Here's the executive summary: You have none. Neither do I. I just admit it to myself and to others.
Now, for the slightly more involved version. I just read an article online in the New York Times about employers' checking up on people through their electronic footprints. This is annoying, but it's not news. As long as there have been ways to check up on people, it's been done by employers. In my case, I made a decision to share some of what I'm about online in a blog. Seven years before that, I put a homepage on the Internet that said stuff about me, too. I had a (now pretty much defunct) subsite dedicated to pictures of my son and his world that I updated every month or two until he was three years old - I just didn't publish the URL but I'm sure it can be found. I never took it down. I have a personal website still, a blog, and a website that represents my business. Plenty of information can be had about me just from the other digital footprints I've left over the last twenty years or so, and I've come to be pretty much OK with that.
Simply put, I know what I've put online myself. I keep track of what people say about me that can easily be found (GIYF). If I wrote it, I'm comfortable with a reader knowing it. I don't say a lot that I could, and I keep a lot of details intentionally vague. But overall my life is fairly transparent. I don't have a MySpace, or a Facebook, or a LinkedIn. Just what you see here. And if you're interested enough in my life and thoughts to read this twaddle, good for you. It's really not that big a deal. I live just as much of my life in public as I probably would without an Internet - it's just that "public" in the Internet world is really public.
Rant off - for a little followup thought to close out most of 2007 (I'll probably write my Traditional Year-End Post tomorrow night), business was good this year. The one thing I'm thinking of doing, though, is creating a company blog on my company website in the next few weeks. One of the features if I do so will probably be a "hall of shame" where I'll name the customers who don't pay their bills. You see, it's not really worth my while to join D&B, and I can't report bad debts to the credit reporting companies without using D&B or hiring a collections company. And letters/e-mails/phone calls don't always work. So I think naming names might be a good way to handle things. After all, Google knows all, and being named a deadbeat in Google is almost as bad nowadays as a credit report.
Not decided for certain on this - but I'm leaning towards it. I've got one guy who still owes me $1500 from 2006!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Apologies for the extended absence
Been pretty busy of late, and blogging just doesn't always seem like what I need to do with my time. A couple of interesting reads over the last week. First, Scott Adams' blog has been converted into a book. Mostly nice little thoughts and quotes, mildly inspirational affirmations, and a few Dilbert cartoons mixed in. Good humor in the Adams vein.
Also, I'm reading How Starbucks Saved my Life. It's by a man in his mid-sixties who was a former Master of the Universe at JWT (that's J. Walter Thompson for you folks who don't give a damn about the ad business). He got fired in his mid-fifties, managed for a few years as a consultant, had an affair and another kid with a woman who stopped liking him as soon as she realized he wasn't wealthy, wrecked his marriage, and then wound up working at a Starbucks in Manhattan as his consulting failed. Apparently the fact that he wound up working for black folks at Starbucks made him think about what a schmuck he was, and properly humbled, he picked up his life and made it suck less. It's total White Upper-Class Twaddle, but short enough that I'm reading it through to the end.
I had tickets to the Pats game yesterday, but I wimped out on the trip. At 41, I think my wussification is now complete.
Also, I'm reading How Starbucks Saved my Life. It's by a man in his mid-sixties who was a former Master of the Universe at JWT (that's J. Walter Thompson for you folks who don't give a damn about the ad business). He got fired in his mid-fifties, managed for a few years as a consultant, had an affair and another kid with a woman who stopped liking him as soon as she realized he wasn't wealthy, wrecked his marriage, and then wound up working at a Starbucks in Manhattan as his consulting failed. Apparently the fact that he wound up working for black folks at Starbucks made him think about what a schmuck he was, and properly humbled, he picked up his life and made it suck less. It's total White Upper-Class Twaddle, but short enough that I'm reading it through to the end.
I had tickets to the Pats game yesterday, but I wimped out on the trip. At 41, I think my wussification is now complete.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Yesterday's milestone
We came home yesterday afternoon to find a message from David's kindergarten friend Olivia on the machine asking him for a play date. This is, I suspect, the first of many...
Monday, November 26, 2007
Well, more of a game at last
Nobody's going to accuse the Pats of running up the score this time! Nice game by the Eagles, especially after the opening INT for a touchdown. Generally good game by the officials, too - they blew the Moss offensive pass interference call (if that hadn't happened the game might not have been quite so tight), but otherwise were pretty solid.
Teams like the Patriots seem to find a way to pull those kind of wins out, though.
