T-Rex Adventures at DMNS

I'm smiling because it's one less mouth to feed!
Way to take one for the team, Kaylee!

The American West is famous for dinosaur discoveries.  Wyoming, for example, is littered with ancient fossils.  Trilobite fossils are everywhere.  So many in fact, much of the roads consist of ground up 'stones' which are trilobite fossils.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science contains nearly two floors of dinosaur skeletons.  You are even greeted by a T-Rex skeleton in the entrance.  Last week Marie and the family were invited to the VIP premiere of "T-Rex Encounters" for her MacaroniKid newsletter.  The exhibit consists of 4 life-size robotic dinosaurs (2 raptors, 1 Triceratops, and 1 T-Rex) tied in with facial recognition software.  The dinosaurs react to the people's faces.

Nothing like having a Velociraptor stalking you while you walk past.  Get enough people near the Triceratops nest and 'Mom' start's having conniptions!  And nothing beats having a Tyrannosaur holler at you.  Crouch down in front of the T-Rex, and it will lean way forward and sniff at you, trying to determine if your edible or not.

Alora was the next to go, have to cut back on those
expenses so sacrifices must be made.

Pictures weren't permitted, but they do provide an auto-upload photo booth accessible via flickr.com, which is where these two pictures were downloaded.  I recommend going and bringing the family.  DMNS is a great way to spend the day anyways, and the T-Rex encounters was worth the visit.  One word of caution if you have smaller kids, these dinosaurs are lifelike, large, and loud, so have your younger children bring a stuffed toy in case they get scared.  As can be seen in the second picture, Arionna brought her stuffed snake.

And FYI, this isn't an advertisement for DMNS.  We had a blast and I wanted to share it.  I love DMNS and many things in Denver, there is so much to do.

What I'm Looking for...

To keep this short, I'm looking for new employment.  My previous post focused on me, but if I'm to get help finding that perfect position I do need to tell you what I'm seeking.

In short, I'm really seeking (at least currently), a Director of Engineering or Director of IT role.  A Manager role would also suffice.  I'd like to aim for the medium-size businesses, say from 100+ people, but honestly, any company with the correct culture would fit me well.

I have experience working on computers from the Mainframe to the Web, from Databases to User Interfaces, from System Architecture to Disaster Recovery.  And I have dozens of stories to go along with exemplifying my experiences in each.

It is cliche for a candidate to say "I have the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical business users and vice versa".   I'm going to avoid saying that, as everyone says it.  And they believe it to be true.  Instead, I'll say this:

I've worked in Sales and in Information Technologies.  Now, I don't mean I worked in one field alongside an expert in the other, as is often the case (although I have done that as well).  No, I mean I worked in both fields as a career.  

When I worked in Sales I was a salesman.  I visited customers.  I was physically at a customer site, giving sales presentations, and actively working to close deals.  I reported to the Vice President of Marketing and Sales directly, not through a dotted line or as support.  I had a sales pipeline which I was responsible for maintaining and nurturing.

When I worked in Development, I was a developer.  I wrote code.  I built software diagrams.  I provided software support.  I directed, guided, and coordinated the actions of others to build software.  When disasters struck, I was in the thick of it working to reconstruct data.  I reported to IT Managers, Engineering Directors and the CIO.

Where does that leave me?  Simple, I've lived both these careers.  I know what Engineers want because I am an Engineer.  I know what Sales People want because I am a Salesman.  I don't have to speak 'sales' or 'techie'...my experiences make me fluent in both.

That is what I bring to an organization: the combined experience of having lived both Sales and Development.  Now, where is the organization that doesn't want someone like me?  If you know of one, please leave it in the comments below and help me get in touch with them.

Who I Am

Ok, I mentioned I'd post about the position I'm looking for, but in fact I've thought about it and am going to change it up.  Instead, I'm going to tell you what I can do and what I've done.  Then you may decide if I'm the right type of person for a position.  I have LinkedIn, Career Builder, and a dozen other places to tell you 'what I'm looking for", but this blog is about me.  So, this is blog will be about what I do.

First, I'm a leader.  Actually, make that Leader, with a capital 'L'.  When everyone around me is panicking or worrying, I'm finding the direction to go and start guiding people to safety.  I'm the person everyone asks "what do you think about....", "How do you believe we should....", "What are the possible outcomes of....".  This isn't because I'm smarter than anyone, its because people need a direction, and I provide it.

Second, I'm a risk taker.  It is my belief we can't make change without taking risks.  Many people won't volunteer out of fear of being unsuccessful.  I have no fear of failure.  I've experienced failure on multiple occasions. However, I can say I've never failed in the same way twice. If the saying "You learn more from your mistakes than you do from your success" is true, then give me a doctorate and call me Einstein!   It is those failures in my past which permit me to avoid making them in the future.

