::Scott Bridwell

Contemplating: my first year as a 40 something, end of a decade...new beginnings

I've heard people say ""...of course when I turned 30 I also heard that "life begins at 30"...funny how that works huh? In June of this year I turned 40 and I know for some men that is a very difficult time...but for me it was not. For some strange reason I looked forward to it. As always in December, since that's like the half way mark for me and it coincides with a new year, I always take stock and contemplate my new age, how have the last six months gone, what will I change for the next six months etc.

I do the same thing with a new decade. I remember in 2000 everyone was focused on the whole thing. Me I thought if the world ends...then it ends. I instead did nothing to prepare and often found myself contemplating the fact that I was living in a time to actually see a new Century. As a kid I remembered all of the predictions of what that new Century would look like, I thought about all of the advancements that my Grandfather had seen and wondered what would I or my children get to see. I find myself doing the same thing with the dawn of this new decade.

New Beginnings: As I mentioned the other day it seems that my marriage of 19 years may be coming to an end. And honestly this is one of the most unimaginable pains I could ever think of when it comes to me and our children. I do hope that somehow we can work this out. But whether we do or not it is a new beginning...we can never go back. Life is like that...you can never have what was. But you can always build something new, something stronger than before, something that will stand the test of time even upon the ruin of something else. Look at the ancient cities that have done the same thing.

Often, and I have been very guilty of this, we focus on the loss of a job, or financial insecurity, or the end of a relationship and get the sense that life is over or at least it won't get any better. It's not, remember my Grandfathers generation? They went through Two World Wars, the Depression, Civil Unrest, etc...and yet look what they built. Not only a country but more importantly families, memories, stories and lessons that they passed down to you and I. Life doesn't only continue...if you are willing to do the work, in love, on relationships, ...it gets better no matter the ruin you are building upon.

So, a new beginning and I will commit to this. I will commit to continue growing to become the kind of man that I am proud to look at when I shave in the morning. One that although "I have fallen .

scott bridwell: (e)scott@scottbridwell.com | (d)360.216.1762 | (f)206.350.4398

Shared, Naked and Dry...What's the Difference when it comes to DSL?

DSL (digital subscriber line) is a technology that uses the existing copper wires of the phone system. That and it's low cost along with reliability are the big reasons it is so popular among businesses.

The most popular DSL is ADSL (asymmetrical digital subscriber line) which has faster download speed than upload speeds. However ADSL comes in a couple of...well, I call them flavors.

Shared Line ADSL - This means that the DSL is utilizing and existing line (from the local phone company), such as a phone or fax line to bring you the internet. Your phone and fax uses an analog frequency where DSL uses a digital frequency. Therefore they can both travel on the same copper line and not interfere with each other.

Gee Scott...neato! but how does my phone/fax and computer separate those signals? Great Question, I'm glad you asked. Your internet provider will generally give you what's called a splitter that plugs into the phone jack. On one side of that splitter you plug in the phone and on the other side you plug in your Ethernet Cable for your modem.

Naked / Dry ADSL - This simply means that no active phone line is required. What happens is your internet provider provisions an empty line from the local phone company and only puts DSL on it. No phone number is required. This type of DSL usually has stronger upload speeds than the shared.

I like the idea of this type of DSL, but I don't want to pay the phone company to run more copper to my place. Ahhhh....well, when the phone company originally ran copper to you building they brought in a bundle of copper...chances are very good that there are plenty of copper lines that are not being used.

Well that ends our lesson for now...got any questions or need to get you some DSL...call me up!

scott bridwell: (e)scott@scottbridwell.com | (d)360.216.1762 | (f)206.350.4398

Yes Virgina, businesses do still buy Dial-Up internet access.

Why? Well think about it. Not every business has multiple workstations and Voice Over IP. Not every business has the need to encrypt their data. As a matter of fact not every business even has a computer at their place of business.

Here is a list of companies that still buy Dial-Up...(and yes, I am happy to sell it to them if you send them my way)

as mentioned earlier, small shops with only a point of sale for credit and debit transactions
ATM's
Fuel and Propane tanks
Medical device's

Business Dial-Up is alive and well.

scott bridwell: (e)scott@scottbridwell.com | (d)360.216.1762 | (f)206.350.4398

After 19 years of marriage, it seems to be coming to an end....

I do want to take this time to say thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and the kids during this time. Your love has not gone unnoticed and I do appreciate it.

I do ask two things.

If you leave comments please make sure they are not mean or hurtful. Comments like that will be viewed by me as a personal attack on our family and will be deleted.
Your prayers, support for all of us

I understand that some of you may have questions...Please reach out to me personally and I will try my best to answer them for you.

scott bridwell: (e)scott@scottbridwell.com | (d)360.216.1762 | (f)206.350.4398

Santa, Christmas, The Season...Life, family, friends....

Yeah....i had the suit and thought, hey, this suit is way to cool to wear once for a bunch of kids at a family Christmas Party...I'm wearing it to work!

Which brings up something that I was reminded of. I've had a couple of issues both professional and personal that I've really been letting get me down and at times just angry. Thankfully, an acquaintance, who I'll call Sean (because, well that's his name). Reminded me that this isn't the season of that, and you know what...Sean is right.

Unfortunately issues that get me down and upset me aren't seasonal, however, seasons are in place for a reason. The winter for me is a time to slow down, reflect on the past year, prepare for the coming spring filled with new life into a summer of adventures and resting in the fruits of the years labor come the fall. All of this of course is to be shared with family, and friends. The seasons pass to fast and to allow myself to be distracted by issues and people who I have no plans of sharing my life with is unjust to me and to those around me.

So...relax...let some things go...take time to enjoy the moment and the ones you are with.

scott bridwell: (e)scott@scottbridwell.com | (d)360.216.1762 | (f)206.350.4398

Well, we are buying another network....

It seems that the company I work for is not done buying. Via the internal communications as well as public news release we have bought another network.

What does this mean for me? (that's the big question right?) In the past we have been a data only provider. We specialized in internet and private wide area networks (MPLS) for business and prior to the purchase of these last to Local Exchanges we owned and operated one of the largest private backbones in the country. The addition of these two networks not only gives a larger and denser reach but they are also bringing IP based Voice to our solution as well. Giving me and my customers a complete solution to their Telecommunication needs.

And for you telecom techy types...here is the Phone+ article.

scott bridwell: (e)scott@scottbridwell.com | (d)360.216.1762 | (f)206.350.4398