Boulder, and quirky naked bikers

I’ve never been very impressed with mountains.  They’re big, sometimes snowy and often filled with trees.  If you’re lucky there’ll be a rushing mountain stream gushing down the mountains with trout cavorting the slippery slopes.  It’s not that they aren’t beautiful, it’s just that I’d take the sea caving kayaking, shipwreck exploring and overlapping waves of the great Lake Superior.

The weekend in Boulder was uneventful.  Boulder’s a nice little town with lots of live music and healthy adventurists.  Over the few days course we saw a troupe of naked bicyclists, drove among the mountains and did a bit of boutique shopping to finish everything off.  Ironically the car was the most experience aspect of the trip.

My cousin’s wedding was one of the most sincere, upbeat events I’ve attended.  I’ve been well conditioned to the stifling, rehearsed Christian weddings and hymns and found this so different, so refreshing it’s given me inspiration for my own.

The event was set in a Buddhist meditation zone constructed of a “labyrinth”, a maze laid on the floor to represent the meditation and travels of the monks towards their spiritual destinations.  Once the two had walked the maze they exchanged vows, had close friends and family present meaningful gifts and we departed to a heartfelt, lively celebration.

Things to do in Cancun

There’s something mystical about tropical mornings when the ocean waves concuss the shore and the seagulls shriek in the salty air.  Where balmy 80’s drift in around 6am and scantily clad beach-goers gingerly step along the surf.

We stayed five stories up with a westward ocean and watched the sun set over the ocean.  There were also Maxim girls at the pool, energetic house music and ultra-modern shine of the 4 and a half star “Me by Melia Cancun“.  The “Salt” restaurant breakfast buffet was something to anticipate each morning with a menagerie of assorted fusion foods from chorizo to exotic fruit arrays.  The only thing that was lacking was a few more days to enjoy all the amenities (food, infinity pool, spa, parasailing).

The first night in Mexico was filled with party hopping into various bars.  There’s certainly nightlife for everyone, assorted from ages 16-71.   If I ever go back to Cancun, it’d be with a larger group of friends.  The clubs are filled with Latin energy, loud music and various gimmicks of bubbles, foam, and Mexicans with fire extinguishers.

Friday was a spectacular scuba diving session with Octavio of Nautilus Scuba.  Diving to 30 feet and swimming about the reefs was entertaining, although the currents were fairly strong and the reefs fairly decimated by the past hurricanes.  We did one out of two dives, sitting the second out so Chippy could feed the fish (see: vomiting).

Xel Ha on Saturday was the highlight of the trip.  We chose to additionally indulge in a “Sea Trek”, which involves a 60 lb space helmet on your head and walking along the ocean floor some 20 feet under the water amongst hundreds of fish, and about a half dozen manta rays.  With water filled with so many fish (you could literally reach out and touch them) and having rays swim over you was an unforgettable experience.  The all you could eat inclusive buffets were noteworthy with one American, Mexican, International, fast food, and a general buffet with assorted drinks, ice cream and alcohol for enjoyment.  After several hours of snorkeling and cave exploration there was a half hour of relaxation and rest.

Sunday was a jungle excursion that took us 20 feet under the earth through a subterranean cave into a freshwater cenote.  Think a sacrificial Batman’s Cave.   We then explored walked the jungle, enjoyed an authentic Mayan lunch in a small town (they’re still in the stone age, amazingly) and rode zip lines above the treetops.  Less notable was minor kayaking, cliff-side rappelling (there was duct tape holding the ropes together.  DUCT TAPE!!) and climbing the tallest pyramid in Mesoamerica.  We took a Mexican taxi for transportation, which is basically a guy on a bike, with a wheelbarrow in front for passengers.  Upon return we had our first authentic, wonderful meal at La Parilla.

Monday was our last day, we did some barter shopping and listened to an inane timeshare presentation for free relaxation massages and access to the spa.  By the time that was over, we left for the airport and returned.

Cancun’s definitely an international vacation spot.  Playa and Cozumel has better access to snorkeling and “true” Mexican experiences, but Cancun has great nightlife, and, if you don’t mind the expensive pricing (for Mexico) is definitely worthwhile.  Who wants to go with us next time?

Network Solutions Sucks.

I’ve been working IT for over 10 years now, way back before Network Solutions was the behemoth it is today.

Recently I’ve been working for a $500 million dollar company handling their Interactive Marketing, and dealing with the Hell called Network Solutions.

I believe all things in life should get three strikes. Here are Network Solutions.

1) Incompetent, unavailable, incomprehensible support. The majority of Network Solutions support is handled in India. Unfortunately, instead of the high caliber work they opted for the cheapest solution which involves thick accents (I’m Asian with an Indian best friend… even I can’t understand it) and inflexible phone scripts. My average wait time was 2 hours before reaching a rep, two of which hung up on me and none of whom resolved the 8 different issues / occasions I called.

