The sunset tonight is gorgeous. I would have missed it if not for a coworker letting me know. Check it out, quickly, if you can.

This alarm clock is a hilarious–and possibly sad–commentary on our society. Equipped with its own wheels, Clocky flees your presence if you continue to hit the snooze bar in the morning. Yes, it will literally roll off of the nightstand (as long as said nightstand is two feet tall or less) and move around the room. I may have to buy one of these for my wife.

The alarm clock that runs away and hides when you don’t wake up. Clocky gives you one chance to get up. But if you snooze, Clocky will jump off of your nightstand and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide. Clocky is kind of like a misbehaving pet, only he will get up at the right time.

When the alarm sounds, Clocky will start beeping. You can snooze once for your choosen (sic) number of snooze minutes and if you don’t get up, Clocky will start beeping again and run away. If 0 was choosen (sic) as the snooze time, Clocky will run away as soon as the alarm sounds. He always starts by moving forward off of your nightstand. Then he will move around for 30 seconds in different directions.

Remember kids, clocky is not a toy. At least that’s what its Web site says.

As I recently wrote, I think it’s important to take time to learn about every candidate who is campaigning to be Nashville’s next mayor.

Kenneth Eaton, a longtime Nashville businessman, is planning to officially announce his candidacy next month. Dave Pelton, a self-described energy and environmental policy expert, threw his hat in the ring earlier this fall. Both candidates’ Web sites have more details about their platforms.

I believe forgiveness and humility grant us the freedom to be who we really are. If we can authentically lower our defenses and acknowledge other points of view, we have the opportunity to learn from each other and to grow as individuals.

This is not about surrendering one’s beliefs in the face of another’s. It’s about peacefully engaging each other in dialogue instead of insisting that a single viewpoint is the only possible solution. It is an acknowledgment that no single person or organization has a stranglehold on wisdom.

I’m encouraged to see Lipscomb University exploring this path with their recently established Institute of Conflict Management. The organization discussed religious conflict earlier this fall and will focus on capital punishment in January. Here’s an excerpt from today’s Tennessean story about the institute:

Larry Bridgesmith [executive director for the institute] acknowledges that there is a risk that the conservative Christian university may alienate some members of its own community and others outside it by taking on such divisive issues. But, he said, if the institute is successful, it will be a good faith, respectful exploration of interests that all sides share and will help people deal better with conflict.

I think we could all benefit from an increased focus on “respectful exploration.” Best wishes to Mr. Bridgesmith and this effort.