In case you missed the memo, we will be releasing a series of gift guides this month. Last week we went over gifts to get for geeks and gamers and this week we will list out some items for those artsy types.
BUT WAIT!
You didn’t think that Iwould write a series of posts without having a sweet contest extravaganza to go with it, did you? It is Christmas time, yo!
Starting immediately, we are going to have the first official Schipul Cheer contest! And yes, winning will be just as easy as every other contest I have done. So yeah, lets break this down and get to deckin’ halls with good tidings and some pimped out joy and stuff.
HOW TO WIN:
Super easy. Ready?
Take a picture of your Christmas tree.
That’s it! Take a photo and post it in our comments section of this post, any of the Schipul Cheer Gift Guide posts, –OR– our new thing, post it to Twitter with the tag #schipulcheer09!
PRIZE(S):
Psyche! It is CHRISTMAS, geeze. You cant know what we are getting you. But yeah, I guess I can give you this hint: Some of the items (yes, more than one thing) are hidden within the Schipul Cheer Gift Guide lists. That’s right, you have the chance to win something rad from those lists.
But it isn’t that $200 robot so don’t ask.
DEADLINES:
Contest starts December 7th and runs until the 17th!
We will take all of the photos and run them through our random integer counter thing of magic and randomly select a winner. One entry per person.
So what are you waiting for? Show me some trees! And seriously, someone needs to remove the exclamation point from my keyboard.
Who knew that boxes could be so artsy? Step aside moving, Crayola and donut boxes – the Art Box Show is here!
Join Schipulite Ben Gillin and his lovely bride Maria Navarro for this fundraising art event at Bering and James Gallery this Friday, December 4th (12 – 10pm) and Saturday, December 5th (12-6pm). Each artist was given a wooden box to decorate and manipulate however they saw fit.
The Art Boxes will be for sale at a flat rate of $125, with proceeds going to the artists and DePelchin Children’s Center. Fun, great art, super artists — all for a good cause.
Need some stellar gift ideas? We’ve got you covered. Personally, I am a huge Christmas fan (I started celebrating in October) and am always on the lookout for unique gifts to give. This year, my gift to everyone is my secret stash of awesome gift ideas and online shops.
This week, I present to you a quick gift guide for all of those geeks, gamers, and techy people in your life. Feel free to purchase anything on this list and mail it to the Schipul office with an ‘Attn: to Brandi.â€
ALSO (BONUS!): If nothing on the list fits for your geek/gamer/techy then leave a comment that tells me a little about them and a price range and I will try to help you find something special! Or, tweet it using the tag #schipulcheer09.
And literally, in no particular order whatsoever, the gift guide:
Kikkerland Wind-up Toys:
Buy 20, wind them all up, watch them go!
These make for some great stocking stuffers, white elephant gifts, and toys for secret Santa. I have a large collection of them and have attempted to take them apart and rebuild them several times. Total choking hazard, by the way.
These are totally rad! Perfect for someone needing information on the go and appreciates awesomely designed tech toys. And check out the Halo themed ones that are on sale!
Declare your love in the best way possible. If your girl or guy doesn’t get it, then consider hooking up with a geek next time. Oh, and you can also buy it in button form.
If you are playing online and you really can’t deal with n00bs screaming through the headset you can attach a keyboard and type out your insults instead.
Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) Locket Charm Necklace:
*Swoon*
If you are a bit of geek (technically a nerd in this case) who happens to be dating a girl who is also pretty nerdy, this is a good option for jewelry. Some ladies like their Johnny Depps’ and Justin Timberlakes’ but nerd girls get a lil’ flutter for Mr. Darcy.
You know who was the shiz? Sir Freakin’ Isaac Newton. True nerds will appreciate this figurine and forever keep it on their desk–which is most likely at NASA, ‘cus NASA totally gets it.
Gamers know their roots and no matter if they have moved on to the PS3 or Xbox 360, the still pay some homage to the NES. Note: A lot of gamers avoid the outdoors, so buying a hat to wear in cold weather may not be the most practical idea.
If you are a geek, you should go out of your way to make sure that every space in your home reflects your geekiness. These Russian doll.. uh.. things.. are great for storing cooking ingredients. Or just for show if you don’t really cook.
Give the gift of a LEGO robot! Either give the gift to a friend or build the robot and offer it’s cleaning services to a loved one. Or buy one and keep it for yourself. Or buy thousands of them, build a robot army, and take over the world. Your call. I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.
With so many things that require you to touch them with your thumb and index finger, giving the gift of finger freedom is always a sweet idea. Or you can just cut and sew your own gloves if you’re one of those crafty types.
PS3’s makes for an amazing game console and blu-ray player. Being created for gaming first, the idea of having a remote (outside of the PS gaming controller) was not factored in until later.
