Would You Buy, and Wear A Smart-watch Daily?

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I haven't worn a dumb-watch (reads much better than "non-smart-watch") since 2000. The use-cases for smart-watches in general haven't yet been clearly defined.

I carry and use multiple mobile devices and laptops, daily. I own five lovely dumb-watches; one which has served as my alarm clock for years. I still don't wear dumb-watches. I love dumb-watches. I always have. I always will. I just don't like wearing them.

Why? If you have a dumb-watch on your wrist, you're most likely to check the time way more often than you absolutely need to. You can't resist because a different time is always going to be presented to you whenever you check. There's no way to easily stop that habit with a dumb-watch, than to...not wear the dumb-watch. That's fine. That's what dumb-watches do best: present you something different every second of your life.

I will happily wear those rubber bracelets; the likes of which were pioneered by the Livestrong Foundation. The rubber bracelet currently on my wrist is about style and personal branding; a kind of removable tattoo. Still, I'm very interested in the iWatch. Although, any smart-watch would have to have at least these four characteristics, to compel me to wear it daily:

• A fashion accessory that is customizable to my personal style and branding. If the watch died, I'd still be compelled to wear it until I could get it fixed or could get a replacement
• A state-of-the-art, customizable, push-notification (alert) system that reduces my time on all other devices and apps I use, including the time and inconvenience of to pulling them out or/and loading them up and connecting to use them
• It doesn't constantly have to be paired to another device to be useful and enjoyable

You Know You're A Geek...

...when a co-worker sends you this over chat:

...and then you laugh your ass off.

What Would You Do With A Million Dollars?

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If you are ever short of conversation, that question will light it up every time. Notice people's eyes light up as they ponder or prepare to answer the question? Then you gets a variety of answers, in no particular order:

• Pay off bills
• Buy mama a house (deserves a bullet point of its own for its ubiquity)
• Quit job
• Donate 
• Travel
• Buy a ____________
• Buy some _________
• Pay for ___________
• Get a ____________

The above is by no means an exhaustive list. 

Here's some of what I've learned over the twenty years I've been asking people the question.

• People love being asked that question
• A lot of people aren't clear on what they'd like to do next after some the typical answers
• Few people realize (at least in the US) that depending on how you get the million dollars, it rarely gets to your pocket as a million dollars (read: taxes)
• Your bad habits * $1,000,000.00 that you didn't work for = mo' money, mo' problems (as Biggie Smalls would rap)
• You don't really (really) know how you'd respond to a lot of money out of nowhere, until you have to manage a lot of money out of nowhere
• Push people (gently of course) further on this question long enough, and they discover their true dreams and passions can be pursued without the million dollars

I'm lucky. I simply stuck my million dollars to my wall. It's probably better for both of us...since money isn't real. But that's another blog post.

Telling Kids The Truth

Arthur Fordham c1902

So a few nights ago I'm reading Little Red Riding Hood to my kids; one in a line of many, many earlier versions. I get to that part where the wolf eats grandma....when my four-year-old son, still learning to read, interrupts, "don't you mean she hid in the closet?" I'm dumbfounded for a second, and then I remember vaguely that later versions of this famed story involve grandma and a closet.

I could do what most American parents I know would like do, and move the story right along for the sake of my audience and be mortified that such a politically-incorrect version of the book made its way into our sacred library. God knows I was tempted. Especially since my three-year-old nephew was also present. However, I've made it a policy to tell my kids the truth in a manner they will comprehend so matter how risqué the question.

"Noooo," I finally replied. "The wolf ate grandma." My index finger tracing below the words. My daughter, an excellent reader, nodded in agreement. When he protested that the version he knew about from TV involved a closet, I went on to explain that in the original version, the wolf actually ate grandma. I then explained to the kids, in their language, that sometimes there are different versions of a story to match the changing times in the world and how people feel about things.

Parenting in America today, and life in general, isn't like what it was when the original Little Red Riding Hood was printed. So there's this valid tendency to want to protect our children at all costs.
I believe we can do this by telling our children the truth, at a level and manner that they can comprehend, even if not fully. It's a muscle we as parents and all who care for and love children, have to exercise for it to become part of our conditioning. I wasn't so smooth my first time with my pal Curious George, but I had to start somewhere too.

I'm glad for my choice because next, the wolf (I totally forgot) eats Little Red too! Finally, the woodsman kills the wolf (oh dear) with his ax, freeing both grandma and Little Red (whew). I could hear my parental alarms blaring as I read, but I kept repeating to myself, you and millions of children once read (or were read) the same story, and the world didn't end.

Better a truth that fosters a difficult but necessary conversation, and path to a critical understanding of the world, than a lie that slowly but eventually erodes trust.

What We're Working On at Zumbi Mobile Solutions - 2013

Mobile Development:

Our sophomore iOS app (our first, DTCcater^TM was released last fall), MotrAide^TM, currently in development, is slated for a second beta release this Fall. With this project, I was able to indulge my love of maps using the Google Maps API. Although, Apple being (well) Apple, threw me a curve ball with the disappearance of Google Maps with the release of iOS 6. You all know by now how well that turned out.

The death of Apple has once again been greatly exaggerated though. Despite the media pundits chagrin with Apple, and Apple's slightly lower market share compared to the beginning of this year, I'm still quite bullish on Apple. In fact, I'm saving my lunch money for the iWatch, whenever that comes out. Besides, Google Glass would be redundant for me, as I refuse to wear contacts.

I still hear the siren calls of Android, Window Mobile, and Blackberry, and in that order. However, it's important to, "say no to a thousand things," to quote Steve Job, in order to focus for optimum results and success. Still, I couldn't resist and I'm now running Windows 8 on a beat up, left for dead, what used to be called tablet PC, laptop. Plus, I'm currently taking the Android SDK via Eclipse for a test drive.

Kindle Publishing:

After rethinking our approach to our second Kindle ebook  project, and shuffling completing priorities, the revised project is on our road-map for Winter 2013.

Enterprise Technical Support

Demand continues to increase for skilled technical support services for enterprise systems. As these system become more distributed, complex, and dependent on third party platforms, the ability to adapt as quickly as possible to the needs of organizations and their customers, while leveraging our core competences is even more important.

Obama on the Aftermath of the Trayvon Martin Verdict

I held off blogging on the verdict because I did a lot of thinking, introspection, and wondering on the past, present, and future of race relations in America, including my own personal history. Like a lot of people I know, a cooling off period was useful. I believe President Obama's speech summed up the sentiments well, and is a good touchstone on where to go from here. Check it out, and let me know what you think about how we move forward individually and collectively.

Navigating The Storms of Life

More raw sermon notes, from the iPod:

Family Matter 2013: Storms

A storm can be to your benefit.
Press into the storm.
We lose sight that The Lord is with us through the storm. 

"Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them,  Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.  And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them,  Where is your faith?  And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him." (Luke 
8:22-25 KJV)

God wants us to exercise our faith with the storms that come. 

1. Do not be intimidated by the storm, use the storm to your advantage. Ask the Lord what He wants you to do now. The storm is a test. Go where God wants you to go despite the storm. There will always be storms. Let God figure out how He is going to resolve the storm, because the resolution is beyond our comprehension. 

2. Give up controlling the situation to God. Focus on what you do know, not what you don't know. Keep your spirit strong. 

3. It's the word of God that gives us peace. Get into the presence of God.

4. Don't be bitter. Encourage people in the storm. 

5. Persist and persevere for you have a destiny. God says, "I have given you everything, you will overcome." Storms do not last forever. There is a due time and an appointed season to reap. 

6. Don't forget the storms you've already been through.