Coming back

I have been away for quiet some time now. I am going to interject myself again.

I am going to break up the blog in 3 different category.

Main Page: Will blog about most stuff as well as any miscellaneous topic can stay here.

Running & Biking (R&B): ah...running, my biggest passion. Also when I say biking, it is motorcycle and not bicycle.

Startup & Tech (S&T): things I am learning as I working to start my own business. Also technical stuff I am learning at work.

I am also going to tie this blog with my professional Google profile.

So, stay tune. More to come. Till then here's a pic of one of our newest member:

Rescued Husky

Few days ago, I am driving home during lunch hour to log in from home. As I get close to our house, I see a Husky walking down the main road, without an owner.

Immediately I realize, he must've escaped and now lost. So, I turn on the emergency light, pull up to the side of the road and call him to me. He comes up. Which tells me he's OK with other people. He's panting quiet heavily. I pet him for a while to calm him down. Check the dog tag, and call the owner. No one answers the phone, so I leave a voicemail.

Not wanting to leave him by the side of the road, I pick him up in our car, and get home. Once home, I am not sure if he is good/OK with other dog. So, I ask my wife to hold Hunter. I put the leash on him and bring him inside. Put our dog in crate, since the Husky won't go in the crate and our  dog is too excited to sniff/check out the new dog.

I give the Husky some water, and treats. He comes down quiet a bit. In between this, we found another number and get a hold of the owner who actually happens to leave few doors down from us. I talk to the owner and ask her if his dog is OK with other pet. Once she confirms, I let both of them loose. They start checking each other out, both of them pees on the carpet and the Husky (Dallas) immediately establishes itself as the Alpha.

Hunter playing with Dallas

Flatulent Guy on the Plane

A lot of has been going on since my last post. Lately, as much I want to post about different things I have been doing, just can't find the time to do it.

To start off, me and my cousin we made an attempt to hike up and back to Mt. Mitchell from Black Mountain Campground. We weren't sure if we would be able to do the whole thing, specially the first hour was the most challenging. But we did it. Lesson: start early so you are back by daylight and not hiking through dark, falling 3 times like me. We got tied up on other things for too long. Also rationing food is a must during break and salt cracker is a life saver. When you start the ascend, you might feel a light headache. I felt like I am about to get a headache, best thing to do at that time is to simply breath and be quiet. Below is the video of our journey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVGYHhEFOPU

We both are thoroughly excited and have talked about Rim to Rim next year and back country at the Yellowstone the year after.

At the moment, getting back home from a week long summit at work. Several thing were discussed, and one of the big topic was 'Office of the Future.' Not so much what it would look like, but how the end users will do their work. No pointer/solution came out of it. It was more along the line, hey I am working on this just so you know.

My proposal, look at it from a gamers perspective. A gamer wants to play game, he/she has preference on what kind of game to play. Imagine the end user as a gamer. Now, the gamer can play certain games on either PC, Wii, Xbox or PS. Depending on which system meets the need, the gamer will choose a system to play on. So, how can that be applied on corp world. Offer three/four delivery system to the end user to get their job done. User can pick which system they want to work on, but the delivery, experience should be consistent, seamless for the user.

I will into more detail in terms of the system that I believe will be viable. But we see the same approach on other places. Take flying for example. Several airlines offer service. The job is the same on each company, deliver customer and goods to destination. Users pick airlines depending on many factors.

Speaking of flying, on the way to layover had to sit next two a flatulent guy sandwiched between me and another guy, who was drunk, passed out, passing gas and who knows what else. We both were just hoping he doesn't throw up.

Yeah, it's a 1300

Finally rolled the bike back & forth and cleaned the chain yesterday evening.

Was a bit weary on my way to work. Making sure, I didn’t mess things up. Cleaning and lubing the chain is really not that hard.

On my way to work this morning. Kinda glad about the early start,  7.20am. Hoping to avoid the school traffic. Wave at few bikers on the opposite site, focusing on zooming past cars. And that’s when the HD shows up on the right lane on red light. I suspect he would’ve come to my lane, had I been not filtering on the right side of the left lane. It’s a big bike, definitely bigger than mine. However, I am not sure what kind. All HDs look same to me.

Light turns green, and we have lift off. He moves over to give me space and I go for it. But wait, is he trying to race. To my absolute amusement, my ‘Elanor’ keeping up with his HD. We are in formation, weaving through cars & trucks a little faster than the 55mph. Traffic ahead, we come to stop behind this Lexus. As we stopped, pull my visor up and turn to look at him. He won’t make eye contacts; he’s too cool for that. Not the first, have seen the same attitude on other HDs before.

Light turns green, traffic is moving. We see and opening and we are both reading for it. He jumps on the right lane, and guns it. I do too. I felt a little jerk and look down. Wow, I am going 80 on 3^rd. The rpm jumps to red and then jumps back down. Elanor doesn’t like it. Caught up in the moment, I didn’t have enough time to shift up and didn’t think of it either. I start to shift up while trying to catch up with the HD. Adrenaline kicks in, all the while I am thinking ‘Dude, don’t be stupid.’ HD able to squeeze through between a landscape truck and a car on the right lane one car ahead of me. We start to slow down, and I catch up with him again.

