Tralfaz

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  • #400 – Better Make it Count

    I was looking at my dashboard, and realized that the next post would be #400. Wow, 400 times I have had an idea to share and jotted it down.

    What to write about? Well, there are plenty of things to discuss.

    • Today (May 28) is my wedding anniversary. 14 years ago today, I married the love of my life, and have been happy ever since (just don’t tell her, she thinks she ruined my life…) Going out for Italian food tonight.
    • This morning, I heard that a friend’s wife lost her battle with cancer. Cancer is crap. I can’t fathom how he feels, but I would do anything to help him. Sad is far to weak of an emotion to describe how hard this hit me reading it when I woke up.
    • Last weekend, that dickhead loser at UCSB decided to kill a bunch of women because he kept getting rejected. It is hard to think a a more meaningless reason for a rampage, so I won’t even try. I know that nothing will be done to reduce the future likelihood of another tragedy like this, but I can hope that some common sense breaks out. I am not holding my breath.

    But mostly I think I will mention how great it is to have an outlet for trivialities, where I can be as serious or banal as I desire.

    … and people actually read it. (I never quit being amazed by this)

  • My problems with LinkedIn

    linkedin-logoI am getting social media swamped.  But there is one trend that I am sure that I am not alone in is the in your face nature that LinkedIn has become since going public.  I have been a member of Linkedin for a long time, and it has been a good place to collect my professional connections.  But, it is not a place that I go to daily, weekly, or even once a month.  The truth is that for me it is not a major motivator in my professional career. But lately, the noise from LinkedIn has become intolerable.  I blame the pressures of becoming a public company and the incessant drive to derive money from its users. But, come on…

    First, as a user, and in my past searches for new positions, I have never once thought to look to LinkedIn.  I know that there are job postings there, and that some people are successful in using it to hunt for jobs, but, truth be told I rely on my reputation, and the relationships I have with a few select recruiters who I have worked with in the past (on both sides, as a candidate and to seek a candidate). LinkedIn has disrupted this, but, to me, not for the better.  I get a lot of queries for positions that it should be clear to a 3rd grade level reader that I am not really suitable for, or that my qualifications don’t fit. It is almost like it has made recruiters stupid, and turned them into spamming telemarketers.  I have stopped responding to the most ludicrous ones.

    Second, what started as a nice idea, the “recommendations” feature has become rife with abuse.  How often do you get a query from a past colleague seeking recommendations?  You can decline, but most people just cave in and write one. Usually glowing with flowery praise for someone who is about as intelligent and worthy as a potted plant. When I do go hunting around, I often read the recommendations for former colleagues that I didn’t write, and I have seen a lot of lipstick applied to the proverbial pig. Yikes.  I would never rely on the recommendations of a candidate that are on linked in.  For the record. I have NEVER asked for a recommendation.  The ones on my profile are genuine from people who wouldn’t pull punches.

    Lastly, they have started this thing called “endorsements”.  You see 4 of your connections with what seems like a match for their skills, and are asked to endorse them.  I have received literally hundreds of them. The problem is that most of the people doing the endorsement wouldn’t know how good I am at “Product Management” or “Marketing”.  My interactions with them were either for different reasons, or completely unrelated to what they have endorsed me for. Criminy, I got endorsed for “Microsoft Office”. Seriously, WTF is up with that?

    Naturally, this is all to help them generate more page views, and more advertising, thus leading HR and Recruiters to continue to pony up for the access to this huge pool of talent. But to me, LinkedIn remains a fairly static view of me and my career. Regardless of how often they offer me a free month of “Premium” I will never take it, because to me there can’t be enough value for me to pay for it. Monetizing your “product” is important, but just like if Facebook started charging the users for the service, it would whither and die, so will LinkedIn.  Continue to make it the professional network, but realize that some/many of your enhancements are making the service far less valuable for my time. There is nothing LinkedIn can do to get my visit frequency to daily.

    (I originally wrote this for my professional blog, but thought I should share it here as well)

  • Cool Music – Devin Townsend

    Cool Music

    A couple years ago, I was turned on to Devin Townsend. I can thank the inimitable Mario Parga for the introduction. I fell completely in love with his music, and quickly snarfed up most of his work.

    The most interesting was the Devin Townsend Project albums. Each one was distinctive, unique and in a very different style. From mellow, space you out (Ghost) to in your face, kick ass guitars with the awesome vocals of Anneke van Giersbergen of Addicted!

