Rise and Shout

The Time Has Come

2010-06-21T17:13:00.001-07:00

I hardly ever update this blog so I’m going to officially say “I’m done”. Which isn’t hard to say since I have not posted much in the last year. This blog started 6 years ago when blogging was the new and still misunderstand “cool” thing on the web. I’m not walking away from blogs or social media as it’s now called but don’t expect any new post on this site (for now).

I sill have my Rob’s View blog which is mostly photos but might get some text in the future. You can also follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com\robelkins).

I realize that some people originally subscribed to this blog for info on ESRI. Make sure you checkout the new blogs on the ArcGIS Resource Center. I have been posting a lot there about the new ArcGIS 10 release.

Race Report - Ironman 70.3 Oceanside, CA

2010-03-30T08:34:00.001-07:00

Well, I finished my first Ironman 70.3 on Saturday and had a great time… I’m not saying it wasn’t hard but I felt prepared and really enjoyed myself. My total time was 5:23 which I feel really good about. When I signed up, I wanted to go under 6 hours and as I got training I thought maybe I could go 5:40 so 5:23 is great for me.

Swim 1.2 miles (39:17)
I’m not a strong open water swimmer so I was happy to be out of the water in 39:17. The start was a little rough but I think I did a lot better swimming straight and staying under control in the open cold water. I thought I did a better not drinking the ocean but when I got out of the water I had some stomach cramps so I most of drank some.

T1 (3:53)
The volunteers were a great help in helping me unzip my wetsuit. The run through the long transition was tough but at least I didn’t fall as 2 different guys in front of me both slipped and fell hard.

Bike 56 miles (2:54:34 and an average HR of 152)
When I got on the bike I was feeling all the salt water in my gut but I drank water and that helped and by mile 15 I was feeling better. I didn’t have a lot of power and speed the first 10 mile and a lot of guys passed me… I didn’t want to push it as I knew the hills were to come and wanted to stay under control. I think I did a good job drinking and ate a total of 3 gels on the bike. I started to pick up some speed miles 15 – 30 but there was a lot of traffic to work through. When the hills hit I felt good and worked through them without a big spike in my heart rate. There were a couple of descends with really bad cross winds so I slowed down as I didn’t want to crash. At mile 45 I was feeling good but my quads were getting tight and I knew that was going to be an issue on the run. I finished strong into the wind back to T2 feeling good about my bike time of 2:54.

T2 (2:06 and an average HR of 150)
I had a descent transition as I put on socks but I knew my quads were going to be an issue…

Run 13.1 miles (1:44:04 and an average HR of 164)
I started pretty good, my feet didn’t hurt as in previous races but my quads were cramping so I just told myself “just go for a run and don’t worry about things”. I did the first 2 miles in 15:05 and started to feel better but as soon as one part of my quads stopped hurting another section of the quads or the other leg would tighten up. I never wanted to walk and I’m glad I didn’t have too. I think I did the first 6 miles in 50 minutes. I grabbed water at one aid station then Gatorade at the next all the way but I didn’t want to walk so I didn’t really drink much out of the cups. I didn’t feel like eating so I keep on running. At mile 9 I tried to pick up the pace but a blister prevented me from going much faster. I did have a little sprint to the finishing line with a smile on my face. Many times during the run I wanted to go faster but was afraid my legs would totally lock up if lengthened my stride and picked up the pace. I saw a lot of people stopping and walking and I just wanted to keep running.

Overall I’m very happy with my time of 5:22! I wish my legs would have done better on the run as I feel like I could have run faster. Next day my hamstrings feel tight but overall I’m doing great just a little sore and dealing with a blister from the run.

Ironman put on a great event in Oceanside and I hope to return in 2011, you learn lot about yourself in these longer races. This was the first time for me at this distance but also the first time using heart rate based training and racing. I followed a program from Mark Allen Online and think it really helped me physical and mentally.

Next race is Big Rock Olympic distances at Lake Perris April 17^th.

Your health depends on where you live

2010-03-01T08:40:00.001-08:00

Help me raise money for the YMCA

2010-02-02T08:43:00.001-08:00

It’s easy and quick to give online and funds go to a great cause. The YMCA here in Redlands is a big part of my families life and I want to make sure others can enjoy the same benefits.

Thanks!

Winter in Redlands

2010-01-20T08:59:00.001-08:00

We are finally having some weather here in Redlands… Lots of rain and wind yesterday but beautiful and clear this morning as I headed in to work.

Quote of the Day:
It is a great thing to start life with a small number of really good books which are your very own.
--Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Avoid Mindless Holiday Munching

2009-12-14T09:03:00.001-08:00

'Tis the season for spending time with friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family–and, of course, "spending time" translates into eating food. A lot of it. But don't resign yourself to a winter of baggy sweatshirts, or wait until January 1 to worry about your newly acquired gut.

The No. 1 mistake people make during the holidays is self-sabotage, according to Jim White, spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. "[Gyms nationwide] are slammed the whole month of January," White says. "If you can lose weight by January 1, you'll beat the crowds." Not to mention look good in all those holiday pictures.

Be merry this season with our 9 tips for smart holiday eating–and make it through the winter months without moving up a pant size.

Avoid Mindless Holiday Munching: Men's Health.com

ZoomIt – Great Tool for Presentations

2009-12-08T14:05:00.001-08:00

ZoomIt is screen zoom and annotation tool for technical presentations that include application demonstrations. ZoomIt runs quietly in the tray and activates with customizable hotkeys to zoom in on an area of the screen, move around while zoomed, and draw on the zoomed image

Free download - ZoomIt

Twitter

2009-12-08T10:47:00.001-08:00

I haven’t posted much on this blog lately so if you want updates I suggest my twitter account at http://twitter.com/robelkins.

