I screwed up twice … trip very expensive

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I made two big mistakes on the trip to see John Edwards. The first cost me my camera. I laid it on top of a bunch of luggage on the way to the airport in New Hampshire. Someone opened the back and it fell out and on the ground. Now the lens isn’t working anymore. I don’t know how much that’ll cost, but it means I need to rent a camera next week to go up to Intel in Portland.

Then, last night, when pulling out of the parking lot in Oakland I hit a pole. I didn’t see the damn thing when backing out. Messed up the right front of my car. I’m sure that’s gonna cost me $1,500. Sigh.

It sure reminded me that even on a good week I can really screw things up — and fast.

Published by Robert Scoble

I help entrepreneurs build their technology business' story, help with getting ready for investors, with other launch plans, and many other strategic things that can help your new startup. Call to talk: +1-425-205-1921 (text first).

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43 thoughts on “I screwed up twice … trip very expensive”

  1. Ugh, so sorry to hear about your camera and car. On the camera — I don’t recall what brand of camera you’ve got, but we’ve had very good and fast repair results on our Panasonic and also a Nikon DSLR lens that was crushed at one of our kids’ dance competitions.

    Put a shout-out on the blog for repair suggestions…my guess is that your manufacturer will respond pretty quickly with options that will put the camera back in your hands fast.

    Like

  2. Ugh, so sorry to hear about your camera and car. On the camera — I don’t recall what brand of camera you’ve got, but we’ve had very good and fast repair results on our Panasonic and also a Nikon DSLR lens that was crushed at one of our kids’ dance competitions.

    Put a shout-out on the blog for repair suggestions…my guess is that your manufacturer will respond pretty quickly with options that will put the camera back in your hands fast.

    Like

  3. Stuff can always be fixed or replaced! Glad you are okay though. I’m sure your stories of this past week are going to be ones you will continue to tell in the future to the kiddies. 🙂

    Rex

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  4. Stuff can always be fixed or replaced! Glad you are okay though. I’m sure your stories of this past week are going to be ones you will continue to tell in the future to the kiddies. 🙂

    Rex

    Like

  5. Robert,

    The most important thing is that you weren’t hurt or left behind during one of Edwards’ campaign hops. You can always replace cars and equipment or get it repaired.

    Like

  6. Robert,

    The most important thing is that you weren’t hurt or left behind during one of Edwards’ campaign hops. You can always replace cars and equipment or get it repaired.

    Like

  7. Robert,

    Is there any form of insurance that applies to camera damage when traveling?

    A camera retailer or vendorr sponsor would be helpful… you
    could add some tips for those that want to follow.

    I also hit one of those pesky poles once on a family vacation… we couldn’t open the right front door.
    It makes you feel really dumb and allows others to insinuate the same.
    But, trust me on this, it’s probably related to the way your (and my) brain
    works. Did you ever drive off with a cup of coffee on the roof of your car?

    I like to think that I only use 20% of my brain for trivial details like driving. Is there a meedication that might increase this percentage to a safer level? I’d take it. Coffee does seem to help. I suspect you were really beat after living through that road trip.

    I can’t wait to see the video and get a better understanding of the political world for a major candidate. I think that the main problem with democracy IS the patterns that get created for someone to be electable.

    I’m not sure how to change that but you’re video may provide a few clues to what could be changed by having citizen reporters that break through to change the way the candidate connects to people.

    Some more authentic makes sense but even Edwards has said that he can’t use that approach and expect to win.

    But the world of blogging could connect to the voters that due want transparency in their candidate and it might not negatively impact the candidate with the larger voting population becuase they just don’t read
    or research like a blog audience does.
    I don’t mean this from a view of superiority because blog behvior is somewhat anti-social but more along the lines of demographics… the blog world is made of people in a mad quest to understand their world and make small changes that matter.

    Who we vote for is a critical small gesture that changes the world.

    Iraq is the result of voting gestures in response to the Two Towers.

    Your videos might be small gestures that lead us to another world view and global reality. I hope you view your work in these terms… that might put the camera and the car and the jokes you’re bound to suffer in proper context. They chose you for good reasons… these are not stupid people.

    I don’t think they picked you because you could be used… but because you could see the greater good in their message and help change the way the candidates touch voters.

    I’m very proud of what you are doing with the opportunity. Trust your gut on this one.

    Like

  8. Robert,

    Is there any form of insurance that applies to camera damage when traveling?

    A camera retailer or vendorr sponsor would be helpful… you
    could add some tips for those that want to follow.

