Well That Was "Fun"

Wow, yesterday was not only the first Monday for me of the new year but it was a total whirlwind of a day in every possible way. I think I was in motion from the minute I walked in the door until I finally called the day quits at just after 7:15 PM.

Start

From the start there were many impromptu meetings that I was both prepared for and others that were more of the seat-of-my-pants type of meeting. Those are always tough because I am more of a prepare and deliver person vs. a dive in and just roll with it - something I need to continue to work on in the new year I think. Once all of the morning meetings were complete it was time to get back to my cube and get through my pile of email that accumulated over the holiday.

Midday

As the morning rolled into midday it was time for bites of my lunch combined with helping peers within my team that required assistance with their projects. The mentoring ended up taking just enough time that the next agenda on my to do list was to hit the gym and decompress a little as I do everyday. It was for good reason today as well because I still had 2 very important meetings on the calendar in the afternoon.

One was to go over the current issues and requests that were found in my current game by our quality control group. These requests are always very important to us because they have a fresh eye on the game and no reason to do anything other than tell it like it is.

This is very much appreciated at this stage of the game. It not only helps us to get a quality product to market but it also allows us to find any last minute issues that may be deemed unacceptable by the gaming control board. No one wants that because it not only causes rework but can be expensive at times as well.

Days End

The gym was now behind me and I was looking forward to 2 more meetings, to wrap up the day. The first being a quick review of my game once again with the lead team for the project and the next being one of the most difficult meetings I have had in over 20 years in the industry.

I apologize as it seems I am holding a carrot out in front of a starving rabbit but I am not at liberty to get into the details of this meeting for a couple more days, possibly a week more. I will say that it was a real eye opener that's for sure and the information and lessons learned in it will be something I can really grow from here on out no matter the result.

Live & Learn

In life we prepare for things the best that we can although at times we may miss the mark and not prepare in the manner we should or could have simply because there are too many variables to consider. I think that I have 100% at this meeting / open forum but did not knock it out of the park the way I know that I could have and would have liked to have done.

No matter the outcome of something, whether it's racing, watching a great movie or new challenges in life from work opportunities to parenthood I think the most important takeaway is what you have learned from the experience. Look at it as growth and stepping out of your comfort zone to climb a part of the mountain that always intimidated you a little. Otherwise you may miss out on what is at the top.

Photo: Nothing exciting today, just a shot of my caffeine cup that keeps me going with either water or coffee.