I also try and share photos on my photo blog at http://robelkins.blogspot.com/. Checkout my photos from a recent trip to Berlin.

Quote of the Day:
Light travels faster than sound so some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
--Joe Messmore

Results will come

2009-10-30T14:42:00.001-07:00

I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.

- Michael Jordan

New York – Before the City

2009-10-23T08:33:00.001-07:00

Eric Sanderson uses GIS for studying landscapes—past landscapes. Looks like he uses ArcGIS Desktop in the first part of this presentation.

Better than you think…

2009-10-23T08:27:00.001-07:00

You are better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can

-Ken Chlouber

Get up

2009-09-18T08:21:00.001-07:00

It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up. - Vince Lombardi

Enthusiasm

2009-09-16T08:14:00.001-07:00

If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. - Vince Lombardi

Camp Pendleton Triathlon Report

2009-08-25T08:36:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago the family and I packed up and went to Oceanside, CA for some beach time and the Camp Pendleton Triathlon. It’s a big race with over 1200 participates but what made it extra fun was that 6 other friends from Redlands joined me for the race along with many of our kids. Transition area is right at the edge of the sand so you start on the sand and fight your way through the waves for the swim. The swim is tough with the strong current and waves. Last year I nearly gave up as I was not ready for the the big waves. But I did a lot better this year and improved on my time and felt really good.

The bike is mostly flat with a few hills and going through Camp Pendleton. I felt good and reached my goal of doing the 2nd half of the bike leg fast then the 1st half. I stayed aero for most of the bike but did have some stomach cramping.

The run is boring and the only bad thing about this race as you are basically doing loops around parking lots. I did pretty good on the run but still need to work on my speed to make up for my slower swim.

Great day and a lot of fun with the family and friends. This is my 2nd time doing the race and really like it. Here is the group shot of all the families in our group from Redlands.

Almost over

2009-08-05T13:58:00.001-07:00

Summer is coming to an end soon… The ESRI UC is over, we’ve had a little family vacation and the kids go back to school next week. School starts early here in Redlands but they get extra time off at Thanksgiving, Christmas and the Spring. Life is going good as I’m still swimming, biking, and running.

Lots of really positive feedback on ArcGIS 9.4 at the conference last month but if could make it to San Diego, here are a few links to checkout.

What’s coming in ArcGIS 9.4
Video of Plenary Session featuring Jack Dangermond

Quote of the day:
Nothing is impossible. Some things are just less likely than others. - Jonathan Winters

Live in San Diego

2009-07-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

I’m in San Diego today for the ESRI User Conference and the plenary session is about to begin… Good music and a beautiful stage design welcomes over 11,000 GIS professionals from around the world to the opening session. I believe this is my 11th User Conference and I’m still excited to believe in this great city with so many GIS users.

Quote of the Day:
The person who is not hungry says that the coconut has a hard shell.
--African Tribal Saying

Photos from Channel Island Trip

2009-07-07T10:50:00.001-07:00

Have recently upload some photos from my trip last month to Santa Cruz Island – Channel Island National Park.

Quote of the Day:
Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance.
--W. Clement Stone

test

2009-07-07T10:44:00.001-07:00

Clean install of Vista

2009-06-24T15:47:00.001-07:00

For reason I don’t want to go into, I had to reformat my hard drive and get a clean install of Vista on my laptop. This is a test post wit the latest version of Windows Live Writer after reinstalling everything.

Big Rock Triathlon – Olympic Distance

2009-05-14T09:34:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday I completed my first official Olympic distance triathlon (1.5km Swim, 40km Bike, 10k Run) – the Big Rock Tri at Lake Perris. Here’s my report…

Great weather and the water was warmer then I expected. I still wore a wetsuit as I need all the help I can get in the swim. I started out wide of the main group and did pretty good staying on course and not getting kicked. My goal for the swim was to swim the whole way and not freak out. I met that goal but now I need to work on swimming faster. I wasn’t the last out of the water but I wasn’t in the main pack either. The run to the transition area was tough - it’s up hill and mostly on rough sand / rocks. But I did pretty good getting out of the wetsuit and on to the bike.

The bike course is 2 loops with a small hill at the start of the lap and a big hill at the end of each lap. I felt good on the 1st lap and it seemed like I was catching some guys in my age group. I took a gel and some cytomax on the 1st lap and powered up the big hill passing few bikers that decided to walk. My plan was to take another gel on the 2nd lap but I didn’t as my stomach felt a little funny. I probably drank too much lake water. I actually took my feet out of my shoes while still on the bike for the first time in a race and had a fast transition to the run.

Everyone I talked to said the run felt long and I agree. It was mostly flat but I had a hard time getting any speed till about the 2 mile mark. Then my legs started cramping so I had to slow down a little but kept going and finished strong. I finished 6th in my age group and faster then my personal goal so I’m happy but know I can do better.

Here are some things I’m going to work on….

Swimming faster
Keeping my bike cadence up during the 2nd half of the bike
Running faster off the bike
Really kicking-it at the end of the run

spring time – “cinco de mayo”

2009-05-05T14:16:00.001-07:00

It’s a beautiful spring day here in Redlands, CA and things are staying busy at work. ArcGIS 9.3.1 is now shipping but we are already deep into the development of the next release of ArcGIS.

