Journal

I am not a fanboy or wait in long lines for something. You will never see me camping out overnight in front of a business for something. I just don’t have the patience for it. When someone asks who my favorite artist is I will rattle off a few names instead. If there is a 20 minute wait for a table, I move on. There are too many choices these days.

Yet I found myself standing in front of a Target store at 7AM this past weekend waiting in line for the Nintendo Wii game console. On the coldest day of the year here in Birmingham. Freezing temps and high winds would not deter me in order to get this unattainable game set. I am still trying to work out why I did this:

1.  I am not a gamer
2. I have enough toys/gadgets to play with
3. It was too early to go shopping
4. It was too cold ( we hit 79 degrees the day before)
5. The Wii is impossible to get since it’s debut last year
6. WonderWife objected to it
7. I may not have enough time to use it
8. Is it worth the price or will I get a return on investment?
9. I haven’t set one foot into a retail store for purchasing this season
10. Video games are an on average $50!??

My original intent was going to Best Buy but when I got in line I was told that the tickets to purchase the consoles were given away (about 30) I rushed down the hill to Target. They were giving away tickets to before they opened of all the Wii’s they had in stock. I got ticket 61 out of the 66 in stock. Whew! At 8am Target employees watched in horror/delight as frigid customers pushed, shoved and generally lost all sense of chivalry to get inside, even though they had a ticket and were guaranteed a Wii. For those who stood in line just in case, they were the worst because they were the most desperate. I have heard people doing the same on Black Friday but I didn’t believe it. It isn’t worth it, people!

Wonderwife never thought I would go through with it but was surprised to see one when she got out of the warm bed that same morning. Upon hooking the machine up to the tv, setting up the enclosed sorts games and selecting the bowling game, she was hooked as I was. She became especially enthralled with it after beating me senseless from the first game and every bowling match since then. She isn’t a gamer either.

I would say I am very impressed with the whole package and can see the lure it has on it’s users and would-be players. I didn’t know anything about it beforehand other than we just had to have one. It accesses the internet easily with wifi and you can create your own realistic-looking characters (called Mii’s) based on your appearance. Hook up with others from the internet and play against each other.

After the first day of bowling, boxing, golf, tennis and baseball I am worn out and physically sore. THAT is how interactive & physical the Wii system is. Well played, Nintendo, wii enjoy it!

 

 

Happy birthday to myself! December 7, 1972. Or as Dad put it to me once: “the second day of infamy!

ginger cookies & Christmas frosted sugar cookies (not seen)

Longtime readers know that The Mojo gets bored very easily and has numerous interests. No, I do not have Attention Deficit Disorder! When Wonderwife viewed the requested birthday/Christmas list she looked back and said I need to play with the toys I already have. There goes my hopes for a Ninetendo Wii or X-Box 360. She is right, as usual. I have a lot of new gadgets/toys to play with and I haven’t mastered any of them to truly enjoy effectively. How can I say I am a photographer if I haven’t honed the skills needed to produce quality work? I have at least 50% of my Nikon D50 worked out but know I need to learn more. How much more do I need to learn when my D200 arrives?

I have 2 speed lights for my cameras, a Nikon SB-400 and SB-800. Sure, I can add batteries to them, turn them on and watch the pretty light paint the room but what do all those numbers and abbreviations mean?

My Holga 120mm film camera which I had seen and craved has been used briefly and now collects dust.

Fisheye and Lensbabies lenses were asked for and acquired but used scarcely.

I received a small, one person kayak 3 years ago for Christmas that hasn’t tasted water yet, including the paddle, life jacket, etc.

I asked for and was given a disc golf set that hasn’t smelled fresh air since I stored them away.

Mom knew I wanted a handheld GPS unit for my hikes and geocaching but it has been used sparingly. Then again, hiking has been non-existent due to the heat/drought this year. Valid excuse? I’ll give myself a pass on this one, however, I don’t understand the GPS unit like I should/want.

For 2 years an Ion USB turntable has been waiting like a pet-store puppy in my Amazon wish list and was brought home to me as a surprise thanks to Wonderwife. It has been neglected after I realized it would take time to configure the Audacity software to my Vista machine when the instructions were designed for XP.

I purchased a Camelback water supply backpack for the hiking trips that is dying from non-use and no water.

