iPhone 4S

Excited about the new iPhone 4S announced yesterday. The changes are incremental and for the most part totally expected.  Better camera, faster processor, iOS 5, and then theres the one more thing, integration of Siri into the OS.  Voice assistance on previous versions of the iPhone felt like an afterthought. The addition of Siri may result in a big change to my daily use of the iPhone.

So, will I get it?  The answer is a very strong YES.  what I should do is wait till my AT&T contract allows me to get the lower price, but what I'll most likely do is take the hit and pre-order the phone on Friday.

Back to full time

Sitting in the Toyota dealership waiting area this morning, thinking about the last two years and my upcoming return to full time employeement.

I still don't regret the attempt at running a personal buisness. I think I could have done better. I think I could have worked harder at it. Most importantly I plan on continuing to work on developing it.

I do think that not returning to my old position after "my year off" was a mistake. However, I'm not sure I would have learned as much if I had not totally comited to it. Our savings has suffered for that lesson, and I have been worried about money more than I usualy do. As a result of this I spent less on gadgets, music, and movies these last two years and I haven't really missed any of it. I do have a long list of items I plan on buying, but I'll space them out over the next year.

I think the hardest part of all this is returning to a normal work schedule and working for someone other than myself. I'm going to have to figure out how to balance the day job with my side buisness. The next few weeks will be interesting.

The Job Search

Well I decided it was time to get back to a regular Full Time Job again. Wish I could keep doing iPhone / and soon iPad development, but that will have to take the role of hobby again. No money in it unless your a big company or you get very lucky.

On the positive side I have already gotten several phone calls about possible jobs.

Various Clay Items

I've been working on a several items lately for our Etsy Store. Here are a few of them.

Health Care Reform

I've been getting very pissed off at some things members of my family and some friends have been saying and sending to me about the proposed Health Care Reform plan thats is currently being discussed.   But, not for the reasons you might think.

The thing that is pissing me off is that everyone is just forwarding and propagating myths and lies that either side is making up to support their reasons for or against the proposal.  Do some freaking research people. Just because Rush or some other "Entertainer" tells you that something is true, doesn't mean it is.  What happened to balanced factual news reporting. Its almost impossible to find information on the proposals that you can trust.

This post at FactCheck.org helps to illuminate some of these false "Facts" that I keep seeing:

Twenty-six Lies About H.R. 3200

Now click on that and read it, then read it again, then calm down for a minute.

Oh, and If I get one more email from a so called friend or relative about how Obama is evil, mostly because he is black, I'm going to pretty much stop talking to them. Is he perfect? No. Is he always right? No. Does it matter that he is black? No. Stop being so damn hateful.  I thought my friends and family were better than that. Now grow up!

Goodbye Trill

One of the first things we did when we moved to Charlotte was to get a kitty. She was very sick when we first got her, but after several weeks of vet trips and medicine she got better. We named her 'Trill' and she has always been a gentle lap kitty. Its been almost 13 years and she has been a great companion. Today we said goodbye to her. She will be greatly missed.

His favorite music.

Working this morning with iTunes playing in the background.  The song 'Ventura Highway' by the band America starts playing and I'm hit with a very strong memory of my Dads Father, my Grandfather.  He died many years ago from Cirrhosis. He was a heavy drinker who never recovered from retirement. I wasn't terribly close to him, but I have many good memories of him.  He loved to read westerns, but I don't know if he had a favorite author.  He frequently played the lottery, but never won more than he spent playing it.  He loved to eat steak for dinner, almost every night.  He also kept a loaded 44 under the bed.  I once heard him laughing and giggling loudly after talking about the time my Grandmother tried to feed a frog some bologna (yeah that is kinda funny).

I don't have many good pictures of him, the ones I do have are from when he wasn't feeling well.   I guess all that really matters is that I thought of him this morning and wanted to share.

TerraTrike me Likey

Recently Leo Laport the podcasting guru of Twit.tv got a new toy.  This happens all the time, there is always a Macbreak Weekly pick or a Daily Giz Wiz gadget that I want.  However, this new toy makes me drool like the rabid fanboy I know I am, and big surprise its not a new device from Apple.  It's a recumbent tricyle called the TerraTrike.  These trikes look like so much fun.  I've been thinking about getting a bicycle for a long time. Any excuse to get more exercise is good.  These trikes are the way to go.  I just need to lose some more weight so I won't break the durn thing.  I can't wait to get one.

Work / Life Update

About a year ago I posted that I was taking a year off.  A friend of mine recently mentioned that I had not updated in a while about "The Year Off".  I wish I had made myself update weekly, hell even monthly would have been good.  At the very least I wanted to post when the year was over, and to see how I did.

Originally I wrote about these goals:

• Lose weight: I started the year walking regularly. I lost 30 lbs very quickly. I haven't maintained my walking schedule, but I'm getting back into it now. At least I have not gained the weight back. I hope to lose much more.

• Art / polymer clay: I have sold several items on our Etsy store. I made a bunch of stuff that is either for sale or has been given away as gifts.  I really do enjoy making things, but its not yet something I can do as a full time job. Who knows maybe someday.

• Programming for Fun: I started writing iPhone software for fun, but I will soon be selling my own iPhone applications. Its still fun, but hopefully I can spin it into a job.

• Guitar: I have not touched my guitar in a year. I still want to spend time learning to play.

• Spend more time with L: Here at least I have succeeded.

So whats next? Well....  I decided not to return to my old job.  This was a very hard decision to make.  I'm working on several applications that will be for sale on the iPhone App store soonish.  Soon my little software company will be off and running.

Bailey poses for the camera

I haven't posted enough pics of our most recent addition.