b-may

The Start Conference

2008-06-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

So, my good friend and business partner Jeff Veen and I have decided it's time to put on a little show.

He and I both love to talk to folks about the creative work that inspires, the ways people find to pursue that work, and the very dumb things we do along the way. For years, we've worked to grow our company and help others to grow theirs. And of course, we have the lawyers, accountants, and advisors we trust and talk to all the time.

So, we've decided to put some of these conversations with our friends and colleagues on stage. We've pulled together a group of entrepreneurs, investors, and loads of other folks you'd like to hear from about getting things going. And that's how The Start Conference came to be.

Here's the down-low:
August 7 at the amazing Cowell Theater in Fort Mason.
The format is a series of interviews and conversations, not powerpoint and shilling. There ought to be good beer, too.
And we're doing our best to keep it cheap - just $200 for now.

So, come meet your peers and let's talk about what it takes to start a company, build a business, do the work you love.

Details are on The Start Conference web site. Also Mike and David at Mule Design did all our logo and site work. The are awesome.

Best Meet Ups This Week

2008-05-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

My favorites from this weeks list of options:

* The San Francisco Pet Portraits Meetup

* Bay Area Backpack Buddies

* Build A Business with Danny Glover

* The Conversations With God, East Bay Meetup

* The Marin Storytelling and Cuddles Meetup

* Magic Sunrisers Toastmasters Meeting

* Berkeley Board Gamers Weekly

* The Concord Cake Decorating May Meeting

To be clear

2008-04-18T13:33:00.001-07:00

To be clear, originally uploaded by b-may.

They were ants. I promise they were ants!

Hank & I in Japantown

2008-04-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

We went for lunch. We left as 13 year-old girls.

Hiring the new boss

2008-04-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

So, with all the growth here at Adaptive Path, it's time to bring in some new blood. We've started a search for a new CEO. Peter and Jesse (co-founders) are staying right where they are. We simply feel that, as the company grows and the opportunities multiply, it's time to bring in someone with a different set of experiences.

This is a dream job. Adaptive Path is a collection of astoundingly talented, intelligent people working everyday to design experiences that improve people's lives. It's been an amazing experience making the company what it is today, and now it's time to bring in someone to help us take fullest advantage of the opportunity that lie before us.

I'm leading the search, so please drop me a note if you'd like to make a recommendation.

Nothing Better

2008-03-25T22:01:00.001-07:00

IMG_6792.JPG, originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

Today I am 39. I have done nothing better than this.

Adaptive Path's 7yr Party

2008-03-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

Come and Celebrate Adaptive Path's Seventh Anniversary Party

Join us on Friday, March 21 to celebrate Adaptive Path's Seventh Anniversary Party . Come have a beer and -- of course -- enjoy the Taco Truck. This year we're moving the party to 111 Minna, San Francisco. All are welcome, but you'll need to RSVP or email party [at] adaptivepath period [com] for a wrist tag if you want to drink and eat those delicious tacos on our dime.

Party's from 6:00-11:00 PM and the taco truck opens at 7 PM sharp. Hope to see you at 111 Minna.

Pelota Roja

2007-12-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

¿dónde está la pelota roja?

¡aquí!

Buenos Aires is:

2007-12-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

* New York, with better English skills
* A treasure trove of Beatles covers
* Forgetting to pick-up its dog shit
* Not as hot as people say
* A carnivore’s dream
* New York, with worse drivers
* Just discovering good beer
* Not afraid to show cleavage
* An easy place to forget it’s Christmas
* Not the kind of place that shuns a 10:30am beer
* Carrying live coverage of President-elect Cristina Kirchner meeting Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. On most channels.

Hank in the tub

2007-12-08T21:56:00.000-08:00

This is Hank , when I pretend to hate getting splashed by him.

In the Kitchen

2007-11-26T21:45:00.001-08:00

In the Kitchen, originally uploaded by b-may.

After a week of work, we find the apartment is not so much baby-safe, as much as it is less baby-lethal.

Jumping into the mid-west

2007-11-21T13:25:00.001-08:00

IMG_1072.JPG, originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

took us 120 seconds to get on that trampoline.

Man, I love trampolines.

Mark My Words: GOP will get Huckabee fever

2007-11-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

With only one real conservative in the race, I'm looking forward to seeing Mike Huckabee get some real traction in the coming weeks. Former Gov. of Arkansas (there's a track record with that state), an old-school Christian conservative, and weight-loss success story -- he has a lot of what a demoralized GOP needs.

Also, he's pretty damn funny.

He maybe running for VP here, but he just caght Romney in the Iowa caucus polls. And Christian conservatives turn out on caucus day.

This is going to be an interesting election!

Vote for Mason!

2007-10-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

Mighty Goods is nominated for the Blogger Choice Award for Best Shopping Blog.
Voting ends today, so if you have a second, please go vote for her!
VOTE FOR MAGGIE.

