Brendon Bourdo - A Character With Character

...because interesting people are more fun to work with

by Brendon Bourdo and Reagan Pugh on August 10th, 2012

I've always been excited about gadgets and technology - seriously excited.  I was one of those kids that had to know how everything worked, and just reading the manual wouldn't cut it.  I'd spend all day in the basement with a screwdriver taking things apart; it didn't matter what it was:  my toys, my siblings' toys, old electronics my dad collected and… other things.  I remember being quite surprised at just how red and angry a human face could get when my folks discovered my "technical adventures" with their new stereo system and a TV, which put a damper on my future technology handiwork - at home.  Despite that minor setback, my screwdriver-wielding days allowed me to develop an ability to see something based on how its parts work, which has helped me greatly in everything from fixing cars to troubleshooting hardware and software development.  I regret nothing.

Who are your heroes in real life?

I really don't have any so-called heroes, though I do have people I look up to and have great respect for. One example is my grandmother, who reached her nineties before passing. Even in her later years she was sharp as a tack, bravely faced everything, and nothing ever bothered her – not even a houseful of hyped-up grandkids on Christmas. I hope to be like her when I reach that age, although I'll probably end up just grunting at people and poking them with my cane.

What natural gift would you most like to possess? Why?

I'd love to be able to fly. Opening up that last dimension of movement and getting out of the 2-D rut is just an awesome feeling of freedom. It also allows you to drop all sorts of things on people who bother you, which is a major plus.

Where would you like to live? Why?

Somewhere where snow is illegal, or at least melts in a day and the temperature doesn't reach single digits in winter. Texas has actually been on my radar for some time - either Austin or maybe the Dallas area - since there are too many of us in Houston already!  First things first, I need to sell my condo here in cheese-land, so for now it's just a distant dream.

If you were a city, which city would you be and why?

What an odd question. Frankly, I wouldn't want to be a city and have all sorts of people doing weird things in my alleys and corners. But, if I had to be one, I'd pick Munich. I'd be in an awesome area of Germany with a nice, laid-back population and always have lots of people visiting me — even if only to gawk at my Glockenspiel.

When was a time you were supremely optimistic about the future?

When I got my first "real" job.  That is, one that didn't involve retail or fast food.  I felt like I'd finally moved up into the grown-up world and all sorts of doors were going to open for me. I was right!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Brendon Bourdo is a senior consultant. Hiring Characters with Character is one of Kalypso's core values - click here to learn more about our values and firm culture.

Topics: Brendon Bourdo, Characters with Character, Kalypso Culture, Kalypso Employees, Kalypso Values, Keep Kalypso Weird

About the Authors

Brendon Bourdo, Senior Consultant Brendon brings six years of professional experience in product lifecycle management (PLM) system implementation, business process implementation, and system integration design and development to Kalypso’s clients. Read more articles by Brendon Bourdo

Reagan Pugh, Raconteur Reagan likes to watch, read and tell stories. He often wishes he was Batman - you know, grappling hooks. Read more articles by Reagan Pugh