Doug Van Pelt

4.6 Million Dollars

I'm sure you've seen the email.

An urgent plea from a relative or employee of a deposed or murdered political figure from Nigeria (or Zimbabwe or Kenya...there's variations to the story). This person was lucky enough to smuggle 18.5 million out of the country, but they need help. They need you to let them deposit the money into your account for safe keeping, and then withdraw 75% of it, leaving you with 25% for your assistance in this matter.

Two to three years ago I emailed back one of these people, asking why they picked me. Through a series of emails, I learned that because of my Christian faith I was trusted with this. I was told to call a number. I figured, 'This could be legit. I'd love to have a few million.' So, I made a phone call. I recall it being an overseas number. When I reached the friendly voice on the phone, I could hear a bank of telemarketers in a room (you know the sound: background noise of several people talking on the phone... I could picture the cubicles.). 'Oh, this nice person didn't just single me out, did he? If all the 18.5 million is going into my account, what amounts are going into these other accounts?'

I was told that I need to pay some transaction money to help make the transfer happen. I needed to send a few thousand dollars to a bank in London. Then the large deposit into my account would happen. After asking lots of questions, it was insisted that these transaction fees had to take place first in order for the exchange to take place. When I hesitated, then the guilty plea about helping the people of that country out was brought up. I wonder how many people have fallen for this. I bet it's been plenty, because two to three years later and I'm still seeing one of these emails almost every day. I'm sure it's a great scam with some legal loopholes that keep the perpetrators from being jailed, since it's going across borders. I'm sure there's a place to forward these emails, but I haven't found it nor do I feel like spending the time to search it out. At least I've been able to warn you.

There's my funny story for the day. I guess you could call me an "investigative reporter" now, huh?

Happy Birthday, Dad

What do I do in a typical day?

Sometimes, like yesterday, I spend an hour going over a "Time Management Exercise" with David. Most days I spend 25% of my day "doing" email. Argh. Besides looking at the subject heading and the "from" setting and deleting junk/spam emails, if I wanted to I could do nothing but email all day long. My inbox does not stay empty.

Today I listened to 13 new albums that have come in. Some I rated, since they were "indie" and may or may not get written up in our "Pick of the Litter" section. I emailed someone at Stickers & More about possibly getting some of those Derek Hess posters printed up. I found out that the airline miles I have with an airline don't ever expire, which saved me some worry, since I had feared I would have to "use them up" by a certain date. That took 5-7 minutes. I sent a few advertising contracts out. I packaged up several "bricks" of 10 cds that we're sending free to people that have subscribed from the mass email I sent out this week (if you want to be on our email list, just email me: Doug@HMmag.com and I'll add you). I went through a giant pile of "to do" stuff, like updating contacts, conversing with people we have a marketing trade with about getting balancing our account. I ordered 72 more of those "Worship At Full Volume" shirts. I made files for "past promotions," "receipts + printer quotes," "promo pieces" and "master copies of articles/HM press." I booked a hotel for a biz trip to Dallas. I sent out several (probably 12-20 thru the course of the day... I have "form letter" templates I saved in Outlook that I can send consistent and nice looking info with rates and deadlines on it) ad appeal email letters. I sent circulation and demographic info to two dvd/home video publicity firms about DVD reviews. I decided on merch quantities to let a former intern sell at concerts out of state. I whittled through my "personal" and "prep 4 next issue" and "ad sales" files to get rid of un-needed / outdated stuff. I sent cover images of a "mock" cover of the P.O.D. issue to our ad agency, so that they can use that one, and update the Sep/Oct MxPx issue. I followed up on a "Gear Review" issue with the "Butt Kicker" amplifier that we're "test driving/reviewing" for an upcoming issue. And that's just what I can remember off the top of my head. But ya know what? I feel like I haven't accomplished enough!! What's wrong with me?

I'm listening to a crazy blasphemous artist called H.I.M. on Universal Records. Cool sounding stuff. Reminds me of the best of Mad At The World's early heavy gothic stuff. "I'll take your sweet six six six" is repeated in the lead off track chorus. Interesting stuff.

Oh, and P.O.D.'s new album is the "LEAK" stream on www.MTV.com right now. You can Real Audio stream the entire album. It sounds good. You can sure pick out the track that Phil Keaggy played on.

