It was shortly before Easter in 1998 that my wife and I packed up all our stuff, put it in her Mothers garage to be picked up by the movers. We had been married for 4 years, three of which I spent in school... and now we were off for a grand adventure.
We loaded up our 1988 VW Fox (which had no air conditioning in it at the time) and headed down to Austin TX. I was going to work on a project using "Cool:Gen" and a "Tandem", which were two terms I had never heard before. It seemed exciting, new country (I am Canadian), new climate, new opportunities. We had never been before and we really didn't know anyone down there.
That one choice, to work on a project with tools and technology that I had never heard of, has led to a career which has taken me across the US and back to Canada and who knows where I will visit in the future! I have worked in various industries, on various bits of technology and have been granted the privilege of working with very some very wonderful people. Smart people whom I have been able to learn much from.
The Gen community truly is a small world. Some days I see notes in code made by people I worked with 15 years ago. I work with people I have never met in person, and when I do finally meet them (at an Edge event or otherwise) it's not like when you first meet a stranger....rather it is like running into an old friend. People I have worked with, keep in touch with me on Facebook, Linked in and by email. We meet up sometimes and talk about old times, current problems they or I are having with our current engagement.
That's my Gen story....
So what's your Gen story? I invite you to share it here in the comments.
I also invite you to add a new chapter to your Gen story, which you can do by attending the upcoming Edge technical exchange. It's an opportunity to enhance your skillset as well as meet your peers, listening to and sharing our own Gen Stories
I look forward to hearing your Gen story, hopefully in person at the Edge event!
Cheers!
Darcy Elliott
Edge