Day in the Life of a Consultant: From Carhartt jackets to MacBooks

By Rob Rastovich, Technical Consultant

Monday morning the alarm goes off at 5:32 a.m. (because 5:30 would be too early), the sun hasn't crested the Cascades mountains yet, but it's time to get my week started! Unlike most professionals, my day doesn't begin with a hot cup of coffee and a steaming shower. My first chore of the day is the feed and watering of 35 Hereford and Angus cows. Dressed in my well worn Carhartt "outfit" and "chore boots", I venture out into the winter darkness armed with my flashlight and shovel. In the coral, I'm greeted by a 17-year-old Hereford cow named Scratchy Back. Scratchy Back is the oldest cow we have and kind of the matriarch of the herd. As her name implies, she likes to have her back scratched. Just as a puppy greets its family in the morning, so too does Scratchy Back walk up to greet me in the coral, and in exchange for her kindness I spend a few minutes scratching her back.

Once the ice is broken in the watering trough and the hay spread for the morning meal, I make the quarter-mile trek back to my house, where I transform from Oregon cattle farmer into Silicon Valley technical consultant. I exchange my Carhartts for Tommy Bahamas, my flashlight and shovel for my iPhone and MacBook, the kids and wife wake in time for me to hug and kiss them all, then it's out the door to the awaiting airport shuttle.

Mike, the shuttle driver, is a huge Ducks fan, so we talk football to the airport. Johnny Wunder, the TSA supervisor used to live down the road and we talk about the neighborhood. Marty is the boarding agent and she always sends the Monday morningers off with a "have a good week." Two planes, three cities and little better than three hours later, Samari the Avis rental agent welcomes me back to San Jose, and directs me to my waiting rental car.

My arrival at NetApp is a bit like a family reunion. I look forward to the initial greetings from my colleagues. Dan Weiss, starts with a smile and a "how was your weekend;" then it's off to the scrum rooms were the greetings from my teammates Suraj, Shom, Mani G, and Charu remind me that this is not just a job, but a family. I then check in with "The Tall One" (Carl K.), where I'm briefed on all the client "insanity" that we'll be dealing with this week. Finally, a booming voice enters the room with a resounding "My Friend Friend!" I'm embraced as a brother by my Greek friend and colleague Peter Babalis - ready for the week!

The rest of the week is filled with code, system designs, stand-ups, defect meetings, contract renewals, client meetings, strategy meetings, conflict resolutions, staffing, etc. etc. While all of these necessary things fill our hours and fill our pockets, they are simply chores to the real goal of my life - the relationships and camaraderie with my Appirio and NetApp teammates!

The week ends as it began, on an airplane headed for my second family reunion of the week. One of the benefits of travel is that it sure makes you appreciate coming home and those that you come home to! With four kids still at home, our weekends are filled with basketball games, skiing, cows, school concerts and plays, family dinners, Sunday Mass and "comfort food" for Sunday night dinner with grandpa.

Monday morning the alarm goes off at 5:32 a.m. (because 5:30 would be too early). - I wake and think what a lucky man I am!