Shaine Mata Blog

It's funny how two things that are great apart don't seem to have a connection until some spark of genius kicks in. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are a great example; peanut butter and chocolate, whoa!  Yesterday I had a flash of genius when it comes to keeping notes on computer jobs; but this works for any service type job. It would have worked in the past; but not so well as it would today given the improvement in Evernote's mobile apps. This is not so much a technology solution as it is a work flow idea.  First, I use Evernote to keep track of my notes and other day to day information. Second, I use Zoho Invoice to keep track of my receivables.  I used to work at a radio company where we kept track of hours worked and detailed what work we performed in a job ticketing system. So, before we got dispatched, we created a job ticket. We kept paper notes with that ticket number and entered the information into the system for invoicing. The rule was, you don't ...

Image via Wikipedia My friend Lebby Salinas introduced me to USANA about a year ago. She would tell me how the shakes helped her transition to a low-glycemic diet, whatever that was. I've ever only know her at her current weight, which is rather thin. It wasn't until I saw her "Before" pictures that I started to pay attention. I've been progressively gaining weight over the years. It has been slow; but, unrelenting. So, I decided to give it a try. I've been losing weight since Thanksgiving, slowly. While some of the credit is directly due to USANA's Nutrimeal, some is also due to eating better. I think what has helped tremendously was that Lebby taught me about the Glycemic Index and how different foods rate. So, I've been able to mix and match my daily nutrition with combinations of shakes and food. At this point, she and I don't have to order the Nutrimeal shakes; but, it's good to have them at hand for when we are pressed f...

Image via CrunchBase Earlier this month, Evernote announced their updated Android app , which has some long-requested features that bring it more in sync with the iPhone and iPad versions. Among the main features are Advanced Search, To-dos, and other updates that make using the app a much better experience. Advanced Search The Advanced Search is great in that it allows you to better filter your search results. One problem that I've had with Evernote, lately, is that I get too many search results. That's a problem when you save as much information as I have been. This is something that was missing in previous versions of Evernote for Android. You were only able to perform a brute force search . Check Boxes What most excites me is the ability to click on check boxes in Evernote to mark items done. I have struggled with making Evernote my personal organizer given that it contains so much information necessary for my work. In the older Android apps, you could s...

It's not Duff Beer; it's the thought that counts.

The other day I wrote a blog post in defense of Texas State Rep. Aaron Peña , who also just so happens to employ me part-time. I explained why I thought he would do such a thing. I've talked with him briefly; but haven't had a chance to really delve into his reasoning. After all, we have work that needs doing even with all the craziness going on. I've had time to think that he and I would be mirror images. I've been conservative for years. I identify with the Republican party because they are more conservative than the Democrats; but they have some kooky ideas that annoy me. I think Aaron has been the same way. He identified with Democrats more; but had reservations about a few their kooky ideas. I think he was happy to carry the Democrat banner and could have lived a long, fulfilling life if he had stayed a Democrat. I was a Republican working with Democrats because Ds pretty much run things here in the Rio Grande Valley. So, if I want to have any real effect, I have t...

Visit my Movember profile .

I was reading an article by Techcruch about how younger people prefer messaging each other over voice . I wasn't quite prepared to dispute the assertion; rightfully so. After reviewing my own family's mobile usage, it's quite obvious that there is a generational gap in phone calls. Although, it's not quite as expected. Comparing usage between my teenage daughter, my mother, my wife, and me, there are significant differences. Here is our October usage: Me Voice: 1171 SMS: 4668 Data: 1950 MB The Mrs. Voice: 99 SMS: 207 Data: 87 MB Mom Voice: 331 SMS: 335 Teenage Daughter Voice: 48 SMS: 8247 What does all this mean? I don't know. Mrs. Mata and I are almost the same age; yet she uses 1/10th my minutes. Ironically, she talks 10 times as much as I do. My daughter's mobile minutes mostly derive from phone calls from her mom and me. She definitely prefers SMS. As for my Mom, most of her SMS is from Twitter to keep up with me; becaus...

The Holy Grail for content distribution, especially for blogging, lies in having a mobile application that allows the user to post from anywhere. While posting from a mobile phone is cumbersome, it allows for posting from anywhere the inspiration strikes. It is possible to post to a blog through intermediaries using email. However, imagine posting directly to your blog without the need for a hack. That is tonight's test.

