Richard Bakare - Blog

February 2012 - Helping Others

2012-02-28T10:12:00.001-05:00

I want to use this month's post to help a couple of friends with their fundraising efforts. The first is my friend and former boss Ted Pappas. He has spent the past month running from home to work and back to raise money for the wonderful kids at Stripling Elementary.

His company, Corus360, believes that impacting the lives of children in our community is an important part of giving back. As the leaders of our future, their experiences now contribute to both their intellectual and emotional growth that will one day empower them to make a difference. That is why Corus360 Cares is dedicating their Spring 2012 project, Help Ted Run 4 Playground Equipment, to the children at Stripling Elementary. Starting back on February 1st of this year, Ted Pappas, agreed to run to and from their corporate office building every day until the end of the month. His daily running commute was around 12 miles. Ted’s goal was to run rather than drive his car every working day during the fundraiser for a total of 252 miles in the month of February.

The second cause I wanted to help promote is the Georgia State Champion Lazers Women’s Soccer Team. They have just completed another successful season. This time they capped their fall season with an incredible victory in New Orleans where they won the top division of the Mardi Gras Women’s Soccer Tournament. As the two-time Champions of the United States Adult Soccer Assn. GAWSA (Greater Atlanta Women's Soccer Assn.) Division 1 flight, they are heading into the spring season as the reigning Georgia State Champions! Their next stop is the Region III Tournament of the National Cup, to be played at the Houston Amateur Sports Park, home of the Houston Dynamo Men’s pro soccer team. This is where they need your financial help.

The Region III Tournament will include state champion teams from Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and two teams from Texas. This is an opportunity for them to represent adult Women's Soccer in Georgia, and compete against the top adult female soccer players in the US. While this is considered an amateur tournament, the dissolution of the Women’s Professional Soccer league grants even ex-pro’s amateur status.

If they reach the National Finals, they would play on the home field of the Chicago Fire, and the match will be televised nationally. The GAWSA will help with the entry fee, and the Georgia Soccer Association may help them with the required tournament travel bond. This is a tremendous show of confidence in the team. But they still need your help to raise money to ensure that they can bring their full roster and represent Georgia and adult women's soccer. They are a talented, dynamic, dedicated group of women. But without the funds, They simply cannot make this trip to the United States Soccer Association’s Region III Tournament of the National Cup.

Their team consists of dedicated female athletes who coach girl’s high school soccer, teach special education, attend graduate school and work at various jobs in our area. They are anchored by our wonderful coach, Frank Chillemi, who has been coaching the Lazers form the very beginning. The tournament will take place over Memorial Day weekend, giving them just three months to reach their goal. Please consider making a contribution to help us get there- any amount will be greatly appreciated!

Here is how you can help: Donate

January 2012 - Fighting Complacency

2012-01-31T15:45:00.001-05:00

I titled this post to correspond with my over arching endeavor for 2012. That goal being to, as I like to call it, be deadly focused. Meaning that like a steamroller, I want to move swiftly and uncompromisngly through whatever I am working at. Entering the new year I didn't want to rattle off a long list of a half dozen cupcake resolutions that, like for most people, will probably be forgotten after a while. To be fair, I did throw a few up on my website for the fun of it, but as you can see below, they aren't your typical eat healthier, work out more, be nicer type of stuff.

Finish an Ironman.
Be more direct in speaking.
Solve teleportation or time travel.

I may or may not complete these (feeling confident about the time travel thing). What I do want to do, however, is resolve myself to fighting the one thing that often hinders people from seeing their resolutions through. Complacency! For those who know me closely, you'll know that I started a new position with a new company after 4 and a half years with my previous one. Since I switched, I have come to learn one thing; I wrapped up my tenure (at least the last two years of it) at my previous gig in a state of complacency so bad, that I think I literally regressed intellectually. I don't want to completely trash my old employer, it was at least half my fault. I will say that the stagnant nature of the role made for a less ambitious and driven professional me.

In short, complacency kills. For me, it was brain cells. My professional and technical skills deteriorated in a way that I am nearly ashamed of. I think I had so much great progress in my athletic and personal life that I naturally assumed my professional self was advancing as well. It was bad enough assuming like I did, but it would be worse to leave things as they are. I can only go about changing things by utilizing the same approach I take with other aspects of my life. Through behavioral analysis, high energy and metrics, I hope to become the most well balanced and complete me yet.

In my personal life I am a big user of many online resources and tools to help Angela and I stay organized and moving forward. I use lifehacker to get great tips on how to become more efficient and productive. We use pageonce to keep the finances in order and bills paid. TripIt and Kayak come in handy for maximizing vacation days, since we love to travel. Of course runkeeper is the absolute definitive means for recording and analyzing athletic performance. However, I do hope to employ more professional coaching to get additional feedback and motivation to take my athletic performance to a new level.

Likewise, it is professionally that I will have to identify new tools and methods to help me advance. I've already begun to leverage codecademy to help me get my technical skills back in line. I'm also working at a goal to read more career related texts. I'll leverage conferences and meet ups for peer input and advice. Also, while I love music and movies, I've been trying to listen more to news radio, add documentaries back in the mix, and get the hell out of the house to work on something worthwhile (like this blog) on weekends. Ultimately, I hope not to check off that I read 'X' number of books or went to so many events; but that I can look back and see real and measurable improvement from where I was at whenever the next life change should happen. "All things change in a dynamic environment, you're effort to remain what you are is what limits you." - Ghost in the Shell. I used to love this quote, it's time I reconnected with it.

Buying Performance

2011-12-31T16:10:00.001-05:00

This is my last blog post of 2011. I thought it would be a good idea to post on a topic that dominated most of 2011 for me and will consume a lot of my time in 2012. Not hard to guess, it's athletics. Specifically, I want to talk about the ability to buy performance gains in sports. While most performance enhancing drugs (PED's) are banned, I have come to learn that money can directly correlate to results outside of PED's. Let me be clear, I am not advocating doping at all. I'm just want to share my experiences this year on how applying money towards the right personal training, supplements and equipment can directly effect your performance and also how it can bastardize competition by making for an uneven playing field.

I accomplished quite a bit this year and covered a lot of distance in training. PR's fall all over the place, consistent top 5 finishes, and more events this year than almost all the previous combined. However, unlike past years, I experienced significantly less pain, recovered faster and performed better than I had previously. I chalk all this up to a combination of experience, better training techniques, and efficiently applying funds from my fitness budget towards supplements, equipment and training. Some of my spending included the following:

High end performance powder drink mixes (accelerade, etc @ $25-35 a tub every 2 months).
Performance foods (Roctane, Cliff Turbo, Stinger, etc @ $1.50 each @ 30-60 pieces a month).
L-Glutamine powder for recovery ($20 per bottle every 2 months).
Bottled water (three to four 24 packs at $20 a month).
Compression recovery socks (3-4 pairs at about $40-50 a pair).
Bike tuning 1-2 times per year ($80 per bike per tune up).
Personal swim training coach ($100-300 a month).
Gym membership at $30 a month.
Competition specific shoes, clothes, supplies (i.e. swim suits, goggles, bib belt, hats, gloves, arm sleeves, helmets, etc, name your price - $$$).
Countless bottles of detergent, $-you tell me.
And the list can go on and on and on… The results however, like currently being ranked 2nd place in my main competition series, warrant the costs.

