Meet Julie Vo. In this latest post in our interview series, we’d like to introduce you to our own Julie Vo, the newest member of the Infinity family. She is on our Consulting team as a project manager.
Name, Company, Title, City
I’m Julie. I work at Infinity Interactive as a Junior PM. I live in Salem, OR.
When did you first work with Infinity?
July of 2017!
What are six words you think of when you think of Infinity?
Reliability, Respect, Trust, Relationships, Teamwork, Communication
What is your favorite time of day/week/year?
Fall! I love breathing in cold, crisp mornings and feeling the crunch of frosted grass (or leaves) underneath my shoes. The vibrant colors make me forget that the days are getting shorter, and that I’m not quite ready to give up summer. Oh, and my birthday is in the fall. ;)
What is your favorite mode of transportation and why?
So, this answer might surprise you because we work remotely, but my car. I used to commute quite a bit to get to and from school / work, and I’ve learned to love the “extra” 50 minutes of “me time” I get during the drive to my destination. It gave me a chance to drink coffee, eat my breakfast, and most importantly: gather my thoughts. It was also a great opportunity to listen to podcasts or audiobooks, too.
I understand this experience. What kind of books and podcasts do you like to listen to while driving and why?
Confession: I used to listen to assigned reading materials for class. When audio books weren’t available, I’d use a text-to-voice software. I felt like I could “cheat time” by multitasking. But when I wasn’t on a time crunch and I could listen to whatever I wanted, I’d listen toNPR,Planet Money, and99% Invisible.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
It would be amazing if I could control the flow of time - not to go back into the past or anything, but to be able to pause time around me if I’m running late or if I need a few more hours in the day. And yes, I would share this power with others because I’m sure we’ve all wished for more time at one point or another.
Do you think it is a compulsion to do more and more, fit as much as possible in one day? Would it not be more reachable (not a superpower) to simply recognize what is necessary to be done and drop the extras?
It’s interesting that you ask this question. I recently read anarticle from The Economist suggesting “people who work fewer hours are more productive.” The article also discusses John Maynard Keynes and Bertrand Russell’s essays which predicts a Utopian future where technological advancement allows us to work less than 15 hours a week while still maintaining our quality of life. Another article that touches on this subject, if you are interested:Why Do Americans Work So Much?. My theoretical super-power more or less contradicts their vision… however, I wouldn’t use it primarily for work-related purposes. I would probably use it to spend more time with the people that I care about.
To actually answer your question and not give you a roundabout answer or economic banter, I do think we all are trying to fit as much as possible into one day. I also agree with you that we probably should prioritize and shed unnecessary tasks. However, if given the opportunity to have a superpower that manipulates time, I would choose that over better time management skills every time. ;)
How do you recharge?
So, my “office” is actually an entire room that I’ve dedicated to plants - it’s equipped with grow lights and all. I recharge by taking the time to water, rotate, and occasionally propagate my succulents. I’ve acquired quite a few varieties over the year, and some of them require special care. The whole process is very therapeutic and helps me clear my mind and collect my thoughts. If I need a little extra TLC, I try to take a camping trip. Nothing like abandoning your tech, resetting your biological clock, and settling into the quiet of nature.
Fully agree. Tell us about your plants. Why do you like succulents? What are some of the other plants that you like to care for/grow?
For starters, succulents are extremely resilient. They’re pretty hard to kill, and the only thing you can really do to kill them is to overwater them. I also find their reproductive patterns interesting from a botanical perspective: while many succulents can be grown from seeds, the most efficient way to propagate them is from cuttings. I’m using the terms ‘cuttings’ very loosely—you can even grow a plant from a leaf that you’ve accidentally broken off!! I’m assuming this is how they’ve survived in their harsh, native environments.
I care primarily for succulents. I used to have a small herb garden and a few flower planters, but I sadly had to get rid of them after I’d moved (our unit doesn’t have a patio / balcony).
Where does your love for gardening/growing plants come from? Or, how did you get in to gardening?
I grew up helping my mom in her garden. I didn’t necessarily love the process as a kid (I mean, who likes to pull weeds?), but the older I got, the more rewarding the experience became. It was a nice way to spend time and bond with my mom. Seeing the fruits of our labor — no pun intended — also made the effort worth it.
What is one thing you think people might not know about Infinity, but should?
Counter to developer stereotypes, the Infinity team has interests ranging from knitting to living a nomadic lifestyle. Conversations with any team member is full of wit, wonder, and unexpected turns.