T minus 2 days: Blog Introduction

Those who've known me for some time know that this blog is long overdue. I've been interested in computers since I was a pre-teen and yet here I am signing up many years later. Like most things in life it was all about timing and priorities: just as blogging was taking off and the tools to make them were becoming more accessible, I was being distracted by something called medical school and residency. But, the wheel has finally turned and I'm ready to blog.

The timing is good because I'm about to discover that one of the myths I've always held about life may actually be true: you do get more free time after you finish school! (Well, there are actually several huge caveats as you will soon see). Secondly, for the first time in my life I'm moving not just a long way from home but to one of the far corners of Canada. On the one hand I'm going to be very far away from everybody I know and yet on the other hand it's going to be quite an adventure. Also, I'm not the type of person who brings his work home and my family can attest to the fact that I rarely talk to them about my work. However, moderation is the key and talking about work will not only get the stress out but also help others understand what makes you tick. So, followers of this blog will not only be able to keep up with what's going on in my life but also discover what it is I do for a living.

Lastly, as you might see from the blog's tagline in the banner, I have a more ambitious goal for this blog. For those who aren't familiar with the term, "walkabout" comes from the Australian Aboriginal people and it refers to a personal or spiritual quest. When one has become overburdened with work, duties, and obligations you can start to lose yourself. As you drift further and further away from your true self, you eventually reach a crisis point and you have to "go on a walkabout". Leaving everything behind (except essentials) you would then walk, and walk, and walk some more until you eventually meet yourself. Once you find yourself, you sit down and have a very long talk. If things work out, when you finish you'll be alone and whole once more.

This is my walkabout.