Life
Cloud Collaboration is the Future
Let’s face it: the world of business is changing at an accelerated rate. Every day, more and more companies are turning away from integrated local IT solutions in favor of cloud-based alternatives that are managed and supported by a team of individuals focused almost exclusively on keeping your business’ cloud services up and ready when [...]
Beer is Best for Ruckus or Rest (With Sponsored Videos)
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. Proverbs 31:7 When photographers want me to smile, they ask me to say “cheese.” When they want me to really smile, they ask me to say “beer!” I know, I know. I’ve said it before: I’m generally more of a wine guy [...]
My Name is Chris, and I was a Victim of High School Bullies
I had a tough childhood. I’d wager that many of us adults went through something that would be considered “a challenge” at one point in our respective younger days. Tribulations on the home front were largely relegated to the occasional familial disagreement (nothing that would be considered out of the ordinary, I assure you). My [...]
Star Wars Advent Calendar is Jediriffic Year-Round
I got a LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar! The idea of using an Advent calendar once held deep, religious significance for me – but since evolving into a non-Catholic, I only seem to appreciate the winter Holiday season for nostalgic reasons. I love the sights and sounds of Christmas, but… not its largely-borrowed-by-Christianity foundation. As [...]
Why I Don’t Blog About My Personal Life Anymore
This blog is a treasure trove of personal beliefs, endeavors, and relationships – especially if you scroll back into the archives (near a decade ago). I started it as a personal outlet, separate from any “professional” pursuits (like LockerGnome or Gnomedex). Over time, it evolved into a nexus point for most of my activities. I’ve [...]
Are Unified Communications Systems Right for Your Business?
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BT. All opinions are 100% mine. There is nothing that drives down overall productivity within a company more than lack of communication. Having everyone on one communication platform is often unfeasible, especially when you have some employees out in the field and others spending [...]
My House Tour Video (2011)
A few years ago, I uploaded my first Home Office Tour after on a New Year’s Day “Subservient Chris” request. This exploration has since become an annual tradition, with me having skipped only one year (and being kindly lambasted for doing so). For years, individuals from this community have been asking for a complete house [...]
The Future of Real-Time Communications
Recently, I shared a Google+ Hangout with Jeff Pulver and Jonathan Taylor to discuss the state of the real-time communications industry. During the conversation, we discuss a wide range of topics including the history of communications technology and the latest innovations. We also touch on bandwidth caps and how single individuals can inspire change in [...]
Why is Education so Expensive?
When I was going to college, everything cost what felt like an arm and a leg. Textbooks were one of the larger burdons students didn’t always see coming as the semester grew closer. In some cases, these books made up a larger amount of your initial investment than housing (for the first month of the [...]
How to Make Money with Your Voice Online
Do you have a decent microphone and a unique voice? Have you considered possibly giving voiceover work a try? There are many ways to make money with your voice online, and most of them don’t even require you to leave your home at all. First, this isn’t a good idea for everyone. It is harder [...]
Will an Internet Sales Tax Hurt Online Retailers?
The so-called “Amazon” Tax has become a huge national story as the online retail giant sent out messages to their affiliates in California announcing the end of the affiliate program there. Even though this new law has “Amazon” as a nickname, any online merchant with an affiliate program falls under its jurisdiction. It was their [...]
The Importance of Technology in Education
Technology has become a defining force in our lives, and its relevance is spreading to virtually every field in one way or another. While some people may go their entire lives never needing to recall the knowledge they gained in various classes throughout their educational career, their experiences with technology will most certainly come in [...]
Five Ways You Can Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Making your home more energy efficient makes sense on so many levels. You can save a lot of money over a relatively short period of time by making just a few adjustments around the house. Here are five ways you can make your home more energy efficient: Replace Incandescent Lighting with LEDs or CFLs Incandescence, [...]
Why Education is Still Important
Education is incredibly important, even in this world of technology where knowledge is just a few keystrokes away. Students today are being taught differently than they were when I went to school. Assignments that had to be completed using a No. 2 pencil with every step of my process represented in notes are now being [...]
How the iBOT Wheelchair Mobility Device Improves Lives
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to Michael Kaplan, a fellow geek and owner of the iBOT by Independence Technology (a division of Johnson & Johnson). The iBOT is an extremely versatile and stable wheelchair that can actually stand on two wheels. In 2006, the iBOT retailed for $26,100 with a required prescription. New [...]
