Work

I recently had a career change occur. I am now working for myself as an independent contractor. It was an unplanned career change but not one that was unwelcome. I have spent many years acquiring knowledge at companies and consultancies. I have seen many situations, environments, and challenges. I have worked at several different and interesting places:

• 2 years at a start-up that grew from me as employee #33 to over 500 employees in a matter of months.
• 3 years at a high tech company that was fast paced, internal UX taught me the value of systems across many very complicated messages
• I’ve spent many years consulting at big and small places. I’ve worked in many industries on many different experiences including:  software, web apps, web sites, interactive storytelling, mobile web sites and theatrical performance.

I actually started my Internet career as an independent contractor. Over a decade later, it’s time I’m back. I feel I can apply my hard earned professional lessons and diverse background to helping clients as an individual. There won’t be anything in between me and my work. I can do the right thing for the client. I love the work and I want to help people. As long as I can do that, I’ll feel that I’m doing a good job as a professional and for myself.

I was inspired earlier this year by Whitney Hess and Erin Malone who also took the plunge to be on their own. I’d been thinking about it and all of a sudden the decision was made. Some times things in the universe line up and the doors just open.

So thanks universe. I’m off to go help some clients.

Last year Sean McKay and I worked on the sun.com home page project along with many other talented people at Sun. This month they published an article about the project in Twin Cities Business Magazine.

So it’s a good day to start a new job. On a Thursday. The week is in full swing, almost winding down. You can get a feel for the place, but you don’t have the whole week in front of you. There is time to adjust and reflect over a weekend. It’s a big adjustment because I’ve been out of an office and at home for three years. But it turns out, it’s good for me to be around people too.

In homage to the first day of school pics my mom always took of me, I asked Thomas to oblige.

Note the EG brand colors incorporated into the ensemble.

This blog post dedicated to Amy and Livia because they asked.

As I’m looking backward one last time, I just have to share my first day at Sun picture. I sure do change my hair a lot.

This picture was taken on November 15th, 2004.

todo

send emails
have meetings
delete user on computer
pack it all up and go to fedex

done and done

another phase of my life begins and ends

It’s the Monday after a long holiday weekend for me. I didn’t get much accomplished but I did rearrange my office, so I’m starting today off with a new perspective. In my new office, I get a direct view of some of the best art we own, I’m looking right at my stack of books I’ve been meaning to dig into and lovely morning light shines on me and the air conditioner blows on me.

Changing your perspective can definitely help your attitude.

This is how busy my work life is….

when do i find time for work?

I really like the site linkedin. It’s got a nice professional feel to it and many of my friends and colleagues have joined so it seems like it’s kind of become a little bit of a defacto standard (for now, everything seems so temporary these days….)

They just added (or maybe i just noticed) a way to import your addresses from another account (google, yahoo, etc) and match up your contacts with linked in members. I really like this because they fixed something that I always felt was a problem. My addresses were already in another tool, finding people on linked in to invite them just became much easier and leverages the work I’ve already done building my contact list somewhere else. Chalk another one up for sharing. Thanks linkedin.

I was so happy to read this announcement today.

Sun Microsystems added Ruby support to the Netbeans. I really like this because I work at Sun and I’m a big fan. I also really like this because it means we are recognizing what is relevant to many developers out there. Relevance is good. Go get your Netbeans now!

Today is my 2nd anniversary at my job. I like milestones like these as they give us a way to quantify/measure and a way to look back. In many ways I can’t believe it’s already been two years. I also feel as if I’ve been at this job much longer than that. The thing is, it keeps getting better. Many of the jobs I’ve had in the past have either bored me or worn me down at this point at the 2 year mark, but not this job. I am continually challenged and engaged. That’s the secret to low turnover, keep people interested.

So on to my third year I go. Wish me luck.