The pizza was burnt.
The charcuterie was happenstance (I knew more about the selections than our waiter - and I am a relative neophyte in matters cheesy.)
We were debating our dinner selection, having spent the afternoon idly shopping in Towson. As we drove home I lobbied unsuccessfully for Hersh's pizza.
"Yes, but federal hill will be a disaster attempting to park," my girlfriend reasoned. I could not object to this, as we'd spent an hour looking for a spot to park near our favorite pizza place on Light more than once. Besides, there was a new restaurant open in Hampden serving pizza and craft cocktails. We'd take our chances there, and see if it could compete.
Things seemed promising. We arrived just before the scheduled first pitch and took two open seats at the bar.
Pleased, we slipped off our jackets, and sat down. It was like Wonderland: the stools were too short and upon sitting the bar rose to our chests. We glanced at each other and one of the other patrons at the bar chuckled, "The stools are too short," he said.
We mimicked the motions of eating, raising pretend forks from pretend plates. "How are we going to eat?"
"So many people have complained about the stools," remarked one of the bartenders.
The night progressed from there. The craft cocktails were indeed that: uniquely crafted each time: even ordering the same drink more than once produced a different concoction.
The calamari app was pleasant, if too tepid and oily. The bruschetta was pleasant as well, except for the over toasted bread. When asked if the pastas were made in-house, our waiter responded, "Some of them."
Our pizzas formed the main course, consisting of burnt crust (the flavor is still in my mouth) and canned tomato sauce.
The best part of the evening was getting drunk and chatting. The game was delayed so the first pitch arrived with out dessert, which consisted of a decent (if too fatty) combination of home made pistachio, evoo and salt, and some other flavor (vanilla/cheese) ice cream.
I'm at home now watching the game, and hungry. Next time Hersh's, and I hope we have post season baseball induced parking problems to deal with. It will be worth it.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
sunday morning 10K
Practice makes perfect, according to Gladwell in Outliers.
The 10,000 hour mark seems to be about what it takes to make one an expert at something. Mr. Gladwell gives some pretty convincing examples: The Beatles before they made it big played in Hamburg, with sessions lasting 8 hours for months at a stretch. Bill Gates was given access to unlimited computing resources allowing him to log about 10K in computer time in an era when, previously, such access (especially for a high schooler) was unheard of.
The concept that we need to practice in order to get better at something is nothing new. The concept that 10K hours is the threshold was news to me.
In and of itself, however, practicing is insufficient to make one successful. Undoubtedly you will become very good and whatever you have invested that much time pursuing. The other factors at play, include (perhaps unfortunately) a historical dimension. Are you practicing at something, spending all those hours in pursuit of something you're passionate about, in an era in which a "new" concept is being incubated and cultivated by society at large?
Everyone could spend 10K hours on a computer now, programming to their heart's content. But, computers are everywhere as is access to computing resources. Bill Gates became successful not only because he practiced, but because society determined a need existed (a brand new one) for what he was practicing on: software.
Looking around the technology landscape today, what is comparable? "Cloud computing" comes to mind. It is similar in nature to Gates' unfettered access to computing resources. Now, with amazon web services, we have unfettered access to entire data centers. The question, though, is what application to build using those resources? This is the question that always haunts me whenever I conceive of "starting my own tech business." I work heavily with data: I had 10K hours in by the time I finished college because our computer lab on campus was open 24 hours a day. I lived there.
Now I have a computer lab in the cloud, and I'm ignoring it because of life. I need to work on my cloud time, but to what end?
The 10,000 hour mark seems to be about what it takes to make one an expert at something. Mr. Gladwell gives some pretty convincing examples: The Beatles before they made it big played in Hamburg, with sessions lasting 8 hours for months at a stretch. Bill Gates was given access to unlimited computing resources allowing him to log about 10K in computer time in an era when, previously, such access (especially for a high schooler) was unheard of.
The concept that we need to practice in order to get better at something is nothing new. The concept that 10K hours is the threshold was news to me.
