- Just left epodcaster’s. Headed to the RGV. #
- I am out of san antonio. #
- Twittervolume lets you compare word instances #
- I have arrived in Falfurrias, tx. One more hour before getting home. #
- Stopping for coffee at whataburger. #
- I believe I will have some onion rings too. #
- Just passed chorizoville, san manuel. Almost home. #
- I’m home. #
- Carpooling with Mrs. Mata #
- Dropping off kids with grandma/grandpa #
- Getting a breakfast taco. #
- @seekground wearing glasses, especially nerdy glasses might help. #
- Made an impulse purchase of a little video camera for video blogging. Fits in with what I want to accomplish. Still hurts. #
- At district office. #
- @mdeleon no, it’s an aiptek mpvr+cb I got at Target. Wal-Mart was out of the cheap ones. Did not want to spend $400 #
- @cliffordsound I’ll try to post something. I’m self-conscious, but maybe that will go away. #
- @nlott what’s in the video? #
Month: May 2007
Which button do I push?
My son wants to know how to operate the video camera. At age 5, he already has a grasp on using a digital camera, so I don't think that it's a big stretch for him to learn a video camera. If only we could convince him to learn to read; then he could read the manual for the camera. 😀
I am home
Letting everybody know that I am back home in the Rio Grande Valley. I arrived last night around midnight. Today, I'll hang out with the family a bit and get reacquainted.
I am also testing out a little camera that I got to create video podcasts. We learned quite a bit at PodCamp San Antonio from Michael Verdi during his presentation. One thing we learned is that you don't need some fancy schmancy video camera.
Twitter Updates for 2007-05-30
- I cannot remember the last time I used discrete or discreet. I’ll need to think up some sentences. #
- @mdeleon 4 gb, that’s awesome. #
- Reading rss feeds #
- Caught up on rss. I need to pare down. #
- No direct deposit. I think I’m stuck in Austin until the 1st. #
- @enlighten_up hope things went well. #
- @epodcaster I think I’m getting a real check. Have to wait until Jun 1 #
- Cheetos or pop tarts? #
- Going home to mission, tx. Need cash first. #
- Trying to cash my deposit check. #
- Will try to cash check at heb #
- @michaelverdi I got mine in a few days but had to pay someone in california to walk my app down in person. Post office had a form. #
- @enlighten_up i got paid after lunch. Trying to cash rent deposit check. Already on the road. #
- @seekground you mean you caught big boss leaving early. #
- Crawling along on I-35. At least it’s in a southerly direction. #
- Doubled speed to 10mph #
- Residential speed now. #
A Video About Living the Life You Want
Ubertech over at Geeks Guide to Getting Things Done found this video with Marci Alboher and Timothy Ferriss at a presentation for Authors@Google, something Google does for their employees. This is a great intro to some of the information that these authors have brought out through their books. Marci is author of One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success
Twitter Updates for 2007-05-29
- Up in the House gallery watching the remainder of the Session. #
- House is reconsidering votes on some bills that did not pass. #
- Hb 1919 for early diagnosis of autism between ages 4 and 5 passed. #
- Speaker craddick personally presents hr 2993 for buddy west. #
- Looks like last bill, that would reduce electric rates, may go down on point of order. #
- Members having a thank you fest. #
- Hb 3068 point of order overruled. #
- Hb 3068 fails #
- Members are chanting for sb 482 #
- Speaker craddick is back on the dais. #
- Another round of thank-yous #
- @doctorlinguist I’ve got a resolution coming. #
- Sb 482 point of order overruled. Lower electric rates? Another issue with the bill? #
- Another point of order. There’s probably more where that came from. Let’s have more thank yous and congrats. #
- Still waiting on a ruling for point of order. #
- Now they’re just making up things to thank. #
- Point of order sustained. Bill dead. Motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. #
- Motion withdrawn. It’s over. I hope. #
- House mowing through resolutions. #
- One big batch of resolutions. #
- Parting prayer. #
- Gonna make some steamed rice. #
- @mdeleon no. Waiting for direct deposit to hit my account. #
- @epodcaster thank you. I’m still stuck in Austin waiting for payday. #
- Listening to rental reviews with nathan lott #
- Still lingering in Austin. #
- Falling asleep #
- Guess I’m spending another night in Austin. #
Getting Out and Putting In
I was just reading a post by Problogger, Darren Rowse. His post is titled Social Bookmarking and Networking – How Involved Are You? The main topic of his post is answering a question by a reader regarding what social networks he actively uses and if they are helpful to his blogging.
