Uncategorized

I tend to fight against being categorized.

Because I feel as though I’m expected to behave a certain way once I’ve been categorized or labeled.

The first time I recognized this was when I entered the mission training center in Provo, Utah. I felt as though I was being asked to check my personality at the door. I was expected to talk and carry myself in a specific manner. I had little control over what I wore even down to the length of my hair.

I felt like a clone and did everything I could to break the profile and exert just a small dose of my own personality even when it meant getting in trouble.

In high school I was known as a jock. When I speak with people from my graduating class they seem shocked that I work in technology and can form coherent sentences on my blog.

The only label I’ve come to value is that of father. There are books on fatherhood, but not one agreed upon standard. I’m not necessarily expected to father my children in the same manner my father raised his. I am given the chance to figure it out on my own.

No step-by-step guide required.

Technology Requires Patience

The problem with the first MP3 player I owned wasn’t the fact that it only held about eight songs. Or the poor display or sketchy ID tag support.

No, the real problem with the Diamond Rio 300 was that I spent more time getting mp3 files onto the device than I did actually listening to them. The same scenario was played out with another half dozen players until the iPod came along.

My iRiver H-120 had a number of features not found on the iPod. But what features the iPod had, it did well. Apple made it easy to get music on the iPod. Isn’t that what’s it’s all about? Actually listening to your music!

My more geeky friends talk about how their Zune has an FM radio or their Creative or Archos devices support more video formats. But those products are stuck in niche markets because they are difficult for non-geeks to use. Both my parents own iPods and never once have they called me for technical support. Apple make sure the important features work and avoid complexity. Even if it means cutting a few features.

I recently had dinner with friends about my age. Both are smart, well-educated people who work outside the field of technology. It was fascinating to hear them talk about technology in regards to computers and mobile phones. They want new phones but don’t want the hassle of relearning a new model. And how do they move all those contact and numbers over to the new phone?

And their kids know more about the computer than the parents. This brought back memories of every high school computer course I took. By the third week, the students were doing the teaching.

Maybe I should be happy that technology is still difficult to use since my job relies on non-geeks paying people like me to help them wade through their options. If we ever get to the point where technology is easy to use, I will be looking at a career change.

But technology is still much too difficult to use. Computer and phones are still a mess. Occasionally I come across a product that works as advertised like the Flip Mino, but they are rare.

I don’t know if the iPhone is the best gadget ever or if my judgment is clouded by the fact I wanted to throw my Windows Mobile phone against the wall every day. Does Windows 7 feel good because Vista was so bad? Now iTunes wants to update itself and trick me into installing the Safari browser. Where did that toolbar come from?

Can we trust anyone?

No wonder my friends decided to stick with their old phones and computer when companies promise improvements but only if we’ll hand over our wallets.

I’m baffled by what we’re willing to put up with. It’s time we begin demanding products that work as advertised. 

Crossing the Bridge

Few cars were on the road at this time of night. With the moon roof down, I could see a group of stars in the dark, clear sky.

I don’t know what is about driving on a bridge over water. 65 mph feels like 85. Cops are rare so maybe I was doing closer to 85. Either way, I had the the I90 bridge all to myself as I zipped around the stretch from Mercer Island and into town.

With the top open, I extended my hand to deflect the crisp air onto my face like I did when I was kid while sitting in the backseat of our station wagon. I love the cool air of Seattle. It makes me feel so alive.

My iPod was playing Till Brönner’s “River Man”.

If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
And all night shows
In summertime

It’s been nearly 15 years since I first crossed the bridge on my way to Seattle where I moved into an a tiny studio across from the University of Washington.

But tonight I exited the bridge and jumped onto I5 which goes through downtown Seattle, past the glowing pillars of Safeco Field. Taking the 45th Street exit put me on “the Ave”.

A lot has changed over the years. Tower Records was gone. The corner computer shop had been replaced with a used clothing store. My favorite used record and CD joint was now a copy store. I was happy to see that Bulldog News and Haagen Daz were still around.

But the vibe I remember was gone.

On the drive home I thought about how my life has changed since I moved to Seattle. I’ve lost track of all the jobs I’ve held. I’ve lived downtown and far from town. I’ve commuted to work by bus, train, bike, scooter and ferry. We bought our first home and raised our first child and adopted our first pet.

But the largest change (besides meeting Kim) is that I now have four children that call me dad. And a few other names on occasion.

I arrived in Seattle as a self-centered brat who felt like the world owed me something for sticking out four years of college. Having children has softened the edges. Toned down the attitude.

I’ve got a long way to go. But I feel like I’m a better person than the one that drove a U-Haul over the bridge back in ‘94.

I’m going to take my kids to the Haagen Daz next week.

Before it’s replaced by another gas station.

I’m Not Ready

I’m not  ready to accept that I’m down to one grandparent.

As we plan a vacation to Utah to visit family, I keep telling myself I need to make time to swing by and visit my grandparents.

