The last quarter I eased back on my speaking engagements, largely because I needed to spend more time with my family and because conferences are fairly light in the third quarter. Nevertheless, I woke up on January 1, 2013 to a rather pleasant e-mail - I had been awarded a Microsoft MVP in ASP.Net/IIS. To say this came as a surprise would be a lie, but I had been skeptical if I was going to get the award, given how competitive the awards are. There tens of thousands of professionals all over the world vying for one of these awards, and in some categories (C# and SharePoint, in particular), you have to go through multiple vetting cycles before you end up receiving the award.
{% pullquote left %} For those unfamiliar, {“ an MVP Award is given to exceptional technical community leaders who actively share their high quality, real world expertise with others. ”}. No doubt, that’s how I see myself (though a little more modest). I realize that there are some people who only care to get awards such as these as yet another way to pad the resume. Those individuals most definitely do what they do for the wrong reasons. {% endpullquote %}
I do what I do for a number of reasons. First, I love to hear myself talk. Just kidding. Those who know me know I can be (somewhat) shy in the company of others, and never as boisterous as some of those in a clique (I’m looking at you Devlin and Bud :-P). That said, I do love meeting new people. I’ve forged some really great relationships with people in the community that I would love to work with (and some of them now do!). Even if I never have that opportunity, being able to meet for beers after work with these people is a whole lot of fun.
But, while meeting new people is fun, I consider speaking as a selfless act. I don’t speak for myself - I speak for you, the community. If nobody wanted to hear what I had to say, then my conference rooms would be empty and I’d likely stay behind my computer or doing other things to help out. However, the fact that I’ve concentrated on putting together such high-quality, passionate talks on a variety of different technical and professional areas has proven to be useful to many people in my audience. What matters most is having an impact on at least one person’s perception of a topic, whether that’s opening their eyes to a new technology, providing a different perspective on how to write software, or simply inspiring them to try again at something they previously failed at - that’s what I really love.
{% pullquote right %} Some people see the award as an affirmation that they are the most elite, technically proficient individiuals in the world. I won’t lie - that’s how I’ve always percieved Microsoft MVPs. Some of them are stellar individuals who really are at the top of their game. However, to assume that I’ve reached the pinnacle of my technical abilities is far from the truth. {“ I thought I was a hot shot coming into Improving Enterprises; working with such a talented, professional, and wonderful group of technologists and mentors has really helped me remain consistently modest about my technical abilities. ”} {% endpullquote %}
In our field, there are experts, people who cannot achieve a level higher than they are already at. However, those individuals are experts on such a niche topic, that field itself is already evolved to its maximum potential, allowing for experts to finally attain their place. However, I see myself as extremely proficient in a lot of the areas I work - SharePoint, PHP, ASP.Net, and systems administration, in particular. That said, because each of those areas are so broad and have so many different uses, it’s impossible for me to become an “expert” in these fields. It’s hard for anyone to become an expert in these fields. If you come across anyone who claims to be an expert, I guarantee you’ll find gaps in their knowledge somewhere. That’s how I view experts - people who know everything there is to know.
With that said, I am humbled to know that Microsoft does see me as not only a skilled technologist, but that my contributions to the community are useful. That’s ultimately how I view this MVP Award - it’s affirmation that I should continue to do what I’m doing. It’s Microsoft willing to expend resources and provide me with information that will continue to help me educate my audience.
I don’t (and won’t) hold my MVP award above anyone else - that’s just not the type of person I am. Instead, I proudly wear this badge of honor as a beacon for others to reach out to ask questions. I’m always interested in helping people out - that’s why I work for Improving Enterprises. Their motto directly aligns with my goals - Improving - It’s what we do.
I would not be receiving this award if it weren’t for the help of Improving Enterprises. The company actively encourages community participation, and goes above and beyond to help each other out with mentoring, guidance, and access to some of the best people in our area. There are two people from Improving who have been great motivators and put their necks on the line to vouch for me - Devlin Liles and Tim Rayburn. You guys rock and I love working with you both! Allen Hurst, my mentor for the last two and a half years, has truly been an inspiration, and has become one of my best friends. Without him, I likely wouldn’t have been such an avid speaker. Zain Naboulsi and Chris Koenig, both from Microsoft, were also a great help towards getting me vetted through the MVP process and deserve major kudos.