Using the excuse that we would need one for watching the newborn grow up and document, we plopped down some coin for a Sony digital video camera. I can work out the basics, but again, how much better quality can the videos be? I won’t mention the Adobe Premiere software I bought to help with this and isn’t used. Wait, I just did.

Speaking of Adobe products, we’ve upgraded from the original Creative Suite to just Photoshop CS3 and the new Lightroom. Wonderwife can work them both better than I ever could. Of course, she is highly intelligent and I am not. How much more creative can my photos be if I applied myself? The books I bought to help learn have stiff pages and a strong back because of my disregard, whereas Wonderwife applies that knowledge. I have subscribed to video podcasts on the various subjects of interest but they frankly bore me since I don’t apply it.

Ahh, now there is a gift that keeps on giving. Three years ago I was surprised by WW with a 30GB video iPod that is used daily for music, podcasts, photos and more. I will be sad the day it decides to crap out. Have I mastered the accompanying iTunes software? Not so much. Heck, I have software/hardware to create super-amateur podcasts and the desire but no time.

What the hell is wrong with me that I can’t use and appreciate what I have? I could blame my new daughter for lack of time, but she is only three months old. I’ve had plenty of time to go/do/explore/play! So again, WW is correct. I need to value what I have before I get so frustrated with myself and it all gets listed on eBay, Craigslist or donated to a local charity.

So the next time you are on the hiking trail and you see a guy looking for geocaches with a Nikon camera in one hand, a digicam in the other, a GPS unit around his neck and carrying a camelback behind him and asks if you want to go kayaking or play disc golf all while listening to tunes ripped from vinyl records and transferred to his ipod, just shake your head and smile.

No, not the award-winning photography website, although there have been vast improvements there too! I am talking about how Wonderwife lost her mind and purchased a Nikon D200 for me. Now, my Nikon D50 is a year and a half old and is serving us well, but we felt like I needed to step up my game a bit. So she decided to surprise me when it was discovered that Amazon.com was selling it almost $400 cheaper than usual. POUNCE! We got one of only four offered. I received an email offer from Amazon about the release of the brand new D300 but passed on it even though there was (at the time) a $600 difference in price. The camera should be here in a couple of days and I’ll post a review then.

Still, you have to wonder how she always upstages me in the gift department. I bought her a new notebook PC for her personal use and then she turns around and drops a new camera in my lap. Thanks babe!

I am slowly recovering from a turkey-induced, online shopping, football, drive-across-the-country, back to work weekend and I am grateful. I am glad to have had the time to spend with my family.

We drove to Memphis and feasted on BBQ ribs and stopped in Conway, Arkansas (home of the Toad Suck festival).  We drove through the beautiful Boston Mountains on I-540, also known as the Wal-Mart Express because the headquarters and distribution center didn’t have interstate access so they convinced the government to build a connection to I-40. The next stop was Joplin, Missouri where we visited brothers, sisters and nieces.

As we crossed the OK/Missouri border singing with the title song to the broadway musical Oklahoma! Soundtrack, we scared the baby with a boisterous, “YOW”. The soundtrack was quickly muted but not our laughter at her facial expressions of disturbance.

We stayed with my mother and her husband for most of the time and enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner there with my little sister and brother and their loved ones.

We hooked up with them again over at my father’s house with even more extended step people. My brother John announced that he and his girlfriend are engaged to wed in March and I am the best man. He returns the favor after I made him the best man almost twelve years ago. Congrats to John and Terri!

Friday, we avoided all retail outlets except for the online ones. Several of us were checking our inboxes for the Amazon.com Customer Votes promotion for a $79 Nintendo Wii to no avail.

Wonderwife and I enjoyed time alone from Daphne for the first time in three months as we ventured around Tulsa to rediscover our old haunts. We shot a few of the numerous art deco inspired architecture downtown, went to the Philbrook Museum and ate at our favorite burger joint and ice cream store before she got tired and missed the baby.

On Saturday we stayed at my father’s house as I helped him setup up the wireless router he got along with a new notebook. We watched our Oklahoma Sooners whip up on Okie State again and then watched undefeated #2 Kansas fall before the #4 Missouri Tigers (who are now #1). The 2007 college football post is coming soon as soon as we all recover from the craziness that it was. 

