Wednesday night – hype curve

Create a concept a few years ago called the hype curve. The curve shows the five stages of any idea if it goes like this.

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All ideas start with the trigger and then get more and more buzz around in the press and in the general culture. Eventually they hit the peak of inflated expectations. That's when the expectations on the technology are so inflated that anything that is even possible looks like a disappointment. For that reason the next phase is called the trough of disillusionment. After the trough, cooler heads reign and the real potential and capabilities of the technology are teased out. Finally comes the plateau of productivity… Which is the long. Incremental innovation that happens as an idea matures.

I'm thinking of this tonight because Gartner just came out today and said that the Internet things, the thing I'm working so hard on right now… Is at its peak of inflated expectations.

 

That's either good news or bad news. The peak is something that you eventually have to welcome because there is so much hyperbole and exaggeration around any new technology that it can't keep getting worse forever. This is the point that people start to doubt the technology.

The bad news is it's like a roller coaster ahead. Voices of I told you so will now start,… earning outlooks will start to decrease, startups will start to fail… It all sounds bad, but it really isn't. Expectations can't keep increasing forever, the sooner the real value of the technology can start to be demonstrated the better off everyone will be. For me, this is one of the fun parts where the good ideas and bad idea are separated. I think were working on some good ideas so I think I'm going to enjoy this.

Just hang onto your seats it's going to be a bumpy ride !

Nigt all,nite sam

-me

 

Tuesday night – A little less funny

I woke today and thought that  the world felt a little less funny. Did you feel it too ?

Robin Williams death by his own hand rocked me like it rocked everyone else. I was really touched to see how many folks who …like me..  talked, tweeted, posted about the special relationship they had  with Williams.. I was standing in the swimming pool last night at 3:30 am , unable to sleep,   when it occurred to me, you’d be hard pressed to come up with a person who was so universally loved, liked and admired in the world today.. He was the embodiement of funny and pleasantly crazy.. he was the cheerleader of that whacked out voice in all our heads that wants us to let go and follow our impulses..

Maybe he’ll be a cheerleader now , too, for the treatment of mental illness.  Recently Cheryl Hannah, a popular VT Law School committed suicide after a long battle with depression.. her death started a dialog in the state on mental illness and depression that was very healthy. Maybe Robin Williams sad act will help folks worldwide dig deeper and recognize that depression and mental illness can not always be seen.. ..

 still shocked and saddened.. but I’ll bet like me.. you found yourself goign through the Robin WIlliams Rolodex in your head today.. and getting a few sad/funny memories from that..

Anyway … (never say ‘anyway’ in a blog post…)

Anyway…

We  did have some fun today. My brother and sister in law Joe and Pat are in town today.   In an accidental homage to robin williams we had a zany meal  component tonight.. Diane made Brussels sprouts with walnuts and maple syrup.. They were so sweet, I got out the Americone Dream Ben and Jerry’s…   It was better than you could possibly imagine !.. Brussels sprout chip  ?

Ialso managed to  sneek out for lunch with them to visit the Magic Hat Brewery.. Never been there.. what a cool place !

I dropped them in Burlington with enough time  before my next meeting to show them floorish ! Love seeign my and maxs name there.

 

ok.. gotta run. More tomorrow

nite all, nite sam

-me

Monday night – nanu nanoooooooo !

 

 

About an hour ago i heard that Robin Williams had died… And that hed taken his own life.. I couldn't beleive what id just heard. Liek everyone else on the planet, id come to love williams for his crazy, manic personality.. He could squeeze any emothion possible out of his face and body. I loved when he did serious.. Or pseudo serious.. Like he ddi in fisher king . Or good will hunting… And i loved his genie..

Im sure im not alone in feeling a special kinship with the guy.. His energy was addicting . He thought so fast it made you dizzy,, he sounded just like the voice in my head.. In fact.. And i know this sounds crazy, but Many folks told me i either looked or talked like him when we both were younger. Especially during mork and mindy. I even named my computers at work Nanu for as long as i had them…

His death. By suicide must seem incongrous to many folks,, how. Can this funny guy so full of life be depressed ?.. But thats the insidious thing abotut the disease,, outside and inside dont necessarily match up . I hope that he did no how much fun and pleasureo he brought the world.. I to beleive that he did.

 

I wish him and his family peace .

Nanu nanu all, nanu nanu sam

-me

 

 

Sunday evening – floating

Every year near the end of summer I have a small panic.. as the crickets come and the air cools, i ask myself if I managed to work in all the things I wnated to do in the summer ? . Did i get out on the water (chec).. eat a creamee (not yet), hike (plenty),  take a family vacation (sadly no), barbecue (often), go barefoot (always)..

One of the summer bucket list things  I had not done until today was to tube the winooski.. This afternoon, gabe, Diane and I put in at our bridge and rode the lay river up just about a mile and  ahalf to the canoe access.. It was slow goign. Peaceful and cool. We stopped to explore one of the islands in the river. and then stopped again to check out an old railway bridge.

It was very peaceful..   it left me feelign a little more ready for the change of season…

only a little though.. I want a few more months of summer.. I don’t this i’ve ever felt this way before.

right now I’m trying to drag my feet and slow things down.. for now it seems to be working.

nite all, nite sam

-me