My Third Anniversary

Today marks my third anniversary at Microsoft. In many ways it seems like time has flown by. Three years. Gone. Sometimes I wonder where the time went.

On the other hand, in some ways I feel like I've been doing this forever. I often feel that it's hard to remember what life was like before coming to the 'soft. Even though I've adorned myself with the blue badge for a relatively short 36 months, it has become so engrained into my life that I'm having trouble separating Derek pre-Microsoft from Derek @ Microsoft.

What's a blue badge you may ask? From the Microsoft Lexicon:

Blue Badge (or Blue Card): (sometimes, slightly derogatorily, blue badger, or just plain blue) Synonym for full-time Microsoft employees, the Brahmins of the deeply ingrained Microsoft caste system, whose card keys have a blue background rather than the orange used for contractors (see Orange Badge) and green for vendors. Derivative terms include "turn blue," meaning to earn full-time status.

Starting my fourth year at the company comes with the added bonus of starting my fourth year of living in Seattle. I moved out to the west coast on June 17, 2005, and so far haven't looked back. Although, like everything, it's been an adjustment- I really can't think of any time where I second-guessed my decision. I'm not sure I ever went through the home sickness or feelings of loneliness that some bi-coastal career nomads experience.

Maybe that's just Microsoft doing a good job making sure I've been staying busy-- but I'm sure it's more than that. Being surrounded by a group of great friends, an amazing girlfriend, and inviting & friendly social circles at work and church has made all the difference.

Either way, here's to three years. I wish I could take a peek at what the next three years will hold. If they are any more interesting to these last three, I'm not sure I'll be able to contain myself.