I recently stepped down as President of JAXDUG due to personal reasons, mostly because my wife and I had a new baby girl. Andy Leonard, fellow JAXDUG and JSSUG member, sent me an email a few weeks ago responding to the announcement. Thanks Andy, I think your statement about geekness and balance captures what many of us geeks feel from time to time.
———————-
I am saddened and happy for you "all at the same time," as my 2 1/2 year old son is fond of saying.
I just want to take a moment to thank you for what you've personally and professionally done for the Jacksonville developer community. You've been an inspiration to many technology professionals, and I am honored to be among them.
Geekness is in the blood. It cannot be diluted by long hours, sacrificed weekends or vacations, bad bosses or companies or projects, and certainly not by age. But there come crossroads in every life and endeavor - crossroads where many geeks before us have stood and contemplated, as men now do, weighing the benefits and counting the costs. No matter which path you choose, you remain a geek - the path merely determines the type of geek you become. While some admire the zealots, I admire the balanced. My interpretation of your remarks is you are seeking balance, and I applaud you for it.
I wish you the best in all your endeavors - personal and professional.
</WiseOldSageGeek> (...well, 2 out of 4 ain't bad...)
Take care,
Andy