| | iPhone Home! I had an amazing day. I dropped off my sister-in-law Marsha at the airport at 6am so I swung by AT&T store in Medford to see what the line was like. Oops. People were camping out, still asleep. I woke them to take a picture and get something to post here, but they were not happy about that.
I was crazy busy working on AshlandTV20 (technical challenges). I knew by noon that I would not have a chance to get in line to get the phone.
I was working through several frustrating hardware issues (like B&W video) with Matt and Rick and Gary (AshlandTV) and forgot to get lunch. At 4pm I decided that I needed to eat, I was light headed and my legs ached. (They still do)
Somehow I talked myself into driving to Medford and checking on the line. It was long, wrapped behind the building but not enormous, so I went and stood in line.
It was about 4:20. I filmed people waiting and tried to get interviews. Many people seemed grumpy to me and several hid their face as I walked by.
One of the cool things about waiting in line is all the people you meet. (Even drive by's like Shan Younker)
The young IT support man in front of me was holding a spot for his mom who was working. (A gift from the kids for Mothers day - Cool! )
The woman behind me (Megan Boone, MeganBoonePhotography.com, Ashland) had a baby boy and she was very funny. At one point she blurted out, "All I need is a drink and a husband". I think she was talking about help with the baby, but it was very funny.
An hour or two into the wait, she said, hey your not that guy on tv are you? Yup. No way, you don't look like him. Saw your show the other night. You don't know much about Macs do you. WOW!
Anyways as much as her newly walking son tried to escape or get in trouble, she handled him well and he did a great job. Can you imagine having to be standing in line for a couple of hours with an active infant?
We waited and appreciated all the dialogue from Roy the line manager from AT&T. It eased fears that we would not get the phone.
Interestingly I asked everyone in line what phone they were getting and 90% said the 8Gig.
I was in the high 50's out of 60 in line lucky enough to get an 8 gig iPhone.
It's home now. Still shrunk wrapped and getting photographed. After dinner I will open it and take more pictures.
I'll post more of my experience with the iPhone as I go through them.
My legs are very tired. All I need now is a drink. (No Husband)
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| | Something Special to Say about AT&T (At least about the AT&T Mobility Store in Medford, Oregon)
Thank you ...
You handled the crowd. You worked the crowd. You constantly gave updates on inventory. You created an incredibly efficient system for shopping. You made the iPhone buying experience a true pleasure.
To be honest I'm not really a big fan of cell phone resellers. Not sure why. Maybe because it's so competitive and so overwhelming as far as choice goes. Or maybe its because of the revolving door of sales reps and their non loyalty to a brand and inability to sell.
But sometimes I get a great experience and I have to blog about it and in this case I have to commend and highly recommend my sales rep Kimberly Carroll. I met her in the store a few weeks ago when I bought Teague and Dena new Razor Vxx phones. She saved me money on my plan without me asking for it and she actually used great sales skills to get me into a better phone. No pressure. No feeling like I'm not important. The best part is that I warned her I would be back for the iPhone and continued to email her at least weekly hoping to score a break on getting one.
Well I did not get a break, I had to wait in line with every one else and felt panic when I was told that I was number 53 and there were only 60 8 gig models by Roy the line manager, but I did get responses from her.
She sent me replies to my emails with answers to my questions most of the time within a few hours. Try to get that level of service from some corporate no name. She was honest and funny. She is a wonderful example of what a sales consultant should be.
I highly recommend her.
So if you ever need a phone, call Kimberly Carroll at 541-770-7000 x2 or email her at kimberly.carroll@att.com, she will be the best part of your AT&T shopping experience.
Ok, actually holding the iPhone box is better, but don't tell her that.
Disclosure: I do not know her personally and I do not benefit from you calling her and doing business with her, in fact you never even have to mention that "Princess Leia" sent you.
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| I'm his stunt double. Crazy Weekend with Camren.
Michele and Steve called last minute and asked if my nephew, the 18 year old, just barely graduated from high school, Camren could stay at our place for 4 days. No prob. Long backstory there. I wont be getting into it.
He has a job now (yeah!) at the minute market from 6pm to close. So I was his taxi and took him to work and picked him up too.
He also worked on friday pulling weeds at the office. I was happy to see him working and glad to do what ever I could to support that.
On saturday there was an open call in Medford at IMD to talk about IMTS. What ever those are. I loaded up the kids and took them along. We took camren to Sears. Not sure why Sears, but I had fun sitting on the lawn tractors pretending to drive them.