In and of itself, however, practicing is insufficient to make one successful. Undoubtedly you will become very good and whatever you have invested that much time pursuing. The other factors at play, include (perhaps unfortunately) a historical dimension. Are you practicing at something, spending all those hours in pursuit of something you're passionate about, in an era in which a "new" concept is being incubated and cultivated by society at large?
Everyone could spend 10K hours on a computer now, programming to their heart's content. But, computers are everywhere as is access to computing resources. Bill Gates became successful not only because he practiced, but because society determined a need existed (a brand new one) for what he was practicing on: software.
Looking around the technology landscape today, what is comparable? "Cloud computing" comes to mind. It is similar in nature to Gates' unfettered access to computing resources. Now, with amazon web services, we have unfettered access to entire data centers. The question, though, is what application to build using those resources? This is the question that always haunts me whenever I conceive of "starting my own tech business." I work heavily with data: I had 10K hours in by the time I finished college because our computer lab on campus was open 24 hours a day. I lived there.
Now I have a computer lab in the cloud, and I'm ignoring it because of life. I need to work on my cloud time, but to what end?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
society
I am told that I have a residence in Hampden. I tend to believe this as I stumble home from long days at work to an edifice that stands on the corner of two relatively well known streets in the neighborhood. The next morning I awake in a bed that is in a room that is in the building that is on the corner of two streets that are in Hampden.
Technically I abide in Hampden.
My mind exists in downtown Baltimore, where from sun up to sun down (& long before & long after some days), it finds itself trapped in a highrise building surrounded by multiple devices, both mobile and immobile. White boards greet me each morning, snaggle toothed with flow charts and state transition diagrams. They consume two of my office's walls. The other two are windows. I don't even fix the blinds on them anymore (I used to open them to enjoy the light).
My heart exists a few blocks over, where my girlfriend resides. On those nights that I am not exhausted, I muster up the energy to sit on a sofa and watch television, and find my respite from the work day simply sitting there and doing nothing, with idle, intelligent chat peppering the pauses between shows.
Life has taken on such strange dimensions, that I cannot help but wonder at it. Much of my current situation is of my own making, and understanding what I have done takes consistent meditation. Tonight, for instance I am alone because I have no society. My mom called today, and I guiltily answered the phone because I have been remiss in maintaining my familial connections.
My work iPhone just buzzed, and instantly I wonder which of the automated jobs has emailed me their success or failure. I am restless in my thirst for knowledge. I should be so in my thirst for society.
Thinking such, and out of smokes, I sauntered up the hill to the Avenue, headed towards the 7/11. 13.5% was doing a good bit of business, and Golden West was preparing for a show. I walked towards The Food Market, enjoying the sights and sounds of groups clustered in front of various bars. There was a band playing at Frazier's.
I felt like a message in a bottle floating down the streets. I have eddied my way to my abode, where I now sit writing ephemera into the ether.
The phone has buzzed again.
Technically I abide in Hampden.
My mind exists in downtown Baltimore, where from sun up to sun down (& long before & long after some days), it finds itself trapped in a highrise building surrounded by multiple devices, both mobile and immobile. White boards greet me each morning, snaggle toothed with flow charts and state transition diagrams. They consume two of my office's walls. The other two are windows. I don't even fix the blinds on them anymore (I used to open them to enjoy the light).
My heart exists a few blocks over, where my girlfriend resides. On those nights that I am not exhausted, I muster up the energy to sit on a sofa and watch television, and find my respite from the work day simply sitting there and doing nothing, with idle, intelligent chat peppering the pauses between shows.
Life has taken on such strange dimensions, that I cannot help but wonder at it. Much of my current situation is of my own making, and understanding what I have done takes consistent meditation. Tonight, for instance I am alone because I have no society. My mom called today, and I guiltily answered the phone because I have been remiss in maintaining my familial connections.
My work iPhone just buzzed, and instantly I wonder which of the automated jobs has emailed me their success or failure. I am restless in my thirst for knowledge. I should be so in my thirst for society.
