[Musings] Mental Static.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2004/1128/cover.html

To quote Arthur Dent, "I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle."

Wow this article says just like I feel...

[Musings] D'oh! I knew I forgot something...

Yeah I have been forgetting to update my blog. I hope I haven't lost too many readers. Things are starting to quiet down. New job and the holidays have kept me busy.

The holidays are mixed times for me. On the one hand I enjoy the holidays, the traditions, the trappings of the various spirits, etc. I don't like the commercialization, but that is part of living in a capitalist society, if someone can make a buck, they will. On the other hand I also dread the holidays. As I have grown up I have become more distant from my family as we have all gone our separate ways and lives. I do honestly make an effort to find common ground with my family, but as the years go by I find there is less and less we can talk about. I have become more urban and cosmopolitan, while my family remains more rural and down to earth. This isn't a bad thing, it is just different. Our daily experiences of life do not move in the same ways anymore. Common ground does exist (i.e. politics), but politics grow old after discussing it every holiday. Some of it is also that my mother, after almost 30 years is starting to learn that her son is no longer 11 and interested in dragons, castles and wizards (well I still am, but on a more intellectual level and not in the figurine way).

My friend (happy birthday Jer!) turned 30. We promptly sent him to carousel (or carrousal as the movie credits call it) and recycled him for his constituient nutrients. I turned 30 soon as well. Wow, what happened to my 20s!?!?! I don't think I would want to go back and re-live them, especially parts of my later 20s. But I wish I had the body I had when I was 20, the ability to stay up 36 hours straight and sleep 18 hours at a time. Now I find it hard to stay up past 11pm and sleep longer than 9 hours.

Ah well enough for now, I am just rambling anyways.

[Musings] The Distributed Life, FIN

After 4 months The Distributed Life (!tm) is over. I thank my employer (who I have now left) for allowing me to work from a virtual office, it helped us both get through a transition period. I really did expect to do this long term, but over the four months it slowly become more and more strained. When I was in Rochester my personal life was good (wife), but my professional life was bad (not in the office keeping up on gossip, goings-on, etc.). When I was in the Twin Cities my professional life was good, but my personal life was bad. Upon the sucessful search and acquisition of a job with all things *nix in Rochester, it meant that I could end the Distributed Life. It is so nice to live in one place again.

[Musings] Switching jobs

Well I go and it is done. I am happy and looking forward to switching jobs. The last month has been a time of reflection and a time of looking forward. I have spent my entire adult life here at this location (not with the same company as half-way through my career here I was moved over to the out-sourcer). Almost 10 years. I have bucked the trend of being an IT professional who switched jobs every 1.5-3 years. That is not for me. Part of my job satisfaction is know the people with which I work and developing those relationships. I have been lucky in that respect. Sadly American Capitalism does not reward people who stay at a job for any length of time. Which is truly sad. Someone who spends 20 years somewhere, knows the company, the job, the people and so much more inside and out gets paid less than someone they hire of the street. This isnt right. But I digress. I am leaving because I am moving to a new city to be with my wife who is going to graduate school. I am excited about the new job. I am looking forward to the new challenges and the chance to meet new people. It will fufill a goal of mine to be working for a non-profit as well as being able to walk to work (I need the exercise).

I am sad to be leaving the people I have worked with for almost 10 years, but I look forward to the new environment.