2) Price. Network Solutions prices (between $20-$35 for a “Gold” member) are ridiculous. GoDaddy.com is at $9.95/domain for an average user, or down to $7 for the level we’re at. What’s the extra money for? They’re definitely not spending on their support.

3) Ease of Use. I spent an hour looking for how to find my domains, and well over 4 transferring them. Transferring from other registrars is fairly easy, but transferring from Network Solutions is brain damage. Not only that, but Network Solutions CHARGES $25 to transfer TO THEM!! Compare that to the $7 at GoDaddy with US based, English speaking support.

I’m not the only one with Network Solutions woes, nor will I be the last. But if you’re thinking of registering a domain, remember, Network Solutions Sucks!

The Windy City

Chippy and I spent the weekend in the windy city for some rest, relaxation and exploration. We stayed at (in my opinion) the best hotel in Chicago and visited the standard tourist stops including Shedd, the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium and the giant metal bean. For dining I’d highly recommend the best Sushi in Chicago.

Over the evening we played with toilet paper and blew on pipes at the Blue Man Group show and walked about the town.

Taxes are a pain, especially with everything going digital. It’s hard enough remembering to send them to the accountant– trying to navigate a government’s website process is next to impossible! Next year I’ll have a better process figured out.

We’re also gearing up for an adventure to Cancun. We decided on a hotel and are looking forward to a bit more sun and skirting the hurricane season.

I’ve finally got a good handle on what it takes to be an Automotive Interactive Marketing Manager. Walser has turned out to be a great company and I’ve been able to grow and contribute my skills to finesse and grow the digital strategies.

Life’s busy between travel, school and work. It’s a miracle that anyone gets a job after graduating from Normandale Community College. I’m continually frustrated with the administration both as a student AND as a potential employer. Their incompetence is almost unbelievable from time to time. To me college should be shared knowledge that enriches ken and philosophy in applicable ways that directly benefit society, business or the learners.

Little Black Box

While growing up I spent a few summers at Super Camp. It’s marketed as a life lesson/academic intensive experience held on a college campus, but it’s really a dumping ground for troubled kids with high IQs.

We sat around doing trust exercises that involved telling deep, dark secrets to each other. To bond and learn leadership, or some other valuable life skill. The problem with show and tell is that we were all there for a reason. We were intellectual rebels with authority issues with too much time. We didn’t share, cry or care for anyone that couldn’t measure up, and we only played to win.

It’s hard to judge after a few days of hearing stories about rape, abuse, abandonment and discrimination. It puts life into perspective. You bond in an inexplicable way. Booksmarts were irrelevant because everyone was brilliant in a way (and generally smart). At the end of the month we got a frisbee, a medal and a “good luck” for the real world.

Years later I still hang up the fabric frisbee. It reads “This is It”, a daily reminder that “it” matters. That there are plenty of smarter, harder working people playing to win. The challenge to be meaningful in an age of information and distraction.

I believe that people should be trusted implicitly to be themselves. Through the pursuit of action and reception of consequence empathy occurs. Through empathy philosophy is formed which consequently births personal code of ethics and morality– of which implied actions are given integrity. Therefore, any conscious decision must be with integrity to truly gain experience. If philosophy is the perception on a sum of experiences, which create empathy, of which interpretation may vary all attempts to globally define morality or ethics is impossible. Therefore, the only sensible philosophy is to trust that others will act within their personal philosophy (set of rules) towards ends that are intrinsically with integrity, which may or may not reconcile with your own. Therein, a sensible conclusion is the acceptance that actions may inherently be immoral, unethical and self-serving; but do so with integrity.

Little black boxes (on an airplane) usually contain the last few recorded minutes before tragedy. It cuts through the chatter and gets to the meaningful part. I strive to live like that, exploring and sharing in a sincere, meaningful way with things and people that matter. With others that passionately seize each moment as if their last.

Perks of a Starving Artist

I had dinner with a nascent painter the other day.  We swapped creative juices and lightly pondered the implication of uncertainties.  I envy her bold strokes against the canvas, the omnipresent paradox and struggle of light and dark against everyday life.  She’s embraced the life I admire so.  The passion that comes from huddling your pennies together to tango your favorite ramen flavor for dinner.  The desperation and paralyzing fear combined with the certainty of prescience and inspiration.  The need to share something wonderful, something personal with the world– and the willingness to risk everything for nothing but a blank sheet for interpretation by impersonal souls.

I feel like I’ve left the searching stage of life, or at least lost the uncertainty of a next meal, a next toy, a friendly smile.  That’s when things get dangerous for me, the banality of everyday life threatens to topple and wear me away.  I’m a stoic lighthouse– brilliant in the turgid night in a torrential storm, a beacon of guidance and a funnel for adventurous tales worn away only by time and monotony, and eventually forgotten until the next monsoon.

I’m constantly searching the horizon for signs of change.

A Weekend Review

I’m buried in a weeks worth of work right now, sifting through flagged an unread e-mails in an attempt to regain my sanity.

