Goodbye consulting, hello funny business

As of this Friday, August 1st, I'll no longer be a consultant. I've accepted a deal with ComicWonder (actually, with the parent company that has no name yet) to be a permanent employee and partial owner (very, very, very small part, kind of like owning one brick in a skyscraper).

Why would I do this, you ask? Well, it was actually a very easy decision to make. Great people, great work, control over how I develop, I could go on and on. It's the best job I've ever had by far. And it's not just about ComicWonder. We are branching out into many different areas that all take advantage of the technology we use for ComicWonder.

Right now we have several big name customers testing out a new application I've been working on that could blow the lid off the Human Resources game. It's one of those apps that you go, wow, how come I didn't think of that? Aren't those always the ones where you're like, duh, that makes total sense and damn, I could have done that. I think it's going to be huge and we're not stopping there. There are several other apps in the hopper just waiting for me to get to them.

Before too long I'm going to actually need to bring on help. As the sole Java developer it's been great. No worrying about someone else's code or what they're working on or merging code. It's just me and I do it the way I want to. Unfortunately I'm only one person and with the amount of work we have coming in I'll need some help sooner or later.

Needless to say I'm very excited about this opportunity and am looking forward to being part of the "family" for many years to come.

By the way, one other side benefit... our bowling team will be sponsored by ComicWonder! I can't wait to see the shirts!

Miller Beer Man

For Cdubya's b-day Saturday we went to the Brewers game against the Astros. Just so happened it was Miller cooler bag day so we were lucky enough to scarf a couple of those, but the coolest thing was that the Miller beer man from the High Life commercials was there to throw out the first pitch. But that's not all. He was all over the park, always with a big smile on his face as he signed more autographs than any of the players. I think he truly enjoyed every minute at the park. And he wasn't one of those guys that throws out the first pitch then hops in his limo and is out of there. When Ryan Braun hit a 2 run homer to tie it up in the 7th inning he was down in the crowd high fiving all the fans.

Here's a picture of him up in the broadcast booth with Bill Schroeder (left) and Brian Anderson during the game. I swear he got more attention than the game...



And to make it a perfect night the Crew scored twice in the 8th to win it 6-4 and tie the Cubs for first place!

iPhone 3G

So, as most of you know, I have the original iPhone (2G) and I totally love it. Best phone I've ever had hands down. So when Cdubya says she's sick of her Razr and wants something that can do more I explained to her that she couldn't go wrong with the iPhone. I spend time showing her mine, letting her play with it, explaining all the cool functions (especially the new apps that came out with the new software update).

She's not convinced that's the phone for her. She wants to go to the AT&T store and look around. So we go Friday evening. We talk to Jimmy Chipmunk and he says that you can't beat the iPhone. She says she wants to look around. She looks at all the other phones (almost every one of them costs more than the $199 price of the iPhone and they all have the same $30/month unlimited data plan). After all that she says "Well, that guy said the iPhone is the best, I guess I should get one."

WTF, had I not been saying that for a week?!?!?!? Why would you believe your husband, someone that actually has had the phone for a year and loves it. Someone that works in IT. Someone you should trust...

No, but she'll trust junior at the AT&T store because he must be an expert... sheesh.

So anyway, we're told at the store that they have a wait of about 20 days for one. Wow... uh, ok. We decide to check what that Apple Store has (West Towne). The web site says they have them in stock, so we decide we'll try to get there an hour before they open Saturday morning on the outside chance we might be able to get one. I told her not to get her hopes up, from what I'd been reading it was still very difficult to get one.

We show up at West Towne at 9:15 (10:00 opening) and turn the corner and there's no line out front, cool! We walk up to the Apple Store and it's open already. Weird... ok. We walk in, 2 people are getting iPhones! We are next in line and we get the phone, activate it and are out the door in 20 minutes!

So, moral of the story is the Apple Store gets a LOT more iPhones than the AT&T store and AT&T is not telling people that they have an option (in cities where there is also an Apple Store that is).

Also, the Apple Store has been doing this "soft opening" for a while now so don't be surprised if you can get in before they open.

And yes, the iPhone 3G is all that. I downloaded the iphone sdk yesterday (only a 1.2 gb download!) and made my first iphone "Hello, World" app. Their documentation is very good and they also have video instruction on how to use it. Anyone with an ADC id can download the sdk. If you want to sell your app in the App Store you must pay a $99 fee to join.

I already have 3 or 4 apps in mind to build, now I just need some free time.

Battle of Door Creek Followup

Last night was golf league time again.

When I got done I was ordering my dinner at the bar and look over and there's the guy. Luckily I don't think he recognized who I was so nothing happened.

However, later on a guy in my league tells me he knows the guy very well and tells me all sorts of stories about when the guy was in high school at La Follette and how he basically had a gang that went around terrorizing people and beating the crap out of them. Of course, I also find out that this was in the late 60's, making him about 57 or so now! Ok, I feel bad I hit someone's grandpa...

Then I find out that he has a brother that plays there too (much younger). Of course, the idiot in my league goes over to him (after the other guy left) and points me out! Sheesh, thanks buddy, needed that. I also find out he told his brother all about it and basically said that if it wasn't for Cdubya coming out there I would be dead. Not beat up, dead. Nice...

I go home and tell Cdubya all about this and then I find out that the last name of her new boss is the same as his... oh great. I do a little research this morning and find out that yep, she's married to the younger brother. Oh boy. So, I got in a fight with her new boss's brother in law. Extra nice.

And to make the world even smaller, that same woman is the sister of my friend Jim. Jim tells me that in the past, yes, I would be lucky to be alive. Nice again. I'm hoping Jim can help ease the tension a little.

Door Creek has just become an uncomfortable place for me.

BTW, I shot a 41 with a birdie on 9.