Wednesday, May 30, 2007

You'll pardon my cynicism ...

"In a company with hardly any hierarchy, people talk and act freely, even walk around barefoot or perform backflips. They share everything: research, software code, bad jokes. Each feels empowered to make critical decisions. Everyone gets paid the same salary and gets equity in each of the five startups being incubated. And they all get the kind of benefits more common at major corporations. The resulting camaraderie is palpable in the ping-pong-paced banter and in the employees' favorite pasttime: Calvinball, named after the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, played with fitness balls and rules they make up as they go along."

Hmmm, like we haven't heard this before? Let me work independently, in my own time and space, and you can keep your Calvinball.

Speaking of freelancing, I've been thinking about potential employers who require free work. In the last few weeks, I've been asked several times to work for free, with an uncertain outcome. The most egregious example: A guy who not only asked for free work, but then put me on his ad-spam mailing list ... complete with a return receipt to ensure I read his spam. Jerk.

In happier thoughts, graduation was EXCELLENT. It was great seeing Sophie, Evan, Ben, Emily, and Angel walk that line.

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