Disappearing Act

Vacations are meant to allow one to get away from the rigors of work or school or other things. One can reasonably expect to return to what you temporarily leave behind. That sense of continuity usually is the comforting thing that brings you back every time. Usually, I bury myself back in my various projects at work and other volunteer groups a week or two after I come back from vacation. This was the first time in quite a while that the familiar things just weren't there any more. I gave up one of my main volunteer projects and there were a lot of complicated changes at work. I returned to a different desk, a different office, and a sharply reduced sense of permanence at the job. It was a strange feeling to be "in a world that's disappearing," as eloquently stated by Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music.

It took a week to snap out of the daze. I may have left a few things behind before the vacation, but I'm still here, and I don't intend to disappear with just about everything around me. At least, not just yet. I think it's time for me to start another project. Looking back upon the last couple of years, I remember saying that I can't help them all despite all of the volunteer projects back then. As I said before, I'm still going to give it a try. This time, though. I think I'm going to take it a step further. To quote another source from the end of Bloom County, "Another day, another segue." See ya.

The Acceleration Curve Meets The Generation Gap

Growing with today's technology can sometimes be a bit harder for those stuck in the middle of the curve. I admit it. I was a geek from the early days of computers. While most kids were playing football, I was working on my various home computers of the day. Back then it was all about tape drives, floppy disks that were actually floppy, and computers that took up way too much room. Changing with the times has never been too much of a problem for me, but it has been a little bit of a challenge to be between the generations.

I didn't notice the generational challenges until I started getting caught in the middle of technology challenges between the two. I recall giving a computer lesson to a four-year-old many years ago. These days, that four-year-old is now a high school graduate and has some decent computer skills that rival many people my age, and can easily supersede many people in the generation before me. I found this article to be pretty amusing, as it did seem to capture some of my current challenges. While the article doesn't highlight generational differences, it does define one of the things that ironically binds me to both generations -- being labeled the "computer guy."

Don't get me wrong. I really don't mind the responsibility of being the "computer guy." It's just that sometimes there are other roles in life that I would like to play. With the current generation that seems to be constantly connected in a Borg-like state and the missing links that are the hallmark of my generation, I sometimes find myself a bit lost in the transition, not being able to totally identify with either. So, maybe the lesson here is that riding the technology acceleration curve can cause one to fall into one of the chasms of the generation gap. It's an interesting ride, to be sure. See ya.

Consolidation? Maybe, Maybe Not.

In the weeks following a vacation, I seem to get a renewed energy on my blogs, podcasts, and other media projects. Like everyone else, I have a pretty busy life. With the perils of the day job, travel, volunteer projects, two volunteer board of directors, and my friends that count on me, I think my plate is pretty full. Every time I get started on blogging and podcasting, I just can't seem to get enough. Of course, I have way too many of them, and I really should start consolidating sooner or later. There are great services like Friendfeed, that can consolidate all of the blogs and microblogs like Twitter and Pownce, and all of your RSS feeds. But one of the things that I like about having all of the separate forums is the different audiences that actually read this stuff. If you really wanted to figure out who I am, you could easily do a few searches and find everything that I'm associated with. It's not rocket science.

I've used Friendfeed to consolidate a lot of my other stuff, but I think I'll leave this blog detached for now. Unless you already know about it, it's not easy to find from all my other projects. I don't always have the most brilliant things to say every time I post, but it has been a great way to get my thoughts out there. As I probably said in some previous post somewhere, it's cheaper than therapy . . .

See ya.

The Pack Rat Is Back

In cleaning up my office, I found an old button that says, I live in the past, the rent is cheaper. I actually remember when I got it in the 1980's. Yes, I'm somewhat of a pack rat, but not to the compulsive degree, though some of my closest friends might disagree. It's amazing to find the miscellaneous junk that a pack rat like myself can't seem to throw away. Part of the problem revolves around the fact that too many memories are tied to each item in the office, right down to the yellowed papers from close to thirty years ago. I have gotten a little better as of late, though. The office cleanup continues, and I've parted with a lot of old stuff, but I'm still keeping the button for now. The memories still overpower the urge to have that spotless office. See ya.