He bought pants that did not fit and swim trunks for sunday. We sat and waited for him and Teague wanted to see what ITMS was (It's a modeling trade show in Los Angeles that you have to be invited to). She went through the process and the people from LA asked her how old she was and what size shoes does she wear. She is 5 1/2 feet tall, they said and with size 10 shoes already they were very excited at her future. They also asked her questions (which she did not do well at answering) but they were very nice and commented on her eyes and her look. Upon finding out that she was 14 they got really excited. They said outloud to themselves, my god, she looks 10. Now that's an insult to her and me but they liked it enough to ooh and ahh. Her sense of humor and her charm will get her much attention. I had quinn with me and they asked quinn questions too. And then, I kid you not, they told me that I look like I work out everyday and look really good. The kids bust out laughing. I told them, No, I'm just a nerd on computers and they laughed too. We opened the door to leave and laughter spilled out into the nerve racking hallway filled with people rehearsing lines.
Teague did a video taping (She is awesome in front of the camera) and when we got outside I asked her what she thought while Camren was standing in the sun, trying to buckle his brand new pants, (they did not fit at all) while staring at himself in the reflection of the window. She shrugged her shoulders and told me that it was interesting experience but she wasn't that excited about it.
Saturday night, Camren frantically tried to get a ride. Frantic to him is making 10 calls in one hour. I got tired of how many times my phone rang with people returning his calls. I kid you not. this is how one conversation went.
"Can you drive me to a photo shoot tomorrow, it's only an hour and a half away and I make 200 an hour."
"no - I have to sing in church"
"ok bye"
hang up
phone rings less than 1 minute later - same person calls
"uh huh"
"want to have dinner with me?"
"ok, call me when you get to Mavericks" - testosterone was flowing, it started to stink in the house.
hung up
less than 30 seconds later
phone rings - same person calls
"uh huh"
"I can't have dinner with you, i need to spend time with my sister"
"uh huh"
hangs up
"What's up with that?" I ask. He says something about her being 23. Oh.
How crazy is this kids life?
Quinn asked him to take pictures of the back of the semi truck, he wants to know if they have cheetos in bed. Camren asks, what semi truck, Quinn answers, The one where the truck driver picks you up hitchhiking and gives you a ride and wants to show you his bedroom. I laugh hard. Quinn is too funny.
No ride. I could see the panic building. He went to bed discouraged. I was sad for him.
I talked to Dena and woke him up. "I'll drive you tomorrow but your buying my gas mr $200 an hour."
"uh huh"
lights out, we go to bed.
I wake him up and we load up and get out early. I don't like to be late. I wanted at least 2 hours to get there and I wanted to stop by the office and buy me some starbucks first.
I told him to grab a towel. No need he says. We have to stop by the Y to get my trunks anyways, I'll get a towel there.
I'm not happy already. That was not in my plan. I yell at him for not having his act together and having everything already to go.
I wait for him forever at the Y. He comes out empty handed. I'm steaming. "Pools closed"
I drive us there and for the first 30 minutes he kept turning up his ipod, cause I was yelling louder and louder at him.
I frantically drive to get time on our side.
I like driving. He sleeps most of the way. I get work done. Project planning. Working out details on how I'm going to get things done when I finally have access to the computer. It's what I do.
I quietly hope that this is all real, not for my sake, but for his, I want him to feel some success that is directly related to his actions.
We arrive. I have to slap him to wake him up. It was fun. I look at him with wide eyes as he rubs his face. I hope that mark doesn't make the crew mad.
It's all Legit. We showed up and they asked who I was. I told them,
"I'm his stunt double."
They looked me over and wrote it down. Soon the director came out, shook our hands, looked us over and asked us to get dressed and wait and eat and drink. I was in. I asked if I could shoot a couple of pics for my blog, they looked through all the paperwork and said "sure" I dont think it will be a problem to get a picture or two.
I took hundreds of photos. I went nuts.
I had a blast. I connected with the director and crew and got to watch the shoot from their POV. The thing was catered from Costco and some pizza parlor so I ate all day long.
It was drizzly, cloudy, cold, hot, sunny and windy. We had several weather delays and the swimmers got very cold waiting between shots.
Basically he was hired (through IMD) to be a model at a photo shoot because they needed someone to dive, and swim (flys and freestyle). Camren played water polo in school and did an outstanding job. He is immortalized on the walls of the Gym for a couple of reasons centered around swimming and water polo (played goalie). I watched him play a couple of times and it was cool but I never got to see him swim. He is freaking awesome at swimming. He has the body of a little girl but he has muscles like a man and can do some amazing things in the water. I think I used to be skinny like that. No muscles though.
