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Weekly Live Internet Video Show

I have never made a peep about this side project here on my blog. For about eight months, now, I have been doing a weekly live video broadcast. The only mention it has gotten from me has been on Twitter, right before going live.

The Super Wicked Awesome Show
with Chris Tingom and Brian Shaler

Every Monday evening after work (6:30pm MST) Chris and I fire up a live video stream and chat room. We talk and joke around. We showcase great stuff we have found around the Internet during the previous week and weekend. We’re always good for a laugh and you’ll probably see something very cool that you’ve never seen before! Though, we don’t always show content. It just depends on how the conversation goes. The goal of the show is simple: Bring a half hour of awesomeness.

The main reason I haven’t been heavily promoting it is because it has been a slowly evolving side-of-the-side project. For the first 5 months, the web site was simply black text on a white background, saying “Super Wicked Awesome” with a timer until the next episode.

Lately, we have been recording the shows and posting them on the Super Wicked Awesome Blog. It didn’t make sense to spend time week after week and only reach the 10-100 people who would tune in throughout the live episode.

Tonight, the show took another gradual step forward. We are now providing a podcast feed, with iPod/iPhone-compatible video downloads. I submitted the feed to iTunes and it may show up in a week or two.

We’re toying with the idea of giving away free stuff. Does your company have cool stuff to give away? Let me know! We have a small but growing international audience.

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Sofa Jumping

SofaJumper.com

I traveled every month of 2008, sometimes multiple times a month. To cut costs and to make more travel possible, I’ve started crashing on friends’ couches. My employer BitGravity will cover a couple nights at a hotel when I visit the Burlingame headquarters, but I can save them money and stay longer (1-2 weeks) if I stay with friends.

The best part about it, though, is the fact that all of the people I stay with are really awesome individuals. There is always so much happening and so much to catch up on.

On a recent trip to New York, I found myself staying with a different friend every night, because most of my friends were traveling, hosting other visitors, or otherwise unavailable. In a conversation about this exciting couch-hopping trip (9 nights, 8 different places) with Mike Germano, he suggested that I tell the stories of these incredible hosts as I hop around.

And so, SofaJumper.com was born!

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Of All the Times to Forget Your Wallet…

I recently returned from an 8-day trip to the Bay Area. I got a ride to the airport to save on parking. I got a ride home last night and went straight to bed.

Today, I woke up and got up and went straight to work — in my living room. I had an energy drink, but didn’t eat breakfast. It’s a mistake I make all too often. I might not ever learn.

So I’m working away and 2pm rolls around. That’s approaching “now or never” time for lunch. Any later and you’ll spoil your appetite for dinner.

I decide to go to a nearby Arby’s, due to a craving for their jalapeño poppers with Bronco Berry dipping sauce.

Walking up to my car, I notice the doors fail to unlock when I hit the button on my remote. Great, I think to myself, my remote’s battery is dead. I unlock the door manually with my key for the first time since I bought the car brand new in 2006.

I get in and turn the key in the ignition. Nothing. Now, the keys are chipped, so if the key is malfunctioning, you can’t start the car. Granted, this shouldn’t be the case with a dead remote battery.

I went inside and got my never-before-used spare keyfob. Alas, that didn’t work, either.

Now it’s pretty clear the car’s battery is dead. I call my brother in Chandler for a jump start (I had something to give him anyway).

With no food in my condo, I still need to get to Arby’s. The only thing standing between me and my jalapeño poppers is a half mile of 111 degree heat.

With my trusty Razor scooter, I hit the road- err… sidewalk.

Keep in mind that I had an almost empty stomach, containing only some energy drink. That, in addition to some physical activity and heat, makes for an unhappy stomach.

I finally made it to Arby’s and order my poppers.

And of all the times to forget your wallet.