Baby Swim Class

2007-10-12T13:45:00.001-07:00

Baby Swim Class, originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

Fulfilling a lifetime ambition here. The best part is watching as Hank finds that he loves to splash, hates getting his face wet and an amazing inability to connect the two.

Hank, I'm sorry.

2007-09-04T13:09:00.001-07:00

Photo by Maggie Mason.

I can't be there 24 hours a day and sometimes Mom dresses you for her amusement.

You are much more to us than a throw-pillow, though some outfits might challenge that assertion.

I'll buy you a car later,
Dad

PS - We are not alone.

Come to DC

2007-07-11T23:08:00.000-07:00

This is the 6th year we've done our UXWeek Conference in Washington, DC, and the program is the best we've ever put together. Also, I'm getting up there for a bit:

This year, I'm moderating a panel on what we've learned from our mistakes here at Adaptive Path. And we've made some awesome ones. Check out the full program here.

Learning from Adaptive Path's Mistakes
Every now and again, a project jumps the rails -- all the best intentions and planning just don't stack up to the challenge. After the dust settles, all we can do is learn from our mistakes and move on. Also, we can tell you all about them. (Identities will be changed to protect the innocent. The guilty we'll name.)

So, you should come. And you can get 15% off registration if you use the promotion code ;"FOBM" (Friend of Bryan Mason).
Do it!

Too much

2007-05-29T15:17:00.001-07:00

dad+boy, originally uploaded by rcarver.

If you kiss one side of his head, it shoves huge amounts of cheek to the other side.

He grows tired of this.

Best picture ever

2007-04-06T15:50:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

Perhaps it's the way he's mastered the Mason face already. Or the squirell playing drums (thanks, Cagans.) Or maybe it's his rainbow leg warmers (thanks, San Francisco) -- but this is the best picture anyone has ever taken.

Like Water-clock work

2007-02-20T22:30:00.000-08:00

It's not that he has a propensity for pissing while I change his diaper - it's that he LOVES to piss while I am changing his diaper.

Nothing makes him happier.

It is pretty funny.

Henry Martin Mason

2007-02-15T10:58:00.001-08:00

Henry Martin Mason, originally uploaded by b-may.

Hank was born on Sunday!
Maggie is doing (and did) amazingly well.

Hank was born at 8lb and had to be harassed into crying - he didn't seem to mind the (very quick) journey.

He's perfect.

Super-preggo

2007-02-06T19:46:00.001-08:00

Super-preggo, originally uploaded by b-may.

And now, we wait...

T-Minus, Like, 45 Minutes...

2007-01-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

OK - four weeks.

I'm stopping folks on the street to ask about their stroller satisfaction, I've re-organized the baby's dresser 3 times, and I'm making grand (read: stupid) plans for my generous paternity leave (thanks again to Adaptive Path for being, as always, awesome.)

My question is:
How do you know when you're ready?

27 Weeks

2006-11-28T20:03:00.000-08:00

27 Weeks
Originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

It's a baby, wrapped in a Maggie.

Say What you want

2006-11-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

Go ahead, I can't be held liable.

Calif. court says bloggers can't be sued
The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that bloggers and participants in Internet bulletin board groups cannot be sued for posting defamatory statements made by others.

Four Days to the Election

2006-11-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

From a rally Wed, shot by MaggieMason.

I freaking love elections. Equal parts discussion of important issues and sport.

My prediction: Dems will take the House (with a slimmer that expected margin) and the Senate will be 50/50 - which is to say in GOP hands.

Dems will also pick up 4-6 Governor posts.

Evan Does the Obvious

2006-10-26T00:44:00.000-07:00

Ev's got stones, you gotta give him that. I'm not sure what makes him ballsier:

putting his money where his mouth is

telling everyone what he did wrong with Odeo

marrying someone so much better looking

starting a new company with Biz Stone

Any way you looks at it -- balls of steel.

The Steve-Irwin-o-lanrtern

2006-10-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

The Steve-Irwin-o-lantern

too soon?

Election Info

2006-10-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

In the interest of pointing y'all towards great election season reading, here are a few choice stories about folks running in the 2006 race:

Via DailyKos

-- AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl

--AZ-01: Rick Renzi

--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth

--CA-04: John Doolittle

--CA-11: Richard Pombo

--CA-50: Brian Bilbray

--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave

--CO-05: Doug Lamborn

--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell

--CT-04: Christopher Shays

--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan

--FL-16: Joe Negron

--FL-22: Clay Shaw

--ID-01: Bill Sali

--IL-06: Peter Roskam

--IL-10: Mark Kirk

--IL-14: Dennis Hastert

--IN-02: Chris Chocola

--IN-08: John Hostettler

--IA-01: Mike Whalen

--KS-02: Jim Ryun

--KY-03: Anne Northup

--KY-04: Geoff Davis

--MD-Sen: Michael Steele

--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht

--MN-06: Michele Bachmann

--MO-Sen: Jim Talent

--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns

--NV-03: Jon Porter

--NH-02: Charlie Bass

--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson

--NM-01: Heather Wilson

--NY-03: Peter King

--NY-20: John Sweeney

--NY-26: Tom Reynolds

--NY-29: Randy Kuhl

--NC-08: Robin Hayes

--NC-11: Charles Taylor

--OH-01: Steve Chabot

--OH-02: Jean Schmidt

--OH-15: Deborah Pryce

--OH-18: Joy Padgett

--PA-04: Melissa Hart

--PA-07: Curt Weldon

--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick

--PA-10: Don Sherwood

--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee

--TN-Sen: Bob Corker

--VA-Sen: George Allen

--VA-10: Frank Wolf

--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick

--WA-08: Dave Reichert

Cagan Quarterly

2006-10-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

With the changing of the leaves comes another missive from Josh A Cagan. This quarter is on Haloween:

Thankfully, the costume manufacturers of America (Korea) are working overtime to churn out newer, sexier ways for women to get back at their parents for making them hot, or something. Some work. Some don't. And some are just plain odd. Let's look at a few, shall we?

.

Also, he learned how to upload photos.

Thinking Like a Winner

2006-10-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm doing it again. I'm imagining Democrats in control. This has often led me to heartache.

But, my representative Nancy Pelosi is talking about what she's going to do in the First 100 Hours as Speaker of the House:

From the Washington Post article (via Daily Kos):

Day One: Put new rules in place to "break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

Day Two: Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Time remaining until 100 hours: Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients.

Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds _ "I hope with a veto-proof majority," she added in an Associated Press interview Thursday.

All the days after that: "Pay as you go," meaning no increasing the deficit, whether the issue is middle class tax relief, health care or some other priority.

To do that, she said, Bush-era tax cuts would have to be rolled back for those above "a certain level." She mentioned annual incomes of $250,000 or $300,000 a year and higher, and said tax rates for those individuals might revert to those of the Clinton era. Details will have to be worked out, she emphasized.

I like it when Dem's talk like winners.

Found

2006-09-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

DSC_9331.JPG
Originally uploaded by sem.

I was looking around our cabin this weekend and found this half buried out back.

More of Us

2006-07-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

Watermelon Baby

Originally uploaded by b-may.

Yeah -- for those of you keeping tabs at home, the Masons are growing. Fueled largely by watermelon, Maggie is hard at work making more of us.

This weekend, while Maggie-plus-one was at BlogHer, I had a constantly recurring thought. I had a quiet weekend -- walked around the neighborhood, went for coffee, worked out -- but kept thinking the same thing over and over: Everything we do is going to be so much more fun with a baby!

The World

2006-07-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

World66 is an odd name for a pretty cool, simple site.

The trick here seems to be visiting very large countries. I think Russia and Brazil ought to be next, to make this thing look really impressive.

create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Best Website

2006-07-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

ever:

Is Lost a Repeat

Bubblewrap

2006-07-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

This is mostly for Maggie, but I'll share it with you too:

TheRightFoor.net

Bay Area Politics Job

2006-06-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Cindy Chavez is running for mayor of San Jose. She is looking for a full time scheduler. This is a large mayoral campaign (it's the size of 2 congressional districts). The scheduler will handle both the political and the official calendar - Cindy is currently the Vice Mayor - and have a significant role in the political strategy of the campaign. Scheduling experience a plus, but not required. Looking for a hard working, organized, politically smart candidate who wants challenge and to get in on the ground floor of a unique opportunity. San Jose is the 10th largest city in the US.

It's a non-partisan race but Chavez has been endorsed by the Democratic Party. Hiring immediately, please send a resume and references to justinschall AT aol DOT com.

survivalball

2006-06-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

Should some monkey-pox epidemic hit our shores anytime soon, Halliburton is there for us -- ready to help. They are developing a new, personal survival system called: SURVIVALBALL.

I don't know a lot about this yet, but it looks like the R&D department at Halliburton got ahold of some really shitty spec-script that Matthew LeBlanc turned down. They ran with it.

Pauly Shore is the test pilot, I'm sure.

Maggie thinks it's joke. I think this idea is just crazy enough to work.

UPDATE: Josh informs me the it's The Yes Men - who are awesome.

Large Image

DFA dollars for Charlie Brown?

2006-06-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Democracy for America is hosting an online vote to determine which congressional candidate will receive their next national DFA-List endorsement. The winning candidate will receive a DFA-List endorsement and a national e-mail from DFA's Chair Jim Dean.

That means an influx of cash.
I'm supporting Charlie Brown.

Voting for the first round closes on Friday, June 16 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.

If you have a sec, go vote for Charlie..

Thanks.

Best Race from Yesterday: Montana.

2006-06-07T02:40:00.000-07:00

California had it's drama: Looks like the RNCC's $4.5 MILLION in spending in the CA-50 race is going to keep Francine Busby from winning this special election by 4% or so. Amazing. And too bad.

But of all the primaries yesterday, the real drama was in the Democratic primary in the Big Sky state.

Jon Tester, a longshot until recent days, scored a stunning upset in Montana. An organic farmer from Big Sandy, Tester turned away a popular and well-funded Democrat (John Morrison). And what folks are talking about is this: He's really nice.

