Further toughts on the iPad

Ok, now i’m being called an Apple fanboy again who’s drinking the Kool Aid.

That’s funny.

Now to say that I’m drinking the Kool Aid is just lame, and typical of people who are Anti Apple. And believe me there are many out there who just despise Apple. I know that.

Apple does not always do it right. They do make missteps along the way, it’s true. In the Jobs era you have The Cube, the weird colored Clam Shell iBooks, to a lesser extent AppleTV (though it delivers on what was promised, just the promise is totally underwhelming).

But Apple’s latest Macs, notebooks and iPods/iPhones are awesome. And every step of the way the Anti Apple zealots have started to sound as out of touch as the Mac Addicts. (There’s Kool Aid to be sipped on both sides!)

The name does have it’s problems. But that doesn’t bother me. If nothing else I’d love to see a move away from the “I” names, but that probably won’t happen. Not soon anyway.

iPad: Apple’s New Lust Gadget?

So Apple unveiled the iPad today.

Some people are already calling it a big failure. That it’s underwhelming. That it’s too pricey. That it just doesn’t make any sense.

Well… those are all the same criticisms we heard for the iPod, and the iPhone and iPod Touch. Yet, here we are. Apple is a $50 Billion a year business, and I’m pretty sure they are onto something here.

Now, the iPad is not a netbook, or a “traditional windows style tablet” or a replacement for a notebook.

No, the iPad is truly something new. It’s a device that is geared for those of us who are truly mobile internet users for whom the iPhone screen is too small for hours of use, and for whom a notebook is still just too much computer to lug around.

I think there’s a lot more of us out there for this than a lot of people realize.

Sure, right now the application capabilities of the iPad are not much greater than that of an iPod Touch or an iPhone. They do share the same core OS, but as a developer I know already that the iPad has greater functionality built into it’s interface than the smaller siblings it complements. In time developers are going to make killer apps for this product. Apple themselves have already shown us some of that power in the new iWork for iPad apps. Sleek desktop level apps, in a clean iPhone OS form factor. Nice.

I’ve watched the Keynote twice. And I’m sold. This is my next computing device. I don’t need a full fledged notebook to check email and surf the web and type up word processing docs while I’m sitting at the soccer fields. I just don’t. But I also don’t want to do those things on a tiny iPhone screen either. This is going to be perfect.

I’m looking forward to getting my hands on one as soon as I can! And at $499 to start, the price point is pretty sweet. It’s Apple’s cheapest entry into the computing line. I’m willing to bet they’ll sell a ton of these.

Dreams

Dreams are the things that push our creativity. They are the inspiration that moves us to greatness. They are what our hearts and our minds wish for us together. The successful pursuit of one’s dreams can be the most rewarding experience of our lives. And yet, many of us give up on our dreams at one point or another. We convince ourselves that it’s too hard, the ceiling is too high, the reality of our lives can’t live up to the fantasy. Why do we do that?

Is it necessary to do that? Is that just the way it is? I’ve found myself asking this question more and more recently.

I have lots of dreams. Some of them, I know, are totally unreasonable. (Let’s face it, I’m likely never going to find myself President of Apple. But a lot of them are dreams I have been working very hard towards accomplishing.

My moviemaking, running my own business, being a man I can be proud of. I guess those aren’t crazy dreams to have. I am, technically living out all three of them.

But it’s very difficult. The moviemaking is rewarding in it’s own way. But I am beginning to wonder if I’ll ever lift it to the lofty expectations of my dreams. What are the chances I’ll ever get to make an Avatar? Or even still, what are the chances I’ll ever get to make my Dad’s film? Is it even worth thinking about that sort of loftier ambition? Or should I be content with the level I’m at and just learn to be happy with that?

My business venture with Theresa and Laura is going pretty well. We are working very hard to grow and expand our reach. We are launching a new software company that has the potential to make us a load of money in the next year and a half alone. But I still wonder if we are going to reach that point. I wonder if my dreams are ultimately out of reach of my reality. Is it folly to continue pushing for such high goals? Or is that the true sign of someone on the path to success? The unwillingness to give up? I often wonder if my life would be easier if I’d just suck it up and work a “regular job.”

And as for being a man I can be proud of. I think I’m living that dream out day-to-day. Generally I think I’m succeeding and I like to think that I’m not just tooting my own horn without reason. Certainly being dumped, for no obvious reasons, in October has shaken that perception of who I am a bit. But I think I’ve responded to the challenges of the past 4 months with dignity and grace and patience, understanding and love. I think I’m doing all right.

This isn’t a crisis post. I’m not planning on changing my path or doing anything drastic. But I think it’s good to evaluate and question one’s path periodically. Don’t you?

Beautiful Outside

So after what feels like an eternity of rain, we have finally been given a day or two of blue skies. The forecast is for more gloomy, rainy weather in a couple of days, but for right now we are being treated to the wonder of crisp, clean skies in San Diego.

