I went to school with Peter Coglianese at Clarkstown High School North when I lived in Rockland county, New York state. He died recently on April 6, 2010 at the age of 34 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Among his family and friends, he left behind him a wife and two young children. Both a Facebook page and an obituary page exist. Poor guy. I lost touch with him (like many people from my past), and I had no idea that he was suffering from cancer.
Peter Coglianese, his wife Maria, and his older son
On a Sunday night, we made arrangements with my sister and BIL to drop off the kids at their house for babysitting, while we two would go see a movie. For adults. Not an adult-themed movie per se, but one we could watch without worrying about diaper changes. We went to see Date Night, the new comedy starring Steve Carrell and Tina Fey.
The premise of the movie, if you haven’t heard, is that a married-with-children couple living sedentary lives in NJ suburbia until a married couple within their circle announce their upcoming separation and divorce. Shaken up, they decide to spice up the old routine weekly date nights with a trip to NYC. Beginning with a case of mistake identity, they get involved in a hectic night of hijinks.
Initially, the movie looked pretty good, and I’m a big fan of Carell and Fey. I suggested this movie to my wife, but we needed to find sitters for the kids, which is always a big pain. Also, the reviews for this movie weren’t outstanding, so I started to have my doubts. However, it’s not the movie or the meal that makes a date night for us. We’re just thrilled to spend some quality time with each other.
As for the movie, you know, it wasn’t the great comedy of 2010, but I laughed. There were some funny moments, and there were moments where the two characters actually had a realistic conversation. What I appreciated more than anything, I liked that there were more true-to-life situations. Now, I’m not talking about the car chases with corrupt cops, but I mean the down and dirty being married with kids. The awkwardness of finding time to be intimate, managing the kids, finding the romance, etc. This wasn’t a drama that focused on those concepts, but a comedy that had roots in that reality of life when you are not newlyweds, have kids, committments, etc.
Like I said — it wasn’t the greatest, but you know what? I still laughed.
A month later, I finally watched Munich. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this 2005 movie is about the 1972 Munich Massacre and the Israeli action to exact revenge on the organizers of Black September.
I thought it was a fairly well done movie. Israel seeks revenge for the Munich attack by hiring operatives to methodically assassinate the Palestinian leaders that supported Black September in various European countries. In turn, black hats go after the Israeli operatives. You question the value of the tit-for-tat reprisals in the conflict that continue until the present day, in this toxic situation where grievance is heaped upon more grievances.
It’s been long overdue, but I’m going on the record here and now to say how I think about the matter. I think the Apple iPad is a great idea. Do I own one of the first 300,000 iPads? No, I do not. Do I plan to get one? Probably not. So why do I say that a product I do not own, nor do I plan to purchase, is a great idea?
Two words: Star Trek.
One of the reasons I love sci-fi is that the genre (be it the written word or in film/tv) is an opportunity for the thinker to wonder, “What if?” with a technological angle. What would life be like if….. and you finish the thought. You throw in technology there, and it’s a chance to dream about what the future could be.
Remember the 2002 film MinorityReport? Everyone loves that holographic touch interface that Tom Cruise used. Pretty neat, eh? Well, scientists and engineers at Oblong have been working on a gesture-based interface right now. Check out the sample videos in the previous link and you’ll see Oblong’s interface in action. And don’t get me started on the personalized advertising, the changeable newspapers, and other technology in that film, because companies have been yammering about that for a while.
Remember cars in the pretty-forgettable 1993 movie Demolition Man? Sandra Bullock was riding that electric car that actually drove itself? With the built-in radar and self-parking features in cars today, the electric car industry in nascent stages, and heck, I read people are testing cars that have computers that will drive them all safely in close proximity, isn’t that eerily similar? Is it decades from now? Probably? But you can imagine that we might be heading towards that path.
The Star Trek PADD
There are countless others to mention in the annals of sci-fi literature and film, but you get the idea. Now, the iPad. Uh, yeah, call this a dumb reference, but Star Trek afficionados have seen a computing tablet (original Star Trek series) or PADD (TNG, DS9, VOY) in various Star Trek movie or series. It’s a great concept, and you could easily see yourself using something just like it in real life.
