Because my co-worker Lynn told me she was going to be able to hang out with the Yellow Arrow team at the GEL Conference next month, and because I'm not going, I signed up to order 20 stickers to post during my upcoming travels.

Basically YellowArrow.org issues weatherproof 4 3/4" yellow arrow stickers printed with unique alphanumeric ID codes. You can order up to 40 stickers at a time for $20. While you're out and about, you plant a sticker at a location and take a photo of it. Later, back at a desktop computer, you register the sticker on the web site with the photo, comment and map location.

From then on, other people who walk by the newly-registered sticker can use the unique code to send a comment via SMS to YellowArrow.org's special phone number to be associated with that arrow. People can also send an SMS query with the arrow ID to the phone number to see what others have said about the arrow or it's location. It's essentially an electronic message board thread attached to a physical location.

Brilliant!

I read about Yellow Arrows in Wired last fall, and it looks like they are gearing up for bigger operations this summer.

- mike lee - baltimore

At almost 17-months-old, Baby Cianna is learning new concepts at an incredible rate. For example, she can point out hot things (pot on stove, noodles) vs cold things (outside). One of the unusual habits she has is picking up tiny bits of dust or paper (1) to hand to us with an "ooooh." I hope this doesn't mean she'll grow up to be anal retentive or a neat freak. Maybe she'll be a microbiologist. She is also learning how to work a toothbrush (2) on her seven teeth. She likes the interesting mouthfeel of the bristles along with the minty sensation of toothpaste residue. Scariest is the fact that she can reach doorknobs (3), but can't turn them yet. Time to add another round of babyproofing.

- mike lee - langley park, md

I opened Outlook this morning to realize that I had NO meetings scheduled for today (1). This wasn't because there was nothing going on. I had reserved the day for a possible trip, but diodn't end up going. I had high hopes that I would clear the two weeks worth of paper on my desk (2) or start logging the last six weeks' collection of business cards (3). But then at lunch, I learned of several important meetings in the afternoon and gave in to my calendar. At least I got to look at some cool photos (4) that are being displayed as inspiration for the new office space we will move to late this year or early next.

- mike lee - washington, dc

- mike lee - langley park, md

I'm in the corporate learning center with seven other new employees this morning to hear detailed briefings on the history of the company, profiles of leadership, policies and procedures, benefits (which are extensive), etc.

A relatively new 12-minute video overview was shown with a funny clip from 1998 showing Jay Leno calling the AARP call center to register Mick Jagger as a member. We have lunch with the Chief People Officer coming up along with a tour of the building. Note the yellow "security" flashlight...they start loading you up on company tchochkes on the first day!

In the coming months, I have to go to a day of diversity training, participate in a day of public service and attend a more comprehensive three day new employee orientation. I also know I have a management conference and divisional new employee orientation. Call it immersive orientation!

- mike lee - washington, dc

Here are some phone cam frames from today's photo shoot with Model Josephine. We worked in natural light on the third floor of the house. Though it was overcast most of the day, the Sun poked through several times during the shoot giving me a useful bump in exposure value.

Because I tend to fall into the same composition patterns with my Olympus C-5060, I've discovered that it helps my creativity during the session to switch to a very different type of camera like the simple one built into the Sidekick. Its lack of controls and small size is liberating.

Josephine was very easygoing and took direction well. It's so unfortunate for her that she recently got a 1 1/2" gash on her forehead that has just healed with a scar. In light falling perpendicular to her face, the scar disappears, but in other lighting angles, it's very apparent. Some minor healing brush work in Photoshop will be necessary on some of the final selected frames.

- mike lee - baltimore, md

The first photo shows the contractor's progress on our back deck at the end of the yesterday. The surface of the first floor porch and the frame for the second floor deck were completed. Today, the workmen covered the second floor deck and added railings. The back of the house looks 100% better.

- mike lee - baltimore

Now that Cianna is almost 16-months-old, it was time yesterday to turn her car seat around to face forward. As you can see in the first photo, she's excited about the change. She can see so much more out the front windsheld. And now I don't have to sit in back in order to see to play with her. Also posted here are a bunch of backseat portraits of Cianna kept on my Sidekick from December 2004 (2), November 2004 (3), October 2004 (4), July 2004 (5), April 2004 (6), January 2004 (7) and November 2003 (8). The pictures illustrate some of the many precious hours on the road as my baby daughter's sidekick.

- mike lee - baltimore

...on May 19th!

This is my first day back at our Baltimore house in two weeks. The contractor has already removed our old natty back porch and sun room (left of pic 1, old one looked like our neighbor's at right). The porch will be replaced by a wooden deck (like in pic 2). With the back of the house fixed up, we should be ready to move in the srping. To get away from all the hammering out back, we're spending the morning out at Cafe Hon (3 & 4) and elsewhere in Hampden (5 & 6).

- mike lee - baltimore, md