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A Million Reasons

“When a man walks into a room, he brings his whole life with him. He has a million reasons for being anywhere, just ask him. If you listen, he’ll tell you how he got there. How he forgot where he was going and then he woke up. If you listen, he’ll tell you about the time he thought he was an angel and dreamt of being perfect and then he’ll smile with wisdom content that he realized the world isn’t perfect. We’re flawed because we want so much more. We’re ruined because we get these things and wish for what we had.” - Don Draper, Mad Men

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Learning to Program

I’ve been wanting to learn to program for a long time. I just recently saw this book called Learn Python the Hard Way which is available in dead tree format for a cost, but it’s available for free at the above link. I’m just now working on Exercise 6, but it seems great so far. A no nonsense approach, simply read the programs and type them in. Learning by doing. Me likey.

As a fairly tech-savvy person, but not a programmer, so far I really like the relative ease and straightforward nature of Python. I’ve read in numerous places that it’s a great (the best?) language to begin learning to program with. From what I understand it’s also a very powerful language. I believe it’s one of Google’s favorite and preferred languages. Certainly good enough for me :)

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Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

This looks really good: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

I’m excited to see what Brad Bird can do with his turn at the series. I like how seriously he seems to be taking the film as JJ Abrams (my favorite director) did with the last one. I like Jeremy Renner and think he has a bright future ahead of him. And then of course Simon Pegg is such a joy to watch. Hilarious just being.

I know Tom Cruise gets a lot of flak and I’m not at all a fan of Scientology (or any religion for that matter), but I’ve liked him in most of his films. I’m a fan of his work, not his life.

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The iPhone Effect: How Apple’s phone changed everything

Great post by Ryan Kim over at GigaOM: The iPhone Effect: How Apple’s phone changed everything

“Apple’s stock price at the close of June 29, 2007, the day of the iPhone launch: $122.04 a share. Tuesday: $335.26 with a market cap of $310 billion.”

He lists so many ways that Apple really has changed the landscape of not only the cell phone production industry, but also the carrier industry, software, sales of apps, music, movies, etc. Really incredible.

How important is the iPhone to me personally? I never thought I’d think this, but I believe that if given the choice to only own one piece of tech, it would be my iPhone. Yep. Easily. Hands down. I’d give up my precious iMac and MacBook Air.

It’s really become indispensable to me. It’s my primary communication device (I gave up having a landline long ago), I love it for its music capabilities and I can settle almost any argument in the few minutes it takes me to run a Google search or browse the web ;-)

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Where Have You Been?

That’s the question I’ve been asked a lot recently. Well, I say a lot. It seems like a lot, but not really. It only seems like a lot only because I haven’t been going out a lot, not nearly as much as I used to.

When I first moved to Houston, TX back in early 2008, I didn’t know a soul. That was just about the time that Twitter started getting to be a big deal. Facebook too. Facebook was just beginning to be the next big thing and crush MySpace in the process. I had just started working at the Houston Chronicle as a web designer and a buddy, David Herrold, introduced me to Twitter. I took to it quickly and jumped into Facebook too with both feet.

Over the next year I met an incredible number of people. At one point I had an IRL (In Real Life) Twitter list of people I had met that had over 600 people on it! For a good 2 years I had attended at least 4-5 events a week! I really had a blast and met some amazing people.

However, oddly enough, this was and is not my true nature. I just kinda got caught up in this social media thing. I’m actually quite an introvert and really enjoy my alone time. It definitely recharges me.

I did enjoy the parties and various events but it took a good amount of motivation and getting out of my comfort zone to go out and hang out. I challenged myself and I’m really glad I did.

Since then, in the last few months, I’ve “unfollowed” everyone on Twitter (at one time I had well over 3000 followers and followed over 2000 people back) and “unfriended” everyone on Facebook (I had over 900 “friends”). It just got to be too much. I had grown tired of hearing the same people say the same things. A lot of the people I was “following” or “friends” with weren’t really my friends, but more acquaintances or even people I only knew of or had met once.

It was just too much.

So, since then, I’ve been working hard (much nicer and easier without the distractions of social media). I’ve also been saving money. Going out all the time is expensive! Who knew?! I’ve paid off a loan and all of my credit card debt. It feels wonderful! I’ve also been hitting the gym a few nights a week and trying to eat healthier. Basically, I’ve been working on me and it’s been great.

I might once again really get out and be more social again, but for now I’m enjoying the solitude.

Video

Fantastic party I went to awhile back put on by numerous friends including Primer Grey http://www.startwithgrey.com/ and Monica Danna aka Cosmopolitician of colab. A great time was had by all as you can see in the video. I shot this using my iPhone 4 and edited it with iMovie.

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The Trevor Project

Check out the Trevor Project and support however you can. Even if it’s just speaking out.

Chris Colfer for The Trevor Project - It Gets Better from The Trevor Project on Vimeo.

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It Gets Better Part 2

I don’t know Katie Keller, but I do know that she’s an awesome person. Check out her video below and thanks to my good friend Tracylynn Tesmer (who wrote an amazing post of her own) for pointing me to her video post. Remember kids, it does get better! We are proof and it seems there are more everyday joining the chorus saying so.

It Gets Better - for the Trevor Project from KKP from Katie Keller on Vimeo.

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It Does Get Better, Much Better

I was bullied when I was a kid.

On more than one occasion by more than one kid. I’ve since taken numerous martial arts classes, joined the Army and I even became a police officer. A part of me was trying to compensate (I’m sure) for the feelings of inadequacy I had because of the bullying many years ago, but a bigger part of me hated (and still hates) to see weaker individuals taken advantage of by other individuals or worse, by groups of people.

Fortunately, I never had thoughts of suicide. I was lucky that I had a family and numerous friends while growing up, that loved me. However, many kids aren’t so lucky. They don’t have any support system at home or friends that care about their welfare. Also, some kids aren’t as strong as others perhaps due to nature, nurture or some combination of the two. It doesn’t really matter.

It took me quite awhile, because of the experiences of my youth, to come to understand what it really means to be a man. Despite all I did to be more manly and macho, none of it worked. Even after I had been in the Army and a police officer, I still didn’t understand. I hadn’t figured it out.

Even as an adult, there have been some instances of difficulty. About 8-10 years ago I had situations arise with coworkers where on two separate occasions one told me (or accused me) of being gay. Another simply asked if I was. I’m not, but those situations really put me off. Yes, I’m a different type of guy. I’ve known this for some time, but this still upset and frustrated me. Although not gay and I cannot imagine what it would be like to be gay, I do know a little of what it feels like to be scorned for being different. It can be terrible and it’s wrong.

The point of this post is merely to let kids (and parents of kids) know (as the man says in the amazing, heartfelt video embedded above) life does get better. It gets much better and ultimately you are in charge of your life. As tough as things may be for you now, stay strong and keep your head held high. Those who try to bully you and put you down do not determine your worth. You do. You are worthy of love and respect no matter your race, gender or sexual orientation.