There wasn't any mud-slinging, he didn't tear apart the party, and he spent half as much as his opponent. He won for two reasons: 1) he tried to meet everyone he could and 2) folks just think he's a smart, nice guy.

He now faces the somewhat unpopular Conrad Burns.

Congrats to the likeable farmer.

Jetlag in Reykjavik

2006-06-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Reykjavik at mignight.

The sun fully sets about 2am -- for an hour. This adds a new wrinkle to the jetlag saga.

Why I liked Lloyd Bentsen

2006-05-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Lloyd Bentsen died today. I got to meet him a couple times. I always liked him.

Some random things I found interesteing about him:

He was the last Democrat Texas sent to the US Senate.

He was a WWII bomber pilot, flying fifty missions. And was shot down. Twice.

In 1970 he beat George HW Bush for the Senate seat he would hold until 1988 - when Bush won the Presidency and denied him the Vice-Presidency.

When, in his VP debate against Dan Quayle, Quayle compared himself to JFK, Bentsen famously retorted, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

The "s" and the "t" are backwards in his name. On purpose.

He signed all our money for two years as Clinton's first Treasury Secretary.

He was just the kind of smart guy you want in the Senate

Stupid passage of time.

Already Getting Ugly

2006-05-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

On the SFGate political blog, Carla Marinucci notes that the GOP primary race in Modesto is getting heated early.

GOP candidate Bill Conrad is attacking Tom Berryhill for having a heart transplant. He points out that he'll be dead soon and that Sacramento is just too, too much excitement to risk.

Awesome.

Attack on Central Valley Assembly candidate called heartless.

OMG

2006-05-16T01:24:00.000-07:00

Oh. God.

Now, not all lof my events have been perfect. Things happen and no live event is without small hitches.

But, when I watch the opposing team so throroughly drop the ball, I remember a joke I heard last week;

Q: What is the difference between the Republican Party and The Titanic?
A: The Titanic wasn't trying to hit the iceberg?

Outside the Casa Rosada, Crying Eva Peron

2006-05-04T16:33:00.000-07:00

Maggie and I are on our way back from a couple weeks vacation in Buenos Aires. We've changed our vacation strategy over the last few years; this being the best example.

We've always liked the "spend a little more on the airline ticket to go somewhere interesting, and where the dollar is strong." That's harder and harder to find these days, but Argnetina is sure it.

This time we stayed in one place for two weeks. And, though you couldn't see everything in Buenos Aires if you were there for a year, staying in one place and exploring a city neighborhood-by-neighborhood was much more restful, educational, and has served to make me more eager to return.

And really good wine is US$5 per bottle.

01:02:03 04/05/06

2006-04-04T14:52:00.000-07:00

I may stay up tonight to see it.

Charlie Brown for Congress

2006-03-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

Originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

Yeah, Charlie Brown is running against Congressman Doolittle. I mean, the jokes write themselves, don't they?

So, on my birthday (Sunday), Lt. Col. Charlie Brown (Air Force, retired) held a meet-and-greet at Plough and the Stars, a local pub.

I like Charlie. < Wikipedia bio>
He's a geek, in all the right ways.

At the slightest provocation, he did five minutes on water rights and flood safety in the Sacramento delta. He talked real smack about Rep. Doolittle (Dem's need more 'smack-talkers' to shake the spineless handle we've been assigned of late.) And he talked for another five minutes with Veen about cycling.

He's got an uphill battle. Not against Doolittle (who is pretty vulnerable), but against the idea that a Democrat is going to run hard in the CA 4th (it doesn't happen often.)

If you have a second, drop by Brown for Congress. Hell, you could even leave a few bucks if you have it.

He's a good man, that Charlie Brown.

iJacked

2006-03-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

Call it an iJacking: a street-level strong-arm robbery of computer gadgetry. In the past few months, the Western Addition has, in the words of a recent SFPD neighborhood bulletin, "been plagued by this type of crime with very few arrests."

"It is obviously a trend," Lt. John Loftos of the SFPD's Robbery Division told the Guardian. "We are seeing crimes that we have never seen before, based on a cultural change. The crime trend is following the wireless trend."

from an article in theThe Bay Buardian

So, this is my neighborhood. As more Mac-lovin', white dudes move into the neighborhood, I've been wondering is this might turn into a thing.

Maggie and I have been in the area for coming up on four years now, and we'd ideally like to stay.

I hope this is just a growing pain.

Thanks, ConsuPathDeo!

2006-03-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks, ConsuPathDeo!
Originally uploaded by fraying.

Thanks Everybody!

SxSW

2006-03-12T18:06:00.000-08:00

Bryan
Originally uploaded by heather.

Looking a little tited after my panel (and 13 Shiner Bock)

Adaptive Path + Consumating + Odeo Party

2006-03-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

Stop by our SxSW party on Monday night:

Join friends, colleagues, and Adaptive Path at this year’s SxSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. We’re teaming up with Consumating and Odeo to sponsor a big bash the night before the conference closes.

