This year I am not making any long term goals other than I am just going to try stuff. I have always wanted to get more creative, draw stuff, feel really passionate about art and have a creative practice. Where to start, take art classes, sign up for a creative coach? Well I can do all of those things !!!

One of the things I remembered seeing on the web are examples of people creating beautiful artwork  in Moleskine Notebooks. I am not there but I will be.

My personal mantra is “Be A Wierdo”.

I love you Jenkins-CI

Jenkins Home Page

I have been working for this non profit Hesperian Health Guides and they recently upgraded their website. I came on board roughly 3 months before the project was completed (every IT Manager/Project Manager nightmare) and was tasked with trying to get everything running smoothly.

Currently they are developing/have developed/using a third party service for:

• Main Website
• Image Library (Hesperian has thousands of images that are use in their materials)
• Adaptation Tool – This is one of the coolest web apps allowing people to create health materials on the fly
• Wiki – an online repository of all of Hesperian’s Books (well not all but is slowly happening)

With all of this I have to track web changes, have some sort of version control, and traffic police all the changes that happen to the different components

Enter Jenkins CI! I really love the open source movement and got these two books onJenkins: The Definitive Guide and Integrating PHP Projects with Jenkins (get them from Amazon). So let me start of by saying I had no idea about Jenkins other than what I read but I knew it could solve the coding on the live production server problem that this organization had.

I read the books and was able to install and set up my build server but the thing that drove me crazy was user permissions on Ubuntu. Thank god I was using rackspace as a host and they are trying to figure that out.

All this to say that if you are a non profit with a heavy intensive web strategy using a build server and an SCM will save you a lot of headache and worry

Malidoma Some
you live in a culture of the ungrieved dead

Anne Lamott
My mind is like a bad neighborhood I don’t go there alone

I am not a quote guy but these 2 really hit home and resonated with me for most of last year. I heard them on a buddhist podcast as I was transitioning from a technical consultant to working for an IT manager and they helped with what was a stressful transition (employment insecurity sucks). Hope they help you….

I have a hard time concentrating. I know I am not alone, and by all the stuff on the web about Procrastination, a lot of people have the same trouble. Lately I have been listening to free podcasts on my Iphone (you like how I dropped that in there yes … iphone…).

The way Buddhist teachers describe the state of mindfulness and even breathing exercises helps me slow down and concentrate in way that I get stuff done. Ultimately I get stuff done.

My favorite podcasts come from a retreat center close to me in Marin, CA called Spirit Rock. Try them out, I am not getting paid for endorsements in any way .

These are 2 images of the office as it slowly closes. There are people here on the other side and they are still working as the deadline looms for this office to close. For all of this company talk about valuing employees, I notice that there is nothing here to try and improve moral.

I have been inspired in the last 3 hours to get my bachelors degree and to continue to pursue my dreams. I don’t know how I am going to do it but I want to value people I work with better than this. 

Change is painful for me, I like things to be known and quantifiable. At the same time I want excitement, working with people who are committed and smart. The dream job is a group of people who get to use technology and artistry and love their job.

This picture definitely makes me want something different……

I saw this story  and was immediately inspired:

My First Million: Bob Williamson, Horizon Software International and Honey Lake Plantation

You see last week I got some bad news, I found out my biggest client (my only client) was discontinuing my contract. I had worked for this company for 3 years had been with them thru thick and thin and the emotional impact was immediate. I felt like I was losing a job and betrayed.

The interesting thing is I did not particularly like this gig. I felt the company was not adequately addressing the needs and issues of the Systems Support team and it was adversely affecting its clients. I had made some suggestions to fix these issues and they were not addressed. So I was frustrated, to say the least.

I still have a very visceral reaction though to this assignment ending. There is a lot uncertainty and it is causing fear and anxiety in me and my family. I then saw this article. The power of faith,acceptance and striving is what I needed. I am starting to remember my intelligence, my smarts, my “hustle”. These things are going to see me and my family through. I am still scared but I have a sliver of hope.

Unrest spreads in Jamaica – CNN.com

I am freaked out about the violence going on in Jamaica. I look at some of the images and know exactly where this is; down to the Pizza Hut sign. Don’t get me started as what the heck is Pizza Hut doing in Jamaica. Nah bredren!! babylon bread  gwan kill you. My Dad is in Jamaica, my stepbrother, stepsister (Stepmom in Boston Whew). My Two friends who I knew as small boys are there. I haven’t heard from them yet.

The crazy thing about all this, I mean the absolutely crazy making thing is as I am feeling all this. I get a call from a co-worker and he are talking about some work. I don’t even remember  how the conversation turned but he says “aren’t you used to it I, Don’t  they just have huts in Jamaica? Isn’t that where you lived?” I actually called him a name and lost my cool in the joking crazy way. You know what I am talking about immigrants when someone says something derogatory about your home you kind of laugh it off, or go silent. I had to do a lot of work just to feel like I could tell him that was a dumb fucking thing to say. I still feel it worry and anger wrapped up in my chest, waiting for me to jump up and down on someone. Then I remember the strength of my Jamaican grandfather. I don’t know much of his life I just knew I was around him for some very formative years in my life. He seemed strong/ calm/ powerful and he didn’t need to get mad (mostly). His Power seemed about surviving, working for his family, doing the best he could. He is what I remember most/long for the most about Jamaica.

