Catch up

So, what have I been up to?

• In March 2007, I'll be leaving Amazon to join the company whose product you're using right now. I'm very, very excited.
  
• In November 2006, I went on a four-day recruiting trip to Ann Arbor. Among other things, I interviewed one absolutely stellar MS/CS candidate, caught up with my old friend Andrea from Duke, and got to see the Royal Shakespeare Company (with Patrick Stewart!) perform The Tempest.
  
• In September/October 2006, I went on a fantastic two week trip to Spain. I spent time in Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Jerez, and Conil, along with a day trip from Conil to Vejer.
• There's also a bunch of personal stuff, but of course you won't read that here. :)
  

Sticks and stones won't break my bones...

but crashing my bike apparently will.

I hit a large pothole yesterday about ten miles into a ride, did an endo, and crashed hard. Fixed my bike and rode home. My right elbow got progressively more painful until a friend dragged me to the ER. Looks like I broke it, though not badly. It's in a splint now, awaiting an appointment with the orthopedist.

<whine>I can barely type code. I can't play guitar. I can't lift. And I'm going to miss RSVP this weekend because I can't ride. </whine>

Richard III

This past Friday my friend Amber and I went to see the Intiman Theatre's production of Shakespeare's Richard III. The performance was impressive. Nearly all of the actors and actresses were superb, the drums were thoughtfully arranged and played, and the set was well-designed. Above all, I was struck by how well the Intiman writers reduced a five-act play to approximately 2 1/2 hours without causing the play to feel particularly abridged.

Flying Wheels 2006

I just rode Cascade Bicycle Club's Flying Wheels Summer Century for the second year. The route was as beautiful as I remember, meandering up and down hills through Sammamish, Duval, Snohomish, Carnation, and probably a couple of other towns I can't recall.

I was pleasantly surprised that, with the exception of a little ITB strain I sustained about twenty miles from the finish line, I really didn't feel like I had ridden a hundred miles. I also didn't subject myself to massive Clif Bar intake - I ate a bagel with lox and a shmear before the ride, had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich at the forty-mile mark, and downed just one bar down the home stretch. My body seems happier with me today than it did a year ago.

Books Everyone With a Job Should Read

The short list now includes:

• Peter Drucker: The Effective Executive


• For knowledge work, DeMarco and Lister: Peopleware


• New on the list: Buckingham and Coffman: First, Break All the Rules

I'll be posting my notes on all these works shortly.

yes, I'm alive

Due to popular demand, I'll start being more regular about writing. :) I might as well start with recent events.

Trip to California
Just before I started my new job in March (with a different team at Amazon), I took a week off and spent a few days in LA. One of my closest friends, Dan, is a dental school student at UCLA, and another good friend, Regan, works in the Irvine area for an insurance company. I had a really good time catching up with them, and discovered a part of LA I actually liked (the area around the campus). Highlights included

• hitting Santa Monica with Dan, who played "All I Wanna Do" on the stereo as we drove down Santa Monica Blvd.


• driving to Pasadena at breakneck speed for drinks with Dan and Regan in Regan's modded A4, with Jay-Z and Linkin Park providing the soundtrack


• walking down the red carpet just before the Oscars


• finding out that Dan is seriously rocking dental school, and Regan's doing quite well himself

Watch
I bought a Tag Heuer Carrera on a bit of a whim.

Trip to Portland
I spent a fantastic weekend in Portland that took off about two months of stress. It started with a train ride down on Saturday morning, and ended with a return trip Sunday afternoon.

• The train ride down was on the Coast Starlight, which runs from Vancouver to LA. I sat in the observation car on the double-decker train - the car had bay windows, the weather was gorgeous, and I was grooving to everything from John Fogerty to Elvis on my iPod. As a bonus, these guys from "Trails and Rails" would occasionally point out sites and give the history behind them.


• The Fifth Avenue Suites Hotel, where I stayed, had extremely friendly staff whom I immediately hit it off with. Keegan, Meaghan, and Lucy, among others, were terrific. The hotel does a really great wine reception every evening as well, with guests socializing in a way I've rarely seen in Seattle. Upon entering my room I found a teddy bear on the bed - the hotel used to be a department store, the store's mascot was the cinnamon bear, and this is their way of keeping history alive - very cool. At the end of my stay the bear looked sad, so I brought him back with me - he seemed happy about that. :)


• I met a lot of great people in general. While eating a sandwich outside the Pearl Bakery I met this guy and his dog, and we hug out and shot the breeze for awhile. At dinner at the Heathman I had a great time talking with my waitress. And so on.


