Siliconchef by Brian Richardson

Ever since one man decided he hates the US more than he loves his crotch, I’ve been sitting back and waiting for the stupidity of security theater to kick in as the TSA & DHS put more misguided policies in place to look busy while still missing the point about airline security.

The Dutch, up until today, said little. When they did speak today, they actually talked about doing something useful.

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It’s been a busy two weeks for me. International travel is old hat, so preparing for the almost-last-minute trip to Germany was no big deal.

The two product launches … those are new.

While in Germany, I’ll be pushing two new products I’ve been pseudo-managing for several months. One is being test marketed, the other is a full-blown new product announcement.

That full-blown product launch has been fun. I’ve helped see this thing from ideas & whiteboard drawings to prototypes to an actual introduction at a trade show. Lots of people at my company have worked on this, and it’s nice to help get their work into the market.

Most of what I work on is just a small part of another product, hidden under plastic and aluminum and a logo that isn’t on my business card. This is our idea … something more unique. It’s what engineers want to do, even if they have long since moved to marketing.

This has eaten part of my brain, put me away from my wife for a week (not to mention several late departures from work) and forced me to put other items on the back-burner. But it’s going to be worth it in the long run.

It’s 2:17pm and I’m finally grabbing lunch. It’s an early indicator for how the next two weeks will go.

In a month where I wanted to catch up on personal tasks/chores/obligations, work has decided to “kick it up a notch.” I leave for Germany on the 28th to help launch two products at a huge tradeshow. I also happen to be unofficially managing both prodcts (unofficial since none of the people involved actually answer to me).

Exciting … yes.
Professionally fufilling … absolutely.
Good for my personal agenda … not so much.

I have a video project due by the end of the month, another starting Saturday and one I now must delay till March (sorry Sketch). My 2nd degree brown belt test is scheduled for the 26th … that’s probably being delayed. I also have this “wife” person I want to spend time with, along with an assortment of friends who are forgetting what I look like.

Oh yeah … Dragon*ConTV.
And the barn.

Yes, I like international travel … but it’s only a vacation if you get to pick where you go and when you leave.

The past few entries concerning Taipei make it sound like I’m one of those gallivanting chefs on a travel show, stopping in some foreign city for a few pints and an exotic meal.

Truth is Brian gotta work for a living. Sunday rolls in and it’s time to prepare for a trade show.
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Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if The Grateful Dead were a cover band playing in Taiwanese bars. I found out Sunday night in Taipei.

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LAX, International Terminal, Box’o'Sushi, Connecting Flight to Taiwan …

Old habits die hard.

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The interesting thing about working at a 23 year old computer company is what you find when you get ready to relocate the office. I got designated as the “museum curator” during the move preparations, so I’m collecting classic elements of classic computing as we toss obsolete equipment.

During the move I sifted through the never-completely-cleaned office of an ex-boss to find this …

Yes, it’s the original version of the classic Infocom text adventure … The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It has everything from the original packaging except for the “DON’T PANIC” button. Pictures are posted to my flickr account.