BlogOrlando 2008

by Jeff W Posted on July 17, 2008

It’s back.

The third annual BlogOrlando is taking place September 25th-27th. I attended the first BlogOrlando in 2006 and enjoyed it immensely, but missed last year’s because I was in Minnesota. If you’re a blogger in the Orlando area, you should do your best to attend.

If I’m in town, I’ll be there.

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Facebook

by Jeff W Posted on July 16, 2008

Way back a long time ago (it seems), I was invited to join Facebook by my friend Dawn. Facebook is a social networking website and, since I’m not a huge networker, my list of friends is no doubt small compared to those of others. Still, I do enjoy the connection with those who are my friends and Facebook helps me keep up with their lives when I may not get to see them personally as often as I might prefer.

I confess I’m not a very good responder to a lot of the different requests my friends may send through Facebook, because most of them involve using various programs that I would rather not allow to access my information.

Here are my 17 Facebook friends:

Cindy – My wife. She still hasn’t uploaded a photo of herself.

Dawn – My friend. We met when we were both charter members of Orlando MetroBlog several years back.

Jeremy – My step-son, who is a programming genius.

Piedad – My sister-in-law. My brother has no idea how lucky he is.

Michelle – My friend. We met online through our blogs and then in person a few years back at an address by world renown travel expert Arthur Frommer.

Rhonda – My friend. We met because she is Michelle’s best friend and subsequently became one of my good friends.

Elsa – My friend. We met through her friendship with my brother when they lived in NYC and have maintained it through her move to the great Northwest.

Hanni – My friend. We met through her friendship with Jeremy.

Zaida – My friend. We met through our common interest in Bookcrossing several years ago.

Heather – My friend. We met through her friendship with my daughter. Curiously, neither my daughter or I have met her in person. Our friendship has been completely conducted online.

Michael – We met when I conducted an interview via e-mail for the Athena Comics Site that I write for. We have never met in person either.

Pelf – We met online through our blogs, but also have yet to meet in person. That may be remedied in the near future when Pelf visits in conjunction with her turtle studies and scholarship that have brought her from Malaysia to the U.S. for a few months.

Katrina – Co-worker and friend.

Melissa – Co-worker and friend.

Millie – Co-worker and friend.

Fritz Marie – Co-worker and friend.

Jose – Former co-worker, still friend.

If you’re a family member or friend of mine who is on Facebook and we haven’t connected there yet, consider sending a friend request my way.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

FriendFeed Frenzy

by Jeff W Posted on July 15, 2008

Hand in hand with my Twitter use is my FriendFeed. FriendFeed is a social networking tool that allows you to aggregate all the online activities of, who else, your friends!

I find it especially useful for keeping up with those who I don’t follow on Twitter. For instance, John Frost of The Disney Blog (I had hoped to meet him at last year’s BlogOrlando event, but was out of state at the time) is a frequent blog and Twitter poster. If I followed him on my BlackBerry, my phone would never stop making that “Star Trek transporter” sound I use to alert me to incoming twits, so I find it helpful to have him on my FriendFeed and follow his postings through that medium.

At the end of the day I receive a FriendFeed activity report on what my friends who are online have been up to that day. This includes blog posts, Twitter posts, Flickr uploads, additions to their Amazon WishList, items shared on Google Reader, Facebook activity…just about anything done online. Plus, sometimes friends of YOUR friends will have their activities show up, in case you see something of interest from them and decide to add them directly to your feed. That urge hasn’t struck me yet and probably won’t.

FriendFeed is a great way to see what all of your online friends and acquaintances have been up to, and keeps you informed about their online lives.

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Posted in Friends, Social Networking | 3 Comments

Staying In Touch With Twitter

by Jeff W Posted on July 14, 2008

I’ve been using Twitter for a while now and have found that I really enjoy how it lets me post a quick update of small events during my day (so much so that Cindy told me I went over my wireless plan’s 200 text message limit by 104 last month). I also appreciate how it lets me keep up with the lives of some of my friends and acquaintances through their posts. A few of them are set up to go right through to my Blackberry and the rest I can peruse on the site (or through FriendFeed, more on that in another post) at my leisure.

Since time is not always a luxury for me, even with the brevity of Twitter posts, I am selective about who I follow. Here’s a list of who I currently have on my follow list:

Cindy – my wife. She only joined to follow me and never posts anything herself.

Denise – My friend. She joined and then ran into some kind of technical difficulties that she has not resolved yet.

Michelle – My friend. We also use Twitter on the Athena Site to keep readers up to date on site postings.

Zaida – My friend. She hasn’t used Twitter in quite a while. Get busy girl!

