2 Months Later

I cannot believe that I haven’t written a post for almost two months. That didn’t even happen when I semi-retired last year. We’ll I’ve been busy as hell, working on getting our client and web releases out as well as charging ahead on what’s next in the product pipeline.

It’s been a very productive and creative period. I’ve rediscovered the earlier Genesis (1969-1975), Rush and Judas Priest thanks to my buddy Sam. I’ve had friends and family swing by almost every weekend and I’ve been reading up on things (scrum, French politics, 70s progressive rock, the Inklings et cetera) as well as getting my Netflix on. I even think we went down to LA for a crazy weekend in May. Hard to remember.

Earthquake

Three minutes ago (8:40pm pst) we had an earthquake in San Francisco. We live on one of the big hills and our whole house shook.

Small, agile musings…

The last few weeks have been very busy at my new gig. We have been exhibiting our products at Macworld and Imaging US, planning for a new release and getting some new folks on-board. Staying focused on execution is the key survival strategy for a startup. Speed is everything once you have stepped out in the marketplace and banged on the jungle drum.

All that and more has resulted in fewer blog entries. It’s not that I’m thinking less or have fewer opinions about things, just that I’ve prioritized work over my writings. But here are a few bullet point:

• Peter Jackson deserves his additional $250MM from New Line. The co-chairman Bob Shayne thinks Mr Jackson is greedy and that he has gotten enough money. Anyone that cannot see through that lame argument – when has a company ever said that their profits are enough? – should be locked in. Bob, give Jackson his money so that the world can enjoy the Hobbit. (I’ve heard that New Line no longer has the rights to The Hobbit after 2007 so this media outburst could just be some stalling tactics.)
• What is up with the weather in California? I did not move her to have to walk to work in 38 degree cold winter weather. It’s just not right.
• Barack Obama – the whitest black man on the globe – is running for president in 2008 and I think he’ll win. Just think about how cool the newspaper headlines could read: Obama captures Osama – not beating around the Bush!

San Francisco – The New Center of The World

The Missus and I have had a bunch of great visitors over the past week to explore the city with. The winter weather has been fantastic with 65 degrees (18 Celsius) and blue, sunny skies. Even the evenings have been fairly warm for this time of year.

Having friends visiting (from Washington DC and Stockholm) makes you realize how fantastic our city really is. It’s easy to forget during the weekdays when the main focus is to get to and from the office. But viewing the city through their eyes and mind is a great experience. I never thought of how crisp and clean air we have all year around. Few cities have that privilege these days.

The great access to skiing or to the wine country has also been something that I’ve been reminded of. Finally, I learned that we have the best oysters inn the world which is pretty fantastic!

Living Large, Living Simple

A day like this – blue sky and crisp – I’m reminded of our summer (their winter) in Buenos Aires. We stayed at an Estancia for a few days, living a life that is almost forgotten: natural beef (not organic), great wine (for lunch and dinner), horse-riding in the afternoons, cigars on the porch, food that is made of love and not machines. I could go on forever.

The Estancia was the perfect refuge for just being, reading and enjoying. I wish I could bring all my friends and family there for a weekend, to enjoy a time that has almost passed. A time which real estate meant a place to live, work to pay for food and life about spending time together. The lack of pampering, service and extras was refreshing.

Next time we go there we’ll take the train from BA. It takes 4 hrs and moves slowly trough Pampas. We’ll pack a bag full of bread, wine, sausages and cheese to feast on during the travels. I’ll bring a cigar to enjoy after the meal. Maybe a book.

When A Geek Gets Excited About A Bag

I’ve always been traveling, from the age of 10 and until…erg… now. I learned at an early stage how to pack for any kind of trip. As you grow older, this becomes more challenging due to more commitments. One might have a wedding in the south of France a few days before a biz trip to Paris and so fort and so on (Frasierism).

I know, this is going to sound like an American Express commercial but it’s true. There is only one luggage brand that gets it: Tumi. Yes, they are pricey and that’s the premium they can charge for going the extra mile and solving important problems for travelers. So what are those problems?

• A bag needs to be sturdy. Have you ever seen how they handle luggage at airports?
• It need to fit into the overhead compartment on a number of different Airbus and Boeing models. Few bags do.
• It need to be practical, easy to pack and easy to use.
• It needs to be light weight and durable.
• The individual features needs to be smart and more importantly, well tested.
• It needs to be well balanced so it doesn’t tilt.
• It needs to last and look good but not stand out.

I could go on and on. But the truth is that Tumi is really great at solving problems and at product development. The 3rd Gen bags were great but it was hard to fit a laptop in the external pocket on the roller. That was fixed on the 4th Gen. Don’t you just love that they are using geek speak for versions. What’s next? 4.0?

So now I’ve got my eyes set on a garmet cover for $195 which is insane. I know. But just imagine. This would be the only bag I would need for a weekend wedding. I’d travel in a jacket and jeans and just bring the suit, shirt, tie and toiletry in the garmet bag. It’s the perfect entry / exit plan. And you know it!

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