FredMcKinnon.Com

(this FreePlay Friday banner was submitted by Jon Morris - if you’d like to make a FreePlay Friday Banner, send it to me and I’ll feature it here with a link to your blog!)

Hey Everybody,

Welcome to “FreePlay Friday” - where I take the day off posting on worship leadership and just ramble about anything random - life, family, politics, business, sports … and ask you to do the same!

My E-Biz and 4th Quarter Holiday Shopping:

For those who have followed my blog for any length of time you know that in addition to my role as a Full Time Worship Director for my church, I also own an e-business of sorts . I’ve always been active online, from creating sites like HighestPraise.Com and TheWorshipCommunity.Com to running a full-blown web hosting firm (which has since been aquired by a hosting company in Tulsa, OK) and several e-commerce shopping sites.  As we enter into the busy 4th quarter (holiday shopping) I’m making a shameless, selfish plug to keep me in mind as you are ordering online for your friends, kids, and loved ones.  As my co-workers at the church often say, “if you can buy it online, Fred probably sells it”.

If you’d like to get the newsletter (blog) or twitter updates when we have a special, check out these resources.  (BTW, I’ve got about 3 boxes of returns and open-box specials I’m about to blow out below wholesale cost!)

HPP Enterprises Blog Newsletter
HPP Enterprises Twitter (Tweeting Deals)

To give you an idea of the diversity, here’s a small sampling of some of the orders our e-biz has fulfilled this week:

• Speck See Thru Hard Shell Case for 17″ MacBook Pro (Aqua) from Ebay
• Speck ToughSkin Case for 3rd Gen iPod Nano from Amazon.Com
• LEGO BATMAN, the VideoGame for Nintendo Wii from Ebay
• LEGO BATMAN, the VideoGame for Nintendo DS
• LEGO BATMAN, the VideoGame for PS2
• DECT 6.0 Digital Cordless Phone System from HPPEnterprises.Com
• SLAPPA Ballistix Aura Shoulder Bag from Amazon.Com
• Canon WaterProof Case for PowerShot SD870 from Amazon
• SeeThru Hard Shell Case for Motorola 9QC from GetSkinsNow.Com
• UltraLinx Clamps, Ground Bars, and POTS Splitters from HPPEnterprises.Com
• Myst Masterpiece Edition from DiscountKidsGames.Com
• Lego Rock Raiders from DiscountKidsGames.Com
• Speck 13″ SeeThru Hard Shell Case for 13″ MacBook (Pro) from GetSkinsNow.Com
• UNIEA U-Suit Leather MacBook Pro Cases from GetSkinsNow.Com
• Garmin NUVI 360 GPS from HPPEnterprises.Com and Amazon.Com
• BebeSounds Angelcare Movement Sensor and Sound Monitor for Babies (HPPEnterprises.Com)

As you can see, it’s an incredibly diverse group of products that we have from multiple distributors.  Check out (and support) our e-biz when you’re shopping.  Feel free to IM or email me if you don’t find something you need.

Our Listings on Ebay
Our Listings on Amazon.Com
HPPEnterprises.Com (electronics, telephony, accessories)
GetSkinsNow.Com (Apple laptop, ipod, cell phone, electronic cases, gadgets and accessories)
DiscountKidsGames.Com (computer software and video games and accessories)

In closing, (and if you read this far, you really must be a friend!) … I realize this isn’t the fun, happy, cut-up FreePlay Friday post … but every now and then I like to share what’s going on in the e-biz, and ask that you consider at least checking our pricing and availability when you’re shopping.

How about you - this is how the McKinnon’s earn extra income … most people need it these days.  Do you have something “extra” you do to supplement your income?

Go for it … got nothing to say about this?  Just share your own, random FreePlay Friday thoughts!

• Comments (4)

FreePlay Friday Logo by Russ Hutto - www.russhutto.com

(today’s FreePlay Friday logo submitted by Russ Hutto - check out his blog today! Want to make a FreePlay Friday or Sunday Setlists banner? Just email it to me and I’ll feature it w/ links to your blog!)