Vanessa – My friend. She is by far the most frequent poster of my friends, and I love reading her Twits.

Jill – My former editor when I wrote for Suite101 and a personal friend of Michelle’s. She’s catching up quickly to Vanessa in post frequency.

Danny – A fellow writer in Winter Park. We haven’t met personally yet, but I’m sure we will at some point.

Orlando Sentinel – My local paper. When I’m traveling, their Twits help me stay up on breaking news in Orlando.

If you’re a family member or friend who hasn’t signed up with Twitter yet, I hope you will and will let me know when you do so I can add you to my follow list.

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Posted in Technology, Twitter | 3 Comments

SearchMe

by Jeff W Posted on July 13, 2008

As a writer who enjoys research, I am an intimate friend of Google. But today my brother sent me a link to a visually cool search engine known as SearchMe. Type in your term or inquiry and a graphic representation of the relevant pages where your search term appears are served up to you in a stream. Just click on the pages that interest you to be whisked away to the site.

You can search the Web, Images or Video in categories such as Mobile Phones, Business News, Software, Instant Messaging, Advertising & Marketing and Blogs, or do one single search under all categories.

For a different online search experience, check out SearchMe. You can thank my brother.

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The Cheese Grater Slide

by Jeff W Posted on July 12, 2008

Ok, here’s the scoop. I try my best to post each and every day, but sometimes work or personal issues prevent that from happening.

Still, I don’t want those who faithfully stop by here (or check their RSS feeds) to come away empty-handed.

From now on, when I don’t have time to post an entry, I’ll post the photo below of the kid hurtling down the slide toward the giant cheese grater.

That way you’ll know I “couldn’t cut it” that day. And hopefully everyone has a good laugh.

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Posted in Cheese Grater Slide | 4 Comments

Back Home For A While

by Jeff W Posted on July 11, 2008

Spent today unpacking, doing laundry, trying to catch up on mail (both snail and e-) and failing horribly at it, running to the post office to mail off my travel documents (and pick up more snail mail), stopping at the big box home improvement store for some yard items and then a nice dinner with Cindy and her parents.

I wish I had managed to work a nap in there somewhere.

Friday will be breakfast out, some shopping, a movie and (hopefully) some relaxing and then Saturday will be yard work and cleaning out the attic. Somewhere in there I hope to fit in some time in the office, which has become the repository of all things not found elsewhere in the house.

What’s YOUR weekend shaping up to be?

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Posted in Personal | 1 Comment

Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Old Oak Tree

by Jeff W Posted on July 9, 2008

I’m comin’ home, I’ve done my time
Now I’ve got to know what is and isn’t mine
If you received my letter tellin’ you I’d soon be free
Then you’ll know just what to do if you still want me
If you still want me

CHORUS:
Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree
It’s been three long years
Do you still want me?
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree
I’ll stay on the bus
Forget about us
Put the blame on me
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree

Bus driver, please look for me
‘Cause I couldn’t bear to see what I might see
I’m really still in prison, and my love she holds the key
A simple yellow ribbon’s what I need to set me free
I wrote and told her please:

REPEAT CHORUS

Now the whole damn bus is cheering
And I can’t believe I see
A hundred yellow ribbons ’round the old oak tree
I’m comin’ home

Lyrics sung by Tony Orlando and Dawn

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Posted in Home, Personal | Comments Off on Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Old Oak Tree

One Of My Favorite Essays

by Jeff W Posted on July 8, 2008

I have no patience for toxic people. I don’t like them around me, I don’t like them dumping on me, and I do my best to avoid their droppings in my life. But sometimes you have no choice in the matter.

Our lives are a series of actions and reactions. Actions are self-generated but reactions can make us dependent on the person performing the action…or they can set us apart from that person. One of my favorite things to read on a regular basis is David J. Pollay’s Beware of Garbage Trucks! – also known as The Law of The Garbage Truck. Here’s the first two paragraphs; I hope you’ll follow the link to the entire post and I hope you enjoy it and find it as helpful as I do.

How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you’re the Terminator, you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s important in your life.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. And I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here’s what happened.

Read the rest here.

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Posted in Personal, Writing | 3 Comments

The Starship Captain From Iowa

by Jeff W Posted on July 7, 2008

John Wayne is not the only famous person born in Iowa. According to the city of Riverside, Iowa, on March 22, 2233 the future Captain James Tiberius Kirk will be born in their fair town.

Star Trek mythology found in the original TV series, movies and novels establishes that James Kirk , Captain of the starship Enterprise, was born on a farm in Iowa. Riverside seized upon the fact that the city was never mentioned and declared that they were the locale of his birth. To my knowledge, no other city in Iowa ever disputed their claim.

