Hi all,
This feels like it's a self serving post for me, since I'm a person who makes their livelihood by "making things go" with technology. Even still - it's worth talking about. Technology makes everything awesome, and I'm not just talking about computers.
Here are some things that I used today that made my life a kabillion times easier:
Google Maps
GPS
Cell Phone
Email
Smartphone Apps
Social Networking
Online Voting
Torrents
Anything else that makes you feel like you'd be all curled up without?
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Airplanes are Awesome (if I could remember this stuff)
Hi all,
Airplanes are truly awesome - they get us from Point A to Point B in a matter of hours instead of days. Sure, flying is expensive, but so is the alternative sometimes.
Once upon a time, I learned all of these tips through either the wisdom of others, or my mistakes. I've done more driving than flying lately, so I forgot nearly all of these, so I thought I'd write them on the blogosphere for next time.
If you're flying, airports are your biggest challenge, and where you might end up spending a few extra hours for weather, or sinkholes, or other awesome events that make planes late.
Here are musts to have in your carry-on bag, preferably near the top, but you can only do what you can, right?:
1- Charger for entertainment - Whether you entertain yourself with a laptop, an iPod, a BlackBerry, a Kindle, whatever it is, bring a charger. Playing a video is an enormous drain on battery life, just to keep a screen alive, and heaven forbid you're using a physical media like DVD or Blu-Ray - spinning the drive will suck the battery drier than most deserts. A nice physical book is a fantastic backup, but it can be a little bit bulky.
2 - Your wallet, keys, and cellphone - Huh? Won't I need those in my pockets or purses? Yes, but if you're a pocket wallet, keys and/or phone person, and you need to go through security, SURPRISE! You have to put them all in a bin, and then take them back and re-arrange. I don't know about everyone else, but when there's someone in front of me to get their stuff back from security, and they have to put it back into 15 different pockets, holding everyone else up, I get a tiny bit annoyed. It saves you time going into securtiy too, because you don't have to go into those 15 pockets to get the stuff out.
3 - Earbud headphones - This is for those of you who get sucked into screens (myself included), but they're a must for us. No matter how much I want to avoid the in-flight entertainment, those screens are just so pretty, that I eventually succumb to their wily charms. Even if I manage to last through take-off without plugging in, my neighbour ends up watching something amazing, so instead of reading lips and watching over shoulders, I'll pop in my headphones and watch in my own pod. Most airlines are cool with all types of headphones for the middle of the flight if there isn't any turbulence, but those earbud headphones let you enjoy the awesomeness during takeoff, landing, taxiing, the whole she-bang.
4 - Collapsible travel pillow- Awesome for quick airport naps (remember to set an alarm somehow), back support or nap support on the plane itself. The ones they sell in the airport themselves are complete rip-offs, but they've got a captive audience of people who sit around doing nothing...
5 - A light sweater (also near top) - Planes and airports alike do not follow weather patterns, and often like to crank the air conditioning. Being cool is cool. Being cold sucks.
These 5 things being said, it's a good idea to keep your carry-on luggage pretty light, especially if you want to grab a meal or something. This is one of the reasons I will always check a bag rather than cart it around. I know, it's faster since you don't have to wait, and it's more secure since the airline doesn't have to lose your luggage, but it's hassle at security to go through your toiletries and you have to hire a pack mule to go to Tim Horton's. To each their own.
Seating deserves its own bullet as there are a few mistakes I've made:
1 - The front row of an aircraft might have extra leg room, and you will be the first off the plane if you've got your carry-on luggage. That's a big if, because if the airline keeps their stuff in the cabin, it's often up at the front so the staff can do the safety dance and show you how to wear an oxygen mask. To prepare for this eventuality, I recommend carrying numbers 1-3 in a jacket, which will also be your pillow and sweater, and you can put it in your lap.
2 - The emergency exit has awesome leg room, but some airlines will charge extra for the privilege of stretching out your tootsies.
3 - The last row of a plane is often built for tiny people without elbows. Sure, it might not be a priority to get off the flight first, but after sitting jammed into that tiny space for awhile, those priorities change FAST.
