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AttentionGrab back today!

January 2, 2007 by Jim Parker in family, future, media, technology

What a wonderful fall it has been, truly a dream come true.  I’ve been dying to come back and write about all my news.  I’ve got a lot to talk about.

Arianna and Ethan are doing well - they are a very loud bunch.  They’ve brought joy to my life I never knew I could have.

Thus, I have a different perspective on everything - different than the perspective I had yesterday.

And I have learned this:  Blogging, managing my online identity, and connecting to more and more people is something that I love to do.  This is my passion:  Using technology to bring people together in ways they never knew were possible  (in addition to the passion I have for my family).

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Pause

August 29, 2006 by Jim Parker in family

I’ll not be posting anything in the near future…busy with a project and the babies.  Try back in January ‘07.

In the mean time, visit the Parker Family blog where I will be posting pictures every couple of weeks.

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Twins Born!

July 15, 2006 by Jim Parker in family

Please welcome to the world Ethan James and Arianna Arshia Parker.  Visit our family blog:  Parker Family

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When VR is AR: Family Style

May 17, 2006 by Jim Parker in family, future, technology

(or when virtual reality becomes actual reality)

I had a conversation with a close body a couple of weeks ago about how Virtual Reality (VR) will enhance the family experience.  His argument was “Why would anybody want to spend any time in an area that just wasn’t real?  I’d rather have real life than a made up fantasy land.”  Which is a very well made point. 

Yet, I believe otherwise.  I asked:  “When you go see a movie in the movie theatre, how much of that 2 hours do you actually spend communicating with your family?”.  Continuing with, “Most families I see at the movie theatre are very quietly, politely sitting in submission to the big screen.”   “Is that what you call real?”, I asked.

Instead, my vision of what’s really real is when a family meets in VR on a Friday night from 6pm until 8pm every week. 

The Son, living in New York, the sister in Chicago, the parents in St. Louis, and everyone comes together for some family activity once a week.  Exploring the Taj Mahal this week, Grand Canyon next week, the Florida Keys the week after that - all virtually, but all together.  Making ripples back and forth on the pools of the Taj Mahal, standing at the edge of The Canyon, wind blowing everyone’s hair as we watch a beautiful sunset, or taking a couple of jet skis weaving in and out of dangerous coral areas…But never life threateningly dangerous…and all of this I share real-time with my family. 

What could possibly be more real than that?

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Two are better than One

by Jim Parker in family

Uma, my wife, is almost 28 weeks with twins.  We’ve got at least 7-8 more weeks to go.  (we are shooting for July 15th - but of course, the actual date is yet to be determined - full term is August 12th.)  It’s fun watching her tummy change shapes as the babies move around inside her.  Those kids are always dancing around.

…which is already affecting our household.  Things are changing fast.  We are preparing every nook and cranny of our humble home for the babies.  It’s a huge effort.  But boy is it invigorating.

Uma, my East Indian Princess (see wedding pics at http://www.jimuma.com), is like an Angel in dealing with all of these changes to her body.  She is a very resilient woman.  She perfectly maintains a regular amount of laughter and smiles.

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Attention Grab Author

• Jim Parker
  I enjoy watching all of the changes in the world that are caused by us trying to figure out technology.
• Jim Parker