Thinking such, and out of smokes, I sauntered up the hill to the Avenue, headed towards the 7/11. 13.5% was doing a good bit of business, and Golden West was preparing for a show. I walked towards The Food Market, enjoying the sights and sounds of groups clustered in front of various bars. There was a band playing at Frazier's.
I felt like a message in a bottle floating down the streets. I have eddied my way to my abode, where I now sit writing ephemera into the ether.
The phone has buzzed again.
outliers & the hollow men (again)
I was afraid to begin reading Outliers.
Finishing Pride & Prejudice today, I turned my attention to my library of unread books. With Austen fresh upon my mind, Emma was given serious consideration. Then I glanced a little white book (dust-cover long since removed), snuggled two layers down (my library of unread books grows) below A Wilderness of Errors (by Errol Morris) & Argo (Mendez & Baglio).
I recalled last winter having read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, and reflected that my day to day decision making had been altered by that novel.
I knew it was Outliers: I had neglected it for months because of a discussion about it I had with an ex-employee regarding the topic Gladwell takes on.
The ex-employee said that Gladwell makes the case that success is not a factor of talent, pluck and determination. He explained that there exists other factors that determine success: connections, pedigree, society. For an independent individual such as myself, such an idea gave me pause. This hypothesis is incongruous to the American dream of a self made person. I purchased the book, wishing to explore the concept, yet hesitant to do so.
So, on a Saturday night I began reading it, and as I write this I am less than a chapter in, so my opinion is not yet formed.
Work has been challenging the past week. It turns out that we all change how we do things without being aware of the costs and sacrifices of success until it is too late.
By all measures the past year was successful: several products delivered, upper management pleased. These metrics are the ones that typically matter. Yet as we progressed through the year, and delivered time and again, I began to focus less on the morale and happiness of the development teams and more on the demands upon enhancing the product furthermore. v1.0 would be delivered on time and budget, yet a day later v1.1 would initiate. In theory there is no problem with this as long as the manager (me in this case) is making sure that the team is taking pleasure in the work and growing from the experience.
I can unequivocally state because I pushed them hard to learn new technologies, their skill-set and marketability improved. I have lost a few employees in the past month to better paying jobs. This is the nature of the business I am told. Yet, I cannot help but wonder, if I had focused more on them as people (& less as resources) if they would have left. My budgetary restrictions cannot compete with the marketplace - yet my employee retention has been historically good. My employees tended to believe in the work we do, and were relatively happy. My management style was to lead by example: working side by side with my employees, and always being accessible and available, in short: showing that I gave a damn about them, made me successful. Somewhere between v1.2 and v1.3 my focus shifted from the employees to the product.
As Eliot says:
I was too focused on the creation and the response. I let them become Hollow Men.
And tonight I read Outliers, to see if Gladwell defines success as I now do. Which is: a product delivered on time and budget is good for management. This is insufficient by itself. A product built by a community of developers that operate as a family, is good for collegial morale. This is insufficient by itself. A community of developers sharing the ups and downs of daily work life, building towards a shared vision, generates a product that is on time, on budget, and high quality. When this spirit exists on the floor, then nothing can poison it - not even myself for I am a part of the family.
Finishing Pride & Prejudice today, I turned my attention to my library of unread books. With Austen fresh upon my mind, Emma was given serious consideration. Then I glanced a little white book (dust-cover long since removed), snuggled two layers down (my library of unread books grows) below A Wilderness of Errors (by Errol Morris) & Argo (Mendez & Baglio).
I recalled last winter having read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, and reflected that my day to day decision making had been altered by that novel.
I knew it was Outliers: I had neglected it for months because of a discussion about it I had with an ex-employee regarding the topic Gladwell takes on.
The ex-employee said that Gladwell makes the case that success is not a factor of talent, pluck and determination. He explained that there exists other factors that determine success: connections, pedigree, society. For an independent individual such as myself, such an idea gave me pause. This hypothesis is incongruous to the American dream of a self made person. I purchased the book, wishing to explore the concept, yet hesitant to do so.
