Apart from the fact that working at RedMonk affords me a legitimate opportunity to make a difference in the lives of developers, perhaps the best part of this job is the people that I work with – both at RedMonk and the clients and contacts we talk with daily. For those wondering, I am fully aware of how lucky I am to like both what I do and the people I work with.
Still, given the travel schedule analysts sustain for months on end, with long hours and a lot of time spent on planes and in hotels away from home, it’s nice to have some downtime – not in a metal tube – to take a step back. Every summer, as things in our industry slow down, I try and take a few consecutive weeks away from the job. While there are some in the industry who would make a virtue of never taking vacation, from my perspective, the time away is essential, not just to recharge the batteries but also to gain some necessary perspective. If you spend all of your time within the industry, it’s easy to lose that.
Fortunately, here in Maine, as much as Portland is attracting more and more industry talent, it’s not hard to get away from tech. As of tomorrow morning, I will be dividing my time between building furniture and swimming under waterfalls, painting the house and meeting friends for an afternoon beer at Allagash, ripping up shrubs from our front yard and, well, heading back to Allagash. My last week of vacation, with any luck, will be spent waking up to the sound of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin cranking from lobster boats a hundred yards away on the water.
Hopefully, it’ll be a few quiet weeks while I’m out. More likely, all hell will break loose, markets will roil and major acquisitions will come fast and furious. If you’re interested to hear about how and how badly I injure myself working on home improvement projects, Twitter, as always, is your friend. If you’re a RedMonk client and need help while I’m out, Juliane (jleary @ redmonk.com) will be able to direct you appropriately.
Otherwise, I’ll see you on the other side, and until then, enjoy your time.
