Shine a Light

July 4th - a couple days after . . .

2011-07-06T07:39:00.001-07:00

July 4th was hot. There were parades. Kids had fun. There were barbeques. And, of course, fireworks.

But this year, celebrating July 4th or at least enjoying it was tough. I had a lot on my mind. Specifically, I was thinking of a good friend of mine sitting in a federal detention center in another state for a crime he never committed or attempted to commit in any manner. He was simply pulled over for a traffic stop and asked for his identification . . .

You see, my friend is an illegal immigrant. Not by choice. He was brought here by his family when he was 13. He went to school here just like everyone else. He and his siblings have applied all of the appropriate paperwork to become citizens as they became adults. His parents have also filed the appropriate paperwork. Kind of rare to hear about the people that take the time to do things the legitimate way. It could have been the typical story - brought to the US and he could have just ignored everything and taken his chances.

But, he didn't do that. But, he is being treated as if he did. And, the govertment has informed him that they are seeking to deport him.

To say this is a tragic implementation of our justice system wouldn't be sufficient. It's just sad. My friend is a productive member of society working tireless hours as he runs a independent retail store that is quite successful. He is known in the community as a caring, thoughtful person who would do anything to help another person.

And, back to his intentions. Paperwork. Ah yes, the citizenship paperwork I referred to. He has been involved in the filing of paperwork to gain his citizenship for years. It is a long, drawn out process with no visible end in sight. And, there is no apparent urgency regardless of how you attempt to adhere to the rules. But, he has always maintained that he is going to get it done the right way.

So, here I sit this morning drinking a cup of coffee and wondering how he is doing. He has been in the detention center for 6 days now and he is being told it will be up to a month before he may get a trial. There's no consideration being given to the fact that he was brought to the US when he was under 18, that he has filed all of the necessary paperwork and/or that he has never sought to blatantly hide the fact that he is on the path to citizenship. He has legal counsel and they are working to expedite the process as much as possible.

We hear stories every day about people crossing the border, committing crimes, etc. We know the stories because this is what we are all subjected to. But, when small stories that involve people like my friend happen, there's never a whisper. Even in writing this post, he wouldn't be pleased as he doesn't want the attention. In fact, he has insisted that nobody make a fuss and keep this very private. It is very difficult to abide by these wishes, but I will do so.

July 4th was hot. There were parades. Kids had fun. There were barbeques. And, of course, fireworks.

But, for some, July 4th isn't all about celebrating indepdence day. It is about hoping for freedom. From a jail cell. For a crime you didn't commit.

Posted via email from jpomie's posterous

"If you go through a lot of hammers each month . . .

2011-03-11T16:51:00.001-08:00

"If you go through a lot of hammers each month, I don't think it necessarily means you're a hard worker. It may just mean that you have a lot to learn about proper hammer maintenance."
— Jack Handey

I love a good Jack Handey quote!

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Observations from a moving horizontal elevator (aka – Bart)

2011-01-28T15:07:00.001-08:00

I had a peaceful trip into San Francisco today on the Bart. I was in a good mood (both ways!) and really took notice of all of the people who I was traveling with. Here are just a few of my observations from today’s ride.

· To the girl sitting next to me. I don’t know if it is your sandwich or your body odor, but either way it is BAD.

· To the woman sitting behind me on her cell phone. You are right. The IRS will never figure out that you are lying on your taxes. They are amateurs.

· To the woman putting on an ‘excessive’ amount of eye shadow. Go for it! Make those other raccoons in your office jealous.

· To the guy who was sleeping in the door seat (meant for the elderly, parents with children and the handicapped). Don’t worry about it. The blind guy didn’t need a seat anyways and he had probably been sitting all morning. Seriously. Don’t even offer to move.

· To the guy with the jeans hanging all of the way down your rear so that we all get to see your green boxers. Pulling them up so they were only half way down your rear was a class move. Class!

· To the guy wearing his hoodie over his head so you could only see his mouth. Fierce! Just fierce!

· To the woman who fell and almost caused a domino effect of people down the aisle. Just a heads up, this Bart thing moves! I might recommend holding on and not trying to 'power stand'.

· To the people all listening to their music loudly during the ride. Sweet! I like music too! I am not sure I like listening to the music you’re listening to, but I guess I don’t have a choice. I said, I GUESS I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. Oh, you can’t hear me. Yeah, that’s probably because your headphones are so LOUD!.

Ok – just had to put that out there as I wrote this on my way back. I should keep a running list as it is kind of fun. As for me, I was the guy just people watching and smirking as I thought up most of these during the ride :-)

Posted via email from jpomie's posterous

"The cut, the stranger and the big guy lying on the floor" - a funny, but true story

2010-12-14T20:49:00.001-08:00

I have a scar that revolves around my right index finger. It is a resut of a glass breaking while washing the dishes one day in college. The scar is not the story though, it is what happened afterward that makes it a good story.

So, it's winter in Kalamazoo, MI. Cold outside! I just got home to a 'supposedly' empty house that I shared with 4 other guys. We had a schedule and it was my turn to wash the dishes. So, upon getting home, I just chose to get it over with instead of the typical delaying until somebody yelled at me (hey, it was college, give me a break).

Towards the end, I was washing out a glass when it shattered and the edge of the glass sliced into my finger. The cut was quite deep (to the bone) and revolved around the finger with the end result being that it was hanging more than it was attached.

I didn't panic as I was raised in a medical family and blood doesn't have any affect on me (remember this for a bit later), so I grabbed a pot and filled it with cold water while trying to get a handle on the bleeding.

Meanwhile, I had turned on the stereo and it was quite loud. So, my yelling didn't do much in terms of attracting any attention. Plus, I thought the house was empty. But, I had to do something, so I kept the pot filled halfway with water, left my hand it in and ventured over to the fridge where I grabbed a lot of ice to slow the bleeding.

At this point, I thought I'd take a chance to see if any of my roommates were home before I called 911 as I didn't want to do that - at least not yet. I ventured up the stairs to the 2nd floor where two of my roommates lived. One of the rooms was open and vacant and the door was closed to the other room. I was holding the pot with one hand while I kept the other hand immersed in the water. The water, as you can imagine, was dark red as so much blood was escaping.

I kicked the door with my feet to see if anyone was there. I didn't hear anything at first, but then I heard a muffled voice. This was the room of a guy who was an amatuer body builder and he tended to bring home some unique women at times. I heard a definite voice a moment later and yelled that I needed help as I was bleeding.

I heard some shuffling and then the door flew open only to reveal my roommate naked, with a strategically placed towel and a 'stranger' in his bed. He started to ask what was wrong just as his eyes hit the pot that I was holding. It was right at this point that I learned that my roommate didn't like the site of blood and, in this case, fainted when presented with it. So, this bulk of an individual proceeded to collapse to the floor without so much as a whimper. This left me in my original predicament.

However, in all of the fuss, I have forgotten about the 'stranger' who was still laying in the bed, covered by a sheet and now staring at me. Well, she obviously was going to have none of it as she stood up completely naked and announced that I needed to go to the hospital. I stood there staring (with good reason) as she hurriedly dressed, grabbed her things and then hustled me down the stairs towards the door.

Now, we get to an interesting point as she had caught a ride with my roommate. This left us with two cars at the house - mine and his. Mine was a stick shift and my new found friend, the 'stranger', couldn't drive a stick. So, taking action, she shot upstairs, grabbed his car keys and we left in my roommate's car while he still lay on the ground upstairs.

The story does not end here.

