Web Intelligence Doctoral Workshop 2010, Teaching CS 100 (n= 270+ students), Redbeard's Back to the Grind featuring Burns and Maciag, 2011 funding search, Sharing Productive Capital project, RCE Saskatchewan administration, Students Expanding Knowledge and Creativity 2011 conference planning, Arcade Fire, Cuff the Duke, Great Big Sea, BB King, Spamalot, and Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe with Matt Andersen....

...and oh ya, beginning the doctoral research! ...and hopefully some Burns and Maciag, interaction, and just some tMac recording somewhere in there as well.

4 completely crazy, fun-filled months sure do lie ahead! -tMac

Some of you who know me know that for the last 10+ years or so I have very much been an academic entity of sorts.  When I think back, really, I can pinpoint it to 2004 when I decided to further my studies after obtaining my Bsc. in Computer Science {CS} by entering the most mysterious of things, graduate school. This was when my interest in academia really began to flourish.  When I first decided to become a graduate student back in '04, I really only had a slight interest in the whole idea of research and development as a career path and, when I really think back, I surely had no interest in the whole teaching aspect attached to such career paths in higher learning.  However, as the years progressed, successfully obtaining my Msc. in CS and now being an active PhD Candidate in CS as well as successfully teaching both labs and courses at a university level, I have become quite fond of the whole research and development activity as well as teaching.  What surprised me even more is that as the years progressed (and are still progressing), is that I am becoming more well tuned, {refined} if you will to the point where I have significantly more confidence in my abilities in these regards; research and development, but even more so, teaching.

Those who know me well know that recently I decided to test out the other side of reality, the so-called "real-world" of industry.  Drastically different than academia, my brief time in industry has taught me that I have much to learn in how this side of life truly functions.   In academia, you have a lot of creative freedom and money and resource time (I really hate this word, "resource" and how it is used in industry); anyway, money and resource time in academia is really an afterthought.  What matters most in academia is the researching, the discussions, and the furthering of knowledge that leads towards a better understanding of things in general so that more research and development can follow.  In industry, sure this is still present, but it does more to a limited extent.  I'm slowly learning that time is the most precious element/aspect of industry; and time in relation to how much cost is associated with it.  I'm not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing.  What it is, I think, is that it is surely a very different way of getting things done as they relate to my perception of reality.  This mentality, I have recently learned, is something that is truly alien to me.

So, what I'm trying to say here is that both experiences, academic and industry, have been truly enlightening. Specifically this post is about my perception of industry as it relates to my brief experiences thus far.  So far, working in industry has posed many challenges, of which I am excited about as well as nervous and concerned.  These challenges have allowed me to get a better perspective of things, and specifically, where I actually may truly belong in this world {and what I truly want to be when I grow up..ha}.  Corny, maybe, and I haven't yet made up my mind, but I do have a better understanding of things. I know this may sound very cryptic to some of you reading this but I'm hoping those who know me, know what I'm trying to get across with these comments

I'm hoping this will be the first update of many that may occur throughout this year chronicling my new experiences in industry and of course, my continued academic ones.  I hope you can provide thoughts and insights as you join me in discussing this journey of mine.  I would very much appreciate it! - tMac