Ryan Akins

Upgraded to CS 2008

crakins — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:23:00 GMT

They site is now upgraded to Community Server 2008! There are some new features so feel free to check them out.

You may notice the most obvious change is the theme is the new default CS 2008 theme. I will come up with something new in the next few weeks.

Let me know what you think!

Rule 240

crakins — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:17:17 GMT

Have you ever heard of Rule 240? I hadn't until today but basically if your flight is canceled for any reason other than weather you can ask the ticket agent about rule 240 which requires them to schedule you on another flight, even on another airline if necessary, to get you where you are going. It's an old rule and some things have changed but it still exists.

Check out this post on the Today Show Blog for more info. The article is really long but the first half explains most of the rules around it.

Guitar Hero

crakins — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:38:01 GMT

I'm not big into video games but guitar hero is quite the revolution. Now anyone can be a rockstar and have fun with facial hair too. I "found" this pic and had to post it. ;)

Rockin' the headband!

Flow Bindings Break

crakins — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:50:00 GMT

I purchased Flow NXT AT bindings along with a Nitro Misfit towards the end of last season because the roof rack on my Jetta ripped off while driving home and I lost my snowboard (with bindings attached of course). I rode on them for only a few days and a small piece of plastic that holds a bolt tight on the inside front strap broke off. A few more trips up to the mountain the same plastic piece on the other binding broke off. My first thought was I can't believe this happened but it didn't bother my riding so I didn't care too much.

Here is how they are supposed to look. Note the white trapezoid-ish piece attaching the binding strap to the binding.

Here is the piece that broke. Note there is no longer a white trapezoid piece. The purpose of the piece of PLASTIC!! is to lock the small gold colored bolt (metal) down so you can tighten it with a screw on the other side. Why not just use a normal bolt and nut like other bindings? Who knows.

Don't pay attention to the jagged edged broken strap. More on that below.

Again, this was the end of last season.

This season after my third day on the mountain I broke a binding strap. See photo. I couldn't believe it. I bet these bindings have less than 25 days on them; it's more like 15. With 6" of fresh powder they had a bit more stress on them than running groomed runs all day but come on!

Now, Flow bindings have a terrible reputation. I personally know 3 friends that have broken a total of 6 pairs. Regardless I decided to give them a shot based on word that the new Flow's were a lot better. Here is my non-expert pro/con comparison.

Pro's

Very comfortable
Same tightness every time you strap in
Easy to strap in
Decent responsiveness
Able to continue riding even after breaking a strap

Con's

They broke!

As you can see it is an obvious decision. The cons easily outweigh the pros.

My new setup is a pair of Raiden Blackhawks. I think these will be great!

Nike +

crakins — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:59:12 GMT

I know a couple people that have the Nike Plus setup and have been interested in it for a while. There are a few problems you immediately face if this is something you want.

First, you need the proper iPod. I already have 2, a now old school 30GB one without color and a shuffle I got for running/working out last Christmas. Now, I have a 3rd which is a the 2nd generation iPod Nano, not the new nano that plays videos. I found a brand new 4GB one on Craigslist for $80. Ahhh craigslist, you always treat me well.

Second, the Nike + kit which includes the transmitter and a plug for your iPod (Nano). This is $30.

Third, a proprietary shoe from Nike. This is a bit much and I don't like to overpay for my shoes. I purchased my running shoes from an actual running store that evaluate your running on a treadmill and tell you which shoes are best for you. You can't just pick the pretty blue ones. Oddly enough they don't carry Nike. Weird huh? So, I decided to shove it under may laces and tape it with hockey tape. Classy! This is free.

I debated if spending this much money to run was really worth it. We shall see if it is something I continue to use but there are tons of cool features at http://nikeplus.com. You can see your runs, create goals, challenges, participate in events, and I'm sure more to come. iTunes runs everything which is a mixed blessing but I am dependant on it already with my iPod(s). You sync the iPod and it will post your run stats automatically. There are even privacy settings.

As with any new toy there is learning involved. When you end your run you have to press menu, use the wheel to navigate, then click again. This seems a bit much since you are usually out of breath when you stop running but I guess you can pause, then end it. When I made it make home I just paused mine thinking I ended my workout. When you pause and start to run/walk again it automatically starts tracking your activity (cool feature). However, it tracked me playing frisbee with Roxy. Obviously it dropped my average as you can see from this cool online chart.

Overall I am impressed and look forward to friendly competition with friends and random people online.