She drove me to the local hospital where I assumed that I would just get out and she would return to the house. But, that was not to be - she announced that she was going to drop me off and then join me inside the emergency room. I didn't really care at this point as the pot was getting more and more full of my blood and I was getting a bit dizzy.

I ventured in to the hospital, went through triage and was asked to sit for a moment while I waited to be taken back to an area where they could treat me. The 'stranger' joined me a moment later and asked for an update. Soon afterwards, I was asked to come in the back. I stood and began walking towards the treatment area and noticed that I had a shadow, the 'stranger'. By the way, I still didn't know her name at this point.

I was asked by the hospital attendant if she was with me and I nodded yes as I really didn't care to explain. We were ushered into an area and the pot was taken away to be dumped and appropriate bandaging was put in place to help stop the bleeding. All the while, the 'stranger' just kept sitting there and watching the process.

The doctor arrived moments later and began evaluating the cut and the resulting damage. In order to do so, he had to have an assistant hold my hand and he had to pull up the skin to look internally. While he was doing this, the 'stranger' appeared in my line of sight as she was now squatted behind the doctor and staring into the wound that he was trying to get a handle on.

At this point, the doctor noticed her and asked me in an offhand way if we were boyfriend/girlfriend. To which I answered that we were not and that I didn't even know her name. This caught him by surprise and his turned to address her to see what the situation was. The 'stranger' having heard this conversation, promptly introduced herself as Ellen (name changed to protect the innocent, yet strange) and extended her hand to greet him. The doctor turned back to me and I just shrugged as I wanted to have my finger sewn back on and didn't care who Ellen was at this point.

As the evaluation continued, our new found friend Ellen started asking questions about the damage, the treatment, etc. At one point, she asked if the doctor could pull up the skin on my hand so that she could see underneath. Wow, my head was really spinning at this point, but I even knew that this was getting really weird.

The finger was eventually sewn up and I was given ample amounts of pain killers to go along wth my newly wrapped hand. It was time to leave and I was extremely foggy.

Ellen now guided me to the car and promptly took me home. Upon returning to the house, we found my previously passed out roommate sititng on the couch watching television. As we entered, he was visibly upset as we had left him on the ground and that Ellen had stolen his car for all intensive purposes. After a few minutes and realizing how hurt I was, he calmed down.

But, we found ourselves sitting with Ellen. A girl who by now had creeped me out more than a little even though she had helped me out in a tremendous jam. And, a girl that my roommate never intended to know more than the afternoon. We were both uncomfortable. But, Ellen was not and kept talking about the experience.

Soon afterwards, I passed out from the painkillers given to me. My roommate took Ellen to wherever she lived. And, we never saw her again.

So, I have a unique scar on my right hand. But the scar will never measure up to the story that accompanies it. It is a story that I have told literally a hundred times and I always smile when I think back to the whole situation.

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Friday Fun - What if Twitter had REAL shopping?

2010-08-27T14:22:00.001-07:00

Ok - so this whole post is meant as pure fantasy. Though, in reality, it is a viable question given the amount of traffic Twitter generates and their focus on driving REVENUE on their platform. What is Twitter had a REAL shopping platform? Where they earned REVENUE based on sales?

So, nobody asked me my opinion - but, that's the point of this post. Perhaps the brains over there are already on to this - I wouldn't doubt it.

The approach here would be to take advantage of their already existing addressing protocol (search.twitter.com, api.twitter.com, etc.) and launch a shopping area at http://shop.twitter.com. Something like this perhaps?

Ok - just a snapshot, but you get the point and you can hopefully see the appeal. Twitter's already working with partners to get them to sponsor tweets and put these unique ads into your streams. Well, this isn't so much of a shift as it is a further exploration of many of these relationships.

Dell is arguably the most successful retail seller on Twitter. In order to do this, Dell has multiple channels set up to sell all throughout Twitter. But, they are dependent on people following their Twitter handles. Shift to this strategy and Dell can now push specific products and/or specials through the Deal of the Day that is no longer subject to people following their unique Twitter handles.

Example: Twitter user (me - @jpomie) visits http://shop.twitter.com and sees a GREAT deal on a Samsung television. It is absolutely great - I can tweet it right there into my stream. Right there, the shopping platform extends its reach and it can potentially be retweeted by many people who may find the deal useful.

Now, take it a step farther and allow Twitter users to input keywords, brands, etc. that they would like to know about into the Shop settings area and their stream will then populate with anything relevant at set time parameters. Or, they can just ask to have the Deal of the Day inserted into their stream on a regular basis. Again, allowing these brands to extend their reach and also be subject to retweets. Something like this perhaps?

It would be great to see something like this (if I sign up for it to be sure - not the spam approach) as it makes the stream not just about 140 characters - whitty comments or not :)

If you look at the above example of http://shop.twitter.com, you can see this can adapt to a lot of scenarios. The Gap promotion through Groupon was highly successful in terms of the amount of the discount certificates sold. Why could this be accomplished here in the same manner? It could be independent or in collaboration with any of these players. Just imagine the viral capacity of the Twitter ecosystem . .

Additionally, Twitter could really provide some focus on non-profit organizations. They already are working to sell Fledgling Wine to donate money to wipe out literacy in poor countries. This would seem like a great platform to push this message out on and achieve success for these types of organizations. There are MANY approaches that can be taken with this type of shopping platform.

The transactions and subsequent payment for these products are really exciting to think about because there's so much there to tap into as part of this platform approach. Just from the payment side as an example - a Twitter user could sign up for automated payments through the Shop in the settings and would only need to hit Buy and the entire transaction is complete (One Tweet Pay!) - all done behind the scenes. And, that exciting feature could be extended outside of their environment and would make for a very appealing payment mechanism.

Ok - I've had my fun and now it is time to return to my regularly scheduled programming. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Friday Fun - What if Twitter had REAL shopping?

Cheers!

Posted via email from jpomie's posterous

Vacuum or Modern Day Torture Device?

2010-08-23T08:31:00.001-07:00

The title is supposed to be on the humorous side, but in reality my vacuum turned out to be quite a violent machine. It is aptly named The Dyson Animal.

Just look at it - it is essentially an Evil Transformer come to life!

So, why is it a Modern Day Torture Device? Well, I found out the hard way. I decided to do a little clean up this weekend around the house and grabbed the 'vacuum'. I was barefoot (big key to the story) and began my work in the bedrooms.

As I was finishing up one of the bedrooms, I lifted the 'vacuum' from a landing down a step to the main carpet. When I did so, the head of the 'vacuum' - still running full speed - dropped down and for some reason (who know why?), I stepped into it. OUCH!!!!!!

This is where the machine turned into a Moder Day Torture Device. It snapped my index toe! Not just a little "Ow, that hurt!" - it snapped the toe - purple and black and now walking with a limp.

So, a bit of advice for those who may possess this type of 'vacuum':
1. DO NOT use it while barefoot - this is my fault.
2. If you ever need to get someone to talk, simply remove the shoe, turn on this machine insert toes. They'll be singing any tune you want.

Now, please excuse me while I go get some ice.

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Arizona - You've officially lost your mind - aka, AZ legalizes carrying concealed gun without a permit

2010-04-17T08:37:00.001-07:00

Just your typical Saturday morning at my house. Drinking coffee, letting the little one run around and have fun and taking some time to catch up on news. So, no sooner had I settled into my couch when I read that Arizona's governor, Jan Brewer, signed into law a bill that legalizes carrying a concealed gun without a permit. It goes without saying that I spilled my coffee.

What the Are you kidding me?

