CATEGORY: Observations

Guess my costume and get $20 off your next order!

Can you figure out what my Halloween costume is?  

First five who email me with the correct answer (email me at dryan@videolabs.net) get $20 off their next order >$250.

I will post answer here at 3p.  Happy Halloween! – David

UPDATE: The answer is: ”Netbook” — Thanks for playing!

Doctor Who . . . and me?

Actor Peter Davison, The 5th “Doctor” with David Ryan

So it was about a year ago that I arrived at work and opened a new email that said,

“Are you the David Ryan who was on assignment with the Doctor Who team in 1983 that produced The Awakening story?”

I smiled.  With the age of the internet, I knew it was just a matter of time before they found me.

Let me digress.

Back in the 80’s, when I was working at the Denver PBS affiliate, KRMA-TV, I produced a documentary on the then exponentially growing popularity in America of the campy BBC TV sci-fi series, Doctor Who, which at the time was being aired primarily by PBS stations.  Aficionados of the series will recall that actor Tom Baker played the Doctor at that time.

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5 years ago . . .

We all have our memorable dates. March 22, 2006 is one for me.

On that day, one of my best friends and professional mentors, Kaye Lavine, passed away. Here is a blog post I wrote about her in 2008.

I continue to miss her greatly.

Also on that day, before learning of Kaye’s passing, I was down-sized from a senior management and sales position with a DC-based production firm. I know it was a difficult but necessary decision for that particular company (now one of my leading clients), and looking back, I realize I was not properly prepared.

I had a difficult time dealing with being laid off. Family, friends and my network of contacts got me through.

People who get down-sized inevitably “go to the desert” mentally. I don’t wish the experience on anyone. Some people don’t easily escape “the desert,” but I was fortunate.

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My thoughts on DC Schools canceling NBPTS teacher certification funding

(The following is my own personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of NBPTS or Video Labs. – DR)

In today’s Wahsington Post (1/11/10) there was an article http://tinyurl.com/ycgh42z about how due to intense budget pressures, DC public schools will not continue funding supporting activities and incentives for teachers to pursue earning certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  www.nbpts.org

Full disclosure: NBPTS is a client of mine, and has been for many years, both here at Video Labs and elsewhere before I joined this company.

I also have a sister-in-law in Florida who went through the rigorous process to achieve her certification.

So I know, from my “outsider” relationship, that being a board-certified teacher is indeed quite an achievement and of great benefit to both a teacher and to students.

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