Unless It's Kicks
There is a peach tree in our yard that has always looked a bit pathetic. The previous owners planted it in a spot which does not provide it the sun it needs, so it has always suffered. It looks like it has too few branches, and the few that exist reach desperately toward the bit of sun they can feel. Yuling and I annually discuss removing it, but it has never been a priority.
Spring becomes most palpable in Seattle when the flowering trees start to bloom. We have one just outside the east-facing kitchen window. Spring is also when the sunrise most coincides with the time I rise from bed. That tree with the sunrise behind it is my favorite thing about this time of year.
This year, however, the kitchen-window tree is not alone. Our peach tree has also bloomed. We don’t recall it ever doing that before.
At home, things are good. I have fallen a bit off the wagon with letter writing.
This year will be Amelia’s final year at her preschool. In September, she will start Pre-K at a private Catholic school, Villa Academy. Depending on how it goes, she may continue there into K and beyond. [1] Their website has some seriously tantalizing drone footage of the campus.
Super-mom Yuling is still on parental leave and has provided Amelia with a great many extracurricular activities. She is currently enjoying music, soccer, swimming, and some early reading and math tutoring in the afternoons.
Jonathan is also doing well. Today he just discovered his ability to grab his feet and put them in his mouth. He kicks ferociously and is eager for the ability move around on his own.
In late May, Yuling and I will swap places when I take the second part of my parental leave. I look forward to sunny walks with him in the morning, and extracurriculars with Amelia in the afternoon.
In September, Jonny will also start full-time daycare, as both parents will be back at work.
Let’s not have another pandemic, please.
Work for now is good. The changes in our economic fortunes and possibility of a recession run as a unspoken undercurrent under everything we do. I still need to write my perspective on the layoffs that happened at Stripe last November, but my position still feels secure for the time being.
Yuling likewise survived a round of cuts at Google.
On the positive side, Stripe recently raised a Series I to provide employees (including me) some liquidity for the equity they have accumulated. This was a bit unique as generally when private companies raise equity, it is to fund their continued operation or some growth. In this case, the funding was purely to provide an exit for current and past employees who wanted it, with no dilution of the current shares. “How much are you going to sell?” has been an almost daily topic of discussion in one-on-one discussions since this was announced. Tax season next year will be spicy as I’m sure many employees adjusted their tax witholdings incorrectly.
In terms of actual work, I’m hoping really soon to have some stuff I’ve been writing about what I’ve been working on approved for external publication. After that, I generally want to write more industry focused stuff along side my family updates.
Otherwise, time for side projects is in very short supply. Amelia’s sleep schedule has shifted to her sleeping quite late, which means I generally have to choose between sleep myself and doing things such as writing this letter.
In July, we’ll be making the annual pilgrimage to Sun Lakes Park Resort. And then immediately after, we’ll be heading to SoCal to visit a few folks we haven’t seen in too long. A bold call on both accounts with two kids, but we’ll see what happens.
We’re also looking possibly a Whistler, B.C. trip in December.
That’s all for now. It was good catching up.
Until next time,
Aleks
[1] I am filled with opinions regarding private versus public schooling. Ask me sometime.