Being a big fan of Star Trek, I was a little bummed out when I discovered that I missed the city’s annual James Kirk/Star Trek celebration last Sunday. Although it’s a 2 hour drive from Des Moines to Riverside, I would have skipped the Des Moines Art festival and made the drive to be a part of it had I known beforehand.

For most Star Trek fans, James T. Kirk is the epitome of a starship captain. A natural leader, man of action, performing feats of daring-do, and possessor of romantic conquests across the galaxy. A sort of “woman in every planet” kind of sailor, if you will.

There will always be the natural comparisons and competition among fans between Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard (the other captains, Sisko, Janeway and Archer are seldom included), but Kirk usually edges out Picard. The general feeling among the fans I know is that if you want something done, call Kirk; if you want to talk about it, call Picard. I do, however, recall one episode of ST: TNG where I actually cheered when Picard leaped from his captain’s chair and cold-cocked some enemy who had unexpectedly transported to the bridge.

But Picard was born in France and Kirk was born in the good old USA…Riverside, Iowa to be specific.

Here’s a link to the local newspaper’s coverage, along with some photos of the festivities.

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Posted in Books, Iowa, Movies, Science Fiction, TV | 1 Comment

I’m Blushing, Part II

by Jeff W Posted on July 7, 2008

I was checking my friend Denise’s website today, catching up on all her posts and photos since arriving in West “By God” Virginia, and was greeted with a Birthday Wish to me…and a promise of an arriving gift. Go check it out for a good laugh.

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Posted in Friends, Personal | 1 Comment

The Value Of Venting

by Jeff W Posted on July 6, 2008

One of my co-workers startled me today by saying, “Jeff, I just wanted to tell you that I admire how you manage the people in your department. You always seem upbeat, fair and patient with everyone. I just thought you should know that it’s noticed and appreciated.”

I thanked him for telling me, but you know, we’re all human. I do my best to exhibit those traits he mentioned, but there are times when I’m thinking “I’d like to strangle so and so!” lol.

However, the truth is I try, repeat try, to treat people the way I would like to be treated. If I’m doing something right, it’s nice to be told that, but by the same token if I’m doing something wrong (and I do that a lot) I want to be told that too (but in a nice way, of course) so I can do better.

Plus, Cindy and I have a nice arrangement. I can call her and vent about things or people at work and she can do the same to me. It’s safe, since no one at work has to hear it, and we even occasionally have good advice to offer each other that sometimes helps the situation. If I didn’t have her as a safety valve, I’d probably let things build up and then blurt out some really unpleasant thoughts. I’m really thankful for her being available when I need to do a little venting.

Originally I was going to post about something that is “sort of related”, but as writing does sometimes, this entry took on a life of it’s own. Maybe tomorrow I’ll get back to my earlier thoughts.

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Posted in Personal | Comments Off on The Value Of Venting

Well, Pilgrim

by Jeff W Posted on July 5, 2008

If you drive for about 20 minutes from Des Moines in a southwesterly direction, you’ll come to Winterset, Iowa. Winterset is mostly known for three things; its the county seat of Madison County, its beautiful covered bridges (thus forming the setting of Robert James Waller’s “The Bridges of Madison County”), and its the birthplace of Marion Robert Morrison.

Who?

He was born in Winterset in 1907 and while at birth his name was Marion Robert Morrison his parents changed his middle name to Michael with the arrival of his younger brother because they wanted to call his sibling Robert. He only lived in Winterset until he was 4 years of age, when his family moved to California for his father’s health.

In movies, he became the quintessential man’s man in western, war and detective movies and his signature phrase was a drawling, “Well, Pilgrim.”

Yes, he may have been born Marion Robert Morrison but you know him as…John Wayne.

I wanted to go down to take pictures of the house, but my co-worker Julia went down before me to take photos of the bridges and stopped at the house during her trip. I’m glad she did because it turns out you can’t take photos inside the house, only of the exterior. I would have felt as if I had wasted my time if I had driven down there and been told I couldn’t take photos of the interior.

So, in lieu of my cancelled trip, here’s Julia’s photo of the outside of the house where John Wayne entered the world.

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Posted in Iowa | 1 Comment

I’m Blushing

by Jeff W Posted on July 5, 2008

My schedule has been so hectic that my e-mail and RSS feeds are growing to gargantuan backlogs. I try to hit at least my personal e-mails each day, but general ones and the RSS feeds have been falling by the wayside in the hope that a day off will allow me to catch up.

I just took a few minutes to go through my RSS feeds of blogs by friends and discovered this one by my good friend ZenGrrl wishing me a Happy Birthday. I am truly touched.