Third, I don't 'shake things up for the heck of it'.  If something is stable and functioning, then it is fine and not to be bothered with while we work on more important objectives.  Focus on what is important, and make it right. Sometimes it is simple cosmetic changes that make drastic improvements.  Sometimes, it requires deep invasive surgery.  The trick is knowing which is needed when.

Lastly, I'm an open book.  My knowledge, skills and talents are all "Intellectual Property" which I'm willing to share with others.  Everyone has their own set of "IP".  Many keep it hidden and don't share it because it provides "security", whether in their job or their ego.  I often say I have "no ego", and as for job security, I've discovered you can't move up until someone below you learns 'what you do'.  One of my first duties in any job is to find my replacement.  Not only does it help to share the work load and create teams, it also means more opportunities for me and for them to enjoy ourselves, share our workloads, and get promoted.

I guess I should now tell everyone 'What I'm looking for'.  Well, that is a blog for tomorrow....this one was just all about me.

Digital Badge of Courage (Company going under)

We received word on September 2nd that the company I work at will be shutting down.  We let most of the people go, keeping just a few people around in order to keep the lights on.  It all comes down  to the willingness of the investors to maintain operations, and they are just tired of it.  So, they are going to bundle the company up and either sell it for parts.

We are not sure what will happen next.  Most likely another company will purchase the software and IP for a low ball price.  This could be good for some of us, and possibly better for the software overall.  The software is solid and does what we say it does; nothing more, nothing less.  Certain aspects of some components could be better, but some of that is more aesthetics than functional changes.

I'm not going to dwell on 'what went wrong' or 'what could have been done differently'.  I feel that is a discussion for another time and place.  I have my own analysis and opinions, but I'm going to keep them to myself for awhile longer.  The brief story is: sales were not where the investors wanted it to be, and that is all there is to it.

In the meantime, I'm reviewing the resume once again.  I always had a resume which was, at most, a few months old.  However, I've been so busy what I have is good....but not the one I 'really want'. I will also be touching base with some colleagues of mine to let them know my employment status has changed.

Many would be upset, or even depressed about the situation, but that is not me.  I'm more upbeat.  I've experienced worse low points in my career and in my life.  I know how unproductive wallowing in self-pity can be, and I know that isn't what I need or want.  I picked myself up then, I'll do so again.

I will be sure to follow up with my (ex-)coworkers and ensure they are doing alright.  They are good people, and I want to make sure they land on their feet and take care of themselves.  I always lead by example, and so I'll help to guide them through these rough times and steer them where they need to go as they enter this transition, just as I have steered and directed them during our time together.

After all, these people have become more than just my coworkers...they have become my friends.  And friends look out for each other when possible.

I'll post more this weekend about what I'm seeking for a new position in case anyone reading this blog knows of a position.


[Edit] This  post is actually almost 2 weeks old now.  With the posting issue earlier in the month, it has taken this long to get through all the vacation posts.  However, I wanted it all to be in chronological order, so although  this is big news, it isn't mentioned until now.  Otherwise, it would look like the company entered into problems and then I went on vacation!]

Vacation - Day 7/8 - Return Home

The return trip was not nearly as exciting as the trip to CA.  We stayed the night in Richfield, Utah, about a 10 drive from San Diego.  Traffic was not a problem returning, so we had no problems travelling the distance.  The hotel did have a pool and jacuzzi, so while the youngest two went swimming, I let the jacuzzi work out the knots.

Next day we traveled back to home.  Our big stop on the way home was in Palisade, CO, the Peach Capital of Colorado.  We picked up a box of peaches and they were mighty nice!  After that, just an uneventful trip home.  Considering how our trip started, we were thankful for uneventful and safe return.

While in Utah we did stop at a restaurant, a little diner in Beaver, birthplace of Butch Cassidy.  The food was wonderful, but on the table they had little books for people to read while they waited.  On the back of one of them was the following, which I dedicate to my mother:
  

Vacation - Extra Pics

Before we discuss the trip back home, I wanted to post these stained glass pictures.  A person along the street of the condo had these as windows in their garage.  Marie can make stained glass, she has a nice one above the Master bedroom window, but these were very well done and worth showing.

Vacation Beach Visits

California has the beach, and so I have here some pictures of the girls enjoying the beach.

Arionna and Kaylee Watching the Surf

Unlike most of the beaches in Florida, which the girls are used to, the beaches in CA are more rocky. The condo overlooked this particular spot and it was a nice walk down.

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments was our resident 'expert' (Kaylee) trying to teach the girls to boogie board.  The wave came rolling in and Kaylee showed them how to jump just ahead of the wave to "catch it".