• Saturday was prom night. It was extremely amusing to see hordes of girls in black dresses taking over the sidewalks.


• After dinner Saturday I hit the 20-odd floor restaurant at the Hilton for dessert, and downed a chocolate souffle and ruby port while looking out at the city from the windows on three sides. Then suddenly a fireworks display ensued (possibly since it was the day before Mother's Day). While leaving the restaurant I encountered a great jazz performance in the lounge, and left to a beautiful smile from the singer.


• Sunday I met Sacha White of Vanilla Bicycles and toured his shop. The man does AMAZING work. I'm now in line, and about two years from now should be a proud Vanilla owner.

Trip to NYC
Just a week ago I took a last-minute flight to NYC, arriving Friday night at midnight and leaving Sunday morning at 8 AM. I stayed with my friend Christina at her "crib" by Gramercy Park, and it was great to catch up with her - we had a late dinner and drinks after I arrived, joined some folks for a ridiculously rich brunch the next day, had coffee at 9th St. Espresso that afternoon, and then ate at a fantastic Italian restaurant that's apparently one of the top five in the city. My folks drove up from NJ and met us for coffee, which was really nice since I don't get to see them very often. Saturday night I headed to the Katwalk Bar and Lounge for my ten-year summer school reunion (yes, you read that correctly), and was psyched to meet up with Sofia, Charlie, Brad, Kjell, Howard, Brooke, and others I had lost touch with since Harvard '96. It turns out that Charlie has become a very accomplished comedian, and we got to see him perform with Upright Citizens Brigade. After that we ended up at a wine bar, and then Kjell took me to a bar where we drank until the 4 AM close. At that point I headed back to Christina's, hung out with her on the couch in a stupor, and then caught a cab to the airport. What a weekend!

New Gig

Three and a half weeks ago I started in a new position at Amazon. Our team is building a really cool and rather ambitious system for a supply chain/logistics management problem - I can't disclose any more information than that, but suffice to say I'm excited. So far I've done our high-level system architecture, nearly completed our initial data model, and started getting my head around our mathematical problems. It's been great to hit the ground running - I don't think I've ever come out of the gate quite like this before.

On the other hand, my personal interests have been slipping. In particular, I've been spending very little time with my guitar, which needs to change soon. I _am_ starting to get back into cycling, and need to take this pretty seriously as I've entered the lottery for RAMROD this year.

While I'm writing, I should mention that I read a fascinating book recently. It's "Notes on the Synthesis of Form", by Christopher Alexander - the book is about designing forms to fit complex requirements, and it's absolutely brilliant. It's timeless and quite universal as well - what Alexander wrote forty years ago is extremely true of software design today, and for that matter even applies to musical composition. It's also a quick read, so stop reading my crap and pick it up.

"For My Active Lifestyle"

Seeing as I probably own myriad consumer goods intended for "the man with an active lifestyle", I figured it was about time I started taking care of myself.

Historically I've been pretty good about lifting weights, and this past spring, summer, and fall I consistently rode my bike. But lately I've been slacking on physical activity, working extremely long hours, and eating poorly, which I have a feeling is why I've been getting sick a lot. But no more.

I got back into the gym today, and it felt great. I was also disciplined about my eating, starting with a multivitamin and the granola/yogurt/fruit cup from Specialties that kicked off my day (at, err, noon). I'm going to start commuting on my bike again. And I even bought nuts and fruit to snack on at work, to avoid the otherwise inevitable afternoon cookie urge.

Don't get me wrong, I'm probably still going to eat something every day that's bad for me, and I'm still going to be eating out a lot. But I'll be more conscious to get calories from whole grains, protein without saturated fat, and to eat more fruits and veggies every day.

Salute!

To write without a computer

I've thought for years about buying a nice pen and pencil for all the scribbling I do. Lately I've been drawing a lot of graphs during meetings, so I decided it was time to procure a multicolor writing instrument, i.e. a clicky-pen. So I went out today and bought a Lamy 2000 4-color pen and the matching mechanical pencil.

I'm really impressed by the design that went into these things. The pen's color selection is gravity-based: hold the pen horizontally, and whatever color indicator is showing at the top is the one that pops out when you depress the advancement button. It's light given the four ballpoints, and it feels well-balanced. Not to mention the clip is sprung so it doesn't get all bent out of shape. The pencil is similarly well-designed, though it's obviously not as complex.

