Family

This week my Wife and I took a much needed vacation and left all the technology at home. My Wife wisely had me pull the battery on the Blackberry so it couldn't even remotely grab my attention. I must say that I haven't felt this relaxed in several years.

All this brought to mind the importance of family. TechExams is a web forum filled with many folks (including me) that are constantly chasing after the next certification, the next job, and the better role (whatever that may be for you.) I find myself often getting into this mindset and trying to convince myself that I am just doing that for my family when often times it is selfishly motivated. Don't get me wrong, working hard is admirable but obsessing is bad!

Just a reminder to all you family Men and Women! Take your family on a vacation or picnic. Trust me, they really deserve it for tolerating us

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Comments

TheShadow

Nice emotive thought and something that we often forget. Thank you

forkvoid

I totally agree with you; we all need some serious time away from the technology every once in a while.

As soon as we finish up this big project at work, my boss is sending me to his lake house for an extended weekend: no cell reception, nearest phone is in "town" about ten minutes away. Even the electric is run off generators. I am so looking forward to it.

chmorin

My girlfriend and I are high school sweethearts enduring a long distance relationship. This forum is my obsession while she is gone to help keep my mind level. I am bettering myself for our future. She comes back in less than a week for summer, and I am sure my activity here will lesson while she is back.

That being said, many of the users here I identify as unique individuals and friends. Thank you all for being here to help me. You are just as much a family as my local life.

Forsaken_GA

I haven't had any real time off in years, and about the only time 'off' I'll take this year will be for the NANOG and ARIN conferences in October, and I don't really consider that time off.

I'm already planning for, and saving for, a nice week long Caribbean cruise as early as I can get away with next year

KGhaleon

What is this blasphemy? If it doesn't have wires then it certainly doesn't breathe.

Turgon

veritas_libertas wrote: »

This week my Wife and I took a much needed vacation and left all the technology at home. My Wife wisely had me pull the battery on the Blackberry so it couldn't even remotely grab my attention. I must say that I haven't felt this relaxed in several years.

All this brought to mine the importance of family. TechExams is a web site filled with many (including me) that are constantly chasing after the next certification, the next job, and the better role (whatever that may be for you.) I find myself often getting into this mindset and trying to convince myself that I am just doing that for my family when often times it is selfishly motivated. Don't get me wrong, working hard is admirable but obsessing is bad!

Just a reminder to all you family Men and Women! Take your family members on a vacation or picnic since they deserve it for tolerating us

Sage advice. It makes for happier more successful people all round I think.

Family is for life, career pays the bills and is interesting. But it's all too easy to disappear up your ass with work and studies which can get too absorbing and timeconsuming. The goals become very personal and difficult for family to share basked glory in. Sometimes there is resentment that isn't always manifest in ways you notice.

It's not just your time you spend, its family time. Always keep something in the tank for the family on a daily basis before you wind up without one!

laidbackfreak

Turgon wrote: »

Sage advice. It makes for happier more successful people all round I think.

Family is for life, career pays the bills and is interesting.

+1 Spot on we all have to remember that its just a job at the end of the day, depsite the fact for most of us its a hobby too. Our families need us as much as we need them so we owe it them to make time for them

I've got 5 weeks till my holidays and make it a rule not to take anything techinical with me beyond the phone, but thats only cos I use the sat nav although I wont even need that on my holiday

stuh84

This is why I'm kind of glad I don't really have a family at the moment (and no intentions to ever bring kids into the mix anyway). I have a long distance girlfriend, so most weeks I can spend days and nights doing this kind of thing without interruption.

While I've got a mortgage to pay and would like to be having way more spare money than I do thanks to that, this works out perfect for me

mikedisd2

Yeah, I just finished a week off from work; will be hard to switch the mindset back to reality. Played with my 3yr alot and helped out my wife with the newborn. It was good to forget about IT for a little while.

mrmcmint

Nice post Veritas. Good to read other peoples view on this, I'm also in the same boat trying to get the balance right between work/study/family.

msteinhilber

Excellent advice, I didn't pay as much attention to family previously partly due to mixed feedback from my ex - almost a no-win combo of not enough money, but not enough time with the family when you're trying to make more money.

Now that we're split and I get my son limited amounts of time, I spend every moment I can trying to develop great memories with him. We just got back from the zoo today where he had a blast and seeing the smile on his face and giggling is a very welcome break from the grind of developing my career.

Devilsbane

I've actually had discussions similar to this pop up in my house too. It is good to take some time off every now and again.

Mrock4

stuh84 wrote: »

This is why I'm kind of glad I don't really have a family at the moment (and no intentions to ever bring kids into the mix anyway). I have a long distance girlfriend, so most weeks I can spend days and nights doing this kind of thing without interruption.

While I've got a mortgage to pay and would like to be having way more spare money than I do thanks to that, this works out perfect for me

I was in your situation a couple of years ago. Great times as far as studying and doing this I wanted to do, but once you live "the family life" it's difficult to go back. I find myself with nothing to do thinking "man, I wonder if the fam would want to go to ________"....it's a fantastic kind of busy.

I agree completely it's good to take some time off with the fam. We are a very tight-knit bunch already, so there's not much to change, but it's always helpful to have a reminder.

blargoe

veritas_libertas wrote: »

This week my Wife and I took a much needed vacation and left all the technology at home. My Wife wisely had me pull the battery on the Blackberry so it couldn't even remotely grab my attention. I must say that I haven't felt this relaxed in several years.

All this brought to mind the importance of family. TechExams is a web forum filled with many folks (including me) that are constantly chasing after the next certification, the next job, and the better role (whatever that may be for you.) I find myself often getting into this mindset and trying to convince myself that I am just doing that for my family when often times it is selfishly motivated. Don't get me wrong, working hard is admirable but obsessing is bad!

Just a reminder to all you family Men and Women! Take your family members on a vacation or picnic. Trust, they really deserve it for tolerating us

+1... great post

Pash

Agreed, great post as usual.

I was asked to work the weekend just gone, but turned it down because my 3 year old step nephew was so keen to see me and my brother for the day on Saturday. Took him to the seaside etc, he loved it. I know extended family may not be as important, but you don't say no to a 3 year old who is besotted with you and runs up to you for a hug!

Pash

Turgon

Pash wrote: »

Agreed, great post as usual.

I was asked to work the weekend just gone, but turned it down because my 3 year old step nephew was so keen to see me and my brother for the day on Saturday. Took him to the seaside etc, he loved it. I know extended family may not be as important, but you don't say no to a 3 year old who is besotted with you and runs up to you for a hug!

Pash

Very true.

Paul Boz

My wife and I recently went to Disney World for a week (mostly) for free on my accumulated hotel points. We were there for seven days / six nights and it was paradise. I usually juggle 5-10 projects at a time so being able to completely step back and relax was very nice.

Selfmade

When it comes to The Family, it's blood in, blood out

Oh wait . . . you mean my family, well, being single, I don't need to worry about that just yet. But when I do, I won't neglect that aspect of my life. Family is too important to let you work take over from that, and it's better to not neglect your family unless you want to go through the process of divorce and splitting up your family to begin with.

Like with all things, you need a healthy balance. It really is a good idea to leave the technology at home when you go on an outing, so you can really enjoy the experience instead of being enslaved by the shiny electronics.