Rhode Island and Boston wound up being overcast and dreary with excellent Italian food off Federal Hill. Being around MIT reiterated that there are lots of other smart people out there, too. We also did some hand-to-hand with Hubspot and BZ Results, too.

Over the weekend I helped Chippy assemble furniture, move and generally nest into her new apartment. I still think she should get a wall mural but we decided to paint instead. Our experience was less than ideal, but a quick glance at Atrium Apartments in Burnsville, MN showed they’re consistently bad. Besides the customer service and damages everything is great, though.

I’m waiting for the best role-playing book ever to come in the mail.  I don’t plan on playing it again but it’s a much wanted addition to my library.  I’ve also got a dozen seasons of Stargate, and a caffeine molecule keychain floating around with UPS.

I saw a Tae Kwon Do team in Boston which made me want to join again.  Anyone know a good Taekwondo dojang near Burnsville, MN?

Super Ninja Robot Monkeys

I spent the weekend adventuring in Bayfield with Chippy.  We went miniature ice cave spelunking, exploring reality and watched cartoons.  I never realized there was a Super Ninja Robot Monkeys show.  At sunset we wandered a snowy trail and discovered the ever-eclectic, ever-pink Maggies Restaurant.

There’s something haunting about the way small towns never change.  I’ve been going to Bayfield for years now and everything is exactly how it’s left.  In winter you can practically hear the howling spirits of lost sailors biding in the chilly depths of Superior– the only other noise is the crunch of snow beneath your boots.  If you’re looking for a secluded taste of outdoor majesty then Bayfield is your spot.  Here’s a great spot for lodging in Bayfield, WI.

Whenever I explore I gain new insights or ideas.  Oddly, I didn’t have any vast revelations which this particular trip.  The next time I explore outdoors it’ll likely be in spring, camping in the forest with a whitewater rafting trip involved.  I’m not counting the June trip to Colorado, which will have whitewater rafting and a wedding involved.

Tomorrow I’m headed out to Newport, RI and Boston, MA.  Everything I know of Rhode Island is from Family Guy.  Everything I know of Boston is from Good Will Hunting.  It’s going to be awesome.

Oblivion, Relationships, and Super Powers

I’ve been munching on apples and playing Elder Scrolls: Oblivion all night on the PS3. I’m an accomplished level 28 now which means successively too much time in front of the projector and an accomplished level of digital cool I’ll never be in real life.

My co-workers have taken to calling me “Digital Nick” which got me to thinking about super powers. I think we all secretly want a kick-ass super power, even if we’re too embarrassed to admit it. Me? I’d have the ability to enter stories and merge real life with the written word.

I read a lot of fantasy when I was growing up. Can you tell? I also loved Stranger Than Fiction.

Super powers are kind of like nicknames, though. You’ve got something great in your head but ultimately you get whatever circumstances throw at you. For example, I’m Digital Nick. My superpower is that I type real fast.

This weekend I’m going up to Bayfield for some relaxation and ice cave exploration with Chippy. We’re on a relationship break until then, whatever that means. I figure “let’s take is a break” is somewhere between “I’m not cooking you dinner tonight” and “I’m sleeping with your best friend.” I’ll be playing video games and trying to beat the internet in the interim.

Next week I’ll be out on the East coast in Newport RI and Boston MA. Obviously I’ll be thoroughly disappointed if I don’t get to meet Family Guy and hear at least one person say “chow-dah”. I’m not really sure what else to expect– although I hear there’s lobster there.

Speculative Chronicle

According to an old Yahoo profile I’ve been engaged to the internet since early 1998. It’s ten years under the influence and still going strong.

If we haven’t met before my name’s Nick. Google currently thinks I’m the most interesting person on the internet, the most interesting person on Facebook and the most interesting person on MySpace. I’m an Interactive Marketing Manager (and consultant) with 8 years of professional experience in web development, design and database administration. I also have significant professional experience in project management, e-mail marketing, SEO/SEM, digital strategy/architecture, SharePoint, Flash and web analytics. It’s an exciting challenge to continue learning and evolving with the digital world. I love networking with others and you can find and add me on LinkedIn if you’d like.

It’s my personal goal to experience (do, learn, taste, touch, smell, share) everything I can. I’ll be cataloging my experiences, thoughts, companions and general musings along the way. You can expect a posting at least once a week with a variety of things from short stories to personal thoughts, from digital insight to funny and useful links. I appreciate links back, and if you’d like to get in touch all you have to do is send me a message on MySpace. We have to connect first if you want to read the private posts.

The very first blog I ever had was called “Speculative Chronicle.” It was filled with sometimes entertaining, sometimes ironic, sometimes desperate stories about my struggle into the real world and adulthood; from moving out in high school to starting fresh in another state. In memory of my childhood, your one stop shop for world domination’s first blog entry has been titled and dedicated to the since lost “Speculative Chronicle”.