4 - This might be common sense, but if you're a person who might have to go to the bathroom, or is a brave soul who travels with children, pick an aisle seat. If you're gonna hold it until the airport anyway, pick a window. Please.
Some other airport tips:
1 - Wear slip-on shoes for ease of getting through security. Quick off, quick on.
2 - If you're bringing a laptop, have it out already before you get to the station, or pack it in checked baggage if it isn't your entertainment.
3 - Wear a watch, or find a seat facing a clock - this keeps me "in time" so I don't lose track, either missing stuff, or thinking it's been FOREVER when it's really only been 5 minutes.
4 - Online checkins rule, and should be done as soon as you can. That way you get access to the prime seats (first row or emergency exits for legroom), and if the airline decides there aren't enough people, or the plane is broken, they can let you know before you show up at the airport.
Once upon a time, I learned all of these tips through either the wisdom of others, or my mistakes. I've done more driving than flying lately, so I forgot nearly all of these, so I thought I'd write them on the blogosphere for next time.
If you're flying, airports are your biggest challenge, and where you might end up spending a few extra hours for weather, or sinkholes, or other awesome events that make planes late.
Here are musts to have in your carry-on bag, preferably near the top, but you can only do what you can, right?:
5 - A light sweater (also near top) - Planes and airports alike do not follow weather patterns, and often like to crank the air conditioning. Being cool is cool. Being cold sucks.
These 5 things being said, it's a good idea to keep your carry-on luggage pretty light, especially if you want to grab a meal or something. This is one of the reasons I will always check a bag rather than cart it around. I know, it's faster since you don't have to wait, and it's more secure since the airline doesn't have to lose your luggage, but it's hassle at security to go through your toiletries and you have to hire a pack mule to go to Tim Horton's. To each their own.
1 - The front row of an aircraft might have extra leg room, and you will be the first off the plane if you've got your carry-on luggage. That's a big if, because if the airline keeps their stuff in the cabin, it's often up at the front so the staff can do the safety dance and show you how to wear an oxygen mask. To prepare for this eventuality, I recommend carrying numbers 1-3 in a jacket, which will also be your pillow and sweater, and you can put it in your lap.
2 - The emergency exit has awesome leg room, but some airlines will charge extra for the privilege of stretching out your tootsies.
3 - The last row of a plane is often built for tiny people without elbows. Sure, it might not be a priority to get off the flight first, but after sitting jammed into that tiny space for awhile, those priorities change FAST.
4 - This might be common sense, but if you're a person who might have to go to the bathroom, or is a brave soul who travels with children, pick an aisle seat. If you're gonna hold it until the airport anyway, pick a window. Please.
1 - Wear slip-on shoes for ease of getting through security. Quick off, quick on.
2 - If you're bringing a laptop, have it out already before you get to the station, or pack it in checked baggage if it isn't your entertainment.
3 - Wear a watch, or find a seat facing a clock - this keeps me "in time" so I don't lose track, either missing stuff, or thinking it's been FOREVER when it's really only been 5 minutes.
4 - Online checkins rule, and should be done as soon as you can. That way you get access to the prime seats (first row or emergency exits for legroom), and if the airline decides there aren't enough people, or the plane is broken, they can let you know before you show up at the airport.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Am I a "Gym" person? Time to find out...
Hi all,
Last weekend I had the discovery that my belt makes me uncomfortable. It took me a few hours to figure out, but when I did, and moved my belt one notch in, my world darkened. I've known for awhile that I've been out of shape, but this brought things home. I'm extremely happy it wasn't a health issue or anything serious, so I decided to take action before anything serious happened.
Some backstory:
At the end of 2011, I was working for RIM, and they have an amazing package designed to keep people happy. They give you a certain amount of money every year to spend on fitness, smoking cessation, or to make your health better in any number of ways. It's a fantastic idea, and I fully commend them in the pursuit of happiness for their employees. One of the cornerstones of their idea is a deep discount on gym memberships at Goodlife. When I joined RIM in 2006 the number of Goodlife franchises in Nova Scotia was 1, and the number of those franchises which allowed men to work out was 0. Since the merger between Goodlife and Nubody's - that number has increased (11 in Halifax Regional Municipality), and the discount increased, so... what the hey, I got a year's membership.