If you have Nike + let me know!

Back online and on a new host!

crakins — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:52:00 GMT

I have been fighting with my previous hosting company to keep my site live for easily the last 6 months. It was one problem after another. I just switched over to Server Intellect and look forward to my site live all the time. Don't let me down!

I am also launching a new site in the next week or so. More to come later. It may come as a shock but it will be based on Community Server.

Last note... Telligent just released a beta of a new product called Graffiti. It's pretty slick!

iPod Touch, really? awesome

crakins — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:01:00 GMT

I just read that Apple is introducing the iPod Touch. Wow, it looks awesome and this guy has a good point about the iPhone. Too soon?

The thought of it does sound really cool and my iPod is one of the old ones without video so I'm not cool anymore. Too bad I just bought a new kayak!! It's a Pyranna Burn. More info on my Kayaking Blog.

Olympic Peninsula Weekend

crakins — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 06:18:00 GMT

This past weekend Emily and I took a trip to the OP (Olympic Peninsula) for a overnight backpacking trip and camping on the ocean. It was a great trip and along with the perfect weather were really long ferry lines.

We hiked up 4.5 miles to our campsite Friday evening getting there just in time to eat dinner and catch a view of the valley we were in. In the morning we took a day hike the top of Marmot Pass, about a .5 mile away from the camp, and around the pass. It was really cool and had great views of the Olympics.


Foggy Alpine Meadow	An Amazing Valley

Another Alpine Meadow	Typical Rainforest type of scenery

Emily on the way down	Me on the way up

All Big Quilcene Trail photos

On Saturday we headed outside of Port Angeles to the Salt Creek campground. I really hate camping right next to people, much less pay for it when there are amazing free sites to be discovered. However, the campground was nice being so close to the ocean. After snagging the second to last campsite (out of 95!!!) we drove out to a Hot Spring to relax and soak up the warm water. We went to the Sol Duc Hot Spring instead of the free Olympic Hot Spring. I was thinking there may be fewer people there since you have to pay. I think I made an ass out of you an me (assumed) because it was PACKED full of fat vacationers. Regardless, it was very relaxing and felt great on my sore legs and back from trekking a full pack the day before. Next time I think we'll opt for the Olympic Hot Springs.

When we got back to the campsite we made a nice fire and cooked up some great Yakisoba. It is amazingly easy to make and taste great while camping. It's not good for backpacking but for car camping it was tough to beat.

On Sunday we walked around Tongue Point which is inside the Salt Creek Campground. It was really cool and we took some nice photos and a video of some goopy sea creatures.


Tongue Point	Crazy slimy green goopy sea creatures

A Thousand Mussels	Mussels and something else cool

All Tongue Point photos

Here is a video of me touching one of the huge green goblins

[YouTube:3FaauWTs26U]

On the way home we walked through Port Gamble which is a "real cute" old port town that has been restored. We made a quick round around the town, bought some fresh peaches and headed home. But first we had to wait in the ferry line for 2 hours before taking the 30 minute ferry ride and then driving home another 30 minutes. It was worth it but also a great feeling to be back home.

We unpacked, Roxy got a bath, and got some sleep for work on Monday.

Gettin' Cultured

crakins — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:51:00 GMT

Last week Emily and I saw an Opera and Musical not only in the same week but back-to-back days!! I felt smarter, better, and snobbier than you! Also, a little tired of sitting still for several hours at a time.

Anyways, we saw The Flying Dutchman at the Seattle Opera and it was actually pretty good. Because Emily is a total dork and likes to learn we bought tickets to the lecture before the show. We were 15 minutes late and it lasted another 35 minutes. I learned that we were the youngest people in the lecture hall and out of 42 people in the 4 rows in front of us 27 of them had gray hair. I assume the others used dye. I completely zoned out and it was worse than any college class lecture. I did learn a few things about the legend of the Flying Dutchman which was actually interested. However, the difference between Wagner's intro to the Dutchman and one of Beethoven's symphonies is enough to make you fall asleep.

After the lecture we stood around for a bit, took our seats, and the opera started. Actually, the Overture started which was nice but way too long. By the time the first Act started I was really pissed about being at the opera. The first act was okay and then we took an intermission. Coffee! I love coffee! Wow, Act II and III were really good after being stimulated by caffeine. All in all it was an excellent opera and I was glad I went. It's not something I want to do every weekend but it was enjoyable.