Of course, I would not be nearly as successful at the things I do without my family. I thank my father, David Weldon, for showing me the way early in being a speaker. For as long as I can remember, my father not only attended medical conferences, but was frequently a speaker at them, and often times went out of his way to make sure that I could attend to watch him speak. While I rarely ever understood the material, his charisma and style of presenting have rubbed off - in a very positive way. Thank you, dad.
Finally, to my wife, Melissa, and son, Tristan, you both deserve the sun and the moon. You both motivate me to continually be a better person, encourage me when I am under stress, and are understanding when I am not around. I am often times not around or am too busy to spend the quality time you two deserve, and for that I’m sorry. I shout from my proverbial mountain top how much I love you both, and how much you both mean to me, and thank you both so incredibly much for being such a wonderful and patient family.
]]>2011 was a marathon year for myself and Melissa, for many different reasons. While I always feel the need to revel in my accomplishments, I usually try not to gloat. Yet, looking at that year proved much more fruitful for us in many respects. Beyond all the wonderful comments, positive responses, and other benefits that came with these accomplishments, I feel it necessary to share how the year went in hopes that it may inspire others (including some close friends) to do the same for themselves. In this three part series, I’d like to start with one of our most significant accomplishments: weight loss.
Let’s put it bluntly - I was fat. Borderline obese, as a matter of fact. At my worst point in 2010, I weighed in at 217 pounds. At a height of 5'10", that puts me at 31.1, fairly obese. Melissa and I realized that as Tristan grew and honed those energy vampire skills, we were going to have a difficult time keeping up. Furthermore, we had several honest discussions about how the future was going to affect us if we maintained our current lifestyle. Obesity is linked to numerous different health problems, of which the cost to resolve is not cheap, and there is the increased risk of heart attack and/or stroke with obesity. After careful consideration, we came up with the following three goals which would shape our attitude for the remainder of the year:
{% pullquote %}
The cornerstone of this being a success was diet. However, Melissa and I had tried numerous diets over our relationship, all of which resulted in immediate weight loss, then a seemingly-never-ending plateau. So, after Melissa did further research, she came across the Candida Yeast Free Diet. {“ The core concept of the diet is simple: eliminate candida yeasts which prohibit the body from being able to properly digest food and lose weight. ”} The basics were simple: cut out sugar, caffiene, alcohol, dairy, gluten, and yeast. This was quite a challenge, as we regularly consumed all of those ingredients. We recognized that sugar and alcohol were some of the biggest inhibitors of weight loss, so we were okay with cutting those. However, gluten, caffiene, and dairy were an integral part of our diets, past and present, and would be difficult.
{% endpullquote %}
Melissa came across a highly recommended book, the Complete Candida Yeast Guidebook that would provide us the necessary instructions, guidance, and recipes to follow. The diet in the book was intriguing as it was borderline Vegan (though it did not restrict the consumption of meat). Melissa and I at that point had been eating strictly vegetarian, but had not made the plunge to go anywhere near Vegan - mainly because we liked our ice cream too much. :-P But, there were plenty of recipes that included a variety of vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains that made for a wholesome and wonderful diet.
We took the pluge starting on January 19, 2011. I weighed in at 202.8 pounds. The changes were rather immediate, actually. The first was the fact that I wasn’t starving myself: I was able to eat a lot of food made through the recipes. Yet, since it was mostly veggies and gluten-free grains, my body processed it quite effectively. This resulted in the first immediate change: having more energy. For once, I was getting the right nutrients, in the right quantities, with foods that didn’t send my body into a catatonic state. The weight started to trickle off at a rather steady pace: averaging about 0.25-0.5 pounds a day. But the interesting part: it didn’t stop coming off that fast. Indeed, by March 1st, I weighed in at 185.6 pounds and was feeling fantastic!
{% img /images/posts/2012-05-08-weight-loss/weightloss-beforemarch.png Weight Loss - Pre-March 2011 %}
Melissa and I kept up the weight loss, and by the time I stopped tracking on June 24, 2011, I weighed in at 165.8 pounds, and when I checked again in August I had come down to my goal weight of 150 pounds! That made for 52.8 pounds lost when I started, and nearly 70 pounds lost from my peak weight in 2010!
