Week 2564
Well, my first week at Canonical was exhausting but not unenjoyable. I’ve landed in Prague for two weeks of planning and kickstarting of the 6-month cycle, and have been back-to-back with 1:1 introductions, sitting in on planning meetings, and the occasional presentation. It’s been amazing for getting up-to-speed on the landscape of people and ways of working, even if I still lack basic “employee skills”.
First impressions are very good. Standards are high and thus so is the pressure for everyone to perform, and the people seem quite up to it. It will take some getting used to being in a founder-led company with so much power concentration, but I came in expecting that.
The introvert hangover is intense, though. I spent 95% of my waking hours interacting with others during the week, and by Thursday noticed I am so exhausted that I experience a sense of disembodiment not unlike being drunk. So I spent the weekend mostly walking alone, visiting museums and a cat cafe and a familiar vegan restaurant. I’m refreshed, but not quite fully recovered.