Internet hiatus

[Megiddo]

I'm going to be going on an Internet hiatus starting more or less immediately. I am planning on continuing this until mid March'ish.

"But," I can hear you say, "don't you need the Internet to function as a computer scientist?" Well, yes. I will only be withdrawing from Internet-related entertainment and hobbies. So, Facebook, forums, news, online TV, chat/Skype, and video games. Among more private reasons, I also feel like these things have been severely out of balance in my life; they are taking up way too much of my time when my priorities need to be focused elsewhere (like in the real world). I ran a pilot test today by blocking Facebook and forums from within Chrome. It was amazing how many times I found myself going to the blocked websites without even thinking about it!

I turned off notifications on my phone as well, except text messages. It was odd not getting distracted every few minutes by a new email. Who knows how much more research I can get done now?

I have given Stickly Man the keys to kingdom while I'm out, but I will also continue to check my email at least once a day. And if anyone really needs to get a hold of me quickly, most of you have my phone number.

I'm not making any official announcement on the forum. Since we just pushed a bigish release, I doubt anyone will even notice I'm gone unless we seriously flubbed some code.

I wish you all best of luck in the mean time. March is not that far away, I'll be back before you know it.

[Megiddo]

Also, I just wanted to throw out that I went on a similar hiatus in the summer of 2006... which is how JamminR first got involved in Ulysses. He came forward and asked if he could help somehow; I made him an admin (a stranger to me at the time), told him to watch over things, and left.

Thanks for being awesome, JamminR! I hope you don't regret approaching me way back then. 

[JamminR]

* JamminR comes out of the corner he sometimes hides in, unshaven, unkempt, disheveled, and wheezes in a raspy voice, caused by years in a deep, damp and dark dungeon, "noo. *cough*wheeze* I doon't *wheeze* minnnd at ahhllll. *cough*

* JamminR realizes, now is the chance for vengeance. There is good reason no public announcement is made. Through the coughing, a spark of memory...something about mice, away, play. Muhahahaha

[Stickly Man!]

Uh oh.. *Hides keys far above JamminR's reach* 

Good luck Megiddo!

[Megiddo]

Haha! I'll try to throw you some more meat, JamminR... and razors, apparently.

I'm back from the hiatus. Time really flies, eh? The hiatus went really well and it felt great putting first the things that needed to go first. I fully recommend such experiences to everyone. Tonight I'm celebrating the end of the hiatus with a marathon DotA 2 session. Bwa ha ha.

My thesis is halfish done with about 24 days left to complete it. Hope I make it!

It'll take me a few days to get up to speed on the forums, but I'll do my best to read everything that went on during my absence.