Details:
Monday, March 13
Party starts at 9 p.m., bands start at 10 p.m.
The Velvet Spade
Red River Rd. and 11th St.

Things I Know About Today

2006-02-14T11:14:00.000-08:00

Here are a few things I know about today:

Jeff Veen is wearing a new shirt

A sophisticated adult beverage is in my very near future

My Measure Map stats are awesome today

Adaptive Path is a little smaller, but very happy

...more to follow.

The powerbook that would not die

2006-02-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

The Powerbook that would not die
Originally uploaded by b-may.

Yes, as Heather mentioned, I ran over my PowerBook with Maggie's car.

I was trying to load three people, 40 lbs of laundry and my laptop bag into the our little two-seater. as I was packing things up, I set my bag down on the ground. And just didn't pick it back up.

As we all got into the car, I turned it on and felt the tiny '74 Volkswagen roll over something. And I remember thinking, "What idiot left something on the ground in a parking lot. Then I rolled over it with my other wheel.

As I pulled away I looked in my rear-view mirror and recognized my own bag. I was the idiot.

We got half way home and we couldn't wait. Maggie pulled out the Mac and hit the power button. It now has what I like to call the Fantasia-filter, but it runs great. I was able to back it all up and even used it for a couple days with an external monitor.

BUY APPLE!

FOUR

2006-01-30T16:31:00.000-08:00

Cause the Mrs. asked:

Four jobs I've had:

Bike Messenger (NYC)
Bouncer for a gay bar (for one week)
Phineas Fogg in national tour of "Around the World in 80-Days" (123 shows, 16 states)
Political Advance staffer ( White House, Clinton(s)-Dean-Kerry, DNC)

Four Movies I can watch over and over:

Amelie
The Dirty Dozen
On the Waterfront
The Jerk

Four Places I've Lived:

New York City
Fargo, ND
LIttleton, CO
Winston-Salem, NC

Four TV shows I love:

Look Around You
The Office (both)
I Shouldn't Be Alive
West Wing

Four places I've vacationed:

Scotland
Malaysia
Greece
Guatemala

Four of my favorite dishes:

Pork Chops
Briskett
Chicken Mole
Massaman Beef Curry

Four sites I visit daily:

MightyGirl
Dooce
Drudgereport
Memeorandum

Four places I would rather be right now:

Santorini
The Little Shamorock (Irish pub on Lincoln and 9th)
On my bike
Wrasselin'

Four bloggers I'm tagging/slightly alienating:
Josh - He loves lists,
Lane - He'll love this,
Jeff He might do it,
Gov. Howard Dean OK, one long shot...

Email from home

2006-01-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

From: maggie
Subject: dude
Date: January 13, 2006 1:36:04 PM PST
To: bryan

No matter how impatient I get, I can't open the DVD player. I think it hates me.

-M

Very San Francisco

2006-01-12T20:32:00.001-08:00

At the end of a professional conversation, a colleague of mine lets me know that she is pregnant. She's very excited and I am excited for her.

This is not irregular, it's the fact that she and her partner (read: wife) are having their second child. Her partner had the first, so this time it's her turn. Also, they're lucky: the same anonymous donor who helped with the first child was available for the second.

I love the people who live here.

Mr. & Mrs. Mann

2005-12-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

Mr. & Mrs. Mann
Originally uploaded by heather.

I don't know which one is luckier! Congrats to the happy couple.

The Folks Turns 60

2005-12-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

USMC -- 1963
Originally uploaded by b-may.

My Dad and Mom came to visit this weekend. We had a blast. We did Alcatraz, had some friends over for dinner, basically just chilled out. We talked a lot about the last 60 years.

Mom turned 60 in March, and the kids put together a book of 60 of our favorite memories. I'll have to check, but I'm not sure all of those memories actually happened.

Dad turned 60 a couple of weeks ago, and Maggie, my Mom, adn Grandma, Uncle Mike, and I put together a book of pictures of him. For mockery sake, I've uploaded some of the Pop's pictures.

Samurai Mason

2005-10-27T23:34:00.000-07:00

Originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

That was fun.

Birthday Girl

2005-10-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Birthday Girl
Originally uploaded by b-may.

Maggie turned 30 this week. We had a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

The computer that runs on blood

2005-09-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

The computer that runs on blood
Originally uploaded by b-may.

I did the ol' ampheresis machine today. I'm a little light headed. (gave 2 units of red, 2 of platelets, 1 white and 1 plasma.) I watched most of Cast Away. Good movie.

Enjoy my blood, random stranger!

BACK IN THE PRC

2005-09-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

So, I'm back in China. Beijing has figured out that President Clinton is coming to China -- and things have changed. A lot.

Yet, I'm still posting picture to Flickr.

CNN

2005-08-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

CNN really helps us put the devastation in the South into perspective:

Wal-Mart closes 123 stores from storm.