Time is flying by and the User Conference will be here before we know it. Speaking of time flying by, it was 15 years ago this week that I started my 2 year mission for the LDS church in Guatemala. A lot happen in those 2 years of missionary service that still influences my life today.

Quote of the Day:
Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance.
--W. Clement Stone

ESRI Developer Summit 2009 Wrap-up

2009-04-17T14:06:00.001-07:00

As many of you know I’m involved in a lot of the planning leading up to the Dev Summit. I say that so you realized that I might be a little biased but I truly think the event last month was a huge success. The feedback from you the attendees has been very positive. The event was not perfect and there are things we can improve and luckily we’ll get that chance next March, when the Dev Summit turns 5 years old. Here is a photo of me being interviewed by the talented Megan Williams for an ESRI podcast about Dev Summit 2009.

Plus a a few other links you might be interested in

Slides, Video and maybe some code from all the sessions

Slides from Palm Springs

Code Challenge Winners

ESRI TV

2009-04-01T09:28:00.001-07:00

If you didn’t already know, ESRI is using YouTube. See www.youtube.com/esritv

Quote of the Day:
The degree of one's emotion varies inversely with one's knowledge of the facts - the less you know the hotter you get.
--Bertrand Russell

ESRI Dev Summit part 7

2009-03-24T11:43:00.001-07:00

My live notes…

Last section covered some new features coming to ArcGIS Server 9.4

Graphic Feature Editing Service
New Image Services based on enhancements to the current image catalog
New Tracking services

Then a demo of ArcGIS Mobile 9.4 by Mike S.

The ArcGIS Mobile SDK is a powerful environment to build and extend your mobile applications using .NET
The same COTS mobile application you use today on handheld devices will work on a Tablet PC
This touch screen application will support day/night operational modes
Extensible using .NET
Mobile Project Center - Centralized project management and deployment our your mobile applications
Easy to configure mobile applications for BOTH tablets and handheld devices
Project Center has Simplified Installation – which is Separate from ArcGIS Server

Good session!

Lunch time

ESRI Dev Summit part 6

2009-03-24T11:29:00.001-07:00

My live notes…

The focus is now going to be on some future projects that Development is working on…

Euan C. talks about ArcGIS Desktop 9.4 being a big project with lots of new stuff coming. More integration with python as it becomes part of ArcGIS at 94. Nathan back on stage to show the python window in ArcMap and map automation via python scripting.

Demos of the new dock-able windows in ArcMap and a new editing experience with a goal to simplify and streamline the ArcMap experience. The new UI is not just in ArcMap but also ArcScene and Globe as you can now edit in 3D. Demo from Doug and Nathan S.

More on 94 at the UC this summer but here are some of the projects Euan mentioned.

Catalog In ArcMap
Faster Map Drawing
Search
Imagery
Better Cartography
Charting and Reporting
3D GIS
Asynchronous Geoprocessing execution

Positive reaction from the crows when Euan talked about a managed code plug-in framework. And the fact that 94 can be installed on the same machine as 9.3.1.

ESRI Dev Summit part 5

2009-03-24T11:05:00.001-07:00

My live notes…

ArcGIS Explorer 900 is next… Bern demos the new user interface for Explorer and how it is integrated with ArcGIS Online for searching and using data in Explorer. The new Layer Packages are created in ArcMap then shared via ArcGIS Online and can be used in Explorer. New 2D display and a collection of different base maps for use. There is also a full screen “presentation” mode for giving presentations using Explorer 900. It’s like PowerPoint for Geographers.

Larry Y. then showed the new configuration capabilities of Explorer that allows you to create your own custom version of Explorer.

Up next, Jim introduces Bill M. (Bill has been with ESRI for a long time and was a lead dev for ArcInfo Workstation). Bill talked about the “power of python in ArcGIS”. Nathan W. then gave a quick demo showing how 3rd party python modules can easily be integrated in ArcGIS to solve complex problem.

ESRI Dev Summit Part 4

2009-03-24T10:42:00.001-07:00

My live notes…

Back from the break with Jim Barry from the EDN Team talking about online communities and developer resources. He’s showing the Code and Media Galleries. Jim says that 70% of the attendees are already EDN subscribers. As for the crowd, the room is packed, they added more chairs at the break. I hear there are 1700 people here this morning.

Next up is Art H. and he proudly announces the public beta of the ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight and WPF.

Super fast display of Virtual Earth data and a great interactive SDK on the Resource Center.

Art gave a great developer focused demo – I really like the cluster display option and “flaring” of the points. And the WPF part of the SDK allows you to also build desktop applications.

It also looked like Art was running Win 7 for his demo.

ESRI Dev Summit Part 3

2009-03-24T10:20:00.001-07:00

My live notes….

Sud and Jeremy demo the new release of ArcGIS Online to be released in a few months. New sharing and search capabilities.

Break

ESRI Dev Summit part 2

2009-03-24T09:21:00.001-07:00

My live notes…

Jim M. back on stage so show ArcGIS 9.3.1 in action with Bronwyn and Bjorn. One of the big themes of 9.3.1 is “Creating Great Maps for the Web”.

New tools in Desktop to analyze and tune your map document to improve performance for publishing to ArcGIS Server. Lots of talk of Web Maps and creating rich internet applications (RIA). A slick Flex web map application was shown with some cool client side functionality (add a local spreadsheet and change the thematic rendering from the browser).

New Topic…

Java support is extended at 931 with the ability to extend Desktop, Engine and Server with Java. .NET has had this for years but now part of the Java SDK. I’m not a Java programmer but Jay and Eric did a good job explaining and demoing.