So back to the Apple iPad and the year 2010. Granted, it’s basically a table PC, but sleeker and easier to use, which makes it leaps and bounds better than the Windows Tablet PCs that have not been popular with consumers. Is the iPad perfect? No. I think it should have multitasking, but lo and behold, Apple announced today that multitasking (via a software update) will be available later this year.) It would be nice to have a webcam, but that might be featured in Generation 2. The price is high, but those may come down in successive generations, much like the iPhone did.
So why didn’t I get one so far? It’s too expensive, and I can live without it. However, that doesn’t mean I would never get it. I love the surfing-from-the-couch ability. The idea that I could read my favorite magazines on the train or bus or airport all in one slim tablet. That I could watch movies and shows easily and in a larger screen. It’s all about the versatility and how this device and form-factor can fit into your life and improve it.
From what I’ve read and seen videos of, it’s not geeks or adults who are enjoying the iPad the most. It’s people’s kids who are using it, and are fascinated with some piano app and the vibrant colors of the drawing apps. When you as an adult see some kid enjoying it, you start to be awed, and begin thinking about getting one for your kids too. The entire viral marketing campaign and word-of-mouth interest has been less geek-driven, and more family-oriented. That makes me think, “Wow, cool.” Not only have I read about it, I have a perfect example. My old coworker and friend Jenny Cu got one for her young son, and the kid loves it.
Finally, below is a CNET video of Dan Ackerman showing off the new Netflix app for the iPad. I think it’s pretty fantastic, and after seeing this yourself, you tell me how you wouldn’t enjoy Netflix in your lap in your free time.
Time for an upgrade — we bought Quicken 2010 Deluxe. The software is very handy for a non-finance guru like me, but after three years, Intuit forces you to upgrade, as they discontinue updates and financial services (i.e. you can’t download transaction info, etc.) I used to do the bills, but my wife is much better at juggling the bills and my whims, so she’s in charge of the checkbook.
I/We have been using TurboTax for my/our tax preparation for many years now. I’ve gone the CPA route, the H&R Block pay-someone-to-use-Taxcut route, the ask-your-cousin-who-is-a-CPA route, and the free-for-seniors-and-poor-college-students-if-you-sit-in-the-library-long-enough troute. In the end, TurboTax has been the most sensible and affordable option. Our tax situation isn’t that complicated, and really is true, that the one time I did my tax documents to an H&R Block in 2002, they just plugged my numbers into their TaxCut software. Honestly, I could do that. TurboTax has been easy enough for our needs. Furthermore, once my wife started doing the taxes for us in 2005, it’s been the easiest for me ever. 😉
It’s been said that the test of a man’s courage is how performs in the face of danger. Well, in the next half hour, you’re gonna meet a very unique breed of cat. The kind of man who doesn’t know the meaning of the word fear. Joel Ipe, part-time auditor, full-time daredevil. A man willing to risk his life for the sake of adventure. He has to chase it, confront it, and whip it.
Back in 1983 and early 1984, after moving to our first house, we used to watch television on this old Zenith tv set that sat on a wheeled cart, and displayed a whole thirteen channels. In 1984, there were two major events:
We took a road trip to Florida. In Florida, I saw my first MTV music video — Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
My parents subscribed to Cablevison;s cable tv. With that, we got a a whole bunch of channels (and HBO.)
The original MTV logo
It was the 80’s, so lots of people were getting into cable television. It was interesting. HBO, MTV, Nickelodeon, CNN –all the classic pioneering networks. Do you remember how MTV evolved over the course of the 80’s? The veejays, the fun and cool music videos, the performances, and the award shows. There was nothing for me like coming home after school and watching kids shows on Nickelodeon and music videos on MTV. Music videos rose in the 1980’s, and they were so huge. I still remember getting an A for writing a term paper in 1993 on the history and influence of MTV.
