Findling Events

This morning I looked at the calendar, 30 days.  Thirty days I go I started a great experience.  I am now the Online Marketing Manager for Embarcadero Technoloiges - a database tools and application development software company in San Francisco, CA.

I am currently reading a great book that speaks about the correlation between Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman.  There is already a lot that has made me sit back and just say “huh, yea…never thought of that one.”  While it does not seem that the online marketing manager of a software company can have any impact or deep prose to offer, there are times in life where nothing is what it seems.

The software that Embarcadero creates, we actually make a great deal of the world go ’round.  Think about your iPhone, your Facebook, your Blackberry - do you know what allows you to find the exact song, email, tag, shoes or that green button from a Beatles concert on eBay?  Databases make that information “there” for you to get your hands on.  Application Developers, even those that make the Scrabble fun times on Facebook, make it possible.  What do yout think helped drive Barack Obama into the White House, text messages served to millions via  a database of supporters.

The last time I wrote for my blog was October 17th, I hope to truly make an effort this time that each day I will write a new post - a new thought - even just a few sentences that might make at least one person stop and wonder - where is my data going?  And by that I don’t mean your computer, I don’t mean your new sleek touch screen phone.  Your data is your heart, your passion, your creative strength - where is it going?  Where do you take it everyday?  The world seems like a daunting place right now with that the news brings us.  And unless you don’t open your 401k statement and do not turn on the news you may not even know it is there.  But the fact remains, and this is something Walt Whitman started to get into the public eye, you are your own SELF, and that SELF has a every ability to control the now.

Enjoy, see you soon.

It is Friday afternoon in San Francisco, California.  In 19 days the world will change - for better or for worse.  Friday in San Fran means getting your best weekend plans in place - be that wine tasting, movie, culture, arts, music, the beach, the mountains, the air, or simply put, nothing.

In less than 100 hours I will have completed a journey.  I left New York City after years in order to pursue a personal mission.  I was going to change the life that at the time, I knew was worth living, I just did not find much worthiness in it.  I was driving, hammering, pounding away at my life in New York - but no true joy.  I read recently joy comes from within, pleasure is the fleeting moments of external events.

Nearly five months since I moved from New York City I am about to turn 31 years old.  Lets see what has changed, or better yet, what has remained the same?  Monday morning I will start a new career in the software world of San Francisco and the Silicon Valley (I will have an office In Scotts Valley so I can say I have a Valley world!).  I now wonder, why did it take 5000 miles, a new world, a new life to realize that life is pleasure.   When certain parts of my personal life faultered in California many asked “are you ready to come back New York City young Jedi…?”  No…I have learned that golden lesson: the bigger the risk, the better the reward.  I am really excited to get started at Embarcadero Technoloiges, www.embarcadero.com, a database software company.  New home, new apartment, new job, bike - and hopefully an ever shrinking waistline!

Simply put as time has gone on here, each day I see a new reason to just live it, love it and take every joy and pleasure with me with each new experience.  The wind, the sun, the air, the moutains, beaches, ocean, trails, bikes, dogs, people, women, food, music….after 30 years, I’ve found peace.

I wish I had mystical words to share, but clean and simple I had a great sunset last night here in San Francisco. Even if nobody ever read this “post” - I would feel better knowing that if you are looking for a place to get clean air in your lungs, take a load of, remove some stress - any form of the above, Ocean Beach within the city limits of San Francisco is a great place. Or wherever you live, take a few minutes to breathe without distraction or other stimulation every day, does a body a great good.

Amazing Sunset

MSNBC.com

Backup has left American’s terminal brimming with hundreds of bags

The Associated Press

updated 1:32 p.m. PT, Wed., July. 30, 2008

NEW YORK - A software glitch crippled the baggage handling system in an American Airlines terminal at Kennedy Airport on Wednesday, delaying some flights and causing a luggage pileup at the ticket counters.

The malfunction created big problems throughout the day for passengers flying out of Terminal 8, one of the newer buildings at JFK.

Thousands of customers had to leave their luggage behind and hope it would be delivered later. The breakdown was galling to some passengers already steamed over the airline’s recent decision to start charging fees for each checked bag on flights within the United States and Canada.

“I’m just not happy. I think it’s crazy,” said Mike Howell, who was en route to San Diego after visiting New York City. “If they do charge people 15 dollars per bag, they should get it right.”

The problem developed at around 4:45 a.m., when a piece of software failed in the computer that reads the bar code on each piece of tagged luggage, and then whisks the bag via conveyor belt to the proper gate.

