Life of Joe

fuckyeahmovieposters: The Dark Knight Rises by Acid I...

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:47:53 -0500

The Dark Knight Rises by Acid

I basically have to reblog this, cause it’s awesome… Sign up for the blood drive, it’s tomorrow!

NY Tech Day and the NYC Tech Blood Drive

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:58:11 -0500

NY Tech Day and the NYC Tech Blood Drive:

I’ve known John for a few months now, almost a year. He’s another part of the great community that is NYC. He writes about his personal reason for wanting to donate blood, and it’s a good one.

Truth is though, if you can donate, there really is no reason for you not to. As John says: GET OFF YOUR BUTT this saturday and donate at the NYC Tech Blood Drive. 15 minutes of your day can save someone’s life.

Gotye - I Feel Better If this song doesn’t get you...

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:58:32 -0500

Gotye - I Feel Better

If this song doesn’t get you going… I really don’t know what will.

THE LAUREN PROJECT: Joe brought me a straw

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:09:23 -0500

THE LAUREN PROJECT: Joe brought me a straw:

Lauren’s a good egg, so I brought her a straw… Also, sign up for the blood drive!

thelaurenproject:

So, I was sitting here, feeling quite crappy after waking up with a wicked sore throat, getting a late start on work, and spending a few hours in a primarily Russian-speaking doctor’s office. I had my antibiotics, my tissues, three types of lozenges, two types of nasal spray (anyone turned on…

My god.. I wanna meet a French woman.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:31:44 -0500

My god.. I wanna meet a French woman.

"Groundhog day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out and they used to..."

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:59:48 -0500

“Groundhog day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out and they used to eat it!”

- Phil…. Conners

ReBlog: NYC Tech Blood Drive

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:26:00 -0500

I’m reblogging my original post from back in Aug. when I started organizing the first NYC Tech Blood Drive. I’m very proud of what this blood drive has become so far, and it still has a long ways to go. I hope to see you all there.

I wrote this post to let people know why I started this drive, and why I hope it continues to grow. The next drive is Feb 11th. from 11am - 5pm at the Shelby TV offices. 110 East 23rd Street, floor 10.

Click here to sign up!

This is the NYC Tech Blood Drive’s official announcement (click to sign up). The first drive will be Sept. 24th, 11am-5pm. It’s something I’ve organized with the help of the Red Cross, and fellow Techstars alumni Crowdtwist and Redrover. My plan is to make this a regularly occurring event in the NYC Tech Community.

For those of you who know me, you may know that I’ve been terrified of needles my entire life. However, in March I donated blood for the first time. How is it possible that, in a span of 4 months, I went from being incredibly afraid of even getting my finger pricked, to organizing a blood drive? As usual, I’ll try to be as open and honest as I can be with the answer.

As some of you already know, my mother, my little cousin, and my unborn brother/sister passed away when I was 2 years old, in a car accident I was in. My mother saved my life. From what I’ve read over the years, it’s my understanding that people who experience a traumatic event, generally personalize the event and take responsibility for it in many ways. In my case, this is absolutely true. I’ve lived my entire life with a thought in the back of my mind, “Why am I alive, and not her?” In this case, I know I’m not responsible for her death. But, I do feel a tremendous amount of pressure and responsibility to remember I’m here because of her, and to live life with a purpose.

Fast forward 21 years:

The summer of 2006, my dad, sick with cancer for the past 9 months was deteriorating, ill with lung cancer. I, however, was blind to the fact that he was getting worse. I denied the fact to enter my mind, and convinced myself he was getting better. Unable to leave the chair he was confined to, he asked me to consider staying home from grad. school to help him. Truly convinced he was getting better, I decided to go back. I told him I needed to finish school. The last thing I remember him saying to me before I left for Syracuse late August was, “Promise me you’ll come back if I need you.”

“Absolutely, Dad. I promise”

The first night I was up at school, I got a call from my uncle. My dad had been rushed to the hospital, as he was having trouble breathing. I was on the first plane back to Long Island. Unfortunately, by this time it was too late. When I arrived at the hospital the next morning I was told he wouldn’t last another 24 hours. Sure enough, 16 hours later I held his hand as he passed.

