...called something like “Non-limey” and worth about 5 gamer points as I pass the 6-month in US milestone. It’s passed extraordinarily quickly and work has moved at a fair pace. The vacation season approaches here and although we’ve got no big plans I’m hoping there’ll be time to take stock and appreciate some of the wider environment out here. Thanks to everyone for every piece of support: professional and personal on both sides of the Atlantic.
Handily enough, last week was the annual shindig in Denver and it was great to see so many ex-colleagues in such high spirits. Whether anyone remembers that is testament to those spirits.

I could write one of those 100 things that I love about America but miss about the UK but actually it hasn’t worked out like that. Before the kids we were always fairly adaptable, and my real insight into this move is that families can adapt and thrive to new environments just as easy as couples. There are also too many unknowns: nothing has really “gone wrong” yet (like a car breaking down) so the outlying experience remains undiscovered and some of the community integration hasn’t happened yet because the kids don’t hit pre-school until September. Also, Redmond is at least a little bit of a bubble, and is surely one of the few places that local radio advertise the Rolex Submariner between songs. I’m definitely the wrong target market as I wear one of these. They both tell the time, and actually at 300m underwater I expect either of them to be equally useful to me... (Can you tell I’m thinking about branded experience?)

At work:
  • Defining the ultimate question on complex issues continues to be continuously challenging. In a big dataset, even with generally accepted principles, how you quantify the reality can only work through an intensely clear question. Frustrating and rewarding at the same time.
  • Asking an organisation for something is no different than asking a person. Seeking a commitment or a promise relies on the same deep levels of mutual trust and understanding. Which reminds me of lines from a song I often quote: “Don’t tell me it’s easy to follow a process. There’s nothing harder than keeping a promise.” This also explains why I’m not the best chap in the room to run the budget.
  • Connecting and drinking. Preferably in that order, but not always.
Elsewhere:
  • Travel back and forth to Denver surprisingly pleasant.
  • Reminded of a previous life by Adam and laughed a bit as I wrote up some of the dumb stuff we used to do back then. (I mean, managing engineering teams rather than bunking off work and smoking). All software problems are people problems.
  • Dinner with an amazing sunset over Seattle with the ever amazing LadyH who has become older than me once more, but as usual looks a decade younger.
Next week: who, what, how, why. It’s all out there I’m sure.