His answers to the reader are very insightful, in my opinion. He gives a list of the social bookmarking and network sites to which he belongs. He does point out, however, that his involvement in each varies. He spends more time in some than in others, which is understandable. Darren does cite reasons why he is active, to some extent, in some of these social sites. These include:
- profile
- relationships
- brand reinforcement
In the end, Darren closes with a statement that it is about being involved to some level.
My Spin on His Message
I think that he is right in many ways about being involved and fostering friendships, as much as that can be done online, with your readers and people of similar interests. This concept got the hamster running up in my brain. Getting something out of Social Media is basically the same as getting something out of real life.
Close to home, you can’t expect to get much out of your family if you are willing to put in some good family time. Spend time with the wife. Spend time with the kids. They are your first social network. If they can speak praises about you, then other people will want to meet you. If your own family badmouths you, you need to work on that community.
Friends are the same way. If you don’t show an interest in people, they’ll bail out on you. You can’t count them as part of your social network if you only show up when you want something. Offer your friends some value for being your friends.
Employees are also a social network of sorts. If you expect to just push play and have them start working, you’re missing out on what they have to offer. We are social creatures and need some validation that our efforts matter. You may be able to get them to work because “that’s the way it works; you tell them what they do and they do it”. But you won’t get loyalty or recommendations from them that way.
Church and other community groups are the same way. You get out of them what you put in. If you simply show up and expect to be loved and adored for being there, you are not being realistic. You will be noticed and included in the community group if you are a part of the community. Otherwise, you are a visitor.
Darren is right. In social media, it is about being involved at some level. All I would like to add is that it’s about being involved in your immediate life networks to some level as well.
You Comment, I Follow
I have installed No Follow Case by Case to disable the nofollow on my comments. This, however, doesn’t leave carte blanche for spamments. I can still turn off the nofollow on a comment or just delete the comment entirely.
You can get the logo in different colors at RandClay.com.
I have decided to give link love for two reasons. First, I want to share my link love with my friends (i.e. those who comment). Second, when you comment, it seems to me that you are providing some content for my blog and a back link is the best way to repay your contribution.
Who will benefit from this?
1. My friends.
2. Me (from more comments).
3. Not spammenters. I can still delete comments.
It Is Over, I Am Going Home
Life is always about the next big adventure. Tonight was the last day of the 80th Texas Legislative Session. The House adjourned shortly after midnight. I look back at the time I have spent here. When I first arrived here, it was to be a big adventure. I was going to participate in a process in which I had only textbook knowledge. The Capitol stands so majestic in the Austin skyline; it humbles you a bit when you walk its halls. There is so much to learn and discover during the session; in fact, your first lesson is to learn who to call for help.
At first, I made efforts to get to know people from different offices. I think my reputation preceded me and there may have been some concern that I would blog everything I heard. I think that after establishing some rapport, that fear went away. Who knew that I would actually practice some discretion? I was rebuffed and then I was accepted.
The adventure took a turn when I got the opportunity to work for a House committee. There would be more to learn. There was so much to learn. The days were long. The deadlines were short. Work built up and up. Then it stopped. I had an entire week in limbo.
