Placeless Jobs

Wahooo! I Won a 3-wall National Title

2008-09-02T23:32:00.002-04:00

My body aches and probably will for the next week, but it's all worth it cause I just won the "A" 3-wall Nationals Singles tournament for 2008! My partner and I also came in second in "A" doubles. We were one point away in a tiebreaker... so close!

It was a good reminder to the things in life outside my work/business/computer. It also helps with motivation for improvements in my handball game and the desire to want to take it to the next level. There were some extremely impressive players out there and I will continue to try to take my game as far as I can.

My Annual Handball Trip

2008-08-28T11:25:00.002-04:00

I'm out at 3-wall nationals right now in the middle of Ohio. It is an annual trip I've made for the past 7 or 8 years. The handball community is a wonderful thing. It just transcends some many communities. First, handball is a family. Not just your family (it's often to see generations of handball players from ages 13-75), everyone here is like family. When out at a national tournament you have people from California, Texas, Canada, Ireland, New York, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and of course Maryland and the DC area. This tournament is also a time I spend with my dad every year.

All the insanity of around of starting a business, makes it easy to forget. I did almost miss it, because I was working myself too much earlier this summer and for awhile there didn't think I would make the trip. It's important to remember there are other areas to life that need attention and give you balance. Traditions are a good force!

Philips VOIP841 Review Update

2008-08-13T13:16:00.000-04:00

I've still been using the Philips VOIP841 and still love it.

Here are a few other issues / points I've noticed:

1. System Starting - Sometimes after being on for a long time it ends up non-responsive all it says is "System Starting" - Unplug the base station and plug it back in, always works for me.

2. Adding contacts - from the phone isn't the most intuitive. There is a "Add Contact" menu option in the main menu. I kept looking for it in the Contacts area.

3. Chat messages - I would love for the phone to support chat messages. It could handle it just like a text message on a mobile phone. I'm sure this is a tall order, but I still want it.

4. Contacts from your Skype account - Not sure when a syncing interval happens, but it's not near immediate. That's somewhat annoying. Maybe there should be a request updates from your account or something.

5. Amendment to my last review (#2 on the wish list) - The device DOES have a headset jack. For some reason I totally missed it.

Overall I still love the device. It's essential to my home office!

To Blog or Not to Blog

2008-08-13T09:57:00.004-04:00

Every day I wonder if I should be blogging more. It's all the rage you know. Everyone is doing it! Honestly I am still trying to figure out why I should be doing it.

Why to do it?
1. It can enhance my "web persona" and drive traffic to my web business.
2. I can potentially help other people in the world with what I post.
3. I can practice informal writing and funnel abstract thoughts and ideas into something others are interested in.
4. Find out what this is all about and give blogging a chance.

Why not?
1. It takes time.
2. I hate feeding the hype machine and doing something EVERYONE is doing.
3. Worried about offending people.
4. I don't quite understand it.
5. I don't enjoy proclaiming myself as the master of some top 10 list or something that I may not be a subject matter expert on.
6. Fear my time is wasted in it and no one really cares what I think.

Personally blogging is tough for me. I'm not sure if it's the same for everyone else.

1. I have plenty of ideas on what to blog about but want to keep them in line with a certain topic. Is this a personal blog (all topics centric to me), or a blog on a certain topic?
2. Many of these ideas are incomplete thoughts, if I post something I want it to be complete, which takes time.
3. I am worried about what I say / put into writing and have to one day defend it when I don't even remember what I said. At the point of writing I am sure it made sense to me, but I don't like something out there that I may not agree with later.

After looking over my reasoning, I think a lot of the reasons not to do it boil down to discomfort. Discomfort in the medium. Discomfort in my own writing. Discomfort in the time it takes away from other things.

I'm going to give it a try. To be less formal and to just see if it's something I can get into and understand. See if I can find my blogging voice.