In contrast to my own regimen, check out the exhausting routine of this International Triathlon Champion who likens his fitness spending to legally buying PED's and the flack he has gotten for it. Now, while his approach may be like using a sledgehammer to kill ants; it's not that different from the guy who buys a $10,000 carbon Cervelo aero bike vs the $400 entry level Fuji and crushes the competition in the bike portion of a triathlon. No one would say that the $10k bike owner was using PED's or that someone who uses the $1,200 TYR Freak of Nature wetsuit (though suits aren't regularly allowed) was using PED's; but aren't they kind of, even a little bit. USA Triathlon is generally hypocritical when it comes to points like this.

While it remains that I like that so many people are getting into triathlons, it's painfully obvious to identify the have's from the have nots at every event. I think most sports should Introduce competition classes if possible (pro tool users, pro-ametuer, beginners). There is a measurable impact that access to advanced equipment, training and nutrition can have on an athlete and ultimately affect competition. I know from talking to friends that most people just participate for fun; but it must be hard for the guy (me) who trains his ass off to get smoked on the cycling portion by a guy whose bike is known to give as much as a 5kmh performance increase with no additional physical effort. One study published in the German Tour magazine from Jan 2007 put a pro through a gamut of bikes to illustrate how much more output is required to reach the same speed on a lesser bike:

Needed Watts for Speed = 45 km/h :

Stevens San Remo bike with normal handlebar: 465 Watts needed to go 45 km/h
Same bike Hands down the drops: 406 watts needed
Same bikeEaston Aeroforce bar: 369 Watts
Same bike Triathlon position (5.5 cm lower bar, saddle forwards): 360 Watts
Same bike Triathlon position (5.5 cm lower bar, saddle forwards) and
carbon Tri spoke wheels front and rear: 345 Watt
Cervelo + Tri spoke front 328 Watts
Cervelo + Tri spoke front + disk rear wheel : 320
Cervelo + Tri spoke front + disk rear wheel +Giro helmet: 317
Cervelo + Tri spoke front + disk rear wheel +Giro helmet + speed suit: 307
Cervelo + Tri spoke front + disk rear wheel +Giro helmet + speed suit + saddle 3 cm further back: 293 Watts

From 465 down to 293 watts on the top of the line equipment near the end. That's a lot of performance improvement with no additional training. The same can be found when you examine swimsuits, nutrition, and access to professional coaching. Believe me, you can buy performance, even when they are not specifically designed PED's. I am still struggling with how I feel about all of it. Everyone chases an edge, if it's legal and you can reach it, is that bad? I think running is about the only sport I have found where the individual more than anything determines outcome. Even then, access to great trainers, shoes, V02 testing, etc., can still make for a better runner. Weekend warriors can still get hammered in the local 5K race by the guy who simply has access to train longer, harder and afford the best recovery aids & nutrition.

Ultimately, none of this matters if you don't have the will to compete and train at a higher level. Fancy equipment, supplements and training will only get you so far if you're only going to go through the motions. I plan to watch my fitness spending this year even more (and pour more into it). Maybe I'll see even greater improvements. Thanks for reading and have a superb year in 2012! Also, for reflection, I've compiled the logos of most of the race series I competed in this year below.

Fixing Baseball

2011-11-16T16:21:00.000-05:00

The potential new labor deal for Major League Baseball is a great start towards revitalizing baseball and leaping possibly into the number two US sport behind the NFL. Moreover, the deal could be the start of building an enterprise that can endure. I actually love baseball and in particular going to summer evening games with friends and family to take in a game and commiserate. So take all this as just the ramblings of a punch drunk Braves fan looking for a better way. Baseball is doing OK, but their ratings and attendance are sinking. Regional college football games beat out the world series games, which turned out to be insanely dramatic and entertaining. Beyond the pros of the labor deal, there are a few suggestions I would like to recommend for taking MLB to the next level centered around 4 areas; length of season, number of games, playoff format and parity.

Introduce a strict 6 month season.

5 regular season and 1 post season month.
Begin the season on May 1st & end by October 31st.

Condense the season to 100 games.

Capped at 20 games a month per team (10 home and 10 away).
Limit games to Tuesday, Wednesday Friday, Saturday, and Sundays.
Fewer games means a higher demand to see them and increased revenues.

Go to a 12 team playoff.

6 teams from each league.
The #1 & 2 teams in each league would get first round byes
This format replicates the NFL playoff schedule as a template.
More teams in the playoffs will mean more fans who feel apart of the post season and higher viewership.

Lastly, the league has to develop better parity like the NFL and the how's of achieving this goal remain the most contentious amongst owners and between them and the players.

Apply a Revenue Sharing model and alternatively work together to create collective merchandising deals for the league as a whole (i.e a single uniform vendor).
The league has to undergo contraction. Financially under performing franchises should be removed: Tampa Bay, Kansas City, etc.
A salary cap and/or a salary spending minimums should be introduced to level the playing field.

I think even instituting half of these changes will go a long way towards making baseball relevant again in the eyes of the most crucial fan, the passive one. The fan that has other interest but will catch at least the home team game because they prove regularly entertaining. Capturing this type of fan is what has made the NFL so successful; Mom, the nerd, flaky kids, and the bored serial TV watcher. Every game needs to become important and tickets a more elusive commodity for more than just the Red Sox and other elite teams. In the end, the most effective thing that can happen to fix baseball is for fans to speak with their wallets. Baseball did over $6.1 billion in revenue. As long as fans keep spending that kind of coin, the owners and commissioner will be slow to change. Hold your wallets back just a enough, to force progress. See below for a breakdown of the MLB's numbers or follow this link for a larger image.

P.S. Some additional non-mission critical and purely venting changes include getting rid of Selig and moving the Braves towards the Perimeter near to the site of the old GM plant (or build a Marta station at the current stadium).

Philanthropy, Empathy and Spin for Kids

2011-10-26T10:44:00.002-04:00

I want to be as objective as possible in writing this post. Not easy with a subject as deeply emotional as philanthropy can be. Yet, it is because of the propensity for heightened sentimental fervor about giving, that I must try to remain unbiased. Full disclosure, I was prompted to write this entry in response to our efforts to raise money for Spin for Kids over the past couple of months. Feel free to donate yourself after reading this. I am also helping with my alma mater's annual fundraising drive as well. I wanted to pour down my thoughts and try to analyze for myself what is that makes some of my friends devote their lives to working for non-profits and in Africa fighting various social dilemmas. Contrastingly, what makes others totally indifferent (even angry) to the voices of others doing even so much as gathering together to make their discontent at the overall social order known; especially when they don't do so under the Tea Party moniker.

I guess it is best to define the topic before I ruse over it. Philanthropy: |fəˈlanTHrəpē| noun - the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed esp. by the generous donation of money to good causes. • a philanthropic institution; a charity. The key point I take from the definition is the helping of others; either through time, money, goods, etc. What though, is the catalyst that makes one go from sympathy for someone else to actually helping. I like to be believe that it is empathy. That not at all automatic ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Even more, the ability to put yourself in the shoes of the other and see life from their perspective. I wish I could evoke it in all of us universally, but there is no method available to readily do this; yet.

