Birthday time again

Ah, once again my birthday is here and I get to pause to think about were I am on my life-time line. Of course we never know how long that line is but I choose to think that at now 49 I am a little over half way (but not much). This year I sit back with a nice smile on my face.

• A wife that loves me. (Judy)
• A school and a job that I love. (DSU)
• Two cats who need me (at least at dinner time). (Bandit and Samantha)
• Good long-time friends
• Great sisters and brother and in-laws
• much much more

I have it pretty good.

I just had one of my students stop by who is graduating this spring. He has a job waiting at just over $50,000 right out of school. We talked about his choices and it turns out he turned down another offer for $53,000. The job market is great for Computer Scientists at the moment with most of the kids I know getting offers from 47 to 53 thousand. Wow, to have that much financial security right out of school is nothing like when I graduated. The thing that really makes me feel old however is that a couple of my students are forgoing the money to go with smaller startup companies. Not the salaries nor benefits of the bigger places. I know I could not see myself taking that risk. "I could not see myself taking that risk" I think that says it all. Oh to be young and daring again. Oh well, I did that once, quit school, lived and skied in western Colorado, totally enjoyed having the rest of my life to settle down.

Yes, it was fun being young but I sure enjoy where I am now.

I really do have it pretty damn good.

(at least for one more year!)