Testing Qik

Here is another new service I'm not sre what I'm going to do with...

The Sights Sounds and Smells of Nascar!!

NASCAR Weekend began Thursday night at the Bobcat Arena watching the Pit Crew Challenge where the various teams crews had to do their respective tasks and then push the car down the track (Simulating a stall and tough start)...

Then Friday night was the Craftsman Truck series.. always entertaining.. Not the main event so easy to move around seats etc... which gave us even greater exposure to "Nascar Nation"



The Saturday was a full day of Sprint Hospitality and the Main Event. This was a "Shoot Out" like the all star game in baseball. Top 20 guys are invited. Then a 20 lap race that takes the top two. Then a fan favorite. Courtesy of Sprint phones, fans were able to vote for the driver/team they wanted to see in the event that didn't otherwise qualify. The prize? "One Meeeeelion Dollllars" to the driver.

So, Sprint hospitality included a visit from Miss Sprint and then her friend a driver named Kasey Khane...


Young kid.. amazing... so here he is, not much to say, kinda goofy.... We wandered and saw the other big names like Jeff Gordon and retiring Dale Jarret and Michael Waltrip. Kinda cool... One of the friend's of my host brought his son to his first race (A big deal from that part of the country) but forgot his camera...gave me a chance to shoot him like he was my own ;-) So... The first race heads off and I'm the ONLY guy rooting for Bay Area native (Los Gatos) AJ Almendinger!! who drives for a new team (2nd year) Toyota... yeah, you can imagine how the rednecks really like that... California and Toyota! So I kept yelling, I WANT TO RACE THE PRIUS!! al la, Dale Jarrett and the UPS sponsored .. "I want to race the truck" campaign... ha ha... and lived to tell this story!! So, AJ wins the thing (Fluke) to get in the main event and they announce the fan favorite...Kasey Khane! Hey, we know that kid!!! So, off they go, kinda boring race, no "wrecks" but other issues jockey the driver positions... and who crosses the last lap first?? Kasey Khane!

Hey, we know that guy! We left feeling he must realize that we are his lucky charm and we're sure he's working the system to get a hold of us and we'll hear from him any day now! Enjoy!

That Warm Feeling inside....

...one gets every once in awhile. I shoot for me, for my hobby, for my creative challenge and outlet... not for others... but in the back of my mind I do feel proprietary of my works and like them to be appreciated. I know this when I feel for some reason that they are not... To make matters worse, I value and weigh the level of sincerity and credibility of the compliment... and occasionally, one comes across that really make me smile and pat myself on the back. This was one of the very few. Before closing down the machine for the night I happened to see a new message in the ol' inbox.... Made me smile.... Thank YOU Kerrin ;-)

A good time to Stop and reset...

First, Happy Birthday Chloe!!
I am so proud of you and the young woman you are becoming. Your delicate balance between School and home, classwork and friends, good grades and good sportsmanship. You continue to amaze me with your insight and leadership, your caring and your humble sense on being. I know I have said it before but it is true: It is a privilege to be your and Catherine's father. You are my "Wonder Kids"

This note was sent to me today and I thought that as we are all another year older from when we celebrated the anniversary of your birth at this time a year ago, we could use this opportunity to take a minute to slow down and re-evaluate.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent. Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

Reproduced with permission from Brandi at SpotJots

friends

Two pals from school. Both really good kids that go through the standard drama you girls must produce and endure... I think this photo shows that beneath it all they are friends.

I'm really happy with how this photo turned out. Tom

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Blowing Bubbles

This has been out for awhile, but I just stumbled across it again... Too Funny!!!

"Wonder Kids"

"Wonder Kids", originally uploaded by TomOwen.

I posted this on Flickr a while ago but it always seems to be in the back of my mind. Thus, and with the ease of a few clicks from Flickr, I will repost here:

The Wonder Kid
by Peter Roberts

It's tough sometimes to be a dad,
Especially when your kid is bad.
You wonder why she did what she did
-- And why she's not a wonder kid.

A wonder kid is always good.
A wonder kid does what she should.
A wonder kid is never bad.
A wonder kid makes daddies glad.

She doesn't shout, she doesn't fight,
She goes to bed on time each night.
She makes her bed, she eats her peas,
She always says, "yes, sir" and "please."

She never whines and never mopes.
She likes to bathe, and uses soap.
She chews her food, she doesn't slurp,
And when she's through she doesn't burp.

She wears her mittens when it freezes.
She's kind to pets and never teases.
She cares for toys and likes to share them.
Her clothes get cleaner as she wears them.

"Did you ever hear of such a kid?"
I asked my kid, who never did.
And then, oh boy, was I surprised
When my little girl apologized:

"I'm sorry for the thing I did.
I wish I were a wonder kid.
I wish that I could make you glad.
I love you so, my wonder Dad."