Holiness The Cat

i had a cat named Holiness.
he became "like a daughter to me" (2 samuel 12:3)
i got him when i was 9
and he died in my arms when i was 29
it was a beautiful death.
he had a cancerous tumor that was removed and came back
and it didn't get removed in time, as it had spread.
he had gone blind and lost control of his waste functions.
i had him on towels on top of a hefty bag
and was having a quiet time that monday morning in september of 91
and just thanking God for him, such a precious friend and companion
even in his pain (i'm sorry, i think euthanasia is selfish for pet owners. i'm sorry if that offends you)...
even in his pain, he was receiving joy at my touch.
he kissed me (licked) and tipped his head up to "look" at me
and breathed his last and laid his head down in my arms.
i praise God for the privilege of witnessing such a beautiful death.
i now believe fully that death is a part of life.
it's funny to learn that from a cat,
but that was one special animal.

as a bachelor, it was easy to romanticize death
but as a husband and father, i hate death.
i like an old song by a band called Street Angel

"...for years and years our fathers taught
that death was a friend of God
But death is God's enemy
the last to be downtrod..."

i have so much more to live for now
that i fight death. God is in control
and i trust that my time is in His hands.
but, like the warrior inside of you, i have a passionate
hatred for death and the devil.

Stranded in Cyberia

Saw an incredible Elk or male Deer today on the way to work. I thought to myself how I'd mention it in my blog today. Those antlers were the largest I'd seen on a living animal -- at least 5 feet in diameter. Huge.

My mind then wandered at how far this thing might get read. Who knows who's gonna read this? Maybe even friends in Poland...

We just finished posting much of the new issue up. All the online companion articles to our cover story are up. I plan on posting some scans of actual recording and publishing contracts (sort of an "Ugly Exhibit A" thing) in a few days.

Also on the posting agenda will be the uncut Skillet interview and the uncut London Calling interview. Look for them in about a week's time.

Take care.

Ugly New Issue

I got an email from a friend in Colorado on Friday. I was told that the new issue had arrived. Wow! Already? We usually plan on putting the new issue up a few days or a week before the issue date hits (so people seeing the issue on the site can go out and find a printed copy), and it just felt like it would still be awhile before that time would come... I look at the calendar now and realize, "Doh! It's that time now."

So, we'll try to get the new issue, and all the cover story companion articles ("The Ugly Facts & Figures Behind Christian Rock," "The Ugly Bruce Fitzhugh Interview," and "The Ugly Atticus Fault Interview" ... not to forget the Ken Tamplin file sharing "rebuttal" style article and the "So, You Want A Record Deal" article that Steve Baker wrote... We'll have all of those linked together.)

I'm typing this as I watch a really cool documentary on PBS about big wave riding and the January 1998 surf on the North Shore of Hawaii. Amazing stuff.

Comeback Kid

Ahh, fantastic wake-up music in the morning. I love the drumming and aggressive guitar playing of Comeback Kid. And that chant-along choruses are infectious. Even my kids are bouncing around in the backseat as I take 'em to school.

Chad Olson went to the World Series last night.
Wesley Denton works for a Senator in Washington.
Jason Dodd is publishing Bandoppler.
Tim McCready is kissing I don't know how many girls.
Cathy Tucek is travelling the world teaching seminars.
Bryan McGovern is teaching soldiers up in New York.
Chris Calloway is freelancing for Denver newspapers.
Lee Haley plays guitar for One Bad Pig and sells 100K mortgages.
Ted Kirkpatrick never worked at HM, but he drums really well.

Well, it's back to listening to a 2-foot stack of indie CDs.
Some are good and some are...cd's.

I want to see Radio real bad.
I need to see School of Rock.

Mystery Achievement

Where's my sandy beach?

Been busy trying to make deals for the magazine. It's funny to note the timing of a recent magazine order. I was talking to my advertising team about circulation during a conference call and (I couldn't help it) I noticed the new email dropping into my inbox. One was from a distributor that wanted 500 copies to go to his top 100 accounts at a certain mainstream retailer. If you're a semi-regular reader of this blog, then you might recall the controversy of last week where a certain Christian retail chain buyer was threatening to cancel his order for 459 copies of the Nov/Dec issue. Isn't it neat to see how this 500 quantity gain kind of makes up for the potential loss of those 459 copies?

I'm starting a new season on my Madden 2003 game tonight. Last "season" saw my Cowboys riding Quincy Carter's arm to a Super Bowl victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Fun and games.

I'm also working on a press release regarding the new issue. I'm also trying to make a wise call on quantities of the magazine. I got x-number of mags printed, based on current orders for the magazine. I always hold about 500 extra copies in storage at the plant for our "supplemental" mailing. We mail out a second mailing of the mag so someone who subscribes a day or two (or a couple weeks) after the issue is initially mailed out . . . so that person doesn't have to wait 6 weeks until the next issue is printed and mailed. Well, this issue is right in the middle of our latest direct mail campaign, so I've set aside 700 copies for this supplemental mailing, since it's likely to be larger with people responding to our direct mail subscription offer. And now, with this new distributor wanting 500 copies -- and with his order coming well after the magazine's printing, that means that I have to find somewhere to pull those 500 copies from (just in case that earlier retailer changes his mind and decides to take in his 459 copies)... I just thought I'd share a gliimpse of some of the work and decisions I've gotta do.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, tonight are leading the 49ers 21 to 13 at halftime.