Teams like the Patriots seem to find a way to pull those kind of wins out, though.
Monday, November 19, 2007
NFL-related thoughts for next Caturday:
(rest of league) I can't has SuperBowl?
(Patriots) NOT YOURS!!!
Wow, what a wipeout. The good news for the Bills was that they beat the Pats' defense by a score of 10-7. Unfortunately for them, the Pats' offense put up 49 on them. Including a couple of what were basically scrub touchdowns. Stranger things have happened, but I don't see how anyone else can even come close to them the rest of the way. We've seen teams go as far as 13 weeks unbeaten (the Colts a couple of years ago) in the cap era, but never with this level of dominance. Simmons is right, though. It's like rooting for Cobra Kai. But nice.
(Patriots) NOT YOURS!!!
Wow, what a wipeout. The good news for the Bills was that they beat the Pats' defense by a score of 10-7. Unfortunately for them, the Pats' offense put up 49 on them. Including a couple of what were basically scrub touchdowns. Stranger things have happened, but I don't see how anyone else can even come close to them the rest of the way. We've seen teams go as far as 13 weeks unbeaten (the Colts a couple of years ago) in the cap era, but never with this level of dominance. Simmons is right, though. It's like rooting for Cobra Kai. But nice.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
One other note
I think we'll see the first Leopard bug-fix rev this week. Just a feeling - I know it's been seeded, but I think they will want to have it out there before the Thanksgiving week gets rolling. 10.5.1 will probably be followed by a 10.5.2 around the end of the year. And from there it should stabilize for a while.
First NASCAR thought in a while
As I type this, barring catastrophe Jimmy Johnson will win his fourth race in a row. I can't farking stand him. And the Chase system really isn't working too well anymore - As of this point, there are only two contenders remaining, and unless Johnson wrecks early next week (or in the next 11 laps, which ain't going to happen), it's all over right now (Gordon's 86 points behind), and next week's race won't really be for anything at all. I really can't see a better way to solve it right now. The biggest thing I'd like to see is the Chase expanded to include all race winners in the first 26 races, and seeding changed a little - the Chasers should be reset a little differently. I'm fine with bonus points for wins, but Jeff Gordon shouldn't have entered the Chase in anything but first after building up a huge points lead in the first 26 races.
Had the Chase been expanded as I'd like, the only three drivers added would have been Casey Mears (won the Coca-Cola 600), Montoya (the Infineon road race), and Jamie McMurray (first New Hampshire). All three of them are in a good place in the standings (JPM is worst, at 21st), so it's not like some backmarker is likely to sneak in who doesn't belong. Anyhow, one more week and then it's all shut down until February. Football returns next weekend, hot stove season gets rolling this week (once free agency starts), and even though I'm not much of a fan, pro basketball will be a little more interesting here in Boston this year (Kevin Garnett has always been one of the players I enjoy watching - though not enough to actually become a full-fledged basketball fan at this point in my life), and rumor is there's a hockey team in town. Not sure what they're called, though.
Okay, enough of that. Time to have dinner and get back to work...
Had the Chase been expanded as I'd like, the only three drivers added would have been Casey Mears (won the Coca-Cola 600), Montoya (the Infineon road race), and Jamie McMurray (first New Hampshire). All three of them are in a good place in the standings (JPM is worst, at 21st), so it's not like some backmarker is likely to sneak in who doesn't belong. Anyhow, one more week and then it's all shut down until February. Football returns next weekend, hot stove season gets rolling this week (once free agency starts), and even though I'm not much of a fan, pro basketball will be a little more interesting here in Boston this year (Kevin Garnett has always been one of the players I enjoy watching - though not enough to actually become a full-fledged basketball fan at this point in my life), and rumor is there's a hockey team in town. Not sure what they're called, though.
Okay, enough of that. Time to have dinner and get back to work...
Friday, November 02, 2007
What to do with the Sox free agents
Well, since I'm so indispensable to the Red Sox front office, I figured I'd treat you all to a little insider info - my plan for the free agent market this year. Don't share this with anyone, OK?
First, the pitchers:
Curt Schilling - we'd like to keep him, we really would. If he wants to play one last year and isn't planning on an endless farewell tour, we'll offer him a deal with a base salary of about $8 million and incentives based on innings pitched to get him up to $13-$14 million if all goes well. He's his own agent, so if we can get it done it'll be quick. This gets him the dollars he's wanting and addresses our concerns about durability. He's missed time each of the last three seasons, you know...