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I am a gun rights supporter. I own several legal weapons - both handguns & rifles. I grew up in a household where the ATF was a regular visitor due to my step father being a machine gun dealer. I was raised in Michigan to hunt each year and was trained early on by my grandfather how to shoot a weapon. I am a member of the American Rifle Association. And, to top it all off, I lived in Arizona for 19 years - just having moved to CA in mid 2009 for many reasons.

So, after reading my disclosure, there have to be a few people saying, "Heck, you should be happy since you're a big gun nut!".

Nope, that's not the case. And, here are 3 reasons why.

1. Guns require training - PERIOD. I grew up in a middle class household in Michigan where we spent our fall and winter months hunting deer, quail, rabbits - heck, you name it. As a child, I would watch the older men head out and return later in the day - always hoping for the day that my grandfather would take me with him. Well, that day came and I went into the woods and took my first shot - and, it scared the hell out of me. Suddenly, it didn't seem so fun and I was pretty sure I didn't want anything to do with it given the sound and the entire experience.

But, I stuck with it and later attended an Eddie Eagle (American Rifle Association's mascot) gun training class for kids (do these exist any longer?) where I learn all about gun safety. This wasn't just a one day or one week class. And, we didn't even handle weapons - this was all about classroom work and learning about how to respect the guns and the people around you.

So, flash forward a number of years, I found myself under the guidance of my stepfather who was a Sheriff and licensed machine gun dealer. This was another level of training that I had to go through. And, years later, as I qualified in police training scenarios (LONG TIME AGO - now, I'm a certified TECH GEEK) this training was instrumental in my handling of these dangerous instruments.

I cannot say enough about how important it is to have training. To just say that someone is 21 years old and that by this measurement, they are qualified to possess a weapon and now conceal it and carry it anywhere it beyond disturbing.

2. Arizona's economy = CRAP. Ok, this is one that has me baffled - I just left the state in mid 2009 because I watch the economy chew up businesses, houses and so many things that were in my life. It was tough to go through and after a recent visit it was very evident that AZ is still burdened by a terrible economy.

So, what do they do? With the stroke of a pen, they eliminate an entire business segment - the personnel and businesses that trained people to be qualified to carry a concealed weapon. An AP article noted that 154,000 people obtained their legal 'concealed weapons' permit by attending classes and training. These classes (based on my memory) were about $250 - $400 based on where you attended. So, based on the low end, this brought in $38,500,000 into the AZ economy over time.

Let me get this straight. Arizona, whose economy status comes in a close second to Detroit, thought that now was the time to stand up for the 2nd amendment. And, in doing so, they eliminated millions in revenue to businesses within the state and put untold numbers of people out of work. Call me crazy, but this doesn't sound like a smart move. What's the backup plan? Tax new bullet purchases by 200% since people are SURE to run out now to buy guns?

3. Law Enforcement Personnel = This makes their job X times more difficult. Let's be upfront - the police have never had it easy. Each time they go out on a call and/or pull over a car, there's always a chance they may have to pull their weapon. Well, this new law certainly doesn't make their lives any easier.

So, not only does the police officer have to worry about each scenario that they are confronted with - now, they have to wonder if each person they confront MAY be carrying a weapon. Now, that's be a bit dramatic, but now that there's no crime associated with carrying a gun (provided your not a felon), this exponentially makes their lives much more difficult.

And, that just what the police need Arizona - a much more difficult time doing their job.

Ok, that's my rant - I feel somewhat better that I got this off my chest. I'm sure a lot of people will have similar and contrary feelings - but, you would be hard pressed to counter these 3 points in a manner that could change my mind.

And, before somebody brings it up, I am quite aware that felons cannot own weapons and that background checks are still done when you buy a handgun. But, I would caution that stance. Just because your 21+ years of age and have a clean record DOES NOT MEAN you are qualified to carry a concealed weapon - 2nd amendment or not.

I'm signing off - and very happy that I'm no longer in Arizona.

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The iPad - a skeptic's view after 6 days

2010-04-08T08:16:00.001-07:00

Let me start off this review by saying that I was a big skeptic of the iPad on the day it was announced and even wrote that it had no place in my life.

I sat and watched the momentum build in the following weeks and, simply put, caved in and decided to jump on the 'early adopter' train. I easily justified it as I currently am building a very exciting (my opinion) payment application and I felt it would be good to understand the potential of the new screen real estate. Yep, that's how I talked myself into it.

Last Saturday arrived and I found myself in the vicinity of the Stoneridge Mall where there was an Apple store. I parked the car and walked in - fully expecting to see a massive line. But, there were only about 5 people in line. Fifteen minutes later, I was back in my vehicle and driving home so I could it all set up.

So, its been 6 days. Am I still a skeptic? Am I ready to take it back because its not a laptop? Absolutely NOT!

I believe that Jason Calacanis has written one of the best reviews about the device itself - http://www.ipad-answers.com/ipad-reviews/my-48-point-ipad-review-after-72-hours So, I am going to focus on why it works for me and, ultimately, why I was so wrong.

To begin, the iPad is what you make of it and it has a lot of potential.

Here's where its made a difference in my household.
Reading - I cannot say enough good things about how I love the screen real estate when it comes to reading. I have used 3 book applications and have found my favorite to be the Kindle application. I've found myself reading regularly at the end of each day since I've bought it. I have wanted to read so many books, but frankly haven't wanted to buy the Kindle itself and I didn't want to buy the paper books (hate storing them afterwards). This is just the perfect marriage of functionality and readability for me. And, my wife is constantly using it to read when I'm not.

Personal Note: The iPad can cause internal household disputes :)

Interactivity - This one is a personal finding. But, there's just a difference having the iPad around in the Living room or outside vs. a laptop. Sure, its just perception, but if someone has a laptop it feels like they're not paying attention. This device is so unobtrusive that it just blends in and doesn't interfere in social situations, etc. Also, with my daughter, its a constant source of funny videos for her - a big plus here is that she's not tapping on a keyboard like she would if I sat her in front of the desktop or laptop. She's young so she likes to touch everything - the screen, keyboard, mouse - you name it. With the iPad, she is welcome to touch the screen and she really gets the functionality even at her young age.

The Ultimate Tool - This may not apply to a lot of people, so I'll just say that if I find the device to be very full featured if you set it up. Yesterday, I took my daughter to a class and while I was there, I was on the iPad remotely connecting to my home desktop. I was able to send emails, adjust documents and more - all from this remote location with Wi-Fi. In just a few days, I've set up remote hosting access (Rackspace), remote file access (Box.net), remote desktop & laptop access (Teamviewer) and a few other items that truly allow me to feel connected all through this little 9+ inch, flat device. I need this kind of regular interaction, so to me, its almost too good to be true.

Battery - This is a rehash of so many reviews, but it would be a disservice not to mention how incredible the battery is in the iPad. I've been on the same charge for 2 days with regular usage and I'm still at the 45% battery range. And, that's with Pandora playing on a fairly regular basis.

I am a big fan of the iPad. For me, its a game and life changer. But, that being said, I have told several people I know to hold off and not to jump in yet. Simply because I know that they are not avid computer users and I think the cost is prohibitive for just general, everyday use. I think Jason's article (http://www.ipad-answers.com/ipad-reviews/my-48-point-ipad-review-after-72-hours) really does a good job of outlining who should and should not buy this device.

So, it has been 6 days and I can say, without hesitation, that the iPad has already had a profound effect on how I work and live. That may seem like a dramatic statement, but its true.

I can only imagine what the next 6 days will bring . . .

