Category: Journal

Thanks to whatever creeping crud is going around, meteorological changes, and leaving the ceiling fan on in a chilled room, I’ve been down since Friday afternoon.

What does this have to do with the photo above? everything. Thanks to the cooties, I have had a lovely Darth Vader voice, complete with raspy breathing. A lot of my friends on Twitter thought it was quite sexy. Ain’t nothing sexy about it, folks.

Needless to say, I have lost some of my blogging and photo mojo, but anticipate bouncing back very soon on both fronts.

I’ve mentioned before that this is not a political blog and my voting leans heavily onto the conservative side. I admit I have been disappointed by President Bush II during his second term. Americans needed real leadership and he has failed us. It is time for a change.

• America’s stature among the globe has been weakened
• Public enemy #1, Bin Laden has not been found
• We need more emphasis in mathematics, science and computer sciences education
• Diplomacy, backed up with force
• Limited dependence on foreign oil
• Economic accountability for government, corporations
• Individual fiscal responsibility

These are things everyone can agree on and support that needs changing. The question is, will the change be for the better? Who knows?

I am disappointed, but not distraught at the election outcome. What really bothers me is the one-party rule that is about to take place in our country. No one political party should control power in the congressional and executive branches. There has to be a balance of ideology and principles.

“Change” and “hope” are fine but right now they are also good intentions. President-elect Obama will need to understand and appreciate the power that has been granted to him.

All Americans- every race, every party, need to hold our leaders accountable. That would be change that I can believe in.

Join me and some new friends at the grand opening of the Houston area’s new co-working space called the Katy Dock (officially called the Technology Center of West Houston) on November 5th between 4-8PM. This is the newest space for professionals in Katy who are passionate about their work, but tired of working alone at home or in noisy coffee shops. Think of it as a co-op artist and tech space. It’s also a great environment for relaxing and collaborating with like-minded people. Official announcement here:

Mobile and creative professionals now have the opportunity to grow their businesses in a more work-friendly setting than a coffee shop with less structure than an executive suite – no long term leases, or home office distractions.
The Katy Dock allows Katy/West Houston area entrepreneurs, inventors, consultants, developers, and designers to work in a creative business atmosphere and successfully grow their companies. Katy Dock membership starts at ‘free’ for infrequent drop-ins to reasonable pricing for private desks and dedicated offices. Along with Wi Fi and coffee service, Katy Dock through its partnership with the Katy Commerce Center also offers warehousing, fulfillment and light manufacturing space available onsite, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional office leasing arrangements.

The Technology Center of West Houston (TCWH), a Katy Area Business Incubator and Accelerator, has created an exciting new opportunity for early-stage technology companies in the Katy/West Houston area. The mission of the TCWH is to enable, launch and accelerate technology companies in Katy/West Houston and thereby create jobs and economic growth.

If you are close to the museum district of Houston, you can always stop by the Caroline Collective as well!

The Coffee Groundz is hosting a huge Twitter meetup (tweetup) of local area Houston twitterers on Sunday 11/2 between 2-6PM. Details and sign-up on the Facebook event page.

I’m not a coffee drinker, but there is good news since they also serve teas, wines and beer as well as good food.

Follow me on Twitter here @mojodenbow

and check them out here @coffeegroundz

Update:@maslowbeer says this in the comments

“I thought it may be good to note they also have a full bar for cocktails. Their wine and beer selection is expanding rapidly as well, having such notables as dogfish head’s 60 and 90 minute ipas and even their raison d’extra!”

Snow White or Grumpy?, originally uploaded by eagerlittlemind.

Little DVD is all dressed up and ready for fun and games during Halloween. However, she is totally out of character with this grumpy face!

Daphne at the Pumpkin Festival, originally uploaded by eagerlittlemind.

Daddy/daughter trip to the Life is Good Pumpkin Festival (which explains the lack of hair bow holding back her bangs).

It is Friday! Time to get up and dance for joy. No economic worries, no political discussions, no job woes, just enjoy this uplifting, fun video. I can see myself totally doing this!

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

A few months ago it was decided to move from Birmingham into Houston, Texas. How does one adjust afterwards from a Southern city in the mountains to the nation’s 4th largest metropolis? Web applications, of course! Here is a list for you to guide you into your new city or maybe even help you become a tourist in your own town.

Flickr– The photo sharing site has been a tremendous assistant by observing locales as others see them. Added bonuses: maps with geotags and Flickr groups. As soon as we arrived, there was a flickr meetup at the Museum of Natural Science after hours. That was a blast and I got to meet fellow photogs too.

Yelp– Yelp is an easy way to find, review and talk about what’s great (and not so great) in your new home. What are the best restaurants, dentists, hairstylists? Yelp runs on personal recommendations.

GPS- After the family got settled, it was time to go explore. Well, you don’t just explore an area the size of Houston w/o a guide, it just isn’t done. Our guide has been the Garmin Nuvi 360. Much more convenient and used than the $35 wire-bound mass of a map book that was purchased and is collecting dust!

Tilt- My mobile handset from AT &T has crucial communication features including 3G data, GPS, wifi, photos, video and more. Information in my hands. Fast. Oh, and download the Fring application for IM communication away from your computer.

Twitter– A communication tool that simply asks: “What are you doing?” While still living in Alabama, I befriended mucho Twitterers here in Houston and added to the local conversations remotely. After arriving…instant friends. Brilliant!

Upcoming-All right, now that you have arrived, what is there to do in this town? Anything exciting coming up? Glad you asked and here is your reference tool. Upcoming is a community for discovering and sharing events. It can help you find stuff to do, discover what your friends are doing, or let you keep private events online for your own reference. Bonus: you can add your photos of the event to Flickr and vice versa. Neat!

Your Local Newspaper- Yes, you can use their website, sure. The Houston Chronicle is utilizing new media tools and socializing apps almost better than anyone out there. Still, get the tree-killing kind. Why? There is something to be said for print. Besides, you even get ads you can ignore or use (coupons too)

There are many variations of these tools out there but I have submitted them for you based on my user experience and benefit. I haven’t yet mentioned the local library systems, traffic management tools, radio stations, etc but they are essential as well.

What tools have you used to either discover your new city or explore your hometown? What have I missed? Lay it on us and enjoy the experience!