Now I'm writing Greek in style. :)

Sometimes you're just stupid

I was in my guitar lesson today, explaining to my instructor that I was still struggling with a passage from a piece I started working on quite some time ago. Well, it took him all of five minutes to figure out what I was doing wrong, and it took me less than a minute to correct the error in technique. Simultaneously gratifying and exasperating.

The passage is from Llobet's transcription of Danza Espanola No. 5 - I've mentioned the work earlier in my blog. The bars in question comprise a slow section with three voices, but the trick is that the highest voice is articulated with harmonics. Well, I was trying to use my m and a fingers to sound the harmonics and my p and i fingers to sound the base and middle voices, which is brutally difficult and completely unnecessary. Switching to i/a and p/m made all the difference in the world.

Shows I still have a thing or two to learn. :)

Birthday

I've been delinquent about keeping y'all up to date, so here's a blurb on my birthday last month (11/11).

In short it was easily the best birthday ever, even beating out last year. Ten of us saw Late Night Catechism at the ACT Theatre, and then we had a party of eleven for dinner at El Gaucho's Pampas Room. The play, food, and music were all spectacular, but what really made the evening was my group of friends.

I often reflect on how fortunate I am to have the friends I have. Amber and her husband David, Max, Matt and his girlfriend Brittney, Mikhail and his girl Maiken, Ed and Karen, and Lekha were all there, as was my new friend Isaac. The woman I've been seeing and I rounded out the party. Unfortunately she had a morning appointment, so we didn't get much time alone together, but I was glad and a little flattered that she made it out.

Work and Life

I decided a little while back that my goal for the next two years should be to develop a mastery of Amazon's supply chain practices. It looks like I'll start following through on that objective by transitioning to one of our core optimization teams. As dry as that may sound, I'm excited: the scientists in the group are extremely sharp, there's a huge opportunity to learn and to contribute, and it would play into my long-term career plans well.

As for life, the big news is that I recently started seeing someone, and I really care for her. Raise a glass with me, will you?

Music update

Guitar: I'm still working on Spanish Dance #5 by Granados/trans. Llobet, and I started playing through some of Brouwer's Estudios Sencillos.

Concerts: I'm seeing Sarah Chang perform with the Seattle Symphony this week. Later in the season I'll check out Andre Watts, the symphony's performance of Beethoven's Ninth, and Manuel Barrueco performing the Concierto de Aranjuez with the symphony. I may see two or three solo guitar performances as well.

Stay on the right side of the trail

Several times while I've been riding I've nearly hit someone who was in the middle of the trail or was altogether on the wrong side. Well, last week was my turn to be at fault: I strayed into the middle of the bike path where there was a blind corner and at exactly the wrong time. We were both uninjured. He needed to get his chain back on, while I knocked my front rim completely out of true. It could have been worse, of course.

So next time you ride, please pay attention, and stay to the right.

Springfield and the NW Family

On Friday the 9th, my friend David - my best friend Amber's husband - and I drove down to Springfield, Oregon for Amber's kid brother Chris's wedding.

It's a four-and-a-half hour drive from my place in Seattle to Springfield, but it passed remarkably quickly. The tunes definitely helped - Jamiroquai, BT, EBTG, Michael Jackson, Oakenfold, and some Bach performed by Perlman for good measure. It was the first time I'd listened to Walking Wounded - what a fantastic album. We drove the entire way with the top down, including the last thirty miles in a light rain. We must have looked ridiculous going 80 mph with the top down and the wipers on high.

There's a running joke that I'm Amber's weekend husband, and sure enough, on arriving at her parents' place there was a note on the door: "Welcome husbands!" We all passed out, and headed off to the wedding site the next morning.

Chris and Kim got married at the Belknap hot springs resort, which feels like a miniature national park. It was a terrific location, and the drizzle let up just in time for the ceremony. Chris has a quiet dignity that reminds me of his father, and you should've seen him looking at Kim. To quote from Top Gun: "unless you are a fool, that boy is off the market."

Amber and David took off early Sunday to catch a flight to Hawaii. I slept in a bit longer and had brunch with Amber's folks at Finn's Drive-In. They're in some ways my NW family, and I really enjoyed spending time with them.

One thing that struck me while I was in Oregon was that I seem to be drawn to people who are extraordinarily sincere. I suspect I didn't appreciate that as much when I was younger, but with each passing year I become more aware of how rare that quality is in people.