Hey Everyone, it’s “FreePlay Friday” (view all “FreePlay Friday” Posts) … the day where I post whatever I want, on whatever topic(s) I want, with no regard to whether or not it does (or doesn’t) apply to the main theme of this blog, which is worship, worship leadership, church life, and music. What makes “FreePlay Friday” so much fun is that I want YOU to participate by either commenting on my topics or by entering your own, totally random “FreePlay Friday” thoughts in the comments section of the blog. So all you hundreds of RSS Readers need to just click on over now and finish the post on the site so you can participate. (please?)

CARDBOARD TESTIMONIES:
Just in case you missed it … you do NOT want to miss it.  (ignore the music, please).  Watch this video,  You’ve probably already heard of this thing, but this is our church, our people, our testimonies.  Get some Kleenex.

VACATION!

Mayan Palace Resort, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

In just 48 hours, I’ll be boarding our flight to the Pacific Coast of Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

OUR = Me and my gorgeous wife, Joy.

KIDS = Staying home with Nana and Grandad (wow, thanks)

LENGTH OF STAY = Sunday, 21st - Sunday, 28th

MISSION - Major Fun, Rest, and Relaxation
(and fun includes _____________)

Joy and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in August and this is our 10-year Honeymoon Trip. We’ve not been away for more than 4-5 days together WITHOUT KIDS since our first one was born 8 years ago. From what I can tell, the units don’t have wifi or internet, but there is a “Cyber Cafe”. I’m sure it’s $ pricey. That being said, I’ll be taking next week OFF from blogging and twittering. (don’t call or text please, Verizon has us covered for cell phones and text, but at $1.99/minute, $.50/outgoing text, and $.05/incoming text)

IN MY ABSENSE:

Though I’ll be taking a break, “Sunday Setlists” will still be in action. I’ll find a way to post them and to get the “Mr. Linky” widget enabled for all you peeps out there! If I can get on the internet relatively inexpensively, I may do a Vacation-Edition of “FreePlay Friday” as well.

FREEBIE RESOURCES SHOUT-OUT:

Lastly - two cool freebie resources I’d like to share with you:

1. Free Wallpaper Graphics for your Laptop:
Chris Moncus (Associate Tech Director at SSCC, Long-time Friend, Co-Worker, and the dude I call on for all my graphic, photography, and web design needs) has a category on his blog where he offers free downloads of wallpaper graphics (for your desktop on your computer). Check them out and spruce up your desktop!

2. Pure Praise - A Heart-Focused Bible Study on Worship
Dwayne Moore (we met at the National Worship Leader Conference in Austin, TX this Summer) is offering a free copy of his devotional book, “Pure Praise”. This is a limited time offer. The book has some hefty endorsements including Darlene Zschech (Hillsong), Mark Hall (Casting Crowns), Rick Muchow (Saddleback), Julie Reid (Worship Leader Magazine), and many more! What are you waiting for? Go get it! (wait … AFTER you leave your FreePlay Friday comment, that is!)

COMMENTS:
Ok, it’s bon voyage for me … so let me get your comment love below - comment on anything you like, express your own “FreePlay Friday” randomness below … let’s have some community.

• Comments (12)

(today’s FreePlay Friday logo submitted by Jon Morris - check out his blog today! Want to make a FreePlay Friday or Sunday Setlists banner? Just email it to me and I’ll feature it w/ links to your blog!)

Hey Everyone, it’s “FreePlay Friday” (view all “FreePlay Friday” Posts) … the day where I post whatever I want, on whatever topic(s) I want, with no regard to whether or not it does (or doesn’t) apply to the main theme of this blog, which is worship, worship leadership, church life, and music. What makes “FreePlay Friday” so much fun is that I want YOU to participate by either commenting on my topics or by entering your own, totally random “FreePlay Friday” thoughts in the comments section of the blog. So all you hundreds of RSS Readers need to just click on over now and finish the post on the site so you can participate. (please?)