So, on a Saturday night I began reading it, and as I write this I am less than a chapter in, so my opinion is not yet formed.
Work has been challenging the past week. It turns out that we all change how we do things without being aware of the costs and sacrifices of success until it is too late.
By all measures the past year was successful: several products delivered, upper management pleased. These metrics are the ones that typically matter. Yet as we progressed through the year, and delivered time and again, I began to focus less on the morale and happiness of the development teams and more on the demands upon enhancing the product furthermore. v1.0 would be delivered on time and budget, yet a day later v1.1 would initiate. In theory there is no problem with this as long as the manager (me in this case) is making sure that the team is taking pleasure in the work and growing from the experience.
I can unequivocally state because I pushed them hard to learn new technologies, their skill-set and marketability improved. I have lost a few employees in the past month to better paying jobs. This is the nature of the business I am told. Yet, I cannot help but wonder, if I had focused more on them as people (& less as resources) if they would have left. My budgetary restrictions cannot compete with the marketplace - yet my employee retention has been historically good. My employees tended to believe in the work we do, and were relatively happy. My management style was to lead by example: working side by side with my employees, and always being accessible and available, in short: showing that I gave a damn about them, made me successful. Somewhere between v1.2 and v1.3 my focus shifted from the employees to the product.
As Eliot says:
Between the conception And the creation Between the emotion And the response Falls the Shadow
I was too focused on the creation and the response. I let them become Hollow Men.
And tonight I read Outliers, to see if Gladwell defines success as I now do. Which is: a product delivered on time and budget is good for management. This is insufficient by itself. A product built by a community of developers that operate as a family, is good for collegial morale. This is insufficient by itself. A community of developers sharing the ups and downs of daily work life, building towards a shared vision, generates a product that is on time, on budget, and high quality. When this spirit exists on the floor, then nothing can poison it - not even myself for I am a part of the family.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
If friends | loved ones { good day }
An "or" operation is one of the building blocks of software development.
To tell a program to do process C when condition A or B exist, the code looks something like this:
if (A | B) { C }
I have been told that I have a difficult time knowing how to act in social situations. I am not sure this is true - but I am too close to the subject (me in this case) to be objective. So - this is probably true. In code this looks like:
if (flummoxed | silent too often) {socially awkward}
Today, a colleague of mine returned to work after a death in her immediate family. I was unaware of her return, until I saw her leaving the building while I was out front smoking.
"Hey," she weakly said.
"I'm so glad to see you back at work. How are you?"
She looked dazed, eyes going distant attempting to recall the day. "I got in early, it was a little rough in the morning, but I made it. Hey, thanks for signing the card. I read everyone's comments, they meant so much. Let's get that drink sometime."
When the card had come around, and I began to sign it, I remembered the last time we hung out, and wrote, "You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. If you ever want to just hang out at O'Shea's and have a drink just let me know - anytime."
"That sounds good; I'd like that. I'm glad to see you're back," I replied, with an unusual emotion gripping me. I wanted to give her a hug and say, "It's ok."
"I'm here for the rest of the week, then traveling to visit family next week. Maybe when I get back, ok?"
"Ok."
I watched as she crossed the street, stubbed out my cigarette, and went back to work. The day had been hectic: from the moment of my logging in, the stream of information and decision points did not cease (except for smoke breaks; even then I had my iPhone).
Exiting the elevator and returning to my office I began thinking about my current tasks: I was faced with ordering flowers for another employee that had lost a family member; executing a release; coordinating resources across projects; emailing my boss; soothing an irate customer; and finishing as many items on my to-do list as possible (which never ends), as well as booking my time in our accounting system. Frowning at my inbox, I glanced at my calendar, and saw Friday blocked off for a vacation day. That had been a pipe dream. Right clicked, Vacation deleted.
I sighed heavily, and focused back on my inbox.
After work I met my girlfriend at the grocery store and we shopped. As I pulled up, and noticed her standing outside her car, playing on her iPhone, I smiled. Despite how tired I was, at that moment, the day became a good day.