Kazakhstan

2005-08-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Since Maggie and I are going to be on the far, far side of China, we are looking at the surrounding area to take a few days off.
The closest border to Urumqi (where we'll be in early Sept) is Kazakhstan.

Here's what Lonely Planet had to say about Kazakhstan:

If you're not a fan of endless semi-arid steppe and decaying industrial cities, Kazakhstan (Kazakstan) may seem bleak, but those who enjoy remoteness, wide open spaces, lunar landscapes, long hypnotic train rides and horse sausage will definitely be in their element.

China. Yeah, China.

2005-08-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

Too tired to write.
Never to tired to post picture to Flickr.

China

2005-08-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

I was just offered a quick, interesting gig helping to produce with an executive conference in Urumqi, China.
So, I'm going there on Saturday to scout the location.

Wikipedia says Urumqi is the "largest city in the western half of China, and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the remotest city from any sea at a distance of about 1,400 miles (2500 km) from the nearest coastline."

Anyone know anything about this place?
Drop me a note.

Best WSJ Quote ever

2005-07-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

From the Wall Street Journal:

"Some people are just into lavish dwarf entertainment," says the 4-foot-2 Danny Black, a part-owner in Shortdwarf.com, an outfit that rents dwarfs for parties starting at $149 an hour. Mr. Black says he spent part of [a March 2003] weekend on the yacht and worked as a waiter on the Friday night at a high-end Miami eatery alongside what he called "regular size" people. "A good time was had by all," he said, declining to provide further details."

Bullet: Dodged for one more day!

2005-06-27T22:06:00.001-07:00

I want jury duty. I love jury duty.

Groups 113, 114, 115 and 116 you are instructed to call the telephone standby number or visit our website on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 after 6:00pm. for further instructions.

More tomorrow...

Bullet: Dodged for one more day!

2005-06-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

Groups 113, 114, 115 and 116 you are instructed to call the telephone standby number or visit our website on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 after 6:00pm. for further instructions.

More tomorrow...

German police baffeled by Bush Poo-flags

2005-06-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

From an article on IndyBay.org
Police in Germany are hunting pranksters who have been sticking
miniature flag portraits of US President George W. Bush into piles of
dog poo in public parks. Josef Oettl, parks administrator for Bayreuth,
said: "This has been going on for about a year now, and there must be
2,000 to 3,000 piles of excrement that have been claimed during that
time.

FORTY-FIVE

2005-06-11T21:01:00.000-07:00

I spent this week in Seattle, WA.

Washington is the 45th state in which I have traveled to for a specific reason and stayed the night (this is my definition of 'been to a state')

I only have Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Montana, and Michigan left to go!

(BTW - Maggie and I love Seattle. Love. It.)

I didn't suck

2005-06-10T21:12:00.001-07:00

I played gold last weekend IN A TOURNAMENT.

Maggie and I went back to my folks' home town of Quincy, IL. My uncle Mike has a fund to support the catholic school all the elder Masons attended. The Mike Mason Fund Golf Tournament had a special guest this year: PGA Master golfer DA Weibring.

He's 7th on the the tour right now, and took a day to come play for his alma mater with classmates... and me!

Here's the important part: I didn't embarrass myself or (importantly) my Dad. My swing was ok, I had a few very nice holes, and I even made one or two cheer inducing shots.

Yeah, St. Francis saw $20,000 in revenue, and, sure, I won a professional poker set at the auction, and, ok, Maggie and my Mom saw a lot of lovely homes while I (and here's the important part) did not at all suck.

And now I'll retire.

I didn't suck

2005-06-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

NQ

2005-05-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

We're in Port Douglas, Queensland. It is the Northern-most city of note on the Australian coast.

Maggie is reading Bill Bryson's Down Under. Last night we relaxed on the balcony as she read to me all the many, many, many ways we can die here.

There are more deadly animals here then any other place on earth.
And it's jellyfish mating season.

But, we have beer!

Masons in Sydney

2005-05-15T18:49:00.000-07:00

The Masons are in Sydney for a couple of weeks. I'll let Flickr do most of the story telling for us, but so far this place is beautiful, folks are nice (or at least they are smiling while saying something I cannot understand), and the food is fantastic.

We're all jerks

2005-05-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

But not Merlin.

I wish we could have combined our events.

What is Drinking Liberally?

2005-04-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

"Drinking Liberally in an informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club..."

There are 65 cities with Drinking Liberally communities.
I'm gonna head to the San Francisco one (Doc's Clock on Tuesday nights - 7PM)

Building Democracy one drink at a time.

So Ashamed of themselves

2005-04-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

The editors of Scientific America finally gave up the ghost on their voodoo-crazy-talk they call evolution.

Where were the answering articles presenting the powerful case for scientific creationism? Why were we so unwilling to suggest that dinosaurs lived 6,000 years ago or that a cataclysmic flood carved the Grand Canyon? Blame the scientists. They dazzled us with their fancy fossils, their radiocarbon dating and their tens of thousands of peer-reviewed journal articles. As editors, we had no business being persuaded by mountains of evidence.

