Milestone 2012

I’ve fallen behind on updating this blog.

One of the reasons is that, when I started this blog, I’d just moved to Denmark. Everything was new, and for a long time I could have written a blog entry every day. (And might have, had I not been having so much fun.) But now I’ve been living here for over six years. In that time I’ve become accustomed to many of the things that struck me initially, so I don’t even think about them much less write about them.

Another reason is that many blog entries were thinly disguised excuses to post pictures I’ve taken. But more and more, with a demanding job and two young kids at home, my photographic subjects have become almost exclusively my kids. And even though I don’t get tired of looking at pictures of them, I don’t want the blog to become solely a record of Ellen and June.

Yet another reason is that I’ve made a conscious effort to think less about politics. Like many people, I feel strongly about some political issues, but I find that I get so worked up over some subjects that it’s not worth the effort. I’ve made myself sick at times, reading political commentary and crafting venom-tipped blog entries, but I could be using that time to play with my kids, or go for a bike ride, or write a novel.

But the biggest reason is that my job has been really stressful for the last nine months or so.

I started working at Codehouse in 2007 — almost five years ago. It’s been a great experience, and easily the job where I have learned the most and been the most productive. But it’s interesting to re-read the blog entry I wrote when I started at Codehouse. My priorities haven’t changed. I thrive in small environments where the focus is on getting things done, and not on processes and job descriptions.

I thrived at Codehouse because it was small, intense, and unstructured. But since I started there, we’ve steadily grown, dividing into teams, introducing management layers, and implementing development processes. Then, this January, we hired a new CEO who came from Microsoft. His goal is to triple the size of the company in the next three years. And part of the changes he’s making is the introduction of even more layers and process.

My priorities haven’t changed. But Codehouse has, and will continue to do so.  And while I understand the need for these changes, it’s also never been more clear to me that I do not thrive in such an environment. And so I’ve resigned. My last day at Codehouse will be June 29th.

I haven’t taken a new position yet, but I’ve been careful to seek out places that are smaller and less structured than Codehouse. And regardless of which option I choose, I’m confident I’ll be happier, and that I’ll be able to enjoy myself more all the way around — at home, at work, on on this blog.

One Thought on “Milestone 2012

  1. John Walker on May 27, 2012 at 7:11 am said:

    Change is scary. Look fear in the eye and stare it down… just like you already did.

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