But only my grandmother on my mother’s side is left.

Growing up both grandparents lived about 30 minutes from our home, and I saw them at least a couple of times each month.

My grandfather bought me my first calculator, and I stayed up all night pressing 1+1 over and over till I fell asleep just shy of 10,000.  My grandmother would take me to ZCMI Center each fall to buy me a new outfit for school. So many good memories.

By living in Seattle our children haven’t had as many opportunities to spend time with their grandparents. When they do, it’s a treat and something they don’t take for granted.

Last summer we made a trip to Utah so my grandma on my dad’s side could see our new baby. It was the first and last time she was able to hold Kai because she passed away the day after we left.

During these times life feels so fragile. The separation feels too abrupt.

In a couple of weeks the six of us will make the 15 hour drive to Ogden. Each trip down could mean the last time I see my grandmother alive. Sometimes age has a funny way of changing one’s personality. She may not be as patient as I remember. She may repeat the same story or become confused.

Yet when she uses her left hand to prop up her right hand in order to grasp my hand, I know exactly what she means.

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Approachability

I’ve never had a job that required I wear a suit unless you count the two years I spent in Germany as a missionary. I had to wear a suit, white shirt and tie each day regardless of the weather.

I didn’t like the dress code back then and never got used to it. ties

By the time I was released, I was so tired of wearing a suit I vowed I’d never take a job that required I wear one each day.

So far so good.

My first job out of college had a firm business casual dress code. My current job has the same but is more flexible. I can occasionally wear jeans and mock turtlenecks without being sent home.

I think back to my days as a missionary and remember how much more approachable I was when I wasn’t wearing a suit, tie and name badge. When all decked out in dark suit, many Germans assumed I was selling something, and wouldn’t converse. But on our preparation day I wore jeans and a t-shirt and fit into the landscape. I was a lot more approachable which made sharing my message a lot easier. There were times when I taught more people on preparation day than the rest of the week days combined.

I know that serving a mission and working in an office are two entirely different activities. But I wonder if some of the same walls I built as a missionary show up in the office?

Why would any of my far more relaxed technicians want to talk to a guy sitting behind a desk wearing slacks and a tie? I know I wouldn’t.

I’m much more likely to hear from my crew if I spend time playing basketball with them as opposed to sitting in my office in nicely pressed business casual attire all day.

Does it matter how much time I spent polishing my shoes, ironing my shirts and pressing my pants if I don’t hear how my team is doing and connect with them on their terms?

How approachable are you?

Photo by Geekgirly

The iPhone Has Reduced My Reliance on Windows

Kim took the kids to Longbeach, WA last week. While she was gone I kept in touch with her by phone, but also SMS and email.

We both used Facebook to update our friends and family. We both updated Twitter a few times each day. We watch YouTube videos and read blogs in Google Reader.

Kim took pictures of the kids and sent them to me over email where I optimized and cropped them before posting to Posterous or Facebook.

We both checked the weather and played a few games. I updated my blog and listened to music. I even traced her route back to Auburn using Google Maps.

None of these activities are unusual. I suspect many families use similar technology to keep in touch. 

But here’s what I realized this weekend: At no point did either of us use any Microsoft software. image

We used our iPhones. Having an iPhone has reduced our reliance on Microsoft software. Not only did the iPhone replace our Windows Mobile phones but it’s also replacing many activities that used to require a PC.

Should Microsoft be concerned?

Kim and I will spend more on iPhone apps this MONTH than we will on Microsoft software this YEAR.

It’s not that we’re intentionally avoiding using Microsoft software. It’s just that we don’t need it very much.

The iPhone isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty darn close. Each week I see more iPhones show up on Microsoft campus. What does it say about Windows Mobile if your own employees are leaving it for the iPhone?

The game has changed. But does Microsoft realize it?

Home Alone

This morning I woke up to the sound of my alarm instead of the sounds of kids arguing over the Nintendo.

I ate breakfast without Lincoln begging me to make chocolate milk.

I took a shower without Anna Lynn flushing the toilet right as I was working Tea Tree Shampoo into my scalp.

I grabbed my keys and briefcase. Wow, my iPhone was right where I left it the night before. I didn’t have to follow the fart sounds in order to find my phone in the hands of my oldest daughter hiding deep in the couch cushions.

I didn’t have four kids grabbing every limb of my body begging me to stay home and take them to Chuck E Cheese.

I left the house minus the yelling and the begging and the arguing.

But it wasn’t the same.

I pulled my car out of the garage and looked back towards the house. All I saw were two recycle bins.

Most days I see three kids waving their arms so violently you’d think they were stranded on an island.

I rolled down the car window expecting to hear voices yelling, “We love you!!”

But all I heard was my neighbor’s sprinkler.

I’m glad the circus rolls back in to town tomorrow afternoon.

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A Fourth to Remember

He helped move toys from the living room to the kitchen. He brought me the Tivo remote while I sat at the computer. He opened and shut doors around the house and even tossed a pair of shoes down the laundry chute.