It’s absolutely gorgeous. One of those days that reminds you why you live in So Cal.

The other day Alissa said I was being very Glass Half-Full when I said the rain was great because it would bring us blue skies, green hillsides and clean air. You can even see snow capped mountain peaks in the east county from the beach! Well, maybe I was a bit Glass Half-Full, but I was also right!

So nice out, but I also can’t wait for the next few days of rain. I want this to be the year we pull our So Call butts out of the drought. So tired of the drought conditions.

reBlog from wired.com: Interview: Nathan Fillion Talks Firefly, Dr. Horrible, and Why Kids Need to Read

I found this fascinating quote today:

Nathan Fillion has, in the space of seven years, risen to the status of a geek icon. Beginning with his best-known role as Captain Mal Reynolds on Firefly, his work on several of Joss Whedon’s projects has transformed the former soap opera actor into a huge draw for the geek crowd. But there’s a lot more to Fillion than tight pants and a pistol — and a heck of a lot more than a shirt with a picture of a hammer on it.wired.com, Interview: Nathan Fillion Talks Firefly, Dr. Horrible, and Why Kids Need to Read, Jan 2010

You should read the whole article.

American Idol – I love this stuff!

Pants on the ground!

The shrieking, the sobbing, the fakeness, the insanity of the auditions! I love American Idol!

For 9 years now it’s been must see T.V. for myself and my entire family. I can’t wait to see how the rest of this season plays out.

Ryan Seacrest seems particularly funny this year and has anyone else notice how nice looking Kara is? Daaaamn!

Apple Event on Monday

The iPad? The iSlate?

Just what is Apple up to in Cupertino?

We all get to find out on Monday. And I’m sure my pocketbook is going to wish it had more funds in it when they announce it.

Up Late Again

I guess this is one of the downsides of being single again. I just can’t seem to sleep anymore.

It’s kind of a big joke in the family and with all of my close friends, this reality that I can function on so little sleep. 3-4 hours really isn’t a big deal for me.

But, somehow, when I wasn’t single I found sleep much easier to find at night. I miss that about being with her. I miss the calmness of my mind. The way I was centered when she was with me. My mind would stop racing, my body would relax and sleep would come. It wan’t unusual for me to sleep a full 8 hours in a night, sometimes more.

But here I am, once again, staring at the clock. Listening to the nighttime sounds of the neighborhood around me. Wishing that somehow I could find the peace, the calmness, the comfort of a full night’s rest. I might not need it to function tomorrow, but I miss the way I felt when I was able to sleep easily. Maybe someday I’ll find that peace once again.

Total for the first 24 hours of this storm week…

So, according to WeatherBug we got 1.83″ of rain here in Encinitas in the first 24 hours of storms for the week. That’s a lot of rain for San Diego. Can’t wait to see how much more we get as the week progresses.

One side benefit of all this rain… I have my afternoons off all week since we can’t hold soccer practice at the Polo Club when the weather is like this.

Rain

I have to say I am very pleased that it is raining outside.

I know most people in So. Cal. hate it when it rains. But I find it refreshing. As though we are getting a good rinse down as the new year starts. Like we’ll all have a fresh clean slate to start from when this week is out.

I love the sound of the rain on my roof as I’m drifting off to sleep. It’s soothing and almost reassuring. Water, after all, is essential to life. It’s a fundamental necessity. Sure it’s gray and dark while the rain is here, but I look forward to what it leaves us. The greener hills, the cleaner air, the absence of drought conditions for the So. Cal. region. It’s all good.

So enjoy the rain. I am.

Additional personal goals for 2010

So after a day or two of thinking about it I forgot or decided to add a couple more items:

I will learn to Ballroom Dance this year.
I will learn to play the guitar this year.
I will act more this year.
I will direct a film this year.

I’ll add more if they come to me.

2010 – Futures

So I’ve spent the last few days thinking a lot about the future.

It’s time to set some new goals in my life. I turn 35 in May, so maybe I should look back at the goals I had set for myself and see if they’ve come to pass.

There were really only a couple of major goals I had set for myself when I was 30 to have accomplished by the time I was 35.

1. To produce a feature film by 35.
   Accomplished. “What’s The Vig?” and Iraq and Beyond.
2. Have my own place.
   Accomplished. Moved into my own place in October 2009.
3. Get my finances out of chaos.
   In progress with major advances at the end of 2009.
4. Have my own production company up and running.
   Accomplished. Dawson Digital has been in existence since 2004. We’ve produced two features (1 narrative, 1 documentary and multiple shorts with a whole shelf of awards and achievements.)

That’s really it. That’s all the major goals I had set for myself at 30. (Funny that I didn’t actually start to take care of two of those items until just recently.)