I drive on empathy because we know it is not ubiquitous and that this faculty differentiates charitable giving for tax purposes, religious principle, or common sympathy; from the heightened motivation to at every step leave the world better in every phase that one comes across it (environment, education, just being neighborly, etc). I really have wondered how does one evoke true empathy from people, but often come away a little less the uber-optimistic person that I try to be. In looking for an answer I came across one interesting social experiment called Spent (please try it for yourself). The goal of this project is to have a player attempt to try and survive a month from the perspective of someone below the poverty line. The user is forced to make the hard decisions the more disadvantaged of us are faced with every day.

I am already a very empathetic person so it goes without saying that it of course moved me. But I wonder if it has moved others and would like to find out if the charity tied to Spent saw any increase in giving after releasing this web tool. I don't, however, want to really think about monetary giving, because philanthropy at its core is again the promotion of the welfare of others. Uplifting others does't always require money; donating old cell phones to Africa for example. Moreover, not everyone can afford to give, but time can be found somewhere. Take for example my friend Jody who has spent most of her adult life working with groups in Africa and other social causes and clearly shows an empathetic tendency to improve the lives of others who don't look, walk, talk or believe what she does. She isn't rich, but her time given may mean as much as the donations written by so many for whatever reasons.

Then there are my conservative friends who believe it is every man for themselves and that the struggle of the disadvantaged is a direct result of their poor decision making. I lost one friend in particular (among others) over this stubborn inability to recognize that some people are just born into circumstances that put them behind the curve from the start. I tried to show him the difference of how he, an only child of middle class parents both college educated and employed (though divorced later in his childhood) provided him with so much an advantage than some others. Contrastingly, I showed him the story of another child born in the projects to a druggie mom, absent father, living under social assistance and offered only terrible public schools, is so held back at birth that you have to say him rising out of that plight is an exception and not a guarantee opportunity for all given to such circumstances.

No movement on his part, not even an inch. He is very idealogical, most who I have butted heads with on this subject are. I think that their ideology makes them wary of empathy. To be able to perceive the view of the other could mean compromising beliefs in a way that just can't do. I don't want to lose any more friends over ideological differences but I don't want to acquiesce on my goal to remind people like him that we are all in a social contract that in the long run will either see us all fail or succeed depending on whether or not we hold to it. I guess this blog post is really just an open ended question on how to evoke empathy, and not in the Sally Struthers feed the children commercial way.

I of course haven't figured it out yet, but I'll keep looking and revisiting this till I do. Maybe, I have to wait for a moment like in Contact where the realization of us not being alone in the universe better could unite us or divide us than anything else. I'll wrap up here, too much analysis and I probably strayed from my objective goal along the way. On another note, as an update to our Spin for Kids campaign; thanks to the support of our giving friends and family, team ‘Spin to Win’ was able to raise over $2,400 for Camp Twin Lakes. As a whole, over 950 riders participated in the event and helped to generate in excess of $340,000. So I guess we know philanthropy is alive and well.

The Digitization Migration

2011-09-28T11:25:00.001-04:00

I am late in posting this (I actually started working on it in March) but on the heels of the scheduled iPhone 5 announcement I didn't want to sit on it any longer. Of course this is another post about technology, as if you couldn't tell what my number one passion is. Although I have been using technology heavily for over a decade now; 2011 has really been something else in terms of the total digitization of our real world activities. This year has without a doubt been the most digitally liberating of any year since smartphones first took hold in 2007.

I started this year of digital progression by converting our collection of DVD's to iTunes movie files. That conversion involved ripping the DVD's into iTunes formatted video via HandBrake and also purchasing movies both owned and new through iTunes. This change over has been particularly freeing because we are able to scroll the Apple TV for all of our movies 'On Demand' style with no disc swapping or reading DVD jackets. We were also able to give away our old movie discs we no longer needed to our friends. Early Christmas presents you might say. Additionally, as the iCloud services begin to roll out, we have been extended the ability (thank you Apple) to access all of our purchased TV shows via any of our iDevices over the web. Music has also been enabled and I'm pretty sure movies will be available down the road.

Another area of our life that technology has been particularly helpful this year has been in handling our finances. We have been utilizing more and more mobile payment apps which allows us to carry less plastic (see Square Card Case). Earlier in the year I started using another Square App that allowed me to take credit card payments from friends and clients a la swipe style, collect a signature and send a detailed email receipt with location and purchase information. Instant business 3.0 without the fuss. Solutions like this are changing the dynamics of consumer and business interaction. Other services are popping up everywhere that are further liberating the worker from the office, kids from heavy & burdensome textbooks, and musicians from the prison of major labels; among so many practical applications.

Back at home, I am now checking all my balances (from travel, to utilities, to banks and credit cards) every morning within about 3 clicks. I can pay statements and manage money without leaving bed. We don't waste time worrying about checks, envelopes, stamps, receipts, etc. The end result is being on top of our finances with one device and hopefully one day, no wallet. In fact, efficiency operating on many levels and dimensions is the direction we have clearly felt 2011 is taking us. Full and unbridled Home/Life automation that affords us time to do more and spend more time at what matters most to us. If you haven't yet tapped into these powers yet, check out this list of examples of what has rolled out this year and been implemented into our lives.

Ability to manage your ADT system from iPhone.
Ability to watch shows and manage DVR from mobile devices with XFinity.
Paying rent in a few clicks with RentPayment.
Checking in and boarding via Delta applications.
Saving trees by trading print publications for digital ones on our iPads thanks to Zinio, Flipboard, and others.

So what's next for us in this digital progression? As a kid I watched Star Trek with my dad and awed as Kirk and the others used the Star Trek communicator to do virtually everything and thought to myself, how nice that would be. I think we are getting there. With so much functionality already given to us, we will still see this year the rise of Near Field Communication that will enable all sorts of payment applications like Google Wallet, future secure ID's, and deeper connections between your device, car, home, computer, etc. Additionally, services like the hopefully upcoming iPhone Personal Assistant, will make go getters of us all and give the physically handicapped a whole new level of freedom.

Truly defining will be how the rise of cloud services will influence our buying decisions (dropbox, amazon web services, etc). I believe that smaller disc space capacity devices with slimmer profiles will become the growing preferred standard because massive local storage is no longer required. As a final note, it is clear that collecting the best apps along with buying digital movies, books, magazines and music isn't cheap; especially when you try and transition whole libraries. So, I recommend buying iTunes Gift cards via specials and in bulk when ever possible (i.e. the occasional Best Buy and Target deals such as $50 iTunes card for $25, or Costco discounts, etc.).

Training with Balance

2011-09-19T09:44:00.000-04:00

I wanted to create a blog entry as a way to psychoanalyze what I did and how I try to balance work, life, and training. A quick high level background; I have been tracking and making my race results and activities public since about April '09 and mostly via Runkeeper (click the link to see my profile). To date I have recorded over 481 activities, 3,678 miles and burned 288k calories. I began this entire training obsession with simple 2.5-3 mile runs and have worked my way up to swimming, running, and biking twice a week each for an hour or more at a time.