I hemmed and hawed, I coughed and sputtered,
The butterflies in my stomach fluttered.
I'd focused on her faults, but she
Had only seen the good in me.

It's tough sometimes to be a kid,
Especially when Dad blows his lid.
You wonder how he gets that way,
And why he takes so long to say:

"I love you too, I'm really glad
To know you think I'm a wonder dad,
And I wouldn't change you, not a bit --
You already are a wonder kid."

I didn't know...

While looking at a friends Blog, he introduced me to another interesting video publication. As long as I am on the "Think Train" here, I thought I'd go ahead and post this one too...

As I mature into my role of Father and Parent (similar but different) I am trying to be more opened minded of what's ahead for all of us and what we, I, will leave behind for them. The future is lucky to have these girls, I'd like to think I had some small part in preserving it for them.

Lotsa Stuff

A good friend and photographer, Karl Hammerberg from Sprint, sent me this link with the caption to the effect that he looked at it briefly, passed it off then went back... Anything worth a second look of his is something I want to see... I did and thought it was very thought provoking.

Regardless of political views and the like, I think that A:"Knowledge is power" and B: knowing how facts differ and the intellect to absorb, differentiate and re-use is the real catalyst! As such, here is some information for the knowledge side of the equation:

http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html

PS: The animation of this reminds me of the ol' classic... OddTodd and the Laid-Off cartoon that started it all for him...

Chloe was right...

A while back I asked Chloe if Catherine would become such a reader as Chloe has... Her reply is below... Her prediction was true...

The line between Southwest Airlines and the "Major US Carriers" continues to get thinner and thinner

The line between Southwest Airlines and the "Major US Carriers" continues to get thinner and thinner, originally uploaded by TomOwen.

As SWA had perfected the "cattle call" with roped off sections of A B
and C while United and the others scoffed at them (and their
efficiency, not to mention the on-time record or profitability ) and
boasted the customer service benefits of assiged seating, etc..

Now SWA is wanting to get more cozy with the "business traveler"('s
expense account) they have introduced a modification to the ol'A B C

The line is thinner.

The more I fly UAL the more I miss the friendly service of SWA. They
set expectations well and met them. UAL claims to be top shelf yet
offers some of the most surely "tenured" flight attendants in the sky.

Editors note: I was moved to an earlier flight because mine was
canceled. Then given a center seat in economy plus. I opted for an
aisle a few rows back in economy, just one row behind two flight
attendants dead heading bck to Chicago... In the Exit Row. Insult,
meet injury.

Giving back

Chloe and Catherine had the rare opportunity thanks to their God parents to assist the Marine Mammal Institute in releasing 2 rehabilitated baby seals back into the wild. Video by Chloe

Family UnFriendly

I believe in well behaved children, especially out in a restaurant setting where others are enjoying n evening out... But to literally walk into this message set the tone for me. Granted expectations were low from previous experiences (same brash service, expensive prices...) but walking into this 'sign' was, well.. enough to draw the ol' Pearl and snap a picture.... wait, I do that all the time... :-/

Life Guard

Through the beauty of this interlinking we call "The Net", I stumbled across this photo from Frank Uyttenhoven and was instantly reminded of a story....


Back in circa 1999 and the era of "The Bubble" and Web 1.0... I was home one evening and asked, or volunteered, "to give our daughter Chloe a 'tub'". She was very young at the time, probably around 3 years old and I believe Janet was likely pregnant with Coco. So in the midst of the fast paced "Bubble 1.0" era I went about the duties of filling the tub with warm water, etc... then helped Chloe get situated with all the necessary tub-toys... at which point the gentle buzz of my mistress, the blackberry, gently caressed my hip. Like every good follower of Pavlov, I immediately reached for the device like a gunslinger of the wild west and launched straight into the awaiting message... Scrolling and indenting and scrolling some more, then tap tap tapping away with gargantuan thumbs atop a keyboard befitting a Barbie, I diligently replied to the incoming request. Likely I cc'd someone else on the response and forwarded a copy for other reasons...all the basic stuff. Then in the spirit of "web time", a term made popular in the Web 1.0 world as a chronological analogy to canine years, I'm sure I saw a response or two come back into which I jumped into the infinite loop....

The cycle was briefly interrupted when Chloe asked if she could get out of the tub to which I murmured something like "sure honey, here's a towel" while extending my left arm to raise the towel from the hook and lower it slightly to the right in order to place it in Chloe's small out stretched arms. Proud of herself she scooted into see mommy and get a quick snuggle before the start of the "Jammy Dance" of picking out which PJ's to wear that night. The zone of the Blackberry was pierced when I heard Janet inquisitively ask while stroking Chloe's dry head..."Did you wash your hair?" Fair question of a 7 or 10 year old, but somewhat of a loaded question of a 3year old who was being "given a tub" by her father...