Jamaica remember your strength, your power, put down the guns. Resolve it, whatever it is, calmly, strongly and with the conviction everything will work out.

Love you my Island

I live in Northern California and one of the resolutions I made this year is to see more of California other than the Bay Area in which I live. Recently I have visited Point Reyes and then Big Sur. Both fairly long trips and luckily I went with my family and other family and friends. Wow!  I think the more I travel in California the greater appreciation I have for the US as a whole. Here are some shots I took enjoy.

I am writing a book, screenplay.. not really sure yet. I dont really have an order and I have about 90 or so pages written. I will post them as the moods strike me.

His grandfather Petronious tall and squinty has a raspy voice and a easy smile. He smells of surf and sweat and good food. Of coconut water, and ackee and salfish, breadfruit. Sea puss’ with bammy. he is long limbed, with grey hair in his locks. Slightly balding at the top and long flowing locks he keeps wrapped up in his turban. He only takes out the locks when he goes swimming, racing to the water to the beach he goes because it is not perfectly combed for tourists. His hands are strong and gnarled with no adornment with callouses but they seem to always tender to animals and children. His grandfather loves that beach, the way the families come there even from Kingston. Sam remembers him with the love of a little child and the remembrance of an adult. One of the things he remembers the most is the times talking with his grandfather, sitting at on the veranda drinking june plum juice. It seems his entire childhood could be about what fruit grew in what season.
Petronious came to him one day when they were sitting down to look at the street and see who was passing by his yard. He looked at Samuel and held up a book. This is the kebra nagast the book in which I live my life. I know your parents are moving to babylon in the next month and I wanted to give you this. You will be tempted by babylon. Sam looked at his grandfather with curiosity, he remembered all the times men would talk about babylon with quiet whispers or strong shouts as if to drive it away.
Babylon is not a place but a spirit of despair and longing it is an empty place that cannot be filled. It doesn’t matter where you are from, who you are, babylon is gluttony. This will protect you. He hands the book to Sam and says a few words that Sam cannot hear.
What is this he says what is the meaning of the kebra nagast. why was it written… Sam looked up from the book and said I don’t know granddad? People think it was only the history of Queen Sheba meeting king Solomon but there is so much more than that it contains the Stories of God. God brought his knowledge to every race in the way that they can understand. No religion is better than the other because how can you say which message is bette it all come from god. This book is our book. It is not really understood it is not well know but it is a direct message. Ever living, ever powerful Jah. Another name for god. the Kebra nagast is our belief and compact with god wrapped up in a package.
Why do you think I am giving it to you, because you need it plain and simple, Babylon will tempt you, not just with too much pleasure. but with lack of will. First pleasure is a gift from good good friends, good sex, the love of your woman, children comfort all these things are fine and are part of the bargain we made for living here on this earth. Babylon will take the joy from you it will make you an addict to joy, make you believe that it is a right to have joy not a reward. so that is what I tell you earn your right.
Samson looks at the book and feels the words in his hands the textures and he feels something behind him. A force of joy and he is calm he feels his skin tighten taut and he breathes clearer. His grandfather looks at him and repeats praise jah, praise the works of jah the ever living, ever powerful. That is the power of jah
Petronius is looking at Sam strangely and he looks at his Grandson and says to him close your eyes, tell me what you see. I see a clear day and a coconut branch in the water. he tells Petronius. a barracuda is swimming near it hovering like a little tiny silver plane. Just still and not moving. The coconut branch is drifting and the barracuda is following it. effortlessly and still.
Leave it alone Petronius says he holds his hands on his grandsons head and. I think it is time for me to lock your hair. Go bring me some oil. Sam is excited because he know his parents wont like it, but when it comes to certain things they do what Petronius says, it is just the way things are. He gets the coconut oil. His grandfather rubs some in his hands and holds on to his grandsons hair slowly rubbing it in this child’s scalp. He is very methodical and he is thrilled. Here is his grandson the son of his son. Petronius remembers his son, he loves him with a deep, Mariana’s trench deep love powerful heavy and still. It is a force of nature that is in him and now he sees he loves his grandson the same way. It is always a shock to him to see how powerful his love is for his children. It’s almost as if it is a separate thing that in this he is its servant. He starts the braids in his grandson hair locking the strands with the twists and knots that has been the way in the family since queen Sheba and king Solomon. Each an incantation a warding from harm. Sam seems carried away by the strong loving hands of his grandfather gently taking just the right group of hair and twisting it into the strand and lays them back. The methodical twisting and tying weave an incantation passing spiritual knowledge awareness and Other from grandfather to to grandson. Fighters of babylon just in the simple pleasures of family. Samson feels the presence again the comforting wall behind his back, the tautness in his skin the mental clarity that seems help