Over the last 15 years of my career, there have been certain moments in time when I have been struck with the realization of why I love the field I am in so much. Technology has been the foundation for which my career, and life for that matter, has been built upon. It has opened doors for me, created and helped foster relationships, and has taught me many of life's most important lessons. From the first line of code I ever wrote to the biggest project I have ever managed, technology has shaped the way I look at the world.
Of course there have been ups and down, struggles and regrets, but at the end of the day, it is technology and programming that has crafted the way I think, innovate and create. Here are the joys of creating and implementing technology-based solutions and programs...
The pure joy of making things
No matter what it is: a software program, blog post, website, etc., there is something to be said for just creating something. Anything. And while I have often complained about never having made anything "tangible", I am happy to have gotten the chance to be a part of teams that created unbelievable things in the digital space. The reach of a digital product is what makes it so powerful and fun. While all digital products are made of the same 1's and 0's, it is the concept and creativity of a team that bring digital products to life.
The pure joy of making things that are useful to others
Making something is one thing, but making something that others use is another thing all by itself! Recently I helped a former colleague out with a spreadsheet he was having problems with. He was tracking a simple set of numbers on a sheet, but his numbers were off. Come to find out, he was using a calculator on his desk and plugging the numbers into the sheet manually, causing human-error. In just a couple of minutes, I reorganized his spreadsheet and put formulas in the cells to auto-calculate the results. He uses the spreadsheet everyday, so I can't describe how good it feels to create even a simple formula to help him do his job easier. That is one very small example, but I have been lucky enough to have been a part of big and small projects that changed how people worked.
Fascination with complex systems
Ever look at a plane and wonder how the heck a machine like that can fly? I am amazed by how far civilization has come - even in the past 20 years. Heck, 10 years for that matter! Technology is both simple and complex. One line of code can be simple to write, but when that one line of code is part of 25,000 other lines of complex code, that one line of code can bring the whole system down. And "lines of code" run many of the things we rely on in our every day lives: computers, mobile phones, airplanes, traffic control lights, etc., etc. When you sit back and look at how amazing and complex our world is, you have a greater appreciation for technology.
You never stop learning
If there is one industry where you need to always be on your toes, it is technology. Hardware, software, processes and methodologies change so fast that you cannot afford not to always be learning. This is going to sound really preachy, but it is the truth, so take note newly appointed college graduates: Be willing to change your habits if you want to be successful...
That is not to say that I don't have fun, because I do. I watch worthless TV shows every now and then, go golfing, and flip through the latest issue of ESPN Magazine, but the point I am making is that you have to find ways to continuing learning. After school ends, you are no longer "required" to learn, but you are going to have to motivate yourself to do it anyways. The technology industry forces you to do it, but I enjoy it, so that is why technology is for me.
Like a magician, you can create things from nothing
Like a magician who pulls a rabbit out of a hat, a programmer can create anything out of nothing. Give a programmer a text editor and web server access and he/she can create software programs that do just about anything. Tell a programmer or technologist what your business problem is, and mostly likely they can solve it. I love technology because it is very similar to basketball - you don't need much to play. In hockey, you need to buy hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars worth of equipment, not to mention ice to skate on. With basketball, all you need is a hoop and a ball, and there are tons of publicly-accessible hoops out there! With technology, you just need a computer to sit down at, and you can get that for free at any public library (which just happens to have tons of reading materials on how to program too!). Anyone with a love for technology can create something out of nothing.
I love the technology game and all that it has taught me...
Friday, May 25, 2012 at 11:40AM 
I have been a fan of Google+ since it's initial rollout, but have struggled to really put much time into giving it the full "Bob Stanke presence", if you will. But recently I have gotten more involved in the community over there because I like a lot of the features it has to offer over other social networks like Facebook and Twitter. I like the overall look and feel, the mobile component, and unbelievable photo presentation it offers. And lately I have been involved in quite a few of Google+ Hangouts - a great video experience the platform pioneered (you can see my latest Hangout where I was a guest panelist on a sports business show by clicking here).