Going back to work where I started would be pointless. When you are out of the loop, you just get in the way. I’ve enjoyed some “time off”. I take that as preparation for my next big adventure. I have not seen my family in months due to my work commitments. In the committee office, I had to work Friday and be there Monday morning. Unlike the representatives, I could not go home on Thursday and come back Monday afternoon. I could have driven home on Friday evening and returned Sunday evening; however, I would not have rested for the coming week. Families that miss you want to spend time with you.
Now the session is over. I have the time. It is now time for the next big adventure, getting back in touch with my family. I am going home to my wife and children. I will once again see my mother and sister. I will once again visit my in-laws on Sundays. There are friends back home. There is life back home. With life, there are challenges. I’ll make these challenges my next big adventure. It is over, I am going home.
Twitter Updates for 2007-05-28
- Walking back to capitol. Coming up on the university. #
- Regardless which direction you travel in Austin, it’s uphill. Back at my van. #
- Fixed the puncture. Tire needs air. #
- It has been an epic adventure. #
- I’m just going to grab a beer and call it a day. #
- Finally back at the apartment. I need to shower. #
- Wow, speaker turner is choking up about pleading for funding CHIP. #
- If the dems vote against the budget, 127,000 children will be without health insurance. They are playing political football with kids. #
- House bill 1 is passed. #
- Children are insured in Texas. #
- Teachers will get a 13th paycheck this year. Approved by the House. #
- House will go until midnight, and then consider suspending the rules for remainder of calendars. #
- There’s going to be some chubbing. #
- @doctorlinguist Wow, you spammed yourself. #
- @doctorlinguist You outsmarted yourself, then. You’re good! Very impressive. #
- @doctorlinguist There is no off position on your genius switch. #
- It’s midnight. Will the House suspend the rules? Oh! A point of order. #
- Wow, ALL the members are up near the dais. #
- point of order withdrawn. bills considered on case by case basis #
- @doctorlinguist he’s still speaker. According to the rules, he has to recognize a motion to remove him. He can refuse to recognize. #
- Fight over the rules! #
- Rep dunnam says he does not want to adjourn, but he just moved to adjourn. Food fight! #
- Uh oh, seargeants called to seat the members. #
- They have moved past. #
- This is getting good. Headed down to capitol. #
- Eww, I ate some oysters. #
- Packing up my stuff. #
- @epodcaster Yes, I’ll drive by when passing SA. Still have your disc. #
- Thought I was playing hookie. Turns out nobody went to work this morning bc of holiday. #
- @epodcaster cool #
Twitter Updates for 2007-05-27
- House stands adjourned. Going home. #
- Just ate a whataburger jr combo. #
- Howdy y’all #
- @enlighten_up sorry about your father. #
- Today I start packing to leave austin on tuesday. #
- Oatmeal and coffee while chatting with mrs on the phone. #
- Second load of laundry. I think I’ll be done before the House convenes. Session is over on the 28th at midnight. #
- Going to boil the last of my frozen vegetables. #
- Threw in some rice with the vegetables. Will add soy sauce and white pepper later, maybe some sriracha sauce. #
- I could smell the jasmine rice from another room. #
- Needs salt. #
- That was awesome cupboard leftover soup. #
- Drying last load before heading to House gallery. #
- My comments are working! Woohoo! #
- Done with last of laundry. Headed to capitol to watch the House. #
- Skies are drippy #
- Dean edell rocks #
- Considering starbucks before entering the capitol. Could be a long and boring while. #
- Never mind, there is a huge screw in my van’s tire. On a sunday, I should try a repair kit. Hope it works. #
- Walking to heb a couple miles away. Lucky to have umbrella. #
- Awesome promotional umbrella from bp to keep me dry. Let’s hear it for big oil! Woot, woot! #
- Sweating like cheese. Rain has saturated the air with moisture. Going to have to shower after fixing flat. Almost to heb. #
- Heb and sears don’t have tire repair kits. Going to eat at wendy’s, then try Fiesta across the interstate. #
- Good burger. Now it’s time to keep looking for a repair kit. #
- Cool, an O’Reilly Auto Parts next to Fiesta. #
Austin Flat Tire Epic
This morning, I spent some time doing laundry. I got started early so that I could head off to the Capitol to see one of the last days of the 80th Legislative Session. That was my goal. I got done and headed out a little bit late, after 3 PM, thinking to myself that I could use a cup of coffee. I had some hesitation about going and pulled up to my parking space through 16th Street. I did a mental check before turning off the engine and decided to go for it. I could use some Starbucks. In retrospect, I realize that Starbucks is closed on Sundays.