ESRI Dev Summit part 1

2009-03-24T09:03:00.001-07:00

My live notes…

Scott Morehouse (Director of Software Development) shares his vision of GIS.

What is a GIS?

An information system for spatial data

Geographic data
Editing and data management tools
Cartographic display and visualization
Spatial analysis and Geoprocessing

An integrated system

Consistent data architecture
Complementary suite of applications
Consistent user interface
Consistent application programming interface

ESRI’s goal is to provide the framework so developers can create the solutions their users need.

Scott then talked about

Workstation GIS (Desktop is key and still very important)
Enterprise GIS
Web GIS
And how it can be an integrated system

Up next, ArcGIS 9.3.1 demos

ESRI Dev Summit has started

2009-03-24T08:45:00.001-07:00

The ESRI Plenary session here in Palm Springs has started. Jack D just welcomed over 1100 developers to the event. Jim M (Program Manager of ArcGIS) is now speaking and just announced ArcGIS 9.3.1 is coming soon.

9.3.1 includes

•Improve Quality & Documentation

•Optimized Map Services – Performance

•Extending ArcObjects with Java

•ArcGIS Online Search and Share

•Layer Packaging

•Updates of Web API’s

•Microsoft Virtual Earth Layers

Plus he announced that there will be a Party Wednesday!

Up next is Scott M. (Director of Software Development)

Successful Sleep

2009-03-17T14:08:00.001-07:00

I know I haven’t posted much on this blog recently but I have been using Twitter to post updates on my training and life activities. But here is a good like that was sent me which is very appropriate as I almost always feel a little tired.

Six Simple Steps to Successful Sleep

Quote of the Day:
No mind is thoroughly well-organized that is deficient in a sense of humor.
--Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Just Do It

2009-02-18T20:03:00.000-08:00

I've always been a big fan of Nike products and their marketing style. Check out this Nike commerical featuring Kobe Bryant, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Manny Pacquiao, and Xiang Liu.

Quote of the day

2009-02-18T17:11:00.001-08:00

Quote of the day for a training buddy: “Today I will do what others won’t, so that tomorrow I can do what other’s can’t.”

ESRI and Microsoft Team Up to Support Reforestation Efforts in Kenya

2009-02-11T08:14:00.001-08:00

The Green Belt Movement is a great organization… I really like that they are teaching people how they can make a difference in their communities.

Press Releases - Directions Magazine

Quote of the Day:
We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.
--Franklin Delano Roosevelt

ESRI (UK) donates £5,000 to the NSPCC’s Child’s Voice Appeal

2009-02-04T08:27:00.001-08:00

Good job ESRI UK in making a charitable donation instead of Christmas Cards.

Dynastree Maps Your Last Name

2009-02-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

Dyanstree's surname maps out how many people across America have your last name at the state level. Quick and easy way to see the distribution of people with your surname.

Here's my map..

Distribution of the surname Elkins

Where does your name come from?

Help Me Help the YMCA

2009-01-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

If you missed the ArcGIS 9.3 Seminar Series – Good news

2009-01-28T09:36:00.001-08:00

If you missed the worldwide ArcGIS 9.3 seminar series last year, don’t worry. ESRI has recently posted all the content online for your review.

This is a great overview of ArcGIS 9.3 even if you have already updated to version 9.3.

David Chappell to speak at 2009 ESRI Developer Summit

2009-01-26T09:12:00.001-08:00

I think we have an outstanding keynote speaker for this year’s Developer Summit. David Chappell is an excellent presenter and very knowledge on trends and patterns in technology.

My first knowledge of Chappell was in the late 90s via his popular “Understanding ActiveX and OLE” book.

Quote of the Day:
What single ability do we all have? The ability to change.
--George Leonard Andrews

2009 ESRI Developer Summit

2009-01-23T08:48:00.001-08:00

Checkout the new and improved Dev Summit website which includes some new videos and lots of pictures for last year’s Summit. Plus you can search the agenda for all the Tech Sessions planned this year.

2009 ESRI Developer Summit

20 Foods To Help You Lose Weight

2009-01-22T09:06:00.001-08:00

Good article from Runner’s World with practical suggestions for each meal of the day including snacks and dessert.

20 Foods To Help You Lose Weight at Runner's World.com

Saturday Races

2009-01-22T09:02:00.001-08:00

I’m always on the lookout for Saturday events as I don’t race on Sunday due to family and personal beliefs. So please let me know if you know of any triathlons or running events in your area not on Sunday. I’m especially looking for events in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

The Fittest and Fattest Cities in America 2009 - Men's Fitness

2009-01-15T09:17:00.001-08:00

The new poll is out and Salt Lake City in the great state of Utah is America’s fittest city. I really enjoyed my recent vacation to Salt Lake City and Park City, UT. I can see how it’s a fit city. I was in October and had some great runs and hikes enjoying the fall colors in the mountains.

But I was surprised to hear that Miami, FL was the Fattest city in America. Check out the complete top 25 here

The Fittest and Fattest Cities in America 2009 - Men's Fitness

2009 ESRI Developer Summit

2009-01-14T15:48:00.001-08:00

Only 68 days till the start of the 2009 ESRI Developer Summit. The Tech Session agenda was published online at the Dev Summit site today.

2009 ESRI Developer Summit

Now on Twitter

2009-01-12T09:30:00.001-08:00

I’ve heard and read about twitter for awhile now and figured I better give it a try so I can have a somewhat educated opinion. So feel free to see what I’m doing at http://twitter.com/robelkins

Welcome to Windows 7

2009-01-08T08:55:00.001-08:00

Check out this new site from Microsoft with overview video of what to expect from the new version of Windows.

