Goodbye 2018
I turned 50 at the end of March. I was very reflective around that time, starting to think about a future that might include retirement and pondering if I was currently where I wanted to be. Adjusting to my new employer starting in April hasn't always been easy, as I continue to struggle with different ideas about where priorities should be when time is limited. Over the years at Canadiana several projects were started without clear plans for completion or ongoing maintenance, and technological debt has built up. Early in April my mother had a heart attack. Her birthday was April 14'th, and we didn't know if family was getting together for a birthday or a funeral. When she managed to survive she was told she only had weeks or months to live - that it was unlikely she would see another Christmas. My mother's health has been declining for years, and life became harder for her after my father's death in 2009 . Decembers had already been particularly hard for her s