I've been gone far too long.
So for the past year or so I've been far too hit 'n' miss with my online activities, and my contributions to projects I believe in. Many people are aware of the reasons for this, and they seem mundane at best to me. However now is the time for me to make (yet another) stab at getting my backside into gear.
University is no longer taking up my free time. I'm a First Class with Honours Bachelor of Science graduate now.
Summer camp is also no longer taking up my time. Yes, summer camp. I spent six weeks after university working at a summer camp for European students studying English. It was a lot of fun, however there were no hours of free time in front of the computer where I had the energy to do anything productive. Free time at summer camp = vegetable state.
For the past few weeks I've been transitioning into a new job that pays the bills and gives me the time I need to evaluate my options for a career. Its retail work, however the people are great, and the pay is okay for what I'm doing.
The first real job hunt of my life is now starting, and its daunting to say the least. I know that eventually I want to head back to Mozilla. I've given almost ten years of my life to making the web a better place with them, and I don't see my involvement (in some shape or form) ever going away. However it might be time to get some experience somewhere else. To spread the values, and practices I've learned from the Mozilla Community with others, as well as learn more about how the rest of the web industry works.
In the mean time all I wish to be doing is making an impact on the lives or real people, in a positive way. Whatever that impact may be. This means that I'm going to be taking the free time that has now truly become free time, and utilising it to contribute to those projects that I've been neglecting.
This isn't the first time I've made this vow to myself, and each time I have made it I really have meant it. Life just had other ideas. Now though I see a light on the horizon which suggests life isn't going to get in my way again. Not any time soon at least.