Again, I know there’s nothing I could have done to help him had I been there. But, I’ll never be able to forgive myself for leaving him in the first place.

Now, fast forward to 2011. I donate blood for the first time in my life, and 2 weeks later I receive an email saying, “You’re blood was used at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.” In New York, the amount of people who donate is one of the lowest in the country. In certain months NYC needs to have blood shipped from other states. Since blood is so hard to come by here in NYC, it’s pretty much a certainty that blood donated here is used to save a person’s life.

When I found out I was O+ blood type, it hit me pretty hard. I donated once, and saved a life. I could/should have been doing this my whole life. A wave of guilt washed over me, and I realized it was something I wasn’t going to be able to live with. For me to not give blood, after all that I’ve seen and been through is selfish, and immoral. I found out that 60% of the blood donated helps people effected with cancer. Once I heard that, I knew what I had to do.

To make up for all the time I could have been giving blood, I’m organizing this drive. In many ways, it will help me deal with the demons I carry around from the death of my parents. And in even more ways, I can thank them for all they’ve done for me. But most importantly, it’s going to give someone else out there a second chance at life. A second chance my parents couldn’t have.

I know the NY Tech community is filled with great people. I meet more of them everyday. I’m confident we’ll have a fantastic turn out, but I’m asking the people who read this to spread the word. Tweet the link out, post it on Facebook, blog about why you’re donating, get people to sign up by giving their email - the more people who donate, the more lives we save. It’s plain and simple.

If you’re from NYC or the surrounding area, or you’re going to be in town, sign up for the NYC Tech Blood Drive being held on Saturday, Sept 24 from 11am - 5pm. Every donation saves at least one life in NYC. The Tech community here is already affecting the lives of millions of people, lets try to affect just a few more.

Pshh.. yep! zeb: Richard Branson’s Advice for Entrepreneurs...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:06:28 -0500

Pshh.. yep!

zeb:

Richard Branson’s Advice for Entrepreneurs (by bigthink)

Wow! This is genius! I can’t tell you how many times...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:37:53 -0500

Wow! This is genius! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this…

applearts:

Interior design room: Pick Punch

"In War: Resolution. In Defeat: Defiance. In Victory: Magnanimity. In Peace: Goodwill."

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:37 -0500

“In War: Resolution.
In Defeat: Defiance.
In Victory: Magnanimity.
In Peace: Goodwill.”

- Winston Churchill

One of my favorite movies. Such an awesome poster. If you...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:05 -0500

One of my favorite movies. Such an awesome poster. If you haven’t seen the movie, or read the book, definitely check it out.

fuckyeahmovieposters:

Moneyball by Hunter Langston

Gotta love Dennis Hopper reading one of the greatest poems of...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:00:05 -0500

Gotta love Dennis Hopper reading one of the greatest poems of all time - “If” by Rudyard Kipling

RHCP - Out of Range Been loving this song since I heard it for...

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:00:06 -0500

RHCP - Out of Range

Been loving this song since I heard it for the first time the other day.

"To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better Than facing..."

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:42:33 -0500

“To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his gods?”

- Thomas Babington Macauly

Led Zeppelin - That’s the Way Always been a perfect song...

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:33:53 -0500

Led Zeppelin - That’s the Way

Always been a perfect song for a Sunday. There’s something added to it this morning with the snow on the ground.

Umm… what?! fuckyeahoddities: Abraham Lincoln was elected...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:41:00 -0500

Umm… what?!

fuckyeahoddities:

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.
Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost a son while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both were shot behind the head.

Here is an interesting one…
Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners.

Both successors were named Johnson.
Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are made of fifteen letters.

Mr. Booth shot Lincoln in a Theatre called “Ford”.
Lee Harvey Oswald, shot Kennedy in a car called “Ford” Lincoln.

Booth ran from a theater and was caught in a warehouse.
Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And last but not least,
A month before Lincoln was shot he was in Monroe, Maryland.
A month before Kennedy was shot he was with Marilyn Monroe.

