Jeff Watkins

Jeff has been building software for more than three decades. He is a ten year veteran of Apple and has 13 years of iOS development experience. He’s worked on core iOS frameworks from Apple and apps delivered via the App Store, but it’s not his fault Game Center had either green felt or “those bubbles”. His focus now is on coaching folks through career & life transitions and mentoring developers.

A Grand Adventure

As many of you know, Caitlin and I have been planning to move abroad for quite some time. Over the last two years we’ve visited a lot of the places to which we’ve been considering moving. That only seemed like a sensible plan. First we considered Portugal; while we both loved the climate, we felt A Grand Adventure

Learning Swift

When Swift was announced in 2014, I was as surprised as anyone. There were only a handful of folks working at Apple who had advanced knowledge of it, but like the rest of the Apple development community we were intensely curious about the new language. After a quick investigation, I decided my work on iTunes Learning Swift

The 2019 Spring Party

I’d hoped to have a follow up to the 2018 Spring Party after Molly and I returned from our Summer European adventure, but thanks to lingering construction on our deck, the opportunity slipped away. But it’s now time to think of Spring again and that means it’s time to think of parties. Once again you’re The 2019 Spring Party

Winter Lingers On

Nearly a month ago, I optimistically invited friends to my home to help me welcome Spring. I’d had enough of Winter and was eager for some warmer weather. Because my friends are smartasses, I was careful to set some boundaries: This is not a St. Patrick’s Day party. Do not show up dressed as a Winter Lingers On

Fuck Off Winter Party

I’d like to invite you, yes you, to come celebrate the end of Winter. Officially, Spring doesn’t start until Tuesday, 20 March, but I’m impatient. I’m going to celebrate a few days early on Friday, 16 March7. This is not a St. Patrick’s Day party. Do not show up dressed as a fucking shamrock or Fuck Off Winter Party

Christmas in London

I’ve been a fan of Terry Pratchett ever since I picked up a copy of Small Gods at Munro’s book store8 in Victoria, BC back in the late 90s. That was my introduction to the Disc World and I devoured the few books I was able to find in Seattle book stores. I wasn’t going Christmas in London

Free Workshops in Europe

This Summer I’ll be in Europe from 3 – 15 August and I’d love to host two free workshops for women and other underrepresented groups in our industry. The first workshop teaches how to craft a short presentation (think lightning talk) and the second focuses on presentation skills. If you or someone you know is Free Workshops in Europe

Paypal is the Worst

Recently, I needed to create a Paypal account to receive a reimbursement payment from a conference in Poland. A wire transfer to my credit union wasn’t an option, because my credit union requires an intermediate transfer for international wire transfers (which is just bananas and why I’ve since re-opened my account at Chase). So, my Paypal is the Worst

Winter Silence

A lot has happened since the last time I wrote here. Most importantly, My Favourite Person had an opportunity to perform in her first real show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This was the first time she had to audition for a part. I’m so proud of her for getting a part in the ensemble. She Winter Silence

Not My Favourite

As parents, it’s important not to play favourites with our children. That goes for our furry children too. I don’t know whether my cats can actually understand me when I tell them I love them, but it doesn’t matter. Sometimes, I’ll get a little silly and tell Edison he’s my favourite boy cat, or Madeline Not My Favourite