2007 - The Year in Review

2007 has come and gone and it hardly seemed like it got here. Here are a few of the highlights of the year.

• I started this blog after learning about and reading some of the blogs by my coworkers.
  
• My wife only had to have one major procedure done this year. This in and of itself made it a good year, as we jokingly state we are putting all the doctors' kids through college.
• My wife's mom stayed out of the hospital this year. This is another major plus for the year, since last year she almost did not make it to 2007.
  
• The company my wife worked for was bought and her call center was closed.
• The company I work for was bought not once, but twice this past year. Technology is ever changing and it looks like we are going to rise to the top of list of best providers.
  
• We met some new friends this year when we were not even looking for them.
• My mom came out for her annual visit from the east coast.
• Our daughter moved back home. The jury is still out on this one since it has only been a few days - :-). It is actually good to have her back home.

Here is to a wonderful 2008!.

Make someone's day and perform a random act of kindness. I cannot think of a better way to end the year.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all.

May your heart be filled with love and your home be filled with family and friends.

Be thankful for what you have and for what you get. Don't worry about what you don't have and didn't get.

Enjoy the people in your life and don't take them for granted.

Call the people that are not able to make it your home on this joyous occasion and let them know you love them and that you were thinking of them.

Make someone's day and perform a random act of kindness. God did.

In the News - Paying It Backward

I was watching the news this morning and heard a story about people at a drive-thru Starbucks where each car in line, for about 2 hours, was paying for the person behind them. I thought that it was a a very considerate gesture at this time of the year.

There was also another story about a man in Vernonia, Oregon who was seriously injured over the summer and then lost nearly everything he and his family had during the flood. There are several different people and companies that are helping the family out by providing land and other necessities for his home to be rebuilt. While there is another group that is providing a home, rent free, until the new home is finished.

These are just a couple of examples of how people act when the need or season arises. Now if we can only get people to be nice all the time. You know me, if I am going to dream, I am going to dream BIG.

Make someone's day a perform a random act of kindness. It could be as simple as paying it backward.

Christmas Spirit

For most kids, Christmas time is one of their most favorite times of the year because of all the presents they get.

There are lots of people who go without at Christmas time due to circumstances beyond their control. Some are troops who were shipped to the other side of the world. Others just have had really bad luck. While still others were adversely affected by nature.

This time of the year is one of my favorites because of what I can give to and do for others as well as see how much the community I live in does for others. At work this year we adopted a troop and a family this year. It is amazing how gracious the people I work with are. There were boxes upon boxes of goodies gathered for both groups.

One of the parents that helps with the girls' basketball team I coach is helping Intel renovate some of their apartment complexes and all the old furniture and stuff is going to help the people in Vernonia who were flooded out.

I am very proud to live in the greater Portland, Oregon community because of all the good they do particularly at times of need.

Make someone's day and perform a random act of kindness. Any and all days are a good time to do it, but this season makes it even a little more special.

PADNUG November 2007

PADNUG (Portland Area Dot Net Users Group) was held at my work's campus center last night. Oh my goodness, there were a lot of people that showed up. Well, Microsoft did show up with the opportunity to get VS8 and provided good food from Pasta Pronto; my favorite was the alfredo sauce on penne pasta.

Before the "show" even started, there was some entertainment just watching the guys setup the audio and visual equipment. They did all kinds of jerry rigging to get three projectors to display on three screens (two of which they brought with them) from a single computer. Ok, you now know my secret, I am easily amused. :-)

VS8 was the primary topic of discussion, which focused on LINQ, but there was also a presenter on SilverLight. In the old school rules of being a developer, you stick the developer in front of a computer with internet access or at least access to reference books and leave him/her alone and the developer was happy as a clam. Those days are long gone. The developers must be presenters of their ideas and technologies, or to explain what their program does and how it did it. I must say that the presenters did a good job.

Scott Hanselman was one of the presenters, who is anything but boring. Chris Sells was in the audience heckling him, which made the presentation that much more entertaining.

Make someone's day and perform a random act of kindness. It could be as simple as inviting them to event.

Run Your Own Race

I am a computer geek, but not the über computer geek that my buddy Scott Hanselman is.

I like to play basketball, but I am not Kevin Garnett or Shaquille O'Neal.

I like to cook, but no one will mistake me for Emeril Lagasse.

I will never be mistaken for an electrician or car mechanic or even a doctor.

To be the best at something, you have to do your best at it and like what you are doing. If you don't like what you are doing, it is hard to continually do your best.

Don't compare yourself to anyone. You need to run your own race. The only comparison you should be making is how you were doing previously to how you are doing now. Just because you neighbor may be a bar-b-que king, it does not mean that you will be one or that you even need to try to be one. I repeat, you need to run your own race.

Make someone's day and perform a random act of kindness. Show someone that you are good at what you do by helping them.

You Just Never Know ...

Anyone who knows me knows that sports play a big part of my life.

Part of the reason that I hold open gym and coach basketball is to give kids an alternative choice to getting into gangs and getting into trouble. Part of my philosophy is if you keep kids occupied with something positive, they won't have time to get bored and get into trouble. Sports does not always mean that kids and young adults won't get into trouble or have trouble find them.

This past week , the Washington Redskins of the NFL had one of their players, Sean Taylor, killed while at home during the middle of the night.

Early in his pro football career, Sean Taylor got himself into trouble both on and off the field. However, about 18 months ago he and his girlfriend had a daughter together and Sean Taylor turned his life around. He realized that he was directly responsible for someone else as a role model and the maturity "light" went on for him. He was getting his life in order.

It is not yet known if this was a home invasion robbery gone bad or a person vendetta against Sean Taylor possibly due to past transgressions. From what I have read and watched, there still are not a lot of details as to what actually happened that bitter night, but Sean Taylor was at home. He was not out at the bars or at some strip club with the guys. He was at home where he was supposed to be. He heard a noise and got up to try to protect his family. He did what a man is supposed to do.

Sean Taylor was 24-years-old.

Live your life to the fullest because you never know when your life as we know it is going to be over. Live each day like it is your last, because you are not promised tomorrow. Tell your friends and family that you love them every chance you get so they actually know it. You don't want to miss the opportunity, because you just never know when God is going to call you home.

Make someone's day and perform a random act of kindness. You just never know, you might not get the opportunity tomorrow.