Free Easy No Registration Phone Conferencing

2008-04-09T14:22:00.003-04:00

Problem: Just for those times when multiple remote people are emailing back and forth on a hot discussion and you just need to get everyone on the same page for a quick discussion.

As my business grows, there more times when I need to quickly get people on a call. At the company I used to work for, I remember some overhead to reserve a conference bridge, or go to a room with a good duplex speaker phone. Of course in my placeless office, I don't have my own conference bridge.

Solution: I've started using Powwownow for quick phone conferencing, where I can just pick a pin number, send it out to people, dial in and BAM you're in.

Some advantages I see:
- Instant Access with no Registration
- International Calls and Skype Access that will also lower the costs for international users.

Some concerns:
- With the quick Open Access, you have to create your own PIN and there is no guarantee that someone else isn't using it at the same time, but of course that leads you to at least want to register.
- Confusion in the different phone numbers they have. There is one for "Open Access" (American Accent) and one for "Enhanced Access" (British Accent)

Hope it works well for you too!

*I have not researched or used a lot of other services, but if I find the need to explore more, I will. I also have not used any of their "Web Conferencing"

Placeless Office Tools: Cost Effective Fax Center Setup

2008-03-17T22:54:00.006-04:00

Part of running a business requires both sending and receiving faxes. I typically send and receive business contracts and other items that require signatures for verification once every couple of months. I wanted a solution that allowed me to send and receive faxes from anywhere, but charged me purely on usage.

The Internet is not short on web sites that set you up with "virtual fax machines". Most of the sites charge monthly subscription fees for their services, ranging from $10-$20 per month for basic accounts. Since I have such a low frequency of fax usage, this solution did not work for me.

Recently I've discovered a way to pay per fax sent over the Interet instead of the recurring fee, so my costs match my usage. Receiving is even better, I've coupled my solution with one of the traditional faxing websites for receiving all my faxes for free with a private number.

Sending Faxes

PamFax: http://www.pamfax.com/

Requires Installation
Requires Skype (Which I already have as part of my placeless office ensamble)
Has a nice "Portal" interface to view your fax history.

Receiving Faxes

jConnect: http://www.j2.com/

Sign up for "JConnect Free" and get a dedicated number and unlimited receives.
Beware of assaults of "Upgrade to Premier" at every turn. (A good example on ramming it down a users throat)
Don't install j2 Messenger to read your faxes... First, it's a horrible interface. Second you just don't need it. When you get the file in your email of a received fax, save the file with the PNG extention.
Aside from that, the service works very well and serves my purpose!

Before today, I would just run out to Staples and pay per page. Sorry Staples... Also beware of http://www.faxdigits.com/ for receiving, my first attempt the number was busy (and they state it is never busy) and the second attempt never showed up in my inbox.

Sony VAIO - Hibernation Keeps Happening Issue

2008-02-27T15:05:00.005-05:00

I have had my Sony VAIO SZ340P with Windows XP SP2 for almost a year. (Since May of 2007). The only issue I have had with it is what seemed to be random re-hibernation after coming out of hibernation.

Problem Details
1. Hibernate laptop by button or closing the lid.
2. Transport laptop
3. Un-hibernate laptop
4. Screen comes up for a few seconds then automatically goes into hibernation again.

For months I thought it was related to hibernation or starting back up with various conditions; was it plugged in when hibernating, was it running just on battery when starting back up, if I hibernated by closing the lid. It was really annoying and couldn't pin point it.

I scoured the Internet and didn't find anything on it. Finally I fixed it and I thought it was worthy of posting about it so maybe it would help someone else if they googled it.

Solution
1. Go to "Power Options" under Control Panel
2. Go to the "Advanced" tab
3. Under the "When I close the lid of my portable computer:" select "Do nothing"

My assumption is that somehow the event of closing the lid gets triggered even if the computer is already hibernated or is hibernating or is coming out of hibernation... and once it comes back up, it sees the trigger and back into hibernation it goes. It has never looped, it was always just one or zero time. It probably has not affected anyone but me, but I hope it helps someone!

