Daniel Milner

Awesome app to manage and control your Android phone via your...

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:29:33 -0800

Awesome app to manage and control your Android phone via your web browser.

Eli loves playing the drums! #musicalfuture

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:28:07 -0700

Last Friday my parents took me and my family to the circus. It...

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:19:12 -0700

Last Friday my parents took me and my family to the circus. It was my Dad’s first time as well as the first time for my kids. The night started out with them asking all of the children in the audience to come down into the ring so that they could try some circus tricks. Sienna loved going down there. The rest of the night consisted of a TON of acrobatics along with some comic relief from the clown.

You can’t get much more “geek” than this!

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:35:08 -0700

You can’t get much more “geek” than this!

Here’s a video showing how Google Wallet works.

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:25:46 -0700

Here’s a video showing how Google Wallet works.

I finally got the update for my Nexus S 4G last night that...

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 21:21:26 -0700

I finally got the update for my Nexus S 4G last night that enables the Google Wallet app. Excited to try it out, especially since Google is giving away $10 in prepaid cards at the moment.

Currently playing with Microsoft’s new Windows 8 Developer...

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:02:00 -0700

Currently playing with Microsoft’s new Windows 8 Developer Preview. So far, I can’t stand the Metro UI. I don’t see it being practical on a non-touchscreen computer.

I thought that I’d try out Lightworks to edit this...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:28:09 -0700

I thought that I’d try out Lightworks to edit this countdown timer. I’m going to start using this software for all of my video editing. I love it!

Eli serenading me with a song.

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:59:34 -0700

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

Eli serenading me with a song.

As I posted earlier, Laura was able to get some tickets to the...

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

As I posted earlier, Laura was able to get some tickets to the taping of Conan on March 10th. (The day before my birthday.) We got there about 20 minutes after the check-in had started and were lucky to get a seat. Note to self: next time, arrive before check-in. After checking in, we had to wait in the holding area, A.K.A. the lower level of the parking garage, for a few hours before they herded us, like cattle, over to the studio where the taping takes place. You can see in this picture where we were in the audience.

We had a great time and would totally do it again. I love you Laura! Thank you for my awesome birthday present!!!

Click here to watch the full episode of the taping we saw.

I’ve been a Foursquare user for a long time. Mostly...

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Gowalla

Foursquare

Gowalla Stamps

Gowalla Pins

Gowalla Items

I’ve been a Foursquare user for a long time. Mostly because they were the first major location-based check-in service to release a Blackberry app. I currently have 1,159 check-ins, 19 badges, and 9 mayorships. It’s been fun, but pretty one-dimensional. With none of my local friends using the service, I just compete with strangers to be the mayor of places that I frequently visit. Most places don’t offer mayor discounts in my area either.

About a week ago, I decided to give the Gowalla app for Blackberry another chance. I had tried it in the past, but it was terrible at finding my location; so I was never able to actually use it. It seems that they’ve made some improvements since the last time I used it and much to my surprise, it’s actually quite fun. Maybe even more fun than Foursquare!

A big difference between Gowall and Foursquare is that nobody is the mayor of any place. It’s not even an option. So why would you use it then? Because they’ve turned check-ins into a game. In Gowalla, you have a Passport. The Passport is a collection of stamps from each place that you visit…much like a passport in real life.

Aside from stamps, you’re also awarded Pins for achievements and trips that you’ve completed. As well as States, Provinces, and Countries that you visit.

Lastly, you can also post photos of places you visit, leave comments, and collect virtual items (a.k.a. digital souvenirs). Some virtual items are even redeemable for real-world rewards like clothing, movie tickets, gadgets, etc.

In the week that I’ve been using Gowalla, I’ve had a blast checking in to places I visit. I love the surprise of finding items I don’t have and building a collection. I just hope that more of my friends start participating in the fun.

On Valentine’s Day, Laura and I wanted to watch Robin...

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

On Valentine’s Day, Laura and I wanted to watch Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves . We checked Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon VOD…none of them had the movie available to watch. Needless to say, we were bummed; but I was determined to see the movie. Even if I had to buy it.

So, the next day I checked Walmart’s website…they didn’t have it. Then I checked Best Buy’s website. They had it for $9.99 and it was avaialbe to pick up in the store! So on my lunch break, I drove over to the local Best Buy and proceeded to the movie section. I found the movie right away, but something was wrong. The price tag said, $14.99. I thought to myself, that can’t be right. I know it was $9.99 online. So I took out my phone and pointed the web browser to their website to check. Sure enough, it was $9.99 online, but $14.99 in the store. That’s a markup of 50%! I then remembered that this was not the first time that I’ve come across higher prices in the store compared to their website. Several months ago, I went to purchase a product that was $14.99 online, but $19.99 in the store. I remembered from that experience that they would not give me the online pricing at checkout. Instead, they offered to order it for me online with their pick-up in store option. So, as I stood in front of the product that I wanted to buy, I ordered it online directly from my phone and chose that I wanted to pick it up in the store. Not 20 minutes later, I received an email stating that my order was ready to be picked up.