MONDAY:
This is a rest day for me. Used day to recover from terribly organized sprint triathlon Angela, Tyler and I did the day before. Won't do them the favor of linking to their site or mentioning name. Somehow it was USAT (USA Triathlon Governing Body) sanctioned but should be sanctioned for being poorly organized. No individual chipped timing, poorly marked bike course sending everyone on an extra 5 mile ride up a mountainside, and a sloppy track/road looping run where they struggled to keep track of how many laps each participant had completed (3 was the requirement).

Spent morning working from home. Short morning visit to the Orthodontist. Afternoon working from Starbucks. Spent the evening eating boneless wings and drinking beer while watching the Patriots play to a victory against the Dolphins.

TUESDAY:
Two training session day. Stretching and strength training at 6 am in the gym in our apartment building. Swim session at 5 pm that afternoon at what my friend Hilla Peled calls LA Fitnot (LA Fitness) in her triathlon training blog (click to read her awesome entries). 1 mile in 45 minutes. I took two FRS chews and a gel shot before the swim workout. Worked from office all day. Being sedentary at your desk is not all bad as you can use the time to recover. Had dinner that night with Angela, Jessica, and Rupal to celebrate Rupal's birthday at Urban Flats.

WEDNESDAY:
Up at 5:30 am for spin class at LA Fitnot. Jeremy, the spin instructor, created a team for us in order to raise money for Camp Twin Lakes. You can see our total fundraising and click to make a donation if you already haven't. I know spin isn't a favorite among hard-core cyclist but I did say this was all about balance. We have resolved ourselves to 1 outdoor ride a week 9 months of the year (usually on weekends) and 1 spin class a week. We use spin to augment our need to ride twice a week without having to brave the weekday traffic that is too dangerous in Atlanta to risk. Maybe if we lived in Seattle but not here.

Click Here to Donate

Took a gel shot (2x caffeine), ate a honey stinger waffle and 2 FRS chews before spin class. After spin, drive back home to shower. Swung by dry cleaners and then to the office. No afternoon workout because of a 7 p.m. advanced screening of Ryan Gosling's new film "Drive" at Atlantic Station; which turned out to be a waste of time because the movie sucked. What was worse though was that the food we took with us into the theater from Tin Drum, basil-fried rice with tofu, was so greasy and dull. Extra disappointing because we can usually rely on Tin Drum to provide good food.

THURSDAY:
Up at 5:30 am to run on treadmill. 1 hour, 8 mile run at an average of a 2% incline. Started at a 6 mph pace at 0% incline. Increased speed .1 mph every minute up to 9.4 mph. Increased incline 1% every 10 minutes to 3% at 40-minute mark. Decreased incline 1% every 10 minutes to finish at 0%. Decreased speed .1 mph every minute to 7.4 mph. Ate two FRS chews and took a gel shot (2x caffeine) before run.

Doctor's appointment at 10:30 am, annual physical. Learned that I have almost no fat around my heart and that my 80% heart rate zone is between 142 and 152. Based on heart rate measurements for some of my workouts I am safely within that zone even during 100%+ cardiovascular output workout; final results in a week. Cobb County college fair at 6 pm. Represented Oglethorpe as an Alumni Board member talking to high school students about choosing OU. Team trivia at 9 pm at Cheyenne Grill. Finished 1 point away from finishing 3rd three weeks in a row.

FRIDAY:
Up at 5:30 am for another swim session at LA Fitnot. Completed 1.75 miles in 1 hour and 25 minutes. Good pace and exhausting swim. They usual in regards to nutrition; honey stinger waffle, 2 FRS chews, and 1 caffeinated gel shot. I don't drink water while swimming though I should (just forgetful). This was my first morning swim ever and I really enjoyed it. I think I will switch to almost all morning workouts during the holiday season in order to maximize my day. Shower at gym and then straight to work. First morning swim ever for me. Sucks having to lug so much equipment to gym for morning swims. Tons of errands around lunch and work from Starbucks in the afternoon. Dinner at Capozzi's in Decatur (a great place) with Praful, Angela, and Catherine. Drank more wine than I probably should, leading up to an early morning bike ride the next day.

SATURDAY:
Up at 5:30 am to drive an hour up to Cartersville for a 31-mile bike ride in Cartersville. Rode a negative split through the first third but still managed to finish in just over 2 hours. Consumed 2 gel packs (1 with 2x caffeine), 2 honey stinger waffles, 2 FRS chews, and 3 Sports Legs sodium caps. Probably didn't need all of it but I wanted to bypass a lot of the food at the rest stops because I tend to overeat when I stop at them. Angela, Tyler, Praful and I went to the Braves game at 4:00 pm (they won) and got ice cream afterwards at Atlantic Station. Watched a little TV and then passed out around 10 pm. Just too exhausted from all the running around.

SUNDAY:
Up at 5:30 am again to do chores and errands while Angela is helping her cousin get ready for wedding. Ran a 9.55-mile slow run outside on the pavement at 8 am, in order to hit total of 25 miles of running training for the month to date. Legs felt like rubber. Took a while to wake up. For fuel; 2 gel packs, 1 honey stinger waffle, 2 FRS chews and of course water infused with accelerade. For reference, I only drink accelerade, much better for recovery and endurance than any other sports drink I have tried. Also, I prefer Clif Turbo Shots (double espresso, 2x caffeine), GU gel shots, GU Roctane gel shots (2x caffeine), and s caps during activities. I wore compression calf sleeves and shorts the rest of the day to speed up recovery. Went to the wedding at 6 pm, on a Sunday, and during football season. Not my happiest moment. Someone needs to talk to these people.

In summary, I think whether you want to do more or less training than I do, I think there are some key take aways to being able to balance work, life and fitness. First, find a routine that works for you. It is easier to stay consistent if you don't have to think so much about it. Secondly, recovery is key. If you don't find away of avoiding that sore/stiff feeling, you'll be discouraged from continuing. Lastly, get a handle on nutrition. You can't work out, go to work, and have a social life without fuel. There is no one size fits all plan for integrating these key points into your life. I think there is a lot of trial and error involved until you find the approach that works best for you. I hope this entry and all my other social media fitness post help motivate others and I hope all of this training will lead me to completing my first Iron Man 70.3 next September.

Mobile Banking

2010-10-13T08:25:00.010-04:00

Yesterday I made my first two deposits to my Chase Checking account using simply my iPhone and the Chase Banking app. I have been an early adopter of smart phones since the StarTac got the add on PDA accessory; yet, for all my experience even this functionality was a new and awesome experience. I find it difficult to understand incredulous position and resistance to smartphones that some maintain even though these devices afford a wide array of conveniences. I can honestly say that between ScoutMob, PayPal, Chase, Square and other apps, the phone has actually paid for itself and then some. Last Black Friday for example, we did all of our Christmas shopping on our iPhones while sitting at the Starbucks in our hotel lobby in New York. If time is money, the iPhone is making us rich.

I think for some, they say to themselves, this is just my phone, why should it do more. I argue how can your phone be less than a mobile computing platform with the technology available today. Communication between people is currently far exceeds the basic audible type; people are saddled with missives coming to them from texts, emails, social networking and other methods. These varying communication formats are not mutually exclusive platforms requiring a specific device for each. The developers of such platforms have even made access to their services ubiquitous from most any device; and in the case of smartphones, that means one device that can access all forms of communication.

