The Catholic Developer and Blogger Christmas Wish List - 2011
In Luke 12, Jesus teaches us to guard against greed: “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” However, it is a longstanding tradition for Catholics and non-Catholics alike to give and be given simple gifts.
While not espousing the vice of greed, I’d like to offer some gift ideas for Catholic techies, bloggers, and podcasters. All the items are things that I have found help me in my ability to spread the Gospel through the technologies I interact with every day.
For everyone:
The Church and New Media This book, compiled and edited by Brandon Vogt, features some excellent commentary on different new media initiatives and practices in the Church, by some of the most well-known and influential Catholic bloggers, social media users, and priests who use new media. Buy The Church and New Media on Amazon for $11.00 | |
Catholocism (DVD Series) The Catholocism DVD series brings any Catholic into a fuller understanding of the amazing breadth and beauty of the Catholic Church throughout the world. The series has great Catholic teaching and beautiful imagery. Buy The Catholocism DVD Box Set from Amazon for $112 | |
Amazon Kindle If you want to save a few trees, but still have a great experience reading books and news, the Kindle is a great way to do this. The screen is easy on your eyes, you can find almost any book you want to read, and the price is pretty affordable. Buy a Kindle from Amazon for $79 and up | |
Catechism of the Catholic Church Every Catholic should have a copy of the Catechism on hand for pressing questions, or just to read through on a slow day. This edition handily fits into any bookcase, and lasts a very long time due to its sturdy hard cover. Buy the Catechism of the Catholic Church from Amazon for $10 | |
Daily Roman Missal - Leather Edition Since 2011 is the first year with the revised translation of the Roman Missal, what better time to have an excellent Roman Missal to accompany you to Mass? This book contains the readings and other liturgical texts for the daily Mass. Buy the Daily Roman Missal from Amazon for $60 |
For podcasters and mobile video producers:
Audio-Technica Lavaliere Mic This handy little lavaliere microphone is useful in many situations; in one-on-one interviews, use one for the host and one for the interviewee; in monologues, just stick one on the person talking, and you're good to go! Buy the Audio-Technica ATR-3350 Lavaliere Microphone from Amazon for $21 | |
The Glif - iPhone 4/4S Stand and Tripod Mount For most mobile podcasters and producers, the iPhone is the weapon of choice when it comes to quick interviews and recordings. The Glif will keep your iPhone mounted securely to a tripod while filming or getting B-roll for your project, and it's tiny but durable. Buy the Glif from Amazon for $20 | |
Sennheiser HD-280 Pro Headphones These great-sounding headphones are also quite comfortable. Making sure you have a great soundtrack (voice, effects, music) helps you ensure that your video or audio podcast sounds great everywhere; having headphones like these helps you hear exactly what's recorded. Buy Sennheiser HD-280 Pro Headphones from Amazon for $80 |
Can you think of any other gifts to add to this list? There are many different things that I know could make my life as a blogger and podcaster easier, but I’m already happy with my MacBook Air and my iPhone, so I can’t think of too many other things right now.
Plus, in this economy, I only want to offer suggestions that give a really large amount of substance for the dollar—and all of the items above are things I think will enrich your life and make you a better blogger, developer, and media producer.