A New Breed

I met a very interesting woman in our neighborhood while walking at 6:00 the other morning. She runs marketing and communication Darden and and very active with some adoption agencies in town. She also had a dog, the only real reason people walk before the sun is up.

When asked what breed, the response was, "a Double-poodle-golden-lab."

"Excuse me, a what?"

"Shes was bred for a Golden-doodle and a Labradoodle."

Ah, interesting, I thought. Maya (our dog) must then be a Doubleboxsheppatzu.

She's Boxer/Shepherd, but, clearly, more boxer than Shepherd, hence the double box. She's also not very big, so she must have some Shih Tzu.... right?

Playing Disc

Between meeting unique and fascinating individuals, I spend lots of time with our 8 month old puppy. We hike, battle, hang out in the shade, and, her personal favorite, play disc.

For some reason, she finds it easier to retrieve mid-combat roll. Have a watch.



She does this every time. If you don't believe me, here is another throw?

I don't have time for you

It goes down as one of the shortest, most unproductive networking meetings ever. Thank goodness it wasn't over coffee as I would have had 2 sips and wasted $3.72.

Somewhere between saying hello and starting my 2 sentence introduction of being new to town, I was interrupted.

"So what?" asked the long black-haired, middle-aged woman who, as I entered her cluttered office, remained behind her desk. "What do you want?"

"Connections," I responded, trying to match her brevity. "I'd like to know what you do."

"Are you looking for job?"

"Well, yes." I said a bit uncomfortably. "I'm seeking my next career step."

"Well, welcome to Charlottesville. It's a college-town, and the University is on a freeze. There are no jobs here or anywhere in town. I have investors breathing down my neck for performance. I don't have time to help you. What else do you want?"

At this point I had a choice: I could either remind this unpleasant woman that I wanted to learn more about how she helped professors turn ideas into profitable (hopefully) businesses and for what, specifically, were her investors looking. Or I could move on.

Realizing this was going no-where, I chose the latter.

"Nothing."

I stood, reached across her desk to shake her hand, and thanked her for the 90 seconds. She didn't reach back. Maybe she was startled that she had gotten me in and out of her office in under 3 minutes. Maybe she was afraid of germs.

As I left her office happy with my decision to move on, it dawned on me. When free time is all you have, don't waste a minute of it with unfriendly, unhelpful people.

Are You Going Too Much?

If so, the drug companies would like you to consider FloMax.

EL Haynes Charter School has found an absolutely creative, much less expensive, and equally as effective method: a milk crate.

A fascinating, high performing public charter school in DC (of which you will here significantly more about in future posts), ELH has replaced the traditional hall pass with a milk crate. Need to go to the bathroom? Here's your milk crate.

Who wants to carry that? I bet you will find your trips reduced by 25% or more.

The Grand Experiment

During the tightest economic time we (or our parents) have ever seen, my wife and I contemplated walking away from solid careers providing very comfortable salaries. I say contemplated, because 4-weeks from my d-day (decision day), work dried up thrusting me into what we call "The Grand Experiment."

For some, our experiment is norm. Others can't contemplate it, calling us nuts. For us, it is certainly different, but also exciting and life-growing. In a nut shell we define our experiment as:

1. Leaving or being forced to leave a comfortable income-stream.
   
2. Packing what fits into a 26' Penzke. (and giving away what wouldn't).
3. Relocating 500 miles from our closest friends (120m. if you live in DC) and family to Charlottesville, VA* where Amanda commits to graduate school and, in-turn, all that comes with a student life-style.
   
4. The craziest one: leasing the house we own to 5 college guys ranging from Freshman to Junior. (Hey, at least the grass is getting cut... hopefully :)
   

4-weeks in and life is certainly interesting. We are adjusting well to the life-style change. I have met some absolutely fascinating people and heard both some incredible and incredibly boring stories. Many of which will be shared in forth-coming posts.

Keep well.

