When my car lease ran out, I had to make a difficult choice on what to replace it with. I could either get another traditional gas-powered sedan, probably another BMW that I knew would fit my needs, or I could do something entirely different. I wasn’t completely sure, but I felt just confident enough that electric vehicle technology had advanced to the point where it made sense to own one over a gasoline car, especially […]
For the last decade or more, I’ve traveled almost extensively with others. Whether wife my wife, our kids, or coworkers, there’s always been someone else with me. Trust me, it’s very hard to feel alone when traveling with two demanding two-year-olds. On a recent work trip to Sao Paulo, I was alone for a full week and I can’t remember another time feeling so alone. I travel pretty frequently, inheriting a passion from my […]
Growing up in the late 80s, I had a ton of exposure to optimism around huge scientific breakthroughs and progress. In particular, air and space travel seemed to be making huge leaps and bounds on a yearly basis. After a recent visit to the Air and Space museum in Washington DC though, I was reminded of just how much progress was promised, and how little actually happened. Have we entirely stalled progress and does that […]
Last summer, my wife and I flew to Portugal with our then two-year-old twin boys. We thought we had flying with toddlers figured out. Huge bags full of toys and games were barely even needed while the boys kept themselves occupied nearly the whole flight with watching the other planes and the ground go by through the windows. A trip to Seattle last fall when they were just under 2.5 was similar. But this year, […]
When Game of Thrones started, I wasn’t a parent, didn’t have a dog, a house, or even a wife yet. It’s incredible to see how much has changed during the nearly decade long run of the show. After so long, it’s finally over. While the debate on how it ended will likely continue for years, there’s no denying it had a huge impact on the world from a cultural standpoint, existing as one of the […]
Dinosaurs, horses, and castles. These were the things I expected to excite my soon-to-be three-year-old twin boys on our trip to London. What I didn’t expect was just how excited they’d be about riding double decker busses and the trains around the city. Not only was it a great reminder of how thrilling even the small things can be when traveling with young children, but it also showed me that sometimes the best parts of […]
They say no marathon is ever easy, and it’s certainly true. Even with a fantastic training season where for the first time ever, I accomplished all of my long runs, even extending one to 21 miles and didn’t bail out on a single one, 26.2 miles still hurt. However, the London marathon was as close to perfect as could be for me. With amazing organization and a great course, the London Marathon should be high […]
One on ones can be both the most frightening and the highest value meeting for a team member and manager. Done well, they can be the best way to dive into specific issues, provide guidance, help with personal and career growth, and give feedback, all in a short time. Used poorly, they just become status update meetings with no lessons learned or action items to take as next steps. Though it can be terrifying, especially […]
You might not think that April would be considered winter, but in parts of Yosemite, it can continue snowing through May. Many of the trails and roads throughout the park, especially those above 6,000 feet or so, don’t open back up until the summer, so it’s important to have a good plan. Don’t be discouraged though, there’s still plenty to see and do in the park in the spring including pretty much all of the […]
Since I graduated from college in 2007, actually even before that during my internships, I had only ever worked in an open office with varying styles of cubes. But in moving to Amazon NYC, I switched to an office with actual rooms. My team isn’t jammed into a row of trading style benches. It’s spread out across three team rooms with actual walls, windows, and doors. And having this has completely changed how I work. […]