I find it hard to understand anyone who goes the multi-device route in the face of Android and iPhone devices that do the functions of so many devices in one. I fully understand and respect that cost can be a barrier, but outside of the iPhone, many carriers offer damn near free entry level smart phone models. Moreover, as I said initially, these phones can help pay for themselves with some of their time and cost saving applications. A perspective I would like to promote, would be to think of a smartphone purchase as an investment in consolidating multiple devices into one and affording yourself more time and productivity. Remember, you're getting in most cases a GPS, Point and Shoot Camera, MP3/Video Player, Phone, E-Reader and Email Client all in one device. For roughly $200, that is money well spent. I think I will leave you with two examples of uses I have really enjoyed as of late from my iPhone; a sample iPhone 4 picture that has resulted in us getting rid of our old Canon point and shoot, along with a video of a friend of ours using ScoutMob on her iPhone 3GS shot from my iPhone 4.

Recommended Mobile App of the Year

2010-05-21T10:02:00.009-04:00

I haven't written in my blog recently and I haven't ever written recommending an app before, but today I must make a suggestion. I have been telling a lot of friends about this application in person lately but I figure why not make it global this morning. I recommend that anyone with an iPhone and living in Atlanta download and start using the ScoutMob app.

A lot of people search for savings using Groupon, Restaurant.com, Living Social. etc; but for me, none of these really compare to the ease-of-use and overall functionality of ScoutMob. It's a free app and available for all iterations of the iPhone to date. The App provides discounts by date, expiration, and proximity. Some retailers also offer Return-Perks for your next visit after the initial use sometimes as much as 20% off.

Some of the major features are that all the discounts in Atlanta are a thumb flick away and in your back pocket. Deals as much as 60% off at some of Atlanta's best dining, shopping and entertainment always at the ready. No pre-purchase, nothing to print, and new deals daily make ScoutMob to me an app that justifies the very purchase of an iPhone. Use the application 10 times with a max savings of $25 per use and you have recovered the cost of your iPhone like that. Most of the discounts have a maximum dollar off value but no other restrictions apply such as dates, times, or items that the discount can be used against.

This app really is a no-brainer to use and really exemplifies the one click-through philosophy of elegant iPhone app design. Below is an example of a great deal was offered at an Atlanta staple, Murphy's, some time ago. The screen flow of the app gives users and retailers easy to follow on screen prompts and confirmations when using a deal. Now, for those without iPhones, ScoutMob has extended a limited count of their offers to the website with coupons that you can print and present. For the full benefits and experience you are going to want to get an iPhone and the app. I presume, however, that ScoutMob will support other cities and mobile platforms in the future.

While I am on the subject of recommendations this morning here are a handful of others by platform. These are all must haves by the way, regardless of cost; though most of these are free. Some of these are iPhone + iPad universal apps.

For iPhone owners:

For iPad owners:

Opinion: The Apple iPad's Killer Application

2010-01-28T10:32:00.009-05:00

The reaction to the introduction of the Apple iPad has been mixed across the board. Many are upset simply with the product's name; we have all heard the jokes. I myself thought iSlate would have been a far better name, bringing to mind a tabular rasa on human device interaction. Some thought it not feature rich enough, though no one denies the design and usability of it, as Apple excels in these areas. There are still others who want to wager its success on corporate adoption. To which I ask why does commercial success have to be tied to enterprise utilization or even basic consumer buy in? I believe that the unseen greatest potential for the iPad lies in how it can be used in the educational space.

I have cousins in middle school and high school that I assist with their homework regularly. I also have many friends who are teachers. I have come to see that technology has been making its way into the classroom but with limited efficiency and not tackling the areas that sap time while rarely utilizing the full feature set of any device to deliver the richest learning experience. The current laptop distribution models have some distinct limitations; from their cumbersome form factor, to OS licensing, maintenance, and ultimately their practical application. Schools burn time and resources going from one laptop program to the next, pulling from programs all together, or half-hearted deployments of Windows mobile or iPod Touch devices. I think the iPad has an opportunity to fill these gaps.

After initially watching the presentation I tried to find application for the iPad in our own lives and did not see anything that breakthrough from what we already have available to us between our iPhones, MacBook Pros, and Apple TV. It is when I thought back to when I was helping Tyler with his science class PowerPoint presentation this week that the educational benefits started to make themselves evident. Working with the school age cousins I have noticed some areas of weakness in their school practices. Some of these gaps include the homework distribution method, grading, and school communications. The schools are constantly short on textbooks and resort to paper copy handouts or sharing worn and tattered reading material. The grading is often late and time consuming for the instructors. Additionally, the school wastes paper, time, and resources trying to get out notifications to parents and students that can often just get crammed down at the bottom of a book bag and forgotten.

The iPad can help in a lot of these areas by introducing an age of school digitization that is not a bank breaker while the form factor fits nicely in back packs and teacher messenger bags. Imagine the use of iBooks to distribute reading material en masse that never gets damaged and through volume licensing ensures everyone gets a copy. Imagine the use of iWork and cloud resources to upload and distribute homework assignments along with light coding to process answers and generate grades for multiple choice and non-essay answers. Grading could be enhanced with quick graphs and statistical models that allow schools to move swiftly to help problem students, classes, etc, thanks to faster reporting. Picture students at desks getting audio lessons directly from iTunes U while taking notes in the Notes application or working on group KeyNote presentations. School administrators could mass email important school notifications, templates, or spot polling of students and teachers on key subjects and issues. We could introduce rich and literally hands on, learning tools such as spotlight searching school of resources, custom education applications, calendaring, and MatLab or Brushes App technologies being incorporated into classroom lessons and assignments.

This device is not a cure all for all school issues and dilemmas. Many factors such as costs, security, and maintenance have to be weighed into any analysis. I am willing to bet, however, that an educational pricing model and small proof of concept experiments in small and stable schools could prove me right. The basic $499 WiFi only model would be great for schools and if the Apple educational discount holds true the cost could be reduced and manageable. As I am not the only one who is considering the iPad's potential educational uses, here are some links to other points of view on the iPad in schools (ZDNet, Herald Sun, The Education Journal). Anyway, that's my two cents. At the end of the day, a lot of the complaints remind of what I heard when the first iPod was introduced. Seriously, if you can do better, make your own tablet device; otherwise, wait till it is in stores, play with it for 30 minutes, then reassess your opinion.

Lake Lanier North Georgia, sunset.

2010-01-19T23:58:00.001-05:00

Lake Lanier North Georgia, sunset.
Originally uploaded by Sayran

Not generally how I picture Lake Lanier.

Generations of Macbook Pros - Image - Computer Porn

2010-01-12T14:19:00.001-05:00

generations
Originally uploaded by Robert S. Donovan

Generations of Macbook Pros - Image - Computer Porn

FOXNews.com - Palin to Join Fox News as Contributor

2010-01-11T15:57:00.002-05:00

FOX News enters toilet officially.

FOXNews.com - Palin to Join Fox News as Contributor

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Split Level House in Pennsylvania by Qb

2010-01-11T15:54:00.002-05:00

2nd house I would live in today if I owned a home.

Split Level House in Pennsylvania by Qb

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Volkswagen's Hybrid Compact Coupe

2010-01-11T12:29:00.002-05:00

I must have this car - NOW!!!

45 mpg, with CO2 emissions of 98 g/km, and attain a top speed of 141 mph.

Link to original article.