I write this to convey the message that you never really know your future; you have to go with what life throws at you. Stuff happens, it is not personal. Things happen to me, they happen to you, and if it were not us, it would be somebody else. As they say, just go with the flow.
Well, as I pulled out and drove through the parking lot, I noticed that there was a clicking noise and the van bounced slightly. I immediately realized that something had punctured my tire, something big. I stopped and checked. There was a big screw sticking out of the tire. I decided to park it back in my spot. By driving more, I could bury it deeper and possibly cause more damage. In fact, simply driving back to my parking space sunk it in a little more. Good choice.
What to do next? So, here is my situation. I had a five dollar bill in my pocket and a bunch of change I’ve been collecting all session. Last time I had problems with a tire here in Austin, it took the Sears Auto Care Center three hours and twenty dollars to fix. Today, I had the three hours, but I was not sure I had the twenty dollars. By the size of the screw, I might need a new tire. Based on the facts, I might be able to fix it myself or I might need professional help. If I did it myself, I could get it done today. If I sought professional help, I would have to wait until payday. I had to try something. Buses only stop once every hour on Sundays, so staying to watch the House would be a bit precarious. It would be better to get moving.
Once the decision was made, I had a good idea of where to go, HEB. I have bought tire repair kits at HEB back home. Last time I lived in Austin, I lived about a mile away from HEB on Red River, so I knew where to go. It is a two mile walk from where I was parked, more or less. As all decision making was going on, it started to rain. I began walking. Keep in mind that whenever you walk in Austin, it does not matter in which direction you walk, you will walk uphill both ways.
I arrived at HEB and looked for the automotive section. They had the cans of fix-a-flat, but no plugs. I was looking for a permanent fix. I thought perhaps I ought to look for a kit at the Sears Auto Care Center. Surely, they would have a kit. Nope. However, it made sense. They would probably have such things in the main store, not in the Auto Care Center where they fix tires themselves. So, I went to the main Sears store and searched around. I even went so far as to ask for help. They don’t have tire repair kits.
My tummy was hungry after all that walking, so I stopped at a Wendy’s for something to eat. While there, I started wondering if people in Austin ever get flats. It’s strange that I could not find a kit to plug the hole. Perhaps people in Austin merely take their tires to get fixed. If this is true, why aren’t there more tire repair shops? Back home, there’s a tire repair shop almost every mile down our main street, Conway Ave. Why is it so difficult to get basic services in Austin? What the heck is wrong with this city?
I finished my meal and decided to cross I-35 to visit Fiesta. There was a remote possibility that they might have a tire repair kit. I lucked out and discovered that there is an O’Reilly Auto Parts store near the Fiesta Supermarket. I headed right over and skipped Fiesta. I would have visited an Autozone, but the nearest one wasn’t exactly near. I guess cars don’t break down in Austin either. My total cost for all the tire repair kit was eleven dollars and change.
I took my goods and headed back to the van two miles away to get to work on fixing my tire. Once I arrived at the parking lot, I put on the parking brake, raised the van and removed the tire. Once that was done, it was just a matter of removing the screw, reaming the hole (stop snickering), and plugging it. I put the tire back on the van and lowered it. I had all kinds of sticky crap all over my hands and was all sweaty, thanks to the moist air preventing my perspiration to evaporate. I couldn’t go into the House Gallery like that. So, I went to a nearby 7 Eleven and replenished the air that leaked out of the tire while I plugged it. I also bought a beer and headed home.