The funniest thing about the entire opera was that the lead male character (the Flying Dutchman) was talk dark and handsome with long hair (I'm sure every girls dream) BUT the lead female character was huge. Not my dream girl at all. But she could sing. The Stranger wrote about this too. See the last paragraph. Pretty funny.

The next day was Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein at The Paramount. This was hilarious and a lot of fun. The crowd was a great mix young and old, funky and dressy. I have to say I enjoyed the movie more but watching a live musical is a great way to see it. Also, Gene Wilder rules and I don't think he can be beat at any role he does. Kind of like Christopher Walken.

Young Frankenstein the musical is being tested in Seattle and then possibly taken to Broadway. I've only seen one Broadway Musical, Beauty and the Beast, but I think they will have to up their budget to pull it off in New York. I assume The Paramount has a smaller stage than they are used to and it was a "test" show in Seattle. I hope they take it to Broadway, people would enjoy it for sure.

dontclick.it

crakins — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:16:00 GMT

Jon Broom recently posted about www.dontclick.it and I think it's such a cool idea. I doubt it will catch on but is something to think about. It's a simple concept and makes you start to re-think the direction UX has gone.

However, Flash is a pain in the butt (IMO) and I can't imagine developing all of that animation. And as with all Flash sites don't click back!!

Vacation Last Week

crakins — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:09:55 GMT

I took last week off from work to hang out with my parents who came in town for the week. Emily, my Mom, and I went rafting on the White Salmon River on Saturday which was an awesome trip. Our rafts crew include the three of us and 3 other guys that were with a huge bachelor party. We were a solid crew and didn't loose a single person the entire trip.

Here we are totally unaware a picture was being taken:

The trip started with some Class IV rapids then settled down to Class III only to end with a bang running Husum Falls which is a Class IV/V 10 foot waterfall!! It was crazy in the raft. I know I took a hit from a helmet in the shoulder and Suzy (Mom) fell back next to the guide. Too fun!

I have run this river numerous times in a kayak but it was a lot of fun to be with my family and run the rapids in a raft... admittedly though it's way easier.

All White Salmon Rafting Photos

After the raft trip we met my Dad in Hood River, OR who made his annual drive from Texas to the Pacific Northwest in his convertible Corvette. It has to be a great drive but will let him chime in on the details. We spent the rest of the day and the following morning in Hood River soaking up the sun, warm weather, and watching kite boarders rip up the ... um wind?

Sunday night we stayed in Seattle and got some rest after a great dinner. Monday through Wednesday we were in Vancouver, B.C. which is one of my favorite places. Neither of my parents had been so Emily and I played tour guide for the parts of the city we knew.

As cheesy as it is we all decided getting tickets on the "Big Bus" (you know the red double decker tourist buses) was a great way to get around the city and learn more than we cared to read. We did this in New York several years ago and was great in Vancouver as well. My only complaint was that all of the information was played through the PA on previously recorded CDs. In New York there were actual people giving the commentary which was much better. Regardless, that's my only complaint.

I think the highlight of the trip was taking a bike ride through Stanley Park. It was a great way to see the park and gave a chance to get some exercise. the last time I was in Vancouver Emily and I walked the park which takes way too long and is more exhausting than exercise.

Emily, Gary, and Suzy riding our cruisers through Stanley Park:

Vancouver Public Library (I think):

All Vancouver Pictures

We left Vancouver and headed back to Seattle with plans to ride the "Duck" before it's last tour of the day. The Duck has always been funny to me. It runs rain or shine and is usually PACKED full of tourists. The coolest thing about the tour is it goes on land and sea, well a lake to be exact. We made it just in time and had a really fun and casual ride through Seattle and a boat trip on Lake Union.

Elvis drive the Duck:

After the Duck ride we made a last stop at the Kwik-E-Mart for some Buzz Cola and a Squishee. Seriously!

Thursday morning I actually worked for an hour while on PTO which is retarded but seemed necessary to push a project along. I'm happy to do this for something urgent but definitely don't make a habit of it. I'm being paid to be on vacation, not work. hahaha

After a call I met up with my parents for a quick bite to eat and a walk through of the Olympic Sculpture Park downtown. I haven't been since it opened and it was a perfect way to end my vacation with my parents. They continued down the Washington and Oregon coast for a couple more days and then back to Texas.

The rest of my vacation was filled with trashy TV (Court shows and Cops), a jog in the rain, and some kayaking I'll make a post about later.

PS. I used Windows Live Writer to publish this blog post. This was my first time using it and will follow up with a report after giving it a decent trial.

