To quote Kipling –
“If history were taught in the form of stories it would never be forgotten”

…and, I think, neither would complex or technical information.

Kim

So, wonderful to hear from my long lost friend. When I wrote this, I was focused on role models in the context of work and technology. It is good to hear about your role models for other parts of your life.

One of my role models as a mother and just as an all around human being is my husband’s mom, Isabel Allen. She created around herself an amazing extended family, readily adopting the best friends and loved ones of her children. When Bruce and I got married, she said she was delighted to have another daughter.

Thanks for finding me and sharing your stories. I look forward to getting back in touch.

Love,
Sarah

I really enjoyed your discussion about role models. I’ve yearned for role models of any kind. As a teenager of the 70s with a mom and dad caught up in rapidly changing times, and as the youngest of four, I was neglected; Any role models that entered my world would have to work hard to break the dispassioned and insecure shell I created to survive it. I’ve struggled and still struggle today.

However, today, my mom is my role model. I marvel at her courage. In 1997 my father died, and my mom became a matriarch. She did so with grace, grace and more grace. I’m so pleased to finally get to this place in my relationship with her.

In my heart of hearts I’m an artist, and so added to my list is Judy Silvan, a longtime friend. She has created a home full of color and style for herself and son and she generously shares it with her friends. Together she and I create buckwheat hull pillows for sale. I love this project creating beautiful art. I learn from her all the time.

Anybody that demonstrates courage is my role model. Frank McCourt author of Angela’s Ashes became an instant hero for me.

Thank you Sarah for creating this venue to become acquainted with you again. May you continue to be blessed.
Love,
Tina

Thanks for taking the time to share your story. I’m glad you have found reliable partners who trust you. I wish you success in the programming competition! Even if you don’t win, you will learn a lot by taking the initiative and completing the project. I agree that having role models does not guarantee success, but I do believe it simplifies my thinking when I can learn from someone else’s success. There is no substitue for believing it is possible. Hang in there at work and keep at it.

All my best,
Sarah

When I started a real job as intern, I finally learned what they say about “the doubt became real and tangible”, especially doubts from bosses. According to a national wide investication, feeling being under-estimated and ill-treated are the most common sense of female programmers all over China. But there is nothing to complain. On the contrary, I feel lucky to be in IT. Because in this world, the advantage is relatively describable and comparable(I think this point is what coding over art). All I need to do is make the advantage prominent enough. So I took part in national programming competitions, expecting something good can be given upon the good ideas and hardworks. Now I have reliables partners who were my former colleagues and classmates. Although they have doubts too, I’m so grateful to the trust they give me so that we can fight together.

Career is supposed to be the flask, in which one can finally distill her best. Role models? Yes, they tell you what you may expect from the distilling, but not simplify or guarantee this in any way. It takes long to form a role models. Succesful stories are good donation to accelerate this process. Hope we won the national prize! So that I can donate a bit myself too. Btw, guess what tech we take? Surely Laszlo! :)

I really liked this piece. It’s definitely a big help to have good role models. When I was getting my ms in computer science it was the notion of being like some crazy haired scientist from a b-movie with a strange accent who gets to build robots and travel in minature submarines through a person’s body that helped motivate me during the tough points.

My four big role models have been my mother, my father, Harvey Pekar and one of my grandmothers.

My mother taught me how to be a workahaulic. My father taught me how to relax and waste time properly. Harvey Pekar taught me how you can do something great in your free time, regardless of what the job of the day is. And my gram taught me how to just see life as one big entertaining story, where peoples strenths and weaknesses are all just a part of the big joke.

I’m still a bit confused on the whole work life, personal life balance thing, partly as a result of being in this industry and partly because I’m just that way. Life is good though. Thank you for your story.

great article!

But you, of course!

nice place you have. and great work.

trust me. people like you inspire me to learn more.

thank you.