So, I took a shower and started watching the House of Reps from my computer at home. I might as well stay here. In the end, I am still watching the proceedings live. It’s not in person, but at least I can have a beer after my epic flat tire adventure. Going back to my point, there’s no point getting upset. Stuff happens. My day has not been ruined, it just turned out differently. It’s funny how plans can change.
Here is a map of where I walked.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Originally uploaded by shainelee.
Getting Ready to Go Home After the Session
As I sit here writing, there is a load of laundry in the washer and another in the dryer. I have my bed sheets ready to wash. Half of my clothes are packed in my bags. I’ve started gathering my stuff to leave my apartment in Austin to head back to Mission, Texas. In case you are just jumping into this blog, I am currently working as a Legislative Aide at the Texas State Capitol. I’ve been here since January while the Texas Legislature is in session. I started to document my work here at another blog, Session 80. Some concerns were raised, so I decided to mention as little about my work as possible since then. On Tuesday night at midnight, it will all be over and I can go home to my family.
There are just today and tomorrow remaining in the session. Today, the House will meet around 2 PM. Tomorrow, whenever they meet, the House will go until midnight. I expect that there may be some drama on the House floor. If not, I’ll not lose any sleep over it. After that, there will be Sine Die parties all over Austin. I will be attending maybe one or two of those and try to be home around 2 AM. I exorcised my party demon recently, so I’m not really in the mood for too much revelry.
In order not to waste any food, I’ve run out my groceries at the apartment. I just have some beans and rice remaining. I’ve been collecting change in little Glad containers since January; that change will go towards buying me fast food over the next couple days. Most employees at the Capitol get paid at the beginning of the month. I usually get paid two or three days in advance (I don’t know why my direct deposit does that), so I should be fully cashed up for my trip home on Tuesday.
Today, I have been reflecting over everything that has happened in these past months. I’ve wondered if I have changed much through this experience. I suppose I have; but there is only so much that you can expect from a geek. Social things are still awkward for me. Yet, I seem to have gained a confidence about my future, despite not knowing what lies ahead. I’ve come to the realization that if things don’t work for me back home, I’ve got to move to where things work. I suppose I’m more proactive in that sense.
I have plans for my future. I have plans for when I get home. There are things I have to finish that have been on hold. There are people with whom I need to catch up. There are some things in which phone conversations do not compare with face-to-face interaction. I expect that my family, my wife and children, may be a bit different too. Will things be a little awkward or will we pick up where we left off? Because of some commitments I made here in Austin, I was not able to enjoy traveling home on the weekends like other staffers. My last physical encounter with my family was back in Easter.
I am glad that this is all over now. I can go back to a normal life of challenges and aspirations. Laundry is done; time to hang my shirts.
Blog for Jobs
A while back, I wrote a post that joined the conversation about how blogs are the new Resumes. When you are job hunting for something in marketing or technology, having a blog can provide your potential employer more information than the single sheet of paper with your Resume printed on it. I’ve read several posts that show people successfully landing jobs because they have a blog. Keep in mind that some of these jobs require that the job seeker either use writing skills or promote something. Obviously both skills are complementary to blogging. Of course, blogging for a job could also highlight other skills that you may have detailed in your posts.
There is a blog out there that I have been tracking called Blog for Jobs. The blog is maintained by Chris Russell, who has other websites that relate to careers. In this blog, he highlights blogs that are used as Resumes to some degree. If you drop him an email, he’ll review your site and list it within the blog. More importantly, if you look through the archives, you will see that there ARE bloggers who have successfully used their blogs to find a job. I subscribed to the feed on Blog for Jobs so that I can learn about others job hunters as their sites are linked.
