Dimensionalize Measurements!

You know how we have those measurement/currency websites? It doesn't do me any good. What is five pounds? What is 24 Hong Kong dollars? There should be a website that converts abstract measurements into something more tangible to understand.

So I'd type in 6.2 pounds. Then it'd tell me that's the equivalent of carrying a small, retarded puppy.

Laundry Machine Notifications

I live in an apartment building (with a ton of other losers who can't afford houses) and we all share a laundry room. My laundry room is garbage because there is only two sets and one of the washers is broken so it's usually in use all the time. But also, I'm a retard because I'll put my stuff in there and then go off and do something else and forget that I have stuff in there. Or if I'm bored, I'll check two times before the thing is done. There has to be a better way.

There should be a way for us to plug in our phone numbers so that when our load it done, it'll send us a text for us to come down and pick it up. Or we can put our number in and add us to the waiting list so that when it's open and it's our turn, the damn thing will send us a text.

During the apartment hunt, one of the landlords showed me their massive laundry room. I bet if we have this system set up, it'll reduce the amount machines each building needs because it'll be used more efficiently.

Pay As You Go Online Storage

There are a lot of great online storage websites, but the problem is that they make you pay a subscription. I don't use it all the time so it's really wasteful. Also, when I do use it, it's more like temporary storage or a place that I can upload then send a link to someone else. There's a short lifespan on that stuff too.

So, for the sometimes/infrequent users like me, they should have a pay as you go system where I'll pay say 2 dollars to upload a 20MB file and keep it there for a month.

The Waiting Algorithim

So you go to an interview and you want to send follow ups after because you really like the place and they told you to stay in touch. But. You don't want to bug them too much and spam them everyday. But. You don't want to wait too long and let them forget you.

What if, we understood how long someone can hold a particular memory like meeting someone? I'm sure there is an average. Then you go in and add points if you think you made a particularly strong impression or didn't talk as much as you'd like and so on. That's a really simple way of building this thing. But as we add more of those "what if's" we can get a clearer picture of that sweet spot between when they'd forget and when they still remember you.

Wouldn't that be easy?

Parked Car Locator

I went to the mall back home this weekend. It was one of those huge suburban malls with the giant parking lots. I sweat to God, it took me 1/2 hour to find my car because I couldn't remember where I parked it.

I think you get like an RFID tag, slap it on your car and have a little thing that beeps louder and faster as you get closer to your car. Or, have the RFID tag and have the iPhone pick up the signal. But it would still have to beep louder and faster as you get closer to your car.

A Competition of the Mundane

I want to see a competition where people compete on super mundane things in life. Toothbrushing. Dishwashing. Oil changing. Vacuumming. Lawn mowing. Commuting. Let's celebrate who can do what we have to do the best. Maybe we'll appreciate it more.

Noise Cancelling Rugs

For when the guy down stairs insists on practicing those shitty bass lines all fucking night. Seriously dude? Your stuff is so slow and elementary that a coked out monkey with cerebal palsey can rock it blindfolded and drunk.

Seriously People

You know how some neighborhoods have these signs:



Can we have some that say "Drama Free Zone"?

I'm just saying- why can't your nervous break down about wait until you get in the apartment?

An Idear for This Blog

Rotating "co-founder" titles.

I got burned by Di pretty good in my last post for forgetting that she was a co-founder. But then I realized that I have more posts than a founder, which means I have more seniority than she does (in terms of posting seniority - haha!). I think we've done a pretty good job so far of keeping up with the posts, but for extra motivation, I think only the top two posters should have the co-founder title. That way you're rewarded for your dedication to this little project and those who slack off (ahem) have some incentive to pick it up.

What do you say?

I can't wait to turn the background of this blog to a nice bright pink with a puke-green comic sans font. =)

My Turn to Suck

Meat flavored butter.

Sorry EB.

Slow Down!

My co-worker was trying to get a phone number off a voicemail but the lady was talking too fast. What if there was a slow-mo function/button for voicemails?

Free Food Email Thread

Despite having a job, I find myself sitting alone in an empty apartment with an assload of debt. It's the saddest thing ever. So I'm still hurting for cash, which means I've reverted back to college mode where I'm always looking for free food.

I've jacked more popcorn from the kitchen than I can handle. And since I don't sit in the main building, I rarely get to play vulture after those catered meetings. But there has to be a way to get free food. My friend was telling about how law firms throw receptions all the time. And there are always random happy hours at bars for companies too big for everyone to know each other.

Let be resourceful and share the wealth. Let's update each other on where and when the free food and drinks are happening around the city. I mean, they usually don't finish it and they throw it away anyways.

Who's with me?!

