Ozzie Diaz

I subscribe to Tim Ferriss’ newsletter known as 5-Bullet Friday. I’ll scan for interesting tidbits from time to time as I’m always curious what other people are seeing, doing, watching, reading that makes them take pause to think. Last week’s newsletter highlighted a movie called The Work. This documentary chronicles a program that is conducted at Folsom state prison in California whereby a number of hardened convicts in prison for a number of felonies related to gang activity or other offenses such as murder are brought together with men from the outside in an interesting group therapy over the course of 4 days. I just watched the movie on Amazon Prime Video (trailer) and was absolutely blown away. I don’t write about movies at all other than maybe on Facebook if I was bragging about a Marvel movie or something superficial like that. But I felt compelled to write about my experience with this movie. ...

I’ve lived in Portland for almost 5 years now…how time flies! There are many unique characteristics about Portland, though I’m going to keep this post relatively simple. If you want to explore all the quirkiness of Portland, go catchup on Portlandia on Netflix. One of the most notable characteristics about Portland that is quite unique from any other city that I’ve lived in is as follows. You’re looking to cross the street. It may or may not be at a crosswalk. In fact, let’s say you decide to cross the street between intersections in the middle of the block. Disclaimer: These experiences are mine and mine alone, and do not guarantee that everyone will have the same experiences. ...

I’m a self-professed lover of all things Apple. Caveat:Mostly because I do use Amazon Alexa all throughout my house. But everywhere else, it’s all Apple - IPhones, new MacBook Pro, Apple TVs, IPads, IMac, iCloud for all my backups, and Apple Watches. I’ve loved the iPhone X and, in particular, Face ID. It has worked like a charm reliably and consistently…until today. What happened today? I shaved my beard off. Mind you, prior situations I’ve worn hats or sunglasses and have successfully unlocked the X and apps with Face ID. But today I shaved my beard and Face ID did not recognize me. No worries. I went through the reset process and re-registered my “new” face with Face ID. ...

These days there are no lack of “experienced professionals” and “entrepreneurial prophets” professing the value, ways, outcomes, means, ends, or any other particular snake oil they are peddling about innovation and its aptly associated sibling, risk-taking. They espouse their version of the truths of innovation about the little guy making a different, or even changing, the world. The philosophize how the evil overlords of corporate need to be overturned and disrupted by the Ubers of the world. ...

Roller-besity is newly developed slang for “roller bag obesity”. Let me explain. Imagine you’re at the airport (like I was a little bit ago…now I’m in the air) and you’re pulling your roller bag along with hundreds or thousands of your best friends at good ole PDX airport (or wherever you may call home). Those roller bags are typically being dragged by the owner with one arm, and most usually alongside them. Let’s say you are approximately 2.5 feet across in terms of the width of your body, including your arms. Well guess what? The roller bag will add about another foot and a half if you’re dragging it alongside you. But here’s the kicker. It seems that EVERYONE who’s pulling one doesn’t realize that! It’s as if their roller bag is of an exotic new celestial material that is transparent to the rest of the molecular world the rest of us live in. They can turn corners with them and the roller bag goes right through walls, like some bizarre new David Copperfield magic trick. Or better yet, the molecular structure of their roller bag is such that it will go right through people and their legs and feet, like the apparitions in the Ghost Whisperer trailer (God, I hate that show!). ...

We are in the midst of the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21st, 2012. We have also been inundated (almost literally) with zombies and the impending apocalypse precipitated by them. What does it all mean? Coincidence? Colorful fancy and daydreaming by marketers and merchandisers to cash in on the public and media frenzy? Probably a bit of all of the above and more. I mean, I am waiting feverishly for the third season of Walking Dead to arrive on Netflix :) ...

I’ve spent many a holiday, weekend, vacation or just random time with family members over the years. Early on on my life when I was too young, naive and stupid to really see them for what they are, I criticized and even distanced myself from some of them because of some idiosyncrasy or fault that I didn’t want to deal with. Well, who doesn’t have faults? I invite you to show yourself but I expect that you’ll be dressed in Jesus Christ garb…and even then HE had his faults! I know I certainly have my faults. ...

This dude was incredible!

You may have noticed a few changes to the site. This is to reflect my new approach to what articles I’ll write reflective of my new life. It has more to do about the people, places and things I observe that are interesting, shocking, intriguing or worthy of further observation than about business and career oriented topics. In fact, while my career remains important, it is NOT the most important aspect of my life any longer. I’ll write original articles or my re-blog those of others that are worthy of re-blogging and particularly interesting. ...