Multi Monitor and Computer with Synergy

2008-02-22T00:14:00.004-05:00

I've been a long time advocate of dual monitor setups. It started at my last job where all developers we given premium setups with dual monitors. This was all 6 years ago so it was quite an investment in the development staff. After a day at work with that productive setup I had to go home to a single monitor... OMG it was the worst thing ever.

It was not long before I had it setup at home. The advantages of a dual monitor setup has been widely documented, but what I have recently graduated to is 3 monitors on 2 computers. YES you heard that right 3 monitors on 2 computers.

There is one keyboard and one mouse for these two computers. No KVM, no switch, no Raritan. It is all possible with Synergy, and I don't mean something Steve Jobs says. Synergy allows you to use a single keyboard and mouse across multiple computers... all over IP.

Here's my basic setup:

1. Sony Vaio Laptop (Main Computer) - All tools, portable to work at random coffee shops, hooks up to 22" wide screen when at home, Synergy Client

2. Old Desktop (Secondary Computer) - Some tools, runs VMs, stays at home, connected to dyndns, main keyboard and mouse, one 19" LCD, Synergy Server

With the hook up to Synergy, I don't even have to use the laptop keyboard or even hook up a keyboard or mouse to it... all happens magically over Synergy. I make use of this setup by separating long term work functions and distraction prone functions. I provide a little more detail in my last post.

Unplugged Experiment Part 2 - Transformed to Distraction Separation

2008-02-21T23:40:00.007-05:00

About a month ago I had an Internet outage that forced me to change usage patterns. It also gave birth to an "Unplugged Experiment".

In the first week I did disconnect for the 1/4 of the day like I said I would, but then I changed it to having email and chat on a separate computer and heads down type of work happened on another. I know that is not exactly the same, but what did happen was a clear separation of what I considered "work" and "distraction".

The separation allowed me to not have pop up messages, sounds and flashing windows in my my working console. I believe most people can accomplish the same thing with a multiple monitor setup, but I've used a dual monitor setup for so long that I am using both monitors pretty actively.

The second computer uses its own monitor, the sound is not hooked up to the main speakers... basically a little more separated. (I will be following up with a post about my multi-computer and multi-monitor setup that I believe helps my productivity.) Everything that has a tendency to be more of a distraction is on the secondary setup. Email, chat, RSS feeds, site stats and the majority of web browsing.

This allows me to have development tools, PowerPoint, Word, image editing and anything else that requires more long term focus on my main setup. So not totally unplugged, but separated enough to be effective.

Taming the Outlet Squid

2008-01-27T04:30:00.001-05:00

I have always tried to keep all my electronic device chargers (iPod, cell phone, camera, Nintendo DS, bluetooth headset...) in one location. The problem is it looks like you have a electronic squid sitting on the floor. A power strip with tentacles of all shapes, sizes, brands, lengths, hooked up to devices.

Maybe you've seen a solution to this problem before. I did, when I came across this "Cell Phone Charging Station" made by a company called KangaRoom.

So what can I do to tame my beast of an out of control electronic squid?

You ask a very good question! Here's how, you take a pair of scissors, a standard 6 outlet power strip and a shoe box (which does not poke any fun at the company who made the politically incorrect device whatsoever... wait uh, yeah never mind), mix it up with a socially booked Saturday night and BAM you have yourself on your way. MacGyver would also be proud based on the use of basic house hold goods used to slay the electronic outlet squid.

While I was designing my own, why not make other improvements?

I decided 4 ports was just lame, any real technophile has more than 4 devices. Also, the real ugliness of the squid lays with all the exposed cords and adaptors. The KangaRoom design has all of them individually hanging out the back, but may not really hide them.

