Quixoting™ - A Quest for New Ideas

Introducing A Fun New Idea. Created By Someone Else.

I heard a fun little story on NPR this past week.  It was about a guy with an idea.  No, not me.

Dan Florio started a new website called runpee.com and it hits on a nerve (or a bladder) with me.  I ALWAYS think about this when I go to the movies. And he beat me to it.

Of course I never had the idea - I just had the problem.  The one he has now solved.

So, what is it, you ask?

Dan created a website that tells you when you can get up, go to the bathroom and not miss important scenes in the movie.  Will you miss part of the movie? Yes.  But only those scenes that are not integral to the plot.

So, now you have an answer to the age old question when returning from the bathroom . . .

What did I miss?

No more racing down the dark stairs and crashing into the flashlight-toting usher.  No more painful moments.  

I love ideas like these - and there are, I'm sure many other problems out there waiting to be solved.

If you'd like to listen to his NPR interview, click here.  

To visit his site, click here.

And, finally, to follow him on Twitter, go here.

There's An Awful Lot Happening On Mt. Everest

Just when you thought things had settled down on Mt. Everest, it just keeps getting more interesting.

A few weeks ago I told you about Johnny Strange and his father.  Johnny was attempting to be the youngest Westerner ever to climb Mt. Everest (a Nepalese Sherpa has the record at 15).  He is also attempting to conquer the Seven Summits (the highest peaks on each continent).

Well, based on the news from his blog, he has done it.  Here's how it was announced . . .

Johnny strange, Brian Strange, Scott Woolums, and sherpa team led by namgyal sherpa summited may 20th 2009. Johnny Strange will write submit dispatch within the next few days.

You can go to the blog and read Johnny's own description of his ascent.  You can also read about the perils of descent as symbolized by his walk past the dead body of fallen climber Scott Fischer who died on Everest in 1996.

So now we know that Johnny is making things happen.  So . . . what else? 

In Wednesday's Orange County Register, we learn that a 67 year old Costa Mesa, CA man just summited.  This makes him (he believes) the oldest American ever to reach the top.

It was his third attempt after a frustrating failed attempt two years ago that had him just hours away. You can read his story here written by Cindy Carcamo. 

Is there something in the water here in Southern California that has people taking action and pursuing big dreams?

I'm thirsty.  

The Power of Daydreaming

Hey everyone!  I wrote a guest post (The Power of Daydreaming) for a great site called Brainzooming.

Mike Brown, who writes the blog, was kind enough to allow a short post from me to be featured there today.

Please come take a look by clicking here.  

While there, please check out Mike's posts as well as the posts of other guest authors on Brainzooming!.

I'll be back with another post here shortly!

Curse You, Verizon! and Opportunity Strikes Again!

CURSE YOU, VERIZON!

Generally speaking, Verizon Wireless has been a pretty good carrier.  Since the switch from AT&T/Cingular, I've had fewer dropped calls and some pretty decent customer service.  The only problem so far has been that I seem to be on an uphill trend as it relates to the amount of money I pay them every month. 

First it was just my phone and my wife's.  Then I added the Blackberry and the cost of e-mail/internet. Then came my son's phone (he's 12).  And, finally, me being the guy who has to have access everywhere I go, the wireless card was added.

What was once a convenient wireless plan at $69 per month is now over $230! But I can't blame anyone but myself.  I do have a choice in the matter, right?

But this friendly (albeit expensive) relationship came to a screeching halt this past Friday.  You see, my son lost his phone when we were at the Grand Canyon a few weeks back (my wife swears she handed it to me). So, thinking of the possibilities as we walk through the door, any optimism was dashed quickly once our predicament was explained to the customer service rep at Verizon.

The good news, they said, was that they have a lost or stolen phone policy. Great!  (Imagine my son and I looking at each other and sharing a warm father/son moment).  However, it turns out that the policy's cost depends on the status of your free upgrade (we are scheduled on his lost phone for September).  So, according to Verizon it was either $200 for a new phone (with $50 rebate now $150) or wait until September.  

Now, let me remind you that I am currently paying Verizon $230 per month. And I paid an average of $100 for the phones I have now (3).

Isn't that enough?

And, aren't the phones made in China for $15-$20?  And they wanted to charge me $150?  It's frustrating even telling you about it.

But, you know what?  The solution, which I figured out while in the store, was that there was one simple and no cost solution.  The one, I guess, that was on the last page of the Verizon customer service rep training manual:

If you have another phone (perhaps an old one laying around the house),Verizon will switch the phone over - for FREE.  As in no charge.

The lesson here?  Do not throw away, donate, give away or garage sale your old cell phones - they can come in handy.  Place them in a junk drawer (along with your cords and chargers) for an emergency.

We hadn't done that.  We weren't prepared.  Luckily an Aunt had an extra phone and we were home free.  We went back to the Verizon store, handed them the phone and within 5 minutes he was back texting his friends.

Did I do all that just so he could text again?  No, it is a safety thing.  Right.

OPPORTUNITY STRIKES AGAIN!

So, being that this site is about ideas, here's one that came out of my experience.  A place where, I think, many good ideas take root.

For all those people out there who lose a phone and do not have one to spare, take heart!  I will open a store (virtual or next to Hallmark) that buys and sells Verizon phones.  I'll pay $5 to the old owner and charge $25 to the new owner.  

The best part?  I won't charge either person any fees and I won't force a contract on anyone.  

Everyone wins.  Except Verizon, I guess.