Still no eye contacts. We take the same right turn, and after that we go our separate ways.

Funny, just yesterday I stopped all the way before making a left turn as another Sports biker going past me. And we both threw our hands down (waved).

Last week, came up next to a HD. Complement the guy on his bike, and his response, ‘Yeah, it’s a 1300.’ Oh, thank you for that useless info, honestly I could care less.

Catching the ball

Wednesday evening. Daughter and mom got home after me. My wife is busy preparing dinner. I am trying to play catch with our daughter with a football. Instead of throwing the ball raising your hand, I am trying to teach her how to toss it, more like glide it.

But it’s not working. She’s scared of the ball and she’s sticking her palms out every time to prevent the ball. Naturally the ball hits her palm and just drops on the floor. Ughh, this is getting a little frustrating.

I can tell, I am starting to get upset. And just then, in a last effort I tried something different. Instead of standing three/four feet apart, I actually get really close to her, about half a feet.

Now I am throwing the ball up close and slow. It’s working. She’s getting the hang of catching the ball, instead of just sticking her palm out. Slowly over time, I distance myself. And she’s still with me. Awesome.

Next, I throw the ball with some variations to make sure she’s getting the hang of it. And she is. She’s catching it every time. I am amazed at myself of course for taking the time to invest rather than get mad. Next we play 50 catch, counting up to 50 catches. After that, I get my wife to join us on a three catch. So, we take turns throwing the ball to her, and she’s catching it every time.

And she’s super excited, confident and happy as well for being able to finally catch the ball.

LESSON: kids can teach you how to be patient or get bad real fast. How we choose to invest in the relationship is up to us, the adult. 

Coleman Rocks.

For sometime now I have been eyeing a 8/10 person tent. More for the room, than anything else. We go camping at least twice a year, and so far I have been able to get buy on the 3 person tent. But it is time to get something a little bigger, so we have more leg room. Wife won't have to lie down to change.

For a while, I was eyeing the Ozark Trail 10 person tent, but it is just big. Too big whereas I would have to check out the X Y Zs of the tent site before booking to make sure my tent will fit. Just then, saw a sale go up on vminnovations.com for the discontinued Coleman Bristol WeatherTec 8 person tent. I couldn't resist anymore. We own a Coleman 3 person tent already and love that tent. So, I bit the bullet and purchased it.

A day later (yes one day later) the tent showed up. Both me and our daughter super excited to set it up, counting down days for the weather to warm up. 4 days after delivery, yesterday it was warm enough for us to jump outside and start setting it up after I got home from work. But the temp was dropping fast.

After the initial setup, daughter wanted to sleep the night outside. Wife was taking pictures and videos. But the temp is still dropping. So, we start to break it down. Fingers are freezing. After we pack everything up, when we go to put it back in sack, we didn't tie it enough. The load is too wide for the carrying bag. The zipper won't close. Mess around with it for few minutes, when the zipper just comes off. Wife gives me the 'I knew it' speech. I listen, drag the whole thing inside the house.

After everyone goes to sleep, I sit down with my tool. Put the zipper back in place and repack the tent. Went to close the zipper and it snapped again. What the hell?! Take a look and the bottom plate is broken. Ughhh.

Stayed up a little longer wondering if Coleman doesn't fix it, how hard would it be for me to get a replacement zipper and fix it myself. Wondering all day next day (today) about if I could do it myself.

Called Coleman few minutes ago about the carrying bag. They didn't ask for the order number or SKU, just took my name down, address and another carrying bag on its way at no (absolutely no cost) to me.

Wow....Coleman rocks. I love this guys. Thank you.

Dad Reflexes

It's a very funny thing being a dad. I realize I've never really talked about that part of my life.

I guess for me it was more or less natural. Kinda hard to explain, but being a dad is something that's just part of me. That's a big part of my life.

Reading about 'Dads are Great' on Reddit, stirred up few times I was there to save my daughter vs. few times I choose not to.

Like the time, as we usually rent a two bed hotel, my then two year old daughter was playing in one bed. Me & wife hanging out on the other bed, all the while my eyes are locked on my daughter. As expected, all of a sudden she starts rolling , gets too close to the edge and about to fall. When I sprint to her and save her fall.

But also the time, when we are hanging out in KC and my daughter is playing on a chair. The floor is slick and just by the look, I know she's going to fall. But she also was a cushioned backpack on, as she's falling I know she will be fine falling on the backpack rather than anything else.

Funny, how I sometimes these memories comes back. When we went to the community pool. I just took her life jacket off and put her up. As I am getting ready to get out of the pool, she decides to jump right back. And yet again, I catch her fall.

What I don't remember, is my own father saving me such way. I remember him throwing me in the water, being how scared I was. I remember him mocking me, dragging me down. But not saving me.

Was he too busy because we were two brother and one sister? Or too much of a man?