Welcome to Windows 7

Quote of the Day:
All men's misfortunes spring from their hatred of being alone.
--Jean de La Bruyère

Tortillas get a boost

2009-01-06T09:36:00.001-08:00

A BYU research team, working with mill owners in Mexico, has developed a commercial process to fortify corn tortillas with vitamins and minerals that are too often absent from Mexicans’ diets. Read More

Quote of the Day:
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.
--Anonymous

How to Not Get Hit by Cars

2009-01-05T16:55:00.001-08:00

Great tips on not getting hit by a car when riding your bike

http://bicyclesafe.com/

Test post via email

2009-01-05T15:13:00.001-08:00

This is a test post from an email…

I’m back in the office this week along with most ESRI staff. It’s going to be a business year with the upcoming ArcGIS releases and events like the Developer Summit and International User Conference.

Half Marathon on my own

2008-12-31T15:20:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I completed my 2nd self-supported half marathon through the streets of south Redlands and improved my time by 2 minutes.

I ran a 1:40’19’’ which is a 7:38 mile pace

Later in the day I went for a quick 15 mile ride with some friends around town so today my legs are feeling heavy.

I also just signed up for my the Big Rock Olympic Triathlon this Spring. I’m always looking for Saturday races and luckily this one is on a Saturday and close to home.

50 ways to make Windows Vista faster

2008-12-02T09:22:00.001-08:00

Checkout this online article for tips on speeding up Vista.

Windows Vista Magazine | 50 ways to make Windows Vista faster (part 1)

Quote of the Day:
For greed, all nature is too little.
--Seneca, Roman statesman and author

Vote for Bronco

2008-11-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

Bronco Mendenhall

New Developer Community Survey

2008-11-14T04:32:00.001-08:00

Over on the ArcObjects Development blog there is a new developer community and resource survey.

Photos from London Trip

2008-11-14T04:05:00.001-08:00

I’ve got several of my photos from London on Flickr now.

see http://flickr.com/photos/relkins/sets/72157609049341246/

Up next are Barcelona photos.

EMEA UC in London

2008-11-04T09:27:00.001-08:00

Last week I traveled to London to work at the ESRI EMEA User Conference in London, UK. Great trip and great event! ESRI UK hosted ESRI users from Europe, Africa and the Middle East. I presented a few technical workshops, gave a demo in the opening plenary session and meet with some customers during the week. I spent most of my time at the conference center but was able to see some of London’s best sights on my early morning training runs around the city. I’ll organize my photos soon and post them on Flickr.

Quote of the Day:
Comedy is tragedy plus time.
--Carol Burnett

Best Life Tip

2008-10-21T08:49:00.001-07:00

Eat these eight foods every day to cover all your nutritional bases

An all-star panel of doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and chefs will tell you why and show you how.

Best Life

Frank McCourt's company will operate L.A. Marathon

2008-10-17T16:40:00.001-07:00

The LA Marathon is under new management and the exciting news is that the race will be moved to Monday (President’s Day) instead of Sunday. Those that know me well, know that I don’t race on Sunday and my triathlon season is limited by the few Saturday events here in Southern California. I don’t think I’m ready for the LA Marathon this Feb as I’m planning on riding the Tour of Palm Springs in Feb 2009.

But it’s nice to know that a big time marathon is now an option for me in the future.

Frank McCourt's company will operate L.A. Marathon - Los Angeles Times

Nike Plus

2008-09-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

Back at it…

2008-09-25T11:43:00.001-07:00

Summer is over, the kids are back in school and all my big summer trips and conferences are over.

The ESRI User Conference in San Diego went well. Big crowds and lots of excitement. The week before the conference, I was in the High Sierras on a 70 mile backpacking trip with my church’s Scout unit. It was a great trip and I’ll never forget and eventually I’ll get my photos organized and posted online.

I’ve also completed 3 more Sprint Triathlons.

Camp Pendleton (Oceanside, CA)

500 yard ocean swim
30k Bike
5k Run

Hard race to do right after the backing trip and the User Conference but it was a good to get my 1st ocean swim over.

Lake Arrowhead Tri (Lake Arrowhead, CA)

600 yard swim
10 mile bike
5k run

Great location and a much easier swim the Camp Pendleton. The only problem was that I forgot my bike shoes so I had to ride with running shoes on the tiny SPD pedals. But I still had good time (for me) and finished 11th in my super competitive age group. The best part was beating a relay team of 3 good friends.

Spring Valley Tri (Victorville, CA)

800 yard swim
14 mile bike
5k run

This was my best race ever! I felt good on the swim, powerful on the bike and finished strong on the run. I finished 6th in my age group and 16th overall. And took 15 minutes off my total time since a similar race in May. So I’m happy with my improvements for year 1 of doing triathlons.

How To Get Better Sleep

2008-08-29T15:56:00.001-07:00

Great article with commons sense tips that I know I need to follow as I always feel tired.

Quote of the Day:
An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.
--Elbert Green Hubbard

A Quirky Athletic Tape Gets Its Olympic Moment

2008-08-26T17:08:00.001-07:00

Have you wondered about the athletic tape a few Olympic stars wore during competition? Here’s an article from the New Times blog

A Quirky Athletic Tape Gets Its Olympic Moment - Well - Tara Parker-Pope - Health - New York Times Blog

ArcGIS 9.3 Enterprise Deployment

2008-08-26T17:07:00.001-07:00

This technical paper discusses the enterprise deployment of ArcGIS 9.3 setups using Microsoft® Systems Management Server (SMS) and Group Policy, including additional system requirements, suggestions, known issues, and Microsoft Software Installation (MSI) command line parameters. Deployment in a lock-down environment is also covered.

