Day 10 -- All About Tech, My Second Love: Part 1

I live, breathe, and dream tech and the future.  It consumes most of my brain power throughout the day.  My sister Josie asked me the other day into which decade I wish I could have been born, and my answer was of course 2050.  I think we are right on the cusp of the single most dramatic series of changes humanity has ever experienced.

I'm not entirely sure we will make it to the year 2100.  I do share some of the worry and pessimism of thinkers/futurists like Martin Rees in his TED Talk Is this our final century? and Bill Joy in his Wired article Why the future doesn't need us.  However, for the most part, I'm optimistic and see a future in which aging, disease, and poverty aren't even concepts familiar to our transhuman descendants.  The future, shaped by technological advancements, truly is my second love -- behind my smokin' hot girlfriend Mariah.

Senior Prom '10.  She's only gotten prettier

I think I'll try to structure this two part post as follows:  Part 1) current technologies that I use and that are exciting to me; Part 2) how I envision the future and the technologies that are super exciting to me.

Tech is such a vastly encompassing topic, and I only know so little about so few industries within it.  So I'm going to focus on some of the tech that is a part of my everyday life.

Activity Trackers

For a long while I was on the wait list to be invited to buy a Basis B1 Band, which is conglomeration of fitness/sleep tracking sensors packed into the body of a sleek watch.  By the time I received my invitation to purchase, there was already a number of consumer reviews I was able to read.  Turns out, like many things, the first iteration isn't as stellar as was hoped.  So I put off purchasing the B1 and got the new Jawbone UP 24, a more established tracker with a highly reviewed smartphone companion app to illustrate steps, sleep, and food. CES 2014 has a ton of wearable tech being showcased - from camera ski goggles to glove-worn golf swing analyzers to pet activity trackers.  Check it out here.

IFTT

With the UP band, I can trigger actions through IFTTT (If This Then That)/Put the Internet to Work for You.  For instance, I have a "Recipe" that says "when I wake up" then "send me today's weather report."  IFTTT allows you to create a whole bunch of different recipes like "if I take a picture" then "upload it to Flickr" or "if I'm tagged in a photo on Facebook" then "download photo to my iOS Photos" or "if a device's energy costs are more than $___ in a day" then "turn off that device" (using WeMo).  

Saga

I've been using an app called Saga to compile various aspects of my life in a social way.  For instance, I have my calendars, iPhone camera, Facebook, Jawbone UP, Foursquare, Google+, MayMyFitness, MyFitnessPal, Tripit, and Twitter all connected to Saga, which then chronologically compiles any event into the Saga Lifelog.  I love being able to find a specific day and review all my activity - location, fitness, sleep, food, social, cyber, etc.

Lifelapse/Narrative Clip

So for about 11 months from November '12 to October '13 I wore my iPhone around my neck in a pouch I fashioned from a beer coozie and old charging cable.  I had the now developer-abandoned Lifelapse app running at all times, taking a still picture every 30 seconds.  I stopped because the app isn't compatible with iOS 7.  I compiled approximately 500,000, depicting 11 months of my waking life in 30 second intervals.  Here's a video I uploaded to YouTube last winter.  George's 2012-12-27 Lifelog.

Fortunately, the fall of Lifelapse didn't mean the end of my photographic lifelogging adventure, only a several-month hiatus.  I backed the Kickstarter project Memoto Lifelogging Camera.  It is now the Narrative Clip, and mine is set to ship on the 27th of this month.  I'm ÜBER excited.  Check out what it'll do in the video below.

Lima: the brain of your devices
Another Kickstarter project I backed is Lima, a set-and-forget device that unifies all your devices.  The way they encourage people to think of it is as the "brain" and the individual devices (desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet) simply become the frames through which you access your information.  I'm very excited to receive my Lima!  Kickstarter video below.

I'm starting to hit the length limit I've set for each post, so I'll leave it at that for today with more to come tomorrow on tech and the future!

TED
To hint at the futuristic world I'm anticipating, here's a talk by Boaz Almog: The levitating superconductor.  This is what's happening right now -- can't you just not wait to see what applications room-temperature superconductors will have in the future???

