Programming Passion

"I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate"
– George Burns

This past Thursday and Friday I spent a large part of my work day working with HTML and CSS code. There were two projects, one an email and the other a landing page (web page), both of which were created to be responsive. It was familiar territory but I was pushing my skills a little further which was frustrating at times but it was equally the highlight of my day.

It is always interesting how I always gravitate to the programming side of my job. Thursday night I found myself thinking about what I could do to improve the code, especially in terms of making it repeatable for other projects. I love it when that happens (thinking about work); it's a clear sign that I am feeling passionate about the work I'm doing.

It would be awesome if everyday could feel like that. Then again, why can't it. Ultimately it comes down to yourself to peruse the things that make you feel passionate. As long as you can sneak it in everyday, it helps make the other parts of your job more digestible. That is my plan at least.

How do you keep the passion alive for the work you do? 

A Marvel-ous Return

Last year I introduced my daughters to the world of comic books starting with the series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. They both loved it, one for the stories and one for the artwork. It was a win-win!!

This summer I decided to pick up some Marvel superhero books for my oldest daughter and see what would happen. As a kid I was given my first comic book and did not read it for months because it was so unfamiliar to me. I completely thought that the same thing would happen again, but I should have known better. In no time at all,she had this book collecting ten issues of classic X-Men stories read and then reread for consecutive evenings. She liked it and it was a proud daddy moment for me. 

Fast forward to present day where I find myself drawn back into the Marvel comic universe as a side effect. I have been loving the cinematic universe for the last few years, but now I find myself wandering into the local comic book store. My wife jokes each time asking if Captain Sweatpants was there or not - A Big Bang reference. Funny as that is I find I’m that kid again who finally broke down and read the comic book given to him. Only now I get to rediscover the magic and mystery that made me a fan so many years ago.

The new challenge will be balancing the collector in me and sharing this experience with my daughters. Whatever the outcome, it has been a fun return to the world of Marvel comics.

Sizing things up

For the first time in over twenty years I am wearing a different pant size. 

Why is this worthy of a blog post? (Especially after such a long absence) It is because something that I once accepted as an absolute truth has now been changed. This is a fashion paradigm shift for me.

Without getting too profound, this is why we should never think that things will never change. Anything can happen, at any time. The important part is being around, and aware of when it is happening. For me, that means needing to punch a new notch in my belt.

First meal in the United Kingdom

I am currently in the United Kingdom for business. This is my first time in Europe. So this is my first meal in Europe. Tomato basil soup with a side of French fries.
I am washing it down with an Irish cider and a English ale.

The Last 5 Percent

I have a few projects on the go at home which range from touch-up painting to ripping out an old fireplace. Some of these projects I started over a year ago and they are 95% done and I just need to do one or two more small tasks before I can completely say that I’m done. We’re able to function with this 5% remaining, but it would feel a lot better finishing something before starting onto the next project.
Don't ignore or put off the 5%!!! (Your spouse will thank you.)

In creating marketing emails and landing pages, the 5% is representative of reporting and the weight of its importance should be closer to 20%. Before starting the next campaign, it is very important to understand and share with others what worked with the previous message components. There is always something to learn which can influence how the next campaign should proceed. It is very easy to get too busy when handling a large volume of communications and/or responsibilities, but looking back will make you and your team better marketers.
Don't ignore or put off reporting!!! (Your CMO will thank you.)