Writings by Mark Stone
The Pacific Northwest is a remarkable blend of technology hub, West Coast culture and attitude, and spectacular natural settings. It is global and local. Home to the some of the world's largest technology companies, with a decidedly international vibe to its urban centers, yet sprinkled with a constellation of rural small towns.
It's where we work, where we live, and what we have come to call home. We hope what we share here will help you to work smarter, live happier, and make your Pacific Northwest life better.
Chores, Habits, and Rituals. June 2025. Agile is often described as having a lot of ceremonies. We use the word "ceremony" because ceremonies are where rituals are performed. But what is a ritual in software development? Read more.
Bloomsday. May 2025. In 2016 I read an article in Runners World titled "The Five Most Popular Road Races in the U.S." The first three were obvious enough: NYC Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and the Peachtree Dash (in Atlanta, at the popular 10K distance). Read more.
The Lost Generation. May 2025. We moved around a lot when I was young. I was in 5th grade before I'd attended the same school two years in a row. Consequently the abode to which I emotionally anchored as home was not the untrustworthy locale of my parents' dwelling, but the permanence I found in my grandparents' homes, respectively in Carlisle, South Carolina and Tucker, Georgia. Read more.
Immigration. November 2024. We've heard lots of talk this year about the immigration "problem". Here's the actual problem. Read more.
Being Fully Present. November 2024. In February of 2022 my son Nathan (16 at the time) and I found ourselves in the Portland area for some hiking and biking. The weekend forecast called for unusually warm and dry weather. Nathan was about a year into getting really serious with photography, and eager for fresh opportunities. Read more.