Mile Stone

Today was a good day.

Today our little software company "Influent" released it's first RIA software for a strategic business partner "Artefact, a web to print company.

We had some great feedback at the WPPI conference in Las Vegas where the software was demonstrated. Likewise you can read about some good press from Photo District News Magazine, they interviewed us.

I learned a lot this year, about myself, and values in general, it has changed me.

At the end of a project, or in this case a development milestone, I like to crunch my numbers and review the stats of how it all went down. for those in the technology world, this may seem like arrogant bragging, for those who don't keep track of such things, it will look like a nerd bragging about nonsensical drivel.

Regardless I will puff my chest and do it ...nobody reads this damn blog anyway.

Studio Assist by the numbers:

Total version development days: 81

Total version development hours: 3,254.75

Total Project Contributing Staff: 9
Total Project functional version features: 410

5 trips to Las Vegas

9 cases of Mt. Dew

4 cases of Diet Mt Dew

2 cases of Monster (we stopped buy that after a developer went blind for an a few minutes)

3 cases of "Cliff" bars

2 bottles of Pepto

1 stroke

Sans Bad stuff.

Dashed, on the rocks

HGTV is a ever growing popular cable tv show where depending on the 1/2 hour "show", they will tell you how to buy, sell, clean, decorate, have decorated, or move your home and or garden with the greatest of ease, and with only with a few dollars. (said with the utmost sarcasm)

Recently they have just concluded their annual contest, "HG Dream Home Giveaway".

Essentially they build a huge expensive house, in a perfect location, and outfit it with designer furnishings, throw in a SUV, and then dangle it in front of you for 3 months reminding you that you can enter every day for "Your chance to WIN!"

Tiffany (my beautiful wife) has ever so diligently entered this contest everyday for nearly the entire duration of the event, and last night was the night that they gave it away. We, as a supportive family, huddled around the TV watching as they built the suspense of where the winner was, (by showing a obviously fake hostess that was NOT the most-est) giving us clues on their location.

As the show went on, we deducted the winner lived where it was cold, then found it was in the Mid west, and then...yes, cruelly, right here in IOWA .

As he excitement grew, Tiff was convinced and had also by proxy had our two children convinced that we were about to be surprised by a camera crew, that would immediately sweep us away to sunny fun filled Florida to begin our care-free life in a professionally decorated "Party Mansion". So much so that Devin, our 5 year old was running laps from the basement to the upstairs window checking for the A/V truck, that was surly parked outside by now.

Instead, they reviled a woman in southern Iowa, that by the expression on her face was apparently angered and annoyed of her new prize, then resonated the profound and gracious words of gratitude "uh, thanks" to describe her immense and apparent very controllable enthusiasm.

The events that followed, I will just say are not rated "G", and won't be mentioned here. I would however like to apologize to the lady that won, and her mother about what was said. We're sorry, we didn't mean it.

Never the less, our hopes and dreams of a beautiful home on the beach, where all was well were dashed on the rocks right before our very eyes in one crumby "coming to us live" TV moment.

Damn you HGTV, Damn you and your house of broken dreams.

Terror is funny

So I found this image of terror in it's purest form....and it was hilarious.

This child is experiencing a truly memory altering moment that most likely will warrant counseling at some point in his life, and what is even more troubling is that mom and dad seemingly decided to make it a Kodak moment, then post it to the web.


There are so many things wrong with this picture from a social aspect; preceivable poor parenting, irresponsibility, emotional scaring, and even possibly a violation of animal rights...and I all I can do is laugh, at some times uncontrollably. This picture is so wildly funny to me that I keep it on my desk top picture frame widget along with pictures of my wife and kids. It truly fills me with guilt and jubilation. Glorious.