Since They Didn't Want It...

...I'll use it here.

We're trying to sell high end customizable laptops to a bunch of technophiles and geekish people (with a couple of style whores thrown in there). The insight is that these people are going to tell everyone that they're getting one of these things- before they get (making announcements to their friends), as their getting it (freakin' videotaping the unboxing and putting it on youtube) and after they get it (waving it around like it's the shit).

The assignment was to generate awareness (duh) with a little bit of money ("surprise"). So my idea was to take photos of the production of the laptop at each stage and put them on a photostream. You give the photostream to the buyer and that guy is gonna spam all his friends with it and you have a nice prolonged gloating device/word of mouth campaign. Better yet, make this photostream available on Facebook and every time a picture is uploaded on the photostream, it shows up on the feed for everyone to see. That's awareness with little cost (because things are done digitally). Their friends will get the message and hopefully it'll make them want to buy it too.

That was quite therapeutic. I think I'll use this blog as a repository of all my rejected ideas from work. =)

Roller Coasters...

...that go 1/4 of the speed that they normally go. So old people (and perhaps me) can enjoy them. Because you know, the park is probably empty on certain days of the week and those types of rides are too intense for older people (and perhaps me) to handle, but they (and I) still like the idea of being carted around in mid air for about 90 seconds.

First Person Shooters

What if you played those first person shooter games on Wii with the Wii Fit mat thing? What if that means that to look to your left, you have to turn to your left? And if you want to jump, you have to jump?

How cool would that be?

Garage Sale Agents

You know how there are a ton of people who love going to garage sales just for fun? You know how there are people like me who have an empty apartment but not enough money to fill it? Wouldn't it be great if you could give them a list of stuff you needed and they'll out and find it for you? Like a personal shopper, but only at garage sales. It gives purpose to their shopping and helps you find cheap stuff.

Whoa! Storytelling

Most stories I’ve realized are character driven and much of the plot is driven by their development. Not a great insight, but I’m slow. But the thing is that social media is all about the person and telling the their story. I think it’d be a trip either adapt a novel that’s told through Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Flicker, blogs and whatever or write an entirely new novel using the same devices. So in the end, we end up stalking the character throughout the internet to get the story.

Also, I just read some stuff from the Supernova Conference (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/16/supernova-mobile-connections-forum/) and they were talking about a feature on your phone where you can leave virtual items for people to find in the real world. So then our super internet story can get into the real world and we can walk around find pictures/text/audio/video and get the story in specific locations.

I know this sounds weird and convoluted and probably interesting to 5 people total, but man it’ll be pretty sweet for those 5 people.

For My Face

You know those razors with the lotion/moisturizer around the blade that girls get to use for their legs? I want one for my face.

The Scary World of the Grown Ups

Yesterday was my first day at work. As I sat there at orientation with two people from HR (that's right two, because I'm a handful apparently) talking about insurance plans, 401Ks and taxes. They had to go over everything twice because I didn't understand any of it...and I still don't. Someday I'll end up in the emergency room and hand them my insurance card and they'll say "oh, you can only use this card to get free ice cream at Dairy Queen."

Anyways, I've been through nearly 18 years of schooling and rarely do I take classes that are practical to everyday living. Sure, I took English - but I can't figure out a mortgage contract. I took calculus - but I can't balance my checkbook. I even took PE - but I barely make it up one of these steep-as-fuck hills in SF. I mean seriously.

My idea is that after high school, there should be a life lessons course where you learn all the grown up things before you have to deal with them. Loans. Credit cards. Leases. Contracts. Insurance. Dealing with government bureaucracy. And so on and so forth. A lot more useful than memorizing state capitols. I mean, how is that going to help me determine my RothIRA plan? Sheesh.

I'm Sorry But This is the Best I Can Do

Typically when you go out to eat the waiter/waitress gets our drinks, orders and disappears for the rest of the night. It's not a problem for most people but I drink a lot of water (the hose that it comes out of adds a certain flavor...) and it's weird when I run out.

However, tonight was another story. Every moment the last sip disappeared into my thirsty mouth and just as the glass was about to hit the table, the waitress had already started pouring more into my cup. Amazing. Go back and read that in slow motion to get the full effect.

I wanted to give her a huge tip but I couldn't afford it, so this is the best I can do. We should do a restaurant waiter/waitress rating system. After a meal, you give them a little rating or go online to some website to put it in. The idea is that if you see that this person is highly rated, you're might be more inclined to tip them. Also, restaurants can use this to screen for the appropriate wait staff to make sure the customer service lives up to the rest of their restaurant. This will also motivate those lazy waiters/waitress who suck to get their shit together. I mean seriously, I'm thirsty over here.