Ain't Bad Work If You Can Get It So, work for less than a year in a job for which you have no specific, relevant experience and gain $10 million? Seems that it worked for Catherine West, former Capital One credit cards prez.
And folks wonder why we gripe at deals the bigs get. Sheeeesh....

Back in Phoenix... ...but only until Monday. It's been a great two-month project (other than a few personality glitches I can't go into). the client team was a perfect team: professional yet fun, demanding yet fair. That's the best way to be.
As for our team, well, it has been an honor and joy to work with them. If I say more, I'll probably begin to tear up. So, for now, I'll just say, "You guys rock!"

Winter Riding Even though it's the 10th of December, I was able to ride my Breva 1100 for several hours. At one point, my onboard thermometer read 62 degrees! How neat is that? At least, as far as motorcycling is concerned. Not sure how good it is for the health of the planet. Still, since I've been in Phoenix for two months, I'm glad to be able to get some riding in.
And speaking of riding, it was great to see a decent turnout at Poe's.

Casino Royale  A very well-done Bond. It's closer to the original plot line of a book since "Diamonds," if not "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." So, if you're a Bond fan, check it out.

Have They No Shame Redux  Rush & Michael J. Fox. 'Nuff said. Anyone who defends Limbaugh is a fellow traveller in vile, base and just mean bullying. Shame on them!

Deck Gun on the Constitution

Deck Gun on the Constitution
Originally uploaded by mojohand.

I had to get to Boston early for training next week. Fortunately, the hotel is almost next door to the berth for the USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides.
Ever since I was a kid, I'd read about this great ship and its adventures from the days of the undeclared war with France in 1793 through the Barbary Coast wars and into its amazing victories int he War of 1812. Walking on those hallowed decks was a great thrill. it also took me back to my youth, when I read books about American history avidly.

Aimee Mann Live

Aimee Mann Live
Originally uploaded by mojohand.

What a show! I hope some of you had a chance to go, or have seen her, or will see her. First time for me to see her, but she was fantastic!
Not bad for an ex-Richmonder!

Girl in http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifa Blog  Last night we had the great fortune to meet mystery author Sujata Massey. She read from her latest book, Girl in a Box, about industrial espionage and Japanese department stores...featuring her great character, Rei Shimura.
Sujata was engaging, delightful, open, and helpful. Accompanied by Annapolis mystery author , Sujata joined Marcia in reading and chatting about writing and answering questions and signing books. All in a great evening...and K. and I both won door prizes!

Truth Be Told  I've been traveling by air more this year than I have since I returned from Germany in December, 2001. Most of my flying is with JetBlue, a great experience. But flight attendants and pilots still persist in blatthering the typical inanities that all airlines do.
Wouldn't it be great if they just told the truth?
Enjoy.

Arrgh, Matey!  I don't know how I almost missed Talk Like a Pirate Day, but here it is.

My pirate name is:

Black Tom Roberts

Like anyone confronted with the harshness of robbery on the high seas, you can be pessimistic at times. Two things complete your pirate persona: style and swagger. Maybe a little too much swagger sometimes -- but who really cares? Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

What's your pirate name?

They Get It Over At COMCEN  The Colbert is brilliant...and these guys let you get in the act. Waaay too funny!

New User Experience Designs  The results are in: Winners of a Leopard preview are in. Nicely done. I especially like the fact that the winner won on the basis of his user experience-concentrated design, not on any visual gymnastics.

Have They No Shame?  Keith Olbermann serves it up best, and in this case, he hits one out of the park. Mr. Rumsfeld, dissent is critical to democracy.

Jim Webb

Jim Webb
Originally uploaded by mojohand.

The candidate and, it is hoped, the next junior senator from Virginia, speaking.

The crowd at the HQ Opening

082806_1810.jpg
Originally uploaded by mojohand.

Quite a lot of folks attended the opening of the Jim Webb headquarters in Richmond. Bob Annandale and I ran into Ivan Appelrouth, Henry Morse, Errol Soman, and Rob Murphy. it was definitely an overflow crowd, much bigger than had been anticipated.
And I still got a hot dog, cookies, and a soda.

Fallout from Macaca   The best I've seen so far is from Salon.com. Wow. I chould have been so lucky. Still, it is the best in writing--three words that say it all.

Another Month Goes By  It seems I can't post on a regular basis. It's not that I don't think things. Sometimes it's just that I don't feel like blogging them.
On the other hand, I've been pretty busy—traveling to Boston/Cambridge and Milwaukee and Chattanooga/Lookout Mountain. Fun stuff, but also some work stuff. More later...
Certainly I've been amazed at the minimal fallout to the Allen campaign for his horribly jingoistic remarks. Then again, why should I be surprised? Allen is certainly an embarrassment to this commonwealth, indeed in comparison to its fine Senator Warner.

Avoiding a 2.0 DotBomb Crash  Heiko is always good for a quick link to new things in the Web 2.0 world. Here's some good advice.

720 Megapixel Picture!  Sydney Harbor by night. Man! What a cool shot!

Working with Me Rules Although I didn't write these rules, I certainly think they apply to me. Thanks to Donna for expressing what I feel about myself....

* I may spend a long time seeming to do very little. Don't panic - I'm thinking. Exactly what you pay me to do.

* I spend a lot of time with earphones in. That means I'm trying to think and concentrate amongst the chatter of an office, not that I'm anti-social.

* If you give me a gantt chart all arranged in linear order, I'll nod and get to the end on time and budget, but not by the path you set.

* I spend a long time gathering information and thinking, and little time producing towards the end. Once I have nailed an idea, all else is straightforward and fast. So if you think I'm going to miss a deadline because I haven't produced much, stop worrying.

* Outputs need inputs - I have experience, but I can't design a good system out of nothing. I need to base it on something. Don't stick me in a corner and not let me research and talk to people.

* Teams are good - I have lots of experience at what I do. But so do you and the team. Let's work together to create something great. Don't make me work by myself and expect me to produce miracles.

* I'll occasionally rant and get passionate. That means I care.

* Give me challenging work, give me time to work through it and we'll get there. Don't expect me to to hard work in the same time I do easy work. That's just dumb.

* If there isn't enough work, I'd genuinely prefer to be at home. I'm not hanging around to chase dollars.

* I hate banging my head against a political brick wall. I'd prefer to be anywhere else - that's just a waste of time.