magento localhost

most days i do something i've never done before.  having gone hang gliding the other day, i'm on a roll.

today, i'm doing a local setup of magento.

1) download magento
2) download ms visual c++
3) download wampserver
4) install visual c++
5) install wampserver all default settings
6) under c: > windows > system32 > drivers > etc > hosts, set 127.0.0.1 to whatever site you want to direct to your localhost setup
7) start wamp
8) put it online
9) run phpmyadmin in wamp and create a new database
10) unzip magento and drag all files/folders in magento into c: > wamp > www
11) click on wamp in your icon tray > php > php extensions > select php curl
12) go to your url you set to your local host in step 6
13) accept terms
14) if you receive a php curl extension error even after enabling it in step ll, replace your php_curl.dll with a fixed extension from here
15) enable rewrite_module in apache > apache modules from the tray icon
16) in your configuration window, enter your database name from step 9 and also check the 'use web server' option
17) create your user account and you're good to go!

current side projects

building a raspberry pi.

building a dry aged meat fridge (potential conversion into a kegerator).

restoring a 1980 honda cb 750.

they say anything is possible.  just not doing all three at the same time.

triple booked tomorrow. it's possible.

greatest asset

i used to think that my knowledge was my greatest asset.

but it's more my intelligence and my ability to execute.  knowledge - all of it - is on the internet.

intelligence is the ability to utilize that knowledge.  to integrate, modify, and apply that knowledge.  and to execute is to do something with it.

everybody is full of knowledge and ideas.  without pulling the trigger, nothing ever comes to life.

#oxymoron

lesson learned

you can rarely change the work style of a team member.

he or she cannot suddenly become a leader, full of drive and initiative.

likewise, business schools cannot create leaders.

entrepreneurship

turns my greatest liability into my greatest strength, the liability being a lack of risk aversion.

hypomania

puts the entire world in slow motion.

everyday

...we eat, sleep, and breathe.

so you should probably learn to cook well, get a good bed, and breathe fresh air.

personal life

if you don't readily share, rarely will i pry

starbucks' secret

60 degrees will make you shiver in 2 hours (that's a challenge) and make you leave or purchase more hot drinks.

bring a parka and stick it to starbucks.

stress test camp

there should be a stress test camp for team hiring.

the most stressful environment possible.

a week in space + a week at sea + a hike up everest?*

the saw meets survivor meets the office meets lost.

seeking a team of workplace psychologists and executive recruiters.


*without collaboration, death will likely occur.

startup world

"In the startup world, it’s simply survival of the fittest. You have to involve yourself with almost every aspect of the business—and use all skills. I would find myself having to develop and manage budgets; help market and sell; hire; assist in setting corporate strategy; and review legal contracts. As well, I still had to develop technology and deal with all the uncertainties and failures that come with a startup."

http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/08/is-an-mba-a-plus-or-a-minus-in-the-startup-world/

Your job is to make decisions.

"What do you make?

Decisions.

You don't run a punch press or haul iron ore. Your job is to make decisions.

The thing is, the farmer who grows corn has no illusions about what his job is. He doesn't avoid planting corn or dissemble or procrastinate about harvesting corn. And he certainly doesn't try to get his neighbor to grow his corn for him.

Make more decisions. That's the only way to get better at it."

- Seth Godin

the great pee divide

there's a commonplace theory that if a broken window isn't repaired quickly enough, another will soon follow, resulting in the continued vandalism of the building as well as the increase of local vandalism.

i have a similar theory that if a drop of pee in front of the urinal isn't cleaned quickly, the drop quickly becomes a puddle as people urinate from farther and farther away, eventually resulting in the complete dereliction of the bathroom.

I am a leader because

I pull more than my own weight and I stand by my teams.