Just coming back from a couple weeks away from the daily routine. I’m fortunate enough to own a cottage on some water, and moreso that I’m able to share it with friends. This was the first year without any major (day or more) project that needed to be done, so it was quite restful as a result.

I will add that the weather was both amazing and worrisome. It was a heat wave for a large part of it, and the temperature of the water hit a new record – 85.2 F. “Regular” temperatures are more like 78 F, and breaking 80 is maybe a couple days total. You would recognize the difference of a couple degrees… aquatic wildlife certainly feels this. Algae blooms are everywhere, and fish have massive worm infestations. It’s not debatable that it’s getting hotter in general, that part is measured. The why of it… somehow there’s debate. There’s a rant there but not for this place.

This was the first year where I didn’t buy anything during the Steam Summer Sale. I have a long wishlist, and nearly everything on it was reduced at some point. Some of them I do want to get. I just have this bad taste in my mouth right now and it traces squarely to the Microsoft layoffs. I quite acutely understand the realities of financial management and impacts on people, there are times when very hard calls need to be made. And ideally you make those calls before the house is on fire. Announcing record profits and then letting 9,000 people go (on top of the 6,000 in May) is hard to digest. This is quite similar to what EA a dozen years ago by buying companies and closing most of them, or Embracer’s approach to building an empire on a house of Saudi cards. The eternal quest for more money is self-defeating. There’s a rant here but not for this place.

This time of year tends to be my most reflective. Time away from work let’s the brain disconnect and think about other things. Similar to New Year resolutions, I tend to look at the past year and plan the next at this point. I have a growing appreciation for what I have and don’t have. I look at my kids and think we’ve done a damn good job. I look at my career and still am amazed at how much further I’ve exceeded my original plans. I look at my wife and I’m just amazed at how far we’ve come, mountains and valleys, to come out stronger. I look at the impact my family has had on the community, and the sheer number of positive relationships and think we’ve made a difference.

Stuff may be going to shit, but the things I have some level of control upon are doing pretty well. So let’s see what’s around the corner.