Today the company also announced its first 30-second Super Bowl commercial in nine years. The spot, which will appear during the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIV will be the first work created for Volkswagen by its new creative agency, Deutsch LA.

BUY ME THIS CAR - NOW

DW Lofts in Toronto by Taylor Smyth Architects

2010-01-08T08:58:00.001-05:00

DW Lofts in Toronto by Taylor Smyth Architects

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Blair Residence in California by Bruce Bolander Architect

2010-01-06T14:47:00.001-05:00

Blair Residence in California by Bruce Bolander Architect

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2009 - The Year That Was

2009-12-18T09:42:00.008-05:00

I can, without any uncertainty, state that 2009 was the best year in my life to date. I can not begin to quantify here the full breath of experiences and activities I had in 2009. From taking 5 plus trips around the US, to holding movie marathons, to achieving athletic successes, to emboldening friendships; I had a year like none other. All of this I owe to the love and support of my family and friends. I do not know for sure what all 2010 has in store but I hope it is as good as 2009 was to me. I've made a few summary entries below of my favorite things and vacations from last year. I've included also a list of resolutions and goals for 2010. I don't plan to blog so much more this year than last. I have found that between all of the tweeting, FaceBook posts, shared news stories, and social media commentary, lies a stream of information I am now calling my Life Feed. As all of these technologies grow and integrate I will find myself essentially providing a flow of activity that surpasses a managed blog.

Trips Taken in 2009:

San Francisco
Yosemite
Las Vegas
Grand Canyon
St. Petersburg, Florida
Helen, Georgia
New York
Key West

Favorite Movies of 2009:

Star Trek
500 Days of Summer
Adam
District 9
Fast & Furious
Avatar
The Blind Side
Sherlock Holmes
Paranormal Activity

Favorite TV Shows of 2009:

Leverage
The Biggest Loser
24
Burn Notice
Fringe

Favorite Music of 2009:

Band of Skulls
Kings of Leon
John Mayer
MGMT
Phoenix
Tumi & The Volume

Summary of events:

Black President
Bad year for celebrities (Deaths, Arrests, Affairs)
3D goes mainstream
Social Networking hits critical mass
Smart Phones become the status quo

New Year's Resolutions:

Burn 120,000 Calories
Recycle More
Spend More Time with Family

Upcoming Goals:

Snowboard a lot
Visit the Bad Lands of Utah
Run a 1/2 Marathon Trail Race
Run the ING Atalanta Marathon
Compete in a Triathlon
Run the Warrior Dash
Finally learn to play my guitar, etc...

Bumble Bee in California

2009-05-30T10:20:00.013-04:00

I said I would write about each of our trips this year and here is the first entry. I am fortunate enough to have my birthday fall on Memorial Day weekend. I am even more fortunate to have great friends to join me on a return trip to California as part of my celebration. Angela and I have gotten good at adding 1-3 PTO days to natural 3-day holiday weekends making for nice multiple 4-7 day vacations without too much effort. This approach allows us to take our standard work vacation allotment and stretch two to three times as far. I recommend this method to everyone.

Back to the trip anyway. I decided this time to do something a little different heading out on a holiday; I completely turned off my work email access and did not sign onto any instant messaging protocols. Sure, I used my iPhone to check weather, directions, and read the daily news, but all in all, I was fairly disconnected. I suppose it helped that the Yosemite lodge where we stayed in was completely devoid of any cellular signal at all; though strangely we had great signal throughout most of Yosemite park itself, even on the mountain. The lodge did offer up plenty of weird bear statues, however. See for yourself:

Aside from the, let's say, interesting, statues, the Yosemite Cedar Lodge, is a great stay and only minutes outside the park. It was at the lodge that Anna presented me with my present, Bumble Bee, who was to become our travel gnome through California. I really do love everything about California, beginning with the drive out to Yosemite from the airport. We all made road trip cd's to listen to and Anna was very creative in capturing every leg of the trip with a specific track and Angela was the expert photographer. The rolling mountains and windmills dotted along the landscape really make for a picturesque drive in and fill the mind with visions of riding for hours into an endless landscape for infinity. I know, weird, maybe that is just my idea of vegging out.

Moving on, we started the first full day of the trip straight into the heart of Yosemite, taking in the views, the falls, El Capitan, and then, the underestimated path up to Glacier Point. To be fair, we all walk, run, exercise a lot, so a 4.6 mile hike looked to be fairly doable. That is until we realized we were heading up an actual mountain side to the top. We were 2 and a quarter miles in before we realized that it was not going to be smooth going at all, but we braved it out and had this picture to show for it at the end. What really hurt, however, was finding out that there was no free shuttle back down the other side. So we, trekked back down from whence we came and avoided the $25 a head tour ride down. All in all, from car door, to Glacier Point and back to the car, was actually over 10 miles up and down the mountain. Needless to say, we were too tired to do anything but head to the Happy Burger, eat, and get ready for the next day.

Oh, and what an eventful day Monday proved to be. You see, we knew the giant redwoods where near by Yosemite, an hour and a half according to most estimates. What you have to realize, however, is that the ones near by are within the park, just before Hwy 41 breaks from Wanona, and becomes the 4 hour trip to King's Canyon National Park. We thought we would, like the day before, make a quick trip out of something that extended all day. We obviously need to get better at our park sight seeing estimates. Yeah, we were pissed, tired of driving up and down swerving mountain roads for three days, and ready for the urban jungle of San Francisco; but, in the end Jessica got to hug the hell out of her giant trees and we all got a little closer to our nature side.. Bumble Bee opted not to hug the tree but instead pose in front of one.

Though we spent more time wearing our selves out than taking it easy, I really did enjoy Yosemite. I think it was great to be away from the computer, email, phone, technology in general, and around great friends surviving tests of our collective endurance. I will admit that having GPS on the iPhone working at least was great, because California roads do some tricky things. Also, we watched an hour an half of Cheaters Sunday night, but the humor was a good break from our long hike. I recommend everyone go to Yosemite at least once, and make a three day trip out of it at least, and ASK us for advice on what NOT to do!

Next up, is Tuesday and our first full day in San Francisco. We could not have been luckier, the weather was the epitome of a perfect day in the bay. 73 degrees for the high, no fog, no precipitation, no wind. Just perfect. We did not waste a moment of it. We left the hotel fairly early and did not come back till late. In one day, we managed to visit the Embarcadero, China Town, Mission District, Metreon, Union Square, etc. We were lucky to have Jessica's friend Audrey as a tour guide around Mission, which is an area I had not seen before. Imagine Little 5 Points, only way bigger and very much still mom and pop stores.

What really makes San Fran great are all the little pockets of culture that really do bleed into one another and become a thing of their own. Like the bar we finished up at. A spanish named spot, forgot the name, with pinniatas hanging from the ceiling, serving mostly American micro brews, occupied by young art types, with French and Italian pictures on the wall. You gotta love it, culture overload. Don't get me wrong, Atlanta has varying cultures, but I do not really believe they mix quite as invent-fully as in other cities. Bumble Bee, liked the mexican food mostly and fittingly so, because it is in the local restaurants that Angela and I really see the difference between Atlanta and anywhere else. One language, one great big homogeneous crowd, everywhere in Atlanta. Whereas the sounds from the diners in NY, Miami, San Fran all seem to come together into an esperanto soufflé. I love it.

