Blog

The Smaller World

2012-01-14T10:54:10+00:00

First off, I have to say this: we have 3 first-time Cambodia visitors with us this trip, and I'm loving watching them be in the same place me and Karen were last year when we first came to this beautiful country. It's so awesome to see them soaking-up Cambodia!

Now on to the post...

We all went to lunch at Daughters (http://www.daughtersofcambodia.org/) the other day, and Karen, Debbie, and I were having great conversation. Debbie was full of questions, and we were answering them as best we could — and the age-old question inevitably arose:

How do you choose who to help when so many need it?

The next day, we visited Open Arms (http://www.openarmscambodia.org/), and met the adopted daughter of the couple that started this organization — a young Cambodian woman that can only be described with words like "inspirational," "inspiring," and "phenomenal." Because of the love of her adoptive parents, this young woman had a chance to grow into her full potential... to be all that she could be... to know and understand love, affection, self-worth, self-value, self-esteem — and learn how to share that and grow that with, and in, others. Her story just makes you realize how big Life and God is.

So back to that age-old question: how do you choose who to help? As the world gets smaller and smaller, and we can travel pretty much anywhere, any time, any place — what are we to do? Can we truly change the provence, the country, the continent, or the world?

My answer to this question has always been that you have to focus on those you *can* help, maximize that help, then help them to help their peers. That's an alright answer, I suppose — but these last few days have put things in perspective even more by making me reevaluate what the "world" really is in this situation.

You see, the world isn't really The World with a capital T and W. The world isn't Asia. The world isn't Cambodia. The world isn't Phnom Penh.

The world is right where the people in need are *in this very moment in time*. Waking up hungry. Waking up sick. Waking up with no hope for the day. What does the next hour hold? That's the world. What will the next month bring? That's the world. What will become of their children? That's the world.

So how do you choose? You choose by realizing that if all you're ever able to do is help just ONE person, you ARE are changing the world — THEIR world. YOU can help someone have hope. YOU can help them have a future.

You change the world ONE PERSON AT A TIME.

With Compassion4, it's hard for us to not want to help everyone we see that's in need. But we help who we can, and we try our hardest to change their world for the better. The beauty in it all? We don't do it alone. And think: ff everyone that reads this took the time invest in a person in need, how many worlds would be changed? How many futures could be brighter? How many people could have hope?

We can change the world — thank God in Heaven — we really CAN change the world.

Not Dead Yet

2011-05-30T04:01:23+00:00

I have been severely neglecting my site as RAILhead Effects has gotten busier and busier. Sorry! In the first steps toward bringing this old dog up to snuff again, I finally upgraded the entire backend to ExpressionEngine v2 as I've done with all my other sites.

I have some news to announce in the very near future, and I'm pretty excited about it. We're 95% there — just waiting on some paperwork to get filed. In the mean time, check out the following links:

Compassion4 on Twitter

We Finally Learned To Snow Ski

2011-03-19T23:22:59+00:00

Software!

2011-02-03T16:21:36+00:00

Hell hath frozen over, it seems! Yes, I have started tinkering with some of my code again, namely APOD Grabber. I haven't setup my Software page yet, but you can download a copy of good ol' APOD Grabber here. Stay tuned for more!

THE PRESET — A New RAILhead Effects Pedal

2010-10-06T04:42:49+00:00

As mentioned in the last news post, I received permission from Strymon to build and sell a small form factor "favorite" switch — and THE PRESET was born. Now, all the functionality of Strymon's large Favorite switch can be had in the same small enclosure I use for my crazy-popular Pulse Tap-Tempo — just 2 inches square for mine, compared to over 4.5 x 2.5 inches for Strymon's. Of course, Strymon built their Favorite to match their delay enclosures' shape, which is great. However, many Strymon users want a preset switch as small as possible, and that's where my PRESET comes into play. Here are a couple of teaser pics showing THE PRESET in action:

This wonderful little piece of gear can be yours for just $30 shipped! How sweet is that? And since Strymon ships their Favorite with the required TRS cable, I'm also making one available for an additional $4.00 in case you need one.

