Monday, January 26, 2009

15 Seconds of Fame

One of the videos I shot for a video project last year was selected for a clip for Vehix.com.  This particular clip just happens to be one that Mandy volunteered for.


Sunday, January 25, 2009

2008 reflection

Taking a page from LaDawn's blog, I shall attempt to answer some questions that take a look back at the last year.  

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Got my Technicians Ham radio license then upgraded to General

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I've never really hopped on this bandwagon and subscribed to this though I try to continue to learn new things, go to new places, and be better than I was before.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin Lynelle had her first baby.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, I think I would have remembered that.

5. Where did you travel?
Besides going to Seaside, Oregon and some camping trips, the big one was driving to Yellowstone National Park.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More patience, understanding, positive attitude, and wisdom.  

7. What was your biggest personal achievement of the year?
Probably the answers to 1 and 5 above.

8. What was the best thing you bought?
My camera, Canon Xsi DSLR

9. Whose accomplishments merited celebration?
Sara for starting Kindergarten, Jennifer for reading many books, being a great speller, & loving math problems, and Anna for graduating from diapers to underwear.

10. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I'm going to side with LaDawn on this one and reference many of the political ads.

11. Where did most of your money go?
I ask myself this all the time.  Mandy does the finances.

12. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I don't think I associate a specific song with a year.

13. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier because we don't have to carry around a diaper bag
b) fatter despite my attempts
c) richer in some areas, poorer in others

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercising, eating better, and spending more time with my kids doing things they'll remember.

15. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time

16. What books did you read?
Non-Fiction this year: ARRL Book for Technicians License then ARRL Book for General License

17. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every day all over again with my wife.

18. What was your favorite TV program?
Either Heros or Smallville

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Pandora.com

20. Who are the most interesting people you met this year?
New friends made in Seaside.

21. What did you want and get?
A new camera, The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Dark Knight DVDs.

22. What did you want and not get?
Some countertop speakers for the bathroom to play music when getting ready in the morning.  

23. What was your favorite film of this year?
Easily, The Dark Knight.  Now hereafter known as the favorite film of any year.

24. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 33 this past year and probably went to dinner somewhere.  Obviously it was extremely memorable.

25. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I hate to keep going back to material things but having a gas grill would have made the summer more fun for grilling.  Hard to beat a nicely done steak.

26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Sadly, probably Wal-Mart.

27. What kept you sane?
The breaks, the vacations, getting out & enjoying the world, enjoying life, and being able to look back and identify things I have accomplished.  Oh yeah, also video games and digital photography.


Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Microsoft, Not Cool

In a recent IM session with Akula...

Doug : Tell me, is Windows 7 a compelling upgrade so far?
Akula: Nope.
Akula: maybe if you're running XP.
Akula: But if Vista runs well for you, there are very few changes.
Akula: MS should give it away for free to Vista users
Doug : yeah, as an apology recompence
Akula: Vista, since SP1, is quite decent.
Akula: Pre SP1 it was horrible.
Doug : For all those people who say "I'm a PC", isn't a Mac really just a type of PC?
Akula: I don't get that campaign at all.
Akula: I'm a PC? It's likesaying, "I'm not cool"
Doug  : me either, and it's longer than most commercials too
Doug  : Yeah, it's getting to be like saying "I'm a PC" is synonymous with those people that say "I still use postage stamps", "I don't know how to set the time on my VCR (What's a DVR?)", "I only shop at brick & mortar stores", "I use 35mm film for everyday photos", "I play all my music from original cd's", "Velcro shoes are awesome."
Akula: LOL
Akula: Very true. You'd have a good blog post there.
Doug  : let it be done

Now tell me why a company ran by an excited, sweaty, bald man who apparently doesn't know anything more about Facebook than what he's been told, wouldn't be cool.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Successful Holiday Season

Everyone has their own definition of what a successful holiday season is to them. I think this one for me certainly qualifies but it took planning immediately after the last one.

Last year we started telling everyone that the Christmas Family get together was going to be held at our house. We continued making these arrangements as we hit December this year and it worked out that, even for New Years Eve, relatives converged on my house and I didn't have to go anywhere.

I like going places, it just gets exponentially harder to manage young kids in an environment they're not used to and may not have any toys because no kids actually live there. Ever since shortly after I got married I've been trying to orchestrate the idea that "If you want to see me for Christmas, I'll be right here. Feel free to come on over."

Sure we played host to several social gatherings but for the most part we were able to set things up for the first party and then just leave the table & chair configuration, etc until the last event was done. This year, that's how I'm defining a successful holiday season. So I suppose next holiday season, I'll be more open to going to other people's homes to visit.

However, I've always tossed the idea around that one year I just want to do all the immediate family gift exchanges either before or after Christmas and just go out of town for the actual holiday. Not to visit someone or anything, just the opposite. Just spend some time with my wife & kids for Christmas without having to worry about going anywhere or seeing anyone else. Limited decorating, and the only thing we'd have scheduled is flight times.

Here's to 2009.