It has been a minute. Apologies for those of you who read this on the reg (why?). My endeavor this year is to keep writing for me. Not a resolution, but a goal that I have had for some time. I have had this site for years now and did nothing with it. My intent was to have open source materials for people. It still is. Things that you can use as a model to start up a medical device or a product development program.
I have other endeavors as well. You should too. Quality is about the community and it is about you as well. You are a key part of the community that looks after a corner of the world with a different set of eyes.
You should be well rounded and healthy or you can't put the mask on for anyone else. Take care of you first so you can take care of others. Do that and you figured out some really good life stuff and a way to be happy.
If you are reading this, here is the audience that I am writing for:
- You believe that quality is both a regulatory requirement and a mindset
- Empathy is critical
- You know that power and ladder climbing is the quickest way to abandon the above
- You have a story as to why you stay late, do what it takes, and have the integrity to keep going
- You are likely tired and feel isolated and alone in your quality journey (spoiler, you are not).
- You likely have a MAD rampant case of imposter syndrome
- You know you don't know it all (bigger spoiler, you can't)
I am getting this post off my chest because I seem to have folks reading this for some reason and I always get royally pissed off when I find that the people I am reading in trying to be edgy, say something that I hope that it isn't them, but they end up closing the door for me. I am not saying I am looking for an echo chamber. I am looking to build a community, or a corner of a room conversation that is like jazz. Something that flows, is natural and makes the corner a better, cooler place to be. Cool daddy-o? If so, welcome to the corner.
My first instinct was to talk about my family. They are my horizon. That is all I should say about them. And frankly that is all you should need to know about where my universe is defined. My family consists of blood, marriage, and friends. They are my tribe. My tribe grows through serendipity and friendship and shrinks through choice and life's path.
I am a nerd. A tech nerd. As I have said before, an engineer. I find systems and mechanisms fascinating regardless if they are intimate or biological based.
Computers are my jam. Fiction. Lego (particularly Star Wars). Books of the audio persuasion. Audio engineering and music. 3D printing. Teaching people. Photography/videography.
I am a Mac nerd, but I build windows based computers for my friends. I am a data hoarder. I am paperless as much as practical.
My imposter syndrome is based on being in the right place and the right time. I have been in rooms talking with people I have ABSOLUTELY no business talking too and that they listen just floors me. I have met basketball legends, actors, senators, congress people, heads of big federal agencies, tech influencers, and some other interesting humans all while David Byrne is singing "How did I get here?". In the end, I am just me and that is all I know how to be.
Seeing things I do exist in the world and do things, absolutely makes my heart cry a little with some self pride.
Okay so why write this. Samuel Florman wrote the "The Introspective Engineer". If all you take from it is the title, great. This is my message to you on introspection. Take time to be honest with yourself about the good and the bad. Recognize the good and the bad. Accept you and work on those things you want to be. Be those things. Bad does not mean accept diabolical shit. It means that you give yourself grace for the normal human shit that you aren't especially proud of.
I have lost some friends over the years and it is on me. In this pursuit of 'me' which was not always well guided, I did things and didn't do things that I should not have been proud of at the time and I am surely not proud of now. I didn't waive a wand and 'forgive' myself, I didn't just move on. I learned from them more than they will ever know. I agonized and still do. I am so very sorry. But life will move on and I can accept being the bad guy in someone's life because I was. I will and have tried to do better.
I want us to be better, to share this stuff in our corner of the room so we can realize that we can change ourselves and that means we can change the world by being okay. Not happy, but just okay. I want the jazz to flow out of us. I want the band to be envied and I want as many players as possible to join in the jam session. Total nerd...
Find out who you are, be introspective and find your path. Here for you if you need it.