Category: Extreme Blue
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Extreme Blue
One of my closest friends works at another large tech company, and all summer we’ve been having conversations that go like this: ME: I’ve had such an awesome day! I found out about this awesome thing and made some progress on my awesome project. I love my job! How was yours? HIM: Good! I finally…
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When Excellent is Adequate, Nothing is Ever Good Enough
I have the dubious distinction of being the intern, who on my self evaluation, had the biggest (positive) different between how my team rated me, and how I rated myself. I gave myself all average marks, bar one (initiative, +1). My 3 teammates evaluated me, and I only had one average mark, total, so I…
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Delegation – What Value Do You Place on Time?
My friends and some of my colleagues have been mocking me for “outsourcing my life”. I don’t think that expression is accurate though – it’s more that I’ve been outsourcing details in order to enjoy life more (and achieve more). For me, it’s all about leverage. How can I leverage myself in order to do…
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Teachable Moments in the Wilderness
I was not excited about the mandatory work trip to the wilderness for a number of reasons: It is completely incomprehensible to me to drive that far just for two days. I have no desire to sleep in a tent. There is a reason why inside and beds were invented. We have a lot to…
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Priorities and Next Steps
The other day I was having lunch with some other interns, and they were discussing their GPA. It made me question what I was doing, surrounded by 20-22 year-olds who think that a GPA is a measure of achievement and/or a defining characteristic. I mean, to participate in the conversation should I calculate my GPA?…
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Working for The Man
I keep reading people who’ve quit their job in order to make a living as a blogger. There’s all this stuff about minimalist life, and freedom from routine. Is routine so bad? Is stuff so bad? I like to live in different places, but I like to live there. And I like having stuff. If…
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Career Planning
The other week I had a phone interview for what I thought was my dream job. In the days before, I realized that was the kind of thing I’d been doing. And then, I waited. Meanwhile, work was going so-so. My computer broke – again – so I lost a day and a half on…
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Inside and Outside My Comfort Zone
The other day, I had a phone interview for quite possibly my dream job. With the encouragement of my mentors and friends I was feeling good about it, and going for it, until a few hours before when I was practically vibrating with fear. I don’t know how it went. I definitely didn’t connect with…