NYC Tech Blood Drive - Round 3

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:46:06 -0500

This time around will be the Valentines Day edition of the NYC Tech Blood Drive. It’s being held on Feb 11, from 11am - 5pm at the ShelbyTV offices, located at 110 E. 23rd Street, 10th floor.

For those have you who don’t know, the blood drive is something I’ve been organizing since Sept 2011, and it’s something I hope to make permanent in the NYC Tech community. I’ve written a blog post on why I started it, and why I think everyone should come out and donate.

It’s really been one of the best things I’ve done over the past few months. It’s great to see all the people who show up and donate. It’s a mix of people I’ve known for a while, and people I’m just meeting for the first time.

It’s a fun day, and once the day is done, it’s a great feeling to give back in whatever way we can. It’s yet another reason why I love the NYC Tech scene, and I hope to be a part of it for a long time.

This is the dopest thing I’ve seen in a while....

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:52:45 -0500

This is the dopest thing I’ve seen in a while. Dope… super dope.. The dopest… @TimeHop

dpstyles:

Congrats to our pals at @TimeHop (formerly 4square7yrsago) on NYT Sunday Styles writeup! (Taken with instagram)

How to Not Work So Much

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:00:06 -0500

I’m going to write about something that a lot of people I know are going to probably say somewhere in the back of their minds - “He’s never gonna make it.”

In our tech community today, it’s revered to be the guy that’s in the office early in the morning and leaves late at night after drinking coffee, green tea, and red bull all night to get the last line of code in for a product launch. Is there merit in this behavior? Absolutely (besides drinking Redbull). At the early, middle, and probably late stage of a startup you’re going to need to pull all nighters, and you’re going to need to have people on your team willing to pull all nighters to meet deadlines, beat competition, and rise to the top.

Hard work is irreplaceable and you’re going to need to have it in you to work nonstop when it’s needed. However, this is where I’ll lose some people. It’s not needed all the time. In fact, it’s essential to the quality of your work that you don’t go 150mph all day, everyday.

Your willpower, your brain, your entire body is a muscle. It can be worked out, and improved with work and effort, and you’ll build your endurance to go the long distances when it’s needed. But, just like a muscle, you need to rest every once in a while to recoup and come back stronger than you were before.

I’ve been told that while I definitely work hard, I lean more towards life balance than workaholism. To be honest, at first I took that as an insult. And, I know some people who still think that it is. But now, after reevaluating some things, I realize it’s probably a better way to be, and I’m proud that I’m seen as having somewhat of a balanced life.

Now, again, I could be wrong, but I have a feeling some people will read this and say things like, “Yea, you don’t have what it takes to be successful.” To that I say two things:

1) What’s your definition of success?

2) This year, on my birthday I will have outlived my Mom, and my Dad died relatively young and suddenly from cancer at 50. If you’re going to look down on me for valuing a balanced, healthy and happy life, quite frankly - you’re a fucking asshole.

So, I say, make time for your friends, take a longer coffee break than usual, send an IM to a buddy every once in a while. Don’t be afraid to detach from your work, because without that detachment your work will suffer, and your life will too.

I’ve stated that a goal of mine has been to slow down a little. I’ve done that over these past few days, and I’ve ended up being more productive than ever. I still work hard as hell. I work just as hard as anyone, I promise you that. However, I’m beginning to learn how to shut it off every once in a while, and everything is better for it.

"It seems to be celebrated in our tech and startup culture that in order to win you need to be as..."

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:00:05 -0500

“It seems to be celebrated in our tech and startup culture that in order to win you need to be as busy as possible. Doing a million little things and running fast is what will get your startup on a Bloomberg show and praised on VC blogs. I’m not sure this model is sustainable. We all have dreams of creating companies that last and aren’t built to be a plugin for Google or a talent acquisition for Facebook. To build a long lasting company requires a tremendous amount of thought. We all know this, but we don’t practice it if we spend our day optimizing for being frantic.”

- I like how James answered this question about entrepreneurial trends for 2012.

Trends For 2012: Ten Innovators Share Their Thoughts @PSFK

(via heyitsnoah)

Right on, all the way