Nothing lasts forever. Nowadays, MTV rarely shows music videos. Turns out, it’s the same with VH1 and BET. Heck, MTV announced they removed the words “Music Television” from their iconic logo. I was reading this article on CNN, Who killed the music video star? Times have changed, and the music video is no longer “it”. You can still watch them on Youtube, but artists don’t have to make on.
Music videos were the soundtrack of popular culture, but over time, a younger generation demanded us to evolve.
I haven’t watched MTV in a long time, nor do I have time to watch music videos. I think what surprises me the most is that an art form as monumental as the music video came and passed into near obsolesence during my lifetime. I’m 34 later this month. I grew up on MTV. I’m a child of the 80’s. I’ve grown up and the music video is nearly dead. How strange.
It’s the beginning of a new era. My wife and I were discussing whether we should get Joshua…… a real bicycle. We want him to get out more, enjoy the fresh air, and work on his motor coordination. He’s a great kid, but he needs to get out there more. I’m making more time to take him outside for playtime. He shouldn’t be like me growing up when I was very young– spending all my time cooped up at home, watching television. I should have been playing sports and playing with other children. I didn’t do that until much later (ages 9 or 10 and later.)
On Saturday, we visited the Bicycle Rack, our local bicycle shop in the area. We briefly considered choosing a simple children’s bicycle from one of the major retailers (e.g. Target, Toys R’ Us), but I prefer the smaller shops. You get more personalized service, and it supports our local small business owners. We originally intended to do some price comparison shopping, but we found a nice 16″ Schwinn for a decent price. After a short test ride around the parking lot, we bought the bike and a helmet.
I was fairly excited, as I was about to introduce my son to my love of riding. For the sake of disclosure, he didn’t seem to be very enamored by the time we got home. Possibly, he wasn’t quite gripping the basics of pedaling and steering, so he was become frustrated. After we got home, he just wanted to watch tv, so I was a little upset. By Sunday, he was more excited, and getting a better handle on riding. I also did a lot of brainwashing about how fun it is, so I hope he believed me! In the evening, the girls next door were riding their own bicycles in the parking lot, so I raced Joshua outside so he could ride with them. I figure that the more he sees other children riding, he’ll feel more comfortable doing it.
Seven weeks and $13,000 later, we picked up our Highlander from the Toyota body shop. The list of replaced parts, servicing, and other labor was about five pages long. It’s been a long, drawn-out process, and we still haven’t received our deductible yet from the other party yet, but for now, let’s rejoice that our vehicle has returned. Although it was indeed a major accident, it’s running well, and you’d never be able to tell.
This year, Lily turned two years old. Gosh, that went fast. She’s out of the toddler room, and has moved into the preschool prep classroom. It feels so recent that Josh himself was in that room. Time flies. Now Josh is in Kindergarten Prep, and Lily is drinking from a cup. In another year, I think she’ll be out of diapers. Two kids and no diapers? One can only dream.
On Saturday, we celebrated Lily’s second birthday with a party at Josh’s gym, which was the same place we celebrated his 3rd birthday (March 2008.) We invited her classmates from her class, and kids from among our circle of family and friends. As usual, a lot of the parents were very late with the RSVPs. What I found ironic was that we received an RSVP for a child we didn’t remember inviting, but we figured the more the merrier.
Lily's 2nd birthday party
The party went well. As usual, my sister and my BIL showed up early to (again) help us with running errands before a party, which included picking up the birthday cake and balloons today. If they didn’t keep swooping in to help us, I think we’d be even later for every major Ipe event. We arrived about 10 mins late to our own party, but since it was at a fully-staffed gym, parents and children were occupied with activities.
Everything went well, and Lily had a very good time. We had Papa John’s (again), because hey, you can’t beat that “$10 per pie with any toppings you want” deal. Nope, you can’t beat it. I think we’re officially done with parties for another year, which is a relief. I’m not a fan of throwing lavish birthday parties any more. Especially with young children, going overboard is pointless. The children themselves enjoy running around, eating their pizza, and drinking from their juice box. They don’t need much more than that.
So to bring this story to a close, remember that family that we didn’t invite, but left a voicemail that they would attend the party? Yeah, they didn’t show up to the party after all. We’re still confused about that one.
