Updated
July 24, 2000
Hold on to your
hats, it's going to be a wild ride!
Before you get
to the really good stuff, don't forget to check out the latest flick
-- More Mobile!
Well, what's
been going on that I didn't update you for a couple of weeks? Well,
here goes:
- I've got a
new gig
- We're having
a baby!!
OK, now that
I've got your attention, here's the scoop.
We'll start with
the baby. About 11 weeks ago, I was sleeping a little late on a Saturday
and Katie and Jackson came in to wake me up -- as usual -- but when
Katie put Jackson on my belly and he started bouncing up and down,
Katie said, "Jackson wanted to tell you we think he's going to
be getting a little brother or sister!" GOOD MORNING!
What a pleasant
surprise -- I was just full of pride, but also full of concern! We
had so many problems just getting pregnant with Jackson, I knew that
sometimes things don't work out . . .
So we knew we
couldn't say much, until later. But I was beaming!! Well, later came,
and Katie went to her first doctors visit and all was well. A few
weeks later, on July 11, she went back and had her first ultrasound,
saw the strong heartbeat, and we knew all was well. We're about 12
- 13 weeks now, so hopefully the worst of worrying is behind us!
And yes -- I'm
thrilled! We wanted to have two in a row, so that the kids could be
young together and grow up together, and it's a blessing all around.
Will the house be big enough? For a few years at least!
As for names,
you know I like to have something to call the baby while it's inutero
-- Jackson was Marley until we knew he was a boy! So, we've decided
on MaPo -- if it's a girl, she'll be Madaline; if a boy, Porter. MaPo
for now.
Due date: 2/2/01
-- Keep your calendars open.
Well, it all
came about at the right time, too. As I said earlier, I've got a new
gig. What's that, you say? Yep, I sold out to THE MAN. Some of you
know that for a while I've been getting 'cold calls' from headhunters
asking if I'd be interested in this or that. Well, finally, one gave
me an offer I couldn't refuse.
I got a call
in late June from a company called Stonebridge
Technologies. The first call I got was pretty interesting. Andie
(from HR) said she had seen my resume and work on the 'net and wondered
if I would be interested in talking to the Houston group about a position.
The company is getting into ebusiness pretty seriously and it looked
like I'd be an asset to the local group.
Well, I know
how consulting is, and I told her the bottom line: money has to be
right, I've got to be doing work with clients that I'd never have
a chance to do on my own (as a small company) and I would only travel
20% max. She said that was fine, and referred me to the Houston office.
I got a call the next day and set up a meeting with Tim Fredrickson
for an interview. The interview lasted about 45 minutes and basically
was a discussion of the philosophy of work in the web economy. It
was clear he had checked out my work and knew what he was getting
into -- hell, I told them to check out the personal part of my site
before interviewing me, just so we knew what was going on!
Well, the next
day, I had an offer. I've got to say, it was one of those situations
where you have to be careful what you wish for: It came in right in
line with what I wanted, and I don't play games, so I told them I'd
talk it over with Katie and let them know.
So, what were
my concerns? You know I'm very close to Jackson and love being a hands-on
Dad. I'm rare in that respect, but it's part of who I am, and I didn't
want to compromise that. I found out that the company is very aware
of the impact families make on the individual -- most of the folks
in my region and from what I can tell the whole company, have kids
and love their family -- And respect the time they need to be with
them.
Once I knew that,
I knew that this was an opportunity I needed to take. Since I took
the position, we've been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of
the premire eBusiness integrators, and we've gotten $55 million in
VC funding prior to an expected IPO in about a year (+/-),
It took some
rethinking of how we run our house, though. Instead of me working
from home, taking care of Jackson and Katie running interference for
me when I needed, we had to make some changes. It's worked out that
Katie has taken her hours down to 3 days a week, with Mondays and
Fridays home with Jackson. She works the rest of the week and Jax
goes to Carolyn's (Nanna's) school until Katie picks him up in the
afternoon. I work outside the house for most of the week, but sometimes,
when I can do coding or design at my home studio, I'm here. It's definably
different, but Jackson seems to be happy, Katie's happier from what
I can tell, and I get to geek-out with some really great people.
Work's going
fine -- we just had our summer company picnic this weekend and the
three of us had a good time eating BBQ and sweating it out with the
rest of the Stonebridge families!
This afternoon,
Katie and I went to the Astros game and watched what I can only call
a 'slugfest' against the Cardinals -- with the Astros swatting at
least 6 over the fence. Then it's back home, dinner and a little bit
of work before bed.
This week is
going to be a wild one, too, considering that we've got to wind things
up and get ready to go on our trip to Maui! I know -- take a new job,
then burn a week of vacation, that's the way to do it!! In the middle
of it all, we're going up to Mom's for a DeMoss family powwow, and
we'll probably be sleeping on the floor, since there's about 20 people
coming. That's Thursday and Friday nights, then packing on Saturday
and off on Sunday.
You can be sure
I'll have pics and movies to show from our trip when we get back,
though. -- Enough for now, be good . . .