I am so excited with the technologies available to the public in general. I wish that most teachers were more technology inclined; because they could really leverage what is available free of charge to make a huge impact on the learning of their students. Two tools in particular would make a huge difference in ensuring that students get the support they need to keep up with their work: podcasts, and electronic pens. Podcasting in Education As far as podcasting, I don't propose that teachers sit down to record podcasts in addition to teaching. This would be piling on to an already busy schedule of teaching, grading papers, and filling out countless forms that are required by each grant the school districts decides to get. I think teachers could ensure that students stay on task if they were to simply record their summaries and/or assignments. For example: Example History Assignment This recording could easily be done on Cinch with a quick phone call. School districts could...

If you've followed my Twitter stream lately, you probably are aware that I have been hinting about my health concerns. For now, my only issue is cholesterol; however, if left unchecked, this can lead to other problems downstream, like heart disease. This has made me reconsider and take steps to change my lifestyle. I love technology and the Internet; but the truth is, doing this stuff all day is not healthy. Unchecked geeking has a detrimental effect on the body because of its sedentary nature, not to mention the skinny arms and legs from lack of muscles. Clearly, I have to make a conscious and deliberate change in my life in all aspects like diet, exercise, sleep, and even spiritually. Of course, it helps to have friends and family who also want to improve their lives join me in this quest. For this reason, I have joined USANA Health Sciences as an Associate. Yes, this means that in addition to talking about social media and fixing computers, I also sell nutritional produc...

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I’ve not run in about 16 years. Recently, I figured out a way of running without aggravating old injuries. My best time since resuming was tonight. 1.11 miles in 10:47 minutes. I’ll be happy to reach 8 minutes. At that point, if I think I have more to give, then we’ll set another goal. See more progress on: run an 8 minute mile

I'm not going to discuss social media in this post. What can be said has been said a thousand times over by every person who fancies themselves an expert in the field. I won't talk about marketing either. Anything you really need to know about either subject, you can just Google or watch on Youtube. Here is what I will say. If you need an expert, find out who the experts are. Look at their work. Are they doing for themselves what they claim they can do for you? Are you, as a client, getting a one-size-fits-all solution? Are you being sold a product rather than a tailored solution? Are you paying for expertise or outsourcing? A big clue is, are they showing you how to fish, or giving you the fish? Do they help you understand what you're getting into? There's always "more to it than that". Do they make any attempt to dissuade you? You might be expecting something that can't be delivered by what they offer. Most importantly, if...

I'm not going to discuss social media in this post. What can be said has been said a thousand times over by every person who fancies themselves an expert in the field. I won't talk about marketing either. Anything you really need to know about either subject, you can just Google or watch on Youtube. Here is what I will say. If you need an expert, find out who the experts are. Look at their work. Are they doing for themselves what they claim they can do for you? Are you, as a client, getting a one-size-fits-all solution? Are you being sold a product rather than a tailored solution? Are you paying for expertise or outsourcing? A big clue is, are they showing you how to fish, or giving you the fish? Do they help you understand what you're getting into? There's always "more to it than that". Do they make any attempt to dissuade you? You might be expecting something that can't be delivered by what they offer. Most importantly, if you don't u...

What are you doing for your welness? See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bn9a

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Today is our 16th wedding anniversary, I think. We married in 1994. What an experience this has been. Thanks to my sweety for putting up with my nonsense. See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bkiy

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Today is our 16th wedding anniversary, I think. We married in 1994. What an experience this has been. Thanks to my sweety for putting up with my nonsense. See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bkiy

This is my first post on Amplify! So, naturally I'm curious what this does and how it will help me with what I do online. #myfirstpost http://amplify.com/u/ba87

This is my first post on Amplify! So, naturally I'm curious what this does and how it will help me with what I do online. #myfirstpost http://amplify.com/u/ba87

Image by bhenak via Flickr Twitter is analogous to 2-way radio. Many of the same dynamics that apply to radio communications are also applicable to how Twitter allows its users to communicate. Radio communications gives everybody in the group the ability to listen in. The ambient radio chatter gives all members of the group situational awareness of what is happening throughout the organization. While radio carries voice communications, Twitter carries text and background awareness of what is happening in the network.

I've been to the conferences, unconferences, and workshops. There is a real public desire to learn how to use social media for business and other organizations; but, too much talk about social media puts the cart before the horse. I think if you learn to create content first, it will naturally lead to the use of social media to help you distribute your work. First, let's make you interesting; then we'll talk about friending and liking.