Don't look at it directly in the eye.. uh.. face.. area
I hate bugs, I’m not into the benefits of solar power, but holy wow do I love a good ‘bot. Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like a handmade toy that serves no real purpose other than ten minutes of amusement.
This little thing is great to have and is one of those “something extra” gifts. If you know an IT guy/gal who is always running around helping people, this tool can come in handy. It also opens beer. So, ya know, that is totally win.
I love my bike geek friends! No matter how many times I nearly run them over, they still get back up. These LED lights are super awesome and bring that something extra to a bike. And they are LED lights. LED lights are amazing… and can be used for some weird stuff.
Ahhahahahahahah ah hah ah ahahahaha hahahaha! Oh MAN! HAHAHA! Ok, ok, if you don’t get it, your gamer friends will. Especially if they are heavy coffee drinkers.
And so concludes this week’s gift guide. Still looking for something more? I’ll be posting a new guide each week! Next week we will list out some rockin’ gifts for those Designers, Crafties and Indie friends of yours.
But, before I skedaddle, I want to let everyone know about GiftBox! It organizes your present list(s), tracks how much they are, where they are, who they are for, if they have been purchased, how much money you have spent, and so much more! It’s a free service, so go get it!
Yesterday (Tuesday, December 1st) our network provider experienced a DNS (domain name server) outage that caused multiple email failures from some Tendenci Web sites.
What does this mean? If your Tendenci-driven site sent out any emails yesterday, there is a chance that they didn't make it to your final recipients. Emailed content includes:
Newsletters
Contact form submissions
Membership renewals
Registration confirmation
Payment confirmation (from Tendenci, the merchant account confirmations were not affected)
We are still trying to evaluate how many Web sites were affected and at what times, but in the meantime please do be aware that communications from your Tendenci site may not have gotten through.
The Schipul Support team is available to you FREE OF CHARGE for issues surrounding yesterday's email issues.
Please call us at (281) 497.6567 ext 411 and let us help you with any issues you may have or questions you'd like addressed. We are here to help and hugely value your business and support.
This month, the Schipul crew has taken a look at some of the things we are thankful for with our 30 Days of Thanks series – and boy did we get a WIDE variety!! At the end of a month dedicated to introspection and family, we are left feeling more blessed than ever.
Our final shout out for our 30 Days of Thanks is to YOU! Whether you are a client, a local Community member, part of the Schipul tribe or just stopping by to see what’s happenin’, we are glad you are here and part of our lives.
At our company, we put a lot of focus on Storytelling – both online and offline. One of the most crucial components of any Story are the diverse characters that we interact with. The greater the variety and the depth of the interactions between characters, the more interesting and exciting the Story.
Without you, we’d just be a group of nerds tapping away at our keyboards. With you in our world, we’re constantly growing, connecting, networking, learning and pushing ourselves in any way we can.
Thanks for being you and thanks being a part of our tribe. Lots of warm fuzzies from the Schipulites. We think you’re pretty swell.
Two years ago I was just another college senior looking for a job when I got what seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime. I was offered a job at Accenture to do technology consulting. In Manhattan, NY. I had visited NYC twice and loved it both times. The bustling city was full of energy, and soon I would be there.
Flash forward to just a year ago. NYC had been hit hard by the financial crisis, and I was not immune. Suddenly there were many people at my level without a current project. There was no doubt that cutbacks were coming. And unfortunately for me, they were coming to my neck of the woods.
My employment at that company ended, and most jobs were on hold everywhere in NYC. This was actually a great opportunity to come home, but not under the best circumstances. I was now on a job hunt in a truly bad time to be looking for work. To top it off, I had little experience, and none whatsoever in my degree area (Mechanical Engineering).
I liked the internet. I had my JMO website and a Twitter and a Facebook. And I had the Aggie 100 as my main source for finding a small company for a new job. That’s when I found Schipul.
I interviewed over the phone, and my enthusiasm made up for my lack in experience. I quickly learned that I was probably out of my league. But, things worked out better than expected. I got another interview, and finally an offer. Through some miracle I had won the opportunity to work at the place I now call ‘my awesome job’. When I started, the entire staff could fit in a single conference room. From my previous experience at large multi-national corporations, I had never experienced anything like this. Working with a small group of people on projects we are passionate about has been a very welcome change.
Many people are still in a situation similar to mine a year ago. You can view a video of the unemployment rate over the last two years as it grows. I think this is very scary to most people (especially considering the colors used). To me, though, this is a unique time when great things are born. People are pushed to their limits of creativity and forced to think an create things like never before. Many of us are not comfortable, and this discomfort can be the driving factor in invention and creation.
Below is a list of companies you may be familiar with. If you have never heard of them, check them out. I’ve used products or services from all of them in the past couple of years. They are all in different fields and are scattered around the country.
Publix – Grocery stores in the South East. Over 1,000 stores as of October 2009.
