There have been a lot of surprises from my new job (started in March) but one of the biggest perks has to be the freedom to snap photos. It’s not something I really expected when I started, but on my first day I was handed a pretty cool camera as something I could use throughout the year. I didn’t argue.
Takuma Sato at Watkins Glen
I tend to look at things differently when holding a camera. This has provided a unique point of view working in racing and traveling – walking through pit lane, the garages, and various locations we visit. It gives me a greater appreciation for the effort that goes into this industry – especially the crew members that work on IndyCar teams. (more…)
There’s a new project in town: youseeitdifferentlythan.me
It’s a collaboration with Casey Mullins – who’s a photographer, writer, Moosh in Indy, pretty funny human, friend, mother and lots more.
you see it differently that DOT me
We’re in cahoots on this new project that combines the written word and photography. We met for lunch one day and had it all figured out before I had eaten my 3rd wedge of quesadilla.
I’m lucky. Casey get thousands of web hits a day. I celebrate when I get double digits. I’m glad she agreed to collaborate on this. She also wrote about this project, here. Notice all the comments? Yep.
Our project is a simple concept.
We take turns picking one of our photographs from Flickr. We both write about the image, without consulting the other. The post is then published as one – two sides of the story, one pic. Pretty cool, huh?
We both take it very seriously. We both believe in it. It’s still in it’s infancy. We’re still figuring it out. And we both think you’ll enjoy it.
Over the past few months, I’ve listened to Pandora on a regular basis. Daily at work, in the car and also at home. It rocks. I created a bunch of stations, including The Pharcyde station, a hip hop group I somehow missed over the years, even though I was certain I would like them. I love them. One song hit me instantly – Runnin’. It’s a laid back track that reminds me of the west coast, palm trees. a cool breeze and being happy. It’s my current #1 song I listen to on a flight.
Aside from Runnin’, I’m also running again. I’ve had an on again/off again relationship with running, and in the last week, I’ve found it again and it feels great. There’s a new technology component to it as well. I run with my iPhone which lets me stream Pandora or listen to my music library through the iPod. It also allows me take photos along the way (something I always wanted to do). I can send texts, receive calls, and send a tweet – all admittedly, very hard to do while running. But I usually give myself a couple of blocks to cool down from a run. I use this time to record ideas or send e-mails that have come to me during the trek. Running is a healthier past time for me, but more importantly, it’s a creative exercise. I cover a lot of things while pounding the pavement and listening to music. Which is timely.
Outside of a hectic work schedule, I’m working on a few creative personal projects that have a pretty big scope. I’m lucky to be working on some of these with people I respect and love. Some of these projects have been in the works for years. Some of them are brand new. Either way, I’m really excited about them and hope to share information with you all very soon. I’m taking these one step at a time, but to me, they’re all big, big steps. It’s been a long time coming.
I’ve always relied on good ideas coming to me in the shower or on a long run. I’m glad I’m now doing both.
Football. Or soccer. I remember my first World Cup in 1982. I collected the Panini stickers. I was staying with family in France, and I remember as Paolo Rossi had the tournament of his dreams. I remember in 1986 as Diego Maradona defeated England with true artistry and con artistry. In 1990, I discovered English pubs and wept with the nation when Paul Gascoigne, Gazza, picked up a yellow card and automatic suspension for the semi-final. In 1994, I went to my only World Cup match (Spain vs Germany) and was boarding a plane in Portland, Oregon as England played a thrilling match with Argentina…and Beckham was minutes away from a red card. 1998 – I watched a sleepy Ronaldo and a practical deity in Zidane. 2002, France didn’t show up, Ronaldo found redemption, and Seaman got lobbed. And in 2006, Rooney saw red, in more ways than one. It’s been tough being an England fan.
Remember Ted the airline? It was a sub-brand of United Airlines several years ago. It was eliminated in 2008 because of high fuel costs and the general problems most US Airline carriers have in running a profitable business. I feel sorry for the airlines. What ever happened to the romance, the thrill of flying? It’s gone. I wish I had been around during the glory days of Pan Am.
TED offices
But, I’m actually writing about TED today. You know, the Ideas worth sharing people.
It’s been a busy past six weeks – a ton of work projects, a fair amount of traveling and very little personal time. Everyone faces the challenge of the balancing a professional and personal life. It’s become a lot harder now that I’m a father and that I’m still a newbie at work (2 months in), but I’m doing pretty well. The blurriness of work/home life got me thinking though. For a long time, I’ve operated online with the assumption that there is no distinction between me “personally” or “professionally” when it comes to an online persona. I always assume that whatever I place on the web will be seen by friends, family, colleagues and strangers. Not everyone does this, but it has helped me cope with how I want to be perceived, issues of privacy and so on. But for some reason, I’ve started thinking about my use of Twitter and similar issues. (more…)
This post has a cool title and it’s a cool read. But first let me provide a little context. I joined Twitter back in 2008. I did it right before attending SXSW because I didn’t want to be a loser. I was and didn’t use it. As Twitter gained more momentum, I drifted back and began to use, mainly so I would understand it. In my line of work, I better understand the latest Friendster/MySpace/Facebook/Twitter/foursquare/???. I rejoined and looked for Twitter friends based on my interests. Robots, Formula One racing, Design, Travel, Museums and so on. In a weird twist of fate, I found the Museum of Robots. They represented a huge interest of mine and I couldn’t believe it. A healthy obsession began.
Do you remember you first flight? I surprisingly don’t. The first flight I remember (which I think was my 3rd) was on Virgin from London Gatwick to Newark. I don’t mind long flights, but my first experience with America, was the Newark airport. Oh well. My mom told me, that my first flight was from London Gatwick to Geneva, Swtizterland on the now defunct airline British Caledonian. During this flight, I got to visit the cockpit, annoy pilots and check out europe. Pretty cool, but it’s a shame I don’t remember it.
Since my first flight (even the one to Newark), I’ve been fascinated by and in awe of flying. I still get apprehensive during take off and landings. I always look up at the sky to identify passing planes. I love the history and panache of Pan Am. I keep up with airline industry. My first “May I present to you…” series was about Harriet Baskas, a wonderful writer about….airports, travel and more. And when I do fly, I spend a lot of the time, looking out the window, 6 miles in the air, zooming at 500 miles per hour.
I don’t recall the first time I had a cannoli. I do remember eating the most incredible cannoli in 1996 while in Venice. It was amazing. Since then, I’ve held a special space in my stomach for this delicate Italian dessert. I’ve enjoyed some good one’s since, but none quite compare.
A cannoli from Rome
So of course I took this sugar appreciation to the next level. I created a Flickr group.
We just returned from a family road trip. It involved 17 total hours in a car with a 5-month old, 1 speeding ticket, detours, horrendous weather, some fast food, energy drinks and did I mention a baby in the car? But the trip was worth it – quality time with family and the lovely city of Asheville – home of microbrews, Grove Park Inn and a little house called the Biltmore (see below).