Posted via web from jpomie's posterous

Friday Question - Where do I get all of my energy? Answer is . . .

2010-03-05T16:20:00.001-08:00

Question I am constantly asked: Where do I get all my energy?

Answer: Simple, I have a built in battery (see black dot - actual size = a bit bigger than a golf ball)

I only hope that it last longer than a standard iPod battery!!!

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Tethering + Ad-Hoc Network = Geek Moment

2010-02-17T10:39:00.001-08:00

Well, I did it - didn't think I could do it, but with some innovation and calm, I was able to create my own mobile ad-hoc network that allows for other devices around me to gain wireless Internet.

How did I do it? Well, I'm more than happy to say, but to err on the side of not wanting to get in trouble with any specific carriers, I'll just keep it to this for the moment.

Laptop tethered to mobile phone in a non-jailbreak/non-root manner with a 'unnamed carrier' - result = wireless Internet anywhere. Yeah!

Then, adjust settings of Internet connection to allow for any other users to access same Internet connection - this is a few steps, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Form ad-hoc network and then connect host computer to it - just a couple steps.

Then, taken device that uses WiFi (in my case an Ipod Touch) and locate new network. Mine popped up right away. Connect up.

Now, feel free to access WiFi from ad-hoc network that originates from mobile phone. Yeah!

My own portable wireless network with no equipment needed.

And, best of all - ITS FAST!

Ok, Geek Moment over - just had to shout about it a bit.

Posted via web from jpomie's posterous

Wish @brizzly had explanations of local trending topics - the bottom one on Twitter has me asking Why?

2010-02-03T14:53:00.001-08:00

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Want! - Necker Nymph

2010-02-01T10:08:00.001-08:00

Perfect for guys like me who can't scuba dive any more. Goes down to 130 feet - just imagine how cool that would be.

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iPad = iDontGetIt

2010-01-27T14:05:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I bought into the hype and found myself wondering what the new release by Apple could possibly be. I read through the rumors and stories about how it was a game changer and that our lives would be profoundly affected by its very existence.

Earlier today I listened in on the iPad introduction and watched along on Engadget to view the play by play of the actual screens.

I guess my thoughts after some time to let it soak in are best expressed by this screen shot:

(courtesy of engadget.com)

Listen, I love gadgets and technology. But, I have the following:

Droid phone - Verizon

iPod Touch - for running Apps

Laptop - for work on the go

Workstation - work

Please tell me where the iPad fits in and what it replaces. ? You can't.

It can't make calls so it doesn't replace my phone. It can't run all of the programs from my laptop and/or workstation that I use daily to do my work.

Oh, it runs apps and now you can read books on it. Hmmmm. Oh, and it yet another monthly fee to add to the already growing list of fees that revolve around people in the tech world. Adding insult to injury is that the monthly fee is paid in exchange for service from AT & T. Jesus - why not just have Cat 5 running to it - may work better in some areas.

So, near as I can tell, it replaces the books I read during the course of my life. But, call me old fashioned - I look at enough screens all day long and appreciate the feel of a paperback and laying on the couch. Besides, that a hell of an expensive book . . . display machine.

So, iPad = iDontGetIt.

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A week without a wife - Report / Day 2, 3 & 4

2010-01-14T19:15:00.001-08:00

Tuesday - January, 14, 2010

Project - Week without a wife

Status: Day 2, 3 & 4 complete

Summary: This project and subsequent report are the result of my wife's 'spur of the moment' (work related - planned in advance), throw caution to the wind (didn't want to be gone this long) trip to Boston for drinks, food and all around fun (work). As a result, I find myself a temporary single dad who is balancing the responsibilities of the house, work (I work from home) and my daughter.

Report - Day 4: Hello. Well, its day 4 and I'm alive and, according to the nice policeman that just left our house, still living with having been 'officially' arrested ever in my adult life. The last few days have been a blur. The kind of blur that can only be compared to a trip down to Tijuana with that sketchy guy who just moved in next door and he asks if you smoke and then you realize what he means while you're driving down the highway. Only to wake up in the car on the way back home with a tattoo that on your arm that says 'Kill em' all, let God sort them out!', a black eye, two different shoes on (neither one of them yours to start with) and a foggy memory of a girl named Rosita. I'm just saying - its not like I did this (Summer 1995). Jake, if you're reading this - Good Times! But, please respect the restraining order :)

My Day 1 report was very popular. And, as it turns out, there are many of you who were concerned for me even though I stressed at the end that I was JUST fine. While my attorney has expressed strong opinions on whether or not I should talk about Days 2 & 3, I'll just say that I appreciate the person who thought it was wise to refer "Wild Selective Smervices" over to my house (obviously not the real agency - changed to protect its identity). Yes, I'm sure you thought you were being helpful dear stranger (Mom), but it turns out that my explanation that we were JUST fine turned out to be true.

UNFORTUNATELY, Day 2 turned into Day 3 because the 'mystery' agency happened to stop by during bath time. My bath time. And, without getting too graphic, I like to air dry. And, so I ask you (and had to explain this to them), is it my fault that we have a glass front door? NO, it is not - we're renting. But, as I said when we moved in, glass be damned, I'll helping the environment (really, I promise).

So, the nice people who stopped by with Office Johnson left us and boy have we had a great time since then. We went for a walk this afternoon. Strangely enough, our neighbors didn't say hello and one lady made a strange, yet hurtful, jesture in our direction. Well, I can't help if we disturbed their peaceful little neighborhood. We live here too!

I'm rambling, but suffice it to say, we're doing well. Still alive and kicking and our food situation was greatly helped by all the nice people who were at the house during Days 2 & 3. I suspect we may have enough leftovers for Days 5 & 6 if we play our cards right.

Ok, its bath time. NOT mine!!! Put the phones down - its time to bathe the human tornado. Again, thank you for your concern and support :)

Disclaimer: Days 2 & 3 were not spent with a certain state agency - at least that's the story I'm sticking to :) Cheers to all.

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A week without a wife - Report / Day 1

2010-01-12T17:17:00.001-08:00

Tuesday - January, 11, 2010

Project - Week without a wife

Status: Day 1 complete

Report - Day 1: Today was like any other day. Except that I didn't have time to shower, a 2nd cup of coffee and I am wearing two mismatched socks. The mismatched socks are fairly typical, but today I place the blame solely on the fact that I had to run from my bedroom closet to the bathroom where an impromptu bubble bath was going on in the sink. Our daughter (almost 4 - going on 13) felt it was necessary to bathe her barbies while, at the same time, challenging the very plumbing infrastructure within our home.

Observations from Day 1

1. If your better half is going out of town for an extended period of time, it is best to determine where your daughter actually goes to school before their departure. And, more importantly, it would be best to go there prior to their leaving so you can introduce yourself. Otherwise, you find yourself in the uncomfortable 'Stranger Danger' situation where you are being asked for identification and then your daughter is being asked if she recognizes the strange man who has shown up on time in the hopes of retrieving her.

2. Food - while delicious and nourishing - does NOT prepare itself. Now, call me the master of the Pop Tart, the guru of Lucky Charms, the Miyagi of PB & J, but the top half of the metal box in our house and the icy contents within it still confuse me. So, as an apparent boost to the local Danville economy, there will be an upswing in restaurant attendance this week due to the oven not working correctly in my house. Ssshhhh - that's the story I'm going with - heck, she's across the country - I'll just tell her I had it fixed before she gets home.