Today’s Random Something?  “We Be Jammin”

I’m incredibly BLESSED to serve at SSCC.  One of the biggest blessings is having incredible depth of talented musicians and singers on every level.  I spent plenty of years moaning and wailing to God about not having many musicians or singers.   Now I have to work hard to make sure all these guys and gals get the playing time they deserve.

For the last couple of weeks the rhythm section has hung around after rehearsal just to “jam”.  Last week we recorded it but the piano wasn’t patched into the recording matrix.  So we did it again last night.  Granted, this is totally unrehearsed … but if you look up at these guys and say “ya’ll wanna jam, wanna play some jazz and blues” … their eyes light up just like mine.

So Travis, Jerry and Dana recorded some off the sound board last night.

Introducing:
Myself (piano)
Rick Joyce (drums)
Kimbo McMinn (guitar)
Gary Share (bass)

If the mid tempo groove bores you, fast forward to 6:15 where I crossfaded the second time through (at about 10x the original tempo).

The cool part is, there are other players serving at SSCC who can step in if all these guys were gone and pull the same thing off.  Wow.  Thank You, God.  Travis thinks we should do this one Sunday AM for a “walk out”.

Do you ever “jam” with your team?
What other “FreePlay Friday” random nonsense would you like to share?

Comment away!

• Comments (9)

(today’s FreePlay Friday logo submitted by Jon Morris - check out his blog today!  Want to make a FreePlay Friday or Sunday Setlists banner?  Just email it to me and I’ll feature it w/ links to your blog!)

Hey Everyone, it’s “FreePlay Friday” (view all “FreePlay Friday” Posts) … the day where I post whatever I want, on whatever topic(s) I want, with no regard to whether or not it does (or doesn’t) apply to the main theme of this blog, which is worship, worship leadership, church life, and music. What makes “FreePlay Friday” so much fun is that I want YOU to participate by either commenting on my topics or by entering your own, totally random “FreePlay Friday” thoughts in the comments section of the blog. So all you hundreds of RSS Readers need to just click on over now and finish the post on the site so you can participate. (please?)

Here’s what I’m talking about this week:

1.  Google:  I love me some Google.  They are super cool - I love Google Checkout, I love Google Base, I love gmail, etc.  I don’t love the Google Adsense folks, though … I got a lifetime ban a few years ago because they accused me of “invalid click activity”, whatever that means.  At the time, I was bringing $100/month (not much), and I have always been frustrated that you have no recourse or real person to talk to about that stuff. I’m sad that the new “Google Chrome” browser isn’t out yet for Mac.

2.  Hurricanes:  So far we’ve had wind and rain with Fay, Hanna looks like she’ll skirt past us (it’s beginning to get breezy outside) and all eyes are on Ike.

3.  Football - I love college football.  How ’bout them DAWGS.  Sure, they slipped to #2 … they allowed quite a few scores last week versus my alma mater, Georgia Southern.  Of course, 3rd and 4th string will allow that.  Plus, GSU ain’t a bad ball team.

4.  N.O.W.  I’m leading my first “Night of Worship” since being on staff at SSCC.  I used to lead a large worship event each year called “Worship Under the Stars” (2005 and 2006) but haven’t been able to keep up with that responsibility.  This Sunday night (Sept 7, 7:00 PM) we’ll be jumping onto about an hour/15 of awesome praise and worship.  If you are ANYWHERE around, come join us!

5.  Rednecks - You know, I’m one.  By now most of you have seen my fishing outdoors video.  Kimbo, one of our devoted guitarists at SSCC sent me this YouTube video.  It’s a whole new level of Redneck.  I’ll leave you with … the Turtle Man.

OK, you know the drill.  Comment on any of the above topics, let it rip about the video, or splash your own, total random “FreePlay Friday” thoughts below!

• Comments (8)