Gmail Kicking Balls (And Drinking Beer)

We had our annual Gmail Kickball game today. As usual, a keg of beer was on tap. It posed a tricky challenge to most of us Gmailers: play a game or drink beer? Clearly, some of us had their priorities straight:

The party started off slow. Everyone just stood around and gazed towards the field. But after the alcohol seeped into their bloodstreams, things got more interesting. Between all the drinking and game watching, we also learned how to sign a Google +1. It is an important skill that will soon replace the lame "Friend me" phrase. Watch and learn.

We also photographed each other. You know, it's like painting each other, except we used cameras instead of paint.

This unnamed Googler drank impressive amounts of beer.*

And this guy had to show off his Gmail laptop bag, which no-one (except for him) can get their hands on. I couldn't help but notice that he resembles the "Gmail man" from a recent anti-Gmail ad. People... this is the real "Gmail man"!

Some even busted out some German beer dance moves!

But we all had one thing in common -- these tragic looking Kennedy ball-head shirts.**

I am very fortunate that I don't work with a bunch of zombies. The Gmail peeps are always up for anything fun. It's like being at a college.... except, we get paid.

* Gary Young

** What I meant to say was that they are very pretty.

How To Make Animated Gifs

These are my parents. I love them.

We had so much fun during the shoot that I found it hard to pick just one good shot from the series of consecutive shots. So I decided to put these into animated GIF file. Here is how you can do this by yourself using free software:

1. Download and install GIMP. It's free and it's badass.
2. Get at least three photos that tell a story. Think stop motion.
3. Upload them all as new layers into Gimp. "File" => "Open as layers"
4. View the animation. "Filters" => "Animation" => "Playback" => click the play button
5. Optimize the animation: "Filters" => "Animation" => "Optimize for GIF"
6. Shrink the size by indexing the colors (this will worsen the color quality of the GIF): "Image" => "Mode" => "Indexed"
7. Save the animation: "File" => "Save as" => pick GIF and make sure file ends in .gif => click save => dialog window pops up => select "save as animation" => click "export" => another dialog window pops up => select the time elapsed between frames (I think I am using 240ms) => click save
8. A pretty large GIF file gets saved to the file you picked. You can now upload it to the web and all major browsers will play the animation. 

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My Husband Made It To My Desktop

That's how much I love him!

Four Year Old Cheeseburger

I have been called a "food snob" by my mother in law. I am very proud of it. She is a sweet lady and I know she did not want to hurt me. I can definitely believe that someone who is used to processed comfort food will think I am some crazy health nut from California.

What does health nut really mean? Someone who is healthy and wants to stay so? Ehm, don't we all?

I started writing a list of my life goals, and one of the things I put on the list is making my parents eat healthy, exercise, and live longer. I plan to continue educating them about the crap they are eating and I intend to feed them right when they come visit. I will not respond to their complaints and accusations just like a good mother does not respond to children who ask for candy before the dinner.

I sometimes wonder why people do this to themselves. Why do they put chemicals and genetically engineered proteins into their bodies? Because this stuff is cheap and tastes good? Really?

Foods that decompose fast are generally easier to digest. However, a burger and fries are not one of these foods. In fact, a burger does not really decompose. It just ages. Gracefully so.

After watching this video you probably agree that eating raw vegetables must be better for you. Soooo.... what stops you from doing it? Ah, you don't know how to make veggies taste good? Most cookbooks teach you how to make Beef Wellington, but they don't teach you how to make a satisfying veggie meal.

I am lucky to have enjoyed many great veggie meals. Trust me, they do exist. But you won't find them in the mainstream restaurants and you'll definitely not find them in fast food joints.

Be demanding! Demand the best for your body. Treat it with the best possible nourishment you can find. You have just this one life. Why have it end early? Because the burger joint is so conveniently close?

You Will Be Assimilated

Watching this awesome Google+ video made me think of Star Trek. Specifically, of the Borg pseudo-race of cybernetically enhanced humanoid drones. I am a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and I'm also a perfectionist. No wonder I like Borg.

Borg voluntarily submit to cybernetic enhancement as a means of achieving what they believe to be perfection. Peoplez of Earth are no different. They too submit to bodily enhancements. It's already happening. We won't live in a giant cube, but we will continue to turn our bodies into the best performing machines they can possibly become.

I have a very good feeling about Google+, and it's not because I am a Googler. The tool is becoming a great way to follow photographers, and view their photos. Check out my profile and follow me if you like it.

Don't fight Google+. You will be assimilated!