Howdy All,
As I sit here on a beautiful Sunday afternoon watching my 2 year old son laugh at me while nursing a sunburn, I think about how I can spend the next few minutes telling you a little about who I am, where I’ve been, and what I love to do. Aside from the usual braggery that could happen, I hope that what I say and illustrate can catch the ears of the deaf and eyes of the blind, but not in the literal sense. You know what I mean.
My plan is to set up this intro blog to capture your attention so that you’d simply want more. I hope to string ‘em together in a way much like a puzzle, where the last one read will bring sense to its predecessor. Read: stay caught up…if you can.
So far I bet you’re wondering if the parental units dropped me on my head as a little guy. It’s hard to say. Not much in the way of instant video back in the day so it’s something you’ll never prove. But… after a couple of seconds of second thought, and feeling around up there I’m pretty sure my grape is in its original intended shape. I digress.
At the ripe old age of 33, I’m a consultant for one of the best companies in my history of best companies I’ve been employed. That would make SMA the best of the best so far. For two years there mid-decade, I ran my own consulting gig doing similar stuff – but boy is it hard stuff, so my hats are off to business owners… I don’t think I own a hat, but you know what I mean. Years before that, I did the same thing for another consulting company. So here I am, doing some good work like customizing and training HEAT, and writing custom SQL Reporting Services reports – or basically whatever they want me to do.
Let’s skip back a few years. I grew up and graduated high school from a small town north of Houston, raised in a typical family setting. My dad was a 25 year homicide detective for the Houston Police, while my mom stayed home and watched us wreck the house. However at the end of the day when dad came home, we’ll just say things magically fell in array. His presence called for order – always. I loved my childhood. Does that sound facetious?
I graduated Texas A&M – CC, class of ’98. But before, I spent a couple of awkward semesters not knowing what I wanted to do as a CS major, so I decided on the MIS degree performing well while living the college life. About half way, I found myself working on campus there as a computer tech, using software called HEAT. More on the college life experiences later. I’m afraid posting too much stuff at one time – might just bring the internet down doing it!
Fast forward to 13 years later, it’s neat to say we are showing people how to make HEAT do things you would never think. But in the 13 years, I’ve had the opportunity to learn how helpdesks, call centers, and service desks of ALL types work too. I’ve met IT managers of all types and helped them build very interesting systems. I’ve done some dumb things too. In my past inexperience’s, I’ve directed some down the wrong path in my opinion. Pray tell Randall? The more I think, my thoughts are that the latest project was better than the one before. Some might see it as this: You’re getting the best until the next job – just kidding. Maybe I can disclose and expose some of these experiences one day. I have a feeling it might put the brakes on some things you’re looking to do. Who knows.
My dreams are to move up the ladder of academia, but it’s been a slippery ladder at times. Every now and then some part of life will smear butter or something slippery on a step every now and then, causing me to slip and wade through dilatory problems before I can get a good grip onto the next step. For now, SMA is definitely that better grip or step if I may. Sort of like a child-proof, sandpaper covered, de-iced, covered with an awesome insurance policy type of step in life. Back to the academia pre-tangent speak, I see myself obtaining a Master’s in Education soon, possibly going further. The fact is I love to teach, when I’m in the mood. Seriously it is something fun and enjoyable. Nothing beats putting a classroom to sleep. Who are we kidding?
So let’s go ahead and wrap this one up. In one word I can describe myself as… wait – one word? I need more time on that one! More after the break.
Posted by Janet at SMA 
OK, so maybe that’s pushing it a bit, but over the last few years I’ve noticed that IT departments appear to be moving up to higher floors and nicer offices. Back in the ’90’s it seemed that when I would visit a client for a meeting, the IT departments were often in the basement, sometimes without windows and almost always cramped conditions. 