And, even though I can’t eat it, I absolutely love the Superman cake!

Thank you, my friend.

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Posted in Personal | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday America!!

by Jeff W Posted on July 4, 2008

Happy Birthday to the greatest country on the face of the earth.

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Posted in Holidays | Comments Off on Happy Birthday America!!

I Don’t Feel Older…Yet

by Jeff W Posted on July 4, 2008

Sorry for the absence yesterday. Tuesday I came into the Des Moines office for a few minutes to pick up some documents then drove 2 1/2 hours over to Cedar Rapids for a day of meetings. I finally arrived back at the hotel here in Des Moines at 10:30 that night and went straight to bed without even firing up my laptop. It was a fun trip, as you can see from my Twitter posts.

Yesterday was a nice day, even if I spent all of it at work. Thanks to all who sent congratulatory e-mails, text messages and phone calls. Your remembrance is much appreciated.

Despite being tired, I still went to see “Hancock” right after work as a sort of present to myself. While I did not think it was Smith’s best work and it was a bit “rough” in some of its storytelling and plot executions, it’s difficult for me not to enjoy watching Will Smith in just about any of his cinematic spectacles (with the obvious exception of “Wild Wild West”). Overall I found the movie to be very enjoyable.

No holiday for us tomorrow. It will be a “regular” 12-hour day. In fact, I won’t have another day off while I’m here in Des Moines.

That’s because my original 30-day on loan assignment comes to an end next Wednesday and though I have been asked by the folks here to remain (until Christmas!), at the request of my regional manager I’ll be returning home that day to make myself available for work in my own division.

The bright side (besides the obvious one of being home, seeing my wife and family, etc.) is that I’ll have time for writing, something which has been in short supply while stumbling through 14-16 hour days here in Des Moines. Time, that is, after I catch up on all the items on the “Honey Do” list Cindy has been compiling while I’ve been gone.

Hmmm…I wonder if I can figure out a way to stay out here?

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Posted in Des Moines, Iowa, Movies | 2 Comments

The Year Is Half Over

by Jeff W Posted on July 1, 2008

“In youth the days are short and the years are long; in old age the years are short and the days long.” Nikita Ivanovich Panin

It seems like just a few days ago that I was in Baton Rouge on New Year’s Day. Now the year is already half over. I don’t feel like I’m in old age yet, but damn, the years are getting shorter and shorter.

Due to scheduling requirements I had to take another day off so I asked for yesterday in order to attend the Des Moines Art Festival. My plan was to walk around the festival, which was held in downtown Des Moines, and then walk around the downtown area itself, all the while indulging my inner photographer.

Here was a hard lesson learned by experience. I don’t think I’ll ever make this mistake again. I had taken about 150 photos when I looked down and with disbelief realized I had been shooting in manual mode. I adjusted my settings and continued on my Photowalk, but I knew what awaited me later when I downloaded the pictures would not be good.

I was right. Those manual shots were all blown out with brightness or buried in darkness. If I decide to take the time, I might be able to salvage some in Photoshop…but I’m not sure yet I want to devote the amount of time I may need to get anything presentable.

But, while we’re on the subject of photos, I did take the time tonight to finally upload photos from Mikey’s Birthday in Downtown Disney this past June 7th to Flickr. Click the Flickr badge on the right or here to get to them.

More scheduling news tomorrow.

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Posted in Des Moines, Iowa, Photography, Photowalking | Comments Off on The Year Is Half Over

An Unsettling Realization

by Jeff W Posted on June 30, 2008

I’ve noticed at this new office we’re in that every time I enter the men’s restroom, the automatic wall-mounted deodorizer high up in the corner goes off. Almost as if it senses my entry and finds it necessary to release a spray of sweet-smelling mist into the air to counteract my presence. Either that, or it’s a pre-emptive strike.

How embarrassing.

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Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

Scary Global Investing

by Jeff W Posted on June 29, 2008

Am I the only one who thinks this picture of a Chinese investor from behind looks like some kind of horror movie monster? Look at his fingers, look at the back of his head.

The photo appeared in this past Tuesday’s edition of USAToday (free at my hotel, thank you) above an article about global investing. When I first glanced at it, I thought they had mistakenly put in some horror movie photo.

No offense to the subject in the photo, but dude, a manicure and some hair on that head would do wonders.

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Posted in News | 1 Comment

What Does “Des Moines” Mean?

by Jeff W Posted on June 29, 2008

Most of the names of cities in Iowa, including the state name itself, have their roots in Native American language. But is that the case with its capital city?

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Posted in Des Moines, Iowa | 1 Comment