Looking in the mirror

With the holiday season fully engulfing the civilized world, it takes a certain amount of effort to step back and really try to appreciate the significance of it all. For me, Thanksgiving has always been one of the best times of the year. I (as many people know) love food, and food loves me. Being able to enjoy a lovingly prepared meal with friends and family while sharing and remembering new and old stories alike, somehow makes me wonder why so much of the rest of the years is so stressful. I know why the stress builds; I just don’t know why I let it infiltrate my psyche like some expanding insulation foam, filling in all of the nooks and crannies of my attitude and bubbling out in to the open air. Luckily, Christmas does not follow too far behind (especially this year) which allows for another opportunity to sit back and reflect on what is really important.

My two beautiful, intelligent, independent daughters and my amazingly caring, compassionate, forward thinking wife are the most wondrous gifts I could ever hope to receive. My Grandma and the spiritual lamppost that she provides have helped shape my attitude toward family in ways that she may never comprehend. I am certain that without the acceptance and outreach of my Mom and Dad (in-law) the success that I have attained in my adult life would be non-existent. They have both, through example and advice, shown me what it means to do what you love and love what you do.

Celebrating the end of the year past, and the beginning of the year ahead is quickly becoming one of the true highlights of my life. Having friends that feel like family, is a blessing that I never thought I would have in life. Knowing that there are people who would sacrifice time with their other friends and family to come and put up with the craziness that is the Smack household, renews my belief that good friends are a treasure like no other.

Looking forward, I am hopeful. I believe that every step forward will bring new challenges and require courage in the face of difficult times. I also believe that as time marches on, new relationships will grow, and old relationships will become stronger. I am hopeful that good health, happy moments, and new experiences will make me a better father, husband, son, and friend. Greif, disappointment and heartache, being as integral to the human condition as joy, encouragement, and love, will forge me into the man that I am meant to be.

Java Book... Gooood!

Browsing through the IT wiki at work, I came across a link to “Thinking in Java” by Bruce Eckel. So besides being a programming guru with oodles of experience, he is an established technical author that gives his books away on the Web. Sweet! “Thinking in Java” is the kind of book you wish you had read first, before the Deitels and O’reillys. This book gets it right from the outset by talking about how you get you head into the subject matter. The typical approach it to start defining features and giving examples. Boring to your average wannabe code monkey. What Eckel does (IMHO) is bring the topic to life with actual writing style. Read this book first, then browse through the others for reference and code variety.

Stranger in a Strange Land

But I am not going to run to the hills! I have started my new job as an applications developer in the Dublin office of the company that decided to give me a shot at something very new to me. After two days, I am getting the feeling that I made the right decision by seeking this position. The managers are laid back, yet focused. The other developers (the ones that I have become acquainted with so far) all have a very good handle on their roles and are willing to stop and explain the intricacies of the projects on which I will be working.

I must admit however, the corporate culture is a little uncomfortable. There are about 100 folks that work in the building and while walking to or from where ever I am walking; nobody seems compelled to lift their eyes to meet mine for a casual “Hey there.” Perhaps it is because I am a new face, and people often come and go in consultant positions. I am hoping that after a few more days, as I continue to smile and engage in eye contact with the people I meet in the aisles between the cubicles, those glances will be met more receptively.