So why not allow for a standard 6 outlet power strip be able to fit inside and only one cord coming out? It's also surge protected! (Genius, I know. Some call it "engineering")

The Finished Product

So by 3am here we have a homemade, recycled, biodegradable, improved, politically correct, electronic device charger. Every technophile, egalitarian, and environmentalist should be happy with this solution.

(Yes I rock my a real adult pair of KangaROOS.)

Philips VOIP841 Review: No more frantic headset issues!

2008-01-24T22:36:00.002-05:00

I've been using Skype for the past year. Skpe has been critical for me to stay connected to friends and business contacts all over the world.

My biggest gripe has been when I'm rocking to some music on my speakers then the familiar BEEP-BOOP-BEEP sounds and I am in a panic to turn off the music, hook up the headset and answer the call all in a timely fashion. Since I have been using Skype more and more my frustration and annoyance with wrestling with the headset reached an all time high, so I started looking around for separate stand-alone Skype device.

Just looking at all the half arsed solutions by some of the best peripheral makers in the world who have no experience designing phones caused me to question if there was a good solution that fit my needs. Until I came across "THE PHILIPS VOIP841 PC-FREE DECT 6.0 WIRELESS IP PHONE" (yeah the name could use some work, seriously Philips that's not quite marketable).

Here is my list of why the Philips VOIP841 is great (Ignoring reasons why Skype is great on it's own)!

1. No PC Needed - It's a totally standalone device! Need I say more?

2. It's a real phone - It looks and feels like a real phone. Weight, battery length, base station, pants clip, mic and speaker are in the right places...

3. User Interface - Your Skype contact list is right there and looks just like Skype. Navigation is just like a cell phone so it's intuitive to a cell phone user. Skype credits are displayed front and center.

4. Speaker Phone - Oh how I love speaker phone, allows me to be hands free and even have other people join the conversation. Plus the speaker is on the other side of the phone so you can just put it down and it sounds and picks up sound reasonably.

5. Plug in a normal phone/ landline - Now that was a slick idea. Although I don't have a land line (who does these days?), it is a really good feature. You can customize the ring and make a preference of outgoing calls either Skype, landline or prompt the user.

6. Move your office with you - I just wanted to highlight how easy it is to bring with you, just jack it into a router and you are good to go.

Here's what would make the Philips VOIP841 even better!

1. No base station - Should be able to use 802.11 and not need a base station. Can you imagine just taking this with you with no PC to Wifi hotspot?

~~2. Headset jack - As I'm walking around my house, I still crave a headset. For some reason I like being mobile while I talk on the phone. All I ask for is a standard headset jack.~~ Update review

3. Phone doesn't want to charge - The phone doesn't always detect it needs to charge, which involves taking it on and off the charge station until it recognizes it. Most of the time the phone is fine, just happened enough to make it worth mentioning.

4. Multiple Skype Profile Management - You should be able save multiple Skype profiles and make it easy to switch. (As far as I know the phone can only save a single username and password at a time).

5. Double Log on Compatible - If you are logged online with your PC on the same account and someone calls you the Philips does not ring. You can dial out when connected on your PC but it doesn't ring on taking a call.

In summary, the Philips VOIP841 is a great tool for the placeless office. Despite my list of improvements, it is a quality product! Thanks Mom for picking it off my x-mas list! It is essential to my web worker lifestyle and my laptop thanks you for not having to deal with headsets and another app taking up precious RAM.

Toonlet Test Drive

2008-01-21T13:32:00.000-05:00

Just took a test drive using Toonlet.com after reading about it on ReadWriteWeb.

It was really easy to use and I can see the utility and fun. For me, I see it as a way I can add other media to my blog posts and just have more fun with them. It would be cool to drop a widget or something into my blog so I jam it into my article or even on the side of my blog. Then I could help drive more users to their site and make use of their features, like displaying replies and comments on my blog or jump to another comic from my blog. In the meantime I will put references and a copy of the image my comic created.

With the recent "unplugged" Internet topic still in mind, here is my first Toonlet created cartoon.