I could not find an illustration of a self-licking ice cream cone; but the general idea is that a self-licking ice cream cone exists to perpetuate itself. My friend Dan Mosqueda first mentioned this to me in relation to social media. You'll find that many people involved in social media spend a lot of time talking about social media. So, yes, we spend a great deal of time talking about the very thing that we use to get the word out about...social media. It's a vicious circle. So, I've been racking my brain trying to think about ways to break the cycle. Dan suggested that we should instead focus on creating content. After all, this is what people look for when they are browsing the web. So, I've been thinking about how to create content so that it relates to social media without getting the ice cream ready to lick itself. Obviously, now at least, I should probably teach by example. Meaning that instead of talking about social media all the time, I really ought to ...

Image via CrunchBase Just today, I downloaded the Springpad app on my Android phone. I have been aware of Springpad for some time; but could never really take advantage of it without the option of going mobile. Although I do spend a lot of time in front of a computer, I find that the information I gather while at the computer is most often useful when I'm out and about in the world. I rely heavily on Evernote because of its flexibility in storing information. I can send all manner of information to Evernote and access it on my mobile. The only downside to Evernote is that it is a blank slate, which also happens to be its strength. Springpad is handy because it has templates for storing many kinds of information. The available categories make organizing your information that much easier. Evernote, on the other hand, is completely free form, leaving it up to you to create structure, or not. While I love the universality of Evernote, sometimes I need some structure. It...

Image by shainelee via Flickr If an RSS feed falls in the forest of millions of websites, and nobody mentions it, does it mean nobody noticed? This is a bit of a late post, insofar as Internet speed is concerned. It's so last week. Well known tech guy, Leo Laporte, had a bit of a meltdown after realizing that his Google Buzz had not been updating ( http://leoville.com/buzz-kill ) his twitter with his latest posts. This caused Leo to question whether his social media presence is all in vain; because nobody noticed or mentioned it to him. This, in turn, has caused others to question how valuable social media is in terms of reaching audiences. Just to give you some perspective, Leo Laporte is a one-man media machine. He does the following: Live broadcast radio show The Tech Guy (techguylabs.com). Podcasts: This Week in Tech, iPad Today, This Week in Google, Windows Weekly, MacBreak Weekly, Security Now, net@night, Daily Giz Wiz, Munchcast Blogs at le...

Part of the problem I face is that I blog whenever it strikes me. To develop an audience, however, you need to be consistent. I have not. I am working on an editorial calendar. I have several “projects” that require updates. See more progress on: Be a better blogger

Duet with Io

Image via Wikipedia Magazines, especially the ones that print once per month, have pretty much laid out what their content will be from month to month far in advance. It takes a great deal of work to write the articles, hire the models, shoot the photos, design the layout, and all that. Unlike your blog, on which you can basically pound out an update whenever you feel inspired, magazines require a great deal of lead time . So, they have editorial calendars. We are not talking about personal blogs where you talk about your cats and pet peeves. If your blogging has a business purpose of some sort, then this is whom I intend to reach. Trying to come up with something creative and original every day or every week can be difficult. It is especially so without a plan in place. I realize it sounds contradictory to say that you need to have a plan in place so you can be creative. It really does help. Many times, when we don't know what to write about, it is because there are ...

The debate whether to get a Nook or a Kindle has been somewhat settled in our home. My wife decided to go for a Nook, which complements our lifestyle, given that we visit Barnes and Noble frequently. The free coffees, exclusive content when visiting a store, and other considerations of the hardware make the Nook a more family friendly option. Now the question, or questions, are whether to get a Kindle in addition to the Nook, or to make a complete commitment and get another Nook. Both readers have computer versions and Android versions, which evens the playing field in terms of access anywhere. In fact, we technically don't need a reader at all, except that reading a book on your phone is murder on your battery and not as cozy on the computer as it is reading in bed. So, let's discuss the first question, whether to buy a Kindle or not. Now that we have the Kindle's main competitor in our household, it weighs heavily on the decision. Getting another device means tha...