With the automated system out of service, airline employees were forced to sort each bag by hand. They quickly became overwhelmed by the task.

The airline tried delaying flights for 60 to 90 minutes, hoping that would be enough extra time to get them loaded, but lots of luggage still didn’t make it aboard.

The airline’s engineers and technicians from the system developer were still working to diagnose the software problem Wednesday afternoon, said airline spokesman Tim Wagner.

Because of the crisis, American waived its fees Wednesday for travelers checking fewer than three bags at JFK. Starting in June, the airline, like most of its competitors, has charged $15 for one checked bag or $40 for two bags. Passengers may still carry on luggage for free.

Wagner noted, however, that a majority of the flights affected by Wednesday’s baggage problem were international, and thus not subject to the fees in the first place.

The airline had about 67 scheduled departures at JFK on Wednesday.

Some bags were being diverted to nearby LaGuardia and Newark airports and put on alternative flights.

Wagner said he could offer no immediate estimate on how long it might take the airline to sort through the backlog and get each bag to its proper destination.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hello New York,

About 8 months ago I turned to a few friends and proclaimed “I’m leaving New York in June” Nobody actually thought I would do it, they thought it was a joke, a bluff - a hoax! So it was, after eight years in Manhattan I moved to San Francisco two months ago. I happy to report that after to months on the west coast - I’ve never been happier. I actually started to understand what it physically means to understand my own mind and body.

I write to my friends in New York, there is a charm that is Manhattan, it makes you feel like you are on top of the world and it is center of the universe. And to some extent, that is true, but I am also happy to report there is an alternative feeling to that world that enables you to more closely monitor who you are as a person.

Over eight years I knew a lot of people, and to some extent I can divide them into 3 groups:

1. Those that love New York, would never leave and thrive on the existence.

2. Those that want to leave, want to move, find another ground - but never do.

3. Those that want to leave, want to move, find another ground - and find the courage to do so.

My point is, in the last two months a gorgeous woman who has the intials DW taught me a great lesson. Change, no matter how big or small, to induce upon your own self takes courage and a dash of blind faith. I woke up this morning to the view below (granted I’m dog sitting), but working from home today I ate my lunch next to the lapping waves of the Pacific Ocean. OK, yes, there are MASSIVE forest fires just north of here, I was thrown from my bike a week ago and it is cold here during the summer. But in the last week or so I felt an opening in my mind - the ability to think clearly again, to write again - to illuminate my sense of humor.

I send much love to my friends and community in New York, you made me, and I will never forget that, like many events I experienced from 2001 attacks, to blackouts, to watching the leaves change to New Year’s in Times Square.

Be good and keep the Apple crisp!

Am I working hard or hardly working? I am working on ideas and thoughts and useful subjects that I could write in my public display of brain power, but for today, I’m going to share my friend Erin, she is a gorgeous girl and I get to watch after her this week!

Incredible. You put up a note that you are going to show a form of nostaglia and the masses FLOCK. I was very impressed last night with the crowd that came out to the Breakfast Club movie last night in Dolores Park. Folks were cold, loud and stoned - but this is San Francisco, we play hard and work hard.

I think about how I am looking at different companies who want to get their “product” out there, imagine if getting your idea out there was as simple as showing a John Hughes Movie?! Cheers, great flic!

I moved to San Francisco six weeks ago and in part had hoped to clear my mind of New York City noise (physically and mentally). That process was going smoothly, and….well, it still is. In part, I wanted to start to write in this tool again, to connect, to reach out - to network if you will.

Yesterday as I rode my nice new bike along Van Ness Avenue/Street here in San Francisco I was side swiped and thrown from my bike. First, I am OK, a bit bruised, scrapes here and there, but otherwise fine. I wanted to say that there is one piece of equipment that saved me from a great deal of extra pain, my helmet.

If you ride a bike, and do not have one of these, I beg you for the love of all that is holy, buy one and wear it.

More to come and hope to update this as much as I can on a daily basis!

Hello friends,

The rumors are true, I am moving to San Francisco. Next week there will be two events which I hope you can join me!

• May 20th: jJoin me for the JICNY Networking Cocktails (click for details) event at 7PM and also learn more about CharityHappenings.org (http://www.charityhappenings.org).Sign up for the newsletter today and $.25 will go to St. Jude\’s Children\’s Hospital.

And if you are not going to Fire Island for Memorial Day Weekend:

• May 24th: Saturday night, come share a drink with me, (location 99% confirmed), will be having a great time in a great lounge on W51st & Broadway, stay tuned! Let me know if you can join us!