microserfs

For some reason, I've read more fun books this past month than in the last two years. That's not saying much, as I've only read one non-work-related book in the past two years. As you've probably figured out, reading usually isn't my thing.

But this past month, I've read Stephenson's Snow Crash and Coupland's Microserfs.

Both books were really enjoyable. Snow Crash was a great escape into the past and the future; Microserfs was riveting because of how much I could relate to it.

The similarities I share with some of the characters in Microserfs are quite eerie.

Take, for example, Abe (who, like me, also graduated from MIT): "He seems happy to be reaching the age of 30 in just four months with nothing to his name but a variety of neat-o consumer electronics and boxes of Costco products purchased in rash moments of Costco-scale madness ("Ten thousand straws! Just think of it--only $10 and I'll never need to buy straws ever again!")"

I too worked for Microsoft. And like Abe, I had my rash bulk-purchasing moment at Costco. After walking through one of the never-ending asiles of processed food, a moment of inspiration struck me: "Five gallons of cereal--and it's only $7.99! That'll last us the whole summer!" After my impulse purchase, I quickly discovered that you get sick of Cheerios and Cap'n Crunch really quickly. My dillusional scheme didn't quite work out.

Well, back to more reading.