Of course, working at MS does have its good side ...

Like when you go to just grab a drink and end up finding an entire CHOCOLATE MOTHERLODE CAKE from Claim Jumper.

A depressing analysis

I did what I told myself I wouldn't do, and looked at the best possible outcome for the Microsoft 1998 stock grants. These grants expire in less than 5 months, which means that you have to cash them out or get nothing. And "nothing" is definitely the worst-case scenario, but the best-case scenario would have been, of course, to cash out each 1/8 vesting at the highest possible price during the past seven years.

Turns out, if you had done this (I didn't), you would have made about 17 dollars per share ... compare that with the scenario where you hold on to all of it until the last minute (as I did): 1.80 / share.

So, holding the shares lost me about 10 times the profits. Wow.

Put in terms of my salary, that's like getting paid for a month of work compared with getting paid for almost one year of work. I'll try not to be bitter about the next year of work that I wouldn't otherwise have to do ... (oh boo hoo, poor me! ;-) )

Lesson learned: Buy low, sell high. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our anniversary (that is, Laurel and me, of course). Seven years! And they said it wouldn't last seven months! (OK, they said it wouldn't last SIX months, but it sounds better to match the years and the months).

In other yearly news, all evidence points to today also being Zuzu's 7th birthday! Happy Birthday, Zuzu ... we got you nothing, as you are a cat.

In still OTHER yearly news, Saturday was my nine-year anniversary at Microsoft! And they said it wouldn't last nine MINUTES (and it nearly didn't!)

The World Needs More Canada

We spent the weekend in Vancouver ... our seventh anniversary is tomorrow (Valentine's Day!) and we got engaged in Vancouver, so it seemed fitting. Click the picture for more.

The office webcam is back (for now)

Figured I'd try turning on the webcam again now that I'm in my new home in MS Building 9. We'll see how long I can run it before I get tired of having it on me ;-)