Burying the lead

New professional responsibilities, old pandemic problems, and the same excuses.

So how's work?

Let's start somewhere, as it's been a moment since I last dropped a note in here. I'm busy with work. Not in some uncomfortable or (consistently) overloaded way, but in the best way. I'm inspired by my own work, the topics my peers are tackling, and the waves of high-value uncertainty that come along with my favorite type of work as a designer.

As of November 1st I have been promoted to Product Design Lead, stepping into a slightly leadership position to earn the trust of 6 super Product & UX Designers. It's a whole new challenge, and a unique flavor of impostor syndrome to boldly ignore. It's a good time in the company for this change, and a comeuppance for the design org.

I'll be talking lots this quarter - more than usual by facilitating a regular weekly meeting, and taking over for the Product Manager of my team who is savoring a 4 week vacation. I have many vacation days which remain to be taken this year, and just a few to carry over. Next year, I'll be smarter and not save things to the last minute.

A bit of time learning a bit of stuff

As you might imagine I've failed to spend much time at all on my own projects. I started making a new myo-notions landing page in Eleventy, my first time using a CSS grid system - Raster. There have been no new notions added, and new sewing happening here either.

I picked up a little knowledge of system default dark-mode through a single snippet in a SuperHi course. The course on Web3 has been got me excited by the many various possibilities, but a few of the little things I picked up from the demo site didn't require any understanding of that whole thang at all.

Learning to accept

The COVID-19 situation stretches on. Germany has reached new record numbers, despite high rates of vaccination. A fourth wave, a third shot (booster) and I'm having second thoughts on the likelihood that I will do some skiing this year. All my things are still in Canada, and while we have a work trip planned for early December, I'm taking it day by day. It looks like I won't be getting back to Nova Scotia to grab my skis, meet my niece, whatever else I might have enjoyed.

We accept what comes, it was a decent year for the vegetable garden.

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