{% img /images/posts/2012-05-08-weight-loss/weightloss-complete.png Complete Weight Loss Tracking %}
Melissa had similar great success with this diet, and both of us were ecstatic to have managed to lose such a significant amount of weight. However, despite coming down to a healthy weight range, both myself and Melissa are still not at the ultimate point that we want to be. Both of us still have fat around our midsections that we would like to continue to lose. This has led to a partial obsession with wanting to continue leaning up. I’ve recognized that at this point, the necessary training for me to help lose the fat around my midsection involves performance training which will increase muscle strength and tone, meaning I have to gauge my goals differently: body fat percentage as compared to weight. I’ve already been undergoing strength training and am seeing some amazing differences.
Despite trying to apply perfectionism to my body, I wanted to do a side-by-side comparison to see what the weight loss really had done for me. I recognize that I’ve lost a significant amount of weight, but given that it’s been longer than a year since I’ve been > 200 pounds, I had forgotten how bad it used to be, and how great I look (and feel) now. One of the first images I did the comparison of was of my face. The left image was my profile picture from when I worked at the College of Architecture (approx. 2009). The right image was from when I went to Chicago in fall 2011.
{% img center /images/posts/2012-05-08-weight-loss/face-before-and-after.png Face Pictures - Before and After %}
As if that’s enough of a comparison, let’s look at a full body image. The following image really shows the significant contrast from December 2010 (left image) to April 2012 (right image).
{% img center /images/posts/2012-05-08-weight-loss/body-before-and-after.png Body Pictures - Before and After %}
I wouldn’t have been able to lose all of this weight if it weren’t for everyone in my life. My coworkers, my friends, and my family were all strong supporters of my weight loss goals, especially when they saw the weight practically melting off my body. But, most of all, the significant amount of credit goes out to my wife, Melissa. She championed the weight loss initiative, did all the leg work to research and find the diet, but most importantly, spent countless hours slaving in the kitchen cooking these meals for our diet. I kid you not: she spent regularly about 4-6 hours in the kitchen cooking our meals. Without her passion for loosing weight, without her passion to see us succeed, and without her sweet words of encouragement, I wouldn’t have been able to succeed to the degree that I have. Thank you, Nis. I love you!
]]>{% img right /images/posts/agiledotnet-houston.png 200 103 AgileDotNet Houston 2012 %}
The first in my lineup of conferences is AgileDotNet - Houston on April 20th. This is a conference focused on two core topics: Agile Software Development and .Net technologies. We’ve got an amazing lineup of speakers for this event, both from Improving and from other groups including Microsoft, EPS Software, and other companies. I’m the development track manager for the conference and have made sure that all of the topics are focused on Agile development with .Net technologies - without the sales pitches you would normally get at other conferences. I emphasize technology generalization in the talks in this track, and these speakers do a wonderful job sticking to that goal. I will be presenting Beyond TDD - How to Enable Your Team to Continuously Deliver Software. This is a very thought-provoking presentation on how to get your team to the point where it can continuously deliver software. It was very well received at AgileDotNet Dallas and several user groups that I’ve spoken at recently.
The other perks of this conference are really nifty. All attendees get a free (as in beer) subscription to CODE Magazine, 6 PMI PDUs (if you’re a project management professional), and a free ticket to see the Astros beat the hell outta the Dodgers. Did I mention the plethora of free food and beverages at the event? Improving sure knows how to throw a party.
{% pullquote %} If you’re interested in coming, go to www.agiledotnet.com. {“ Use code CHRIS for 25% off the ticket price. ”} It’s the best value Agile conference you’ll find in Texas. {% endpullquote %}
{% img left /images/posts/sharepointsaturday-houston.jpg 400 75 SharePoint Saturday - Houston %}
I’ll be speaking for my first time at SharePoint Saturday Houston on April 28th. This is an excellent and free conference for the SharePoint community. Many SharePoint MVPs, MCMs, and other great talent will be there to deliver a wealth of knowledge. There are several different tracks, including Administration/Architecture, Developer, Business/General, IT Pro, and Power/End User/Case Study. I will be presenting Why Your Identity Model is Wrong - Leveraging Claims to Open to the Cloud. This talk is centered around the Windows Identity Foundations in SharePoint 2010 and how organizations need to change how they provision identities to enable the transition to the cloud easier.