White Papers - ESRI Support

Back to School Time

2008-08-26T15:55:00.001-07:00

School is a drill for the battle of life. If you fail in the drill you will fail in the battle.
--Karl G. Maeser

Great quote from Dr. Maeser from BYU.

With my kids going back to elementary school and college aged friends heading back to school this time of year. I sometimes wish I could go back to college as I truly had a great experience during my time in Provo at Brigham Young University.

Video Interviews at ESRI Conference 2008

2008-08-21T08:50:00.001-07:00

GISCafe have posted a nice series of video interviews from the ESRI User Conference Exhibit Hall.

Quote of the Day:
Fear is something to be moved through, not something to be turned from.
--Peter McWilliams

How rare is your name

2008-08-15T08:39:00.001-07:00

Go to this web site called http://www.howmanyofme.com

Put in your first and last name and see how many people in the USA have your name as well.

528 have my name…

5K Run -- ESRI International User Conference

2008-08-14T16:52:00.001-07:00

I ran the 5k last week in San Diego. It’s a flat course so I set an ambition goal of running under 20 minutes which would be smash my personal best. My fastest 5K run post high-school came at this race in 2006 when I ran 21:27.

I didn’t run last year due to my ACL re-con surgery. But I decided to go for it this year and see how the rebuilt knee compared to my 2006 time.

My first mile was fast at 6:10 however I couldn’t keep the pace… My second mile was 6:45 and I finished in 21:02. I felt good but for some reason I had a hard time picking up the pace the last 1/2 and sprinting to the end. I was 30 seconds over the podium in my age group and no close to running 5k in the teens but that gives me something to work for next year.

Checkout the official results by age group.

5K Run -- ESRI International User Conference

ESRI Careers Blog

2008-08-14T16:21:00.001-07:00

ESRI has a Careers Blog which features Hot Jobs… They recently posted about a position in my department: ArcGIS Product Manager for 3D.

At the User Conference last week there was a lot of interest and excitement about 3D GIS so if you are interested, check it out.

ESRI Hot Job: ArcGIS Technical Product Manager - 3D

What's New in ArcGIS Desktop 9.3

2008-07-17T11:52:00.001-07:00

On demand Webcast from ESRI Training and Education about new stuff in the recently released ArcGIS 9.3

Quote of the Day:
The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.
--John Kenneth Galbraith

Busy Week

2008-07-16T09:56:00.001-07:00

After a relaxing July 4th in Redlands, I was off to Houston Texas for the Microsoft Partner Conference. It was a buys week of meetings, seminars and a few presentations.

Here’s a photo of me co-presenting in a SQL Server 2008 session. ESRI will support the new spatial type in SQL Server 2008 when it’s released in a few months.

After some good food and hot weather in Houston I headed to Arizona with the family for my brother-in-laws wedding. More hot weather but a good trip. My kids really enjoyed spending some time with their cousins.

Now it’s back to work here in Redlands in preparation for the User Conference and the ongoing rollout of ArcGIS 9.3

See you all in San Diego in just 20 days.

ArcGIS 9.3 Web-help now publicly available

2008-07-03T10:05:00.001-07:00

The Geodatabase team blog reports that the 9.3 web-help is now out of beta and online for all.

Inside the Geodatabase : 9.3 Webhelp now publicly available

Empower Playgrounds

2008-07-03T09:12:00.001-07:00

Most children in Essam, Ghana, had never seen a merry-go-round until a BYU-led team arrived to install the curious device in their village. For more than 200 children, the installation day was memorable not only because they took the new toy for a joyous spin—or two, or three—but also because, for the first time, they had electricity to light up their school.

Learn more and watch a video about this project.

Workouts Log

2008-07-03T08:48:00.001-07:00

Tuesday 7/1

30min Spinning
30min Lifting

Wednesday 7/2

60min pick-up basketball game

I really need to work on my shot

Thursday 7/3

30min in the lap pool
60min BOSU boot-camp

Quote of the Day:
If you really want to do something, you will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse.
--Anonymous

ArcGIS 9.3 Is Now Available!

2008-06-30T14:17:00.001-07:00

More efficient data management, enhanced cartographic tools, and better ways to share information are highlights of what's new. See demo video - What’s New in ArcGIS 9.3 Desktop Flash

Update

2008-06-30T12:13:00.001-07:00

Thursday June 26th

60 min BOSU Bootcamp class

Friday June 27th

30 minute swim
30 minute lifting

Saturday June 28th

60 minute bike ride on the road in Redlands (average speed 18mph)
5k run in 22:30

Sunday June 29th – Rest Day

Monday June 30th

20 minutes of stretching
30 minutes in the pool
20 minute run

Quote of the Day:
All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.
--Jane Wagner

Soccer Team – 2kSW

2008-06-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

In February I rejoined 2kSW – the men’s team that I injured my knee with last year. We finished the winter season strong winning the league title here in Redlands.

However this Spring everyone was gunning for us and with a few injuries to key players, we’ve struggled. We just finished the season in the the middle of the pack but hope to return to form in the summer league and add another star to the logo.

To learn more on meaning of the name 2kSW

Beginner Developer Learning Center

2008-06-26T13:29:00.001-07:00

Want to write code for a living? Checkout this Microsoft site for resources….