In January of 2012, I went into the Goodlife near me, signed my membership agreement, got my swanky barcode thingie to let me in the doors, and I was all set to go. Although it was offered (and kind of expected), I had no intention of working out that day, but would absolutely return to do the exercising.
Fast forward to last weekend, and I went back a grand total of 0 times. I returned tonight to make sure I was still able to come and play, and sure enough I was. The staff were super keen to have me join classes, and it kinda weirded me out, but I went on the treadmill for 30 minutes (running is way too generous a term for what happened) and came home.
It was kinda surreal, as I hadn't been in a gym or locker room environment since my teens, and I was very unhappy at first, but I've decided to keep going when I can. I won't do any classes (yet), but I'm going to "run" on the treadmill and listen to music, and see where that takes me.
Any helpful hints of stuff to try?
Last weekend I had the discovery that my belt makes me uncomfortable. It took me a few hours to figure out, but when I did, and moved my belt one notch in, my world darkened. I've known for awhile that I've been out of shape, but this brought things home. I'm extremely happy it wasn't a health issue or anything serious, so I decided to take action before anything serious happened.
Some backstory:
At the end of 2011, I was working for RIM, and they have an amazing package designed to keep people happy. They give you a certain amount of money every year to spend on fitness, smoking cessation, or to make your health better in any number of ways. It's a fantastic idea, and I fully commend them in the pursuit of happiness for their employees. One of the cornerstones of their idea is a deep discount on gym memberships at Goodlife. When I joined RIM in 2006 the number of Goodlife franchises in Nova Scotia was 1, and the number of those franchises which allowed men to work out was 0. Since the merger between Goodlife and Nubody's - that number has increased (11 in Halifax Regional Municipality), and the discount increased, so... what the hey, I got a year's membership.
In January of 2012, I went into the Goodlife near me, signed my membership agreement, got my swanky barcode thingie to let me in the doors, and I was all set to go. Although it was offered (and kind of expected), I had no intention of working out that day, but would absolutely return to do the exercising.
Fast forward to last weekend, and I went back a grand total of 0 times. I returned tonight to make sure I was still able to come and play, and sure enough I was. The staff were super keen to have me join classes, and it kinda weirded me out, but I went on the treadmill for 30 minutes (running is way too generous a term for what happened) and came home.
It was kinda surreal, as I hadn't been in a gym or locker room environment since my teens, and I was very unhappy at first, but I've decided to keep going when I can. I won't do any classes (yet), but I'm going to "run" on the treadmill and listen to music, and see where that takes me.
Any helpful hints of stuff to try?
Monday, September 3, 2012
Deep thoughts while lawn mowing (or how I learned to stop worrying and keep doing chores)
Hi all!
My first sentence of this entry seems sarcastic, but I assure you it isn't. I was lucky enough to get to mow my lawn today. It's a chore that I don't mind doing, but when the chips are down, I'd rather sleep, eat, surf facebook, or whatever. It leaves me with a gnawing guilt kind of feeling, especially when I feel the blades of grass tickling my knees (only slight exaggeration).
Today's domesticated bliss was enhanced by inspiration yesterday when a friend's awesome t-shirt read "What if we all lived like heroes?" The thought went around and around my head through the chore like a fly that doesn't quite understand why the light it's bashing itself against is awesome. I started thinking about how I express my likes and dislikes, which used to be done the old fashioned way (telling people about them), but then progressed to t-shirts, and then evolved to facebook.
Somehow, my mind went from thinking about that expression of what I like to faith and the potential of the human mind.
I can't explain how it happened, but that's kinda what's cool about it.
This evening, a series of chores lined themselves up in such a way that I could get a bunch done really quickly, making me think that I leave too many chores undone because they don't line up properly. Regardless, I got them all done, but because there was a bunch of them to do, my mind didn't have the freedom to wander like it did when I was mowing for an hour.
Conclusion - I should mow the lawn more and really get to work on WebThought so I can capture these thoughts directly from my brain and transcribe them somewhere quickly.
Yay labour day!
