
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Thursday, October 18, 2007
Job Change
What’s Up?
I wanted to quickly inform people that I am no longer at BridgePort Networks.
For the last 2+ years, I was the Director of Marketing at BridgePort Networks. It is a telecommunications software company that focused on fixed-mobile convergence. It was a great gig where I did everything from Return On Investment financial modeling to writing, designing and picking the color of brochures. Also, it dealt with fantastically interesting and complicated area of technology. Unfortunately, we were a bit “ahead of the market” – a market I still believe in. But the reality is that I - along with about 8 other talented folks - are now looking for a new direction.
What now?
This is the first time in my 19-year professional career without a job. Now, I have the opportunity to look at a lot of interesting options. This freedom is tempered by the need for health care and money for kids’ education. Good things come in threes, so I will define three categories of my options: 1) short-term contracts, 2) entrepreneurism, and 3) re-employment.
Short-Term Contracts
I already have some leads on short-term projects, but the more, the merrier. Those of you who have worked with me know my analytical skills and creative impulses. For those who need more information, I can send you my resume’ and a portfolio of my work. I enjoyed telecommunications, but my sweet spot is any “network” industry: telecom, transportation, electricity, and energy. My skills are also applicable to many other industries.
Entrepreneurism
In the last few days, I have discussed a wide range of entrepreneurial ideas with friends and colleagues. Some are my ideas; some are their ideas. Some are high tech; some involve using a table saw and driving a van. We will need much more due diligence before I find the right venture. Luckily, between the BridgePort Networks folks, neighbors, friends, and fellow Kelloggians, I have a great support network to develop, and launch a new venture.
Re-employment
Of course, I could always go back to working for The Man. Oh, wait, . . . I am The Man. My current criteria are
The plan is to stay in
How Can You Help?
Cash and food (especially pretzels, mmmmm). Seriously, what would be great is the following:
1) Stay in touch. Give me a holler, email, IM, or post at my blog. I need encouragement and a network more than ever.
2) Leads on short-term work in finance, strategy, or marketing. If you are on this blast, it is because I would love to work with/for you again.
3) Contacts – not necessarily employers, but three of your contacts that I can get to know who can send me in the right direction.
4) Ideas for new businesses. I won’t steal ‘em. I will hand them back to you in better shape then you gave them to me. And then, maybe we can run with them together.
5) Names of
6) Advice about healthcare options – especially from those of you who are self-employed.
7) Hints on working from home with 2 kids without driving myself or my wife crazy.
Monday, October 15, 2007
They are white art deco things. Very similar to the house I grew
Monday, March 27, 2006

February 01, 2006 - Parts ordered!!
Well, I whipped out the credit card and did some damage. I also blew off too much time at work. I keep trying to justify this time wasting as tangentially educationally about technology yada yada. . . . I doubt that will hold much water with my bosses. But then again, I have a feeling many geeks in the office will wander over. "Whatcha doin'?" Hopefully, I can play Tom Sawyer and enlist their help if heavy lifting is involved.
I ordered 50% of my parts from PC Alchemy - a Home Theater PC specialty house. They have some nifty stuff. The user reviews at the PC Alchemy website plus the comments on the http://www.byopvr.com/ site have been incredibly helpful.
Another great place is http://www.newegg.com/. They have all sort of computer and technology stuff. and the number of buyers that post reviews is quite impressive. I have made a mental note to self to go back and individually review each item I bought.
The final BOM is as follows

Green is stuff from NewEgg. Yellow from PC alchemy. The 2nd tuner card was out of stock, so I will wait on upgrading that until later.
Final damage ~$1,200. OK - it is 6x more than a $200 Tivo. But I have high hopes that it will replace my Tivo, DVD player. And it will enable a PC on a big screen. Which my wife will hopefully like.
I also envision a time when I can use this as a speakerphone. But more on that later