Wikipedia
It is the Accelerating change portion of the Technological singularity article that I want to draw to your attention.  The rate at which technological capabilities doubles has historically been exponential (first over hundreds of thousands of years, then thousands, then hundreds, and now as short as 14 months).  Some predict technological and economic doubling with occur on a weekly basis in the not so distant future.  This is the cusp on which we are, and with prime viewing seats.  Get ready.

Spanish Word
futuro -- future

Everyday Photo

January 10, 2014
(with my futuristic mustache and sweatband)

Until tomorrow!

(Feel free to comment below on your tech interests/concerns or request other tech topics)

Day 9 -- 1,000 pageviews and counting!

Sometime between midnight and now (17:12), my Try Something New for 30 Days blog reached 1,000 pageviews.  Honestly, I'd have been thrilled to have 1,000 views in total throughout the month.  All thanks to you, friends, family, and random Canadian!

I finished the book I've been reading on my Kindle Paperwhite, The Litigators: A Novel by John Grisham.  I liked it, but not enough to rave about it.  What I will rave about is the Kindle, though.  I've never been much of a reader, but for the past 6 months my Kindle has started to change that.  Book discovery and convenience are two huge reasons I've taken up reading for pleasure.  I love being able to pick up where I left off on any of my devices with the Kindle reading apps.  I'll start Joel Fuhrman's Eat for Health tonight.

TED
Though this video was recorded four years ago and before New York lawmakers, it is still very relevant and thought provoking.  33 states still ban same-sex marriage.  Only seven and a half minutes long, Diane J. Savino provides a powerful case for same-sex marriage.  (Also, I realized I should just be embedding these videos.)

Wikipedia
If you read last Thursday's post, you may remember I embarked on a 3 week journey to earn the New Brew Thursday badge in Untappd, the social beer drinking network.  Tonight, I'll be going to Bleachers "The Bar" with a few South Benders and will share a pitcher of Boulder Beer Company's Killer Penguin Barleywine Ale.  Quite excited.  Last night, I sampled Bare Hands Brewery's Barley Wine as a part of their Beer Flight sampler.

So anyways... I will be reviewing Wikipedia's Beer style: Elements of beer page in preparation for the sophisticated discussions and reviews that will follow our sampling tonight.

Spanish Phrase
cuídate mucho y sigue siguiendo el buen camino -- take care and keep following the good path.

A kind farewell before I leave for Dayton I received today from a bilingual friend.

Everyday Photo

January 9, 2014

See ya!

Day 8 -- I greet you as a Wikipedia Editor

With only a few more days before I move back to Dayton, I'm gearing up mentally for what will undoubtedly be the best semester yet.  I couldn't ask for a greater group of friends or a better final semester class schedule.  I'm taking my business capstone business class, an intro to entrepreneurship course, SCUBA, star gazing, and wine tasting.  No classes Friday or before noon.  Come February 17, I'll work part time with Brady Ware & Company in downtown Dayton preparing tax returns.

Concluding this semester will be UD's annual migration to Daytona, FL for our Dayton 2 Daytona trip.  It was actually my excitement for D2D that led me to becoming a Wikipedia Editor (pretty sure it's not a title and doesn't need capitalization, but I like it better that way).  Note my edits for Daytona Beach, Florida below.

Before

After

It's just a few small edits - but it feels pretty good to contribute and bring a little attention to UD and our superbness.

TED
Larry Smith: Why you will fail to have a great career is a funny talk on success and careers.  Applicable for those of us who are wrapping up the supreme party that is undergraduate studies.

Wikipedia
See above -- Daytona Beach, Florida.

Spanish Word
Hola, soy un ladrón, y estoy aquí para robar tu corazón. -- Hello, I am a thief. And I am here to steal your heart

That's the exact phrase I used on Mariah Leigh in Spanish class senior year at Marian High School.

Bonus Food Section
Barbie Fulnecky offered some advice for my blog last night: "Talk more about food."  Also, my sisters Josie Cressy and Maggie Cressy requested shoutouts, and I think they would more than approve of being a part of this section.