I quickly dropped my Blackberry and rushed into retrieve Chloe. Needless to say not a drop of water had left the tub because I certainly had not begun to release the drain or prepare a toothbrush...

This was a bit of a wake up call about technology, how we use it and our dependencies or addictions and/or plane distractions. As I reflected on this story and recounted it to other young parents in my social circle, I used the analogy that in that instance, I was nothing more than a lifeguard. Not a bad thing, but a missed opportunity to spend 1:1 time with Chloe...

So, when I came across this photo, I was immediately reminded of that event with Chloe and look back thinking that technology still consumes more than it's share of my time and attention and how proud of both of my daughters I truly am. Creatures of habit...

Presence and Privacy... Who's reading your phone?

(in need of editing)

With the announcement Google yesterday that they are going to first lead a consortium of folks to develop and operating system for mobile phone (Then, perhaps build the fabled gPhone) I began to think again about Google, "Do no Evil" and or less organized thoughts on online privacy. Here are some random thoughts from various conversations.

We Thirty-Somethings and Fourty-Somethings and beyond still live in an analog world. Granted there is a lot more technology consumed "above the line" here in Silicon Valley than the rest of the country, dare say, planet. But for the sake of argument, the average American in that range (or older) is not as technically savvy or technically dependent as the younger, college and below crowd. As such, we still live in an analog world. I think that when we apply our best analog concerns to a digital world, they are not relevant.

In a discussion about privacy, location based, online etc... folks felt that it was not a big deal. I think that is because they don't feel there is much damage that can be done in the [analog] world in which they live. The truth is that our analog mindset lives squarely in a digital world and it will only get deeper. Digital Damage can happen much more quickly, spread much farther much faster and cause much more harm. It is for those facts that we need to be concerned with who has what data about us. It may not be a problem NOW... but this data is not going away, it is getting more accurate and more of it is being created everyday. The wireless operators already know a great deal about you through the billing record and the fact that the network can find your device to make it ring when a call comes in, etc... What else? Now there are location based services that communicate directly with the phone and relay it's where abouts back the 'the cloud'. Social networking sites which take on the adult peer pressure of today (What?? You're NOT on Facebook or MySpace yet?? Haven't 'helped thy neighbor by posting to Yelp, Travel Adviser, Whrrl, CityGuide, etc..") where we willingly broadcast our thoughts, ideas, greetings and whereabouts... I know, "But these things are fun and/or easy". People seem to place a lower value on their own privacy (how much information can they have on me anyway and what good is any of it to them anyhow??) in exchange for convenience/pleasure/entertainment.

A while ago when Yahoo was riding high, I was a paid user to many of their services. One service allowed me to sync my contacts with their server and thus able to keep multiple machines in sync as well as the full service webmail client. More recently I have given this privilege to Plaxo. A while back I got to thinking.. What if Google of Microsoft owned those properties today? Would I be as willing to give Google all that info about me and my contacts? I asked this to various folks and it gave them pause..."Probably not" is the most common answer. But if I get what I want short term out of it - social networking, restaurant recommendations, directions etc..- and there isn't that much that I think they can do with the data, then so what?"

With all this in the back of my mind, I was using my Blackberry last night to check mail surf the web, update my Facebook status, etc.. then I used the GMail client just to see how that was working these days and before shutting down got a very ominous error message...

WOW! Now what would Google want with my phone logs? It's one thing to read my email and post relevant ads next to it right? After all, how much can they glean from reading all of my mail and spam? Now they seem to want to know about who I call, who I have intimate (voice to voice) conversations with on the most personal device that I, we, carry. It looks like they are taking a page out of TiVO's play book needing access to a phone line!

From here they announced that they will develop the operating system on which ALL the applications will run on these devices. If they can ask BlackBerry for the phone logs, what will they look for within and OS that they built? Ooof! But heh, what can they do with all that data anyway? I don't know either... but they'll sure have a lot of it!!

Remember... do no evil ;-)

PS. I did a quick Google Search about this issue and t seems that the reason for GMail needing access to the logs has to do with whether or not to make a data connection ... but still, the possibilities of transmitting the log data to the cloud are very real.,,,

Learning to Read; An Expert's Opinion

love in each word, originally uploaded by TomOwen.

Words can't express how thrilled I am that she is such an avid reader and last night I had the privilege of reading with Chloe. Not 'to' Chloe, but with. I came in to her room to remind her it was time to turn off the light and she told me she had just started this "really good book" that her Godmother Tia had given her for Halloween. So I laid down on the bed next to her and she read to me for a while then I read to her for a while and so forth...

Earlier in the evening I went through a bundle of class work that Catherine brought home. Exercises I have never seen her do at home and didn't know she was doing in class. long, 4 page science test and the like that she scored very well (all 90% -100%)

So at one point I turned to Chloe and asked her if she thought that Catherine would love to read as much as she does.