Music

crakins — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 18:05:00 GMT

I never thought about blogging the music I'm listening to until today. I just picked up some new CDs and love them and wanted to share. One of the great things about Seattle is being able to listen to KEXP on the radio. They are an amazing listener supported radio station (I am a member) that tunes me into all kinds of new music. They also have an extensive website that includes streaming audio, live performances, streaming archives of the radio show, a blog (not based in CS ) and all kinds of other goods.

Here is what I picked up. And in the world of MySpace I included MySpace links so you can listen and judge for yourself.

The Thermals - the body the blood the machine

I love The Thermals. They have a great sound and lots of energy. Great background music for working. I'm pretty sure I'll be picking up their other albums soon.

Tegan and Sara - So Jealous

Tegan and Sara are twin sisters from Canada and have a great indie music sound. They songs are catchy and good girly music. I bought this one for Emily but secretly wanted it myself. They are coming out with a new album later this month that I'll probably buy for Emily as well.

Ratatat - Classics

I have wanted this CD since I first heard Wildcat. This is a really cool CD and is another good background work music.

Girl Talk - Night Ripper

Lastly, I tried to buy a CD by the DJ Girl Talk but they were sold out. It seems easy but this guy takes samples from Top 40 music and makes dance music. A buddy of mine turned me on to this guy and I'm going to keep my eye out for it at the record shop.

** I LOVE this websites intro page. There are no new innovative features or anything fancy. I just like the way the image and backgrounds changes with a scroll over. It really pops in your face and is kind of way out there.

**EDIT** This guy is from Pittsburgh. Jon or Nancy, have either of you heard of him?

How hot is too hot to work?

crakins — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:59:00 GMT

The temperature in Seattle has broken 90! That may not seem hot to those in Texas but without A/C it gets old after a while. Since my office is upstairs in a converted attic it gets hot so I moved my office downstairs and have been working from there the past few days. When it's hot out or in the late afternoon moving my "remote" office downstairs is common.

So, when is it too hot? Well today I was forced into the basement. The temperature in my upstairs office was 95 and the downstairs was 89. It's nice and cool in the basement and with a makeshift desk it's quite pleasent. I think I'll leave it for a while.

My biggest problem now is that odd basement funk smell. However, I'm sure it's my kayaking gear that was left at my buddies house in a closed tupperware tub WET for 6 days. Oops. Can you get sick from mildew? Ah, probably not.

**EDIT**

I grew up in Texas so I know heat. I've just adapted to the Seattle weather. 90 is only hot when you don't have A/C.

The perfect tortilla

crakins — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:39:00 GMT

I make a lot of burritos and sandwiches with tortillas and typically zap them in the microwave for a while so they are soft and don't break. I've tried all kinds of different methods but was recently was told a great hint that I've used a few times recently and works GREAT!

Grab a tortilla, fold it in 1/4ths, put it in a zip-lock baggy, close the zip-lock bag and heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave. That's it! No more broken tortillas.

Thanks to my kayaking buddy Dan, who told Lief, who told me.

Sidestep.com vs. Kayak.com

crakins — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:29:00 GMT

I am looking at buying a plane ticket to visit my brother who lives in Pittsburgh. My parents are visiting him and I've never been so this is a great time to go visit. I generally use http://sidestep.com to buy or look at plane ticket prices. I have heard of http://kayak.com and know people who use it so I decided to try it. They both have similar features but seems both are missing critical pieces of functionality that the other has.

They both allow you to search multiple sites and find the best rate. How awesome is "Web 2.0" right? Anyways, Kayak.com allows you to have flexible travel dates, I chose this and then wanted to compare prices for the multiple days AND for the time of day, i.e. Morning, Afternoon, etc. Well you can't do this. In my mind I thought well my old trusty SideStep.com does so I'm going back!

After putting in my dates and evaluating the different time prices I noticed I couldn't have flexible dates to travel on SideStep. Nooooo! Oh well, I played with the dates and made my decision.

Which site will I use next time? I'll probably play with both and see if they make any changes. There very well could have been options to do these comparisons on each site but I have a pretty low tolerance when trying to accomplish tasks on websites. I rarely read anything and just try to figure it out. If I can't figure it out quickly I generally make a rash decision and move on to the next site. Classy I know.

Last note, being an avid whitewater kayaker it is a bit irritating for me that kayak.com is a site to buy plane tickets. At least it's not a sea kayaking website!