I didn’t ask for the help but my 20-month son, Kai, decided to help anyway.

He loves the vacuum and has to be in the same room keeping an eye on it. He doesn’t get too close and will scurry out of the way if I push it towards him. Today I’d figured I’d see if I could convince him to step close enough to grab hold of the handle and push it around with my help.

After a minute of convincing him everything would be OK, he extended his left arm towards the handle. He finally grabbed it, and I helped him guide it from room to room. At first he struggled to keep up. I slowed down so he could grip the handle with both hands. He had that “I’m thrilled and scared to death at the same time” look on his face.

When we finished it took as long to pry his little hands off the handle as it did to clean the living room. He then ran down the hallway yelling one of the few words he knows, “Mom!! Mom!!”

I assumed that would be my memory of this low-key Independence Day.

But tonight, I jumped on Twitter and saw this:

sonkilled

I sat there staring at my monitor for what must have been 15 minutes. My youngest son isn’t quite two yet. And Lincoln is only six. How would I react to losing an adult son knowing the next time I see his body it will be encased in a coffin.

I hope next year it doesn’t take something like this for me to remember the freedoms we celebrate are protected and defended by brave soldiers like David’s son.

Take The Way Home

No matter the weather forecast, the top to my Miata was staying down. That’s what I told myself as I started the 175 mile trip from Ogden to Rock Springs. I kept the radio off until I got through the twisty section of Highway 84 that winds up through Weber Canyon.

The steep canyons amplified the exhaust note. Rock on one side and the Weber River on the other. Taking corners just hard enough to squeal the tires. In any other car, I’d be alternating my attention between the digital clock and speedometer. But in a convertible my mind and reflexes were focused on the journey. Who cares how long the trip would take.

Take the way home that leads back to Sullivan Street
Past the shadows that fall down wherever we meet
Pretty soon now I won’t come around

Eventually the twisties gave way to straight expanses of highway with little more than a farmhouse or herd of cows to catch my attention. Back then the radio waves were dominated by the OJ trial.

Weeks earlier I caught the tail end of a video on MTV from the Counting Crows. I’d never heard of them before but liked their sound enough to pickup “August and Everything After”. I’d pop them into my cassette player just about the time I’d pass over the Utah border into Wyoming. It was the soundtrack to my journey.

If she remembers, she hides it whenever we meet
Either way now, I don’t really care
Cause I’m gone from there

I’d recently graduated from college, landed my first job and began to wonder if this is all post-college life had to offer. The melancholy mood of “August” matched my personal life at the time. I was “just another rider burned to the ground”. It was as if these songs were written for me.

As I learned the lyrics they began to sting a bit. Yet I couldn’t stop listening.

My career was just starting and I didn’t have a lot of responsibilities or people relying on me. I was naive and stupid. The highlight of my week was watching Letterman crank call the mattress shop. The world revolved around me and who was going to tell me otherwise?

It’s impossible to listen to Sullivan Street without imaging that cool canyon breeze rushing through my hair along with the angst and uncertainly that accompanied me on these trips.

I’m almost drowning in her seas
She’s nearly crawling on her knees
She’s down on her knees

I had no idea what lay ahead of me. I’m glad I couldn’t see into the future or it would have tarnished this magnificent time of reflection.

[audio:sullivanstreet.mp3]

The First Five

I recently wiped my PC in preparation for installing the release candidate of Windows 7. It used to take a couple of hours to install Windows from scratch and then a couple of days before I had all my applications reinstalled and configured just right.

But those days are over. I’m spending more time on Facebook and Twitter and have replaced a number of applications with simplified web apps. I replaced Microsoft Outlook with Gmail last year and haven’t looked back. Google Docs has nearly replaced Microsoft Office.

Yet I still rely on a few applications that haven’t been replaced by web counterparts. Here’s a list of the first 5 applications I’ve installed on my Windows 7 computer. I’m going to assume the FIRST program you install is a new web browser. I prefer Firefox but Opera, Chrome or Safari will do.

 

digsby

Digsby is a simple chat program. It replaced Windows Live Messenger for me when it added integrated Facebook chat and Gmail notifications.

Last.FM is an unbelievably cool app. If you’re familiar with Pandora or Slacker Radio you’ll love Last.FM. Discovers new music I enjoy and allows me to share it with friends. Check out my favorite artists here.

image

Threatfire is the one program to install if you try only one of these apps. I’ve run it for the last two years without any AV software. That’s how much I trust it. Threatfire detects and stops harmful behavior to your machine.

ultramon_logo

UltraMon fixes a big hole in Windows 7: Dual monitor support that works. Adds   an intelligent task bar to your second monitor and allows you to configure desktop backgrounds independently among other features.

Mesh

Microsoft Live Mesh is my favorite product from Microsoft. I wrote about it in January and rely on it everyday. Mesh syncs files between my home and work computers.