Technical Journal Travel Log
Dec
5
2009
For the second time in as many months I’ve had the experience of my hotel room key not working when I returned to my room. Apparently, the magnetic stripe on the key can lose its information when placed in the proximity of a cell phone.
Perhaps the hotel industry should try to find a technology for room keys that is not damaged when close to a common object almost everyone carries around with them in their pocket.
Oct
9
2009
While in Dallas this week I was extremely lucky to meet Julius Erving. He seems to have a connection to a healthcare software company, as I’ve seen him at several trade shows over the years. But, I never was able to press through the line to actually talk to him. Thanks to the economy, the attendence was low enough that it was easier this time.
Julius Erving in 1981 performing a slam dunk. (Jim Accordino at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyack205/)
The funny part was actually being nervous about this. I had seen him play a few times when I was young at the Spectrum (which he told me was going to be torn down very shortly), and seeing him play in person was somewhat sureal. When we watch NBA players now their jumping ability is often taken for granted. But, Dr. J was the one who showed us man could fly. I remember watching him leap from the foul line and dunk the ball, and the first time you saw it you couldn’t believe it – as if you just looked away and your brain told you that’s not what really happened. Then, you see it again, and again, and you realize someone actually can jump that far and high.
He couldn’t have been a nicer guy – sitting there shaking hands and talking with all those strangers. For someone whose family is from Philadelphia while he played for the Sixers it was just a great experience.
I have the pictures to prove it, also!
Meeting Dr. J
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(Dr. J photo from Wikipedia under Creative Commons license. See here. Dr. J & Lyle photo taken by me October 6, 2009 in Grapevine, Texas).
Sep
27
2009
The interior of a 757 is fast becoming the only place where you can still find functioning cathode ray tube television screens.
United 757 Interior
Thank goodness you don’t need to rely on this to entertain you anymore on long flights. Charge up your iPod/laptop before boarding.
Sep
27
2009
Some information on my use of the application Tripit.com is here.
Point Along The Curve
But a comment here about how much of the country I’ve covered. Tripit keeps track of all my travels, and although it isn’t complete since its use is more recent, it’s very interesting to see all the breadcrumbs I’ve left around the country through its map.
It’s interesting to me to look back and reflect on these travels and I’m actually a bit shocked at the number of places I’ve been. More of a property of how old I am, and not how much I travel (I avoid it as much as possible). But some other observations:
My travel is a lot more revisits of places I’ve been now. But I’ll look at this every once in a while to see how it changes.
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