Redmond-Trip-2009

Diary Entry For June 14, 2009

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The week started out with a bit of excitement when first thing Monday morning, I hopped on a plane to visit sunny Seattle, Washington.  People who live there always tell me that the place is typically cloudy and dreary, but every time I go for a visit, the sun is shining and the weather is beautiful.  I think there’s an ongoing conspiracy by the local residents to spread the rumor that the weather is always bad, so people don’t move there.  It’s their secret form of population control.

The reason for my visit was to visit some good friends at Microsoft.  I’m a member of the Microsoft OEM Partner Action Committee so I go there twice a year to visit with Microsoft executives as well as product managers.  They tell me and some of my colleagues in the computer industry about all the wonderful things they’re working on and we whine and cry to them and tell them how they’re ruining our lives!   In all seriousness, though, they really have some neat things coming to the marketplace in the near future.  Windows 7 and Office 2010 look to be Surefire Hits!  I also heard some buzz about their new video game technology code named Project Natal.  It looks to be Mind Blowing!!  Here’s a Youtube video introducing the technology:

Most of my trip was spent in conference rooms having conversations, but on Tuesday night we did something special and went for a tour of Chateau Ste Michelle.  It’s the oldest winery in the state of Washington.  I told some of the people that worked there that one of my goals in life was to some day be the oldest Wino in the state of Washington, but they didn’t seem that impressed. 

Man, does this place pump out the booze!  They have annual productions of over 600,000 cases of wine per year!  I also found it very cool the way they have their production line set-up.  They didn’t confirm it for me, but I believe that S you see in this picture stands for Shortarmguy.  I thought that was a nice touch…

The best part of the tour is afterward when we got to sample a bunch of the different kinds of wine that we just finished watching being produced and bottled.  I really enjoyed the Chardonnay and Cabernets we tasted, but was a bit disappointed that they didn’t have any Mad Dog 20/20.  I guess they’re not as fancy as they apparently think they are! 

This is Dan Young.  He owns a chain of 9 computer stores in Utah called PC Laptops.  He’s also a member of the Microsoft PAC and I had the pleasure of spending some time with him during our time in Redmond.  He’s quite an interesting character.  If you don’t believe me, just check out some of the many television commercials he’s created for his company here.

On Friday morning, we had a visit with the boy’s cardiologist, Dr. Singh.  We had been worrying about this appointment for awhile because the last time we saw him in December, he’d expressed concerns that Luke may need to get a pacemaker soon.  But Dr. Singh was quite pleased when he examined Luke and said we didn’t need to see him again for another 6 months!  It made us feel like singing and dancing, so we did that for much of the weekend that followed.

On Friday, we had a film crew spend the day with us at Nor-Tech.  They filmed all aspects of our company which will be used in upcoming promotional videos for Intel and other companies with whom we’re partnered.  Normally I enjoy speaking to the cameras about the computer industry, but I felt a little off my game during my interviews.  I think a long, stressful week started catching up with me.  I’m guessing most of my parts will end up on the cutting room floor.  Either that or they’ll end up on Youtube with the title “How not to act when trying to promote your company”!

Dr. Bollig decided to have a Nor-Tech company barbeque on Friday.  It was a delightful way to end an otherwise busy week.  I just love burgers and wieners!

Shortarmguy’s Diary Archive

 

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Shortarmguy’s Favorite Videos for June 14, 2009

The Main Reason You Shouldn’t Drive Your Children Through Africa

(Naughty Content Warning!)

 

The Main Reason You Shouldn’t Drive Your Children Through Africa

Best Energy Drink Commercial Ever

Best Dress Commercial Ever

IKEA has announced it’s intention to take over GM and sell cars.

Some assembly required!

Beer Man will save the day!

Greatest Tattoo of 2009

What Tattoos Really Mean

Bart.  RIP

What Ice Cubes Dream About

Best Slim Fast Ad Ever!

Scary Mailboxes

Quote of the Week

“The one thing that matters is the effort.”

– Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French pilot, author
 

Jokes of the Week

Arthur is 90 years old. He’s played golf every day since his retirement 25 years ago.  One day he arrives home looking downcast. “That’s it,” he tells his wife. “I’m giving up golf. My eyesight has gotten so bad… once I’ve hit the ball, I can’t see where it went. “His wife sympathizes. As they sit down, she has a suggestion: “Why don’t you take my brother with you, and give it one more try.” 

“That’s no good,” sighs Arthur. “Your brother is a hundred and three. He can’t help.” 

“He may be a hundred and three,” says the wife, “but his eyesight is perfect.” 

So the next day, Arthur heads off to the golf course with his brother-in-law. 

He tees it up; takes an almighty swing and squints down the fairway. He turns to the brother-in-law. “Did you see the ball?” 

“Of course I did!”, says the brother-in-law. “I have perfect eyesight.” 

“Where did it go?”, asks Arthur. 

“Can’t remember.”

 In honor of the 44th President of the United States, Baskin-Robbins Ice
Cream has introduced a new flavor: “Barocky Road ..”
Barocky Road is a blend of half vanilla, half chocolate, and surrounded by
nuts and flakes.  The vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised
and usually denied as an ingredient.  The nuts and flakes are all very
 bitter and hard to swallow.  The cost is $100.00 per scoop.  When purchased it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but then the ice cream is taken away and given to the person in line behind you.

You are left with an empty wallet and no change, holding an empty cone with no hope of getting any ice cream.

Are you stimulated?

 

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June 14, 2009

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The Georgia Guidestones — I read this article in Wired this week about America’s Stonehenge and became really intrigued!

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June 14, 2009

A Reason A Season and A Lifetime”© by Brain A. “Drew” Chalker.

People always come into you life for a reason, a season and a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, or to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend to you, and they are. They are there for a reason, you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die, Sometimes they just walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. And like Spring turns to Summer and Summer to Fall, the season eventually ends.

Lifetime relationships teach you a lifetime of lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a slid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas in your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being part of my life….
 

 

 

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