The Hunt for the Office Chair - The support for the in-store retail outlet story

2008-01-17T19:27:00.000-05:00

Until recently I never appreciated the office chair I used everyday at my last job. I partially mentioned my new found value in a previous post called Tips on Creating a Home Workspace, where I said:

"My cheap "executive" leather $50 office depot chair is just not cutting it because in the past week it all of a sudden feels like a wooden bleacher."

The Search Begins
In my search for a new office chair I realized there were a lot more types than I thought. The task chair, executive chair, managers chair, ergonomic chair. Then overlay that with the plethora of options like leather, tilt, mesh, memory foam and adjustability in chairs even a contortionist may find odd.

For a over a month I pondered and waffled around on how much I should spend on a chair and what kind I should get. In the mean time I used my yoga ball, of course it was great for my core and comfortable on my rear, but by the end of 8-10 hours of sitting my shoulders were in knots. If only it had some back support....

Possible Brilliant Idea Alert! The Yoga Ball Chair! I thought I came up with a gold idea (as I often do), until I found this (and see right) and realized I was not alone. Although charging $80 for one of these was beyond me.

What about those Herman Miller like chairs?
All the Internet boom hype over these chairs, they had to be good right? Searched Craigslist in the hope to get one cheap... no dice.

I did come across the Office Star line of "Space Air Grid" chairs which I did like but did not feel comfortable buying one over the Internet and hoping it would be comfortable for the 10+ hours I sit at my desk. There were also not enough reviews I could find that swayed me one direction or another. Sigh... Back to the start.

The Outside the Internet (GASP!!!) Search Begins
Ok so I really should try any chair out for myself before I spent $100+. The only places I could think of going to try them were Staples and Office Depot. I believe I went to a minimum of 4 of each store in my area, sometimes even multiple times. Trying different chairs, looking them up on the Internet for a better price, having and idea about one, going back to the store, standing there in confused indecision, then back home...UGH This wasn't so much fun anymore.

For awhile I was into the leather and memory foam chairs because I thought the cushion would last longer than my last one. I soon realized they were better lounge / pimp lay back and bark commands at employee chairs vs. a computer chair where I want to be straight up in good posture so I don't get any shorter than I already am.

Finally Found the Perfect Cross Section of Internet and Real Search
I actually found a Staples store that had one Office Star Space Grid chair. So I got to try it and liked it. So that did it for me right there. But of course I didn't buy it, as the "cost effective" good consumer I am (AKA Cheapskate) , I went home and ordered it off the Internet.

I would like to take a moment to thank Staples and all the other retail stores for carrying the merchandise so I can try before I buy. I promise I will buy printer paper or other immediate need goods from you next time I am in a pinch. (Yes I'm a bastard, but in my defense Staples did not carry the exact chair I wanted. I wanted the one with an "Air Grid" seat.)

I can safely say I really do love the chair. It is well built and very supportive. I've already spent a few 10+ hour sessions in it this week and my back and shoulders are not complaining. All I can hope is that it stands the test of time and doesn't end up feeling like a wooden bleacher.

Unplugged Experiment Part 1

2008-01-16T00:09:00.000-05:00

I recently read Save Your Sanity: Have a Communications Blackout Day on lifehack.org which reminded me of my own Unplugged Accidental Experiment post a week ago.

My new (and first on placelessjobs) experiment is to be disconnected from the Internet for at least 1/4 of time working on my computer per day. This is not something that is going to be easy for me to do. 90% of my work is done in front of a computer, but not all of it is communication or the need for searching and research across the Internet. Just like my accidental unplugged day, I will have to plan out my usage strategically.

I have two goals out of this:
1) To see if it can improve my productivity and focus
2) See if clients notice all drop in level of service. (I respond pretty quickly to most things probably because of my tendency to be easily distracted)

Next Action: I will be keeping a daily log and will post the results of my experiment next week.