Here is the cool part. The camera was a movie camera. We were making a film. Woo Hoo! It was filming 100% digital. The client was ArtBeats. The Camera filmed at ULTRA HD. That is HUGE Resolution. And get ready for it. It filmed at 1,000 frames per SECOND. It takes 30 seconds to play back 1 second of capture. The Lens was at least 2 feet long and they sat across the olympic size pool and had Camren swim toward them. They captured only 4 seconds of the swim, but what an incredible shot. (I have goose bumps remembering - they let me watch - once they asked me how his form was and other technical questions... oops, I don't know anything about swimming but I do know what I like about art and human form - I told them what I thought and they had him redo the shot at least 8 times.)
I will ask for a copy of this when it releases. It's simply the most amazing thing to watch. His body up close, forcing the water to part, like a dolphin in the ocean. WOW! It was cool. I want Steve and Michele to see how cool. I have pics of that, but it's nothing in comparison.
I also have pictures of the other models sun bathing anytime the sun poked its head out of the clouds. Yes, they are hot. Divers, Swimmers, Backstrokers wrapped in the bodies of these perfect little models. All we were missing was sun tan lotion. I pictured myself the hero if I ran to Walmart to buy some and rub it on them for them. But I didn't, so I just took pictures instead.
My buddy Steve Hansen, would say "Pass the heart medicine"
At one point I told camren that he was crazy for only liking 14 year old girls, these older girls (18-24) were hot. To be fair his current girlfriend is 15.
The shoot started at 11am and ended (for us) at 4pm. We drove home and I was so proud of him. Even though I called him a dork at least 10 times in front of the girls. Come on, His speedo's are 3 sizes too small, and he sticks his ipod in his butt crack. Steve Jobs will hunt you down and kill you. I cringe even as I write down the words. (Note: When I read this outloud to Teague she washed her hands for a very long time. Seems cousin camren let her use his ipod)
On the way home I didn't yell, but I tend to talk loud when I'm excited. I'm very proud of him and jazzed at his ability to have a fun life. I drove home fast, He had to get to his real job by 6pm. We made it with 5 minutes to spare. I don't like to be late.
I got home and told Dena all the news of the day. I really had a great time and couldn't wait to see him again at midnight when I went to pick him up from work. We talked about IMTS and saving money and mowing lawns and making money and jobs and responsibility and goals and I told him to get off his ass and get his birth certificate. I drove him back home and he crashed before I could turn off the lights.
Sure I was his taxi and sure I yelled at him for not thinking it through. I push hard. It's how I am.
But I really felt like we bonded. Like we were buds. Like I really was his stunt double. He can count on sending me in anytime it gets tough. I'll be there.
Next stop L.A. I'll drive.
Pics
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| | Announcing the launch of AshlandTV20! Partnerships are a good thing.
I have enjoyed my years of partnering with Alan Oppenheimer
and Open Door Networks and with the city and the Ashland Fiber Network. Over
the years we have done some cool things.
- Ashland Unwired.
Free Hotspots in public spaces all over Ashland. The world's first (and I think
only) Starbucks providing FREE wireless service.
- CEER
program (Community Event - Embedded Reporter) We broadcast the Ashland 4th
of July parade using citizen volunteers, digital cameras and wireless
access points along the parade route.
Well now I am happy, proud, excited about a new partnership
evolving. AshlandTV.com is running Ashland's
cable tv operations and for years I wanted to get TodayInAshland.com it's own tv
channel. Gary Nelson, the CEO of AshlandTV has decided to team up with OpenDoor,
ProjectA and AFN to provide the first true convergence of television and
internet. We will have AshlandTV20 providing news and information
about Ashland 24
hours a day. You will be able to go there and see the weather, what's playing
at the theatres and see episodes of my tv show, tech talk as well as new fresh
content created by the community for the community. Everything from sports,
community events and lectures and seminars. This will be Ashland's TV channel.
This is a mockup. The idea is to stream content from the website TodayInAshland.com and stream video from an archive. The shape is somewhat web centric but of course you can only show big text on tv.
We are busy building it now because
we are going to launch on independence day. Cool! |
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| | Qwest Commercial/Promo Video Shooting today. What a crazy fun day.
Qwest sent a crew to video tape a commercial/promo spot on me. 
I
felt like they were a little disappointed in my space, Not as high tech or cool as Portland high rises, but
I think I did ok during the taping. It was hard for me to be serious and I
heard the crew gasp just a couple of times. It makes me want to create a video
friendly space in the office with logos and great angles to do this kind of
thing. I can use it for my tech talk chats as well.
