Ghosts of Christmas past: 1988
The Shellen brothers wish you a very Merry Christmas. If there had been a thing such as YouTube in 1988 we would have used our Fisher Price PXL-2000 videocam to make you something with our gifts that day, such as the Nerf flag football set and the Star Stage. This photo actually explains a lot about the Shellen brothers if you look carefully. Merry Christmas everybody, we hope you get a snazzy robe or something flannel.
Labels: christmas, personal, retro
Best Daddy Ever
It's weird to have a picture of your kids show up
on the front page of Digg. It's weirder to have the resulting conversation on the web make it the
actual top result (even if it was just for a day). I contend it's a hyper local search result - have your kids try it and I'll bet the most relevant result depends a lot on location.
Labels: digg, google, personal
Maybe you know the story of how Blogger was born out of a small company called Pyra Labs. It wasn't the first or only Pyra product. Google Reader was birthed out of Google's Labs program. Twitter out from under the wings of Obvious. I've always been a fan of this idea of incubating new ideas in some sort of formal space. I'm announcing the creation of The Secret Agency today as a similar sort of experiment in cooking up new ideas. There isn't much other than our logo on the site today but there will be more in time. For now our plans are on a need to know basis. ;)
Logo design by Biz Stone
ps: Congratulations to the Google Reader team on launching search in Reader today. It's not easy to implement search over one's individual items, just ask the Gmail team. Nice work!
Labels: personal, thesecretagency
Not retired, fired or tired
I realized that if I don't post this month then I will have neglected this blog for an entire month. That was a close one, and as long as I'm here a brief update:
- I've had enough vacation, for now. It wasn't entirely relaxing but with kids, what is entirely relaxing? Still we had some good fun and I have a tan. Turns out if you go outside instead of staring at a monitor all day that can happen.
- One for you kids about to take the SAT: I am to retired what Amy Winehouse is to good decision making. I'm not retired or retiring anytime soon. Stay tuned for news on that front in September.
- Allison's Aunt Veronica reads this blog every so often so perhaps I can correct the conspiracy theory that was floated at the last family function that I was fired ('Because why else would you give up such a good job?'). I wasn't, I left of my own volition and Google even asked what they could do to get me to stick around. Hope that clears that up.
- Lastly, you can have my iPhone if you pry it from my cold dead hands. Otherwise, you can just buy one yourself, turns out they made enough to go around. Best. Mini-computer. Ever.
Also... we love you Miss South Carolina have a Lol-cat.
Labels: iphone, personal
Last day at Google
The response to my last post has been fantastic. I've had a ton of really nice email and an abundance of comments. Thanks to everyone who wrote in and just a few quick follow-ups to provide a bit more clarity:
- Where are you *really* going? I see you Twittering a lot, you're going to Twitter aren't you? No. I'm really going to take about 6 weeks off before I dive into the next thing. I've been approached about a few exec/CEO type positions at some smaller companies and I have a lot to think about. If I were betting on me (?), I would say odds are good that I'm going to start my own company in the fall/winter and will pick up on some great discussions I've had with VCs and angels in September. You never know though, there might be something awesome that might be a perfect fit.
- Did you leave Google yet? I work here and I saw you lurking in a hallway, should I call Security? My last day is today. In fact, I'm planning to go to my favorite cafe (Charlie's) tomorrow at Noon on the main campus. If you are reading this blog, and are a Google employee and want to have lunch together one last time - let's meet up there, that would be fun. Please don't call Security, yet.
- I have an idea and would like to buy you breakfast/lunch/coffee/dinner/iPhone, when is good for you? That's awesome. I love eating things but let's do it in September - I need a break.
- My idea is awesome, you're an idiot for not listening to it now! Yes, I probably am.
- Now that you're leaving Google, how can I get my business proposal in from of the right person? As I told the folks at the Dealmaker Media "Partnering with Gorillas" session the other night, the front door is always a good approach.
