If I’m entertaining even a few friends Murphy’s law always expresses itself as “If guests are counting on beer, the keg will run out”. Clearly more data (and more beer) is the solution to this problem: today we build a device to monitor the quantity of beer left in my Kegerator.
Truck Box Light

A couple years ago my truck was broken into: window smashed, stereo ripped out (joke’s on them, it was broken). It made me realize how often I stow thousands of dollars worth of climbing, biking or camping gear in the cab vulnerable to an opportunist thief or a curious bear attracted by an overlooked gel packet. I needed a better solution.
My 2014
My 2014 annual summary: http://brettsbeta.com/my2014/
What I’ve learned: Germany
Travel creates opportunity for reflection and thought. On each trip, I jot down notes of my daydreams, conversations, and overheard moments.
- It does not exist for you. You exist for it: You have come because it exists.
- Travel creates context to inspire thought. Life creates context for thought.
- The best journeys answer questions you never even thought to ask.
- Everything Is Illuminated in the light of the past. (Great book)
- Your convictions should be strong, so long as they do not blind you to their opposition: Appreciate the sunset even while knowing the sky is blue.
- Maya Angelou once said you can tell a lot about a person from the way they respond to three things: a rainy day, tangled Christmas lights, and lost luggage.
- “The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do.“ -Steve Jobs
What I’ve learned: Iceland
Travel creates opportunity for reflection and thought. On each trip, I jot down notes of my daydreams, conversations, and overheard moments.
- Some rough roads smooth out shortly after they start, others end completely after a few km.
- The literature of the world has borrowed a lot from this tiny nation.
- Clouds look awesome with a wide-angle lens. People do not.
- Visit a Glacier or two in you life. It is worth it.
What I’ve learned: Patagonia
Travel creates opportunity for reflection and thought. On each trip, I jot down notes of my daydreams, conversations, and overheard moments.
- How you present yourself is not how people will perceive you.
- Opportunities are like photographs: the only ones regretted are those not taken.
- Life is good when sipping whiskey served over 300 year old ice chipped from a glacier you walked across. (Photo)
- Try to look approachable because you never will approach.
- Cultivate those moments that help you remember what it feels like to care rather than just do.
- Sometimes it takes the similarities of another person to see yourself accurately.
- New company can reveal sensitivities you thought were long healed.
- Spending all day, everyday with a virtual stranger can teach you a lot. About them, you, prejudices, preferences, people around you, everything.
- Wine, bread, cheese and some meat is delicious. Fruit is also delicious.