Wednesday was probably my most trying day and I owe my travel mates an apology for my seething quite frustration during the early part of the tour. I just thought I had booked a small private wine tour around 4-5 vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. Yet, I was very disappointed to see a giant, fanny pack inducing, tour bus pull up at our hotel at 8:30 in the morning. Needless to say, I won't recommend that company again for wine tours, unless you like the big coach bus type tours; it's just not for me. I am glad, however, that the day finished up well and my friends enjoyed themselves. Even more so, I am glad it has inspired a brilliant creation from all of us that you are due to see in the near future, we hope. I am also glad to see that Bumble Bee did not drink himself under the table, though he tried.

We later met up with Audrey again in Union Square for sushi and did a little shopping. I must say, the stores in San Fran get better stock than we do, and my new shoes are evidence of that. We finished off the day with a luxurious party in our hotel, with gourmet chocolates, fancy robes, and drinks. Bumble Bee, as you can now see, likes to eat. Here he is at the sushi place expertly handling the chop sticks that Anna seemed to have to work at.

Thursday, and our last full day in San Fran. Unlike our first full day, this was a traditional weather day in the bay. Wind, fog, cold, but we had packed for it, so we were able to brave it out. We visited the Marina district, Palace of Fine Arts, Presidio, Fisherman's Wharf where we ate bread bowls, curved our necks around Lombard street, and ate chocolate Ghiradelli square among other things. I think our feet, backs, and wits are all shot. The best part about Thursday was the Catamaran Sunset Sailing trip through the bay that we took that evening. I try to make it a point to go sailing whenever we are near a body of water. Seriously folks, do it, just make sure the trip is a sunset sail with all inclusive "refreshments." Worth every penny, I promise you. What can be better than music, dancing, lover's romancing, toasts, and gorgeous landscapes, to really remind you that you are on holiday and life is to be enjoyed. Bumble Bee seemed to think so, he was lost in thought, and I think even shed a tear, realizing we were going home the next morning. Anyway, till next time, get somewhere...

Star Trek & Susan G. Komen 5K

2009-05-10T08:17:00.005-04:00

This weekend was very rewarding. First, I would like to thank all those who contributed to our campaign to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen - Race for The Cure 5K Run/Walk this weekend. Combined, Angela and I raised about $1,000. The event was intense with over 15,000 participants. That many people made for a rather cumbersome start to the actual run but it worked out fine in the end and was, after all, for a good cause. They did not keep a detailed results list or track times outside of the top 3 I believe, but my time was 23 minutes. I was shooting for 21, but have not worked out intensely enough over the past two months to have earned that time. I am stepping up my cross training in order to be in beach shape and ready for the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Challenge in September. Here are some pictures from the race.

Susan G. Komen 5K

On another note, there was the all too awesome viewing of the reworking of Star Trek by J.J. Abrams that we saw this Saturday. As part of our summer movie marathon series, we watched Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and an A&E special on the impact of Star Trek on popular culture; namely, on geeks and the inventions they create that are inspired by Star Trek. The Star Trek series is especially meaningful to me as they belonged to my father and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, was one of the last films I ever saw in a theatre with my dad before he died (of cancer, which is why the 5K was so important to me).

Star Trek was a masterful re-envisioning of the entire franchise by J.J. Abrams. As our friend Anna put it, it was both a sequel and a prequel in one. Incorporating a skillful plot device that allowed J.J. Abrams to push the master reset button on the whole series and open up a myriad of stories and plot lines for a new generation of fans while still keeping the old ones (guess that includes me now) in the loop. I hope this film makes more money than any other in the history of the series. I also hope my dad enjoyed it, from afar.

Last but not least, I want to wish my mom and all moms out there a very happy Mother's day!

Recommendations and Catching Up...

2009-05-05T11:00:00.010-04:00

It has been quite a while since my last post. I have been insanely inundated with work and life, but I still wish that I had been able to find the time to post even the smallest tidbits in the interim. With apologies out of the way, this post will be, of course, fairly long. I want to focus on some recommendations of music and electronics that I have discovered recently as well as a glimpse forward into activities and events I am anticipating.

I want to start by talking about Band of Skulls. The experience I have had with this album lately is the main catalyst to me getting back to writing on my blog. I woke up this morning with lyrics from their track "Cold Fame" flowing through my head. This album purchase was triggered by the free iTunes discovery/singe of the week download of their current single "I know What I Am." I can't say enough for how great a source of music free iTunes downloads have been. I have become a fan of this British band much like I went on to become a follower of The Kooks after a short time with their free download. You know, Atlanta held a record store day recently, and I indeed miss the days of being in the local shop sampling music, looking for something ethereal; but I believe the magical music searching challenge is still out there if you really try and listen. The sources have changed and so should you. Pay closer attention in the lounge next time, try and search for that song you heard in the background of some commercial or listen to NPR's "All Songs Considered" segment. You'll be surprised what you find.

Anyways, back to the band. The album has an average 4.5 stars out of 5 rating on iTunes by the users. I would describe Band of Skulls as The White Stripes meet Smashing Pumpkins, sprinkled with Heart guitar rifts and Auchtung Baby moods. I anticipate great things out of them. The lyrics gracing the tracks of Baby Darling Doll Face Honey are too stirring to be underestimated. Let me not forget to mention that they have Skull in their name, and anyone who knows me knows how much I like skull imagery. Nothing is a substitute for good writing and they have that. Here is one section from "Cold Fame:"

"Play your 45' records late at night
Open all the windows, turn off the lights
Mysterious creatures will fill the room
A midnight show put on for you
But still I fall from grace with this microphone
How do you find your self if you never roam
Certainly, I am indebted baby..."

Keeping with music, I also want to take the time to recommend the Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack. A. R. Rahman, simply put, is a master. I had known of him from before from his contribution "Chaiyya Chaiyya" to the Inside Man soundtrack, but this album is a true world music jaunt through cultures and experiences. How can you go wrong with Spanish, English, and Hindi all on one album dispersed over hip-hop, pop, and tribal tracks. Angela and I have found ourselves working out, singing out loud with the top down, dancing, and laughing to this musical feast. I like the soundtrack even more than I like the movie. So, once more, here is a tip of the hat to Indian culture; Praful, don't get a big head.

You know, as much as I can credit Band of Skulls for retreading me on my blogging path, I can also credit Samsung for knocking me off of it. We had the great fortune of being picked to test one of the new Samsung Series 6000/7000 LED 120 hz TVs. How would a TV stop you from blogging you ask? It was not so much the TV as it was the reactions to it. A quick primer, the more hertz (refresh/draw rate) your TV has the more real the picture. It was that very realism, or the reaction to it that has been bouncing around my mind for so long now.

Generally, you would expect a favorable reaction to a picture quality that was almost life like, but some of our friends had the very opposite. "It is Too Real" was the common reaction of those not initially inclined to it. We have come to learn that there is a certain level of expectations you have to manage when introducing people to the next wave of television entertainment. People sometimes seem disarmed when their perception of reality is challenged by actors seemingly coming into the living room through a finger thin LED TV. Most people eventually got used to it and some tried to steal it; but there were those few puzzling reactions.

