Just When You Thought...

Just when you thought this was yet another failed blog, it rises like a phoenix… okay, maybe more like an unexpected twitch from something you figured was deceased and forgotten. But at least it’s writing. Suffer through it and be glad. Or not. :-)

No nonsense selfish update:

It has been my good fortune that work has remained steady and busy for the past 21 years (yes, same place, same job. Old school.) I enjoy my work, but it has been fiendishly busy since Christmas. Over the years I’ve never had issues detaching from work at the end of each day, I’ve also not avoided doing evening or weekend work when it needed doing. Lately though, I find myself pulling some late nights or extra early mornings trying to beat back the many little things that throw themselves in the way of significant deadlines and objectives.

Over the last several months I also find myself thinking about work much more often than I used to. I’m not sure if it’s a ‘growing older’ thing, or simply a function of how much more busy things have been; But it has definitely affected how much time I spend doing and thinking about other non-work related things.

My first instinct is to think this is a bad thing. Less playing with Inkscape, less social media engagement, fewer creative endeavours, less of the fun tech geeky things I typically dabble in. But I enjoy the challenge of my work too. And it feels good to roll up my sleeves and solve a problem (or at least manage it). I’m not going to feel bad about enjoying it. The best times are when the two worlds overlap and I get to use my geeky side to solve a work problem.

Anyway, that’s a long-winded way to explain that my focus and interests may have shifted as of late and this is perhaps my way of convincing myself that’s okay.

Short bits:

My daughter had a recent 10 day school trip to Italy and loved it. My mom had always wanted me, my Dad and my brother to take her there, but she ended up getting there before and without me. :-) Kudos to her. Ps. My daughter has always been great and continues to be.

Running Android P developer preview on my Pixel 1. I really like it, but that multitasking/app drawer swipe up gesture is finicky and is the only major thing I think needs some more work.

My Chromebook. Sigh. I love it. I use it way more than I figured I would. And that includes work stuff even more than home stuff. I still love Linux, but I’m definitely on the Chromebook bandwagon. Big fan.

And here’s a photo of a tortoise-friend Bert and I met the other day. Just because. :-)