Visit the Beginner Developer Learning Center for free lessons on Windows and Web development, free Visual Studio Express Editions downloads, and more.

Beginner Developer Learning Center: Overview

Still going strong in the gym

2008-06-25T13:18:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not sharing my workouts on this blog has keep me going strong over the last week. Life has keep me busy and it would have been easy to sleep in but I got up and went to the YMCA.

Tuesday June 24th

30 minutes in the pool
30 minutes on the bike
30 minutes of weight lifting

Wednesday June 25th

40 minutes of lifting
20 minute run on the treadmill
Plan on playing basketball tonight for at least an hour

Boiled Peanuts...

2008-06-25T13:12:00.001-07:00

I to miss not getting boiled peanuts at sporting events.

Learn from Yesterday and Live for Today: Boiled Peanuts...

Quote of the Day:
The company's most urgent task is to learn to welcome, beg for, demand - innovation from everyone
--Tom Peters

workout report

2008-06-23T14:05:00.001-07:00

Thursday June 19th

BOSU boot camp 60 minutes
45 minutes of pick-up basketball games

Friday June 20th

60 minutes of upper body weight lifting
12 min run on treadmill

Saturday June 21st

20 mile road bike ride with the first 10 miles up hill
Yard work in the heat

Sunday June 22nd – Day of Rest

Monday June 23rd

2.5 mile run
25 min of lap swimming
Range test

15 chin-ups (max)
75 sit-ups (max in 2 min)
60 pushups (max in 2 mins)
2 mile run in 14:05

Quote of the Day:
To educate a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.
--Theodore Roosevelt

Giving the poor the business

2008-06-18T10:00:00.001-07:00

Good article on Noble Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his new idea for attacking poverty through capitalism.

Giving the poor the business - Opinion - USATODAY.com

Save your own life

2008-06-18T09:43:00.001-07:00

The following is from Men's Health...

Keep your ticker healthy with our heart-attack prevention plan

You probably aren't thinking about when it could strike.

Chances are, neither was Tim Russert, nor the 310,000 Americans who die every year of sudden cardiac arrest.

But even if you're young and healthy, you may still fall victim—in fact, besides a previous history of heart attack, doctors still don't know which risk factors are most important or why. But they are learning more about what you can do to protect yourself.

A new study shows men with low levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of heart attack—but getting outside for just 20 to 30 minutes a day can fulfill your body's need for this crucial vitamin. You can also stay young at heart with fat-busting exercise and a healthy diet.

And remember, you don't just wake up with coronary artery disease—taking a few early-detection tests could save your life. Learn about the risk factor your doctor may be ignoring and find out how your performance in bed can be a barometer of your overall health. If you like to play the odds, see if you live in one of the nation's heart-healthiest cities.

With a healthy lifestyle and some crusading doctors, heart attacks could be a thing of the past.

Workout report

2008-06-18T08:43:00.001-07:00

Thursday June 12th - 60 minute BOSU boot-camp class
Friday June 13th - No early morning workout but did backpack up Vivian Creek 5.5 miles carry a full pack
Saturday June 14th - Hike to from High Creek camp to the summit of San Gorgonio then all the they back down (2.5 miles up then 9 down)
Sunday June 15th - Day of Rest
Monday June 16th - 30 minutes in the pool and 2 mile run
Tuesday June 17th - 20 minutes in the pool then 30 minutes of spinning and 30 minutes of lifting
Wednesday June 18th - 10k run in South Redlands (44:25)

Quote of the Day:
To create you must quiet your mind. You need a quiet mind so that ideas will have a chance of connecting.
--Eric Maisil

GIS for Managers Online seminar

2008-06-12T10:28:00.001-07:00

If you missed the live training seminar titled "GSI For Managers", it's now available on-demand.

Title: GIS for Managers
Description: This introductory seminar will explore basic concepts and applications of GIS, implementation strategies, and the return on investment that can be realized. It will show how GIS supports decision making through better management and sharing of information across the enterprise. Emphasis will be placed on exploring the technology’s value as an organization wide tool for improved performance. See full description.
Price: FREE

See a complete list of recorded seminars

More parking

2008-06-12T08:39:00.001-07:00

Looks like the Redlands planning commission has an item on their agenda this week that might allow the ESRI campus to grow.

See article in the Redlands Daily Facts

Mid Week report

2008-06-11T15:13:00.001-07:00

Here's my mid week exercise report.

Monday June 9th: 10k run in 44:04
Tuesday June 10th: 30 minutes swim, 30 minutes Spinning Class, 30 minutes of weight lifting
Wednesday June 11th: Light Day - 2 mile run and 30 minutes of lifting and stretching

Quote of the Day:
No one can be free who does not work for the freedom of others.
--Anonymous

Slacking so it's time to be accountable

2008-06-07T18:48:00.001-07:00

I feel like I've been slacking a little with my workouts so I decided to start sharing the results of my workouts as motivation that I have to report in to someone (you out there being the someone).