It was worth the 1000+ mile drive back/forth from Birmingham to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 12 hour drive back home to Alabama was soaked in rain and baby needed stops but it was worth it.

This year, I am especially thankful for my family. After losing a grandmother, gaining a new brother-in-law, a new sister-in-law and watching my first child come into the world, I can really appreciate this bunch like never before. Take a moment to think about your close-ones and how to make them closer.

Hey folks, this is Chris Mojo Denbow coming to you live from the Alabama International Autoshow at the Birmingham Jefferson County Civic Center. If you can hear my voice,  I would recommend that you do not attend the Autoshow this year as there are no exotic cars, concepts and just domestics. It is like a huge indoor car lot. The GM driving experience has long lines and frankly the entire show isn’t worth the $8. listen

Powered by Jott

I am 185 pounds and according to the doctor and Men’s Health magazine, I have a BMI of 29 which for my height at 5’7 is considered overweight. I can feel it when I walk and breathing is a little more labored. This has got to change….and it will. 30 pounds in seven weeks. Just in time for Christmas and I will have a head start on people who go to the gym and pledge devotion to it only to give up 2 weeks later.

I’ve covered a few web apps and tracking webware previously and never followed through. Why am I mentioning this? I need help and I want you to join with me to knock it out for yourself and for a better physical life. If you are still reading this then you are forced to make a decision: ignore or support? I challenge all of my friends, colleagues and those in my network to get fit. Similar challenges have been made before by Mahalo CEO Jason Calacanis. If you are sitting at home reading this, then grab your spouse and get out. At work and reading this in your feed reader? Then make plans to grab a co-worker and walk around the block and talk about it. I am tired of feeling this way and I know you are too. If you are blessed with being fit, why not add your support and advice? Thanks!

In further effort to reduce weight and get fit, I want to reduce my stress levels. The doctor also said high blood pressure is getting higher and then back down to normal. I want to keep it there. I don’t want the stress, anxiety and/or spiral down into depression, do you?

I am considering these steps and will need your support here as well.

Think outside the box- Turn off the television. The current Writers Guild strike is like a beacon of guidance that I will follow for a bit in that in the past, I didn’t watch tv and got seduced. Here’s to weaning myself off of it slowly. Besides, I pay good money for a monthly DVR service so it is time to use it.

Feed Frenzy- this will be VERY difficult for me because I consume a ton of feeds from websites, blogs and podcasts. Several times. Daily. Hourly. As posted. I get more news and information here than anywhere else. No feeds for a week and just like television, my feed reader will record the posts and wait for me to consume at a later time, like next week.

Think outside the Inbox- Like web feeds, almost every time a new email pops up, I stop what I am doing to see what was just delivered for both personal and work email. Arrgh! Make it stop. I can’t close work email client but I can close Gmail. I’ll check my inboxes only three times during the day. Upon arrival, lunch and before leaving work. The same for personal with an additional check at night. If you need to get a hold of me and sent me a message or 3 (respond Mojo! @#$%) please be patient. Or call me: 205.588.6899 of course the voicemail box may be screened too! Hehe…

Micromedia- I’m debating whether or not to include this one. Microblogging includes my digital lifestreams such as Jaiku, Twitter, Pownce, Combo Mojo, Jott and Utterz. If you see mead content, just let it slide. If it is excessive, lemme have it! I need accountability.

The Mojo Network- if the aforementioned Writers Guild can go on strike, then maybe the Mojo can too! Hmm.. except maybe my updates on the week long digital media fast. Photo Mojo will still be cranking out the good stuff with content from Belle, Glynnis and Jeff filling in very capably. What scares the bejeebus out of me is the fact that no one will know I returned. “Oh, you were gone?” =) Additionally, if you love technology, web 2.0, gadgets, do you want to be a guest blogger and share with the world how you do the web? Email me. Techno Mojo has a worldwide readership of over 400 people but it is declining as I neglect it.

The fitness center(s) I go to is Sportplex. I also change it up by going hiking/trail running at various locales around the city’s trails. Who is up for the challenge? Want to join me? What web sites do you see that could help with fit 2.0? Any tips/tricks/suggestions? Add them in the comments please!