Indiana

Sing to me Muse,
And infuse my prose
With sweet words
That soar o'er land thru air
And bear fair news
To where I stand
From the heartland!

OK, so a poet I am NOT. But I DID spend Labor Day weekend in Indiana: Huntington, Indiana, to be specific.

What is in Huntington, IN? Well, I saw a sign for the "Dan Quayle Museum," but somehow I find it difficult to see ANYONE making a pilgrimage to that, um, mecca of political genius.

Rather, I was there for my favorite cousin's wedding reception. Tani married Vidya in India this July, but work kept me from attending. The bride's family was good enough to organize a US reception this weekend near their hometown of Fort Wayne, giving us delinquents a second chance.

Speaking of Fort Wayne, it has an airport. An INTERNATIONAL airport, no less. Vidya: "The airport is international because there's a cargo flight to Canada." FWA has one terminal, with two floors, and four gates per floor. Yeah.

In any case, Tani's a venture capitalist who did his PhD and MBA in the US, and Vidya's an attorney who for the most part grew up in the US. Quite the power couple. It was hilarious watching the video footage of the traditional wedding in India - you could tell they were counting on everyone around them to keep them from screwing up. And Tani _looked like a medieval warrior_ in his outfit.

Anyhow, it was great to finally meet Vidya and it was good to spend some time with my parents - I don't get to see them nearly often enough. And Indiana will be with me, in the deepest repressed recesses of my soul, for decades to come.



The groom's side of the family. My father and Tani are on either side of me. My mother is in front of Dad, my aunt (Tani's mother) is in front of me, and Vidya is in front of Tani.

Tuning the bike fit

This morning I met with a physical therapist/bike fit specialist who was recommended by a couple of LBSs. So far so good, and we've got a follow-up appointment for next week. The main modifications:

1. Saddle height increased, and saddle tipped up just a tad.

2. Shims under the right cleat to accomodate my right tibia's severe bow. Switching from a 3 cm pedal spacer to a 2 cm one for the corresponding pedal, keeping the left spacer at 2 cm.

3. I'm switching to Look pedals and road shoes from my SPD setup. The Keos I brought to the fit don't play nice with my pedal spacers (Kneesavers): the pedals require an Allen wrench installation and the spacers don't have an opening. So I'm going with a pair of A5.1s.

4. OTC orthotics - Superfeet Performance Skate (Grey) - for both feet.

Will let you know how it works out as time progresses.

Elective surgery

Last week I saw an orthopedist for the first time in several years. My tibiae exhibit bowing and torsion, and if I'm not careful I put abnormal stress on my knees. Given my newfound interest in cycling, I thought it was better to see someone sooner rather than later, especially since my right knee hurt at the end of the STP.

My plan was to follow up that appointment by seeing a local physical therapist who's also a bike fit specialist, so that I could have an expert tune my pedal system setup and advise me on exercises to help keep my legs' musculature balanced.

The doctor approved of my cycling and seconded my thoughts regarding physical therapy. He didn't see any reason to get x-rays or routine orthopedic check-ups, but he did warn me to be very conscious of any pain and he was adamant about moderation in my activities. I'm not a hardcore cyclist - I average around 14 mph, 18 on the flats, and usually ride once a week for 60 miles - but apparently that was still enough to worry him a little.

He told me that if I decide to get more serious about the sport, I should consider a tibial osteotomy, though he wouldn't recommend unless I insisted on pushing the envelope.

A tibial osteotomy is essentially a procedure in which your lower leg is deliberately broken and realigned so that your biomechanics are more normal than they were before.

I read up a bunch on the procedure, and I'm going to revisit the issue next summer. Right now I'm not serious enough about my athletics to opt in for surgery when there's no clear risk associated with avoiding it. But if I'm still into cycling next year and can't see myself taking it easy, I'll consider it.

Guilt

As I prepare to leave the office at 12:40 AM, I suddenly feel guilty about the fact that I haven't really learned a new guitar piece in three months or so, although I have read casually through a couple.

So I'm vowing to memorize Llobet's transcription of Granados' Spanish Dance #5 before my next lesson on Sunday.

Insanity

I was just telling a friend that I'm considering an attempt at climbing Queen Anne Hill from the South (1st Ave). Referring to the grade above Roy St., he said "I guess that's where the hill gets all nonlinear on your ass." :)