    Enchanting music, and quite approachable. So when I saw that a Pledgemusic drive was being done for a new Devin project called “Casualties of Cool” I opened my checkbook and pledged.

    While the drive was open, us “Pledgers” were gifted with a couple of tracks, and update videos of the process. Really cool way to keep interest high!

    I got the 2 CD set yesterday. Wow. There were some early teasers, so I knew what to expect (a rock/blues/country groove with a ton of subtle tones, great vocals, and a story that flows with the music.

    Not for everyone, but do check it out. Probably on Spotify shortly with all the rest of Devin’s tunes, I suspect you will find it worthy.

    (Yes, if that name is vaguely familiar it is because Devin was Vocals in the Steve Vai band in the early 1990’s)

  • Selling your house blues

    I have been griping a lot lately about the hassle of selling your house. It really is a pain in the ass for a number of reasons:

    1. You can’t “live” anymore. You have to clean clutter, and to keep every surface clean, dishes in the dishwasher, clothes folded and put away. So you pack about 1/3 of the stuff you would normally have out (like my guitars and a lot of electronics, books, and other items), and live minimalist. Suck.
    2. You no longer look forward to weekends. They are the most popular showing days, so Saturday and Sunday you wake up early, and get the house ready. Vacuum, wash the counters, polish the cook top. And then you wait. Can’t do anything that takes more than a couple of hours, because you need to get the dogs out if someone calls.
    3. Always ready to pack up and leave. We have dogs, two greyhounds, so when someone wants to see the house, we have to leave and take them away. They are getting awful tired of walking around the local park.

    So, that is the rut of my life right now. I don’t look forward to weekends, I am discouraged that we go 4/6/ or even 11 days between showings, yet we have to be ready at a moment’s notice to bolt.

    Life sucks.

  • Bond Flicks

    I have a confession. I love the Bond movies. From the early Sean Connery movies, the single episode with George Lazenby (and Diana Rigg as the Bond girl, rowr!), the Moore years, and then the others. I love the cheesy plots and dialog, the hokey special effects (although they have improved with age), and the whole “Aura” of the Bond character.

    The happiest day of the year was discovering that many of them are now available for streaming on Netflix. Yay!

    There are some lemons. Last night I was watching “Never Say Never Again”, a truly forgettable film with the return of Sean Connery, and featuring Kim Bassinger. Being a non-Eon production, it didn’t have the charming Desmond Llewellyn as ‘Q’, and that is all you need to know.

    Over the weekend, I watched “A View to a Kill”, a fine bond movie with a completely contrived plot around destroying Silicon valley. Its saving grace is the superb performance of Christopher Walken. Because even Bond needs more COWBELL!

    Of course, the current Bond actor, Daniel Craig is doing a superlative job and has revitalized the franchise, easing it away from the “cold warrior” into the global terror fighter.

    I will keep on watching, and enjoying the movies. I think this weekend I will queue up “From Russia with Love” and “Live and Let Die”.

  • Almost made a truck turn over

    On my way to lunch, a jackass in a pickup truck was riding my bumper. On Chandler Blvd, at 45mph. We both turned right, but I didn’t slow or brake (nice driving a S2000) and he tried to take the 90 degree corner at 40mph. Oops, On to 2 wheels he want, and I suspect he soiled his tidy-whities.

    Tee hee!

  • House Selling Blues

    Down in the dump today. I am being relocated from Phoenix back to the San Jose area, and things seemed on track for a smooth transition. Got our house cleaned up, fixed up and ready to sell. A month earlier, houses like ours was low inventory, and in demand.

    Cool

    Put it on the market April 2, and priced it to sell (about $12 – $18 sqft below the comps), and did our thing. Went out of town the first weekend so as to not be disturbed by the viewings. Got 6 or so that weekend, and an offer.

    But the offer fell through due to some of the restrictions of the relocation company. Bummer. Back on the market.

    And very few showings. We just had a non-holiday weekend without a single call.

    I am wondering what the listing kryptonite is? A few blocks a way (short walk) three single story houses went on the market about the same time as ours. All three of them sold within 5 days (to property management companies and investors who will turn them into rentals).

    We are still well below the local comps, so I really don’t want to reduce the price. But we may need to do something to get interest back. This sucks.

