7 posts categoriesd under “personal”
2019 Year in Review
Yes, it’s that time again. Time for another recap of what happened last year. If you’re reading this, and you’re not me, you probably are mostly interested in the most popular articles from last year, in case you missed something others found interesting. So, I’ll start with those. If you’re looking for other years in review, or want a checklist to help with writing your own year in review article…
PSAT Observations
The PSAT or preliminary SAT is a test that US high school students take in their junior year. It is also known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Although it is a single test, it can have huge implications for the students taking it. Depending on a student’s score, they may be selected as a National Merit Finalist. Aside from sounding cool, this title alone might allow them…
Be a Thankful Developer
It doesn’t cost much to acknowledge those who have helped you, and it can be very rewarding. Regardless of where you are in your career as a software developer (or most other careers, but this is mainly directed at developers), show appreciation for those who make your job easier or who help you improve. This might be a peer or mentor who takes the time to guide you, it could be your boss or your…
Looking Back and Moving Forward
Last week I started a new chapter in my career as the Chief Technology Officer at Falafel Software. I’m really looking forward to this role, which I expect will allow me to be a leader in a technical organization that has a track record of success. It will also be refreshing to be a part of an organization that is focused on delivering services to customers, and which is still small enough that it…
Joining Telerik
Earlier this year, I wrapped up my work with The Code Project and Lake Quincy Media and returned to NimblePros, the consulting company Michelle and I started a few years ago and which she’s run quite successfully the last few years. NimblePros has been doing some great things the last couple of years, with revenues in 2011 doubling those of 2010. At the same time, we’ve been watching Telerik…
About Steve Smith (aka ardalis)
What’s an Ardalis? I pronounce Ardalis ar-DAL-us, but you’re welcome to pronounce it however you like. I started using it as my online username in the 90s because shockingly any consistent variation of ‘Steve Smith’ is hard to come by. I made up the name originally for a paladin character in a table top role-playing game (GURPS). Since then it’s become my online identity/handle, and I use the name…
House Shopping
This is totally non-technical – apologies in advance. If you’re reading with an aggregator, you can pick up the technical categories and omit the ‘Personal’ category to avoid such drivel in the future. I’ve been looking to move for a while, since my wife Michelle and I both work from home, and between that and our 2-year-old daughter, Ilyana, our current house just doesn’t have enough room (heck…