3. Toys, Toys, Toys - much like the one hit wonders Baha Men shouted about the dogs, I find myself asking, Who Let the Toys Out! But, instead of the WHO, WHO, WHO chanting afterwards, I have chosen to include the phrase, OUCH, OUCH, OUCH. Holy crap! My daughter is not 4 years old, yet she possesses the inner workings of a Category 4 Tornado with its eye set on a trailer park. Our house is small and the now random littering of barbies, toy cards, stuffed animals, sippy cups, crayons, clothes (why are there clothes out?), shoes (see previous question), dog snacks (WHO, WHO, WHO) and much, much more make it seem like mine field with only small areas where one can breath. As I type this, I find myself at my desk surrounded by coloring books, Little Tikes toys and a random sock (WHAT?).

In closing, Day 1 went well. In the same way a boat takes on water and everyone thinks they're going to die, but ultimately they make it to shore - so, that kind of well.

Stay tuned, if Day 2 & 3 go as well, I may need to permanent therapy.

DISCLAIMER (had to include this, right?) - I am fine. The contents of this update were meant to be humorous and as I type this, there is a pork roast cooking on the stove. Really? No, I swear! Please do not call me - I am perfectly fine.

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Sometimes, this how my 'Start Up' life feels . . .

2010-01-07T15:36:00.001-08:00

*Warning - Do not try this at home!

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Great commercial - good to see smart, subtle humor alive and well.

2009-12-18T16:20:00.001-08:00

Arnold Palmer making an Arnold Palmer - classic!

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@square - who knew a little piece of plastic could do so much?

2009-12-01T16:54:00.001-08:00

First off, congrats to @square and the official launch of their little white cube. I'm sure they call it something else, but hey, this is my quasi-review.

I just got done reading a bit about the company on their web site and viewed the Techcrunch interview with Jack Dorsey seen here:

So, why am I bothering to write about a piece of plastic that seemingly does the job of what so many other credit card machines do throughout the course of our daily lives. Well, because I feel that @square is extremely appealing to a HUGE market that has been so frustrated with the choices within the market when it comes to credit card acceptance.

As a former small business owner, I can tell you that finding the right credit card company to allow me to accept cards is a mind-numbing experience. Monthly fees, contracts, cancellation fees, percentages that vary and equipment that can be quite difficult to work and keep operational. Now, I don't know what @square is charging, but their site says no monthly fees and no contracts and in the video it refers to them giving the little white plastic plug-in away to some merchants for free. So, I am assuming they're earning revenue through the percentage charged to the retail partner.

Even so, by eliminated the nightmare that small businesses go through and tapping right into the mobile phone which is ever present in our daily lives, they are tearing down barriers and make the decision making process simple. And, when you're running a small business, simple is GOOD.

Now, having said that (Seinfeld anyone?) @square doesn't strike me as something that big box retail organizations would want to use. For many reasons, but the exchanging of the phone for information and the fragility of the units themselves. Apple stores use this technology with their own proprietary equipment that also includes a nifty bar code scanner and those things are built for the industrial type of use for that environment.

Alas, I must again congratulate the team over at @square - I think this is a product whose time has come!

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Channeling my inner Obi-Wan "This is the Droid I was looking for"

2009-10-28T16:20:00.001-07:00

WANT!

The Countdown Begins!

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Argh! We caught the Spongebob monster!

2009-10-25T15:30:00.001-07:00

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The world works in mysterious ways - a new chapter

2009-10-19T11:27:00.001-07:00

Do you ever wonder why things work out the way they do? Call it Karma, call it destiny or just plain luck, but usually there is a cycle to how things happen.

So, today I find myself laughing, albeit a joyous laugh as I have decided to join up with a new organization. I won't lie, it has taken some time to find the right group of people and the right product. In the end, I have gone through quite a maze of companies, cities and ideas only to wind up working with people in different parts of the world.

So, I've moved from Arizona to San Francisco with the goal of finding the right fit. Only to now be working with a team out of New York, Rhode Island, Oklahoma and Hong Kong! Ahh, will the wonder of the Internet and its ability to bring people together ever cease? This opportunity would never have been possible without it. And, moving forward, it will be the very backbone of how I will interact at so many levels with these very people.

On an obvious note, I have some traveling to do in the next few months in order to get up to speed. So, I need to look into some frequent flier mile programs :)

As for the company - well, that is a story for another day. For now, it is under wraps prefers to be in stealth mode. And I shall proceed forward continuing to unravel this mystery that we all call life.

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"Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination" Willy Wonka ala Maroon 5

2009-10-06T15:43:00.001-07:00

Great movie! Great song! Just love this version by Maroon 5.

For no good reason, I just ran across this and thought I'd share. Cheers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWGeCqszY8s

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Orson Welles 2.0 – “We will sell no virtual currency before its time”

2009-10-05T09:42:00.001-07:00

Ok, so this is a deep reference to a 1980’ish commercial for Paul Masson wine where Orson Welles says, “We will sell no wine before its time”. Very catchy and it was VERY popular. Heck, I wasn’t too old, but it obviously stuck in my head as I thought of it as I was putting a title to this bit of writing. The video is below.

Regardless of the unique title – the statement is true. Virtual currency is back and in a BIG way. Just check out what’s going on with in this payment space right now - http://www.insidesocialgames.com/category/payments/ . With the explosion of social gaming, this category is growing by leaps and bounds and is being run by some very talented individuals.

However, if some of these payment platforms and proprietary solutions seem familiar, it is because they are. Remember Whoopie Goldberg and her commercials talking about the new payment method, Flooz? How about Cybercash, Digicash or Beanz? In actual calendar years, this wasn’t too long ago (2001). However, in the social/Web 2.0 world, it’s like night and day.

Back when Flooz and it competitors were operational, they had to convince online stores to reconfigure their shopping carts to accept their proprietary money. Then, they had to figure out how to get these funds into people’s hands so they could spend it at the online shops who the sold in the first place. Chicken meet the Egg. Flooz went about it by selling corporations on giving their currency away as incentives. Heck, they took in $50M in VC, but still managed to flame out in September, 2001.

Today, it’s a whole different ballgame. With social gaming growing at the astronomical pace it is, there is a need for virtual currency. Not only because of the ‘micro-nature’ of the transactions and prohibitive cost of credit card transactions. But, because for many of these companies, giving away this virtual currency is the perfect methodology to grow their customer base. No coupons to type in. No 30 day free trial. Just give them a $5 virtual currency gift card when they purchase another product and they can be up and running in no time.

And, virtual currency also doesn’t come with many of the headaches that other prepaid/debt instruments come with. The monthly and/or transactional fees with these products are less or do not exist at all. The ‘breakage’ rules, or regulations concerning expired cards/accounts, are much less stringent of a proprietary currency than they are with other payment instruments utilizing the big credit card names.

However, maybe the best argument for virtual currency is the teenager. The have expendable income and are a driving force in the growth of social gaming in so many of the platforms right now. They lack credit cards, so virtual currency is perfectly suited for them.

Will all of these payment methods be successful? No. But, virtual currency seems to have risen from the ashes at a great time to ensure some success for more than a few players.

So, take heed of Mr. Orson Welles 2.0 – he was right with the wine, I think virtual currency just took a little aging to get it right.

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2006 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon - Sebastiani Vineyards FTW!

2009-10-03T18:07:00.001-07:00

Just a quick shout out to Sebastiani Vineyards and the Sommelier (had to look up the spelling) that recommended this wine.

It is just a great all around bottle of wine.

Of course, I'm no expert, but I know what I like. And, best of all, I found it at Safeway for $10 marked down from $18.

