Two years ago I visited a client of my employer in central London for five days to hand over the codebase of a huge project myself and two colleagues had worked on night and day for several months.
The five days became a month, which became three months, then six, a year, and finally two years.
For the last two years I have lived in a disconnected bubble - not feeling like a member of either company. I have learned what life is for those who commute into big cities each day.
I have learned about life in the city, ignorant commuters, rudeness, thoughtlessness, stress, tiredness, and continually running on empty. I have also of course been learning how to be a Dad - struggling to find enough time for the children, my other half, my family, and of course myself.
I am not happy with the person I have become while working in London. The person who the social workers saw as unflappable, calm, methodical and reliable has become short tempered, irritable, stressed, tired, and annoyed with pretty much everything imaginable.
It is therefore perhaps fortuitous that word reached me this morning - entirely unofficially - that my time in the city is drawing to a close.
Christmas 2008 will mark the end of the London odyssey. While I look forward to returning to new technologies, certification exams, and “moving on”, I will miss the people I am leaving behind - people I have grown to know and like over the last two years.
Returning home is forcing me to re-evaluate myself and my future. Do I really want to be a part of the Microsoft gravy train? Is there any alternative? Probably not… not if you have a family of five to support.