A Dangerous Cave In

The software industry is a goldmine. Fortunes are being made every day.  With the lure of high salaries and bonuses comes a real danger of loosing personal integrity. Last semester I applied for several fulltime positions. As I went out for interviews I had the chance to meet many recruiters. Recruiters from these companies try to win students over with large benefit packages, competitive salaries, and all kinds of swag. In the face of such high demand, it can be hard to remain humble. I found myself seeking greater and greater opportunities with little thought of how blessed I had been. Once I had signed a contract and had a little time to think, I realized that this interview process had changed me. In order to have real success, a person must keep a strong focus on his or her personal values, otherwise an excited miner will quickly find his life caving in.

Stemming the Tide

My family has always been somewhat of an anomaly. In my younger years, I was oblivious to sports, music, and the current TV shows; I still am. Over the Thanksgiving break I talked to my father about many of the gaming and technology addictions that others face. I was surprised to learn that my family’s success was a result of a dedicated effort by my parents. My father loves sports, but to prevent sports addictions he worked hard to ensure that our family never watched sports in the home. My mother made it a rule that there would never be a television in the family room or in any of the bedrooms. As we grew up these influences were minimized. As I prepare to have a family of my own, I will need to make a concerted effort to protect my children from the tidal wave of technology.