And, for they're based in Sonoma, so it feels like I'm propping up the local economy. At least, that's what I'm telling myself as I pour another glass.

So, give it a try - can't hurt, right?

CHEERS!

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Is it just me or is this Iran situation eerily similar to Team America w/ Hans & Kim Jong II?

2009-10-01T13:09:00.001-07:00

I was just catching up on this Iran situation in the news where global leaders were meeting in Switzerland to strongly talk to Iran about complying with the UN.

And, I am thinking - haven't I seen this before (much like deja vu). And, then it occurs to me. Yes! I have seen this almost exact scene played out before. Courtesy of Team America: World Police made by Trey Parker & Matt Stone.

All you have to do is swap out Kim Jong with Iran and you are pretty much watching the exact situation.

Hans Blix in Kim Jong Il's palace
Hans Blix: Let me look around, so I can ease the UN's collective mind.
Kim Jong Il: Hans, ya-breakin' my balls here, Hans, ya breakin' my balls!
Hans Blix: I'm sorry, but the UN must be firm with you. Let me see your whole palace, or else...
Kim Jong Il: Or erse what?
Hans Blix: Or else we will be very, very angry with you... And we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are.

Coincidence? I will let you decide.

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Startups - you can learn a lot from a bear mascot dressed in a bird suit. @brizzly

2009-09-30T09:08:00.001-07:00

I tend to sign up for a lot of alpha and beta testing because I like to see what is new and how people think. As a result, I have seen a lot of ingenious ideas and some really bad ones. Either way, it is something I enjoy doing and it keeps new ideas churning in my brain.

Yesterday, I found myself completing a survey on behalf of Brizzly. Why? Well, you could say it's because their mascot is so darn cute that I couldn't resist.

But, in reality, it was because they asked.

Yes, that's the simple reason that I completed their survey. You would think that a survey would be commonplace and that with all of the alpha/beta tests I participate in that this would have been just another step in the process. However, Brizzly was the first company in quite a while that actually requested that their users answer some questions in order to assist them in making a better product.

And, to their credit, these weren't multiple choice questions. So, in the end, the team over there is going to have to sit down and do some serious reading in order to parse through the responses. I hope that their offices are near a local coffee shop because they are going to need it. However, they now have some invaluable data and may have potentially obtained some new direction for their company.

In the last year, I have alpha or beta tested no less than a couple dozen products - this was my first user survey that I was asked to complete on behalf of product that I was 'testing'.

So, if your startup is constantly soliciting feedback with surveys and other methodologies, congratulations. If you're not doing this, take a few notes on how Brizzly is doing it and follow in those little bear footsteps - you can learn a lot!

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@ replies that make me laugh OR "Rest areas are the bath houses of the 90's"

2009-09-29T20:10:00.001-07:00

Have you ever received an @reply on Twitter that absolutely makes no sense. It's from a bot that caught a key word in your tweet and suddenly your graced with a bunch of useless information.

Today, I mentioned the word, "coupon" and I received an @reply letting me know how many coupons are used in the US. Wow! Really? Because I was just wondering about that when I was actually making a point about a coupon oriented section of a web site.

It immediately reminded me of the movie There's Something About Mary. When Ben Stiller is sitting in the therapist's chair and is talking about pulling over at a rest area.

And, the therapist says, without having listened to anything her actually said, "You know Ted, rest areas are the bath houses of the 90's".

Oh well, rack it up as more useless knowledge for me to possess.

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Manners - Where have they gone? Did the Economy or the Internet do them in?

2009-09-29T14:47:00.001-07:00

“Thank you all for coming. For those of you who knew Manners, you were amongst the luck ones. Manners was a kind, generous soul who made everyone’s life just a little brighter for having known him. Many of us are better people for having known Manners and it is a sad day for those who will never get a chance to learn from him and pass on his knowledge to the people in their lives.”

Of course, we’re not truly eulogizing manners, but you have to ask yourself, “Where have they gone?”

This is just more of an observation and not finger pointing. I have just noticed over the last year or so a noticeable lacking of professional manners from individuals and organizations. It is as if manners never existed at all in some of these instances.

These days, it just seems as though people can’t be bothered. It is because the economy has us just so unsettled we have forgotten these basic manners? Are companies so understaffed that personnel have pushed aside simple manners in order to save time?

Or, has the Internet done away with such niceties? Gone are the days of personal cover letters and applications. Now, we just attach documents and submit them with very little given to the presentation. Why? It just doesn’t seem to matter all that much since you can do it in such bulk.

Has Social Media and its brief, stutter-step, impersonal approach made most people forget what it is to draft an appropriate note? I have noticed a large downturn in the use of manners since we evolved past email and into this ever growing world that is Web 2.0 and beyond.

I tend to think it is a mixture of both – almost like a Perfect Storm. But, it is my hope that this is a temporary situation that will remedy itself once saner, and more prosperous, times prevail.

So, do yourself a favor and take the time to write a thank you note, reply to somebody in something more than 140 characters or just by writing on their Wall. Let’s make an effort to keep from truly eulogizing such an important part of our lives.

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Caught up with Flash Forward over the weekend - this moment converted me into a regular viewer

2009-09-28T17:01:00.001-07:00

via video.google.com

I must have played this segment at LEAST 5 times.

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I visited the Raider Nation and I all got was this lousy tshirt

2009-09-28T08:56:00.001-07:00

It is no secret to anyone that knows me that I am not the biggest sports fan. However, when I was asked to go to the Oakland Raiders game yesterday by a good friend, I jumped at the chance.

However, I knew I was going somewhere 'different' when I received a text that said, "Don't wear any other team jerseys to the game - just wear black if you have it". Well, never fear - I don't own any game jerseys, so I was safe there.

Flash forward a couple hours and HELLO - welcome to Raider Nation!

WOW! WOW! - such a scene! Such devotion! I was impressed and amazed by the Raider Nation loyalists and the utter devotion they show to their team.

Now, flash forward to the end of the 4th quarter and picture most of these same people booing their own home team. A team that played SO HORRIBLY that I was reminded of a bad high school game or a Hollywood movie where a special 'secret' play was needed to come from behind. But, it was not to be. The Raiders went on to lose - going down in FLAMES - leaving many in the Raider Nation looking more than a little PO'd.

I have lived in Detroit and Phoenix. So, I know bad football teams - TRUST ME on that. But, yesterday was an enlightening experience showing me just how truly terrible a team can play and still be considered a professional franchise. (Ouch! That hurts, but its true).

So, Raider Nation - thank you! You made the trip worth while as did the guys I went with. No thanks to the actual football game though for making it a unique and interesting Sunday.

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There's just something special about finding an old bridge in the woods while hiking

2009-09-26T13:40:00.001-07:00

Las Trampas Wilderness Area - Bollinger Canyon Trail

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@threadsy - I guess I didn't know how 'untied' I really was . . .

2009-09-26T09:13:00.001-07:00

"Pull Yourself Together Man!"

This is a line I've heard in movies, music and in life. But, until I received an invite in early August to try out Threadsy, I didn't realize that I was the very person who needed to listen to this statement.

I've used a lot (A LOT!) of products when they were in their alpha and beta stages. Its something I really enjoy. And, most of the time, I come away with mixed feelings - that there's lots of work to be done before it can be released into the wild.

Threadsy immediately struck me as different. Why? Because in a matter of 10 minutes, I came to realize that I no longer needed the other 4 browser windows open in order to maintain my Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo & Gmail accounts. Threadsy was displaying them and refreshing the screen regularly to show updates, replies and more. Even better, I now have biographies to go with many of the people in my email boxes. It seems that Threadsy puts a face to email when such biographical information exists on the Internet.

