we go (leadership) 

I started off looking through my junk drawers and throwing away backs of remotes, broken arms from my boys wrestling toys, pen tops and other stuff that I forgot where it came from but may need it.... I then moved to the garage and that was a struggle. I had many garage sales but this time I was ready to take it to another level. I originally wanted to do it in the house but my wife met me with much resistance. So I decided the best way to embark on this journey is to lead by example. I figure if I get rid of my stuff , she can at least see that I am not being a hypocrite. Lets see how the journey continues. GOD BLESS

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Just awoke from my Surface 3 nightmare!

"Lost in the Hype"
I purchased a Surface tablet 3 a few weeks ago and I'm "meh" ...
I fell for the hype in the commercials seeing artists and engineers draw on the versatile computer easily toting it and writing on. I watched Nadella and his crew charismatically pitched how Microsoft is jumping ahead as the leader of the wave of technology and the future. I seen the shiny display in Bestbuy and it seemed so much more interesting than the usual macbook i have now become accustomed to because it looked like the 5 year old Macbook I already have. One of my keys was stuffed crumbs on my macbook air so I used it as an opportunity to dive into the windows world once again. So I got myself a Surface 3

The initial impression was amazing, I loved the build due to its thinner and light weight! It felt amazingly solid in my hand and thats when things seemed to stop.

Somethings not right 
I took a late flight after wrestle mania so I was stuck in Dallas airport for about 5 hours. I had trouble getting a good connection to wifi and I became very frustrated. My frustration came to a peek when i couldn't get the browser to log in to my Uverse websites to watch wrestling. Luckily I remembered I had an Uverse app on my iPhone. I logged in quickly and was off to watching WWE Monday Night Raw! Apple saved the day!


The turn

I got home and posted the surface 3 on craigslist but after reading some positive reviews I decided to give it another shot! I gave it my full effort even going as far as buying a keyboard a surface pen and sitting my MBA down for a week. That brings me to why I am writing this. I was at work wondering whats wrong with the connection. I kept having to refresh my browser and reconnecting. I tried to download office and it kept freezing. I had trouble getting it to boot at one point and I had to research finding out I have to press volume down with the window logo in order for it to go into troubleshooting mode. I wasted a whole day of productivity thinking that my new idea of minimalist productivity could somewhat improve with this device... boy was I wrong!  In a bat of frustration I pulled out my macbook air I brought into work to reformat and prepare for sale and I logged right in. I logged in within a second or so. I then pulled up the browser to see if it was something wrong with the internet and I was wrong everything popped up right away! I logged into blogger and wala! It was soo easy, so simple, such a minimal amount of work for maximum productivity.

"Prodigal Son Returns"
What was I thinking. The keys feel good in my hand without the weird angle of the type cover keyboard. My palms wrest nicely on the side of the touch pad as my fingers glide and bang across the keys. The 13 inch screen helps my eyes to relax. Testing minimalist waters, its much easier to carry my macbook as my only device because it gives me access to many of the phone features I use like phone text and video calls via face time. I also can use my iBooks purchased on my iPad. Once you add the type cover, there is really not that dramatic of a difference between the bulk and weight of the Surface 3 verses the Macbook Air 13.. If you have read my previous articles , you can see this is not my first go around trying a surface, a few years back i was an early adopter of the Surface pro 2 but that ended in the same result.

Im sorry Apple I am so disloyal but hey I keep coming back. They say if you love something let it free if it comes back you know it loves you back. I guess I love my Apple products. GOD BLESS

Why I felt Wrestlemania 32 was amazing!!

Let's start of stating I'm a grown man in my 30's with a wife and kids. I guess that's saying I'm not the stereotypical smark my keyboard warrior in my moms house asking for privacy while I complain about a show I spend 6 hours plus watching (raw, smackdown, nxt). Not trying to start a war with anyone but I just had to address the first elephant in the room. I watch WWE because of what it stands for ,,,, entertainment!!

Wrestlemania 32 fit guys like me! who cares who got pushed who got buried. Who cares who deserves a spot, you wouldn't know any of the wrestlers if they didn't get pushed to be on tv for you to notice them! It's entertainment, not a sport. I spent $1000 to watch the greatest show in person not the greatest sports ticket! So how did it do? 

