Tag Archives: Travel

Trip to Boston now online

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Rachel and I took a quick trip to see friends in Boston, MA a few weeks ago. I’ve finally put the photos online. I love the various web applications out there, here’s how I used three to track my trip:

  1. DOPPLR: Used to see the ‘big picture’ when it comes to travel. I’ve had the trip listed on my travel profile for a few weeks here. Magically, dopplr matches up travel dates to my Flickr timeline to show pictures from that trip. Easily one of the cooler features.
  2. Flickr: I uploaded all my photos with the permissions set to ‘me and family only’. So, all my pictures are archived and I can go back and essentially ‘unblock’ the ones I want to share with everyone else. I don’t have a GPS-enabled SD card but I can manually geotag the location of these photos and have them show up on a map.
  3. Brightkite: Throughout the trip I would ‘check in’ at the various spots we were at. Now I can go back and look at a map view of my trip. This helps with tagging photos but is also a really cool way to visualize a trip.

So there you have it. Three nerdy sites for one cool trip.

My Favorite Passengers, Part II

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I’ve traveled quite a bit lately and have been working on being able to entertainingly come up with some common passenger profiles. Here are a few more of my findings:

  • The laptop wielding road warrior: Two trips in a row have I sat next to a woman who insists on working on a spreadsheet or e-mail as soon as her butt hits the seat. The plane takes off, the flight attendant is seated, oooh, yeah? You’re gonna sneak open your laptop before we’re at the “safe” altitude? You risky son of a gun–I’m sure those three minutes were absolutely necessary.
  • Leave the light on, you don’t need it: It’s 10:00 PM, it’s been a long day and we’re all headed home. It’d be nice to get some rest. But no, I’m sitting next to you and you want to stare into space with the overhead light on. Of course, the angle glares right onto my face but I’m not going to say anything (or sleep any). Oh, but once we plan to land you realize its on and turn it off. I swear the cabin is 90% darker now.
  • The seat yanker: Why the hell, once you get onto an airplane, are you unable to stand up under your own power? Is there some amazingly intense gravity field keeping you in the seat? Because apparently you need to use all of your strength to pull on my damned seat! Try using your legs!
  • The talker: Yeah, there’s a time to talk to people and meet new folks–but you’re not interesting. And when the conversation is 90% you talking and the rest me just saying “yup”, “true”, and “oh” why do you NOT get the clue? Do I need to put in my headphones and start reading before I even get to my seat to avoid this? Yes, yes I do.

    • And there are so many more. People are amazing, unique creatures. But somehow the majority of people start to lump together into these profiles once they jump on a plane. Which are you? ;)

My Favorite Airline Passengers, Part I

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I’ve done a bunch of flying in the last few months (for work and training). I still get a little excited every time I fly. Airports have so many people and airplanes have so many people in a small spot. This means excellent people watching. I’ve come up with some of my favorite passenger profiles:

  • Can’t fit anything in the over-head bin: Why does it take 30 minutes to get 100 people on a small commuter plane? Because of this guy. Maybe if you owned a less awkwardly shaped bag you wouldn’t struggle to find a bin that a L-shaped opening. Seriously, you weren’t that good at tetris, why do you think you can manage this bin? Go find another one and let me guy by!
  • Wonders why there isn’t a blanket: Why are you making a big deal? You paid $400+ for this seat and your happiness is hinging on a pillow / blanket. Those things are gross, expensive, and if it’s such a necessity–why don’t you pack one? Stop bothering the flight attendant and making me listen to you.
  • Slept through beverage service: If you can’t stay awake for the 20 minute boarding process, 5 minute taxing and 15 minute ascent before beverage service why do you deserve a cup of Sprite? Are you really that tired? Was there nothing you could’ve done to pass the few minutes before a drink would come around? Apparently so because now you and the seven other lazy passengers are going to make the attendant go back and forth between the galley. That’s 14 trips he or she didn’t need to do.
  • The seatbelt sign doesn’t apply to me: The plane touched the ground, seatbelt off! Dude, you’re in row 24–you won’t be grabbing your bag for at least 12 more minutes: sit down! Oh and why did you think it was cool to get up and go to the bathroom whenever you wanted? The light is on because it’s not safe, dummy. I’m glad they called you out over the intercom, you self-centered tool.

