(First appeared in WRAL TechWire.)

About once a week, I steal away and work from this little nook at Boxyard RTP. It’s perched next to the cupcake shop on the second level and has the perfect view of folks coming and going.

Yesterday, after I set up “shop,” I ran into a colleague I hadn’t seen in a while. In the midst of exchanging pleasantries, she mentioned that she keeps up with this column and then said, “I try to read between the lines, but I’m always left wondering HOW you are.”

While I sincerely appreciated her interest, I got the sense that what she really wanted to say was, “I’m always left wondering WHO you are,” opting for the more polite inquiry instead.  

Either way, she’s right. I often write from the perspective of an observer – more as a guide or a good friend, rarely centering my own experiences. It’s a growth opportunity and one I decided to work on…immediately. 

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