BluepoofBikes Motorcycle Adventures

Microsoft?!?! Part Two

Indulge me in a bit of a story....

As I posted yesterday, Microsoft bought my company. After the shock -- and champagne -- wore off, I was feeling really lost last night. I'm only 30 and have worked at Danger for 8 years, so you can believe how intertwined my identity is with my job.

Peter had hockey games all evening. I admit to indulging in a bit of self-pity about him not being home on this night when I was feeling depressed.

I woke up early this morning to come in to a meeting and kissed Peter goodbye. "I made you a cheer-up snowman," he sleepy-mumbled. "I know!", I said, "I saw your drawing on the fridge whiteboard!"

And then I went outside.

He had filled up the pickup truck bed with snow from the hockey rink and literally made me a snowman in the middle of the night.

Microsoft?!?!

I came in to work today to find out that my company has been bought by Microsoft. Holy crap!

This should be a good thing for me overall. I'll get a decent cash payout on my Danger stock, plus a good retention bonus since I've been at Danger for 7.5 years. The benefits package at MSFT is much better, including 401K matching and 100% health coverage.

Most importantly, program managers (what I do) are very well-respected at MSFT and I think it will be good for my career overall. One woman who talked to us today was a program manager and is now a general manager of the entire entertainment and mobile communications division at MSFT.

But yeah, I work for Microsoft now. Or, I will in ~30 days.

I've been assured that this won't impact my vacation plans this summer.

I think a bunch of you already know this, but...

I felt it needed to be shared regardless. Y'know, get everything all out in the open. No false advertising.

And, no, that's still not the natural color. ;)

Shake, rattle, and roll!

Ah, the joys of living in California:

I'd never felt an earthquake ripple before. Holy adrenaline!

More info on this particular quake.

Wedding rings

Stephen wanted to see our wedding rings, so here they are. :) Photo courtesy of, and copyright by, Holly Blumenthal of Spirelight Photography.

A good way to pass a weekend.

(thanks to Viv for the first pictures!)

The big 3-0

Well, time to enter my fourth decade. Anyone leave an inuksuk out to guide my way?

Damn, I've celebrated seven birthdays with my bike journal now.

I think I like my 24th birthday post best, when I skipped work and went riding. Or perhaps my 28th birthday, when I went dirt riding.

As I look foward to four more meetings at work today, those seem like much more attractive options. :D

Public Service Announcement

Ever have one of those workdays where you feel like you've really let people down, you let things slip through the cracks, you don't have the expertise, and nothing you do is good enough or the right thing to be doing?

Yeah, on that day? Don't go home and watch, of all movies, Glengarry Glen Ross.

Trust me.

Valerie!

The Most Heralded Baby has arrived!

Welcome, Valerie. I can't wait to sneak you onto a motorcycle just as soon as your mommies' backs are turned (just kidding, Liz!). And I'm sure you'll be a better hockey player than me in scant moments.

I can't even think of anything else to write without getting choked up.

Congratulations, Liz and Andrea. I love you both and I'm so amazingly happy for you. *sniffle*

Where's Carolyn?

So Peter says to me a couple of months ago, "Carolyn," he says, "it's been like three years since we took a vacation that didn't involve motorcycles."

I had no problem with this logic, but apparently my cutie wanted to lounge around and get sunburned and drink too much and see way too many people with ill-fitting swimsuits.

Thus, because I am oh so accommodating, we're spending the week in Sarasota, Florida, on Siesta Key.

Though I'm already scoping out places to rent a bike or scooter for the day. ;)

(Isn't Peter the cutest ubernerd evaar? He says I can't poke fun, though, since I'm blogging from my hiptop ;) )