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This Week

At mobile design conf, everyone has a laptop out. Except for me! I'm all mobile. (Used 2nd phone to take this pic)

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LIFE

Gave a talk at ModevUX, and was on a panel. I was terrified but they both went pretty well. I also met some really lovely people and was really inspired by some of the other presentations. After that, I went on to Kirkland. After 5 nights in Suburbia I couldn’t take anymore, so I relocated into Seattle for the weekend. Bonus, the hotel is cheaper, and has a pool. And I got to hang out with some fabulous technical women too including one who I knew from Sydney. Treated myself to a spa session (amazing) and did a little shopping.

Been exhausted from the jetlag, and crashing so hard after the stress and build up to the talks! I now have no more talks planned until September, which feels liberating and anti-climatic at the same time. It will be good for me to focus on other projects.

My change for the AOSA book was accepted which is awesome! I have one small fix that I’ll make separately but the end is in sight and I’m really excited for this to be done. Oh yeah, and to see my name in print!

WORK

Nothing like leaving the country to get some perspective. Got this huge document to a point where I could send out a draft, and someone else is joining me on this project, which is exciting.

Being in this timezone is a good time to catch up with people, best of all the group from the leadership course I took last year, so that was awesome. Also doing some groundwork for another design sprint.

Experiencing a bout of insecurity about whether I am really cut out to be an engineer. Hopefully it will pass soon.

PLACES

In McLean I stayed at the Hilton McLean Tyson’s Corner. It was fine, nice pool no kettlebells (why do hotels never have kettlebells?), but they charge for internet – grr. I mostly ate at the hotel, the food was pretty good, but I also ventured out to eat at a P.F. Changs for the first time (nice enough, they gave me a gift voucher for next time). I was super happy to find a Potbelly’s sandwich place at the airport, first because I was so hungry after being to nervous to eat lunch, and secondly because it reminds me of the summers I spent in Minnesota.

In Kirkland I stayed at the Heathman Hotel. It’s slightly cheaper (no amenity fee) and more central than where I stayed last time. And, they upgraded me to a suite which was nice. Basically the same furniture as you would find in a regular room, but much more space. I ate breakfast at the restaurant there (jetlag and options at 630am are limited) and dinner at Rikki Rikki (good sushi, they serve the mochi with a mountain of whipped cream – very american), and Volterra (meh).

MEDIA

Finished An Absolute Deception finally! I started to appreciate again how long a time period the story is laid out over. Also read You Had Me At Hello (light escapism), The Perfect Match (more light escapism), The One Plus One (not quite as light, a lot of it about poverty and struggling to manage and get ahead, I really liked this book), and started on The Tea Chest (partially set in Australia, so that makes me nostalgic).

Finished Maximize Your Potential: Grow Your Expertise, Take Bold Risks & Build an Incredible Career (OK, not that in depth, just snippets of advice from successful people), and I’m approaching the end of 4 Hour Body.

Still re-watching Fairly Legal. Good movie, strong, relatable female characters. Interesting stories.

I got to see the world premier of The Eniac Programmers Project which was amazing. I heard of this project, I think at least 3 years ago and I’ve been keen to see it ever since. So completely worth the wait, and if you can catch it – do. It will be on YouTube eventually, but that will take up to a year.

Product links Amazon.

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