 Pre match - Ryback vs Kalisto 

I didn't see it because I was outside trying to get in! I'm from Chicago so I was burning up in the Dallas sun next to a guy dressed in a unicorn! 

I got settled in during the Usos vs the Dudleys... I have to admit I cheered for the Dudleys because I grew up watching them. I thought it was cool a black guy and white guy brothers and they looked like to geeks who can thrash anyone! I wanted them to win but it was cool seing the Usos fly through the air! It was entertaining.

The ladder match

This match was amazing! The crowd was über into it from the crazy dive through the ladder , to the the kalisto spring board flip and splash/fall! I cringed at the suplex on the ladder I thought it was a botch and Owens was legit hurt. Ryder won the crowd with the elbow drop! Wow we was primed to chear woo woo woo (sorry)... Thoroughly entertaining 

Break the walls down! 

Wow what a match I lost my voice from the ohhh! Wanted to cheer for the last time with a win but Jericho always does the job for mania I think this his first win in maybe 5 or so 

New day

This match was boo but then the magic happened

3 of the most entertaining wrestlers of my childhood came out. In their prime I couldn't afford to go see them and my parents didn't value wrestling but I thank GOD I had the finances to hear that music and that crowd as they came out! Shawn Micheals still looks like he can go. Stone Cold the no games stunner like days of old. Whimsical Foley still making me laugh but looking like a legit threat! Wow this was perfectly placed after what would've totally killed the crowd! There was more new day shirts and signs than any other talent! Despite what the old heads say... New day is definitely over! The only people who was more over? The legends I mentioned. I finally got a chance to see what people meant when they said it was nothing like a stone cold pop! I was headed for food until I heard this! 

The ladies match was food time for me for religious reasons. Not being sexist. I heard it was a good match! I don't listen to rap no more for religious reasons but I have to admit I popped hearing Snoop my favorite childhood rapper (poor parenting ) haha. The crowd was hyped and I respect their talent. 

Shane vs Taker 

This match started slow and made me remover the slow fumbling around type wrestling of my childhood. The crowd including myself was biting our fingers in anxious anticipation for Shane to do something stupid for our entertainment! When he cut the gate we popped, when he crashed on the table we popped. By the time he began ascending to the top we totally forgot about the beginning of the match! I recorded my reaction as I watched him fall breaking my usual stoic reaction. We all chanted thank you Shane! Thank you Shane for risking your life for my entertainment! 

Finally the Rock has come back to Wrestlemania

I grew much more emotional than I'm comfortable with as the Rock came out! The reason I began working out, coming back to wrestling after the 80's , the reason I came back as an adult! The rocked looked like me, had swag like me, was funny , and can wrestle. If your still reading of course you know why people love the rock! I felt like my money was well spent already and then the Rock came to give us desert cutting a awesome promo he controlled the crowd in the palm of his hands! Then when he ripped into his gear and said he wanted a match I yelled like I did when Macho man said "Elizabeth , will you mar-ry-me?" . I lost my voice and jumped up even if it was 6 seconds. ... Then John Cena !!!!! Wow I knew he was coming but wow and I seen him burry like always but I'm in my 30's Hogan, Goldberg, Sting, dX , and the NWO birdied everyone too! I pay to see stars be stars not people become stars! They came to entertain me! 

The bad part 

Haha they did bury the main event to be honest. Nothing mattered after the Rock! I was ready to go home. They tried hard! The Game intro was amazing! It was very disturbing but he looked like an awesome villain! I tried to cheer for Reigns I think 60 thousand did. A small kid behind me said "reigns is cool triple H sucks daddy" .. The match was doomed when they started with a lock up , he should've rushed into a spear right away and have Steph pull him out but .. Hey I am not a writer. I still enjoyed the few cool spots . I appreciate the effort , I loved seing him win again. Many did cheer but the the smarks spending $1000 plus on tickets alone was the voice that's heard. 

Godfather was good even though the dancing at the wedding was long and boring.. The talk was long and boring on kill bill before she flung the knife in Vivica fox chest... We regard those movies as awesome because the good outweighed the 20 min of bad! The 4 hours of good outweighed the last match 

Wrestlemania was amazing because it was well wrestled matches with the stars that I grew up watching coming back to entertain a "Mark" like me. Not to be fair , but give me wrestling entertainment! Thank you WWE.. Sorry smarks