* For those that don't know, Charlottesville, VA is many tings. It's a small college-town of 40K people located in the Shenanadoah mountains. It's incredibly pretty. It has 21 wineries within 20 miles. It's also as you quickly find out and never forget: home of late Mr. Jefferson (Thomas not George from the show) and his school, UVA.

The Breakfast Bowl is Back

We are back for a variety of reasons, but namely, it's because of you. Each week you willingly make a small contribution to my current gig of: professional networking, pro bono project management, and volunteer work. Because of this, I feel I owe you updates as to exactly how your money is being spent, other than the occasional beer.

As a reminder, it's called 'The Breakfast Bowl' because it's my goal to post in the mornings, giving you the day to read at your convenience. What mornings? you ask. Well, hopefully every morning. Sure, now and again, I may have some afternoon or evening posts. But, hey, who doesn't like breakfast for dinner?

What do I hope of you? Well that you read it, chew on it, and then comment back. It can become our shared breakfast bowl. Tell me you hate it. Tell me you like it. It doesn't really matter. But your feedback will help keep me posting.

Cheers!

Happy New Year

It's amazing to believe 2007 has come and gone. Time is exponential like that - each year a little faster than the last. We will ring in the new year much like last years: some pizza, a beer or two, some champaign, possibly a board game, and, of course, an explosion of excitement at midnight.

Many enjoy looking back on the last 12 months. And reflection is a good thing. Personally the past 12 months have brought me more than 100 new networking contacts, a facebook account, a fantastic new career, and the complete conversion for PC to Apple.

 

While reflection is great, it's also fun to predict the future.  In his Borowitz Report, Andy gives us a satirical look at how he thinks 2008 could go. I think you will enjoy it. 

Cheers to a Happy New Year!

The 'Ho' Ban

This is absurd. Apparently, if you're Santa, and you're in Sydney, you're catch phrase is no longer, "Ho, Ho, Ho!" Instead, it is, "Ha, Ha, Ha!" New Zealand is considering asking their Santa to stop the 'Ho' as well.

Apparently the 'Ho' is frightening to children and offensive to American women.

As a result, Santa's may strike until they get their 'Ho' back. I kinda think they should. Though I'm not sure how we'd explain Santa to our kids.

"...Lawanda, Santa doesn't have time to hear what you want for Christmas. In fact, he may not even bring presents this year. He's fighting for his 'Ho!'"

On a side note, I did the whole Santa/Easter Bunny/St. Nick thing when I was a kid. And a 'Ho' from Santa is nothing compared to The Tooth Fairy. We tell our kids that while everyone is sleeping, a fairy is going to come in their room, dig under their pillow, take their teeth, and leave behind a quarter. Now that's creepy....

Don't eat your earbuds, a new Surgeon General's Warning

Or it would be if CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, had his way. I'm not making this up.

"If CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta had his way, when you unwrapped your new iPod or iPhone this Christmas, there might be the following warning label:

'SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Ingesting or inhaling your iPhone or iPod earbuds may be hazardous to your health.'"

Now what does CNN think of its audience to have this guy come up with this? Perhaps, we do need Winter Awareness Day.

Today is:

Winter Awareness Day

Now this is insulting to anyone living, say, north of Florida - who is well aware that winter is on its way. Since when do we need a 'Winter Awareness Day?' Are there folks who are unaware it's coming? Does it just sneak up on us every year?

I quote: "Preparing for winter weather should occur well before the cold and snow begin. Tips include understanding that a winter storm watch indicates severe weather may affect your area; a winter storm warning indicates severe weather is in the area or expected immediately. " This is followed by a whole list of stuff on preparing for, living through, and driving during a winter storm.

We have a whole month to practice. Get ready....

Things that are stressful...