Eric Gagné - Let's just try and forget this ever happened. OK?
Julian Tavarez - He's with Boras, so this could be tough. We like him, he's versatile, has a rubber arm, and is a pretty good clubhouse guy. If we can get 2 more years at short money we'll do it. With Boras that's probably not going to happen, so say your goodbyes now.
Mike Timlin - We think he's about done. But if we can do a year at relatively low dollars ($3 million or so), he's a good insurance policy.
Matt Clement - Matt's going to be a decent pitcher again. But not here.
Tim Wakefield - Pretend he's not even on the list. We've got a forever option, and if he's healthy he's back. Period.
Now, the position players:
Mike Lowell - First on the list. Yes, we want him. We heard you, OK? But for his age and career performance, we can only guarantee 3 years at $13 million - if he wants 4 or 5 years guaranteed we can't play. We'll try and bridge the gap with incentives to lock in the 4th year.
Doug Mirabelli - We love ya here, Doug. But you can't hit, you aren't great on defense (except you can catch Wake), you're kind of old, and you're expensive. Pat Cash gives us what you do at much shorter money, and he can catch a knuckler too. Bye.
Eric Hinske - Thanks for the help. We'll take it from here. Hope you catch on somewhere.
Bobby Kielty - We'll try and get a 1 or 2 year deal done with you, but we've got other priorities now (we might replace you with Gabe Kapler if he goes ahead with his comeback - he's got Sox rights for life like Wake does). Thanks for the Series-clinching homer if it doesn't work out!
And here's the free agents we have our eye on so far:
Kyle Lohse - yes, he's got a losing record. But he's got great stuff, is still young, and he's the kind of guy we like to take a chance on.
Livan Hernandez - Durable, solid starter. We want him or Lohse most likely, and in the 4 spot. But if the numbers aren't good enough and we keep Shill, we'll pass on both of these guys.
Hitoki Iwase - this kid's looking for a few big-money years in the States to end his career. We see him as a good bullpen lefty (we've already got a closer), and this could work better than the Gagné experiment (that is the last you will hear his name here).
Kerry Wood - We're interested in him as a reliever. But he'll never leave Chicago.
I'm really not thinking too much about the position players right now - we're in good shape there (in case you hadn't noticed, we just won the World Series), and we're dealing from strength. We'll trade Coco Crisp during the offseason and use him to upgrade elsewhere depending on what we can get, but we're otherwise not going Extreme Makeover on the roster.
Remember, keep this all secret, OK?
First, the pitchers:
Curt Schilling - we'd like to keep him, we really would. If he wants to play one last year and isn't planning on an endless farewell tour, we'll offer him a deal with a base salary of about $8 million and incentives based on innings pitched to get him up to $13-$14 million if all goes well. He's his own agent, so if we can get it done it'll be quick. This gets him the dollars he's wanting and addresses our concerns about durability. He's missed time each of the last three seasons, you know...
Eric Gagné - Let's just try and forget this ever happened. OK?
Julian Tavarez - He's with Boras, so this could be tough. We like him, he's versatile, has a rubber arm, and is a pretty good clubhouse guy. If we can get 2 more years at short money we'll do it. With Boras that's probably not going to happen, so say your goodbyes now.
Mike Timlin - We think he's about done. But if we can do a year at relatively low dollars ($3 million or so), he's a good insurance policy.
Matt Clement - Matt's going to be a decent pitcher again. But not here.
Tim Wakefield - Pretend he's not even on the list. We've got a forever option, and if he's healthy he's back. Period.
Now, the position players:
Mike Lowell - First on the list. Yes, we want him. We heard you, OK? But for his age and career performance, we can only guarantee 3 years at $13 million - if he wants 4 or 5 years guaranteed we can't play. We'll try and bridge the gap with incentives to lock in the 4th year.
Doug Mirabelli - We love ya here, Doug. But you can't hit, you aren't great on defense (except you can catch Wake), you're kind of old, and you're expensive. Pat Cash gives us what you do at much shorter money, and he can catch a knuckler too. Bye.
Eric Hinske - Thanks for the help. We'll take it from here. Hope you catch on somewhere.
Bobby Kielty - We'll try and get a 1 or 2 year deal done with you, but we've got other priorities now (we might replace you with Gabe Kapler if he goes ahead with his comeback - he's got Sox rights for life like Wake does). Thanks for the Series-clinching homer if it doesn't work out!