Now 35… what are my goals like now? I think I’ll set them at a more reasonable 12-18 months setting now. That way I don’t wait 4-5 years to get around to them like this last time.

David’s 2010 Goals:

1. To continue to improve my personal financial situation.
   This includes:
   Finally eliminating debt to IRS and FTB
   Settling into acceptable agreements on Student Loans
2. Grow Dawson Digital’s business by a factor of 10.
   Dawson Digital was about a $100,000.00 business in 2009. I intend to bring Dawson Digital to a $1M business in the next 18 months. This will be done through a variety of means. Expanding and exploring new ventures for the company, like our iPhone business and Team Ordering software. Establishing business partnerships to expand our reach, hello Blue Horse and Trumpet! And maybe, taking on some new bold ventures only spoken about in the past. Things that aren’t “polite to talk about” in casual conversation, but have the potential to make us millions.
3. Continue to improve my health.
   I will lose more weight. I’m thinking a final weight of 210 lbs by this time next year.
   I completely quit smoking in 2010.
   Maybe I will add in some goal, like running a half-marathon or something. Let’s see how busy the year is as it progresses, yeah?
4. In all that I do, I will listen to my heart.
   Maybe this seems like a weird thing to have in “goals.” But the past few months, and really the past couple of years have shown me how incredibly hard it can be to listen to your own voice in life. It’s so easy to be swayed off of your own path when others are telling you to do something completely different. From the common advice of family and friends about your personal life, to the constant drone of the media over how bad the economy is. It’s easy to let other people’s opinions move you in directions you didn’t mean to go. So this is an actual goal for me. I’m not going to let others dictate my response to the world around me. I will listen to my own voice, follow my own heart and charge forward on my own path.

I think that’s it. I think those are my main goals for the next 12-18 months. Let’s get to it!

2010 – First Impressions

So it’s not quite two weeks in to the year 2010 and I thought I’d take a moment to put down some thoughts on the year so far.

I remember being a kid and watching the movie 2010: The Year We Make Contact and thinking that 2010 was sooooo very far off. Can’t believe I’m actually living in the year now. It’s kind of crazy. It was always one of those sort of intangible milestones that I spoke about, but somehow, never really thought would come.

I don’t know how to explain it, but knowing that it is now the year 2010 is just a bit surreal for me.

So far the year has been a pretty strange one. I’m frightfully busy with projects for work. Somehow our business has managed to survive the economic downturn as though it never existed. This is good, as it has made all of us around here a lot more calm while the world seemed to be falling apart around us.

And yet, somehow, even with the blessings of all of this work I find myself longing for something different. Perhaps it’s a symptom of my recently becoming single again, but I am experiencing a great deal of wander-lust. Meaning, I have a huge urge to travel again. To just drop all that I’m doing and go start something completely new… preferably abroad. You know, a complete change of lifestyle, culture and business.

Who knows if I’ll actually pursue it. But the thoughts are all on my mind again. Last time I had this sort of desire I ended up working for Gold Coast traveling all over the country doing corporate events and concerts.

But, this is 2010! Not 1999. And my life is quite a bit different now. I am furiously working on finding the right angle to get Dawson Digital super successful. Not just for me, but for my siblings and their families and for my Mom. I honestly believe that if I work hard enough I can provide an incredible security for all of them through this company I started with Theresa and Dad. On that turn, we are actively working on iPhone App development, commercial video and graphic design work and even trying to figure out how to market our Team Ordering software system that’s been in development for over 2 years. Recently Karl has stated an interest in helping us with that one. I’ll meet with him when I return from working in Vegas this week to see what we can do.

Any one of these software pieces of the Dawson Digital pie has the potential to turn us all into millionaires. I really feel like this year we are right on the verge of finally realizing all that we have been pushing for since Dad died.

We shall see.

On a personal note, I am generally pretty happy. I am still sorting out how to deal with my broken heart. I’m not angry, or bitter. Just sad and confused. Hopeful for what the future holds, but still wishing that the future was something I was pursuing with the woman I love. Not something I am building alone. But you never know what the future holds for you. Do you?

I have found that since the year began I am terribly late for almost everything. I mean, I just can’t seem to show up on time for any appointments. At all! Wonder if that will settle down as the year progresses, or if that’s a new behavior pattern for me.

I will be turning 35 this May. 35 is a big number for me. I’m reaching some turning points in my life. Some markers that I have set for myself many moons ago are quickly approaching. It’s time, I guess, to really evaluate who I am again, and what I want to do with myself. A good thing to do periodically I feel. But somehow, this year, it all feels so much more… heavy.

I’m going to try and chronicle my thoughts more often this year. I have a feeling it’s going to be a good year to keep track of. I feel change in the wind. It’ll be good to see how I react to it all. Someday down the road I have a feeling I’ll be able to look back at the posts from this year and say, “AHA! You see! That was where this all began!”

Here I go.