I should be sleeping...

I should be asleep right now. I just finished my presentation for a meeting later today and was cleaning up email that I'm terribly behind on. Lately I've felt I'm failing in many of my responsibilities - in work, church and scouting. Yet, I'll try to make it through all that. Only so many hours in the day -- so i'll do what i can, yet i expect more results from me.

So, the video below made me smile. Why? Because I really do enjoy working for the Cisco i think we can be - a company that does great things, that has a positive impact in the world and does things the right way. Lately it hasn't felt that way for me. But this gives me hope... not because we'll lead a market (err, dominate) like video conferencing, but because we are people who are willing to be silly in the big, cold world of corporate. I recognize the good PR in this, but I also see a spark of the good, old Cisco I love.



Another thing I spend my time on is Scouting. This year is the 100th anniversary of the BSA. I truly believe that many of the good opportunities in my youth came from Scouting. Leadership development, confidence development and great spiritual moments in nature. While I need to do a million times better (and i really mean this) at my role in the Quicksilver District - i hope I can help Scouting grow and reach the youth in Santa Clara County that truly need this great program.

To that end -- i'll be having breakfast next thursday (May 6) with Coach Mike Singletary - the intense, focused 49ers coach. I would love to have all my friends and neighbors join me. Why? Because we need to contribute to the future of Silicon Valley by contributing to Scouting. Come and join in a motivational speech by Coach Singletary, then contribute of your means to Scouting in Silicon Valley. I don't believe I've really ever asked anyone for money, but I'm asking now. Join me at the breakfast, enjoy a good speech and donate to Scouting. For details and a sign up check out: http://www.scccbsa.org/html/FOSCommunityBreakfast.html

Ok, off to sleep.

ATT Phone Bil & Another Hour Wasted....

Ok -- so i am not usually one to review charges on my bills. But the last year or so i have gotten much better at doing so after discovering mysterious charges on cell phone and credit card bills. Recently i discovered 3 charges for a total of $45 on my ATT home bill.

Commonly known as "cramming" 3rd party companies bill ATT claiming we requested some service for them (a voicemail service or something stupid like that). ATT adds them onto your bill "in good faith" and "for the convenience of its customers" who want a single bill. In today's world i'm shocked that they still get away with claiming they are doing me a favor adding unverified charges to a bill.

Anyway... I called 611 from the home phone and off on my journey through customer service nightmares (always expected, never fun). The first ATT rep said they would reverse the charges but that i had to call those companies to prevent anymore charges. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?) You want me to call criminals, verify my billing info with them and hope they will stop trying to rob me???? Why don't i just publish my social security number, my mother's maiden name and my ATM pin on the internet and see how that works out????? I asked that they put a third party billing block on my phone line. First ATT rep said she couldn't do that and that if i didn't contact those companies, they would continue to bill me and ATT couldn't always remove the charges. At this point I'm very angry. When I called, i thought i was the customer, apparently I'm the money tree for ATT. As I explain to her my need for a supervisor so i can clarify my extreme disappointment, the phone goes dead. Yes, she hung up on me. Oh joy....

I call back...

ATT rep #2 finally gets on after 15 minutes on hold (no worries, I was doing email....). He informs me I'm on the business side and transfers me to residential (ok -- how did that happen??).

ATT rep #3. Answers and I say -- I need a supervisor. Rep #3 asks for home phone number (didn't these guys invent caller ID?) -- again. Finally he gets my account up and "verifies me" and then asks why i need a supervisor. Um, the last rep hung up on me. Silence on the other end. Then he says -- no problem, please hold. After a few minutes of hold the floor supervisor is on the phone. ...

ATT floor supervisor -- Justin G. Ok -- this is why i ask for supervisors... This guy is all over it. He reverses the charges in about 1 minute. Fires off a note to the ATT rep #1 boss about getting hung up on and assures me that they can put a Third Party Billing Block on my number. He does mention this is a new service, so some might not be familiar (he is being nice about dumb rep #1). So in minutes (once i got to the right person) I have bill reduced to the right size, no more third party charges allowed and a commitment from Justin G that they'll follow through on getting everything taken care of.

What did I learn?
- Demand the right thing, but stay polite.
- Go up the chain fast.
- Think about dumping my home phone line.... ;-)

things on my mind (aka.. time to kill at O'Hare)

So it has been awhile for me...  Life has been busy, but good.

Right now the world is in an economic crisis - one i think will get worse before it gets better.  The US in a political campaign that cares more about Joe the Plumber (not his problems, just his name) than a 10 TRILLION dollar deficit - with no desire to stop spending.  I've always wondered what would happen when people stop buying our T-bills that we auction each week (to run the government) -- heck last week they had to raise the interest rate paid on it to ensure the sale... ouch!  We (ahem, American taxpayers) are about to become some of the biggest investors in our socialist society -- buying shares in banks, AIG (and their corporate offsites) and who knows what else -- maybe my neighbors house!!

But hey -- you say -- what else can we do?  Well maybe i'm overly simple, but those that are in such a rush to "find the bottom" need to slow down a bit.  We need to re-enforce the fact that you need to be responsible for your own actions.  I've made a number of dumb financial decisions in my day -- but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be responsible for them.   Now, fortunately i've had a great community of help -- family, good job and great opportunities -- and for those without that safety net, we (the american community) needs to lend a REASONABLE hand -- it just seems reason doesn't exist right now.

OK -- so i'm ranting and only 2 people will read this blog... that is fine.   But what they heck am i suppose to teach my kids?  "Kids, when you don't take responsibility for your mortgage and work hard to pay your taxes and be a good citizen -- don't worry the government will bail you out."  What the heck is that?

