Pete Dudchenko

So with the New Year approaching I thought I would take a moment to reflect on some of the things that happened to me this year…

I’ve compiled a few things that stand out while still maintaining a certain level of privacy. Believe it or not but I have a set of rules that I follow when it comes to posting on what is and what is not appropriate.

The Good:

1. My first full year in San Diego – It took some getting used to but I feel a lot more like this is home now.
2. I made it to 30 – Is getting older really a good thing? So far I believe it is but ask me again in 10 years.
3. I retired from bowling – Can I ever really expect to do better than a 256?
4. Broke my horse racing curse – Finally bet on a race and won.
5. Got better at surfing – I still suck…but I suck less now.

The Bad:

1. Got into a car accident – Luckily no one was hurt and everything was fixed.
2. Experienced my first earthquake – Just a minor one, I thought it was gas.

The Ugly:

1. The First Annual B.O.B. Festival - It was the first, but it may also be the last.

So there was more good than bad this year which I view as a success. Happy New Year!

Return to Pete’s Home Page

Not that its hard to find (I got one in about 5 minutes) but if you’re interested in a Gmail account, and don’t have an invite, let me know. At the time of this post I had 4 to give away.

Contact me if you are interested.

Return to Pete’s Home Page

I was back in Indianapolis this weekend for the holidays. I actually spent Christmas in a hotel with my family which was a bit different, but good that we could all be together for it. The weekend before I was in Cleveland so with the snow, the freezing cold, the time changes, the lack of sleep and the travel, I’m not sure which is a bigger wreck right now, me…or my apartment. It was a great time though. I saw so many friends and family and I think I spent more time in O’Hare the past two weekends then any other time since I moved to San Diego.

Hopefully I’ll get some pics on my website soon from the trips.

Return to Pete’s Home Page

Tired of just having a web site? Do you have so much information to share with the world that simple browser accessiblity isn’t enough for you? Create a WAP site. For those non-geeks out there a WAP site is what your cell phone reads if you have internet capability and are subscribed to it.

I stumbled across the Tag Tag Website a while back and have mostly been just playing with it for the “coolness” factor (or geek factor depending on your views). I have no plans to publish my site as its mostly for personal use but I have added some reference items that help when I am out and about and need to look something up. It would be easy to put contact information, driving directions, birthday dates, or whatever else needs to be referenced. The GUI is pretty easy to use although it takes time to load but for a free site, its pretty cool.

Return to Pete’s Home Page

So the volunteer meeting went well yesterday. I met with the Outreach Director for about an hour and we discussed some of the opportunities that exist. They used to teach classes which is what I really wanted to get into. They had an “Intro to Computers” and an “Intro to the Internet” which is exactly what I was hoping to teach but at the present time, they’ve discontinued the classes. The closest position to that is a tutor which helps individuals with problems such as email issues, resume work, etc. I figure that would be a good opportunity as its on an “as needed” basis which is pretty flexible. I should find out in about a week how much need there is and hopefully it should pick up then. If not, I’m considering just working the help desk for the Internet Cafe and helping people as they come in.

BTW, the title is from an SNL skit of the “Company Computer Guy.”
Return to Pete’s Home Page

Last Saturday I began what will hopefully become a long-term commitment of volunteering. It wasn’t a big thing but a good warm-up to get me started. I worked for the Brees Gridiron Classic selling t-shirts with my friend Steve. The day was spent at Qualcomm Stadium (where the Chargers play) and involved eight youth football teams from both Pop Warner Football and American Youth Football conferences. About 2000 people showed up for the day and overall it seemed to be a great start to what hopefully turns into a strong tradition for San Diego youth sports.

In addition, I have a meeting tonight to meet with the Outreach Director for the San Diego Discovery Center. They are looking for someone to help out in their computer center either tutoring or working at the help desk. I’ve been looking for something to volunteer for related to computers and have had a difficult time up until now finding something. I’ve spoken on the phone and exchanged emails however this will be my first time stopping by. I’m interested to see what the position holds. Hopefully this will be something I can do once a week for a few hours.

Return to Pete’s Home Page

I finally have my 30th birthday photos posted to my website.