Utah's Finest

2005-03-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

Maggie, Heather A. and Heather C. had their first brush with the law.

Party

2005-03-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

Adaptive Path is having a party in honor of our four years and new offices.

Thursday, March 24
5:30 p.m.
Adaptive Path World Headquarters,
363 Brannan St., between 2nd and 3rd
San Francisco

Lots of beer, a taco truck and a load of web-geeks.
It'll be a blast.

Drop a note to us.

The Remote

2005-03-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

Maggie's traveling this week. And at some point in the middle of last night, I half woke-up and started searching around for the remote control. I couldn't find it anywhere in my bed, and gave up after about 10 minutes.

I just realized why I was looking for the remote in my bed:
since I was sleeping alone, I instinctively assumed I was on the sofa.

THE GOOD LIFE, TEXAS STYLE.

2005-03-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's the motto for Bryan, TX.

I can't believe it's taken me 10 years to see who has www.bryan.com. And to find a whole to town all abot Bryan.

My favorite element:

Kottke

2005-03-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

Since I've retired my "Nancy Pelosi, Our Next Speaker!" button for a while, I'll sport this one:

Give a brother a hand, will ya?

Awesome

2005-03-04T14:22:00.000-08:00

Superheros perform Office Space

HEAD

2005-02-19T23:08:00.000-08:00

I did it.

I shaved my head today. Well, I buzzed it to the point that I now have as little hair as you can have and still say you have hair.

Maggie keeps saying she loves it. I don't care if she's lying.

There's more wind on an average day than I thought there was.

Worth Her Weight in Gold

2005-02-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

That's my wife:

Worth Her Weight in Gold

Margaret Mason
New York Times
February 10, 2005

AMERICAN IRON CHEF

2005-02-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

You are starting to piss me off.

I got your stacks of $1 bills out of my ceiling. A lot of work for not much cash, but I said I'd get them, so whatever.

I was waiting for you to meet me and get your bag. (Actually, my bag. My Mom gave it to me - it has 'BRM' on it. I'll want it back.)

Anyhow, I need to find my dressing room. The Oprah studios have new dressing rooms, and I need to get ready. I was chosen to be a prep chef on the new American Iron Chef. I'm going to work for Bobby Flay. I think I can learn a lot from him, though I've been warned he has an attitude. I can deal.

People say I look like Alton Brown. I do.

Come get your damn money.
________________________________

I never remember my dreams, so this was pretty awesome.

ADVANCEMAN

2005-01-28T14:15:00.000-08:00

NPR broadcast an interesting piece on what I did last year:

Jon Haber: The Life of a Political Advanceman
All Things Considered, July 16, 2004 · Commentator and Democratic communications consultant Jon Haber describes his life as a political "advanceman." He likens it to putting on a Broadway show.

Listen to this story...

Margaret J Mason

2005-01-20T22:02:00.000-08:00

My talented, beautiful wife has published TWO articles, in as many weeks, in the NEW YORK TIMES!

Read them.
Live by them!

AT AUCTION; Warm Cookies Baked for Cold, Hard Cash
By MARGARET MASON
Published: January 20, 2005

AT AUCTION; To Keep Their Theme Park Fresh, Owners Send Out the Clown
By MARGARET MASON
Published: January 6, 2005

W 2.0

2005-01-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

Poll: Nation split on Bush as uniter or divider

A new CNN/GALLUP poll:
49 percent of Americans surveyed think Bush is a "uniter,"
49 percent called him a "divider,"

Awesome.

SPAM

2005-01-05T10:11:00.000-08:00

Someone in my office reset my spam-fitler to direct supect messages to my Calendar folder.

The effect is such that everytime I get a spam, it gets posted to my calendar, with a reminder. The time of the new appointment is set to the time the email was sent.

So, for the last two days, I've late for stuff like:

Looking to Cheating !!!

Search no more! Compatible Sxex partners are here…

Married ladies looking for a good for an affair

* only $1 membership, to verify your Legal Age

NEW! We now honor your requests, Here

Rezedents Rights & Rispansabilities

2004-12-03T15:47:00.000-08:00

Mike sent me this, the worst translation of anything you've ever read:

In 1999, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, decided to produce a pamphlet in nine languages to inform immigrants in its subsidized housing projects about their rights and responsibilities as residents.

HUD asked the US Government Printing Office to handle the translation and printing of the work. The Printing Office contracted the job out to Thorner Press, a private company in Buffalo, N.Y. Thorner turned to Cosmos Translation Services in Toronto to translate the English-language document into Creole, so Haitians living in HUD housing in Miami could understand the pamphlet.

The trouble is that HUD never specified to the government printer that a French-Creole translation, common to Haiti, is what the department needed. Instead the brochure was translated by Cosmos into English-Creole, a patois common to Jamaica.

After distributing the pamphlet:

Complaints from Haitians to government soon followed. Some said they didn't understand the brochure, others asked if the translation was a racial joke.

Gun Control

2004-11-21T22:54:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I gave up hope for real gun control. There are lots of battles to fight, and this isn't on the top of my wish list.