Arionna Abandoning the Elder Sister to the Surf

Now, our resident 'expert' (who never surfed before) happened to have the wave roll back on her just enough for Kaylee to throw her timing off.  Instead of hitting the front of the wave, she belly flopped onto the now receding water, pushing the board and herself into the sand.  This, of course, meant the following wave, which was just behind the first one, rolled over top of her covering her in water, seaweed, and sand.

Only complaint about the beaches in CA is the lack of "swimming" areas.  Unlike FL, the rocks and quickly receding shelf means only good, strong swimmers should attempt it.  Still, we had a wonderful time.

Vacation - Day Six and Seven

Thursday and Friday, days 6 and 7 of our vacation trip, were spent at the San Diego Zoo.  We only stayed a half day each day, with time at the beach or along the pier the rest of the day.  On Thursday, we met up with one of Marie's online friends at a restaurant in downtown San Diego.  After lunch we drove along the coast and saw (from a distance) the carrier CVN-70 Carl Vinson.  We didn't get a photo of her, the mists and distance put an end to those hopes.

Rhinoceros
It is a shame there are only a few of these creatures left.  They are impressive creatures.  This was taken on our bus ride through the park.  Alora and I rode in the first bus, Marie and the remaining girls rode in the second bus.

This guy was Alora and Arionna's favorite little animal.  They loved the big ears, and he just sat there so calmly.

The best part about visiting the zoo is seeing the diversity of life that exists.  There are so many different variations on common adaptations.

Isn't he cute?

Otter
I remember writing a paper when I was in primary school on Otters, since then they have been a favorite of mine.  So, we are going to end our visit to the zoo with a picture of this little guy.

Vacation - Day Four/Five - Sea World

Beluga Whale

Day 4 of the vacation was spent at Sea World.  We rode the rides, saw animals, and watched shows.

The nice thing about all of the attractions is they were not far from where we were staying.  It was maybe a 15 minute drive (without traffic).  Nice and comforting.  Any case, we did manage to get some photos of the animals.

I included only on the photos which I took with my phone, and I only took a few of my favorite animals.

More Beluga

Beluga Whales

I find Beluga Whales fascinating creatures.  Found in the arcitic and sub-arctic conditions, the Beluga Whale has interesting adaptations to its environment.  The lack of a dorsal fin permits it to travel close to floating ice packs, and the white color acts as camouflage.

Perhaps most interesting is the ability of the Beluga to 'turn' its head from side-to-side because the neck vertebrae are not fused, as is found in other whale species.




Penguins

Check out the Penguin

Penguins are my favorite of animals.  The flightless birds are found in the Southern Hemisphere and are excellent hunters in the water.  The penguin family consists of 17 different types of birds, each with unique adaptations.

Normally, birds are the most colorful of all the animal species, with penguins being the possible exception.  I say 'possible exception' because they still maintain some distinctive plumage in some types, but for the most part they do not exhibit the wide range of colors found in other birds species.

He stood up just to show off

These particular pictures are of the Magellianic Penguins.  Overall, they are just really cool birds (pun intended).














Orca (Killer Whale)

Big Momma

When at Sea World, one has to see the Apex Predator of the sea, the Killer Whale.  The girls and I got into a little dispute when I called it a 'big dolphin', and we had to settle it by going on the Internet to verify it.  Dad was right, it is a dolphin.  Interesting note: dolphins, porpoises, and whales are all different classifications of animals, although they are related to each other.  'Dolphin' usually refers to true oceanic dolphins and porpoises, while 'whale' refers to whales and the larger dolphins.

Full View of the Big Female Swimming Around

Final Verdict
After the long trip to get here, Day 4 and 5 were relaxing.  We needed it.  It was nice to have more than one day at the park so we could take our time visiting the animals and the rides.

One animal the girls enjoy. which I don't have a photo of, is the polar bear.  Arionna is tall enough to ride all the rides, which was great, and many times we got soaked.  We did bring plenty of sunscreen, but even so we had a little bit of red showing by the end of day 5.  Nothing painful, but it was easy to tell we had been outside in the California sun.

I'll finish this entry with a few more shots of Kasatka, the big female at the park.

Diving to the Bottom

'Standing' on Her Tail 

Vacation - Day Three- Going on Safari

Day 2 Photo - Ancient Native American Drawings on a
Cliff face at Fremont State Park

Before I begin Day 3, I included some photos from Day 2.  I had issues getting them off the phone, but finally figured it out in time for this post.

Finally, we were in CA.  Home of...well...me.  Or at least, where I was born.

Having traveled a day to get there, we slept in a bit later.  However, with CA being on Pacific Time Zone, it didn't affect us too much.