I'll use this bonus food section as an opportunity to describe my three favorite kitchen appliances.

1. By a quantum leap my favorite kitchen appliance is the Vita-Mix: Blending Station.  Typically for breakfast, but oftentimes for lunch, I will toss a bunch of kale, spinach, bok choy, collard greens, carrots, apples, bananas, blue/straw/black/and raspberries, and some ice into the it and blend to a fine silky age-defending, health-promoting nectar.
   

   

   Mine's black/red

2. Next is the Zojirushi Micom rice cooker and warmer.  With it, I can set forbidden black rice or steel cut oats to be ready when I wake up in the morning.  One feature I love about it is it keeps the food warm until I want it -- so if I don't finish my morning porridge, it keeps it ready for eats until lataz.
   

   

   I have the model on the right

3. My third favorite appliance... is probably our pot-cooker-turned-moonshine-still.  With it, my roommates and I can cook delicious beef and barley stew, then distill moonshine whiskey!  It's a good twofer.

Everyday Photo

January 8, 2014

Day 7 -- International Programmers' Day (01110111011011110110111100100001)

It's a big post today -- lot's to share!

Here's to all international programmers!  As a tribute, I'd like to direct those interested to Khan Academy's Hour of Code Tutorial. 

Speaking of international... my blog went international last night!  Check it, beep delta.

Today also wraps up the first week of 2014, which means I've blogged seven consecutive days -- here's to me!  I use the smartphone app Lift, which is a social habit building community.  I love it and strongly recommend it to anyone who has made New Year's resolutions.  In addition to Trying Something New for 30 Days (writing this blog), I am a member of the following groups in Lift:

1. Floss
2. Work on CCIM designation
3. Pray
4. Work on Grad school apps
5. Play Lumosity
6. Work on website (I'm building a website for the Davis Center for Portfolio Management at UD)
7. Eat  Big Mac (... because I like to troll)
8. Call Brother
9. Watch Khan Academy
10. Everyday Picture (below)
11. Read Bible
12. Watch a TED Talk
13. Read one Wikipedia entry
14. Try Something New for 30 Days
15. Read for pleasure
16. Practice musical instrument (right now I'm learning the basics of harmonica)
17. Learn Spanish (I use either Rosetta Stone or Duolingo)
18. Meditate
19. Write in journal
20. Keep room clean
21. Cardio
22. Pull-ups (100)
23. Push-ups (250)
24. Complete all Lifts

And a special shout out on this day to +Mariah Douglas because she's a super hottie and we've been dating for a long time now.  All my love, Mariahly!

TED

I found this TED video today by filtering for "courageous" and "best of the web."  It is an intensely emotional talk at the city council in Fort Worth, TX -- Joel Burns: A message to gay teens: It gets better.  Very moving, inspiring.

Wikipedia

Here is the Wikipedia page for the 1990s and below is Portlandia - Dream of the 90s.  The boys at The Nest (our UD house on Lawnview) and I will occasionally get in really 90s moods.  For the Boys!

Spanish Word

gitano -- a gypsy or someone that always plays very dirty

Everyday Photo

January 7, 2014

Thanks for reading!  All the best - G3

Day 6 -- Mishawaka: -13°F; Dayton -6°F; North Pole: 3°F

Per @joemakielski's tweet today, I learned it was literally colder outside my house than at the North Pole.  Actually, the North Pole was warmer than many parts of North America today.  It was officially announced yesterday evening that we were in blizzard weather and driving on the roads was a ticket-able offence until sometime mid morning today.  The biting cold was not without its regrettable influences.  My aunt tossed a pot of boiling water into the air thinking it would turn to snow before it landed on my cousin Tony.  He will recover and is set to be released from St. Joseph's hospital early tomorrow morning.  Read the full tweet here.

I'd like to share an email from my good friend and colleague, +Hussien Saleh.  Every Monday for the past several months he has sent a "Motivational Monday" email by mid morning.  I'm sure I am just one of perhaps a hundred people BCC'd.  Today's message is found just below.