Texas Instruments – Makers of many tech gadgets, but the calculators are the real deal.
Tyson Foods – Had chicken recently? It was probably from Tyson, the largest meat producer in the world.
Zippo – Fantastic lighters, great styles, and there is an app for that.
Dillard’s – The bookend to many malls around the country, it’s a great place to shop.
Academy – Sports and Outdoors equipment at decent prices.
Columbia Sportswear – Nothing like a fleece pullover to keep you warm in a Texas winter.
Hewlett-Packard – PC and printer maker. I see this brand around my home and office.
Marvel Comics – I’m not a huge comic book reader, but I love a good superhero movie.
Dollar General – What’s not to love about a store filled with things for a dollar?
Sara Lee – What started off small now sells food products in over 180 nations.
This may look like a fairly hodge-podge list, but all of these companies have something in common. They were all founded in the 1930’s. During a time in our country where jobs among other things were very rare, 20 different groups found an opportunity for a new business. Surely many of them never could foresee the reach and size of their companies today.
And now today we are presented with the same chance at being able to build something new. For me, it was a new career in a field I am very excited and passionate about. For you, it could be starting the next great service company or electric car manufacturer or inventing a new technology that will change our lives. I urge you not to fear the state of things now, but to instead see this as a blank canvas, ready to be transformed at your hand. Great things rarely come easy, and now is the perfect chance to let your passion push you in a new direction.
I grew up in Houston, and as a little girl I couldn’t imagine ever living anywhere else. There was just so much here – why would I ever need or want to leave? And then of course I turned 18 and took off the moment it was legally acceptable; headed a few hours North for Austin and started college at the University of Texas. And like most people in Austin, I went for school and just didn’t leave. Fell in love, started a career; one thing led to another, and poof – thirteen years later and I was still there.
A year ago I was all set to move to California when fate intervened and changed my course, directing me back home. I came with my dog, knowing only a handful of people, and a job that I wasn’t really excited about but was grateful to have in this economy. And I came with the sense that there was going to be something really awesome for me here – I just didn’t quite know what it was yet.
Oh. Em. Gee. Y’all.
I’m thankful for so much in this town. For starters there’s the little coffee shop that was following me on Twitter while I was still living in Austin, which I thought was a little odd – I mean, why would @coffeegroundz be interested in little ole me hanging out in Austin? But, since I was visiting Houston a lot I followed back and made plans to drop in at some point. Which I did, shortly after I moved back, during the last big major TweetUp and met, oh, EVERYONE. And I do mean that – practically every person I am friends with today I can trace back a first meeting with to that day. We aren’t kidding when we talk about how influential Coffee Groundz is in the community. For me it was Groudz Zero.
And that just leads to the people. The amazing fantastic wonderful people. How lucky am I, huh? I get not one but TWO groups of rockstar folks in my life. I am blown away every day by how many talented artists, photographers, chefs, writers, designers, businessmen and women, and musicians we have in Houston – and that I call friends! And then there’s the knitters, the bakers, the cheesemakers, the crafty types that will knock your socks off with their skills (and then make you new ones!) – I am forever in awe of my friends, and honored by them. I’m thankful for each and every one of them, and so glad I have them in my life.
Finally, I’m so thankful for my awesome coworkers and the amazing work we’re doing at Schipul. Thanks to a corporate culture that allows us to have fun while working hard, pushing ourselves and each other. Thanks to great clients that trust us to make it happen for them. I’ve got to give a special shout-out to Fayza and Katie M for their parts in leading me on the path that got me here – this is really a very special place to be and I’m happy to a part of it, and thankful I’m able to contribute.
This past Monday I was lucky enough to join a dear friend on the front row 40-yard line for the Texans/Titans game. At halftime he remarked “I’m so glad to live in a major metropolitan area.” It’s the biggest thing I missed about Houston. The culture, the options, the variety. I’m thankful for the Medical Center that takes care of my mom. I’m thankful for the various stadiums that house all my favorite sport teams, no matter how often they break my heart. I’m thankful for 7-lane highways and drivers that view speed limits as minimums, not maximums. I’m thankful for the various cultures scattered about the city that give it a unique personality. Most of all, I’m thankful that you can go home again.
It’s the eleventh hour. Literally. But you’ve been up and moving for far longer. You find yourself on foot in the thick of a misty, foreboding forest of trees and blackness. You have a tiny yet powerful lamp strapped to your forehead as your only source of illumination, ’cause the sun dipped below the horizon hours ago. You can only hope the rustling leaves that perk up your ears are errant armadillos scurrying out of sight. And not alligators. Or bears. Or the Loch Ness Monster. The hair on the back of your neck stands on end. Are you cold? Are you scared? You’re not sure.
