As software engineers we are conscious of reflection as part of the Application Lifecycle Management process, and I thought that I would take this opportunity to reflect on my life as a software engineer.
The advice that I received from my parents before I went to college and university was: "You'll be working for a long time, make sure that you do something that you enjoy". This advice stayed with me. There where times when it seemed like it was bad advice, but I can look back over the last 15 years and say that I enjoy what I do as much as ever.
I'm a practical and creative person, and I have at my finger tips the means to create anything that I could want, Applications, Games, Data Visualization. I share these interests with friends and colleagues that make me want to be more than I am. And although a lot of my friends don't actually understand what I do and don't see what could be enjoyable in it, that's okay, 'not everyone's like you'*.
I chose to do what I enjoy, and I enjoy what I do. And on reflection, It's a wonderful life.
At DDDNorth with some likeminded people.
* 'In the mood for love' - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118694/