It’s inconceivable to me why they would force a customer to go through that extra hassel to purchase an item for a price that they advertise. It’s a waste of my time and a waste of their time. (They have to send someone out into the store to retrieve the item.)

Laura scored us tickets to the taping of Conan on March 10th for...

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Laura scored us tickets to the taping of Conan on March 10th for my birthday! (Which is the 11th, btw)

We’ve been fans of Conan O’Brien for a while now. Even before his exodus from broadcast to cable television. I can’t wait for March 10th to come. It’s going to be awesome!!!

I love you Laura! You are amazing!! We are going to have soo much fun :)

Canon's, "The Story Beyond the Still"

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Today is the first time that I heard anything about this contest. Apparently, Canon and Vimeo have teamed up and created the first ever user-generated HD video contest called, The Story Beyond The Still. Here’s the description in their own words:

It’s the first ever user-generated HD video contest where photographers become filmmakers, and we all see beyond the still. After a wave of entries, Tony Leech’s “Exit Interview” was chosen as the winner of Chapter 7, leaving a new still to guide the way for Chapter 8 – the final chapter of the story to be interpreted and shot by Vincent Laforet in collaboration with all the chapter winners! What will they see beyond the still? And how will the award-winning user generated HD video contest end?

As you can see from their description, it’s an 8 chapter story with the final chapter yet to be released. I’ve watched Chapters 1-7 and it’s an engaging story. Each Chapter was written and filmed by a different filmmaker. Entries for each chapter were submitted to Vimeo, then voted on to determine the winner. Because each chapter was created by a different filmmaker, you have to be ready for cast changes in each chapter; something that caught me off guard at first. I can’t wait to see the last Chapter and how the whole story wraps up. I’ve embeded below the first 7 Chapters of the story.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

The Final Collaborative Film

So, what do you think?

The other night we planned a family hike to Mt. McCoy to take...

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700

The other night we planned a family hike to Mt. McCoy to take pictures of the sunset and invited Brian Berman to come along with us. It was great just getting to spend some time with him. I also got to introduce him to geocaching!

Last Friday we made our first trip to Disneyland in about 5...

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Last Friday we made our first trip to Disneyland in about 5 years. The last time we were that was around Christmas of their 50th anniversary. This was also the first time for both Sienna and Eli. Although, we don’t expect Eli to remember any of it…he’s only 9 months old. The timing worked out perfect since it was Sienna’s 4th birthday only a few days earlier. We were fortunate to be able to go with our friend, Jennifer. She made the day happen.

I don’t remember exactly, but I think that we got down there around 8:30am. Since it was Friday, we tried to leave early in order to beat the morning traffic. After a quick breakfast in Downtown Disney, we headed into the park. Our first stop was a hat shop just as you enter Main Street U.S.A. We got Sienna pink mouse ears with her name embroidered on the back. She thought that it was so cool that her name was on the hat!

Our first ride was the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. This was my first time. I hadn’t been on it when it was the old submarine ride. Eli loved looking out the porthole.

Next, we went to the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire. Arguably, Sienna favorite spot the entire day. This wasn’t around the last time I was here. Basically, they have a medieval castle area setup where you can meet and greet all of the Disney princesses. I’m pretty sure that Sienna got her picture taken with all of them…as well as autographs and hugs. She was in heaven.

Just as we were leaving, we got a call from our dear friends, the Kolarciks. So we met up with Ben, Melissa, and their two kids and headed over to It’s A Small World. By that time, it was beginning to get hot, so a 15 minute ride inside an air conditioned building just what everyone needed. Sienna sat next to her friend, Jude, and they loved pointing out all the different people as we floated through the attraction.

By now, it was lunch time and we were all getting hungry. We all headed to the Carnation Cafe for a bite, then we were back out in the park ready for more attractions.

Our next stop was Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, which is basically a Buzz Lightyear themed shooting gallery. Laura and I had fun, but it was a little too scary for Sienna. From there, we headed over to the King Arthur Carrousel. Sienna had a great time riding her horse.

While Laura was resting in the shade from the carrousel ride, I took Sienna over to Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Sienna loved that she could move our elephant either up or down.

Our next ride was something that we all wanted to go on. At least all of the adults. So we all walked over to Pirates of the Caribbean. That ride is always worth the wait. After that, we went to the Haunted Mansion. Since it’s getting close to October, it was all decked out with Nightmare Before Christmas characters and decorations. Since we visited two adult attractions in a row, we decided that we needed to do something for the kids. That led us to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The ride was very colorful and certainly one of Sienna’s favorites.

