While catching up on threads over at XDA, I was curious to reflect on the mobile phones I've had over time...


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1990 - My first "mobile" - a Motorola car phone.
1992 - I had a Motorola "brick" phone (I may have had two? later getting a slimline model?)
1994 - The Moto flip phone - precursor to....
1997 - The StarTAC! Best phone EVER!
2002 - Thanks to my buddy Mark, I went to a Nextel i880
2003 - Ah, the Sidekick 2! It held such promise :( (I stood in line for this on release day!)
2005 - The Sidekick 3 - time for an upgrade
2007 - Thanks to Zac, I went to a "candybar" type phone - the Nokia was great in its day
2010 - My first Android - the HTC Legend! Small, unibody construction. Still have it today.
2010 - Time for something bigger/badder - my HTC Sensation for TMOUS

The end of another year. 2011.

I've not done much with my blog. It used to be incredibly personal. Then it became something people read. Huh? :) So now I moderate what I say, don't get overly personal. Which is too bad, that's exactly what it started out as 17 years ago (yes, I started "blogging" before "blogging" was a word, back in 1994, when Mosaic and Navigator were the only two browers, and gopher was still alive (tho just barely)). You can still go back & find entries from the 90's. I think the first couple years got lost when I had a server crash and lost everything (not fun).

On my personal site here, I keep three sections:
- Blog.random-ether.net :: this :)
- gallery.random-ether.net :: photos I've taken
- www.random-ether.net :: a generic landing page

In waiting for SWTOR servers to be restored, I started reviewing stats/facts on my server.
Mail stats look fine - I'm still filtering out loads of spam - great :)
Then I looked at web stats for R-E.net - and ended up glancing at all the "404" pages for the year. So below, just for fun (and if it ever is useful to someone who finds this post) here are a list of "common"(?) URL's that script-kiddies/hackers will look for on a site. Enjoy :)

I'm about 38,000ft above the North Atlantic. Now seems as good a time as any to reflect upon the last two weeks in England (as it was certainly more than just London). I think the highlight may very well have been last weekend, when Jon and I took the weekend in Cornwall. The touristing thing was nice, certainly, even getting out and exploring castle ruins on a blustery, rainy day on the Celtic coast. However, the strongest memories really are the time spent in the hotel lounge. There was such a sense of civility - not necessarily of class (though it was there in a very subdued British way) - it was more just a feeling of comfort. Having tea and scones (must learn how to make, and must find clotted cream!) Indoors, while it was slightly rainy outside, grey, chilly, yet the windows in the lounge were cracked and it was very comfortable, just enough to let some fresh air in. Big stuffed chairs, sofas, and lovely service. Or in the evenings...after dinner drinks (Saturday was scotch, and Sunday was port), big leather chairs, with Henry (the barman) conversing with us, discussing which drink to have next (and why). It was the company, the conversation, the environment, the atmosphere, the sense of peace, of everything else being far away. On a sea side cliff. In a nice hotel. While we were only there for less than 48 hours, it felt like we were there for days.

Otherwise the trip was about work. I was in London all the first week. St. Austell (Cornwall) the weekend, and then the second week I visited Runcorn (Evolution Studio) and Liverpool on Wednesday. Thursday afternoon I traveled down to Guildford to see MediaMolecule for the first time. Amazing studio. Great people! Had dinner and drinks with Paul and Jay (the IT guys) - brilliant couple of chaps. Nothing but respect for them. As with any of our studios, be they the internal groups which my teams look after, or these acquired studios who have their own IT, I am never disappointed in the stamina and creativity all these folks have. While each studio certainly had its own culture and personality, I would venture to say the US and European studios have more in common than not.

If 42 is the answer, then in a year do you think I'll know it all?

The last few months have been kind of rough - doing double-duty at work (both as Direct of PDIT-America (old role) and Sr. Director of Global IT (new role)) - as well as personally - since I got dumped and just not really having much personal time to recover, reflect, and be at peace in my personal life. I've focused almost completely on work. I recognize the need to re-focus now.

I've had a few moments in the last two weeks... where things came together. It was like I was standing in a bubble, things going on around me, but I was still, at peace, and able to see things clearly - the vortex of a tornado as it were. Those are good moments. Clarity is within. Even today, I was explaining some things about work to someone and she said "wow, you REALLY enjoy working at this level, don't you?" - and that comment pulled me into the Center a bit.

I've had a couple of other moments - personal moments - which reminded me of my impact on others. For me, this is just "me" - it's just the "right thing" to do. Things I really don't give much of a second thought to. But I think they're worth memorializing.

I'd dropped a couple bucks over to a friend. I didn't know what was going on other than having a feeling he needed some help.
"now Im actually in tears. I just lost [all my] cash i had left... you just saved my ass, I fucking love you man."

From someone else (a few edits for brevity):
"Seriously, thank you. May not be able to show it [...] but I really do appreciate your help throughout the years and especially now since I'm trying to start all over in life. What you seem to pass off as nothing means more to me than I think you realize, despite your stories and "play it down" statements. [...} you've been the only one in my life to stick with me; no questions asked. [...] I guess I just want to thank you for your help [...] and let you know you're truly affecting someone's life here. "

I don't post that for others to read or stroke my own ego - It really is more so to the point that I know I'll come back & read this in 5 years, and maybe at the right time, need to be reminded not to let others get to me. Perhaps I am exactly who I need to be, right where I should be, and doing exactly what I should be doing. Sometimes the small things we do have much greater meaning and value to others.

I get value out of the impact I have. Even the person I was talking to today recognized I don't do what I do at work for power or personal gain - I do it because I like helping others, and at my level it's helping the business. It has impact. I've always been a behind-the-scenes kind of guy - not looking for credit, to be in the spot light, to be praised - I do it so others can enjoy the output of my work.

I need to spend more time enjoying myself, though, too. Enjoying the fruits of my own labors. Perhaps next week, when the hot tub arrives and is ready, I can find a fine bottle of red wine to celebrate my birthday (alone, mind you haha), relax, watch the stars, and let the whirlwind fade away for a while.

I'm having a surreal moment. That is to say, stepping back and looking at myself, my situation from a third person perspective.

Here I sit, enjoying morning tea in the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse (upper-class lounge) at London Heathrow Airport. Glancing around I see a variety of people, all flying upper class to various destinations around the world. Here I sit with them. Thinking about the economy folks downstairs, sitting in crowded, loud areas just waiting for time to pass. Meanwhile I came in, got a haircut & beard-trim, had breakfast, and finishing my tea. I have a car picking me up at LAX taking me home. I have a boyfriend who I care a great deal for who I'll see shortly after getting home. I have a new job which gives me repsonsibility for services across the globe.

Who ever thought *I* would be in this position? I'm not trying to toot my own horn or sound "snobbish" about any of it - I'm really just realizing "wow, I ended up here!" It reminds me a few years back, I looked around at my career, finding myself managing people & projects, thinking back "I never thought I would end up doing this; in fact, didn't say I say I would never be a manager?" Funny how you sometimes take advantage of your talents, and it results in a change in your life somehow, somewhere you maybe fantastized about, but never thought it would ever be you in that position. Then, suddenly, it is.

I've had several people comment about how I get to do all these cool things - and admittedly, it is. But there's always work to go with it, a lot of it. I welcome the challenege that I've been given with great gusto. I'm spending a lot of time wondering how I will deal with both the challenges and the opportunities which are put in front of me. There is not necessarily a simple answer, and I'll be seeking counsel and advise from my trusted advisors. I always appreciate perspective.