In Response…
By Chris on Jan 2, 2008 in Misc.
In a comment on my Jan 1. post, Mur asked:
So what does this mean? Are you going to drop off for good, or cut back, or what?
Oh, not dropping off. Not yet, anyway. Someday, I’ll vanish totally, and you’ll have to trek to my bookstore/cafe in meatspace to find me.1
No, all this means is that I’m going to jettison the sense of urgency that has been long been a part of my mindset when online. I’ll probably be on IM less, and I’ll twitter less than I have been. I am running two podcasts now: Shadowdance, and the forthcoming collaboration with Kris Johnson. I’ll not be taking on any new ones this year.
I’ll not be taking on any new coding projects unless they have some sort of financial benefit to my family.
I’ll be answering email, but probably not more than once or twice a day.
it’s all about mindset, I think. We’re all so convinced that we’re going to miss something, or that something will pass us by. I’m going to shed that point of view. If it’s urgent, everyone who needs to know how to find me can find me. If it’s not urgent, then I can find out when I find out.
I’m clearing my plate and my mind for some important things: creative things, family things. Hopefully tribe things as well. Looking forward to hitting PenguinCon with CommandLine, for instance, or meeting up with anyone who can make it to origins this year. Finding time to blog more, write more, and contemplate more. Reading nonfiction has become more enjoyable, so given the choice beterr mixing down podcasts, coding, or reading, I’ll take the reading.
Make sense?
- None of my friends believe this, but yeah, one day, I’ll be offline completely. When I give into my luddite tendencies.[back]
Yes.
I did a lot of what you’re doing, without realizing I was doing it, about 6 months ago and it worked wonders on my outlook. I still spend a lot of time online and work on projects with no monetary compensation, but I do everything on my timeline and avoid a ton of information sources that I would have, last year, checked hourly.
I so far haven’t missed them.
Wesley | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply
As long as you continue bringing Lord Avedon to life, I applaud the new you.
P.G. Holyfield | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply
And I can’t wait to hear what you and KJ have up your sleeves.
P.G. Holyfield | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply
Count on it P.G. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Chris | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply
Chris,
I’m really glad to hear that you’re finding this balance in your life. I actually hope to hear some stories about your journeys, if you feel up to putting your thoughts in your feed (either text or podcast). I think you make a very good point. You’re helping me think more seriously about some of my choices and options.
I hope to get a chance to talk about it with you some time, even better if it’s face-to-face instead of the ubiquitous Skype. Perhaps at Origins, which looks like it’s going to be on my scope if all goes well.
Cheers,
Shannon
Shannon | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply
Ah, P.G. Holyfield, you’re so cute when you’re naïve. We don’t have anything up our sleeves. No, no, no. We’re pulling this new podcast from somewhere else entirely.
Kris Johnson | Jan 3, 2008 | Reply
Chris, you have no idea how much I applaud you doing this. I’ve just started really realizing how much I need to do this and to see that a friend has already begun and it’s doing good things for him helps me know I’m going the right direction.
Looking forward to following your progress, and hopefully staying a bit closer in touch. Miss you guys.
Lonnie Ezell | Jan 3, 2008 | Reply