My first sentence of this entry seems sarcastic, but I assure you it isn't. I was lucky enough to get to mow my lawn today. It's a chore that I don't mind doing, but when the chips are down, I'd rather sleep, eat, surf facebook, or whatever. It leaves me with a gnawing guilt kind of feeling, especially when I feel the blades of grass tickling my knees (only slight exaggeration).
Today's domesticated bliss was enhanced by inspiration yesterday when a friend's awesome t-shirt read "What if we all lived like heroes?" The thought went around and around my head through the chore like a fly that doesn't quite understand why the light it's bashing itself against is awesome. I started thinking about how I express my likes and dislikes, which used to be done the old fashioned way (telling people about them), but then progressed to t-shirts, and then evolved to facebook.
Somehow, my mind went from thinking about that expression of what I like to faith and the potential of the human mind.
I can't explain how it happened, but that's kinda what's cool about it.
This evening, a series of chores lined themselves up in such a way that I could get a bunch done really quickly, making me think that I leave too many chores undone because they don't line up properly. Regardless, I got them all done, but because there was a bunch of them to do, my mind didn't have the freedom to wander like it did when I was mowing for an hour.
Conclusion - I should mow the lawn more and really get to work on WebThought so I can capture these thoughts directly from my brain and transcribe them somewhere quickly.
Yay labour day!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
My 2011 Experience with Headcount Reduction
Hi all!
This week has been a tough one for employees at my previous job (RIM), and my heart goes out to all of them. Whether they were downsized, or just feared it watching the others go, the whole process is heartbreaking and has left me with scars that will never heal.
That being said, the process I underwent with my downsizing was mostly a good one. That sounds silly, but I mean every word.
First of all, I was on vacation for the time that everyone was learning their fates, so although I heard news of some people being let go, I wasn't there to experience the terror first-hand, so it was all somewhat removed from me. I was also in a location where cell coverage isn't the best, so that built a stronger buffer between me and the news going around. Looking back, I appreciate this the most. Even though worrying doesn't change anything, it's human nature to do it. This buffer allowed me not to worry, since I didn't have enough information to worry. Van Wilder says it perfectly, "Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere." I immersed myself in enjoying my vacation and spending time with my family. Awesome.
On the morning of my son's birthday, I got an email from my grandboss inviting me, and 4 other members of my 7 person team (all but 2) to a meeting. The tone of the invite indicated something was serious, but I didn't grasp how serious it was yet. I replied that I wouldn't be able to attend, but could I have the minutes of the meeting when it was over. My grandboss replied advising that this was something that couldn't be done over email. The possibilities kicked me in the gut. It could be anything, but it didn't sound good at all.
I fretted a bit, but I didn't have a clear direction for my worry - I kept thinking of different things it could have been, but the fact that 5 of us were called to a meeting kept me from thinking that I had lost my job. After all, they would probably tell us individually, right?
Then a call came in from one of the people who weren't invited to the meeting. He told me that he wasn't sure what was going on, but that 4 people all got called into a meeting, and then someone else came to get their stuff and put it in boxes. He was terrified, thinking he would be next, and he didn't know that I was invited to the meeting too.
It was pretty much laid out for me, then, but I was glad to know before I officially knew, so that I could get my ducks in a row and prepare. I backed up all my contacts and started the mental transition of doing something else for a living, and it was almost liberating. I started mentally making a plan of what I could do, and I had time to put some of those plans into action before I lost resources like my phone and my laptop.
My first day back to work was... weird. It was a Tuesday, and the area previously populated by my co-workers was empty. I emailed my grandboss to tell him that I was in the building, but didn't receive a reply for an agonizing hour and a half. I used the time to pack my stuff into my car, using the knowledge I gleaned from earlier to know that I wouldn't have a chance to come back to pack. When I was all done, I considered that maybe there was a mistake, and started to work for a bit, but then the reply to my email came and I went to a room where my grandboss was present via audio conference.
The package I was given was more than generous, which leads me to the second part of why it was a good thing. I was given time in lieu of notice, severance, and a month of career counselling including a resume polish process. I was told by my family to not sign anything in the room, and fully expected to be asked to, but I was told to take everything with me to consider it before I signed. Cool. I asked my questions, which seemed petty after having been handed this golden turd, but all of the questions were answered fully and completely, and I didn't feel like I was being hung out to dry, just a victim of unfortunate circumstances.