To tell a program to do process C when condition A or B exist, the code looks something like this:
if (A | B) { C }
I have been told that I have a difficult time knowing how to act in social situations. I am not sure this is true - but I am too close to the subject (me in this case) to be objective. So - this is probably true. In code this looks like:
if (flummoxed | silent too often) {socially awkward}
Today, a colleague of mine returned to work after a death in her immediate family. I was unaware of her return, until I saw her leaving the building while I was out front smoking.
"Hey," she weakly said.
"I'm so glad to see you back at work. How are you?"
She looked dazed, eyes going distant attempting to recall the day. "I got in early, it was a little rough in the morning, but I made it. Hey, thanks for signing the card. I read everyone's comments, they meant so much. Let's get that drink sometime."
When the card had come around, and I began to sign it, I remembered the last time we hung out, and wrote, "You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. If you ever want to just hang out at O'Shea's and have a drink just let me know - anytime."
"That sounds good; I'd like that. I'm glad to see you're back," I replied, with an unusual emotion gripping me. I wanted to give her a hug and say, "It's ok."
"I'm here for the rest of the week, then traveling to visit family next week. Maybe when I get back, ok?"
"Ok."
I watched as she crossed the street, stubbed out my cigarette, and went back to work. The day had been hectic: from the moment of my logging in, the stream of information and decision points did not cease (except for smoke breaks; even then I had my iPhone).
Exiting the elevator and returning to my office I began thinking about my current tasks: I was faced with ordering flowers for another employee that had lost a family member; executing a release; coordinating resources across projects; emailing my boss; soothing an irate customer; and finishing as many items on my to-do list as possible (which never ends), as well as booking my time in our accounting system. Frowning at my inbox, I glanced at my calendar, and saw Friday blocked off for a vacation day. That had been a pipe dream. Right clicked, Vacation deleted.
I sighed heavily, and focused back on my inbox.
After work I met my girlfriend at the grocery store and we shopped. As I pulled up, and noticed her standing outside her car, playing on her iPhone, I smiled. Despite how tired I was, at that moment, the day became a good day.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
innovation as career driver
The politics of bits and bytes: In talking with a friend the other night about what made a good CIO, he replied, "In order to be a good CIO you must be a good politician."
I disagreed, "A good CIO is about innovation: creating products using proven techniques that have a defined ROI ahead of time and analysis of cost reduction and revenue inflow afterwards." My friend looked aghast. "Where we work: a good CIO is a good politician."
I understood his thinking. Our workplace culture encourages politics. The issue with the politics (besides being abhorrent in a software shop) is that they are 100% self-serving. They are about the individual and NOT the business. These individuals are looking to move on and up. In our field there is nothing wrong with moving on and up - those that truly succeed display an ability to innovate and make money. Those that play politics go from one institution to another - where that type of thinking is not only welcome, it is incubated and encouraged. These individuals will find they come up short when looking for jobs at leading edge institutions, and they will not be able to understand why.
I want to be a CIO, not because of the title, not because of the career ladder. That would mean I could be a CIO anywhere and (if paid well) be happy.
I want to lead teams on enterprise, global endeavors: not to better myself. To better the teams themselves, the business we work for, and for the people that benefit from that business. My career to-date has been in the non-profit arena, and it has been rewarding work because I have been asked to innovate in order to improve people's lives. I have been lucky enough to be promoted to management. I see the politics - the air is rife with their stench. I get sucked in too often, but am able to (bluntly) end all political discourse with oblique statements about technology or grandiose plans about getting things done. After such political meetings, the paradigm shifts to how to deliver on too big promises on too-soon timelines.
Time and again, our feature teams of developers answer such impossible challenges. Our constituency, our university (my current non profit employer), has directly improved because of our innovation and dedication. God help me if I purposefully hire a politician to do the work we have set upon. (And I'm sure I have inadvertently, or will - they're tricky to spot sometimes). If I do, I'll tell them to make the biggest promises they can imagine. Which won't be that big. They will all be out of the box, pre-packaged, safe resume building promises.
