Rediscovering Passion, Collaboration, and the Power of Music
Last week marked the kickoff of the 2023 global hackathon at Microsoft, and let me tell you, it wasn’t my first rodeo. Back in 2021, we clinched the top spot in a category, and my name found a cozy spot on a glass panel somewhere in the hallowed halls of Microsoft HQ. But this time around, there was something undeniably different in the air.
For starters, our organization flew in folks from every corner of the globe and carved out dedicated spaces for our projects. They even sprinkled in some social events, which I’ll delve into shortly, and customized goodies like stickers and banners were everywhere. We used to do this once or twice a year, but it always felt more like networking than a coding extravaganza. But this year, both events were aligned.
Now, let me give you a little context. I’m a bit of a paradox—I’m inherently shy, but I draw my energy from socializing. It’s strange, I know. I have to muster up some courage to strike up conversations with new folks, but once I do, I’m absolutely charged. Plus, I’m deeply passionate about coding. I can spend hours in front of the screen crafting something marvelous.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate because Microsoft brings all these things to the table: deep pockets to fly people in, world-class facilities to host us, a collection of incredibly smart, cool, diverse, and one-of-a-kind individuals, and some of the most rad engineering projects on the planet.
So, last week was like a dream come true for me. I got to dive headfirst into two of my greatest passions: coding/engineering and music. There was one hack project (I am pushing to open-source it soon, I’m in the verification process), and then there was the musical endeavor. We formed a rock band that performed at our internal events. It wasn’t just about collaborating with fantastic engineers; it was also about jamming with some supremely talented and fun-loving people, all in jaw-dropping venues with mind-blowing projects. It could look like every time I start thinking on changing of teams this week cames.
The week sped by in a blur of activity, and after the obligatory celebration at the Seattle Aquarium (which was an epic party, by the way), I finally had a moment to reflect. I hadn’t realized how demotivated I’d become in various aspects of my work until the weekend rolled around, and all the noise, glitz, cool and beautiful things faded away. This blog post itself is a testament to that – a journal that had been gathering dust for years. It wasn’t until I dove into cleaning up the code or felt the pangs of social withdrawal that I put pen to paper, so to speak.
In the process, I learned a few things about myself that I want to immortalize in this journal, for my own sake and for anyone else who might find them useful:
- There’s nothing quite like working alongside talented people to rev up my engines. Whether it’s collaborating with brilliant engineers or providing the musical backdrop for singers, it’s like rocket fuel for my creativity.
- I thrive on whole-stack projects – the more comprehensive, the better.
- I love to spend time and I am amazed by engineers that are self-directed, that with few directions can make things happen, specially if the things happen are very similar to what I had in mind.
- Generalists rocks! Generalists should rule the world!
- Music is my lifeblood. It courses through my veins 24/7, and I can’t get enough of it. Not only do I constantly have a soundtrack in my head, but delving deep into music, learning new instruments, and performing are things that’ll always bring me joy, till my last breath. Learning about new genres and artists also brings me joy.
Somewhere along the way, I had lost my motivation. But a handful of people during that week managed to jog my memory and remind me of the version of myself from a decade ago. Yes, that means it reminded me of my defects and flaws, but also unearthed my strengths. Now, how long will this newfound motivation last? Well, that’s anyone’s guess. It could be a few days, or it might stretch into months. But for now, I’m just relishing every moment of it.