Windows 7 Ultimate Sale blog loveatmicrosoft

It’s not uncommon for Microsofties’ lives to revolve around Microsoft—not necessarily “work Microsoft” but “social Microsoft.” Bug triages, stand-up meetings and coding marathons easily turn into happy hours, soccer games and ski trips. When you work for a company with 90,000 employees worldwide, the built-in community comes with it, and the odds are pretty good you’ll find life-long friends—and maybe even romantic partners—along the way.

For Valentine’s Day, we decided to explore the romantic angle a bit more. Who are some of the couples whose love blossomed thanks to the company Bill built? Today, we introduce you to three—all with very different stories. Meet Jen & Darren, Piyali & Raj, and Marie & Joscelyne. Happy Valentine's Day!

The ‘Softies in love: Jen,Windows 7 Ultimate Sale, Paralegal, Patents
Darren, Sr. Test Manager, Microsoft Research (MSR)
The love connection: The Microsoft Bowling League
We heard you two met during the opening match of the 2000-2001 bowling season—10 years ago!
Jen: Yes, our teams ended up bowling next to each other all season so even if we didn’t bowl each other, we always saw each other and chatted. We started spending more and more time after the bowling was over talking, and Darren eventually asked me out with just a few weeks left to bowl.
Darren: I waited until the end of the season in case things didn’t work out so it wasn’t awkward at bowling!
Jen: For both of us, bowling was something fun to do on a Monday night. We had no idea we’d find our mates.
So who’s the better bowler?
Jen: Darren is definitely the better bowler. We don’t get to bowl against each other now because we switch every other week so one of us can be with the kids. He bowls one week and I bowl the next but I usually bring the kids to the alley to play with all the other kids there, and we get to watch Darren bowl.
What’s it like being part of a Microsoft couple?
Jen: It is actually really nice. We know the ins and outs of the company and can relate to the culture much easier than if we both didn’t work here. We have definitely used each other’s expertise and knowledge when needed.


The 'Softies in love: Piyali, Software Development Engineer in Test 2 (SDET), Robotics
Raj, Sr. Software Development Engineer (SDE), Core File System team

The love connection: Their parents—and Building 9
It was your parents—not Microsoft—who first introduced you?
Piyali: Ours was an arranged marriage. When our parents set us up, we were both already working at Microsoft. I was working in Games and Raj was in Windows Server at the time. But our first meeting was in Raj’s office in Building 9. So we did literally meet at Microsoft!
Tell us about that first meeting.
Piyali: It was an early fall, sunny Saturday afternoon. As I parked,Office 2007 Professional Plus Key, I still remember thinking, “This is great! I can swipe my badge and get into this building.” Building 9 is one of the older buildings on campus, and I had to search for his office in a couple corridors. He was working on a bug fix when I found him. He took a few minutes to wrap up and then we went to Golden Gardens in Seattle. He hadn’t completed his bug fix yet so, needless to say,Office Standard 2007 Sale, at the end of our first date, he went back to his office to work!

While we were setup by our parents, we'd say we had an "arranged cum love marriage.” We celebrated the birth of our son Siddharth in November 2009, and he just recently transitioned to toddlerhood.
You’re both software engineers,Office Standard 2010, although you work on different products.
Piyali: Yes. We have fascinating conversations over the definitions of developer and tester roles at Microsoft. One of those ended with me telling Raj to read up the CSPs (career stage profiles), which are Microsoft’s career guides for the company’s different disciplines. We regularly discuss developments at work and can provide feedback to each other as we share the common organization and work culture. I often take his advice on questions related to career growth in the company. All of this would not be possible without being in the same company and field of work. Microsoft technologies and products discussions are a regular conversation which we both enjoy. Flexible hours work really well for Raj since he gets his best ideas at night.
There are also minor things: We can exercise double backup care benefit for Siddharth, which thankfully we have not had to use so far. We enjoy a variety of activities on campus, be it the Giving Campaign 5K run during work hours, Sid's first Halloween in Microsoft Commons, table tennis sessions after work or the fall colors on campus. We get to attend holiday parties in both teams. Raj occasionally leaves a surprise gift in my office in the middle of the night!


The 'Softies in love: Marie, Sr. Diversity Program Manager,Office 2010 Professional Plus X86, Human Resources
Joscelyne, Compensation Consultant, Human Resources
The love connection: On the job
You’re both featured in Microsoft GLEAM’s “It Gets Better” video contribution to the Trevor Project.
Joscelyne, in the video, Marie says, “You will meet the love your life . . . It happened for us—here.” That comment actually inspired us to write this article about finding love at Microsoft. So tell us: how did you meet?
Joscelyne: Marie and I met on the STB (Server & Tools Business) Human Resources team when I started in 2006 and were just colleagues and friends until we got together in 2009. Of course, being a couple—and a gay couple, no less—with the same HR team was unconventional.
We were up front with our manager about it, and she was very supportive. Still, it was a unique challenge to work in close proximity, be in meetings together, and “take home our work” since we knew all the same people. Eventually, for career reasons, I moved to a new team and role, and this has worked out well.
And we hear you found out that you share very similar and even uncanny interests and tastes.
Joscelyne: After we’d started dating and discovered that we were both really into silver jewelry, Marie gave me a fun challenge: Pick out any ring for her from the Sundance Catalog—which has hundreds of choices! And she’d do the same for me. We exchanged all 5 ring sizes just to keep things interesting.
We set a date to go out to dinner and give each other our rings, and somehow, we found that we had both chosen the same design ... each for the other’s left ring finger! Inscribed on the ring is a Rumi quote: “In your light, I learn how to love; in your beauty, how to make poems.” This was perfect as we both are into eastern philosophy and are both writers. The chances of us having the same thought, though, were so slim that it made the exchange truly special and amazing.
We still wear our rings everyday as a reminder of our love and commitment.
See Marie and Joscelyne at minute 04:16.



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