Nick and Rachel

blog baby blog

// June 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Nick, The Grays

so you may have noticed that nick doesn’t do a lot of blogging here on our site. (and really who am i to talk? i’m terrible at keeping up. but at least i write every so often.) he hasn’t written since last year.

he may not blog here, but blogging is his second job. when big news hits, he spends some quality time like this:

nick created {htcsource.com} 3 years ago and it’s really starting to take off. he writes all about htc phones, operating systems and applications. for awhile he was writing for three other cell phone blogs and getting paid as long as he averaged 6 per week. sadly, that company was new and didn’t realize how long it takes a blog to get going and gain readers. just this month those jobs ended, but he’s picked up with another android blog where he writes less and makes about the same amount.

not only does he get paid to write and generate revenue from ads on his site, he gets to travel as well! this year he’s taken quite a few trips in order to get the inside scoop on phones and network: he was in vegas for CES (consumer electronics show) in january where he got to see WAY more than phones. a launch event in new york for sprint. and most recently google invited him to their big technology event and gave him a free phone!

speaking of free phones, nick has those quite often now. companies ship him phones to play with for two weeks. he then writes a nice long review of them and ships them back. last week he had five phones in his possession!

i love the extra money blogging brings in to our home, but more importantly i love that nick gets to do something he loves. he’s always been a technology geek and this is the perfect outlet for him. he gets to incorporate his web and graphic design into the job as well which is something he’s always enjoyed.

what’s a little strange to me is how he’s developed these online friendships with other cell phone bloggers. they have a weekly podcast to talk phone technology and chat during the week on google chat.  they even had meet ups at some of their events. meeting face to face for the first time after already forming friendships. funny how our world lets us meet that way today.

and what do i get out of all this? over the years i’ve learned more about phones than i could ever imagine. i’m now the go-to gal for cell phone advice in the office. nick has helped me become quite savvy when it comes to phones (and computers).

tech tuesday: CES 2010

// January 5th, 2010 // No Comments » // Nick, Rachel, Tech Tuesday, Travel

tomorrow i lose my husband to vegas. for the third time. i have yet to join him in sin city.

nick’s going for CES: the consumer electronics show. it’s a giant convention that showcases and previews all the upcoming technology. i tease and keep referring to it as “nerd fest” but secretly i want to go. mainly to check out e-readers as they’re my new obsession in the tech world.

what’s not a secret is that i want to spend some time in vegas. but what do you do in vegas with a nine month old while your husband nerds it up all day, and a few nights at VIP events? it’s only 60 degrees so lounging by the pool is out. not that you can lounge with a baby anyway. i know i’ll get to spend some time in the entertainment capital of the world one day, but i’m getting a little impatient.

ok, ok…technically i’ve been to vegas. we did a drive by a few years back on our trip home from california. we literally drove down the strip so i could say i’d been. didn’t even get out of the car and touch solid ground. one day i’m gonna stay. and play the slot machines. and get all dressed up.

besides the fact that i have to stay in frozen minnesota where tomorrow it will warm up to 14 degrees, i’m excited for nick. he’s wanted to go to CES for way too long. (but not as long as i’ve wanted to go to vegas *cough*) he’ll be blogging it up on {htcsource.com} and {samsungrelease.com} which helps make us a little extra cash. and the more cash we make, the sooner i can blow it in vegas. right?

tech tuesday: google googles

// December 8th, 2009 // No Comments » // Nick, Rachel, Tech Tuesday

“SHUT UP!”

that’s what i yelled at the computer multiple times last night when nick showed me a video on the latest app for his android phone: google goggles. not only can you type in a search or yell say it to your phone. you can now take a picture with your phone!

that’s right folks, you can take a picture of art in the museum and google will kick back a page of results and information about that painting. how cool is that!? driving by a landmark? take a picture and you’ll instantly know about it.  perhaps the most amazing feature is how google goggles allows you to point your phone at local businesses and right before your eyes an address for the business, store, restaurant etc. pops right up on the screen for you to click then leads you to a google search for it!

sorry for the excessive exclamation points, but DANG i’m excited!!!! now if i had my very own android phone i could actually use this technology. but i’m madly in love with my simple, no frills t-mobile dash. it may break my heart to let it go. and besides, i still can’t type well on those flat android keyboards or the touch screen. (nick says i just need practice, but i’m convinced there’s no hope).

*sigh* i’ll just have to steal nick’s phone frequently to use google goggles. well to be honest….i’m not sure i’ll ever need google goggles, i just REALLY love the concept. it blows my mind that someone could come up with that technology!

and now for the video:

A short little video of Mariah

// March 19th, 2009 // No Comments » // Mariah, Nick

Mariah being a bit fussy after eating from Nick Gray on Vimeo.

Perspective

// July 29th, 2008 // 2 Comments » // Nick

It's been nearly a week since I've returned from Tanzania.  I've told countless stories, shared pictures of our adventures, and relived the jourey a hundred times.  Yet with all that it seems like there's something I can't seem to share.  Something that's hard to put into words.  Africa has captured my heart and reawakened passions which I thought had died long ago.
 
I'm sure there are many who were on the trip who have called Africa a life changing experience. But I have a hard time using that term.  The journey to Africa opened my eyes to the disparity of the human soul, the poverty of the people, and yet amidst all that there was joy in the simply pleasures of life.  These past few days, I've needed to take a step back and look at my life, where I am, and where I'm going.  Africa is starting to open my eyes to the reality that my life is simply meaningless without God.  I look at what I have, the things I have done, the places I have gone. Nothing seems the same.  They used to shine bright and shimmer in the sun, but now it seems the clouds have cast a shadow over everything.  The beauty has vanished, what used to sparkle is now dulled by the clouds.  It's easy to enjoy life when the sun is shining. Everything is displayed in perfect color.  But when the clouds cover up the light, we start to notice that what we have isn't what we really need.  What we thought we wanted doesn't really fit.  but is this really a cloud that is covering up the light?  The sky is still blue.  The sun is still shining.  So what has changed?  I look at where I'm standing and then realize that when I took a step back, I also shifted just a little to the side.  I had changed my viewing angle by a fraction of a degree.  That's all it took.  What I'm left with now is a new point of view on my old life.  A new point of view on where I've been.
 
Africa changed my perspective.  It's letting me see things that were there before.  The new angle has brought a new path to light that was hidden before.  It took me a while to realize it, but the t-shirts for our Africa team represented my life: below the surface.  I've been living the way I've wanted for so long, ignoring the call God has on my life, living below the surface.  Is the call Africa?  Is the call something more than my current life? Or is my calling the life I'm living right now? We've been commanded to go into all he world to share Christ.  Is this where I've been sent without even knowing it.  Has God put me in this place at this time to do His will? Too many times I think we ask too many questions. 
 
The journey to Africa is not over yet.  It's transforming into the journey of my life.  Africa opened my eyes to a new perspective and now it's my turn to make the choice.  it's my turn to change.  It's my turn to make Africa my life changing experience.