- What will you miss about Google? The friends, the food, and the fun secret projects. Not always in that order.
- I want to add you to my address book, how should I keep in touch? I like using LinkedIn for business contacts and here is my profile page. Otherwise, if you are just looking to hear about what's next. This blog is always a good way to go.
- Did I see that you did an interview for the Wall Street Journal recently? Yes, as a matter a fact I did. Thanks for asking.
Clearly I'm just sandbagging now so I'll move on.
By the way, I'm going to have to work on being more salacious and print worthy. No splashy Valleywag tidbit on my exit, no Techcrunch blurb? Do I have to say something horrible about Nick Denton or Mike Arrington to get coverage in this town? Here you go, Arrington carouses with tarts and Denton... actually I hear mostly good things about him... wait I can do this... he's a cad and enjoys expensive clothes! I think I blew it. I think the last thing was actually a compliment. I think I know where nice guys finish anyway. I'll keep working on it and I'll see you on the other side of this Google thing.
Labels: google, personal, press
My time at Google, by the numbers
I joined Google as part of the Blogger acquisition in February 2003. There were only six of us on the Pyra Labs team and we were Google's first acquisition*. Google was only about 600 employees strong. There were times when we felt like royalty and other times when we felt like guinea pigs but all-in-all it has been an amazing ride. I'm very grateful that after joining that I was not only able to contribute on Blogger but to start-up my own product (Google Reader) which by most accounts is now the #1 web-based feed reader. When I wanted to get back to business development I found a great home on a fantastic team and even got to work on products I know and love like Picasa, Reader and Blogger.
I've been working with Blogger for a long time. In October 2000, I tracked down the co-founders Ev and Meg. Having become a Blogger user and fan in mid-2000, I asked if they were making any money and if they could use any help. The answers were "No and Yes." Even though I was an unpaid consultant and friend of the company at the time I devoted myself to what I believed would become huge. I'm glad I was right and even more glad that they accepted my help.
Despite the fun I've had at Google and the weird looks I'm going to get from people for turning down the free Google food, massages, excellent benefits and the like - I feel I've got that entrepreneurial/start-up bug deep within me and I can't help but think about the next thing. I'm going to take a little time off while I think about what is next (hopefully while surfing and riding my bike in Santa Cruz) but I've decided to leave Google. I have a few ideas but if you have a better one - let me know. Below is a quick infographic of some stats I've compiled on the things I've worked or transpired during my time here. To all of my co-workers reading this, you still work at an amazing company and I thank you for your friendship, also I'll be stopping by for lunch. ;)
* Google acquired the assets of Deja.com before our acquisition, but not with live humans.
Labels: blogger, google, personal
Peace, brought to you by Mom
My Mom, Toni, retired from teaching grade school after over 20 years of service over the years. Of course that has only slowed her down a little. She's now a delegate for the Democratic party in California and spends quite a bit of time protesting the Iraq war, sorting out who would make the best candidate for president (she's seen Obama and Edwards on their Bay Area trips) and working for peace at the local level with a church group. Frankly, I thought retirement looked a lot more like relaxing before I saw her retire (also I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to bail her out of jail one of these days). Say what you will about her politics, but I'm proud of her passion for peace and it's certainly carried over to her sons. She and Dad called me this week from the California Democratic Convention and they were both sure that whomever the Democratic party picked to run would make a great step in the direction of peace. On the fourth anniversary of the war she wrote a letter to the editor of our hometown paper. I'm printing it here to show her more people will read it on a blog than in a paper these days (I've got to sell her own her own blog one of these days).
From The Argus - Sunday, March 25, 2007
ON MARCH 19, to mark the fourth anniversary of the war with Iraq, more than 100 members of our community gathered together at a candlelight vigil for peace to remember the 3,218 American soldiers and the 65,000 innocent Iraqi civilians who have lost their lives in this war.
