Ode to the Gadget

I am a gadget freak. There, I said it. For the most part, I’ve been able to tame my affliction and not let it drive my life. But every once in awhile, like when a new, cool gadget is close to being released but hasn’t been yet, I find myself fully engulfed in the symptoms of a full blown case of gadget-itis. Okay, deep breath…

My friends are peripherally aware of this problem; my wife is the one who has to live with it the most. She’s good about humoring me at the right times, saying the right things, while not really understanding the depth of my pain. The fact that she could have all my cast off – once cool and new – gadgets doesn’t even phase her.

This latest outbreak is being caused by the imminent – NOT SOON ENOUGH – release of the Blackberry Storm. The first touch screen Blackberry chock full of features that allow it to compete with the iPhone – but with the business apps and enterprise features the iPhone lacks. I already pre-ordered one from Best Buy and the internet rumors say it will be available next week. Next week, not today. Arrgh! Deeeep breaaath…

I have often wondered why more employers don’t use this gadget affliction to motivate their people. I am not the only one so possessed. An employer could structure a “gadget allowance” into comp plans and probably increase retention rates dramatically. I know it would have kept me in place longer at several employers. It was always a struggle for me to have outdated technology (gadgets) while my clients had all the new cool stuff.

I know I’m not alone in this. I’ve discussed this with colleagues and friends over the years and they all agree. Employee compensation is not always about the salary and bonus. It’s often the additional benefits that motivate people the most. Car allowance, reasonable mileage reimbursement, golf outings, travel perks, gadget allowance – what do you think?

Gotta’ go – If you need me, I’ll be surfing the web for the latest Storm information while standing in line at Best Buy.

Rock the Vote

Finally, Election Day has arrived. Have you voted yet? If not, stop reading this and go let your voice be heard. I’ll wait…

   “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.” – George Jean Nathan

Welcome back and thanks for voting. This has been an amazing election. Not just because of the obvious reasons – race, gender, age, or fresh start – but also because of the attention we as a nation are paying to it. Whether you are liberal or conservative, there was plenty to keep everyone focused and actually studying the issues and candidates. I have been impressed with the number of people that have been discussing the races. They are reading, talking and generally listening to what is being said. The bigger challenge has been sifting through the chaff that is being tossed around.

   “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” – John F. Kennedy

There is so much information available on so many issues and candidates that it has been hard trying to decide what is true and what is important. As much as this election has given me a glimmer of hope again in our process (it’s tough trying to be an idealist in a cynical, news cycle world), I grow weary, wary and upset with all the misinformation tossed around.

   “A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls.” – Dan Quayle

Thank you for voting. Thank you for caring. Thank you for believing in the possibility of a better world.

   “I can see Russia from my house.” – Tina Fey or was it actually Sarah Palin…

Oh, and thanks for taking a step back with me once in a while and laughing about such a serious subject.

 

Local Tourist

My parents just left after a visiting for a week. Living in San Diego, we have the opportunity to have family and friends stay with us 5-10 times a year. We enjoy these visits tremendously and make sure everyone realizes before they come that we can’t always drop everything and entertain them. We still have to work and carry on with our lives but everyone has a comfortable room, their own fully stocked bathroom, and can borrow a car if needed.

For some reason, this visit made us realize more than ever that we need to be better tourists in our own area. We always say, “We need to walk on the beach more” or “why don’t we come here more often” when we visit local spots with our visitors. This time it seemed to be more of a real desire, not just something to say.

Balboa Park and its world-class museums, Coronado and the incomparable Hotel Del, the world famous San Diego Zoo (we’re members for crying out loud), the glider port at Torrey Pines, that little Mexican restaurant we love on the coast highway in Leucadia, our beautiful Carlsbad beaches – all ignored and underappreciated until someone visits.

We love living here in Carlsbad – we made a conscious decision to stay when many of our friends moved elsewhere years ago. In this economy we all need to refocus our thinking and make an effort to spend more locally. What better way than to be a local tourist?

Everyone is evaluating what they spend and why. We can decide to spend locally – when we decide to spend. So, we may not get back to Italy this year. We may not get to Spain next year. We’ll just be local tourists and enjoy reminding ourselves why we chose to live here in the first place.

Philosophy 2.0?

In the world of blogging, what happens to the age old question, “if a tree falls in the forest…” Does the question – or the answer - make us more or less relevent?

« Previous Page