An opportunity to improve life with technology

Being a researcher and techie myself, I have seen my fair share of technologies that will change the world and innovation that will never leave the lab.

I once read that the easiest was to reduce your daily stress is to shorten your commute. Everyone is annoyed while driving, but we cannot easily reduce our reliance on cars. I know that innovations are attainable with our current technology, so why has no one introduced changes to our roadways and vehicles? Are the technologies too expensive? Or is something more sinister at hand?

In this always-on world people long to be connected at all times; the commute is an inevitable impediment to staying connected and therefor causes us stress. Driving gets us from point A to point B: from one place we need or want to be to another. The journey is merely the time between now and then and is rarely pleasurable.

I’ve found that riding my bike is a great way to get from A to B while simultaneously exercising, clearing my head, and waking up. However, biking is not always possible or practical. This is where we have a major opportunity to improve life with technology; whether that is car driving themselves or the back of the car in front of us has a display on it (for our enjoyment), there are so many good ideas that could make the driving public happier.

The new social dynamic

I wrote earlier about dogs in public and cell phones in public which leads me to wonder what social dynamics will emerge as we continue to integrate technology into our lives. Given what I’ve seen, it seems that people are increasingly averse to face-to-face interactions. Between iPods, cell phones, and pets, people can live an entire day in public without interacting with another person directly. This seems to fly in the face of housing trends. America recently passed an important point in her history: we have over 50% of the population in urban areas and the majority of America’s big cities only continue to grow. Are we as a nation experiencing growing pains as more people are forced into crowded spaces? Are Europeans, who have handled urban living for decades ahead of us, as aloof and passive as Americans? Anecdotally, the answer is no. It is a brave new world.

Sociologists are also interested in the effect of  technology on society. As described in this article from the Economist.com, researchers have been pessimistic about changes in technology for years. I trust the human spirit to persevere; like Celine Dion, my heart will go on.

How to talk about an exciting life without bragging

Am I or will I ever be, one of those people who ever so nonchalantly mentions their extravagant travels and exotic friends? Sitting at a coffee shop one day I overheard a woman discussing all the wonderful things she had seen. Her audience, apparently an old friend, was less than impressed as the old hen prattled on with a constant stream of auto-laudations. I’m fortunate: I’ve led a very interesting life and experienced amazing things, but I do not want to bore my friends with inane details and persistent bragging. Travel is not a unique topic here–I’ve heard people brag about experiences from guitar to shopping. I’m left wondering how to talk about an exciting life without coming off like a braggart.

People should feel free to talk about subjects that interest them, but they should take note of social cues and change subjects more regularly. Beyond that, we should be confident but humble; approach conversation as two-way exchange of knowledge rather that a chance to tell every great story you have. My thoughts are still gestating, but I think this is a good starting point!

A couple interesting links

For the first time in my life, including the past seven years in Austin, I have been suffering from allergies. Earlier this year I was congested and miserable for three weeks before going to the doctor; she told me to clear up my allergies I should use a saline nasal spray. Since then I’ve been more interested in the subject and I stumbled upon this article proclaiming the many benefits of regularly using a neti pot. I’m not to the point where I can pour water in one nostril and let it drain out the other, but I’m warming up to the idea of  nasal sprays…

Another story that recently caught my eye because Andrea is naturally good at organizing but always tells me we cannot have wires showing: http://lifehacker.com/364054/top-10-ways-to-get-cables-under-control

My recent interests

Having not played a game in months, I’ve had more time for other pursuits. Beyond reading more I’ve taken a healthy interest in economics, gardening, and sustainable living among other topics. I have to thank Mike and Hyrum (among others) for their input along the way; I’ve learned a lot from our intellectual discourse–learnin’ the way learnin’ was meant to be learned!

More recently I have started playing the drums again–a pastime I last enjoyed before entering college. While drums are a lot of fun, they’re more the vehicle for this funky white boy to work on his rhythm. My father sold my drums, but all is not lost. To counter this truly traumatic event, I bought Rock Band for the PS3 and have taken to pounding practice pads to colorful notes scrolling wildly across the television screen. Fun times!

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a stranger who said, “Selling my PlayStation was the best move I ever made.” He went on to explain that he now has time for other activities. Since I’m in the same position, I was particularly interested. My new friend admitted that he enjoyed playing games, so I pushed him and asked, “Why would you give up an activity you enjoy for one you do not? After all, isn’t life about happiness and pleasure?” “I can now do things that I will regret less later,” he replied. Hmmm. This was not the most eloquent statement he made (he was a very charismatic person), but the reply was essentially the same answer I would give. Here’s to doing things that we will regret less later!

Wedding plans

Recently, an old friend asked about the wedding plans and I admitted that my portion was all byt complete. As Andrea and I start our lives together, I plan to distribute work evenly, but I’m glad Andrea Mire (soon-to-be-Holloway) is doing more of the wedding plans! I am extremely lucky to have Andrea and her family helping out.

The invitations have now been sent, so people who follow the link on the enclosed cards will likely be visiting this page soon! If you’re one of our invited guests, please feel free to leave a comment or say hello on TheKnot website for the Mire / Holloway wedding.

Riding your bike to campus

April 17, 2008 is the day that the world will remember something great: Seth Holloway’s first bike ride to campus. Despite living further from campus than ever before (and that’s saying something since I’ve been here for 7 years), I took the plunge and rode my bike today.

The five miles took thirty minutes in traffic. I arrived on campus fully awake and sweaty; a combination I had never experienced so early before. My only gripe was a Volvo-driving soccer mom who hugged the curb and kept me from riding up to the stoplight along the curb. All the other drivers were courteous and kind to this noob-biker.

As I get more fit, tune my bike better, and hit lights at the right time I think I could shave off five minutes pretty easily. Here’s to Austin weather staying pleasant enough for bike riding for weeks to come!

Thanks to Mike for excellent advice on the route and helping me to get comfortable riding my bike. Additional thanks to Tony and Dave for helping to acclimate me with the nuances of riding a bike to campus.

Cell phones in public

Some people assert that cell phones are the rudest device ever unleashed on the world. While this may true, we cannot forget that all the people talking on cell phones are being more social while simultaneously being less social. Every sorority girl flapping her gums when she should have both hands on the wheel is communicating with another person. Every communication brings us closer to one another and closer to ourselves. In that regard, all these rude phone conversations that keep a person from interacting with the outside world are bringing the conversants closer to a select few. All in all I have felt the cold shoulder hefted upon me when someone chooses to speak on their cell phone instead of to me, but I have to think positively and credit them for interacting at all–unlike those iPod listeners…

Blogasaurus Rex

Looking at the past two days it has been said (by someone other than myself even) that I am turning into a blogasaurus rex. I imagine the number of posts per day will even out soon, but for now I’ve got a lot to say!As my parents say, “W-W-W dot its all about me dot com!” whatever that means…

April Fools!

The Internet community had some great pranks this April Fools. I was reminded that the world is incredibly well-connected when I noticed a few foreign sites were down. Being 10pm here, I thought nothing of it. Minutes later my friend reminded me that it was April Fools some places…

On the home front, Google had a few funny pranks, namely Virgle and Gmail custom time. Actually, I think these are both good ideas. If only we had a few days a year to pitch ideas and roll them back when they’re not well received… Youtube was also hilarious by Rick Rolling us all. No guarantees, but for now I say “I’m never gonna let you go!”

If I put a link here, will you click it? Good! Good.