  • Travel Log

    I have had a very light travel schedule the last two years. Probably the least I have traveled in 15 years (before I started in product management). But that lull has ended.

    Some thoughts from the road:

    • TSA PreCheck – Over a year ago, I went through the rigmarole to get my Global Entry card/status. One of the fringe benefits is being added to the “Trusted Traveler” list. Thus I pretty much always get the TSA PreCheck on my boarding pass. WIN. I get to use the special lane, I don’t have to remove jacket or shoes. My laptop can stay in my bag. I get to go through the magnetometer. It is like going back to 1999 and traveling.
    • Carry on Baggage – I understand why airlines have gone to charging for bags and everything else that used to come gratis. But the $25 per bag to check means that the boarding of the plane is a melee. People arguing about the overhead space. People mauling other people’s bags to force in their body bags. And the inevitable gate checking of a dozen people’s bags. Furthermore, all airlines have guidelines on the size of carry-ons. Fully 3/4 of all rollers I see are way over the size allocation. Airlines, please start enforcing the size constraints of the carry ons.
    • Overbooking – I was at the airport early, flying a spoke flight (from a non-hub to a hub). All three flights were oversold. If a Tuesday mid afternoon (not the busy slot) is completely oversold, you might want to run bigger planes, or more flights. This is not new, but it has reinforced my belief that I will never ever be tempted to take the cash for a later flight.
    • Cab Queues – I often don’t rent cars. If I have the time, or am arriving at a reasonable hour, I will use public transit, or one of the shuttle services. But when I land late, or if I am unfamiliar, I will use a cab to get at least to my hotel. Why the hell can’t we figure out how to operate consistent cab queues? In Japan, it is methodical, machine-like, and uber efficient. In the US, it is all over the map. Peoria IL? After 8:00PM it can take an hour and a call to get a cab (grrrrr). Boston at midnight? A surprisingly long queue (I once waited 90 minutes in a line that was 400 yards long).
    • Elite Status – being elite used to be awesome. Board first, get upgrades etc. In the mid ought’s, I would get a lot of upgrades. First class in domestic flights was about 50% (I was putting on about 160K miles a year on UAL at the time), and probably 30% into business class international. Then I hit a million miles on UAL about 4 years ago. Supposedly I was automatically added to the upgrade list every flight. A “perk” they said. In 4 years, I have NOT ONCE been upgraded. A perk isn’t a perk if there are at least 24 additional people on that list, and the odds are nil that you will get it. Yes, I still get to board early, and I get double miles. Big deal.
    • Rewards Programs – I have three different frequent flier programs, I have at least 5 different hotel chain reward programs. I have “advantage” with 3 different car rental companies. Enough with this crap. There isn’t enough benefits across them to be worth the hassle. I get the “loyalty” program, but I also am annoyed when I travel with someone who absolutely must stay at a Marriott property. FFS, is a free night’s stay sometime in the future really worth being an asshole to travel with?

    And this doesn’t get into the annoyance of the mergers of the major domestic carriers, the reduction of competition, and the corresponding degradation of (what little is left of) service. The American people have spoken, and the lowest fare is the winner, with all the extras being charged for. I just wish we could go back to the late 1990s.

    Airport food has never been great. But all the vendors are moving to the grab and go model. $10 for a bland turkey sandwich. Yet, you will get worse food for more money on the plane (if you happen to be on a flight long enough to have food for sale). You are a captive audience, and you have no power in the relationship.

    Sorry for the rant. I feel better now.

  • Leaving Arizona – Some more good stuff

    While Arizona has many flaws, there are some wonderful things that are worth bragging about.

    The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

    Truly a wonderful place to get a good snapshot of the ecology of the desert. Well run, fabulous docents, and a great place to get a feel for the diversity of the desert.

    We were members every year, and we were certain to take all our visitors to the ASDM.

    The Pima Air and Space Museum

    Located adjacent to the Davis Monthan AFB, the Pima Air andSpace museum is a jewel. A fabulous overview of the history of flight, and many fabulous planes (including a complete SR-71 Blackbird, worth the price of admission on its own).

    A real treat that everyone enjoys.

    Cafe Poca Cosa

    A restaurant in downtown Tucson, it is a local favorite. We used to take all our out of town guests there. Fabulous food, made fresh every day, with a menu that changes twice a day, it is well worth the drive.