I had the pleasure to meet with Rob Goldman (CEO) briefly at his office before he presented at TechCrunch 50. He is an impressive individual and after seeing him present, its no wonder that Threadsy earned a 2nd place nod.

I see lots of potential for Threadsy in the future and many paths to definitive revenue. I have my own ideas, but I'm sure Rob and his team are well ahead of me.

If you haven't signed up to test it out, do yourself a favor - sign up and "Pull Yourself Together".

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Twitter To Do List??

2009-09-25T14:44:00.001-07:00

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Twitter raises new significant round ($100MM?) - Good for them!

2009-09-25T11:58:00.001-07:00

Yes, Evan Williams confirmed raising a 'significant round of funding' today - http://blog.twitter.com/2009/09/new-twitter-funding.html

Good for them!

There's going to be no shortage of naysayers and negative comments regarding their 'lack of revenue' or that they don't have a business model in place. To these people, there is not a lot that I could say to overcome your objections. However, I find it ironic that so many of these people find themselves within this incredibly unique platform on a daily basis. Whether it be to communicate, build applications, obtain news or just simply passing along a funny Youtube video.

You see, from my perspective, its the platform that all of these investors are looking at. Who knows how many applications these days find themselves either dependent on or leaning on the Twitter world as a means of fully communicating with their audience. Salesforce introduced Social CRM with Twitter integration. Lithium Technologies has a vast array of social CRM applications that utilize Twitter. And, with this weeks launch of @oneforty (http://www.oneforty.com), its evident that hundreds if not thousands of companies that pinning their hopes for revenue and/or acquisition on building viable applications that depend on the Twitter platform.

That aside, I am a believer that you don't raise this type of capital without some very smart people on board. There are just too many opportunities for them to plug into in order to acquire revenue. So, here's to a bright future for Twitter and the many roads that it will travel.

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Koda.us (@kodaus) - is this where the future of candidate profiles is going? I hope so #FF

2009-09-25T08:58:00.001-07:00

The other day Robert Scoble (@scobleizer) announced his 24K (holy cow!) tweet by giving some props to KODA. He said he picked it out because it helps people get jobs.

So, curiosity took hold of me and I signed up for KODA. The UI is clean and the steps to sign up are intuitive and easy to do. It takes some time, but the end result is pretty unique. I have been on LinkedIn for a while and I've always been a little disappointed in the overall functionality. Having been in the unique position of having been a entrepreneur/hiring manager, a candidate and also an executive headhunter (read: Jack of All Trades), KODA seems to have filled the void that I was seeing in LinkedIn.

They do it with the simple philosophy: That you are more than a resume

While this thought process or sentiment is not unique, KODA truly lets you customize your profile is many ways. It lets you upload videos in addition to multiple photos. This alone would give an interested employer an idea of your presentation abilities. Then, it lets you summarize your personality, background, etc. in your own words. In fact, the employment history section is just one of 8 or so sections that you can fill out.

Now, LinkedIn does allow for this type of creative writing in the summary section, but the focus on LinkedIn (to me) has always been to be a glorified resume. They could adjust to allow for videos - this is something that I'd like to see all candidate related sites do. I'm sure that they could duplicate many of the features that KODA is offering without too much issue.

But, for now, KODA seems to be headed in the right direction by letting the candidates be more than a 2 page piece of paper. Nice job.

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I Am An Unknown Shape

2009-06-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Well, if the title doesn't have you a little confused or intrigued, then I didn't do a good job.

You see, I am am unknown shape. Apparently, and unbeknownst to me, all people somehow fit into a box in life. Some are circles, some are squares and some are triangles. However, in the last few months of my life, as I have been traveling and speaking with organizations all over this great land of ours, I have been told more times than not that I don’t fit into the ‘box’ that they had built for the job.

For many years of my life, this was considered an attribute by everyone that had met me or that knew me well. In fact, I cannot recall how many times I was asked to assist with projects or head up certain areas within a company where I was not originally supposed to be. Why did this happen? Time and time again, I was told it was because I was a 'Jack of All Trades' and that I could learn quickly and be up to speed faster than anyone in the organization. I always enjoyed this aspect of my life as I have a passion for learning new things and I've always been very quick to become knowledgeable about a subject, method, process, software, etc.

For those of you who are reading this and don't know me, my background is that of an Entrepreneurial mutt. My background could be broken down as follows:

Bought a franchise out of college (parent company went out of business & lost everything)
Worked as a private investigator (great jobs/great stories)
Started web company (taught myself how to code while traveling as a PI)
Joined ecommerce start up as ops/webmaster and helped raise capital (3 dimensional - way ahead of its time - went out of business)
Recruited to build new ecommerce venture as 'everything guy' writing biz plan, ui, product & project management, biz dev - heck, you name it (raised $35 million and company still operates to this day)
Left above start up/recruited to form new start up as VP/Board member - new Visa prepaid product (raised $5 million - great product/sales ahead of schedule - 9/11 happened and a lot of things went wrong/investors hijacked company)
Injured in scuba diving accident and rehabbed for about 9 months to learn how to talk & walk again (long story, but even longer for my wife as this happened on our honeymoon)
Back to the job market and no tech jobs to be found in AZ after dot come bubble and I was a bit nervous to enter the market due to previous injury - took a role at Wells Fargo (mortgages, ugh, its a job for some people, but not for me)
Was recruited out of Wells by Robert Half International (took them 7 months to convince me)
Worked at RHI for 4.5 years - flexible job - kept me in touch with a lot of organizations - phenomenal $$ as it related to my portfolio
While at RHI, got the dot com/biz bug again and started new retail/ecommerce business with my family. Business took off and was featured on NBCs The Today Show, People magazine and more.
Recession hit and RHI and my portfolio took a tumble causing me to look back on my roots of working with the Internet realm as I continued to expand the family's business

Suffice to say, I have a lot of good stories that go along with my life. I have always enjoyed taking it all in and making the most of it.

But, as you can imagine, when looking at me as a prospective team member, many organizations don't know what to make of me. And, as I pointed out before, I am definitely not a circle, square or triangle. I'm a very personable guy who truly enjoys talking with people, so in my meetings, I have always gotten along extremely well within everyone I have spoken to.

However, given everything that I bring to the table (knowledge, energy, passion and the desire to push forward), my search for the right organization seems to be hindered by the fact that I do not fit into one of these forementioned boxes. I've been told that the team thinks that I'll get bored easy in the role, that the manager felt that I had more experience and that I wouldn't want to stay put for long, that they are not sure where I would fit in given that I am equally qualified for multiple roles and that this is cause for some concern. I have many more of these comments, but I hope that I'm making my point.

You see, I'm truly excited to take on my next big adventure. My approach is that if I possess additional knowledge above and beyond what is required for the role, then I can only be an asset. I just want to contribute, work hard and make whatever organization that finds me a solid fit a better place to be.

I am hopeful that in my job search I will find an organization that has an unknown need to fill a undefined role where the boundaries are flexible and my background is the perfect fit.

Know of something? Let me know, I'd love to hear about it.

The Return to My Blog

2009-06-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I've been on this blog. I started it with good intentions as I was just getting into my search for the next big company that I would join.

But, as we've all heard so many times lately, a lot of things came up and I was pulled in a lot of directions. Between doing a full front & back end renovation of my family's business - www.fijitimeswim.com and interviewing with companies in various states across the country, I've had little to than to do much more than the semi-daily Twitter entries to just stay connected.