    I also hit one of those pesky poles once on a family vacation… we couldn’t open the right front door.
    It makes you feel really dumb and allows others to insinuate the same.
    But, trust me on this, it’s probably related to the way your (and my) brain
    works. Did you ever drive off with a cup of coffee on the roof of your car?

    I like to think that I only use 20% of my brain for trivial details like driving. Is there a meedication that might increase this percentage to a safer level? I’d take it. Coffee does seem to help. I suspect you were really beat after living through that road trip.

    I can’t wait to see the video and get a better understanding of the political world for a major candidate. I think that the main problem with democracy IS the patterns that get created for someone to be electable.

    I’m not sure how to change that but you’re video may provide a few clues to what could be changed by having citizen reporters that break through to change the way the candidate connects to people.

    Some more authentic makes sense but even Edwards has said that he can’t use that approach and expect to win.

    But the world of blogging could connect to the voters that due want transparency in their candidate and it might not negatively impact the candidate with the larger voting population becuase they just don’t read
    or research like a blog audience does.
    I don’t mean this from a view of superiority because blog behvior is somewhat anti-social but more along the lines of demographics… the blog world is made of people in a mad quest to understand their world and make small changes that matter.

    Who we vote for is a critical small gesture that changes the world.

    Iraq is the result of voting gestures in response to the Two Towers.

    Your videos might be small gestures that lead us to another world view and global reality. I hope you view your work in these terms… that might put the camera and the car and the jokes you’re bound to suffer in proper context. They chose you for good reasons… these are not stupid people.

    I don’t think they picked you because you could be used… but because you could see the greater good in their message and help change the way the candidates touch voters.

    I’m very proud of what you are doing with the opportunity. Trust your gut on this one.

    Like

  13. I hate things which are not high enough to see them when you are driving backwards! :-O
    Some engineers and architects are totally incompetent. They plan parking lots and it seems they never used a car themselves. I think you shouldnt worry, its not your fault! 🙂

    Like

  14. I hate things which are not high enough to see them when you are driving backwards! :-O
    Some engineers and architects are totally incompetent. They plan parking lots and it seems they never used a car themselves. I think you shouldnt worry, its not your fault! 🙂

    Like

  29. Robert, Very sorry to hear about the car accident. Let me know what type of tape you’re missing and I can ask around to see if it turned up (if you think you lost it on the road).

    Like

  30. Robert, Very sorry to hear about the car accident. Let me know what type of tape you’re missing and I can ask around to see if it turned up (if you think you lost it on the road).

    Like

  31. If your bad luck is out of character, you might consider the pace you’re keeping and the loose items you’re carrying around in your head. I tend to misjudge important things (like poles in parking lots or the condition of carry-on luggage) when I’m distracted by too many things.

    From experience, I know that for every actual unwelcome collision, a half dozen near misses have occurred just before the one that I noticed.

    Being careful sometimes means enforcing your time out periods.

    Like

  32. If your bad luck is out of character, you might consider the pace you’re keeping and the loose items you’re carrying around in your head. I tend to misjudge important things (like poles in parking lots or the condition of carry-on luggage) when I’m distracted by too many things.

    From experience, I know that for every actual unwelcome collision, a half dozen near misses have occurred just before the one that I noticed.

    Being careful sometimes means enforcing your time out periods.

    Like

  33. Gutted about car and camera, but these can be replaced! Think ahead of all the good/cool things which you will experience in 2007, which will drastically outweigh these temporary glitches!!
    Have a great NYeve!

    Like

  34. Gutted about car and camera, but these can be replaced! Think ahead of all the good/cool things which you will experience in 2007, which will drastically outweigh these temporary glitches!!
    Have a great NYeve!

    Like

  35. Ouch. I did that exact same thing once.

    Who the heck installs those poles while you are inside the store shopping anyway?

    Like

  36. Ouch. I did that exact same thing once.

    Who the heck installs those poles while you are inside the store shopping anyway?

    Like

  39. Robert: so sorry about the equipment problems. My new year started out as yours ended re: the car thing :-(. I’m with McD – this was totally a failure to focus on the task at hand, I was already thinking about what I needed to do when I got to the office. I know that hit to the bank account hurts, but the stuff will get fixed, no one was otherwise hurt, and we’ll move on to things that matter.

    I hope your New Year is off to a promising start.

    Best wishes!

    Like

  40. Robert: so sorry about the equipment problems. My new year started out as yours ended re: the car thing :-(. I’m with McD – this was totally a failure to focus on the task at hand, I was already thinking about what I needed to do when I got to the office. I know that hit to the bank account hurts, but the stuff will get fixed, no one was otherwise hurt, and we’ll move on to things that matter.

    I hope your New Year is off to a promising start.

    Best wishes!

    Like

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