Everyday Blogging

I don’t write in my blog every day.  But, you knew that didn’t you?

 

I say that I write when I have something to say – but that isn’t true either – I feel the need to write at least a couple times a week whether I have anything to say or not!

 

Anyway – my latest post is on my Facebook page  And, my latest facebook comment just links you to where I wrote on our Kayuba scuba club’s blog page.

 

… I’m getting so confused.

New Picasa Book for Version 3.5

With the visit to Google, and rewriting our Beginner’s Guide to Picasa, there hasn’t been much RVing to write about here.

 

So let me tell you about the book.  I’m really proud of it.  In the process of updating it to version 3.5, I also expanded it.  The previous book was 40 pages – now it’s 60.  And, I recorded several new videos to go along with it.  We’re selling the printed book with the DVD of videos in the back.  All the videos are available to our members, so they can buy the instant downloadable eBook!  I even made a video to talk about the book:

View Table of Contents and Sample pages

Buy the Book w DVD for $29.95

Buy the eBook for $9.95 with instant download

Become a Geeks on Tour Member to gain access to *ALL* our videos plus our private support forum - $39 for one year

 

Having worked personally with hundreds of Picasa users, I think I understand the most important things they need to know in order to be successful with Picasa.  Those things are in the book. Let the orders start rolling in! :-)

Impressions of Google

When you see things first hand, they’re never as good as the hype.

 

Except for Google!  Everything you’ve ever heard about their reputation for being a good work place, a crucible for innovation, and lots of energy … it’s all true.  It was a very memorable experience.  What we tend to tell people about the most is the food!  Every building – and there are lots of them – has a cafeteria.  But, you’ve never seen cafeteria food like this.  I had stuffed portobello mushrooms with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes.  Jim had savory roast chicken and couscous.  I had dessert pastries to-die-for.  We ate in the main building’s cafeteria with I’d guess at least 250 other people, all eating this gourmet fare.

 

FOR FREE

 

Yep, if you work at Google, you eat free.  So cool.  And – you’re encouraged to exercise and play, and get massages!  All at work, all for free or subsidized.  The company puts it’s money where it’s mouth is when they say that happy, healthy employees are productive employees.

 

You get the distinct impression that all the employees want to do good.  They want to make their bosses proud.  Because I was on a panel the first day we were there – lots of people recognized us on the second day when we were at Google’s offices.  They came up and shook our hands and said things like, “I’d really like to talk to you about an idea my team has …”  Or, “We’d really like to know how you, and your customers, use our products.”  The energy was just buzzing.

 

If we were 20 years younger – we’d be knocking on HR’s door – they call it People Operations.  As it is, we kinda like what we do even more!  But, we felt proud to be a part of the Google team even for a day!  We made sure to stop by the store and get a couple of t-shirts!

 

 

The recording of the Picasa Webinar is supposed to be available by the end of this week.  I’ll let you know a link then. 

Google and Geeks On Tour

The webinar is over, and it was a great success.  Working with the wonderful people at Google was quite an experience. 
If you don’t know, a webinar is a seminar presented live worldwide on the web.  The technology to make that happen is quite amazing.  WebEx is the company that Google uses to make that happen.
We had a run-through last night to make sure all the WebEx stuff was working and that it all worked with our computers.  It did not go as smoothly as we expected, but we were assured that everything was working for today’s event.
During breakfast, several Google employees came over and thanked us for participating on the advisory panel yesterday and expressed a desire for continued discussion of some of the things that were talked about.
There were a dozen Picasa team members in the room for the webinar.  Computers, headsets and phones were set up and the participants started coming online.
Jaysie from Picasa welcomed everyone and did some introductory demonstrations before introducing the star of the show, Chris.
Chris really showed her expertise during her 25 minute editing presentation.  The experts in the room were very impressed. 
The Q&A segment followed with many good questions from the online guests and answers from the experts, including Chris. 
Pictures were not allowed inside the offices, but I can tell you, the place is really cool!
Thanks, Google!
We’re catching a plane in the morning to return to our RV in Florida.

p.s. You can watch the complete webinar on Youtube.

Visit to Google

What nice kids these are here in Google land!  Yes, that’s right – they are kids.  Our main contact has been a delightful woman named Brenna … she was born in 1983 – the same year as Jim’s son Devon, and the same year my Mom and I started our computer training business, Computer Savvy.

 

Here’s Brenna and another Picasa team member, Christina when they took us out to dinner at a wonderful restaurant called the Left Bank.

 

On Thursday morning, I was a panelist at a meeting of 3-400 Google employees who focus on the users … You.  They think I know something about what you want.  I felt honored, and it was *really* fun for me.  Here’s Jim and me posing with my fellow panelists.  From left to right -

 

Terry from Nortwestern University, Danny from EnergyAction.net, and Mike from Blumenthal.com.

 

After the conference, we all had a tour of Google’s main campus.  It really does feel like a university.

 

 

'42' = the answer to life, the universe, and everything - just Google it!

 

Jim just had to leave a tweet using a computer in Google's lobby!

 

Then, last night we spent some time at Google offices getting ready for the webinar this morning.  Speaking of which … *gotta go*