I disagreed, "A good CIO is about innovation: creating products using proven techniques that have a defined ROI ahead of time and analysis of cost reduction and revenue inflow afterwards." My friend looked aghast. "Where we work: a good CIO is a good politician."
I understood his thinking. Our workplace culture encourages politics. The issue with the politics (besides being abhorrent in a software shop) is that they are 100% self-serving. They are about the individual and NOT the business. These individuals are looking to move on and up. In our field there is nothing wrong with moving on and up - those that truly succeed display an ability to innovate and make money. Those that play politics go from one institution to another - where that type of thinking is not only welcome, it is incubated and encouraged. These individuals will find they come up short when looking for jobs at leading edge institutions, and they will not be able to understand why.
I want to be a CIO, not because of the title, not because of the career ladder. That would mean I could be a CIO anywhere and (if paid well) be happy.
I want to lead teams on enterprise, global endeavors: not to better myself. To better the teams themselves, the business we work for, and for the people that benefit from that business. My career to-date has been in the non-profit arena, and it has been rewarding work because I have been asked to innovate in order to improve people's lives. I have been lucky enough to be promoted to management. I see the politics - the air is rife with their stench. I get sucked in too often, but am able to (bluntly) end all political discourse with oblique statements about technology or grandiose plans about getting things done. After such political meetings, the paradigm shifts to how to deliver on too big promises on too-soon timelines.
Time and again, our feature teams of developers answer such impossible challenges. Our constituency, our university (my current non profit employer), has directly improved because of our innovation and dedication. God help me if I purposefully hire a politician to do the work we have set upon. (And I'm sure I have inadvertently, or will - they're tricky to spot sometimes). If I do, I'll tell them to make the biggest promises they can imagine. Which won't be that big. They will all be out of the box, pre-packaged, safe resume building promises.
reality serial #5
Part the first, fifth entry
The days shorten, the fall equinox having come and gone, unremarked upon. Orion hunts the pre-dawn sky, sneaking earlier into the night. 3/4 of the year gone tonight. 1 year ago I moved to Hampden - days shortening, equinox gone, Orion in the early morning sky. 1 year of 37.
37 rings round the sun, annual scars recorded in my core, hidden until cut open.
The past year I have made so many more mistakes than in most of the other 37.
I have recently begun to consider if I have some sort of social anxiety disorder. I am reading Pride & Prejudice (for some reason I think it's going to help me, personally). It's not (yet) so I've ordered a book from Amazon (not by Austen) : The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband"
Until that arrives, I'm plowing my way through the last quarter of P&P, and thinking of time.
This quote consistently surfaces in my mind:
"It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards"
And this quote, I tonight re-read again for the first time (I've taken notes in the margins of the poem and do not recall jotting them down).
"Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future
And time future contained in time past."
The Author leaves this fragmented post as is, in the spirit of Kubla Khan.
The days shorten, the fall equinox having come and gone, unremarked upon. Orion hunts the pre-dawn sky, sneaking earlier into the night. 3/4 of the year gone tonight. 1 year ago I moved to Hampden - days shortening, equinox gone, Orion in the early morning sky. 1 year of 37.
37 rings round the sun, annual scars recorded in my core, hidden until cut open.
The past year I have made so many more mistakes than in most of the other 37.
I have recently begun to consider if I have some sort of social anxiety disorder. I am reading Pride & Prejudice (for some reason I think it's going to help me, personally). It's not (yet) so I've ordered a book from Amazon (not by Austen) : The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband"
Until that arrives, I'm plowing my way through the last quarter of P&P, and thinking of time.
This quote consistently surfaces in my mind:
"It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards"
And this quote, I tonight re-read again for the first time (I've taken notes in the margins of the poem and do not recall jotting them down).
"Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future
And time future contained in time past."
The Author leaves this fragmented post as is, in the spirit of Kubla Khan.
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