I listened to a podcast recently, in which the person being interviewed mentions that while your Myspace or Facebook blog can be used against you when job hunting, the opposite is also true. The argument is that the social networking sites have way more traffic than some of the top job search sites. Therefore, corporations should probably have a presence in these social sites to assist with recruiting. When it comes down to it, many times you get a job because of some social connection, whether it be a friend recommending you, or simply getting tipped off when there is an opening. Social sites can be your way into a company because you can establish a relationship of sorts. Of course, make sure that you don’t have any embarrassing pictures or blog posts up before you start the rapport. You don’t need to host your own domain like many of us bloggers do, a free blog account will do the trick. Just give your potential employer some way of getting to know you better before hiring you.
Twitter Updates for 2007-05-26
- I figured out why comments required login on blog. There is a setting checkbox not in the Discussion options. #
- Yay, it works. #
- Reading blog feeds #
- Signed up for google analytics #
- Going to the capitol. There were fireworks on the house floor last night. #
- Added duplicate content plugin to my blog. #
- Trying to catch up on rss feeds. Some blogs are insane on volume of posts per week. 100+? Gimme a break! #
Embracing Change
I would like to add that sometimes you should embrace change on your own rather than have it forced upon you. You have significantly more control over self-initiated change than when change is thrust upon you. When you are forced to change, it’s not at your pace or with the options you choose. By being the cause of your own change, you decide when and how.
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John Chow’s Site is a Good Resource for Bloggers
People blog for different reasons. Some want a creative outlet for their thoughts and ideas. Some blog for money. You can count John Chow as one of the latter. If you are the creative type, but would not mind learning how to make money online, you should pay him a visit.
You can make money online in basically a couple of ways. You sell advertising or sell a service. Unfortunately, both of these require that you have a lot of traffic to make it worthwhile. High traffic is partly a result of how well you rank on search engines and partly on how interesting your site is for visitors. John Chow’s site can help you in both respects. Well, maybe he can’t make you a better writer; but some of his resources can help you distract from that.
He finds and links to plugins for your blog that improve your interaction with your readers. Of course, you know they are good because he uses them on his blog. The Buy Me a Beer plugin on this site was his inspiration, I’ve already had a beer bought for me. How cool is that? I’m still combing through his posts to find other gems, which will be added to this blog.
Another way that John Chow’s blog can help is that he is giving away links from his blog, which is currently a PR6 site. I had to look up what that means. Basically, his blog can really boost your Page Rank if it links to you. All YOU have to do is write a review of his site on your blog. You can read all the rules here. If you are interested in participating, you should do it soon as he is only doing 100 batches of backlinks and he’s already in the upper 70s. Good luck!
Setting Your Price as a Freelancer
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Here is a great article over at Freelanceswitch.com, a site that is really helpful if you are considering going out on your own. You should be careful when setting your prices. You don’t want to sell yourself short. The market loves cheap services, but can you survive by charging less than the rest? When it comes down to it, you are freelancing so that you can make a better life for yourself, not more headaches.
Twitter Updates for 2007-05-25
- Leaving tx trial lawyers party. Going to bill pewitt’s party. #
- Ran into high school buddy. #
- Sounds like rain #
- Being harrassed by the the tx DPS. #
- Piecing together last night. #
- Well, I know where my shirt is. #
- new product to treat wounds? http://tinyurl.com/24qcvn #
- @doctorlinguist my pants stayed on. #
- this is sad writing about h2o2 http://tinyurl.com/yuzve4 #
- I moved to #4 on google search for shaine #
- Going to the office. #
- Going for a new badge. Lost mine last night. #
- Was chatting with Mrs. Mata. Our son cut his own hair. #
- Having a couple double decker tacos at taco bell #
- Mrs mata says boy’s self haircut is not too noticeable. #
- @epodcaster thanks for the beer #
- @doctorlinguist I don’t remember that cosby story. It’s been a while, maybe I’ll rent it. #
- I like the way cosby imitates his kids #
- I don’t get what use the twitter app is in facebook. Would have been cool to simul-post #
Shaine 