Then, it's stories like this that make me think, "Oh, thank god we didn't extend the assault weapons ban."

FIVE DEAD IN HUNTING DISPUTE
Alleged gunman arrested after fight over tree stand.

...The incident happened when two hunters were returning to their rural cabin on private land in Sawyer County and saw the suspect in one of their tree stands, County Chief Deputy Tim Zeigle said. A confrontation and shooting followed.

It’s not known who shot first, Zeigle said.

Both men were wounded and one of them radioed back to the cabin. Other hunters responded and were shot, he said. Some of the victims may have shot back at the suspect, Zeigle said.

The suspect was “sniping” at the victims with a SKS assault-style rifle, Zeigle said. He was “chasing after them and killing them,” he said.

Sorry Everybody

2004-11-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

I think I'm behind the ball on this, but I just found it (and 4 people I recognize so far.)

Sorry Everybody.

fantastic.

Also, my wife is feeling decidedly more cordial than I am ready to be. For now.

Christmas Album

2004-11-12T17:06:00.000-08:00

I think I made a Christmas album.

I was walking around the Container Store, lamenting the fact that they're playing crappy Christmas music, when a cover Little Drummer Boy came on - and I'm pretty sure it was me.

I have no memory of ever cutting a Christmas album -but since everyone else has, I guess it's possible.

Cagan concedes

2004-11-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

In conclusion, to my staff, and the hundreds of people who volunteered their time and donated their hard earned dollars to my campaign, I can only say this: Not good enough.

Not good enough, America. Not good enough.

TIVO MAKES ME FEEL BETTER

2004-11-07T01:08:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen my Tivo in a month or so.

I sat down tonight and saw Mrs. Kerry on The View, which reminded me how much I care for her and that I'm pretty lucky to have met her. If for no other reason, getting to know THK (just a bit) made it all worth it.

Then Tivo gave me Rev. Jesse Jackson and Sen. Bob Kerrey on the Daily Show, talking about keeping the fight alive. Jackson looked on as Martin Luther King was assassinated and Kerrey survived getting blown up in Viet Nam AND dating Deborah Winger. If they can look ahead to the next fight, I can certainly snap out of it.

Then Tivo gave me that one Buffy the Vampire Slayer where everyone is in a musical. It's the one where everyone is trapped inside a sort of Sci-Fi "Rent" - where Emma Caulfield does a dance number in her underwear and Alyson Hannigan sings a lesbian love duet. This serves as a reminder that the world is still spinning.

Tivo and this glass of Bakers (7 yr, small-batch bourbon) are really putting things in perspective.

11.04.2004

2004-11-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

Still no idea what to say here.

thirteen things from scranton

2004-11-02T06:10:00.000-08:00

* My last campaign 2004 event was a big rally in the new Scranton High School auditorium. We had a capasity crowd. I used all my old convention signs. It was a GREAT finish.

* Every restaurant in Scranton has the same menu. Must be a law. I recommend the Rueben.

* I have managed dozens of counter-protest squads (goon squads.) Nobody in any of my events has ever touched a protester - and we have always let them into the general seating area. (And then we just surround them and drown out their cheers.) They almost always just go away.

* There are people in the world who do not respond well to high-stress situations. Please do not get on headset. Please do not operate sound equipment.

* For the record: some Nextel phones will make a wireless mic' make a terrible clicking sound. Teresa Heinz Kerry can cover though -she actually turned it into a pretty funny bit about a ghost talking to her. Trust me: it worked.

* The entire town of Scranton seems to be very eager Democrats. Besides San Francisco, it's hard to find a place more saturated with lefties. Who knew.

* There is nobody on Earth more tenacious than a retired nun. She decided she was going to meet, talk to, get a photo with, and share a stage with Mrs. Kerry. Any time I spent trying to control that was a waste and just silly in retrospect.

* Holy Mackerel, hanging a 24 ft wide American flag is incredibly hard. Getting it not to droop. Getting it nice and taught. Handling it properly, though your patience is at an end. Tough.

* Do not, while waiting on the ropeline, try to sell/offer Mrs. Kerry one of your school-fundraiser chocolate bars. It's just a bad idea to shove a box of anything into the face of a Secret Service protectee. (Sorry, kid. I know you were just kidding around.)

* Mrs. Kerry and her staff were just giddy on this final campaign day. It was like a bunch of kids on their last day at school. If they had a full breakfast of chocolate. And the teachers said they could just sign yearbooks all day. And they were all off to really good colleges. That's what Nov. 1 was like.

* I made that face in my last picture with Mrs. Kerry. Maggie tells me not to make that face. Why do I do that?

* I think we're going to win. I really do.

* Maggie flew to Boston last night and I drove 80MPH straight from Scranton to Boston (4hrs flat). We got in late and crashed at a friends. I'm going to wake her up now and head down to get our election party credentials...

Wish us all luck!

I VOTED

2004-10-31T04:47:00.000-08:00

I was home for 3 days last week, and went down to City Hall.
Early voting is awesome!