They seemed surprised when I whipped out my camera and took
a picture of them.
I had not done filming in here since the film festival so it
was fun and I threw in a plug or two about the festival and how cool would it
be if Qwest were a sponsor. ;)
It reminds me of the one I did for business development in Ashland. Click here.
I love living here in Southern Oregon.
I seriously believe that it’s because of Qwest and their commitment to high
levels of service that we can live where we want.
Remember part of AFN’s backbone is Qwest. All in all a great experience and fun. Cool things about the shoot. Great people. Cool LED Lights and Flourescent lights. I have to get me some of those.
If I ever get a copy of the outcome I'll post it.
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| Apple's iPhone Developer Challenge.
Watching the WWDC keynote and reading all the crying about no API for the iPhone I found myself trying to figure out what the deal is here. I spent a few nights thinking about it and have come to the conclusion that Apple is making a good decision.
Keep in mind the iPod does not have an API for developers. It does not hurt the product.
And now we know that the iPhone will not either. Much to the chagrin of developers. But wait. does it matter? I think not. The reason is simple. I want the phone for 4 reasons.
1. I want it to be the best phone on the market.
2. I want it to sync perfectly with my Mac (Calendar, Contacts, so forth).
3. I want it to be the next generation iPod Video. Music and Wide Screen movies baby! Time to get rid of my PSP. and
4. I want it to be a true Internet device. a Single, Simple, web browser. A real web browser.
(The camera does nothing for me, I think they threw it in to compare, not to make the device better)
I currently use the cingular 8125. It's Windows CE and I could download or buy apps for it, but I do not. I just use what it came with.
There will always be customers for the Windows CE and Palm OS phones, but they are not the same customers as the iPhone customer and that is ok.
I do not want the palm environment with 10,000 apps nor do I want Microsoft's CE with 1000's of apps. All those software developers writing custom apps, did not save the platform did they?
Apple says that the web browser will run Ajax and web 2.0 type apps. Show me a phone that can do that today? Nope. Can't do it. At least mine can't and I think I have a pretty advanced phone.
The SWEET solution by Apple is simple. The Phone will be the best phone. The iPod will be the best music/video tool and the web browser will be the best handheld internet experience possible.
Is it different? you bet. Will I need to be connected to the web to use it. yes. Just like the internet itself and all those great tools online, sorry, without the web, they are useless.
This is the thin desktop companion. This is one part of the future. I'm excited to see all the people that say, OK, it's different, Lets see what we can do with it. Those will be the people that succeed, while the rest of the people will be scratching their heads and saying oops.
So you ask yourself, do I keep whining or do I make that change. Apple is showing us the future. I say we go along for the ride.
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| | Teague Graduation Dance Pics |
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| Teague Graduation from AMS 8th GradeLots of pics of Teague and Her Friends.
Dance Pics coming soon.
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| Teague's Graduation Poster
| I found out the night before graduation that a poster of pics of Teague was needed for the
party. I threw this together and with the help of Andrew Krug
got it printed in time. I based the design on MYSPACE.com but I played
on the concept and called it myFace.com. Click on the poster thumbnail to see a larger image of the poster. I won't upload the original (it's 25mb)
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| | How the Presidents Stack Up! A look at U.S. presidents' job-approval ratings. 
Wall Street Journal has this cool interactive site on the Presidents since Truman and the approval ratings. Interesting stuff. Would be cooler if I could mashup data with timeline of american history not just presidential. Wars and so forth. Check it out.
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| | WWDC 2007 Highlights Leopard ships in October $129
New Desktop
New Finder - stacks
Quick Look
64 bit top to bottom
core animation
boot camp
spaces
dashboard
ichat
Backup with timemachine
Safari on Windows Xp/Vista - Twice as fast as IE and Firefox. Firefox downloads are 500,000 per DAY! iTunes for Windows is 1,000,000 per DAY! 500 Million iTunes for Windows. iBench perf. 4.6 ie, 3.7 ff, 2.2 saf
iphone
shipping June 29th at 6pm.
Open to developers
web 2.0 + AJAX apps
all apps you create run inside safari
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| Ashland High School Graduation 2007 Pics can be found here. Camren Mitzel, David Steele and hundreds of other students graduated
from high school Friday, June 8, 2007 on a perfect day in Lithia Park.
On Saturday I helped out Hope Equestrian Auction Ride and then we went
to Mitzels to celebrate!
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