By now, it was the late afternoon and one again, time to eat. Laura and I shared a wonderful salmon salad at Cafe Orleans. Since the sun was stating to set, we decided to head over to theJungle Cruise. It’s always a hit or miss with the skipper that you get. Unfortunately for us, it was a miss. Our skipper was talking so loud into the loud speaker that we couldn’t understand what she was saying.

After the Jungle Cruise, we decided to head over to Space Mountain since we all had Fast Passes. The kids couldn’t ride, so we took turns. First the girls, then the guys. When we were done, we said goodbye to the Kolarciks as they went home. We weren’t done though. Nope, we ditched Disneyland and headed over to Disney’s California Adventure! Earlier, Jennifer had gone over to California Adventure and gotten all of us Fast Passes for Soarin’ Over California. When we got to that attraction, we met up with some more friends, the Deans! We were excited that Sienna was just tall enough to go on this ride. Like the name says, it felt like we were flying over California. We loved it and thought that it was amazing, but to Sienna, it was a little too much. She did good though and held it together for most of the ride.

By now, it was pretty late, so we got in line for World of Color (which we also had Fast Passes for). We had front row seats for this show, a.k.a. the wet zone. Luckily, Eli was asleep and by the time the show started, so was Sienna. The show was pretty amazing. A mixture of water, lights, and….fire! (Haha, I bet you didn’t see that one coming!) That was our last attraction and we were all ready to go home. Overall it was a wonderful day, but probably one that we won’t do again until the kids are much older.

Last night was the grand opening of my wife, Laura’s,...

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Last night was the grand opening of my wife, Laura’s, photography exhibit atDiscovery Church. The exhibit is titled “Beyond the Locks” and is part of the Discovery Photo Project, an art ministry of our church. I am so proud of Laura for putting this together. She based the exhibit on Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yolk of slavery”. It was wonderful seeing everyone come out to look at her photography and encourage her. Laura is an amazing photographer. Please visit Moments Not Forgotten to view her online portfolio. If you weren’t able to make it last night, and you’d still like to see the exhibit, we welcome you to stop by for one of the Sunday morning services at Discovery Church. This exhibit will be on display through approximately the end of the year. Below are some photos that I took at the event.

Last night I was taking some pictures of a vintage camera that...

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Last night I was taking some pictures of a vintage camera that we had recently bought at a garage sale. I wanted to take some close shots, but we don’t own a macro lens. (The lens I was using was 35-80mm.) That’s when I remembered about an article that I read a few days ago about turning any lens into a macro lens. I can’t remember where I read it (or I’d post a link), but it basically said that if you remove the lens and flip it around, then you can use it like a macro lens. There are a few drawbacks, but it’s better than nothing. The first drawback is that you have to hold the lens steady to the body of the camera. Second, there is no way to focus besides either moving closer or farther from your subject.

The first 3 images were taken with my standard 35-80mm lens. The last 3 images were taken with the same lens, but flipped around to imitate a macro lens.

Oh yeah, in case you were wondering, this camera is an Iloca Stereo II from the 1950s.

Back on August 6th, I took these pictures of the cross on Mt....

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Back on August 6th, I took these pictures of the cross on Mt. McCoy. I just found them and realized that I hadn’t posted them on my blog yet, so here they are. Enjoy.

Saturday was family day and we had a plan. One that involved...

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Saturday was family day and we had a plan. One that involved hitting up a local cupcake purveyor and a drive to the beach. We started off by driving to Thousand Oaks to stop off at the Cupcakery. It was our first time there and we were excited! Laura loves cupcakes. Laura, Sienna, and I decided to all choose different cupcakes that we could share with each other. Laura chose their Pink Velvet, Sienna chose their Hi-Hat, and I chose their Dulce De Leche. They boxed them up for us, then we headed to the beach. We originally wanted to visit Point Magu State Park, but when we drove by, there was no parking. So we just kept on driving and ended up at the beach right at Point Magu. It was a little windy and the water looked fierce, but we didn’t mind. We were gonna eat cupcakes! After carrying some lawn chairs out to the sand, we finally sat down and cracked open those cupcakes. We started with Sienna’s, the Hi-Hat, and it was delicious! Hands-down, the best of the three. We then tried the Pink Velvet and the Dulce De Leche. Both were good, but the Hi-Hat was the winner. After we finished the cupcakes and took the chairs back to the car, we decided to walk towards Point Magu. We could see waves crashing in the distance and we wanted to get a closer look. It was spectacular, with water splashing probably 100 feet in the air as it crashed against the rocks. We took several pictures, then headed back to the car. (Sienna was getting nervous…she didn’t want us to get wet.) It was a wonderful day spent out with the family. Oh, I almost forgot! We finished it off by stopping at In-N-Out for dinner :) I love days like that!