I would like to thank all of those who participated in this event. There was a sense of unity among us as we mourned the loss of all those precious lives. We stood unified, too, in calling for an end to this tragic war.
More than 1,150 vigils were held across the country that evening.
One of my favorite slogans is "Democracy is not a spectator sport." I believe that concept is at the very heart of our nation. All of the people who cared enough to stand on a street corner on a chilly night holding a candle for peace understand that concept, too.
We will continue to write, call, and e-mail our legislators and President Bush. We will march, rally, hope and pray until this immoral war is ended. We must continue to speak out, for silence is the biggest enemy of democracy.
Toni M. Shellen
Thanks for working for a more peaceful world Mom.
Labels: family, peace, personal, politics
New house
Wherein I talk about our in-town move, neighbors who lock down their wifi, talk smack about videopodcasting, and later regret not having a script, zooming out a little more, or getting a little more sleep the night before. Enjoy!
ps: There is a good chance that I won't have any internet access next week. Better add me as a friend on Twitter, if you want to keep up next week. ;)
Labels: personal, podcast, video
Wubbzy vs. Studio 60
It's been far too long since we checked in with my oldest son, Drew (ed. I should make it clear I check in almost daily). This new podcast shows his distaste for adult drama and a brief update on his thoughts on eating chicken. Enjoy!
powered by ODEO
PS: For all you parents in the crowd, while looking for a picture of Wubbzy, I found out almost all the episodes are available in Video podcast form!
Labels: drew, humor, personal, podcast, tv
The easiest way to avoid posting to your blog...
Is to convince yourself that your next post should be an audio/video slideshow with narration, that way nothing will get accomplished and it will be a major blogjam for other posts. On the other hand, I could also convince myself that I don't need to do that at all.
PS: Perhaps I missed it but are there any such web apps that allow you to do this easily?
Labels: lazyweb, personal, video
Talk talk
...so I'm back from vacation and it turns out I didn't have more time to blog. Pity that, however I'll do a break wrap-up post soon. Meanwhile, I was asked to be on the Heather Gold Show tonight to talk about partnerships (business, marriage and otherwise). The show is available in video/audio podcast form suggesting that it's not live unless you are there in the studio audience. Feel like being part of the studio audience? Come down tonight at 8PM to the JCCSF. More details at
heathergold.com. If you can't make it I'll post a link when the show is available for download.
Labels: personal, selfpromotion
OOO on vacation
I'm taking a few weeks off work. Oddly, this probably means I'll have more time to blog. More on that soonish.
Labels: personal
Tofu Redux
If things look weird on this site it's because I just switched my blog over to using the new (and excellent) Blogger beta. In testing it out I went through some older posts like my Tofu Rant and made some tweaks. It's one of the oldest posts on this blog and it's originally from July 31, 2000 (over six and a half years ago) - however, some aggregators have picked it up as new, resulting in new comments, confusing re-syndication, and a general feeling of un-ease on my part since I haven't looked at that post in ages. I was just getting comfortable with a blog writing style back then. I always tell people that I started my blog for five friends from back home and the tone has changed over the course of the years as a few more people have started reading my humble little site. Funny thing about blogs, they tell you more about yourself the longer you keep them going.
A side note, if I could find contact information anywhere over at Googlersblogs, I would tell them a few things:
- I don't mind folks aggregating my posts, especially if it's a non-profit site. However, don't change the default linking behavior. At least make the headlines link back to the source site. Bloglines and Google Reader do the right thing here.
- You have many non-Googlers listed as Googlers. That's a little odd.
- Login to post comments? Why not just pull in comment feeds and link to the post for further commenting.
- If you ever add advertising to your site and you are still syndicating full posts, I want out or a fair way to participate in the revenue.
- Please add contact info for yourself. It's generally creepy to have someone how is so interested in the lives of Googlers stay in the shadows.
Labels: blogging, food, google, personal, retro
4 Comments
Links to this post