Personal responsibility.  I believe there is a serious lack of that in this country.  I don't care about your political persuasion, I care that you make an informed decision and then vote.  I don't care if you spend your money on Sharks season tickets, but are you staying current on your bills, your responsibilities?  Now -- its easy for me to say all this -- i have a good job, well paid and never have been laid off -- so maybe i'm sitting in the cheap seats right now.  But i will say -- i'm willing to do whatever it takes to be responsible for the debts i have, the family i support and the country i benefit from living in.

ok -- rant done -- pretty pointless, eh?

Dutch Ovens...

Last night got to do a dutch oven cooking demo for some folks at church.  I love dutch oven cooking as it involves many "boy" elements:
- fire
- food
- butter, oil, cheese, potato and meat

I'll do a post shortly on my recipes, some tips and where to buy equipment.

the history of hope...

February 5th is coming soon. In california we'll vote on a number of issues, the foremost is to select nominees for the presidential election. I decided to spend a few minutes (ok, went longer than i thought) reading speeches of the nominees. I find it very surprising that in an era of global, instant communication, where a campaign can BUY well scripted words -- that few speak as eloquently as John F. Kennedy or other great Presidential orators.

Being president is about a lot of things -- but I believe being inspirational (or not as wooden as your opponent) is critical.  As a fan of the words of JFK -- and his words that drove us to reach the moon before the end of the 60s - i decided to compare some of his words vs. today's candidates.  Only one to me seems to be campaigning with the same level of inspiration and hope -- i'll let you figure out who you think it is.  Inspiring hope -- something we all need.

Some links to some of JFK's great words:

- Inaugural Address (video isn't whole thing, audio below is)

- Rice Stadium Moon Speech (must have been hot - check out LBJ in the back)

Headley Family Christmas Card 2007

So how was 2007? Just fine, just fine...

Beth and I have been married for longer than a decade and less than two -- you figure it out -- but Brooke (11), Alex (9) and Nate (9 months) have two (wonderful ;-)) parents who are facing down 40 more than 30. But alas, on with the year's news.

Nate joined our family in March and what a great blessing that has been. As healthy as can be, nothing we can complain about. He is as cute as ever and these days is found crawling and talking (that baby language) like a mad man. Beth was brave (and tired), so while i was traveling she taught Nate how to sleep -- and now we've had a great month of really nice sleep. Brooke and Alex are so helpful and kind to their brother -- we are so pleased with how the family enjoys little brother Nate.

Alex is growing like a weed and is enjoying sports -- soccer, baseball, and softball or basketball during lunch. He likes his teacher at school and does well in class. Alex is enjoying cub scouts - working on his Bear badge and seeing his pals each week at cub meetings. He has a creative mind and inquisitive nature.

Brooke has started middle school and as we all remember that is a challenging experience. We love her and the sweet attitude that she has as she faces so many changes in her life. She seems to grow out of clothes every couple of months and is on the verge of becoming a young woman (can you hear dads growing interest in security systems, tracking implants and shotguns). She keeps busy with activity days (see mom's news), girl scouts, hula and trying to keep up with the homework of middle school.

Beth is as beautiful as ever. Life is busy with having Nate attached to her, helping at school, church and putting up with me. She enjoys great moments with each of her children and endures the trials with patience. She loves to read, go out with friends, dates with me (i'm a lucky guy!!) and chats on the phone with her sister. Her children love when she reads to them and they finished the Harry Potter series this year - even Nate gets his story time with her at night and he loves it. Beth worked most of the year in the primary and just started a new calling as the girls Activity Days leader - of which Brooke is one.

I'm still at Cisco and they treat me very well. I have the best team in the world -- all very much more talented and smarter than me (well except for.... just kidding team ;-)). Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your view), our competitors seem to be getting more and more aggressive, so I think I'll be gainfully employed into 2008. Did my first RTW trip this year (see the blog) and got to experience some new places - Dubai, Vietnam, China (Beijing). Church keeps me busy working with the young men and our summer camp; both Beth and I plan to be at camp with Brooke this year!

We feel very blessed for all that we have and enjoy. We are very grateful to our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ for the blessings of this life and the life to come. May you enjoy the season that we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Much love to you all.

BLOGGERed my FACEdown into LINKEDIN GMAIL with wife's DOTMac and got TWITTERed... NOKIA anyone?

Ok -- this web 2.0 thing is just making my head spin... first i got gmail - ok not bad -- search, not folders is the theme -- but yes i do use the DELETE button they finally put in... then i got LinkedIn -- why? why not - nice to hook up with friends - post your resume, get no offers on a regular basis (i'm ok with all that -- i think). Then it started getting crazy - my wife went web 2.0 with .Mac and put our family photos on the Internet -- WITHOUT protection (listen to the fear ;-).

Ok then it just goes nuts -- i hook up on Facebook and suddenly i find out that i'm the LAST PERSON in the UNIVERSE to get on Facebook -- ok that isn't true, but it seemed like it. And what is up with the poking going on? I mean -- i've thrown Gingerbread cookies, i've had spells put on me... crazy. but it ain't over... No, now i'm Twittering about... with myself - till i figure out the purpose of this... and finally, the last straw...

I got a Nokia E61i -- great handheld computing device - BUT SOMEONE forgot that I want to USE IT AS A PHONE!!!! hmmmm....

So what does this all mean -- boy... i don't know, but what happened to the good old days of "doing lunch".

and yes, of course... it IS NOT a bubble....