So that was that - the deal was done, and I headed to my car to drive away without a phone, laptop, or tablet, but I felt pretty good. I was treated more than fairly, and I bore the company no ill-will whatsoever. I was off to explore the wasteland of unemployment, but I was armed with resources provided by RIM, so I didn't feel impotent.
It turns out that I was able to get hired back on at RIM in a different role, which I was extremely glad for. Throughout the whole time, I had to defend the company, and let people know that they did what they had to do, and did it with compassion. In light of what I recently chose, I still have to defend them a fair bit, making sure everyone knows that the reason why I left was actually made harder by my treatment - not easier. Downsizing is hard, but RIM did what they could to make it easy.
This week has been a tough one for employees at my previous job (RIM), and my heart goes out to all of them. Whether they were downsized, or just feared it watching the others go, the whole process is heartbreaking and has left me with scars that will never heal.
That being said, the process I underwent with my downsizing was mostly a good one. That sounds silly, but I mean every word.
First of all, I was on vacation for the time that everyone was learning their fates, so although I heard news of some people being let go, I wasn't there to experience the terror first-hand, so it was all somewhat removed from me. I was also in a location where cell coverage isn't the best, so that built a stronger buffer between me and the news going around. Looking back, I appreciate this the most. Even though worrying doesn't change anything, it's human nature to do it. This buffer allowed me not to worry, since I didn't have enough information to worry. Van Wilder says it perfectly, "Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere." I immersed myself in enjoying my vacation and spending time with my family. Awesome.
On the morning of my son's birthday, I got an email from my grandboss inviting me, and 4 other members of my 7 person team (all but 2) to a meeting. The tone of the invite indicated something was serious, but I didn't grasp how serious it was yet. I replied that I wouldn't be able to attend, but could I have the minutes of the meeting when it was over. My grandboss replied advising that this was something that couldn't be done over email. The possibilities kicked me in the gut. It could be anything, but it didn't sound good at all.
I fretted a bit, but I didn't have a clear direction for my worry - I kept thinking of different things it could have been, but the fact that 5 of us were called to a meeting kept me from thinking that I had lost my job. After all, they would probably tell us individually, right?
Then a call came in from one of the people who weren't invited to the meeting. He told me that he wasn't sure what was going on, but that 4 people all got called into a meeting, and then someone else came to get their stuff and put it in boxes. He was terrified, thinking he would be next, and he didn't know that I was invited to the meeting too.
It was pretty much laid out for me, then, but I was glad to know before I officially knew, so that I could get my ducks in a row and prepare. I backed up all my contacts and started the mental transition of doing something else for a living, and it was almost liberating. I started mentally making a plan of what I could do, and I had time to put some of those plans into action before I lost resources like my phone and my laptop.
So that was that - the deal was done, and I headed to my car to drive away without a phone, laptop, or tablet, but I felt pretty good. I was treated more than fairly, and I bore the company no ill-will whatsoever. I was off to explore the wasteland of unemployment, but I was armed with resources provided by RIM, so I didn't feel impotent.
It turns out that I was able to get hired back on at RIM in a different role, which I was extremely glad for. Throughout the whole time, I had to defend the company, and let people know that they did what they had to do, and did it with compassion. In light of what I recently chose, I still have to defend them a fair bit, making sure everyone knows that the reason why I left was actually made harder by my treatment - not easier. Downsizing is hard, but RIM did what they could to make it easy.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
I'm (unofficially) a Google power searcher
Hi all,
Remember back before Google, you could tell a person's expertise with the internet depending on which search engine they used?
Google has absolutely obliterated the rest of the field, and I'm kinda glad they did. Their motto of "Do no evil" is awesome, and I feel completely happy giving them everything I search for online in return for their awesome service of giving me what I need, and quickly.
Still, with great power comes great responsibility, and Google's innovations have been landing on deaf ears for the past while. To combat this slide, they created this awesome online course designed to teach everyone the different features of Google which are available to anyone. If you knew the features existed - awesome for you -the course still gives an excellent way of describing to the members of your social circle who are less Google-literate.