Paging Mr. Peabody

I shipped a box to myself while on vacation last week, and it arrived today. Although the box contains dirty laundry and a few things that I bought in Atlanta, it still serves as a reminder that I really, really, really needed that time away. Returning from a long vacation is not an easy task. It seems that it was an instant energy drain, both mentally and physically.

It doesn't help to add a lot of changes at work to the mix. I came back to a new office location, new job responsibilities, company layoffs and other less than thrilling news at work. All of these things just make you want to get into the Wayback Machine and return to that nice, peaceful vacation. Maybe all of this is a sign that I should schedule another one . . . tomorrow.

See ya.

Still Grinding

Twice in as many days. Yes, I know. It's been a while since I've regularly blogged, but it was something that a very good friend of mine told me that got me started up again. You see, my young friend James wanted to know my story, and it got me thinking about the various blogs, podcasts, and other media that I have produced in the last several years. I've said it many times before in this blog, and I'll probably end up saying it several times to come -- I'm starting to feel time catch up with me. It was probably the fact that my young friend James is now a college freshman, instead of the clingy four-year-old that I remember so well. I know I've influenced him throughout the years, but I think he might greatly underestimate his impact on me as well.

With another day remaining on my vacation, I've decided to review a lot of the material that I've written over the years. I'm beginning to wonder what I was thinking with some of these strange adventures on the road. I often wonder if anyone would ever believe that this stuff really did happen. Truth can be a lot stranger than fiction, and a lot of the stuff that I've been through does seem to be a proof point. Everyone has a story, and I never thought that mine was an interesting Indiana Jones-style adventure. However, it did appear that I have had my share of mystery, intrigue, and pure strangeness over the years. If I did have a lot of time on my hands, I might put everything back together and write my story, just for the fun of it.

But the story isn't over yet. Even after all of the adventure, and all of the "fun" on the road, you always have to come back to do the paperwork. In my case, it's coming home to a lot of mail and catching up on the standard household responsibilities. Yes, it's back to the daily grind, and it has absolutely nothing to do with coffee. See ya.

The Best Of Times

Ok, I admit it. I really, really, really needed a vacation. So much so, that I even used that as a tagline at on an invitation. This was a two-part vacation. First, my friend Jon got married in Shanghai, so I traveled from San Diego to Chicago to Shanghai for the event. I wasn't really prepared for the driving conditions in China. In fact, the taxi ride was one of the most death-defying stunts I have undertaken in my lifetime. Yes, I lead a relatively boring life. Despite the road conditions, it was a wonderful visit to Shanghai. Though it was a bit hot, humid, and smoggy, it was a great trip. Jon had a traditional Chinese wedding, which was deep in ceremony. Though we had a lot of things to prepare, Jon managed to pack in a lot of sightseeing, great meals, and a lot of fun for all of us into a short weekend.

As a graduation present, I took my young friend James along with me for an adventure across the USA. I started this trip on the day that I got back from Shanghai. In my delirious state, I originally thought that keeping up with a teenager would be a bit of a problem for an aging guy like me. I was able to hold my own for the trip, and I think I surprised James a bit with my resilience. For the first time in a couple of years, I felt like I was finally getting some needed time away from the pressures of work. I also think that James probably needed a vacation just as much as I did. We ate at some of the finest restaurants in Dallas and Atlanta, and got a couple of burgers and pie in New Haven. Of course, we had to stop by the Space Needle in Seattle once again to get a souvenir photo as we did a couple of years ago.

What matters most is the fact that I got to spend a couple of weeks with my best friends. Even though I went to all of the corners of the USA and halfway around the world, the destinations were basically the backdrop. It is important to keep up with everyone, and as a road warrior, I'm one of a few people that has the means to literally meet with my friends anytime or anywhere.

It's always hard to get back into the daily grind after a nice long vacation, but it's that time again. In my absence, I've got a job promotion and moved offices. In addition, I've got a lot of stuff to do at home to catch up from my two-week absence. I must admit, with all of this going on, I've got to take vacations more often. I might even become the President of the company if I stay out for a month... See ya.