The Java Diaries

Paths

And all the roads that led you there were winding

12 years ago this time I was deciding where I should go, what I should study, at university. I was also four months away from deciding I would try to be happy in spite of my newfound queerness.

The Cult of Busy

I do quite a few things. Run a startup. Run two non-profits. Mentor queer kids. Spend a lot of time with my family, partner and our dog. Play video games. Paint the house. Cook for friends. Take my dog on long walks. Even, gasp, sleep!

The Lonely Road

If it has ever occurred to you to start something, you know how lonely that can get. If you do that chronically, you probably over-estimate your abilities, have a high threshold for pain, or you’re downright insane. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Screenshots That Keep You Going

A year ago at precisely this time, I was on the cusp of making the leap.

Balance

What I learned about running a company from drinking cocktails.

Don’t Work With Assholes

There’s a wealth of literature out there about this, but it can never be said enough. Too many people work with assholes.

You see them everywhere.

The cafe owner that takes a shortcut by hiring an asshole barista? The barista plays…

Stress Balls.

What drives us to create companies?

Some time ago, some people (read: entrepreneurs) I follow on Twitter posed a seemingly innocuous question. What drives us, as so-called entrepreneurs, to do what we do? Is it hubris? Ego? Is it an out-sized and…