Posts (page 2)

Facebook officially released there API about ten days ago and many developers and organizations are in a rush to complete their apps. When I first looked at the API, I was a bit skeptical about the functionality and the benefit in building an app. But I came back after Memorial Day Weekend and immediately set the team working on an application for TripConnect.

The current version of the TripConnect Application allows Facebook members to build a travel profile and publish parts of it on their Facebook profile page. I have a screenshot below of my profile object showing my favorite destinations, places I want to go, and  my travel interests. If you're a Facebook member, you can also add the TripConnect Application.

Facebook clearly rushed the announcement and release of the API. While MySpace is building their walled garden and finding ways to prevent third parties from integrating their components, Facebook is taking the exact opposite approach and allowing developers to plug in their apps. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Facebook is putting some controls on their application directory and their terms of service reserves them rights to charge fees in the future.

The API has promise. There is a markup language (fbml) for dynamic publishing pages (called a canvas on Facebook) and a query language (fql) for making sql like queries of the Facebook data structures. There are development kits for almost all of the popular web development platforms. But the API looks like it was rushed out the door. Many users are having trouble with authentication, cache'ing and other integration bits. I publish a separate blog for software developers and technologists and plan to put some development hints up there in the near future.

TripConnect Profile Object on Facebook

We're expecting our second child on Sunday - or so the docs tell us. They'll let my wife go a week late or they will recommend to induce labor.

So I hope to become a father of two within the next week. My son is three and we've been explaining things all along the pregnancy to get him interested, excited, and not fearing the major changes to come...

We've prepped as much as we're willing to and have the major necessities; a bassinet, car seat, etc. Whatever we don't have I'm sure I can pick up from Target when the baby is born. But for the most part, we've been relaxing and taking it easy fully knowing that our lives will be turned upside down again.

Any last minute advice?

It amazes me how strong of a negotiator my three year old can be. I’m not talking about his occasional demanding whining tantrums. He knows what he wants, what things I want, and how to get under my skin. He makes attempts to negotiate ‘the deal’. Yes, he uses those words. “I get to play with my cars, we read a book, and then we go to sleep. That’s the deal.”

Most of the wheeling and dealing comes around bed time. He’s developed an array of stall tactics and my job is to get him though the bedtime routine without detours or delays. Most nights it’s a struggle, but for months now I’ve been trying to figure out how and why I can sometimes get him in bed, lights out, and on his way to sleep with minimal fuss. I’ve narrowed it down to four key principals:

1. Be forceful, but do not force – A three year old can read you like a pro at the poker table. He can sense weakness in your delivery. He knows that he can test you if you look desperate. And if you force something on her, she’ll just fight back even harder. Your message, tone of voice, facial expression, and body language needs to be forceful, but can not demand or show desperation or weakness. I can see it in my son’s face when I deliver a message successfully. He’s looking in my eyes half worried and almost saying, ‘oh s-it, I better listen’.

2. Dangle the carrot – This should be something your son wants to do or wants you to do at some future time. The key here is a future event – not something that he expects to receive in five minute. And it needs to be an event, not something physical like candy or a toy. In my case, my son wants me to visit him at night and ‘sit in the chair’ – his way of saying come to the room and check on him. So my delivery is, “if you want me to come and sit in the chair, you need to lie down and go to sleep. Now”.

3. Give them no better option – Once you deliver your message and dangle your carrot, it’s critical that your child realize that she better obey because you’re not offering any better option. If you lay out options, then your child will sense that there’s room to negotiate and will test you. Repeating your forceful message and reminding him of the carrot helps and eventually, your child should get it.

4. Know when to call an audible – Stealing a football term; an audible is when the quarterback is at the line of scrimmage, reads the defense, and makes a change or audible to the play that was called in a huddle. I’m not a huge football fan, but I think the analogy is perfect especially if you’re working with a very tired child that’s on the borderline of throwing a tantrum. If your child is demanding something, then maybe you chose the wrong carrot. If he is feeling ill, then being forceful may not be the best approach. The problem is, if you do decide to audible then you have to be careful not to give your child that hint of weakness or opening to negotiate.

Now I’m no expert and my family knows that getting my son to sleep has been a challenge, but I’m pretty sure this works. Let me know if this works for you or if you have other approaches!

After what felt like weeks of bad weather, we finally got some beautiful sun filled 70s here in the northeast. We celebrated by spending  virtually the entire weekend outdoors in the backyard. Ronan played with his cars in the backyard and made a 'garage' behind our row of rose of sharon. He also helped me clean out the weeds in the front of the house and put down mulch. On Sunday he helped me chip away the rotten wood on the bottom of the garage post. He then helped Mom wash the cars while I scrubbed the stucco. I grilled both nights and Ronan loved his no nitrate hot dogs but passed on the sauerkraut. And at today's birthday party for Jessica, he was clingy at first but eventually did join the other kids dancing.

Now I'm watching Fletch on cable a perfect ending to this weekend

Ronan (3) will do anything to stay up later. He has his bag of tricks, some of them good (Daddy, let's read another book) while others are whines and tantrums. But Ronan learned one trick when he was young - "Daddy, let's watch cooking". He knows I love watching the food channel and will sucker me in to watch a program with him.

Now, with the NY Rangers in the playoffs, he wants to watch the game. That's fine by me as I'm having fun explaining him the nuances of the game. As long as the games don't go into overtime...

I remember our first car. A beat up black pontiac (I think). I believe that my Dad finally decided to buy a new car when my brother and I successfully punched a hole in the car's back seat floor. He got one of those Impala's that everyone got back then. It was a big deal for us in Brooklyn and I remember the neighbors coming by to gawk at the shiny new car on the block.

For us, a new car was becoming somewhat of a necessity. Our 2-door '97 Cavalier runs well, but one seat is somewhat broken, the trunk lock is broken - it can not be opened and we've survived the last eight months without one!  And now the AC is done. With another one on the way, it just felt like time.

We didn't succumb to the minivan or SUV craze. In fact, I'm somewhat embarrassed that we ended up with a Honda Accord, a full size sedan and not a compact. I really wanted a Corolla, but the salespeople in the stores we went to were terrible and they weren't offering any good deals. We would have gone with the Civic but Honda offered us a better deal on an Accord.

My son loves the new car, but he says that he still likes our beat up Cavalier. That's good for us because we'll be using both cars equally.

Back in August, I wrote about Six in the World goes on Yearlong Journey Around the world. If you thought planning your week long family vacation was tough... This family was heading to New Zealand, China, India, Vietnam, South Africa.... over the course of the year and home schooling four children! You can read about their travels on their sixintheworld blog or you can read my update  in SixInTheWorld on Oprah. That's right! They're scheduled to be on the Oprah Winfrey show on April 2.

Always looking for travel inspiration.... You can join this family traveler group if you want to read or share your own travel experiences

• Definitely Montreal is up there. I love Jean Talon market and a good mix of dining options from eclectic/expensive to ethnic (hint, visit Montreal's Chinatown)  and cheep.

• Maui - or pretty much anywhere on Hawaii. Yes it's expensive, but you can't find fresher ingrediants and very different/interesting fish and seafood options.

• Thailand - Getting more exotic here, but if you're into fiery foods, Bangkok and Chiang Mai need to be at the top of your list.

• Hong Kong - Dim Sum.... mmm.

• Paris - Duh...

• Barcelona - It's way more than Tapas and Paella.