Oh, and there's email - of which, I have 5 separate accounts. Yikes!

Anyway, I'm back and will be posting on a regular basis. I've also decided to point my personal domain name www.jpomie.com to this blog as it will serve as home base for a lot of my personal & social locations on the web.

Sixth Street, SXSW & Sacca - An 'Almost 40' Year Old Virgin's look at the SXSW Interactive Conference

2009-03-17T23:02:00.000-07:00

The title hopefully got your attention and I will do my absolute best to keep it as I write my unique look into the 2009 SXSW Interactive conference.

Part I: First, lets address the title so I can set a tone for the entire blog. The most crucial piece to address is that I AM almost 40 years old, but I can assure you as will my wife, that I am not a virgin. I was, however, a virgin when it came to this conference. SXSW has always been something I had wanted to go to, but I frankly hadn't found it pressing enough to attend or I just didn't have the time.

So, what's different this year. Well, A LOT! I made a conscious decision in February of this year to focus on what would make me happy (for those of you at SXSW, see the presentations by @garyvee and @zappos)and get back into a technology oriented role. Along with this, my family and I decided it would be best for us to relocate to the San Francisco area from Phoenix as I embark on this change.

Now, take all of this into account and understand that the conference started on Friday and I made the decision to fly out without knowing ANYONE on Friday morning. I did this for a couple reasons - one, to determine what was current in the industry in terms of companies, technology and social media. Second, thanks to Twitter, I had followed a number of influential people in the SF Bay area and I knew they were going to be there. These reasons prompted me to board a flight at 6 p.m. on Friday night and arrive in Austin right around midnight.

But, before I get ahead of myself, I must digress back to the title. 6th Street. This is self explanatory for anyone who has been to Austin, but for those who haven't, 6th Street is a collection of bars, restaurants, tattoo parlors, billiard halls, piercing shops and other assorted shops. Its unique and has people from every walk of life walking down the street at any given time. However, on Saturday night they block it off and the people move about in the street - its has a New Orleans/French Quarter vibe going late in the night. The people watching is fantastic! I found myself walking up and down the street at 1 a.m. just watching the different types of people (SXSW geeks with badges, college students, tattoed musicians) go from bar to bar.

But, what's with the 'Sacca' in my title. Well, simply put, this refers to Chris Sacca or as known on Twitter, @sacca. Not that a title is important, but if I am going to add a catchy name in there, I felt his moniker was a perfect fit. For those who don't know Chris (and, let me declare that I do not know him), he is an ex-Googler, lawyer, venture capitalist and I'm sure many more things. The reason I chose to use his name in my blog title about SXSW is that he was, without issue, the friendliest of all of those people on Twitter that I had been following and was fortunate to have met up with during my time in Austin.

About a week prior to going to Austin, I had sent Chris an unsolicited email asking for his insight into a couple things involving my move to the Bay area and my approach to those companies within the area. I did not expect an immediate answer. Heck, I wasn't too sure I would get one altogether given that he receives a lot of emails on a daily basis. But, to my surprise, I received a very nice reply from him before the end of that same day. To say I was shocked - not only by the reply, but by the detailed response - would be an understatement.

So, as I found myself in Austin, Chris Sacca was somebody I was going to try to at least find, introduce myself to and thank for his timely and personal response. There's a lot to the story (and I will tell it in detail as I embark on this blog), but I accidentally bumped into Chris in the most unlikely of places. He was not only was a nice person, but he recognized my name and immediately put it with the email that he had received not a week earlier. He had some friends with him and made the effort to introduce me to them all the while letting them know about my email and my trek to SXSW. We talked for a bit and I eventually left to mingle amongst the rest of the SXSW crowd that Saturday night.

I'll definitely get more into this meeting later on.

So, why am I writing this blog? Well, I feel that its my best way to analyze my trip and express what I learned and what I thought of the whole SXSW experience. I'm going to do my best to summarize my first ever SXSW trip, talk about some of the people I met and give my opinion about the conference and those presentations within it.

Ok, so let get started and blog about my trip. My trip from Phoenix, through El Paso, to Austin was uneventful and I made it to the Austin Hilton after riding with possibly the slowest cab driver EVER. At one point, I thought about getting out of the cab and taking a chance on walking towards the downtown.

So, checked in about midnight, bags up in the room and there is no way I was going to remain in the room. Out the door, down 21 floors and in search of the hotel bar. It didn't take but a moment - I just walked towards the loud buzz of voices. Upon entering I noticed a lot of badges and obviously many technical looking people chatting amongst themselves. A Fat Tire beer was ordered and I stood and took it all in.

I ended up ponying up to the bar and sat next to a guy named Ryan. Ryan, as it turned out, was one of the guys from @LostZombies and, in his own words, was a very energetic talker. I actually liked his energy and I was actually surprised to realize that I knew of Lost Zombies as I had run across them on Plinky.com (I write there quite a bit - see my writings here). And, after Ryan mentioned it, I had read a story about some construction signs being changed to a 'Warning! Zombies Ahead' - very cool.

I ended up talking with Ryan until close and chose to wrap up my first night about 2 a.m. It was a good start and I was extremely energized for the start of the next day. Ryan, thanks for kicking my trip off with the right energy!

Ok, so you get the point. I'm not here to bore you with my meals and the intracacies of my seating position. Just setting the tone.

So, the next day, I was up, showered and out the door. Food and coffee were found at the hotel coffee shop and I made my way to acquire my badge. This was a simple process and suddenly I was LEGIT and ready to walk around and attend anything I wanted.

But, what was my plan? What was I going to do? There were thousands of people at the conference and all of them had a plan, right? Oh jeez, maybe this trip wasn't such a good idea. I'm reading through this pamphlet and trying to figure out how it all works and nothing is clicking. I looked for anything or anyone that sounded familiar.

So, with this in mind, I found myself right back in the Hilton on the 4th floor. I moved into a presentation on building a more RESTful web. Now, the room was half full and after chatting with a couple people, I realize that I was in a technical presentation. My first reaction was to move on as my specialty is not engineering or coding. But, I elected to hang out and listen. I'm glad I did as I found myself truly engaged and intersted.

Now, anyone who I know on the personal level in Arizona would have jumped up, ran out the door and screamed, "MASSAGE" less than 5 minutes into the presentation. But, I sat there, listened and felt comfortable with the technical infrastructure talk going on. I though the presenter did a good job getting his point across and had put together a good job on his slides, etc.

After the presentation, the Q & A started up and this is when I started to internally laugh. Why? Well, because the bulk of the group were engineers, it was a given that there was going to be some interesting questions and disagreements. I was not let down - the cage battle of appropriate code was ON. I stuck around for 10 minutes of it, but after 1 very huffy individual kept questioning and nitpicking, I decided it was time to move on.

Next stop? Oh crap, back to the schedule pamphlet. Wait, a glimmer of hope - a light at the end of the tunnel. A presentation that I wanted to see! Yes, Yes, Yes - off I went. Where, you ask? Well, I headed over to the convention center, the 3rd floor to see Dave Morin of Facebook speak on the Facebook platform and some new releases.

Not only was I interested in learning more about the platform, Facebook Connect and anything new, I had briefly communicated with Dave and I wanted to meet him. Well, it appeared that I was not the only one who wanted to see this presentation. It was a packed house - I sat next to a couple nice people who were doing some great stock oriented technology out of Austin.

Coming up next: Part II - The Facebook presentation, my first walk amongst SXSW/Austin's downtown district and man, my legs HURT!