...to purchase

1. Carpet - Frankly, as long as its soft, good quality, cushy (less to do with the carpet and more with the pad), and looks nice, I could care less about it. As of late we have found ourselves looking for new carpet, which, incidentally, seems incredibly over-priced. Already I have had to learn way too much about it, and have decided there is way too large of a selection from which to choose.
2. Mattresses - While it's been years since we've purchased one. In fact, I don't even know what brand or firmness of mattress I sleep on. Nor do I really care. It's comfortable enough for me to fall asleep on. But a "Sleep Number Mattress" advertisement forced me to add this to the list. The sleep # concept seems ridiculously excessive. How do you know if your sleep number is a 2, 3, 4, or 6? What if its actually a 95? The thought of this alone would keep me awake. Besides it too seems incredibly over-priced.
3. Cars - You spend $10 K (or easily much more) on an engine and 4-wheels with a steering mechanism, all of which immediately decrease in value, just to allow yourself to move places.

I think that's my top three. What stressful purchases do you make?

One step at a time

When I was a kid, I remember toys made with wood, metal, some basis plastic. Today, new toys made by the ChiComs and recently imported to the United States, have been found to contain traces of the date-rape drug. I guess that's better than lead, right?

Absolutely Amazing

The shuttle landed the other day. I am blown away that this massive thing comes back from 200 miles away from the earth with no power, and lands on a 20,000 ft runway next to the ocean. Its glide to ratio is 1:1. For those that have forgotten, this means it drops 1 ft for every 1 ft that it moves forward. In other words, it drops like a rock. Incredible!

Aviation experts think this is not a big deal. As one who travels regularly, I wouldn't want to be on an airplane at 35,000 ft with no power and have to glide down. No way. We take too much for granted...

Ouch!

I've always been told that cheerleading is more dangerous than it looks. Someone should remind this girl not to let her 'Type-A'-ness to affect her safety. Especially for something that is going to get torn apart.


http://view.break.com/390903 - Watch more free videos

Clearly, Not that Funny

The writers strike. The Writers Guild of America, they are picketing. What I understand that one issue is sharing of the revenue generated from DVD sales. What I have seen is that the late-night comedy shows have been the first to go to re-runs.

Are you kidding me? You mean to tell me that all these brilliant comedians, Letterman, Colbert, Stewart, Leno (OK maybe not Leno, but you get the point), can't do their shows without writers? Do you know how many writers we have at The Breakfast Bowl? One - just me. But even if we had more, and they did strike, The Breakfast Bowl would keep being filled, because I am the focus and drive of this Blog.

I'm thinking, "What a bunch of wimps!" It's your show, so do it yourself. Sit there. Write some jokes. Create a monologue. Do your job. Be funny. Unless, of course, that's crossing the picket line. I tell you...

Bobby, I'm thinking, this could be your big break....

A Name Change

In an effort to fly and little lower on the Google radar screen, AND to hope for more active participation, I've changed the name of my blog from "Kevin's Breakfast Bowl" to "The Breakfast Bowl." Now we can all share. Learn why its called "The Breakfast Bowl."

A serious post...

...on the impact of integrated trick-or-treating.

Trick or Treating. I love it. I loved it as a kid running the streets stuffing as much candy into a pillow-case as possible. And I loved it last night as we filled the pillow-cases of the more than 150 Darth-Vaders, pumpkins, ghosts, cow-boys, and witch-fairies.

Why so many? First, we live in a safe, popular upper-middle class neighborhood with many young families and kids. This keeps it fun. Second, because it is safe and popular, many volunteer and church groups, bus people from lower-income more dangerous parts of town into our neighborhood so that their kids could also play, run, laugh, and trick-or-treat, and do it safely. This helps keep it diverse, though a blink of diversity it may be.

During the moment, it was fantastic. If nothing more, it gives me an excuse to spend more time tossing snickers bars like footballs into waiting pillow-cases and bags of even more people.