When will THE PRESET be available? This Thursday, October 7! Stay tuned to RAILhead Effects!

Meet Christine

2010-09-15T03:44:02+00:00

I'm just about finished with my latest guitar build — all that remains is to drill a few more pickguard screw holes.

I've named this guitar Christine, and she's a freakin' beauty IMHO. Solid mahogany body, gloss black, black pearl pickguard, WCR Iron Man pickups, WCR wiring kit, quartersawn maple neck, Indian rosewood fingerboard (12"), '59 Roundback neck (I like 'em big). She freakin' SCREAMS with my Bogner 20th Anni, and I can't wait to plug her into my Triple Recto. I bought the long shaft wiring kit thinking I'd use it in Claire (my '88 Les Paul), so the knobs don't sit flush -- but I'm okay with that.

Pedalboard 2010

2010-09-12T12:47:23+00:00

I haven't posted a pic of my pedalboard in a while, so I snapped this pic today. This will all be reorganized by this time next week, but the content will be the same.

September 26

2010-09-04T14:10:00+00:00

I was browsing through some old band notes from our college band, Free Association, and I stumbled upon some lyrics to a song I wrote on September 26 — probably around 1998. That was the day my Dad called me while I was at college and told me he had been diagnosed with asbestosis, and it was the first time the thoughts of cancer destroying someone in the family first hit me. Thankfully, the asbestosis never caused him much problem, and the masses never increased in size or really became that much of a detriment to Dad's day-to-day life. He managed fine, by and large. As many of you know, though, he was diagnosed with lymphoma at the end of 2008, and he passed away in 2009. The lyrics I wrote — which are over a decade old — still ring true. After his phone call back then, I remember sitting in my apartment, alone, crying — and I grabbed my acoustic and some paper, and just wrote. It was one draft with the first guitar part that popped into my head, and the guys in the band — my good friends Dave and Jim — we're awesome enough to let me add this tune to our set list and perform it live a few times. For the heck of it, I'd thought I'd share it here:

September 26, by Maury McCown

So many times we run into things
That we just can’t explain

They take us by surprise, and we don’t know what to think

And I wish every time that this happened
I took it straight to You

And this time, I’ve got nothing, nothing else to do

So I will run to You until I fall into Your loving arms
And I know that You will take this pain away and help me make it through

The hurt and the pain that I’m facing
Seems so huge and strong

My emotions are pretty much getting the best of me

The fear of loss and not knowing
What tomorrow brings

Has pretty much had its toll on me

So I will run to You until I fall into Your loving arms
And I know that You will take this pain away and help me make it through

The Etched Pulse Tap-Tempo Is Here!

2010-08-20T15:43:43+00:00

I'm stoked to announce the immediate availability of my new, etched Pulse Tap-Tempo! This little guy measures-in at only 1.99x1.99x1.06 inches, so he can fit anywhere on your pedalboard — and the new etched version gives a total of 9 possible color combinations, so you're bound to find one that fits your tastes. The Pulse sports a high-quality, ultra soft-touch footswitch so you don't feel like you have to "click" a switch to register a tap — you just merely tap like you're tapping your foot along with the beat. No power is required for operation. Made by hand, one at a time, here in the USA. Color options are: Etched with Metallic Black Text, Etched with Metallic Blue Text, Etched with Metallic Red Text, Metallic Blue, Metallic Red, Metallic Black, Metallic Blue with dots, Metallic Red with dots, Metallic Black with dots. Best of all, the new, etched Pulse Tap-Tempo is only $30 shipped!

You can get more info at my Pulse Tap-Tempo page.

New Pedal Enclosures!

2010-08-15T17:59:31+00:00

I'm working on some new pedal enclosure designs as I add etched versions of my effects to my pedal lineup over at RAILhead Effects.