The Safari
After breakfast and a quick car ride, we visited the San Diego Safari Park.  We got to see lots of animals and took several pictures which are included here.

Most of the animals at the Safari Park are endangered while they are undergoing breeding programs to boost their numbers.  One of their success stories is the California Condor.  Once down to just 22 specimens at its lowest, the staff at the Safari Park managed to increase their population and have now released over 200 into the wild.

Day 2 Photo - Driving through Canyons in Utah/Nevada

Not all stories are as well.  The Northern White Rhino is down to 8 individuals.  The couple the Safari Park have were hoping they would mate, but both are now in their 30s and cannot breed.

Beach Condo

After the Safari Park we were ready for some food, rest, and ocean.  We arrived at the Beach Condo and were mightily impressed!  The Condo was second story of a two story building, and the view of the beach was spectacular.  The weather was cool and comfortable.  The girls couldn't wait to hit the beach, so we visited it around 7:00, stayed for about an hour, and then headed back up to the condo.  The sound of the waves pounding on the shore brought blissful sleep that night.

Vacation - Day Two - The Nightmare continues

Our adventures from Denver to San Diego continues.

Another Early Start
In order to make up time, we awoke early Sunday morning, ate breakfast, and were back on the road by 8:00.  Our next stop was Temecula, CA, 12 hours away.  We were going to make two quick stops for food: lunch in Utah and dinner in Las Vegas.

Utah - Indian Cliff Drawings
For those who have not visited Utah, it is a very pretty place.  That said, it is a desert and very dry.  It is also remote.  Cell coverage is sparse and the distance between towns is great.  if travelling this stretch, make sure your prepared with food and water.  The car operated fine, for which we were very thankful.

Lunch was in Fremont Indian State Park.  We brought sandwiches and took a quick 20 minute walk around the trail to look at the Native American cliff drawings.  The only inconvenience was a 10 foot wall of water had destroyed the only picnic bench with shade at the park the week before, so we ate in the sun.  (For those not familiar with the American Southwest, there are no real "shade trees" in the desert).

Arizona - Cops, Cops and more Cops
We drove through the tip of Arizona.  Only 30 minutes or so, but just thought we'd mention it.  Lots of Highway Patrol Officers were on this stretch of the road, but nothing happened.

Nevada - Dinner in Vegas
From the border to Vegas was uneventful.  You have to love Nevada if only because it is obvious when you cross the state border.  Casinos pop up not less than 1 mile from the state line.  We stopped at a Panda Express on the south end of Las Vegas.  Las Vegas is really not my kind of town.  I don't drink, I don't gamble, the architecture is gaudy (to say the least), and I prefer wide open spaces to crowds of people.  We were happy to simply drive through.

At this point we have driven 9 hours with less than an hour in breaks.  Even the stop for lunch was a quick stop to stretch our legs.  So, we indulged ourselves with a 40 minute dinner break.  The California border was only minutes away and just 4 and a half hours to the hotel in Temecula.  Things were looking up.

California - Revenge of Good Traveling
Between Las Vegas, NV and Temecula, CA lies the Mojave Desert.  Technically, the Las Vegas is in the Mojave, but at least it is civilization.  Once you leave Las Vegas, its desert the entire way.

What we did not count on was traffic between LA and Las Vegas (LV).  If things had gone as originally planned, we would have passed this stretch of road around noon.  However, we were now passing through it at evening.  Using the GPS on our mobile phones we received updates on the traffic situation.  It wasn't good.  Everything from the CA border to past Barstow was Red, indicating stopped traffic due to multiple fatality accidents.

The worst stretch was just past the NV/CA border.  It took roughly 3 hours to travel 30 miles.  We stopped at a Shell station in the desert (if you want to know which one, drive the route.  It is the ONLY station in the Mojave) to use the facilities and buy water.  I counted around 8 cars pulled over there due to overheating.  Hoods in the air and steam rising from the radiators.  We climbed back in the van and continued on our way.

Without traffic we would have arrived at the hotel around 8 o'clock (this includes the time zone change).  As it was, we arrived at close to midnight.  There was only once when, due to poor California signage, I had to quickly cross 3 lanes of traffic to make an exit (I call this my "California Driving Birthright Traffic Change - usable once per day by those born in CA").  There was no one behind us, so no odds of accident, but it did wake everyone up!

Next day we could begin our 'real' vacation with our first pleasant stop.  Given we had spent the last 24 of 48 hours in the car driving , plus 8 hours at various car shops, we decided to sleep in a bit before heading out.

Posts not....Posting

Ok, many of my scheduled posts were not posting.  Don't know why.  So, I will do it manually for awhile.   Lots going on, but we will start with Vacation Day 2--The adventure continues (finally...)