Without the motivation of Nate, Nick, and Paul, blogging did not happen this summer. Thanks to mattrosno.blogspot.com being featured in the Raikes Summer Newsletter, I'm back. Although these highlights could be spread across multiple blog posts, here is my summer in a nutshell.
IBM Extreme Blue Internship - This summer I studied Facebook and Twitter and learned about social networking in the workplace. Mike Cassidy from Mercury News (Silicon Valley's newspaper) wrote an article on my team: Looking at the Valley through fresh eyes.
Sometimes it takes a new set of eyes to see a place for what it really is. I found mine — actually four sets — in a windowless room nestled in the hills above South San Jose, at IBM's Almaden Research Center. There a team of four interns was finishing up a summer project that could change the way (thank goodness) we sift through the tweets and updates and pokes and shout-outs and blog posts and notes from bosses that social-networking tools have trained on us like a relentless blast from a fire hose.In particular, the interns were interested in finding ways to make sense of social-networking overload in business settings — settings where a worker might be involved in several simultaneous projects, spread out among many development teams.
Travel to CA - I drove with my dad to California at the beginning of the summer and it was less like a long drive, more like vacation. We drove through Vegas and took Highway 1 up the coast. We stayed at the New York New York casino and I was five for five in sitting down at blackjack tables and not loosing money. On the coast we visited Monterey and Santa Cruz, and lots of elephant seals along the way.
Half Dome at Yosemite - I hiked it (and didn't want to move the following days). 17 miles and a 5000 foot climb. All eight interns that attempted the hike made it to the top and survived the decent back to the parking lot. We downed many pitchers that night in celebration of a successful hike.
Sequoia National Park - I saw the biggest tree in the world. Luke and I did a 12 mile hike to Pear Lake in the park and it was absolutely beautiful. Although we only saw one bear, it was a fun 4th of July weekend.
Wine Tasting in the Santa Cruz Mountains - We visited two wineries, Savannah Chanelle and Byington, and finished the day on the beach at Capitola.
IBM Headquarters - At the end of the summer IBM flew all Extreme Blue interns from the US and Canada to NYC for an end-of-summer expo. We left for NYC a couple days early for vacation and although it was nice seeing the city again, my favorite part was dropping good money for a Yankees - Red Soxs game at Yankee Stadium.
Nate & AJ Live - Since returning to Nebraska I have had the privilege of hearing Nate & AJ Live three times. I was happy to hear new songs in the set list...even a new original about me!