Image by Wesley Fryer via Flickr Amazon and Barnes and Noble recently released Android versions of their Kindle and Nook readers. These have been a long-awaited apps on my part. I have not been able to read an entire book in years. This is mainly because I already carry a laptop and my notebooks. Carrying a book in addition is more cumbersome. Recently I finally read a fiction book. It has been years since I've read fiction. I do not own a Kindle. Mrs. Mata recently purchased a Nook. I could never plop down the courage to buy one or the other. I'm more of a freemium kind of guy. I like to try it before I buy it. I tried the Kindle and Nook on my PC. This didn't really work for me. When I'm at the computer, I feel the urge to work or do stuff, not read. Of course, computer monitors are also not that great for reading either. The biggest advantage to owning a reader, I imagine, is the portability. It is portability that makes Kindle and Nook apps for ...

Image via Wikipedia My family is probably not alone in the debate as to which electronic book reader to buy. The two in question are the Kindle by Amazon , and the Nook by Barnes and Noble . It is a tough choice for us because of the completely different experiences we have in shopping for books. To put it plainly, we prefer the online shopping experience with Amazon; and, we spend a lot of time at our local Barnes and Noble book stores where we buy books off the shelves. While it makes sense to combine our physical and virtual shopping, the fact is that Barnes and Noble's website really isn't as cool as Amazon's. So, that is really our main cause of debate. We prefer the Amazon website over Barnes and Noble's. To be fair, we are not comparing apples to apples. BN is a book store. Amazon sells books amongst many different things that aren't even tangentially related to books. So, Amazon gives more variety in what you can buy. This makes Amazon better at ...

From Stock Shoeboxed.com is undoubtedly the most useful outsource service I have found to date. In terms of value, Shoeboxed is one of the best investments a freelance/work at home person can make to keep track of finances. It would take me longer to do what they do; and, I would not earn money doing it. I signed up for Shoeboxed.com around the turn of the year as a way of tracking my expenses for the new tax year. I have tried other ways of tracking expenses: by text message, by instant message, by voice message, by evernote, and you name it. They all fail me because I forget to use them. I considered scanning my own receipts. So, I signed up for the free version where you scan and upload your receipts to the Shoeboxed website. This did not work out so well either. First, I haven't a self-feeding scanner that can scan skinny receipts. Secondly, I never made the time to scan the pile of receipts I gathered. In retrospect, if I were inclined to organize my records, I would...

I love social media. Make no mistake about it. However, one of the greatest examples of the limitations of social media is the use of these networks during a disaster. There are some glaring shortcomings when using social media to get your message out to the public. Limited Audience The biggest challenge to using social media to push information to the public is that not everybody is on facebook, twitter, myspace, or whatever network you choose. There are some people who live long productive lives without bothering with social networks. There are a bunch more who check their networks on occasion rather than daily. The vast majority are simply on a different network. You can't reach that many people. Access During a Disaster Modern living is highly dependent on electricity. In the event of a destructive hurricane, earthquake, or other event that knocks out power indefinitely, it is likely that many people will be unable to receive disaster updates. After all, batteries don...

I was reading a brief blog post by Seth Godin in which he states that you're already self-employed . This is something that I have understood for many years, even when I succumb to my own insecurities by getting a 9 to 5 job. Given today's economy, it may have occurred to many people that there is no job security. Therefore, as an employee of somebody else, it is incumbent upon you to always be on the lookout and have your resume ready for action. Why You Must Go Employers only really need a few star players on their team. Either you are the star player or you are there as a fringe benefit to the star player. The concept to take away is that the vast majority of us are merely adequate at our jobs; we are there to give the star performers some breathing room to achieve great things. In tough economic times, the star player is needed more than ever; and, given limited resources, it makes you expendable. Another reason you must go is cashflow. Businesses are not there to pro...

This blog post is written on Google Wave. RSS readers click here .

You can read this blog post on Google Wave here .

This probably applies to a few of you who have decided to move your Intranet to Google Apps. You can set up Google Wave for your domain so that you can use your email address as your Google Wave login and even set up groups. The best example I can give is if you have whatchamacallit.com as your company domain. If your address is bob@whatchamacallit.com, you can Wave with other whatchamacallit.com users using that email address. If you have signed up with Google Wave in the past, you know that whatever email address you use gets a user name and @googlewave.com appended to it. You might even get a Google user account created for you. Not so with Google Apps accounts. The really cool part about having a Google Apps domain account is that your admin can create groups. So, let's say that you create team1@whatchamacallit.com as a group within the company. You can then add team1@whatchamacallit.com as a contact within your Wave. This connects you to the entire team without having to a...

Blog post written on a Google Wave . Click to read and interact.

This blog post is written in Google Wave .