After it was over, I was bothered by the deeper impact this may have on the kids. To me, all the ghost, goblins, whatever, were a treat: kids doing what kids do best-having fun. However, having spent the last 4 weeks reading to a 6th grader on Friday, I've quickly learned kids today are way smarter than many of us give them credit for. So, to them, I fear I was a upper-middle class, reasonably successful, young professional -- all things they have the potential to be -- but also white -- something many of them can't be.

What impact does taking African-American child from his or her neighborhood to a neighborhood of predominately white successful people in order to trick-or-treat have? What message does this convey about their fellow black neighbors? What message does this convey to them about their own blackness? What does it tell them about my whiteness? What does it tell the kids who live in our neighborhood about themselves? Will the low income kids fall into the self-defeating cycle and at best maintain status-quo while the kids on our street move up? With everything else, is this even an issue that deserves focus?

For God's sake, it's just trick-or treating, right? Well, maybe. But I think it may have deeper impact on the self-image of the upcoming generation. Obviously the answer isn't stop bringing outsiders in to our neighborhood for trick-or-treating. Nor do I think it a good idea to expose well-off children to the dangers associated with some low-income neighbors on Halloween night. Perhaps the answer is in better education. Perhaps it's in more integration. Perhaps it's yet another on-line political movement or facebook page.

I don't know the answer. I do know that after last night, tossing out candy is much more than just tossing footballs.

No Sex in the Airplane-Room

Now this is a curious news-feed. Essentially, Singapore Airlines is asking passengers not to have sex in the private cabins of their new Airbus A380, the monster jet. They say that the private cabins-suites are not sound-proof nor completely sealed...

A couple questions come to mind:

1. Why would you not make a private cabin sound-proof? Sex aside, if I paid for a private cabin, I wouldn't want to hear anyone else, period. Regardless of whether they were talking, crying, or having sex.
2. Will Singaporean air marshalls be on-board to cane offenders? I hope so. That could bring a whole new meaning to in-flight entertainment.

Fun hobby of the day: Twitter-tracking dirty words

I've never used this Twitter thing, and, personally, I never-ever thought I would. But then I found a great idea! And it has since proven to be the most incredible entertaining way to waste time since the AOL away message.

Because ingenious ideas like this can't go unshared, here's what you do:

Step 1: Sign up for Twitter and link it to one of your instant messaging accounts.
Step 2: Read this.
Step 3: Set Twitter to track a dozen of the dirtiest, nastiest words you can think of.
Step 4: Soak in the glorious river of humanity.
---------------------------------------
From my first 2 minutes:
"(frak): f***ing, c***ing, wanking IE f***ing 6!
(stinkerbell): i told robert I loved him....oh s***!
(mstickel): flowing some copy before the s*** storm makes it's way to me. (btw, the s*** storm is not a bad thing, just an urgent thing).
(msmerymac): There's never any f***ing coffee left by the time I get around to getting some!
(squaregg): addicted to a non-emo-s*** song.
(roadhacker): @akelatal LMFAO - that is classic... holy s***, i'm crying.
(burns1de): Just a reminder: biking in rain f***ing sucks a**, especially when you have a day of work ahead of you and even your undies are drenched.
(justkatehere): Just told a boy who sorely deserved it to go f*** himself. I feel like a rockstar. JAZZ HANDS!!!!
(mamakri): I realized that pregnancy is actually TEN months and the people who came up with pregnancy math are f***ing IDIOTS!! 10 months, people. 10!!
------------------------------------------
Soon, hopefully, I'll get hired for a new gig, have to work for a living, and will no longer succumb to such a pathetic waste of time. Until then, twitON!

Happy Birthday!

:-)

Turns 25... Since then, our little friend has evolved into an ever growing list of smilies. My guess is that if you are similar to me, some of these you have seen, some you have not, and some you have no idea what it is (even with the description).

With the ever changing state of communication, my guess is that this list will continue to evolve and change. Some will go the way of words like "rad" and "bogus." Others will stick around, and somehow though I don't think the meaning of :-) will ever disappear.

What's your favorite smiley?