ACC

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The question I have is does it put the brakes on? When I get brave enough I will find out.

Goodbye TT

If you have read my blog for a while you may remember my car was an Audi TT, yesterday I grew up and bought a 2008 Volvo XC70. The most amazing thing about this cart is the adaptive cruise control, it maintains the vehicle speed until it senses a car in front then slows down and maintains a speed sensitive safe distance from it. IT is very very odd to let a computer take over, It also warns me if I approach another moving car too closely, and if I via out of the lane I am driving in, all wonderfully safe, totally annoying, but maybe it will train me to drive more responsibly?

Love Not Me

Love not me for comely grace,
For my pleasing eye or face,

Nor for any outward part:
No, nor for a constant heart!
For these may fail or turn to ill:
Should thou and I sever.

Keep, therefore, a true woman's eye,
And love me still, but know not why!
So hast thou the same reason still
To dote upon me ever.

- John Wilbye

Book launch

My parents have been working on a book entitled Sea Kayak Day Paddles on Florida's Hidden Coast. It represents the outcome of tens years of exploring the coast of North West Florida. Given that they dedicated it to me, I think its a pretty cool thing. You can download a copy for free from their blog http://hiddencoast.blogspot.com/ The site and book are live as of Wednesday.....

Tax time

Why would I blog about doing our taxes? Well it puts off doing them for a few minutes I guess... but come on! How many pounds of flesh do the IRS need ....?

Maryland Bound

So, at long last after 18 months of waiting my house in Maryland is about to be sold. I've owned it for close to ten years and seen its value appreciate considerably, but if only..... it had sold a year ago.... three reductions in price and a low offer later it is finaly going. As a result I am off to BWI to pack up all my belongings and ship them back to Minnesota. Its funny there are very few things I miss, which makes me both glad and sad.

I really miss my model yacht, yes you heard me "model", here she is. She is an East coast 12 meter. A replica of a an old America's cup defender, from the days when the US was invincible in that racing series - oh how the times have changed....

360

Today I got the feedback from a 360 that I had requested my professional coach carry out on my behalf to help me develop as a leader. The great thing about it is the candid honest feedback is so clearly on point that I have no issue with it, even when it makes me feel like crap.
As I see it the challenges I have are clearly solvable if I apply myself to it - that I take away as the biggest positive message. Next week I will find out what my coach thinks....

Agile

Yesterday I had the fun of presenting with a group of colleagues to an internal meeting of fellow technologists. I was asked to present the executive perspective.. the most insightful comments I could make focused around two areas:

1. Agile has made the success rate of my teams projects dramatically higher
2. The sustainability model we adhere to has at long last, enabled me to spend quality time with my family.

Two very positive messages.
My two major cautions were:

1. Inter and intra team communication is key, and communication is difficult.
2. Agile is a change in business model, not just technology life cycle, without a business holistically embracing it the true value will not be realized.