And here's the free agents we have our eye on so far:
Kyle Lohse - yes, he's got a losing record. But he's got great stuff, is still young, and he's the kind of guy we like to take a chance on.
Livan Hernandez - Durable, solid starter. We want him or Lohse most likely, and in the 4 spot. But if the numbers aren't good enough and we keep Shill, we'll pass on both of these guys.
Hitoki Iwase - this kid's looking for a few big-money years in the States to end his career. We see him as a good bullpen lefty (we've already got a closer), and this could work better than the Gagné experiment (that is the last you will hear his name here).
Kerry Wood - We're interested in him as a reliever. But he'll never leave Chicago.
I'm really not thinking too much about the position players right now - we're in good shape there (in case you hadn't noticed, we just won the World Series), and we're dealing from strength. We'll trade Coco Crisp during the offseason and use him to upgrade elsewhere depending on what we can get, but we're otherwise not going Extreme Makeover on the roster.
Remember, keep this all secret, OK?
Monday, October 29, 2007
It must have been me
I just realized that since I went into business in 2004, the Red Sox have won two titles. I apologize for taking so long to get started.
I didn't wake David up for this one. He has school in the morning, and although fantastic, it's not historic like 2004 was. Still pretty darned cool, though. And especially for a team that looked absolutely cooked just over a month ago.
I didn't wake David up for this one. He has school in the morning, and although fantastic, it's not historic like 2004 was. Still pretty darned cool, though. And especially for a team that looked absolutely cooked just over a month ago.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Here, kitty kitty...
Leopard has come to the Turiel Mansion, and here are my very quick thoughts:
- No idea what it really means for battery life, because Spotlight has been reindexing since it finished installing. I was down watching TV and reading, and it sucked the battery pretty dry in that time. After the reindex is done we'll be able to get some real numbers.
- It had to recreate my .Mac iDisk. Hopefully it's using a .sparseimage file now (I will check tomorrow). Blocking off all that disk for very little content has been annoying.
- The new, informative AirPort menu is spiffy. So is the new Network system preference.
- The translucent menubar and menu is very visually bleh. It really needs more opacity. 3rd party opportunity present!
- Quick View is a nice feature. The live icon previews are a little tough to get used to, but handy.
- The new folder icon look is not good. Very industrial, and not as useful as the old ones (the icons are more difficult to discern the "special" symbols on them for system folders)
- Mail is spiffy. iCal is fast. No server experience yet for another week or so, so I can't tell you if the iCal server's any good.
- Bonus feature: My MS Wireless Laser Mouse 800 now works fine - no hoops necessary. The Mac just pairs with it. Before, I had to repeatedly power-cycle the mouse to get it to work, and go through a weird procedure with BT File Transfer to get it to work at all (it's not Mac-compatible in theory without the special MS dongle, but I'm stubborn and I liked it's ergonomics). I turned the mouse on and it saw it, filled in the info properly and just started working.
- No noticed incompatibilities so far. Office appears OK. No CS3 testing yet. It's bedtime.
- No idea what it really means for battery life, because Spotlight has been reindexing since it finished installing. I was down watching TV and reading, and it sucked the battery pretty dry in that time. After the reindex is done we'll be able to get some real numbers.
- It had to recreate my .Mac iDisk. Hopefully it's using a .sparseimage file now (I will check tomorrow). Blocking off all that disk for very little content has been annoying.
- The new, informative AirPort menu is spiffy. So is the new Network system preference.
- The translucent menubar and menu is very visually bleh. It really needs more opacity. 3rd party opportunity present!
- Quick View is a nice feature. The live icon previews are a little tough to get used to, but handy.
- The new folder icon look is not good. Very industrial, and not as useful as the old ones (the icons are more difficult to discern the "special" symbols on them for system folders)
- Mail is spiffy. iCal is fast. No server experience yet for another week or so, so I can't tell you if the iCal server's any good.
- Bonus feature: My MS Wireless Laser Mouse 800 now works fine - no hoops necessary. The Mac just pairs with it. Before, I had to repeatedly power-cycle the mouse to get it to work, and go through a weird procedure with BT File Transfer to get it to work at all (it's not Mac-compatible in theory without the special MS dongle, but I'm stubborn and I liked it's ergonomics). I turned the mouse on and it saw it, filled in the info properly and just started working.
- No noticed incompatibilities so far. Office appears OK. No CS3 testing yet. It's bedtime.
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