Motivational Monday 01/06/2014

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does" -- William James
This week is all about making a difference regardless of the fact that you may not think what you are doing actually does make a difference.
Everything we do makes a difference in the world no matter how small or large it may be. Get out there this week and make a difference.

Best,

Hussien

Thanks, Hussien, for never failing to add an uptick to my Mondays.

TED
Steve Jobs: How to live before you die commencement speech at Stanford is by now a classic Internet video.  But I've found it's certainly worth rewatching a couple times a year.  If you've never seen it -- it's an absolute must.

Wikipedia
This was an answer to a Beer QuizUp question I had a couple days ago.  William Painter was the inventor of the bottle cap (or "crown") and bottle opener.  Thanks, Bill!

Spanish Word
buitre -- a person who hoards everything.  I literally spent 6 hours cleaning my room today.. I realized I may be a buitre...

English Words
I'm adding this bonus section today because I particularly enjoyed saying cahoots and persimmon all day.  To be in cahoots with someone is to collude or conspire with them.  A persimmon is a sweet fruit (I think of Chinese origin) that I ate after dinner today.

Everyday Photo

January 6, 2014

Day 5 -- snow days just announced for St. Anthony's and Marian!

Hearing of school cancellations due to temperatures as low as -32F and lake effect snow already reaching 24" still brings the excitement of "no school tomorrow!"  So much time for activities now!  It has cellallir all morning and may even begin to pirrelvag later!  (Eskimoan snow words.)  There's just something about a heavily snowing day and the way it "sticks it" to the school board "man" that makes us happy.  And on happiness, I highly recommend watching the TED Talk below.

TED
Shawn Achor's The happy secret to better work is easily one of my absolute favorite Talks.  Shortly after watching this video for the first time, I downloaded his Happiness Advantage book on my Kindle.  In the book, he goes on to elaborate a bit more, all the while citing many, many studies.  An easy read -- has changed my life.

Also, I watched Cynthia Kenyon: Experiments that hint of longer lives today.  I fully expect to live to be 130+ years old, active and aware.  The science explained in this bonus TED Talk today could very well help me/us get there.

Wikipedia
The North wall of my bedroom is a map projection of the Earth (picture below).  Looking at it today, I began to wonder (like I have many times before) why Europe is its own continent?  I think it's just so European of Europe to say it's separate from Asia.  I also got to wondering how many countries are transcontinental.  If you care to know, here is the Wikipedia List of transcontinental countries.

Spanish Word
botellón -- meeting with friends in a park or public place with a lot of alcohol
involved.  What's the English equivalent?

Everyday Photo

January 5, 2014

North wall of bedroom

Day 4 -- annual Walgreens flu shot

Despite having set my Jawbone UP's smart vibrating alarms for 8:00 and 9:00, I got out of bed sometime around 11:00 for what must be the 21st day in a row.  It's not that I didn't wake up when the wrist-worn UP band vibrated, it's simply slothfulness.  I'm sure many can relate.

TED
One of the key pieces of information I received in my 23andMe personal genomics report was that I am at a slightly increased risk for male pattern baldness.  Thanks a lot, rs6113491 SNP!  Of slightly more importance, I have a 12.6% chance of developing Alzheimer's Disease, which is a factor of 1.75x as compared to the average.

This winded introduction to today's TED Talk does have some relevance.  Alanna Shaikh explains how she's preparing to get Alzheimer's.  She proposes a third attitude toward Alzheimer's.  The first being denial -- of which I am certainly guilty.  And the second being combative, doing crossword puzzles, Sudokus, subscribing to Lumosity (my personal pick).

Wikipedia
"I want to say just one word to you.  Just one word... Are you listening? ... Graphene."  This is how Mr. McGuire's and Benjamin's conversation would have gone if The Graduate were to be remade.  Graphene is a planar, honeycomb molecular arrangement of Carbon with some truly jaw-dropping applications.  Potential applications, I should say.  Read about it here.

Spanish Word
sobón -- a very touchy person

Everyday Photo

January 4, 2014