On growing up

It has recently occured in my life that I have crossed a milestone in this weird variable called age. Nothing really changes at the occurent mile stone, one is not transformed from a frog into a prince overnight.

One just carries on with life, just noticing two subtle differences.

1) Things appear to repeat themselves.
2) In presence of a situation the outcome of it is minded instants before it occurs.
3) Hangovers are horribly worse.
4) Patience is limited with kinds of people with which there was a lot.
5) Annoying traits of character in others are directly indentified as: Damn I used to be like that once upon a time.
6) Every bottle in my bar has a story associated with it, and I do not need to be drunk to tell them.
7) I have less time for reading, and even less for writing.
8) Looking at the past is inevitable as everyting reminds you of it.
9) Your pictures of friends are only of weddings or babies.
10) Holidays are a rare comodity.
11) Most of the brilliant ideas of the past that I may have had, have made it to be succesful products without any involvement on my part.
12) The need to make lists out of everything seems to be stronger than anything.

I do not know if aany of this makes any sense but I guess its all part of growing up to start swapping insanity for senility ;P

Old cities new beginings

Whenever I have the opportunity to travel and it happens less and less often due to the complications of adult life. AKA work. I find myslef instead of enjoying the mindlesness of the modern tourist, which I should do more often. I end up checking the suitability of the place that I am visiting as a place to live. As if I was in constant search of a new spot on the planet to hang my jacket.

Such an approach has always been fruitless as in any of my moves I have never chosen the city. The city has chosen me. Back, now more than, 8 years ago when I landed, or should I say crash landed in London, it was not a desire to live in London that drove me there in the first place. I just had to get my-self a university. Similar thing happened, two years ago when I made it to The Netherlands. I was just in search of another challenge, basically had to get myslef a job.

As som of you know I have now moved to live in a slightly more lively city but more thrown into the outback of The Netherlands. The commute stays the same only the wind that I have to face changes. And no, my job has not changed I stil write software.

I do not know what is the point of this post but saying that as I have turned 30 and begin to have very few clear things in life. I have decided I need to write and be more present on this blog. And perhaps on the others too. But for technical elements more time is required and I do not feel comfortable blogging about work stuff. How ever you never know.

All I can really say to finish this random rant, is that last night at the convert of Kusturicka, and the non smoking orchestra. Something from the old self came back. A need to express and fell, and that I have to honor. I thank my girlfriend for the brilliant evening and week-end that she organised. Thanks a lot. Love you to bits.

Quick course in management

How to be a good manager:

Some simple rules

1) Make an assumption.
2) Defend it as a fact.
3) Give the orders so that it becomes a fact.

Little illustrative dialog.

Man: We can simply do this because the bookazoid manager is only invoked once.
Dev: Its not that simple.
Man: Well it is like that.
Dev: No it isn't, you can check the source. It's called from all over the place.
Man: Why did you implement it like that.
Dev: I didn't, the bookazoid manager has been like that since before I joined. (i.e. ancient history in a start up)
Man: Then it better be like that.
Dev: We will need to put that in for when we schedule the other work.
Man: I do not care about this, make it so!

When was the last time you heard something like that. And when was the last time you heard your boss make assumptions about idyllic situations.

I really don't know how to feel about this. Should I just go to management, so that I can do this to others or should I offer the other cheek and be conciliating.

Advice welcome in comments.

Oh yeah and I guess this makes me officially back in the blogosphere.

Out of beer exception?

Out of beer exception?, originally uploaded by Prozak is gone.

This is how the fridge at work looks like. Is it no a nice place to work.

Tupperware Economy

22/04/2008, originally uploaded by Prozak is gone.

Yes my office is in such a place that no Tupperware means no lunch or a 5 minute cycle ride. So this was my Monday lunch, and in style please.
Bacalhau al abras, tomato and mozzarella salad.

Reason for my web absence

Reason for my web absence, originally uploaded by Prozak is gone.

Well as you have all noticed I have been quite absent from my blog and other web presence elements lately. This hints towards the reason and of course this new batch will keep me away from the web for non work-related purposes for another while. ;-) life is great.

Is this all the same planet

It has been nearly a month I have not blogged, mainly because I was travelling fro the last three weeks. I re-discovered one of my old passions, or rather the balm that is for the soul. Besides discovering a new place and meeting new people it gave me the time to be with myself and resolve the last few issues that I may have had. It is all very clear in my mind, the dreams have to be lived. And not only yours but the dreams of others.

What we fail to do will not be done by someone else, or it may but that first hand experience will be lost, do we really want that? I have decided that not, that now its the moment to start the rest of my life, to live the dream, and to share it with those of us who care about us.

In that aspect I have also been very lucky. I have met some truly exceptional people, some really great personalities. Thank you all for the impact you have all had in my life.

I will carry on touching your lives the same way you have touched mine.