Chris

Signal vs. Noise

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The signal-to-noise ratio is measured by comparing the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise.

A lot of people on the web, myself included, are comparing the level of desired information to the level of distractions.

How can we possibly filter out something meaningful and useful when we have so many posts, tweets, and likes?

I’ve been in a year long process of cutting back. In the past, I subscribed to everything and contributed as well.

There were personal posts and business tweets and hundreds of web feeds to consume. Since then I’ve changed my online persona, deleted my Facebook account, pared down the number of people I was following and more.

If something didn’t have value or if someone wasn’t enriching my life with their posts about what they had for dinner, it got cut.

As a photographer, I’ve even changed the way I display my images. Flickr is more for personal use, if that. Instagram? Gone.

Socially, I am on Google Plus and on Twitter. This website is my personal hub from which everything else revolves around.

Doing these things have allowed me to regain my time and be more productive. I can focus on what is important to me and not what others want to tell me is important. That’s not how the digital life works. The web is what you make it.

Happy GNU Year

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I’ve taken on another project that involves diving deep inside the Linux operating itself.

For a few years I’ve been using a dual boot hybrid desktop using Ubuntu and Windows 7.

I’ve added the Fedora distribution inside a virtual machine inside Ubuntu and deleted the Windows partition.

Oh, and GNU = “Gnu’s Not Unix”

Top 10 Android Apps

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I have two Android devices that are heavily used. The Samsung Galaxy S3 mobile phone and the Google Nexus 7 tablet.

A few friends have asked which are the best Android apps out there. Well, that is subjective to opinion. I can share which apps I use constantly and why. Everyone is passionate about their own platform and apps and there will be heated discussions.

Keep in mind, this is not a top 10 list that is to spark a debate. In no order of importance, here I go…

  1. Snapseed- Simply the best mobile photo editor out there.
  2. Vignette- This camera app has so many shooting options and filters it would take another blog post to list.
  3. EyeEm- As soon as Facebook bought Instagram, I looked elsewhere. Social photography is excellent.
  4. Google+ Again, the Anti-Facebook social experience.
  5. Drive- Sync my documents between my computer and phone? Yes please.
  6. Any.DO- My to-do list goes with me and sends me timely reminders too
  7. Currents- A great too to catch up on news, blogs for my tablet.
  8. Pocket- Want to read it later? Right click and put it in your web pocket
  9. Google Now- Instant information no matter where I am at.
  10. Spotify- web-based music and radio. I will never buy music again

What is in your list?

Chromebook: For Me

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The Samsung Chromebook is a fantastic browser with a keyboard. It weighs less than  3 pounds with an 11.6” screen. The 16GB solid state drive is quiet and fast. Boot time is exactly 8 seconds to power on and go. True, 16GB is not much but it does come with an integrated 100 GB of free storage space in Google Drive!

Google documents and mobile photos do not count against your free storage space. So how in the hell would you be able to use it all? Wait, how will I even fill up my 16 GB of hard drive space? Music files? Please. Google Music gives me up to 20,000 song space, again, free.

Speaking of integrated and Google, it gives me immediate access to it’s ecosystem of apps. Apps like Docs, Gmail, Reader, G+, Picasa, webcam, Music and more.

Wifi, HDMI, 3 USB ports, Bluetooth (for my mouse) and SD card slot round out the features. No, it doesn’t have an optical drive.

Inexpensive at $249, lighter, faster, portable and entirely cloud-based. Welcome to the future.

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Physically Challenged

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So I recently turned 40.

I also just weighed myself at 197.6 pounds. Let’s round up to 198.

This is the heaviest I’ve ever been. On a 5’7” frame…that’s a lot of BMI.

In the past, I’ve participated in a few adventure races and loved it.

There is a new one coming up in a few months that I will train for.

Recently signed up with a great fitness center and looking forward to dropping those pounds to around 175.

For some reason this song lyric resonates with me…

Well I don’t know but I’ve been told, you never slow down, you never grow old.

– Tom Petty

Reboot ∞

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To “reboot” means to discard all previous continuity and start over with fresh ideas.

To scrap everything and start over with fresh ideas and perspectives.

Previous posts (2005-2012) have been archived.

This is my reboot and constant web evolution.

Mayday! Mayday!

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Mayday! Mayday!

My body and soul cried out for help as soon as I woke up this morning.

I gorged on fast food last night and it was one too many times in a row.

I fell off the wagon and hit rock bottom nice and hard.

Enough is enough. 

I have plenty of parks and trails in the area to enjoy a little bit of walk and roll.

So, I strolled through scenic Woodward park today. Later, I made sure the tires on my bicycle got a fresh coat of dirt on them.

This week I will go trail running with Couch to 5K again.

Aeroboxing, yoga, push ups and situps are back on the menu.

SLEEP.

Also, May is supposedly the month of the bicycle (who makes these up?)

Black Keys

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Just got back from the Black Keys concert at the BOK Center. My soul just got rocked and my ears are still ringing. This is a good thing.