Show And Tell

When I was dropping my daughters off at school yesterday morning, I asked my youngest, "Is today 'Show & Tell?'" To which she answered, "Yes." She was holding on to "Mr. Monkey," and I asked her if she wanted to take a copy of HM Magazine to class for 'Show & Tell.' She said, "No. I want to take 'Mr. Monkey.'" I told her she couldn't take the monkey and asked her why she didn't want to take the magazine. She said, "We're supposed to bring something that reminds us of someone we love." I said, "Well, HM Magazine would be perfect, because I make this magazine." She said, "Okay, but where is it?" I grabbed a copy of the July/August issue out of the trunk and handed it to her. She put it in her backpack and turned to walk into the school.

"I forgot to show it," she told me later that night when I asked her. Do you think she was emberrassed and purposely didn't show it? "I really forgot," she assures me. "Will you show it next week?" I ask. "No, I want to show something different. I want to show something I've been saving a really long time for 'Show & Tell.' A stuffed animal kitty cat. After I show that one, I'll bring the magazine."

We'll see. I guess it goes to show you, you can't push the magazine you publish on your kids.

HM Is Like A Baby

I've often said, "HM Magazine is my baby." This is not too much of a stretch to make, since the magazine was birthed 18.5 years ago in my small room in the house I shared with my college friends back in '85.

It's really God's baby, and that's where I have to leave it and treat it. While God has certainly entrusted me with it and I can call it my own, everything I have is from Him and that perspective is what will help to alleviate worries and stress when problems arise.

The next issue, which is at the printer right now, features a cover story called "The Ugly Truth Behind Christian Rock," and it may just be a coincidence, but we've faced a lot of adversity and challenges with the production of this particular issue. A lot. Anyway, the latest is this:

The buyer for a large Christian bookstore chain has told our distributor that, "If you ship this cover to us, it'll be the last one you ship." I'm not sure why this person communicated to our distributor in such an extreme, mean and rude manner (maybe he was sick that day...maybe one of his kids got sick...maybe he's dealing with something so overwhelming right now that he's lashing out in anger over minor things). I don't know. But I'm praying for this guy. He was sent a jpg preview of the cover graphics for the Nov/Dec issue. That is what he responded to. His chain has ordered 459 copies of this issue, which they are at present refusing to carry. I hope I can change his mind.

I have poured my heart out in the 7-page, 5,500+ word story, drawing on my experiences from the past 18 years publishing this magazine. The article is, I believe, a balanced, biblical, and truthful look at the Christian rock scene and many of its inadequacies. I think this will actually be the best-selling and most talked-about issue in the history of HM Magazine. Maybe not, but it certainly has the potential to be so with a provocative cover story titled "The Ugly Truth Behind Christian Rock." This will probably be an issue that this particular Christian bookstore chain would enjoy carrying on their magazine racks and store shelves.

So, when someone makes a rash judgment like this about the cover of the Nov/Dec issue of HM Magazine, it's like someone is saying to me, "Your child is not good enough. I reject it." I kinda take it personal. The personal expression, though, I hope to come out in serious prayer. I would think that God would be most pleased if that's the position I took. I'll do my best to convince this person that his chain should carry this issue, but hopefully I'll expend more energy praying about this situation than trying to argue my point.

Could you, perhaps, pray with me? I'd like to ask that you pray that I would be able to change this person's mind; but I'd be just as happy if you prayed that God's will would be done here. This situation is small in the big scheme of things, and I know that God is in control.

I guess you could say, "I won't be taking this lying down," but hopefully I'll be taking it "on my knees."

Testimony

There is a great new record out. I've been listening to it in the car for a few days now. It's called Testimony and it's a 2-disc solo album by Neal Morse. Neal, who sang with Spock's Beard and Transatlantic, has made quite a reputation in prog rock circles with his fine voice and songwriting. Well, he has come to the Lord in faith recently and this album is, quite simply, his testimony. So pure and refreshing to hear the joy and straight-up, "this is what happened to me" story. It's not every day that something like this happens, so this album is really something special. Musically, it's quite diverse and features lots of instruments and jamming. I'm really growing to love this album. It's amazing, but it keeps my attention for two full discs. Wow.

It feels good to be 190 pounds -- especially when I was 200 just last night at around 8 pm. A miracle diet? Not really. It's just that I drove rather swiftly to the only open Fed Ex office in the Austin, Texas area last night to overnight the materials (digital files, proofs) of the new issue of HM to our faithful printer in Midland, Michigan -- Quebecor World Pendell Printing. Ahh, nothing like that feeling of finishing so much labor.

It's Wednesday...

Do you know where your magazine editors are?

The new issue is shaping up. The goal is in sight, and we press on.

I love Psalm 34. It's actually my favorite.
The first three verses sound appropriate for today:

"I will extol the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt His name together.