My Job at Snowball.com

(written 2000-Jan-1)

As of 1999 November 15, I started working as a Java Software Engineer at Snowball.com. Primarily my job consists of writing back-end web applications using Java Server Pages and Java Servlets.

I love it here! When I accepted the job here I thought it would probably be a good place to get professional experience writing Java apps, but I wasn't sure if I was going to truly enjoy working here. After a month and a half here I feel that I can safely say that I am very happy that I accepted the job here at Snowball.com. The people I work with are fun, knowledgable, and dedicated.

My Job at Intel

(written 1998-Aug-29)

As of June 29, 1998, I started working as a Software Engineer in the Analysis and Control Tools department at Intel.

I've found that cubicle life really isn't so bad, at least it isn't so bad in my cubicle. I've got a nice spot. I'm not sure I'd like some of the other positions that cubicles are in (some have the cubicle entrance facing someone else's cubicle entrance, some are near the supplies cabinets, etc.). But mine is in a nice spot.

I'm enjoying myself a lot. I wear a T-shirt and jeans shorts to work every day and sometimes I walk around the building without my shoes (just socks). Many people there, especially the managers go for the business casual thing where they wear a white shirt and some non-jeans pants. Others wear jeans and a T-shirt. Shorts aren't too common, but there are a few here and there.

Actually, I've never cared much about looking really nice. I care about looking adequately presentable. And as long as I don't smell too bad, I consider myself to be presentable. The key issue is efficiency. (I do like wearing computer related T-shirts, but T-shirts are all efficient, so there's no problem there) By efficiency I mean that clothes should be comfortable to wear, effortless to put on, and easily cleanable. Everything gets washed in hot water in a standard clothes washer and dried in a standard clothes drier on high heat. If it's not easily cleanable I won't wear it unless I'm under duress (and perhaps on special occasions). I balk at hard to clean clothes.

I loath the fact that I had to waste money on a suit in order to go job interviewing. In fact, being allowed to wear a T-shirt and jean shorts every day was a precondition for my willingness to accept a job. If I couldn't wear jean shorts and a T-shirt to work, every day, I simply would not accept the job. This is an issue that's more important to me than the amount of money that I'm paid. I'm going to be spending at least half my life at work. I'm not willing to spend half my life uncomfortable because I'm forced to wear uncomfortable clothes.