I highly suggest registering for this conference if you’re a user, developer, or administrator of SharePoint. You can register via their website at www.sharepointsaturday.org/houston.
{% img right /images/posts/lsp-logo.png 200 163 Lone Star PHP %}
To bring Q2 2012 to a close, I will be one of the privileged speakers at the Lone Star PHP conference in Dallas, TX. This is the second year they are hosting this event, and it’s been expanded to two days due to overwhelming interest the first year (I believe they sold out). This year’s speaker lineup includes great names in the PHP community, including Cal Evans, Chris Hartjes, Keith Casey and so many other wonderful speakers. Oh yea, including myself. I’ll be presenting SOLID - Not Just a State of Matter, It’s Principles for OO Propriety.
Any PHP developer in and around Texas should come out to this conference as it will be extremely rewarding. Why are you still reading? Register now!
]]>Today I’ve completed the conversion and re-launch of my blog. Previously I had been using Wordpress, but after having it hacked several times and loosing the customized template I made, I became rather disinterested in blogging. It has been converted to Octopress. My disinterest was because I didn’t want to deal with the platform (Wordpress). I hated the fact that it was database-driven and was prone to so many vulnerabilities and required more maintenance than I had time to deal with. I hated the way the default template looked, yet didn’t want to find another off-the-shelf template and be one of the many out there with the same template. I like to be unique. Ultimately, I hated writing blog posts in Wordpress. I’m a web developer, and I like writing documents that are going on the web in good ‘ole html.
{% pullquote %} Did I dislike writing content? Far from it. Inquire with my wife. She’ll tell you how much I like to write. The last year and a half, an internal debate was waging: am I missing the whole point of blogging (that is, the content), or am I really wanting to turn my website into a platform that helps market me as a person? The more I thought about it, the more I realized the latter was what I wanted, but the former is all I have time for. As a consultant and community advocate, {“ I spend a lot of time thinking about how to market myself as an individual ”}, much less the company I work for (Improving Enterprises). Ultimately, the name recognition within the community is what enables me to be invited to more speaking engagements, which in turn gets me into the larger, national conferences. Being recognized helps drive engagement, whether it’s helping to answer a community question, or whether it’s becoming engaged with a new project. {% endpullquote %}
The first aspect of looking at my identity was a logo. Several of the best consultants and designers on the web have a logo that definitely is unique to them. Coming up with a logo for yourself is hard, especially when you’re not the most apt designer. I knew of several traits that I wanted to portray (without being too literal), yet I couldn’t get any good design to push from my brain through the pencil. Ultimately, I gave up with this approach and tried to focus on the blog. I figured that once I had the blog design out of the way, it would be easier to come up with the logo design. Sadly, I had been out of commission long enough to have lost my skills of drafting good designs. Combined with the fact that work was getting extremely busy, I had to abandon the approach of a new blog design altogether.
{% pullquote left %} Thus, we’re back at square one - figuring out how whether to focus on identity or blogging. I opted to do a review of my blog, just to see how much identity I had really pushed into that. To my chagrin, there weren’t a lot of posts on what I feel defines me as an individual; it seemed very sporadic, and I actually have more posts on systems administration than I do on software development. That’s when {“ I realized that I can be the most effective by focusing on my content now, and working on identity later. ”} {% endpullquote %}
In this blog revamp, I did a number of different things. First, all code samples are using the Octopress code blocks to have consitent syntax highlighting. Second, I have simplified the categories into the following:
These are the primary three types of individuals that I market to on my blog, so hopefully splitting up the blog into these separate sections will allow more RSS subscribers to the category they are most interested in. Ultimately, if you are using an RSS reader (yet another reason why the branding of the site doesn’t matter for identity), you can subscribe to any of the following RSS feeds:
Ultimately, I hope this gives me more motivation to blog more regularly. Can I promise a regular schedule? This time, don’t count on it. I’ve stated so many times in the past that “I will get better about posting” and it never comes to fruition. In reality, I’m a busy guy, and posting to my blog is not the first thing on my mind. So, I encourage everyone to encourage me to post so that I may actually do it.
Cheers.
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