small ideas are the best!

This weekend I had what I think is probably one of my best brainwaves ever! Its not big, or expensive (or even technological!)
but sometimes small ideas are the best. I've just come back from Greenbelt where we were doing two services. Now we never
have any shortage of helpers at Greenbelt, but not all of them are experienced at helping, and as the environment is different
jobs are different to our home church. In the past I have ended up feeling a little stressed during set-up because everyone descends on me, asking what to do and before I have a chance to explain one job, someone else interrupts with a request for another.

It turns out the solution is very simple. Just write simple instuctions for all the jobs needed for a particular service/meeting/whatever on a piece of paper. Cut it up into strips so there is one job per strip. Then just place somewhere central and let people pick the jobs they want to do. When they're finished they can scrumple the paper up and pick another.

Much easier (and it really reduces stress levels when preparing for important events!)

ipod service gadget

I feel a bit like I've been very dense really! Last year I got myself an iPod mini thinking that I could use it to DJ off for services.
(well that's my justification for it anyway :-) I keep burning CDs with just one song on for a specific service, which is pretty wasteful really. I know I *could* use rewritable CDs but we've never had much luck with them as they can be very cranky). Anyway I've never been that happy sound-wise with the results of running a line from the headphone socket of the iPod. Well, one day I got around to investigating it properly on the web, and it turns out the solution is very simple. The pocket-dock lineout, is a tiny little gadget that gives a proper line out from the bottom iPod mini (or any other iPod for that matter). Problem solved!

GIMP

While I'm giving plugs to some good pieces of technology I thought it was about time I gave a plug to the GIMP.
(The Gnu Image Manipulation Program). Its a fantastic piece of software which works on Linux, Mac and (although
with less gadgets) PC too. You can wrap images around a globe, spin it, and save as an animated gif, manipulate layers and channels just as in photoshop, and do some very cool distortions. The best way to learn how to use it is just by
"playing" with it really. Oh, and best of all, its completely free! Check out the GIMP site