miscoded

It's easy to take things for granted. Only sometimes when I talk to new employees and externals I realise that some of the tings I'm used to at work might not be common.

As my profile says I work part-time. By choice. So while over at Google people enjoy their 20% work-on-your-own-pet-project time I have a generous 40% timeshare to spend on dancing, family, children, and various idealistic causes.

I work 1/3 from home. In other words, I come to the office about two days a week. And I generally come and leave when I want.

Also, most of the time nobody is telling me what to do (we have a manager but his attitude is that everyone in our team by definition is an expert who knows exactly what needs to be done at what point in time).

Usually, this flexibility is a nice thing to have (unless it's the sort of flexibility that is a eufemism for "job insecurity", that is). But sometimes it's more than that - sometimes it's essential.

Tomorrow my father will go through an operation for Parkinson's disease. It's becoming harder and harder to do the everyday things we take for granted with his shaking hands.

Though nothing in the known medical universe can reverse the illness we hope that the operation will reduce the symptoms...

I had a cold last week and only came to the office once, but I've asked if I can be away for the rest of this week and start of next - I'll work a bit remotely from my parents' home but mostly focus on being there. So I'm off to support my family if I can. It's a gift of time - sometimes the most precious substance in the universe - which reminds me again why I'm blessed to work here.

Any good wishes for my father's brain surgery are appreciated. We hope for the best.