I am here. I reached that place I saw in my minds eye all those years ago. Those undeniable images I had in my head back in the 1980s have been realized. I live in NYC. I enjoy my career. I get to tackle large scale problems. I make good money. I have savings. I am married. I have a kid who is getting ready to graduate from University, which I was able to pay for. I am there. I am writing this post to remind myself that I need to accept that I have made it. Breathe. Breathe.
It is hard to separate visions of my future from the movies and television of 1980s, but wherever the source, it all makes a lot more sense now. I never fit in within the small town in Southern Oregon that I grew up in. I always new I was meant for bigger things. I just didn’t have the self-confidence, support, and resources to make it happen. That didn’t matter. I was going to figure it out one way or another. In the moment I did not have any precise career path or destination in mind. I had a vague vision of being a computer programmer, but when my counselor said my math skills weren’t strong enough, I said I wanted to be a writer. I am now a little of both.
I couldn’t tell you how I got here, or provide anyone with any sort of map or timeline. It is all a blur. Without a clear vision it is hard to know when I have made it–if I didn’t know where I was going. This is why I want to draw a line in the sand. I have exceeded anything I could have imagined, and I am very proud of where I stand at 51 years of age in 2023. The only thing I don’t have is my own home, but honestly I am not sure I want to own one yet-—I am enjoying moving where I need to be. I have everything else I want or need. I am content. I really can’t remember the last time I could really say that. The trick for me know is to slow down a bit, and enjoy what I have created.
I could step away and coast at this point. However, I am curious of what I am capable of. I am really interested in the governance of APIs. I am really interested in how we are going to stabilize this sprawling digital landscape we’ve created. I am thankful for the opportunities I hav win front of me at Bloomberg, and living in New York City. I am slowly finding my writing mojo with API Evangelist and have been moving forward some of my APIs.json work. I think there is more out there. But it really is all gravy at this point. I just wanted to pause a bit and pat myself on the back, look around and take in the view, and then get back to work, with the same passion I have always had, but maybe just at a little bit slower pace now that I have made it.