Mashable Articles Written on Mobile Tools

2008-01-09T11:14:00.001-05:00

While doing research on mobile tools, I decided to try to share some of it with the world. Here are some articles I wrote on Mashable back in August.

Mobile Productivity Toolbox: 45+ Mobile Productivity Resources

30+ Mobile Photo Sharing Tools

Unplugged Accidental Experiment

2008-01-08T18:47:00.000-05:00

My home / office lost Internet connectivity for roughly 24 hours. It was certainly an experience.

My first reactions to the lost of connectivity were agitation and frustration. What am I going to do? How can it not work? It'll be back in a minute.... ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew, ipconfig /renew.... nothing... STUPID STUPID COMCAST...

Once I stopped seeing red, I realized this was exactly what I needed to focus. I have come across a few articles that say you should close your email client and/or browsers every so often as a means to focus and get things done. Well I got the involuntary pull of the master switch! Once I realized it as a temporary blessing, my engines really got going knocking things out left and right.

I realized, I could not go totally without the Internet during this time, but it did help me focus on just what I needed to get done. I made a list of all the items I wanted to get done that required the Internet (which did not include random surfing and losing track of time) and headed over to a spot where I had access and made very efficient use of the Internet. The last time I was that precise and efficient was back in the stone age of dial-up.

I dare you to try it for a day and see what happens to you. I'm thinking of actually setting some hours in the day where I don't use the Internet to see if I can capture some of that fire on a day to day basis. Or maybe setting a time where I CAN use the Internet. This may require some thought...

Productivity Tipping Point

2007-12-31T01:36:00.000-05:00

There are times I am extremely productive and other times I am just scatterbrained and all over the place (can be good too, but not when you mean to be productive). I believe there is a productivity tipping point; a point where you can bump yourself into an exceptional level of focus to get things done. Often times, I want to get into that point, but don't "feel" like it. Here I've listed hacks I use on myself to start the ball rolling.

1. Take a Shower - (Even if you are clean and don't need one) Taking a hot shower is known to assist in relaxation and relieve stress. A cold shower can help you to be alert and mentally sharp.

2. Something Physical - I've been known to do push-ups, chin-ups, and hand stands (great for getting blood to the head) all to get the blood moving. Simple stretches, or even taking a short walk helps circulate that blood, which aids in your ability to focus.

3. Accomplish a Small Task - One way to start tipping that scale in the right direction is by actually accomplishing something. Pick something small to do, once you are done you'll get a taste of the "I did something productive" feeling.

4. One hour Time Attack - Create a time based goal and challenge yourself to keep on task for one hour (great for that competitive nature). I have accomplished this by using a timer or playing a music album and staying on that task until the music stops.

5. Change of Venue - Coffee shop, conference room, empty cube, park bench... Pick yourself up and work somewhere else. The environmental change forces a mental shift (hopefully in the direction you want to go).

6. Back to Paper - One of the fastest ways to start being productive is to use your good old pen and paper. I often forget how easy it is to flow ideas by hand, especially when it comes to roughing out flows and diagrams. You can also take it anywhere (see #5)

Tips on Creating a Home Workspace

2007-12-15T10:54:00.000-05:00

After leaving my office job of 6 years to work at home in my under-roos, I sometimes had trouble flipping the switch from personal / home mode to work mode. Here are some tips that helped me create a working space.

1. Get changed - Don't be in your pajamas (Yes, I know this conflicts with my blog description!) Providing a separation between your personal / home mental mode and your working mode is the first priority. Changing your clothes can help draw this separation.

2. Leave the house - Another way to draw a separation is to leave the house. Many people rely on that travel time to get their brain sorted into working mode. Create a reason to put it into your routine; pick up a fresh coffee, take the dog out, walk out to the corner to wave at all the people leaving their homes... (also recommended that you follow tip #1 before leaving the house)

3. Separate your work environment - You want to create a physical separation between your working and home environment by dedicating an area (Yes, this is one of the most obvious tips.) Ideally it should be a room you can make into an office, but not everyone has the space to do that. You can start with a room corner, desk, or even hanging a sheet from the ceiling. One of those asian (Don't worry I can generalize about it cause I'm asian) clothes changing movable walls works too.