    The owner, Susanna Davila, also the principal chef, loves to mingle and interact with the guests. Their bar makes terrific Margaritas, and if you are interested in a less alcoholic experience, their white sangria is fantastic.

    Recommendation: Get the Plato, a mix of three of their entree’s at the Chef’s discretion, it is sure to please. No ability to pick what is on the plate (but if you have a shellfish allergy, they will accommodate you), it is the best way to get a taste of Cafe Poca Cosa.

    The Musical Instrument Museum

    Up to Phoenix now (actually Scottsdale), the MIM is wonderful. When I visited, I expected it to be good, but I was completely blown away.

    They have assembled a huge collection of music, musical instruments, and related it to cultures and the spread of civilization.

    Music is something that is innate in all of us, and it was fascinating to see the most humble of components, how they were assembled, and then to hear the music that came from it.

    Truly a wondrous display, and a worthy trip! If we weren’t moving, we would definitely be annual members. It is that good.

    The Butterfly Wonderland

    This is a new addition. Also in Scottsdale, the butterfly wonderland is a bit out of the way. It seemed expensive, but with the AAA discount it was better.

    You start with a 3D movie that explains the cycle of the Monarch butterfly. It was cool, but not great. Then there is a display of butterflies and moths in their metamorphosis. Again cool, but not overwhelming.

    Then you go outside. Wow. Butterflies, Moths, in all different sizes and shapes. Vibrant colors, large, small, they were all there.

    Summary

    Plenty of great things to see and do in Arizona. If you should visit, I can recommend these (in addition to the standards: Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Antelope Valley, Monument Valley).

  • Selling your house sucks

    There are many reasons to hate the process of selling. The last time I had to relocate, we moved up front, and left an empty house. Get it cleaned, and let the agents have free reign.

    This time, we have to sell before we move. This is much harder to accomplish.

    #1 Select a realtor

    There are literally thousands of realtors in any major metropolitan area. We are fortunate that we had to choose one who knows the Relo game and works with our Relocation company. Two good realtors, two slightly different approaches, but both seem competent. We pick the local specialist.

    #2 Get ready

    Unless you have fucking Martha Stewart as a maid, and a kick ass gardener, there are likely a list of things to do. You can live there, but you have to be ready to show at any time. And while it can be lived in, you really need to not have too much clutter.

    So there are about 40 boxes of stuff stored in the garage. No guitars out. Not much besides the essentials.

    It is tough living, but we have to do it.

    Get the carpets cleaned. Get the tile scrubbed, fix those little things you never got to. Oh, your kitchen sink faucet died? Get it fixed. Oh, your garage door spring died? Get it fixed.

    A few thousand dollars later we are ready.

    #3 Put it on the market

    Now the fun begins. It goes live. The marketing begins. The listing gets picked up by Trulia, homes.com, and Zillow.

    We put it on the market on a Wednesday. We knew the first weekend would be busy, so we went to a local resort for a splurge. Put the dogs into daycare.

    Now we are in the constant readiness state. Dirty a dish? Into the dishwasher instantly. Vacuum every day. Pick up dog toys and beds. We went from 10 dog beds to 3 that we move in and out.

    We are now officially 2 weeks into it. Showing have trickled to once a day, or every other day. Easter weekend is coming. I bet that is slow.

    #4 Bad buyers – Ups and Downs

    The first Monday, we had an offer. Full price. Wanted the washer and dryer. Cool.

    But the Relo people have a special process. Since they didn’t live here, they have no direct experience with the property, so they give minimal disclosure, and the buyer has to buy it as is (they do get to do an inspection, and we will fix what they find, but no need to come completely clean). The buyer, being a lawyer, didn’t like the terms. We were in limbo for 4 whole days before they backed out. Fuck.

    I can totally relate to the buyer’s trepidation. A simple Google search shows that the relocation company is more than a bit skeevy, and has totally boned a lot of buyers. Sigh.

    I know this happens, but it still sucks. Ironically, if we were just selling without the relo group involved, we would be 2 weeks from settlement. (You can be sure that I will hammer them on the customer satisfaction survey)

    Summary

    We have priced our house to sell. We are $12 – $18 a sqft below the neighborhood trends. But we are in a buyers market, so it will take time to get the right person to walk into our house.

    I just want to get moved, and move on. Too much happening in life to have this drag out.

    We have a showing tonight at 6:30. Fingers are crossed.