Thankfully, you’re not alone, and you’re not completely lost. You don’t think. Your partner in crime carries a zippered plastic bag around his neck, complete with maps that you both have poked and prodded multiple times, Sharpies, a compass, and a plotting ruler. Too bad these maps don’t have roads on them. Too bad roads aren’t always the easiest way to get from Point A to Point B anyway. And too bad the objective isn’t to get out of the forest completely unscathed or uninjured. Don’t even get me started as to the myriad of gear that you’re carrying on your back, either.
So what is your goal? To do whatever it takes – on foot, by land, via bike, through water, up cliffs, over uncompromising terrain – to find as many points as possible before the end. Whether the end is three hours, six hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, or even 30 hours away is up to you. All while “staying found.”
The shorter name for what some may call voluntary insanity? Adventure racing. And by golly, I am incredibly and almost inexplicably grateful for its existence, and its presence in my life.
Life before adventure racing.
I joined Houston Fit Adventure Racing in May 2009 on somewhat of a lark. I hadn’t done anything active since June 2008, when I ran a half-marathon in Alaska, and even that was an anomaly. I’d never been much of an athlete, although I’d always liked being active. Mostly because I’m always on some sort of genetic crack. Call me lucky; it’s natural. But post-high school, no activity ever held my attention long enough for me to call myself a runner or to declare my love for yoga, for example. I just wasn’t feelin’ the monotony of any of it.
Then something happened. I fell in love. Hopelessly, madly in love. With the possibilities that were adventure racing. The variety of disciplines. The fickleness of the races. The fact that you knew you would start, and you knew you would finish, but you didn’t quite know what would happen in the middle. Would you and your partner be in one piece? How hard would you run? How difficult would those mountain bike trails be? What would the current be like in the Bayou as you two paddled upstream? Would an alligator gar snap at your paddles and try to eat you both?
Sure, adventure racing is full of rules, and if you know me, you know I hate laws rules with a passion. But adventure racing’s rules never quite impeded how a race unraveled. We adventure racers know this. In the span of time between the starter whistle and exhausted crossing of the finish line, anything can happen. Top teams get flat tires, Texas novice teams handle the extreme humidity levels on ranches better than killer teams from Colorado. And because of this, one of the sayings you hear most often is, “That’s adventure racing!” ‘Cause that’s exactly what it is – a capricious crapshoot of a sport. You can’t predict an adventure. And it’s that elusive nature that makes you thirsty for more.
But wait. Was I actually – gasp! – exercising? On a regular basis? Heck, I couldn’t tell. I was having way too much fun.
Me & some of my Houston Fit Adventure Racing teammates. We really dig spandex.
If adventure racing was a male suitor, I would gladly offer my hand in marriage. Nah, I actually would’ve done it already. Without regrets, misgivings, or a second thought that it was “too soon.” Because of adventure racing, my body is strong. Because of adventure racing, my will is even stronger. Because of adventure racing, I have met some of the most inspiring, multifaceted individuals I’ve ever known. Because of adventure racing, I’ve learned how to trust people more than myself. Because of adventure racing, I look arguably decent in spandex. Because of adventure racing, I’m broke and I love it. Because of adventure racing, weekends that were once consumed with intoxication and exorbitant bar tabs are now filled with trips to bike trail havens in the hill country and surrounding environs. And guess what? I don’t miss the boozin’, one little bit. Which is quite a revelation for a former sorority broad that was voted Biggest Party Girl in her heyday.
Poison oak, sprained ankles, bruised ribs, broken collarbones, legs scratched like constellations in the sky, canoe flu, and every injury in between? It sounds like complete madness, but it makes complete sense to me. ‘Cause nothing in the world has done more for me than adventure racing has. And for that, I am nothing short of thankful.
It’s almost the end of the day and a combination of code just finished owning me in the worst way. It’s one of those days where you hope you’re not losing brain cells and you remember being much smarter in college.
I spent the majority of the day working on one of those projects that could best be referred to as “cake.” Yes, I said cake; no you’re not hungry, now focus.
Or at least that’s what you referred to it as in your head while you non-nonchalantly strut to the so-called challenge.
You walk up to this “cake” and realize it’s a not as nice as it looked from far away. Before you know it, you’re close enough to realize you bit off more than you can chew and the only thing you have left to do is to continue chewing until the pieces are small enough to swallow.
I have a few of these a month. Then of course I come back the next day with a new way of thinking and a fresh coat of deodorant and tackle what once seemed impossible. It’s at these times that I am happy I went through the whole ordeal only because I feel that much smarter/stronger/what-have-you.
I am thankful for so many things but if I had to point out one thing I’m thankful for at this very moment it would be resilience. It’s the thing that every child has an over-abundance of, it’s the thing that keeps us going, it’s the thing makes us all look like He-man or She-ra.
So, thank you resilience for reminding me that everyday is a new day and a chance to make things right.
It’s almost the end of the day and a combination of code just finished