Tanjectory.com

A few years back I thought it was nearly impossible for someone like me to be chosen to test Beta software. I felt like it was a priviledge and in most cases you either had to be quick to apply or you had to know someone. Things have obviously changed and I’ve been testing more Beta stuff than I have time to. How did that change? Well I started reading blogs about new software and trends and started hearing about more Beta products. Since this gave me somewhat of an advanced notice I began appling to be part of Beta testing and 9 time out of 10 I’ve been accepted. My luck has only been with new or not-yet popular companies so far but I’m not complaining. I’m mostly Beta testing games and new web apps and truth be told, most of it hasn’t been great but it’s always interesting. That’s the problem with software testing. It’s like a box of chocolates. Sometimes it’s great and sometimes it’s nasty. It’s just that I love feeling like I’m working with something that may be the next big thing.  Continue reading Beta Man

Michael Jackson and Prince are two of my favorite artists. There always seemed to be a competition between them in the past. The first video is apparently from a benefit 1n 1983 when both of them are called up at a James Brown concert. Then next video is a compilation of dance moves all three have done in concert to some of James Brown’s music. Amazing entertainers all. Enjoy!

While the holidays are great for spending time with people you care about they’re also great for retrospection and cleaning out a chosen area of your home. One of the things I’ve started doing is taking large items I can’t seem to give away to my car. Once it’s full, and it very nearly is, I drive to the Salvation Army and drop it all off. First on the list are old appliances and electronic components. You can’t sell an old VCR and there’s no reason to keep it unless you’re keeping an museum. I didn’t even realize I had more than two until I started this. I also had two small TV/VCR combos that I acquired over the years. In February even the TV part will be all but useless. I’ve gathered old books, those that will remain forever unread and those that will never be read again. All old, faded and outdated clothes had to go too. I didn’t really know I had such a large T-Shirt collection until I started rounding them up to give away. All of this felt good but nothing compared to my paper problem.

Continue reading Kill Less Trees in 2009

It’s that time of year again, the time to make my annual resolutions. I know that traditionally, New Year’s resolutions are generally to be taken with a grain of salt but I tend to keep mine and the process provides me an excellent opportunity to create focus clarity. I’m still releasing a lot of old baggage but now I’m looking at my attitude or more specifically the energy I put behind certain concepts and ideals. The one that concerns me the most at the moment is how I react to racial jokes and slurs. I just don’t like them.
Continue reading Resolutions Against Anger

My brother and I had a conversation the other day about word of mouth; how much of what previous generations have learned is often lost before the next can make use of it. In fact much of it was never recorded except for some old photos which, while valuable, are not really useful without context. In this generation where so many children grow up with only one or no parents at all, we are having to take years to relearn what our forefathers had to learn the hard way. This is especially a problem for African-Americans because, except for a few key biographies and collected works, our stories are left out of much of the recorded history. What really surprises me is that in this world of ever-present technology that even our children have access to, we have done little to preserve the memories and stories of our still living ancestors. I believe we should be doing more.

What can you do? Continue reading Digital Hand-Me-Downs