Please tell me you fit one of these profiles because you make my flights go so much faster! And if you’re not, please tell me you find as much pleasure in these people as I do.

I’ll be at SXSWi 2008

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For those of you who don’t speak nerd, I’m going to the South-by-Southwest Conference in Austin, TX on Friday (through Tuesday). I’ll be attending the ‘Interactive’ conference which is a lot of people from the internet who think they’re forward thinking, amazing individuals.

In reality, it’s a lot of parties put on by a lot of hot new companies (everyone from Google to my Boulder buddies at socialthing!). Drinks, nerds, how can it go wrong?

I know a lot of cool people will be there (speaking and attending) and if you’ll be there too be sure to let me know:

See you guys there.

Community Next bridges Silicon and silicone

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Community Next is bridging Silicon Valley to the land of silicone with The Next Generation of Media and the Web happening Saturday, March 29 in West Hollywood. You may remember I’ve been pretty involved with Community Next and this one is going to be a neat twist on the original conferences: it’s not in the Bay, it’s in LA!

Quick overview:

  • Learn how the web is changing and how to stay ahead of the curve
  • Connect with people from top online companies
  • Connect with funny/smart/cool/interesting people
  • FREE OPEN BAR party, hosted by Twiistup on Friday night, March 28
  • FREE Redbull, food and drinks to keep you going at the conference

Speakers include Robert Scoble (scobleizer.com/Fast Company), Alexis Ohanian (Reddit, Founder), Veronica Belmont (Mahalo Daily) and more (click here for full list of speakers).

Special 10% discount for all of my friends: sign up at http://nextmedia.eventbrite.com/?discount=sweetdreams.

I’ll be there, kicking it in Hollywood. Let me know if you’ll be around, too.

My 2007 in cities and celebrities

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I wanted to reflect on a few of those fun things, places, people and memories that entered my life this year this year. With no hesitation I present my year in cities and celebrities:

Cities

  • Boulder, CO (moved from here)
  • Denver, CO (to here)
  • San Francisco, CA (CommunityNext, birthday)
  • Bay Area, CA (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Jelly Belly Factory)
  • Beijing, China (Spring Break, Great Wall, Forbidden City)
  • Shanghai, China (Incubator visit, Ex-pat panels, Pearl Tower)
  • Suzhou, China (tea garden)
  • Los Angeles, CA (training, bull riding, Manhattan/Venice/Huntington Beaches, Dodgers)
  • Cleveland, OH (more training, more bull riding, tequila, Indians)
  • Santa Fe, NM (visiting an old friend, culture)

Celebrities (they’re internet-famous)

…and so many more people. Some I didn’t even get to meet in person but had the opportunity to work with, talk to or cross paths (Ryan Healy and Ryan Paugh, Jeremy Wright, everyone at 9rules especially Scrivs, Tyme, Mike, seanrox, everyone from Startup Weekend (Micah, Michael, Charlie, John).

Anyway, a good year for new friendships and heres to many more!

My Holiday Wishlist?

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Cross posted at Employee Evolution

Tis the season where family and friends start asking the dreaded: what do you want for Christmas? My parents finally dropped it on me. I was actually talking to Rachel about this and she made a very excellent point:

At this stage in my life I don’t need more “things.” I’m at a stage where I value experiences over things.

Brilliant. As a student of the uber-successful Tim Ferriss I agree entirely that I’d much rather a few bucks towards a ski-trip in Canada over a few bucks towards a new suit.

In twenty years am I going to look back and remember how nice that jacket looked? No, I’ll stop and remember the great time I had in Bamf. Besides, our society defines gifts as expected and necessary. That defeats the purpose to me.

Besides, we have too much stuff anyway. This year I’m going to ask someone to donate to a cause in my name or sponsor my upcoming adventure. That sounds like a pretty good wishlist to me.