Photography and Update
Earlier this year I posted about the list of things I wanted to work on moving forward. It’s been about 8 weeks so I figured it’s time for a quick check and some accountability.
- Focus
I’d give myself a C+ on this. I’ve been doing 2 steps forward, 1 step back. Getting there slowly.
- Health
Solid D on this one. Just haven’t made it the priority it needs to be, I need this to happen just haven’t found the catalyst.
- Learning to Say No
Give myself a B on this. Had some success in the middle – not a solid “no” but a “I know someone who…”. I’ve also been more open asking others for help, which offsets the No Ratio.
- Personal Growth
The crux of this post. One thing I want to do is take better pictures, and I’ve been getting some great advice from friend and super photog Sean O’ in Florida. I felt one way to get better was to make sure I’m sharing, so I added the Photos section to the site. Please take a look and share your thoughts in the comments here. I’ll be doing more posts on my own growth, goodness knows the world doesn’t need another photo blog, but it’s something I’m interested in and a great outlet for my extra 10-15 seconds a week.
- Positively Positive
Solid B+ here, if you’ve followed my twitter steam you’ve seen a more jovial me, I hope. I’m made serious effort to stop being a wet blanket and let more nonsense roll of my back. Also if it’s that damn important I need to blog about it not try and cram it into 140 characters that everyone seems to interpret differently in a contextual vacuum. Life is good, I’m sick of moping about the handful of things that bum me out and am trying to focus on the buckets of awesome I’m part of everyday.
- More Music Less Moving Pictures
I’ll say B-, but really we’re doing well on this. It’s a family effort that will coincide with spring but we’re watching less tv/movies, talking and dancing more. Good things.
- Build Shit
I’m at a C here, although this site is something new so it helps. The sketchbooks and notes and conversations and designs scattered about as of yet unbuilt bum me out – but hopefully I can make some more progress. It’s all a balance – of time, devotion, emotion and sweat.
Pop!Tech Video – Bill Bishop on America’s Polarization Problem
Super thoughtful walkthrough of history and tendencies of communities to politically segregate and bind.
(via White African)
Impromptu Studio Press
Congratulations to Impromptu Studio on more excellent press coverage. After a week of television coverage they were featured in a nice article in the Business Record. I serve on the advisory board for the space and it’s excellent to see the marketing and outreach plans coming together, and hopefully getting more bodies behind the desks. Also nice to see the DSM Web Geeks get a nod, we’re lucky to have the opportunity to showcase the space and to take advantage of the Shipton’s hospitality every two weeks. Kudos!
See Anything Odd About This Map?
Education Week Magazine has published it’s latest national report card on public education. See anything funky with how the “Above Average” schools line up? Oh, by the way, the magazine is published in Maryland.
A ton of weight is put on the ‘Standards, Assessments and Accountability’ portion of the report, which is a big concern to me. I constantly heard, while living in Florida, how schools were teaching to the FCAT (assessment tests) and how it was impacting homework, motivation, teacher competition, compensation, the entire gamut of education. Seems like a dangerous path to travel down, apparently the East Coast and Southern US have have a map to get them there.
Technology, Music, Drum Corps & Geeks
So I’m finding out more and more people have some connection to music and oddly enough, drum corps, in the tech circles I’m a part of. I never marched, I opted to attend Interlochen rather than march my senior year of high school. However, I have friends who marched Colts, Scouts, Spirit, Magic, Cadets, Phantom, and lots of smaller corps as well. How about you? Any of my loyal readers do the drum corps thing? If so what, when and where?
There’s a connection to all of this (music & tech), but I’ll let you infer what it is, I’m cloudy from a late night with the princess.
(Currently listening to Star 1991 – what a show.)
Ratatouille Shots
One of the magazines we publish at work was ‘featured’ in Ratatouille. Pretty cool. Look for the Cuisine at home logo popping up in a few scenes, particularly those set in Chef Gousteau’s office.
One Helluva Week
It’s been quite a week. Mixed emotions, financial highs and lows, my daughter turns 18 months…lots going on. Well I will have some news to report in a week or two and hopefully have some fun downloads and bits to share then as well.
So we bid farewell to our house in Orlando, mixed emotions for sure. We had some great times there…looking forward to BlogOrlando and meeting up with friends far and wide.
I had a glimmer of hope for an iPhone today, but didn’t work out, maybe by year’s end. I’ll be checking out my brother’s in the meantime.
So I leave you with this, enjoy. The ‘Log’ will abide.
Down To The Shoes
Unclutterer attempts to demystify Steve Jobs’ uniformed wardrobe. I’d venture a guess that they are not far off in their analysis, particularly when doing a little digging and see quite a few iconic figures took the same approach to daily dress, although Jobs’ dedicated and calculated attire seems to go beyond Einstein’s simply not caring model.
Tremendous Photo Essay
Time magazine photo essay on what makes a week’s shopping list around the world. Stirring. I have to say the American menu(s) look the least appealing to me, and obviously the most like my own diet. The Mexican family by far looks the best, so-much-fruit, and the Brits sure love their candy bars.
Previously