Purpose

When my husband died, because he was so famous and known for not being a believer, many people would come up to me - it still sometimes happens - and ask me if Carl changed at the end and converted to a belief in an afterlife. They also frequently ask me if I think I will see him again. Carl faced his death with unflagging courage and never sought refuge in illusions. The tragedy was that we knew we would never see each other again. I don’t ever expect to be reunited with Carl. But, the great thing is that when we were together, for nearly twenty years, we lived with a vivid appreciation of how brief and precious life is. We never trivialized the meaning of death by pretending it was anything other than a final parting. Every single moment that we were alive and we were together was miraculous - not miraculous in the sense of inexplicable or supernatural. We knew we were beneficiaries of chance… That pure chance could be so generous and so kind… That we could find each other, as Carl wrote so beautifully in Cosmos, you know, in the vastness of space and the immensity of time… That we could be together for twenty years. That is something which sustains me and it’s much more meaningful…

The way he treated me and the way I treated him, the way we took care of each other and our family, while he lived. That is so much more important than the idea I will see him someday. I don’t think I’ll ever see Carl again. But I saw him. We saw each other. We found each other in the cosmos, and that was wonderful.

Ann Druyan, talking about her late husband, Carl Sagan.

Thursday, April 7th, 2011 | Posted in Life | 1 Comment »

Random observation

What’s the point of artificial sweetener? You’re so desperate to cut out just a teaspoon of sugar and replace it with some chemicals that have arguably dubious health implications of their own. And then with your coffee you go and get a cookie that has something like 3-4 teaspoons of sugar in it anyway… You’re retarded.

Thursday, January 13th, 2011 | Posted in Life | No Comments »

I’m alive!

Not sure if I ever announced it here, but I’ve started a blog in parallel to this one to document my time in Seattle. It’s called Tom Lives!

On it you will find fascinating and valuable information such as what car I bought, what I ate for breakfast, and who will be YOUR next American Idol! Or something. Just check it out. And comment so I’m motivated to update it more. Chur.

Saturday, November 13th, 2010 | Posted in Life | No Comments »

On the bright side…

So I’ve been a bit of a Negative Nancy in my last few blog posts. I think it’s time to lift the mood a little with some good news. The following image:

… Means that I am officially able to enter the US! Huzzah!

Additionally, everything else from my last emo post has since been resolved, so I’m feeling pretty good right about now!

Thursday, August 26th, 2010 | Posted in Life | No Comments »

Moving

For a long time, I’ve been interested in software development and computer programming. At some point in my mid-teens I worked out that I could get paid to write code, something I already enjoyed doing. It was from this time that I had vague aspirations to move overseas and work at a large software organisation, and even back then, the first one that always came to mind was Microsoft.

Those aspirations had always been in the back of my mind, while I worked on my Bachelor of Engineering, and worked at Canary. After an initial application attempt to Microsoft in 2008 that was thwarted by the recession, I decided to prepare my CV once again at the end of last year (2009). Without much further thought, I submitted it to Microsoft. Then about a month ago, I received an email that I was to be having an interview over the phone. As far as I could tell, this phone interview went atrociously, but contrary to my expectations I received an email a week later detailing plans to fly me over to Sydney to interview in person with a few recruiters. I arrived back from said flight this morning.

Long story short, I will be moving to Microsoft’s Redmond HQ in Seattle, USA. This will be taking place in late September.

This is pretty much a dream come true, and I’m stoked to actually be seeing those aspirations from so long ago become reality. I have long said that I would not be looking for another job in New Zealand, and I have truly enjoyed my time working at Canary. However, the opportunity to be able to work in another country and see some more of the world was simply too great to pass up. I believe that I will also find more room for personal growth and career advancement in a larger company. By the way, quick plug for our job ad, if you’re a software developer in Auckland.

This change is not without its drawbacks, and I will miss much about my life in New Zealand, not the least of which being proximity to family, and the friends that I have grown close to in Auckland over these last few years. I will miss you all like crazy. I hope to have a blast with my last few months in New Zealand (let’s hit the snow!), and no doubt I’ll be spending the majority of my annual leave here (New Year’s anyone?).

Keep an eye out for some sort of leaving party!

Cheers.

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 | Posted in Code, Life | 2 Comments »