4. Get rid of the distractions - Turn the TV off, put the game systems away, personal mail and magazines should not be in your work space. If music or the radio disturb you, then get rid of those too. (music actually helps me... at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it)

5. Get a good chair - I am just learning this one after about 6 months. My cheap "executive" leather $50 office depot chair is just not cutting it because in the past week it all of a sudden feels like a wooden bleacher. I have worn down the cushion because it was not built to be sat on for 8+ hours day in and day out. (Until I get over the mental hump of spending $200+ on a chair I'll be on my yoga ball)

In summary these tips aren't just for being more productive and getting into a work mode. It works both ways. Because of the separation you create, you will also find it easier to get out of work mode. (Which is important to other people in your life that enjoy spending time with you... given they exist.)

You can't learn about experience from a book (or post)

2007-12-12T14:11:00.000-05:00

There are many things you can learn out of a book, math, history, programming languages, biology, how to write, accounting... This is the first post in a tag I am calling "not in a book" that I intend to keep adding to. No matter how book smart you are, there are lessons learned through time and experience. The first one I am going to cover is "experience" itself. (Disclaimer: By reading this you can't get any experience out of it)

Which came first the chicken or the egg? - My first run in with experience, was when I was searching for my first job. Like most people I was frustrated with the chicken or the egg scenario. "This job requires experience", says Mr. IHaveTheKeys. You're thinking "What the heck? So give me the job so I can have some..." (I was very bitter for a long time about this.)

Experience does not mean capability - After I made it over the hump and actually got a job, I was able to perform exceptionally in a short period (or so I thought) and in my mind that meant I should advance. I confused capability with experience, sure I could do things, but that did not aid me in managing people, or critical decision making. (I'm sure if I could go back and talk to myself about it, I wouldn't listen)

Experience means... - Experience means you have been there and seen things. It means you have cut your teeth on it, been burned or seen success. Hopefully you learn a lesson so that you are going to adjust your thinking based on it.

Experience is not a guarantee for success (Don't let it blind you) - Just the same, having experience does not mean you are automatically better off. Sometimes it takes being burned multiple times before you learn the lesson. Experience can also be blinding to where you don't see all the variables in the situation and are taking assumptions based on what you've seen before. So it should still be taken with a grain of salt.

What I have said in this post will not give you an appreciation for experience. It is one of those things you appreciate and understand once you have it. The best I could do here is point it out, in the hopes you could be aware. I know I have many more lessons to learn but have definitely made steps forward in appreciating and valuing experience. You can listened to people talk about how important it is, but until you apply it and have it... you're just echoing the words everyone says.

UberNote, Kmap Systems and Shameless Self Promotion

2007-12-05T13:28:00.000-05:00

To be upfront about potential shameless self promotion, I want to be clear that I am one of the founders of UberNote and run a consulting business under the name Kmap Systems.

It is not something I am trying to hide (hence this post) and I will try to avoid obvious plugs and remain unbiased. This blog's purpose is about helping others and my general venting to the world on various topics.

My Vision

2007-12-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

In today's world, with the Internet, VOIP, mobile phones, and crackberries, it has made it possible to work from practically anywhere. A lot of these technologies come with a bad rap (like people driving while texting or emailing on their crackberries... man that scares me), because it is more difficult to draw the lines between where the work stops and your personal life begins. These technologies bring a responsibility for you to drive them, not to let them drive you.

It is important to me to have a good work life balance. I find it is much easier to have that balance when you can work on your terms. My vision is that I can live and work, where and when I want with technology as an aid, not an accelerator.

I created this blog, to jot down my epiphanies, philosophies, ideas, tools, theories and everything along the way involved in fulfilling this vision.