An insurance provider’s commercial slogan is “life comes at you fast” which rings true in my world. Projects at work are picking up speed,

baby Mojo is growing up quickly at 10 weeks old, Photo Mojo gigs are increasing (as are the pay checks) and general life events are always popping up. I mention all of this to say that there have been, is, and will be changes in effect here for the Mojo network.

Some things have to give but I am not sure what they are yet. Obviously family needs, the day job, and Photo Mojo are priorities but I am having a difficult time adding recreation and hobbies I want to do into the mix. On top of that, I am not organized as needed. I’ve found a book called DAM (Digital Asset Management) and was intrigued enough to think about it.

 

Audio Mojo

I want to rip all of my CDs and LPs to my reserve computer and make it into a file server/media center. I easily have 50GB worth of music and audio books that need to be consolidated. After that, I want to organize and download to my 30GB video iPod.

Tools to be used/needed:

Soundtaxi, podutil, Windows Vista Media Center with extenders, Roxio, Audacity, Ion USB turntable

Photo Mojo

I don’t know where to begin here to get organized. I have digital photos from 1996 to present on discs and film that need to be catalogued, sorted and preserved.

Video Mojo

How’s this for ambitious? A weekly video podcast/blog and live streaming. Also need to capture, preserve and share video of mini-Mojo.

Tools used: Sony Handicam, Logitech webcam, Skype, Eyejot, Seesmic, Kyte, Ustream, Vimeo

Geo Mojo

As much as I love the outdoors and have been stifled by the heat/drought this year, I haven’t hiked nearly as much as I need/want. On top of that, I really haven’t used my new handheld GPS. I want to include both when I go geocaching.

Tools used: Magellan Explorist GPS, Google Earth, geoRSS, Platial, Plazes, Trails.com

The Mojo Network

Consisting of Techno Mojo, Photo Mojo Video Mojo and Go Mojo, each website has suffered due to lack of time. I need to configure and update feeds and tracking analytics of all websites and eventually monetize them(?). If you haven’t read by now, Photo Mojo has three new author/contributors that are cranking out some good stuff. For more efficiently than I could do for myself. I am thinking of doing the same for Techno Mojo since I haven’t had any insightful commentary on that site in weeks (doh).

The focus and time considerations have been geared towards a new trend called microblogging or micromedia. These tools have allowed me to be contributing to the web conversations but in little snippets. Time and attention are valuable as people’s media consumption changes & speeds up. Will a lengthy blog post meet that need? Not always, hence micromedia or “snacking on feeds”. Incidentally, each fed I have out there is picked up by the other services out there and regurgitates each other’s feeds for media saturation. Neat, huh?

Tools included: Hellotxt, Jaiku, Pownce, Twitter, Utterz, Jott, Tumblr, Soup, Pipes, Twittermail, Twittergram, Facebook.

I’m also farming out my good name to various web apps, portals and social sites you can reach me on in an effort to maintain connections/networking. You can see me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Upcoming, Delicious, Plaxo, Flickr & Zooomr.

I’ve eliminated three paragraphs for the sake of interest and lack of continuity. Also because I have the ideas in my head but can’t explain them effectively.

 

Want to discuss ideas for social media interaction and add to the conversation?

Add comments, call me, Twitter me, Skype me, hell- just call me, either way, let’s connect.

 

Mobile: 205.588.6899

Skype: mojodenbow

Twitter: mojodenbow

Email: mojodenbow[at]gmail.com

Every other IM: mojodenbow

A surprise gift that was handmade & crafted with love from Grandpa Rice. Daphne’s extensive library was in need of a book rack and now she has one for life. Thanks grandpa & grandma!

Dad & Sandi, originally uploaded by Photo-Mojo.

Posting will be light as I prepare for what looks like a great weekend. First off, my father and his wife are driving down to Birmingham from Tulsa and arrive Thursday night. The Moss Rock festival (see my Upcoming badge on the right) is this weekend, so be sure to attend that!
On Sunday, after they leave, I am going to do another photo shoot there for the organizers. If you are attending, let me know!

This sucker has been in my Amazon.com wish list for 2.5 years and Wonderwife surprised me with it this weekend when I got home! I can’t wait to pull out my old records, rip them to my PC’s media center using Audacity software and then download them to my iPod.

Ahh yes, as if I didn’t have enough toys to play with, she had to go ahead and help out Audio Mojo!