She looked at me during the slightest pause then pronounced:

"Yes. She just needs Gee"

Inquisitively I looked at her and she explained that it was Gee's attention and working with her that she credits for getting her over the hump. She also explained that (her great grandmother) "Irene loved to read" and that she is "really interested in all things Irene".

The future is now told and with some help from Gee and a little influence from Irene, we will have the same problem getting Catherine to sleep that we do Chloe... Now turn off the light and get to bed!

From the Carpool Classroom Series: The Business of Trick-or-Treating...

Back in the day I remember getting together with another family, friends of my parents, and the fathers would load up a couple of "roadies" and take 6+ kids around the neighborhood in the family station wagon. The tailgate would be down and we'd all pile in and out at each new section.

Now my children are at an age where we had the discussion about where to go trick-or-treating and the differences in the neighborhoods. Living in the same area, the methodology is based part tradition but mostly creating new traditions. It is also based in creating a tradition that yields the most fun and candy! So began the carpool discussions about "where and why". For example, an area that has wealth, i.e. large houses on larger than normal lots (>/= acre) seems like a good idea because they would have lots of really good candy no? Well, the ROI doesn't play out because there is too much walking needed between opportunities. Pair that with the lack of young families in the area and the number of houses actually participating in the passing out of candy.

So with a little thought we decided to look for a target-rich environment that is:

"The confluence of high Housing Density with high percentage of Disposable Income"

In years past we found this "Target Rich Environment (TRE)" near some friend's house in Allied Arts. An older part of West Menlo where some friends through a HUGE Halloween party . They have since moved (to a darker street with a long driveway), so this year it came in the form of Vintage Oaks or as I dubbed it just after they started selling homes in this development, "Leave it to Beaver - on Steroids" It is a beautiful community in Menlo Park that is only about 7 or 8 years old. It has 100 or so 3,000 - 4,000 s.f. houses of about 3-4 different designs. From being there on Halloween, I got the sense that the properties were sold with an option on a new Range Rover 4.6 every 5 years and are all parked in the driveway because behind the garage door facade is a playroom or home gym.

It seems that we weren't alone in this deduction of "TRE". The streets were quite full of Halloween revelers of all ages, shapes and sizes. It seems safe by Halloween standards and a good time had by all.

In the spirit of nostalgia, we also traipsed around town to visit some traditions that are important to our family.. the neighbor who's husband loved Halloween and made special goody bags for the girls, the lady on my old street who puts out 71 luminarias (sp?) to light the path to her door and a certain special neighbor who I used to T-o-T as a kid from the tailgate of that ol' station wagon...

It is fun to be a part of "carpool class" where the roles of teacher, philosopher and student are shared equally between each of us on any given day.

Another Test post from FLOCK

Well, I tried Flock a long time ago and it was fun. I was just looking at blogs and the like so this was a natural extension.. then, like many things, a friend of mine gets involved over there and I am taking a much closer look... So far so good.. For me, this can prove VERY distracting!! If I were more involved in blogging, etc.. I can see this as a great console!

Arial. Normal Size, Black

Blogged with Flock

Further that thought...

Furthering the innate disparity between the X and Y chromosomes, we "Y" guys spend - waste - a great deal of time in the pursuit of our own interests. Many of those interests are viewed/rationalized as being for the greater good of the family unit. For example, my photography. Albeit not very good by many common photographic standards, there are some shots I am proud of and I enjoy the feeling of capturing/creating a good image. Additionally, as the family historian, in the capturing events for posterity vs. researching the history of my family, I enjoy being able to share my work with others who appreciate either the quality or at least the documentation of some slice of time. It is in that realm and others like it, remodeling the laundry room.."Surprise! eh..oh.." that I find this cartoon from Scott Adam's character Dilbert so "Spot On".

To my fellow "Y's" Keep up the good work!!

Hell Hath No Fury.....

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned / Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." ~"The Mourning Bride" (1697) by William Congreve
Uh.. yes there is....

Why do women (or it appears to me) get a Free Pass when their rude, bitchy and often mean behavior is attributed to "That time of the month"?

If it not for me to ask Why? Then I ask, what is the male (Y Chromosome) "Free Pass" equivalent? Hangover? No, you did that to yourself and are 100% responsible for any and all action before during and after inebriation. Long day at the office? No, That's YOUR JOB! Hers is to...take care of the house. Sick? I like to be left alone to rest/sleep, but certainly don't take an attitude or you will hear all of the incredible things she does all while feeling sub-par. See above under take care of house.

So what is it? At some relatively unknown interval the meanness and irritability factor goes up and the rest of us suffer through it... But hey, it's ok, it's TTOTM.. SO? Again I ask, when can the men of the house come home, be short tempered, condescending and mean and have the rest of the household just smile and nod and say, "it's ok, he JBH (Just being himself)