Thursday 6/5 - 60 minutes of BOSU Boot camp (mix of cardio on the BOSU and whole body weight training)

Friday 6/6 - 30 minutes of lap swimming and then the Ranger Test

Max pushups in 2 minutes (75)
Max sit-ups in 2 minutes (80)
Max Chin-up (10)
2 mile run (13:45)

Saturday 6/7 - 25 mile bike ride (Sunset loop to Crafton Hills, LDS Temple, up Wabash then loop back on Sunset)

Sunday 6/8 Day of Rest

Gates-Ballmer Clash Shaped Microsoft's Coming Handover - WSJ.com

2008-06-05T12:18:00.001-07:00

Interesting article in the Walls Street Journal on the relationship between 2 of the world's richest men - Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer

Gates-Ballmer Clash Shaped Microsoft's Coming Handover - WSJ.com

World War II Exhibit online

2008-06-04T08:22:00.001-07:00

Medals, newspaper clippings, letters, and the story of an American flag created by Clarance Bramley, a survivor of the Bataan Death March—all this and more can be found in the BYU Lee Library’s online exhibit, “Remembering World War II: Pearl Harbor and Beyond.” The Web collection features items and stories selected from the library’s collection of World War II materials.

see http://wwii.byu.edu/

The Harold B. Lee is one of the largest on campus libraries in the Western US. I worked in the book repair department at the library for a few semesters while studying Geography.

Change

2008-06-04T08:13:00.001-07:00

If you are subscribed to my blog for more then a few months, you know that I used to post more about my work at ESRI and GIS. But for some reason I haven't done much ESRI or GIS posting and I've decided that's OK. I'm going to write more about whatever is on my mind or share interesting news I come across this might be GIS related but there is a good chance it won't. There are a lot more GIS focused blogs out there today then there was in June of 2004 when I started this blog.

So if you are looking for ESRI focused blogs, I recommend http://blogs.esri.com plus there will be a information on the new Resource Centers web sites for each main part of ArcGIS at the upcoming 9.3 release.

This doesn't mean I won't post on GIS topics so hopefully you'll stayed subscribed.

FYI only 62 days till the ESRI International User Conference. See you all in San Diego!

SQL Server 2008

2008-05-30T10:03:00.001-07:00

John Baleja of ESRI comments on the new spatial support coming in SQL Server 2008 and ArcGIS Server

see SQL Server 2008 offers new strength

Quote of the Day:
I not only use all the brains I have but all that I can borrow.
--Thomas Woodrow Wilson

Top Floor

2008-05-29T08:47:00.001-07:00

I recently moved to a new office here at ESRI. I switched from the comfortable 1st floor to top floor (3rd floor) with a nice view looking west. Several people that also made the change have commented on the fact that we now climb more stairs and that's a good thing. Here's a recent post from Men's Health on taking the stairs more...

Take the stairs, America! New York officials are encouraging citizens to skip the elevator and do some flights to use less energy, but we're doing one better: EVERYONE should do it. You'll not only use less energy by halting the elevators, but the weight you'll lose will save energy to: Overweight Americans use more gasoline (because cars and planes are heavier), so if we lost the weight, we'd save billions

California High-Speed Rail

2008-05-15T14:07:00.001-07:00

California wants to build a high speed, bullet style train that will travel between San Fran and San Diego. The train is expected to take upwards of $40 billion to build, but you’ll be able to make a 600 mile trip in a tad under 4 hours. see California High-Speed Rail

There are too many cars on the roads in California and that's not going to change till we have some options...

Quote of the Day:
False freedom leaves a man free to do what he likes; true freedom, to do what he ought.
--Anonymous

Dip Once or Dip Twice?

2008-05-09T10:30:00.001-07:00

The science behind Seinfield double-dipping...

Dip Once or Dip Twice? - New York Times

Top 10 Reasons to Work at ESRI

2008-04-24T11:33:00.001-07:00

Top 10 Reasons to Work at ESRI from the Careers section of ESRI.com

Lots of openings here in Redlands so browse the site for a job listing and apply.

Quote of the Day:
I not only use all the brains I have but all that I can borrow.
--Thomas Woodrow Wilson

Helpuu - When You Search the Internet, You Help Great Charities

2008-04-24T11:25:00.001-07:00

A search engine that gives back - http://www.helpuu.com/

How does Helpuu Work?

Helpuu is a website portal that enables everybody to help great charities by simply searching and shopping on the internet. The Helpuu search engine is extremely reliable and efficient through the use of Google's award-winning search algorithm.

Everytime you use Helpuu, proceeds from advertisers, that are raised through the use of the Helpuu website are then donated to various charities and non-profit organizations. We feature various charities and then equally distribute the proceeds to each charity.

Death Valley NP

2008-04-07T11:19:00.001-07:00

I recently went on a 3 day 2 night back-country camping trip to Death Valley Nation Park. We hiked into our campsites to get some isolation from the crowds in the established campsites. It was a great trip... Here are some photos on my flickr site.

Happy Marriage, Happy Heart

2008-04-07T11:12:00.001-07:00

Interesting research from BYU that a fellow alumni sent me...

Happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks, according to new research conducted by BYU assistant professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad.

The study also found that unhappily married adults have higher blood pressure than both happily married and single adults. Read More at Happy Marriage, Happy Heart (US News and World Report)

Quote of the Day:
If you really want to do something, you will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse.
--Anonymous

BBC NEWS reports on wacky new Google office

2008-03-24T11:38:00.001-07:00

More then just free food

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7290322.stm

Quote of the Day:
Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
--Terry Pratchett

Dev Summit Update

2008-03-18T17:01:00.001-07:00

Things are really busy today at the Dev Summit. There are a ton of good sessions plus the Showcase which includes Demo Theater and Meet the Teams.

And there is a pool-side dinner tonight. The weather looks great outside so it should be nice.

By old boss is here from Utah County so it's been nice to catch up with him and other old friends attending the Summit.

Quote of the Day:
The quest for riches darkens the sense of right and wrong.
--Antiphanes, ancient Greek dramatist