Still, in the end, you have to get one of these new Samsung LED sets if you want a TV that can act as that generational fix, like the big screen projection in the family den was so many years ago. You will be getting the truest picture quality, advance features that can replace Apple TV or the like, new life into old movies, and richer images that pull you from scene to scene in ways you never had before. Also, skip Blu-Ray, it is over-rated. Our Apple TV HD movies looked as good as any Blu-Ray discs while running through this TV.

Moving on, summer movie season is upon us. Block buster film after smash hit, with some flops, are coming week after week. Last week kicked off the sprint with Wolverine. We decided, partly to get more out of each theater experience and also as a refresher, to have Movie Marathons as a lead up to every prequel and/or sequel. To start, we watched all three X-Men films before seeing Wolverine. We also swung by Oxford Comics and took advantage of free comic book day.

I really think that having these movie marathons extend the life of the DVDs you have purchased. You also can get more out of your $10 Regal ticket, because you bring some history and context to the viewing and maybe a better overall opinion of each film when viewed as part of a compendium. As a quick reminder here is the summer line up we are having viewing parties for. Also keep an eye out for District 9, it looks very promising.

Wolverine, held this, watched all 3 X-Men.
Star Trek, we will view Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, as well as a TV Star Trek history review.
Angels & Demons, we will watch The Da Vinci Code again, which you can get a digital copy of for $4.99 right now on iTunes; Angela is also re-reading the book.
Terminator Salvation, we will watch Terminator and Terminator: Judgement Day; that other one is a crime.
Transformers, we will watch the original cartoon and also Transformers 1.
Harry Potter, this will be the hardest to pull off, but the plan is to watch 1 a night leading up to the new film.
G.I. Joe, we will watch the cartoon movie featuring Cobra-La.

With all this talk of summer movies, we need to remember that summer vacation season is nearly here. I finished my "Beach" playlist for my iPhone and look forward to these tracks soundtracking my vacation. I know the economy is bad, but if you can, get away some where. Nothing heals the soul like having some time to reset. I am looking forward mostly to spending time with family and friends without the specter of work anywhere around. Also, we are participating in the Susan G. Komen - Race for the Cure this coming Saturday and if you can lend a dime of support, please do so here. Angela and I both lost a parent to cancer, so this 5K run is extra important to us.

Last but not least, a reminder to all, Burn Notice is coming back June 4th. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!

Death & Resurrection

2009-04-12T21:32:00.004-04:00

I felt the need to write about the idea of death and resurrection naturally following Easter Sunday. I am not a religious person but I understand the magnanimity of this day. I have always been moved by Easter Sunday not solely for the story of Jesus, but because of the idea of redemption. I am a big believer in man's ability to be redeemed and for reconciliation. These points are even more telling as this past week marked the 15 year anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide.

To even use the word anniversary in remembrance of something so horrific. Listening, however, to the PRI (Public Radio International) broadcast this past Sunday night of the rebuilding after the worst is like the telling of the anniversary of hope springing eternal. The most moving story was that of a women who lost most of her family living neighborly next to one of the perpetrators.

How can she do that is the obvious response. The principal driver for the reconciliation for most seems to be the belief in forgiveness and vision of a tomorrow where we are all made whole (or as close as possible) by the redeeming work we all put into building the world we want. A world where "great" nations do not stand idly by, while entire generations are lost. A society where it is not me first and everyone for themselves. A community of learning, cultural exchange, love and building.

I often feel I have lived a myriad of lifetimes in all the memories of the disparate experiences I have had. As those oldest memories fade and sometimes die, I feel resurrected into moments of awareness, suspended from time and place, where I ask, "was that me?" I have learned not to hold on to too much from the past by instead focusing on the renewing qualities of what is to come. With that, a belated Happy Easter to everyone.

Not Worth Mentioning

2009-04-07T10:08:00.004-04:00

The title of this blog post is fitting because it is late and I did nothing really worth mentioning last week. I don't think I ever felt lazier in my life then I did last week. I don't know if t has to do with the increasing pollen and my allergies but I was in a funk there for a while. This week is much better and I am looking forward to the Spring park festival season. Dogwood and Sweet Water Festivals are around the corner. See you there...

In Praise of Trivia, Card & Board Games

2009-03-28T06:36:00.004-04:00

In what was an interesting week, Angela and I spent the a good part of it playing board, trivia, or card games. We spent Wednesday night at Fado's Irish Pub playing team trivia. Friday night we played a round of 'Killer Bunnies' with our friends Andrew and Starr. Finally, we spent the evening with some friends observing earth hour and playing Trivial Pursuit by candle light. There are so many great reasons to enjoy and participate in such games.

Time spent thinking about the answer to questions looking for the name of the alcoholic beverage whose translated name means water of life (whiskey), can help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's and Dementia. Hours spent crowded around tables selling property pieces is always a valuable path to quality time with friends and family. Then there are the health pluses of stress relief, increased mental balance, and always welcome relaxation.

Along with these more obvious benefits, I especially value the gains that trivia and board games can have on deductive/inductive reasoning as well as one's communication skills. It is just hard to replicate anywhere the experience of working through challenging trivia questions through some communal logic while staving off the rising affects of the third pitcher on Trivia night. Moreover, like traveling with friends, playing games/trivia with friends can shed light on far reaching topics of interest or skills that otherwise would lay sullen on the chair behind fogged windows in the mind.

In fact, seeing the thought process of friends play out in front of you, is almost voyeuristic. I have always been fascinated by the idea that we come to a sentient state of awareness on our own while strolling the halls of our own head. We grow older and wander in and out, living experiences in the rooms of this locked house. It is like walking by a neighbor's house, observing them at some task through a window, shadows moving against walls in recognizable patterns yet unclear of motive; all this, when we peer into the inner workings of the reasoning power of someone's thoughts.

So, maybe I look too deeply into games, but I think they deserve the carefully placed spotlight on their not so obviously intrinsic value. Here is to game play, the laughter they bring, the community they cement, and the cheaters they shame. Parcheesi anyone?

Kultur and the Other

2009-03-23T08:20:00.006-04:00

Modernism is “above all a culture of the sensational event, through which art and life both become a matter of energy and are fused into one.” - Eksteins, Modris, Rites of Spring. 1989 New York: First Mariner Books, 2000.

This week's post comes late but I aim to make it no less substantive. I spent most of this past week exchanging cultural currency; and I learned that the exchange rate is 1 to 1, when ideology does not interfere. I spent most of the week in Alabama, working with local finance representatives while in sync with international finance representatives from Asia Pacific and Europe over a video conference with our London office. We went to the Indian Holi festival and ate at Desi Spice with both Indian and American friends. Finally, we spent Sunday taking young Vietnamese kids shopping for shoes.

I took from all of this, that we are all the same. Be it Chinese New Year, Holi, St. Patrick's Day, or any other social holiday we all seek more prosperous times where community and hope out live our fears and troubles. If it were only that simple, for in comes the lumbering and ominous shadow of ideology surging between the towers of cities world wide to divide and isolate us. Yet, if we can drown down its roars and hate, we can find a new blending of the dialogues of culture to diminish even the visions of Alexander. I love diversity and am now even more grateful for that 5th grade lesson where my teacher made it clear to me that it takes all kinds to make up this world and how boring it would be if we really got everyone else to be just like us.