The highlight for me was Google Images - something I have seen a lot, and have even used occasionally, but mostly for these posts, and nothing more. It has now become a go-to for searching, as it seriously changes how I search.
Here's an example which didn't work out, but it gave me some practice:
My son's third birthday was this last weekend, and his Aunt gave him some plastic dinosaurs for his present. I knew there would be some questions regarding the dinosaur's name, or race, and I'm sure I learned it at some point, but the name wasn't coming to me fast enough.\
I had learned the week previous that all Google Images needs is a picture of the item (with the searching item taking up as much of the frame as possible), and if you drag that photo into Google Images, it will look for visually similar photos which are available.
Here's the pic I took:
and the results:
Nope. But, put in the word Dinosaur, and it shows me that this race of dinosaur was in the movie Dinosaur from Disney. Having recently watched it, and wanting to know more about the races in it, my wife found a page describing them all.
So there you have it Google didn't completely solve my issue, but it gave me the tools to make it happen!
If you've got the time, I highly recommend Google's Power Searching course. You won't get a certificate for completing it anymore, but it's still cool.
Remember back before Google, you could tell a person's expertise with the internet depending on which search engine they used?
Google has absolutely obliterated the rest of the field, and I'm kinda glad they did. Their motto of "Do no evil" is awesome, and I feel completely happy giving them everything I search for online in return for their awesome service of giving me what I need, and quickly.
Still, with great power comes great responsibility, and Google's innovations have been landing on deaf ears for the past while. To combat this slide, they created this awesome online course designed to teach everyone the different features of Google which are available to anyone. If you knew the features existed - awesome for you -the course still gives an excellent way of describing to the members of your social circle who are less Google-literate.
The highlight for me was Google Images - something I have seen a lot, and have even used occasionally, but mostly for these posts, and nothing more. It has now become a go-to for searching, as it seriously changes how I search.
Here's an example which didn't work out, but it gave me some practice:
My son's third birthday was this last weekend, and his Aunt gave him some plastic dinosaurs for his present. I knew there would be some questions regarding the dinosaur's name, or race, and I'm sure I learned it at some point, but the name wasn't coming to me fast enough.\
I had learned the week previous that all Google Images needs is a picture of the item (with the searching item taking up as much of the frame as possible), and if you drag that photo into Google Images, it will look for visually similar photos which are available.
Here's the pic I took:
So there you have it Google didn't completely solve my issue, but it gave me the tools to make it happen!
If you've got the time, I highly recommend Google's Power Searching course. You won't get a certificate for completing it anymore, but it's still cool.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Steam is awesome!
Hi all,
I know I'm super late to the party, but Valve's Steam service for offering video games is awesome.
I joined last week to get ready for a LAN party my friends were having, and was pleasantly surprised that I stumbled onto a sale. Before I could say "Minimum Requirements", I had 6 games in my cart!
The main game I wanted to play (Day Z) required the purchase of some beefier equipment than I had, so I'm typing to you now from my new laptop, which I think I will actually keep this time.
The experience with Day Z was awesome, and I think I've picked up my previous addiction of gaming. I downloaded a game I love (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - some creative tweaking needed to get it to run on Windows 7), some franchises I've missed out on (Batman Arkham and Assassin's Creed) and psyched to try out Rockstar's L.A. Noire.
I now intend to make the most of the kids napping and play video games for several minutes.
Take care all!
I know I'm super late to the party, but Valve's Steam service for offering video games is awesome. I joined last week to get ready for a LAN party my friends were having, and was pleasantly surprised that I stumbled onto a sale. Before I could say "Minimum Requirements", I had 6 games in my cart!
The main game I wanted to play (Day Z) required the purchase of some beefier equipment than I had, so I'm typing to you now from my new laptop, which I think I will actually keep this time.
The experience with Day Z was awesome, and I think I've picked up my previous addiction of gaming. I downloaded a game I love (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - some creative tweaking needed to get it to run on Windows 7), some franchises I've missed out on (Batman Arkham and Assassin's Creed) and psyched to try out Rockstar's L.A. Noire.
I now intend to make the most of the kids napping and play video games for several minutes.
Take care all!
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