Author Archives: Patrick

Microsoft Company Meeting

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We had our big company meeting yesterday. I couldn’t go, but I watched some of it by webcast. Amy Sedaris was the host – she’s a riot. Microsoft is fairly frugal with our travel budgets, and I can’t really justify burning some of my precious T&E for the company meeting … but next year, I think I’ll try to combine it with a vacation. Just looked like good, geeky fun.

Embracing WordPress

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Now that Microsoft is ending Windows Live Spaces in favor of WordPress.com, it’s time for me to embrace WordPress.com, too … I’ve always liked WordPress, and more than happy to have someone else maintain the system for me.

The process for moving over posts from spaces was FLAWLESS. Wow – I’m really impressed with the team(s) who pulled that off. I even combined two spaces into one WordPress blog (this one).

If you haven’t moved your spaces blog into WordPress – do it now!

The value of options

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There is an aspect of software development that has had a surprising impact on my personal life – the idea of holding on to and appreciating the value of options.
 
Let’s say you’re mad at your brother, and you want to punch him in the face. In a given situation, maybe that’s the appropriate course of action, in fact. It’s certainly one option. Thinking about punching him in the face might even bring you some pleasure as you work through your anger and contemplate other options. As an option, punching your brother in the face has value.
 
So you go ahead and do it – now it’s not an option anymore. It’s reality. The option of punching your brother had intrinsic value, but the moment you exercise that option, you have eliminated its value. You have spent it. There may be value in the reality of punching your brother in the face, but there are clearly consequences as well. There were no consequences to the option, only value. (OK, I guess there’s consequences if you fixate on the option too much, but you get my point.)
 
This is a bit of an extreme example, but it holds true in many areas of life. Next time you are torn by indecision, appreciate the intrinsic value of the options you currently hold. Instead of acting rashly next time you feel emotional, take a moment to consider the cost of acting on your emotions, of taking options off the table. And when you do act, do so with the full understanding that you are choosing one course of action over another, so act with the confidence that you are being true to yourself and your beliefs. If you don’t have that confidence, then it is often better just to wait … to step back and evaluate your options. In most cases, waiting is the "default option", what you should do if you can’t decide what to do. Appreciate the value that patience affords. My brother certainly does (just kidding, Ed).
 
For more on the way options are thought of in software development, follow some of these links: http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=agile+option&src=IE-SearchBox.

Gentleness

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Each night when you fall asleep
My arms are wrapped around you
You are safe
 
I kiss you on your forehead
Everything will be OK
I am here
 
Still there is a hole in your heart, a void
I cannot fill
You will

Are we there yet?

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Are we there yet?
Of the father asked the son
On the journey to the one
Where the road is blocked for none
 
Are we there yet?
To the father said the mother
On the journey from the other
Toward true love for one another
 
Are we there yet?
Said the father to the one
Who has blessed him with a son
But the journey, it seems, has only just begun

Rejected!

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From the GRS:

Thank you for auditioning for placement on the Grand Rapids Symphony’s substitute violin list. At this time, you will not be added to that list. I will keep your resume on file and contact you as future auditions are scheduled. The committee asked me to encourage you to re-audition in the future. Thank you for your interest in the Grand Rapids Symphony.

So … at least they didn’t say, "You are a horrible person for wasting our precious time. Please sell your instrument to someone more deserving and never show your face in our presence again."

It’s back on me. All it takes is some practice 😉

Moment of truth

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I’ve been carrying around my violin for a couple of weeks, preparing for yesterday’s audition.

Today, when there was finally a free moment, I started to reach for my violin and then realized that I didn’t need to practice … no more audition, no obligation.

So then I took it out and played … for myself … for my own pleasure … for the music itself … for no reason at all.