10 ms·

Life of a Tech-nomad.

24 points by teemujin 13y ago

ironchef 13y ago
While I admire the guys's perseverance, I can't help but have the reaction of "wow that is selfish". If you're working that much (for that long) it sounds like you have very little family life.
- teemujin 13y ago
  Ouch...I actually spend more time with my family than I would if I was working a regular 9-5. We are together since I work at my laptop near them. But yes I am busy a lot... thats the point of the writing I guess.
  - ironchef 13y ago
    "Spending time" doesn't actually mean you're really present though does it? Not trying to sound harsh, but it's something I've examined a lot in my family relations as well. It reminds me of the dads at the playground who are having conversations on their cell phones while their kids are trying to interact with them. They're spending time with their kids, but are they "there"? Thanks for writing though. I think too many people think success will happen within the first year or so and don't realize there are often pivots and things don't often go ... as planned.
    - teemujin 13y ago
      Yes you are right.. I am partially absent during my time with the kids.. there but not all there. I wish I could tell you I was the picture perfect version of a dad... but Im not - and to me being a dad is an everyday struggle to get it right...but that being said - my version of whats right and yours are probably very different...My dad was busy all the time too - he flew choppers in the Army... he went on TDY ( long term duty ) / he worked over weekends ( MEDIVAC )... he was busy as hell and yea sometimes he was grouchy.... but dammit he was a great dad..and I love the hell out of him...he was real with me...always... he let me know that the world is not all pretty smelling roses and sometimes you get your ass handed to you... maybe thats why I am the way I am now? dunno.. I hope to teach my kids the same kind of survival skills my parents taught me... do what you must do to survive and succeed on your own terms... be a real person... strive to stay honest and seek what is good in your heart. Thats all I'm doing here... if I've sacrificed being a 'great dad' - well... hopefully my wonderful kids and wife will forgive me for trying... my goal is to get to a place where I do have much more freedom and time with them...and I'd never trade the time Ive had with them thusfar... being an at home dad... even if it meant laptop glued to my fingers... has not been all that terrible in my pov. cheers.
- cpursley 13y ago
  Sounds like he's doing a good job providing his wife and children access to their family in Russia as well as abroad trips.
  - teemujin 13y ago
    Thanks for noticing... yes thats part of the reason to do things this way - family is important... I think perhaps my writing gives the impression Im a shit dad... oh well... maybe according to someone's Hallmark card Daddy... - yea...Im a shit dad. ok. ;)
- bluedino 13y ago
  A lot of business owners that I know are addicted to work and their family lives have been greatly affected by the time they spend at work.
jakobe 13y ago
Does it have to be like this? Is it not possible to lead a startup and work normal hours (≤8) and spend time with your kids? I'm torn between thinking I'm putting too little time in my software business (solo developer), and thinking that I'm spending too little time with my family. I don't want to believe I need to sacrifice my family life to be successful.
- teemujin 13y ago
  I'm not saying my path is your path.... Im saying thats what I experienced.
- jacquesm 13y ago
  > Is it not possible to lead a startup and work normal hours (≤8) and spend time with your kids? Absolutely. The problem is that if you go head-to-head with people that will go all out there is a chance that they'll be able to outgun you with a similar sized team. In practice there are ways to offset for that depending on the situation, for instance, you could have more experience, better quality people you're working with, an established track record and/or a better launchpad. So it's not just a one-dimensional (time put in) problem.
  - teemujin 13y ago
    It also depends on the talents of the team and individual in question... I don't want people to think I'm advocating they dump as many hours as I do into things... I'm just saying thats been my personal way of attacking things. Everyone is different - Im sure there are people out there who can put in way less time and get better results for their needs... this is just what I happen to be doing to make things work. I'm a bit extreme normally anyhow.
    - jacquesm 13y ago
      Be aware that this can be a trade-off too. It may be that you can burn fast but burn short or that you could burn a lot longer if you pace yourself. If you take off before you reach the end of that runway then good but if you run out of energy before you've reached a plateau of some stability then you could easily lose it all.
ZirconCode 13y ago
Sorry if I come of a bit harsh (personal bias, I'm aware), but here's my input: As someone who grew up in two different places (granted, they were strong opposites), and as someone who knew many children whose parents moved a lot, I'm warning you; It has a very negative effect on most children, loosing your friends/peers and not being allowed to "invest" in them. As an adult you might think, oh, well he can use Skype or e-mail then, and what's so bad about making new friends. No. Eventually most of them stop making friends, or make them very superficially. Your kids most likely won't have childhood friends, friends they trust, nor close friends. And no, family (or you) is not a substitute either. > sacrificing the safety & comfort of a ‘normal life’ and just doing what it takes to make something happen That's great as long as it's only your stuff you're sacrificing. I do commend the bravery and spirit, but I'm strongly against including kids in it.
- teemujin 13y ago
  Thats interesting because I was included in my dads military life - pretty much daily... moving, losing friends and remaking them was all apart of my up bringing...and as someone who grew up in many places with many cultures around me - I would argue that diversity and change are things to embrace...learn on your feet is good sometimes too. I get the feeling people think I've abandoned my kids - they are right here next to me...and now I get to see them more than I would at someone else's office...and I get to show them what I'm doing and explain to them what it takes to make things happen ( for me anyhow )...its on them to learn from their own life experiences...I just hope to give them the proper outlook to handle things that might seem harsh - so they can survive it and move beyond it if needed.
- seanp2k2 13y ago
  I don't have any friends I communicate with on even a monthly basis that I've known since even highschool. We'd have to bump it up to college for friends that I speak with monthly. I lived in the same place with my parents for 21 years. While not negating your point, it's possible to have the same issue when you do stay in one spot. I do have close friends, and I do have friends I trust...I've just met them all in the past few years. Do I wish I had a group of people I grew up with? Sure, and I envy that in some, but the great thing about being an adult is that you get to pick your own family.
cpursley 13y ago
Interesting. I'm married to a Russian devushka and work with a Russian developer similar to the author. Also considering moving to Russia part-time (black sea area) if my startup gains enough traction.
- teemujin 13y ago
  If its just you and your wife - then I'd say take a chance! :) I actually enjoy my time in Russia...We even have a guy working with us from Ukraine so its a lot of cultural fun for me anyhow. ;)
dodyg 13y ago
I left my hometown in East Borneo when I was 13. I now live in Cairo, Egypt, which is my 7th country. I started my company in 2003 back in Chicago. I just got married to an Italian woman three months ago. Bottom line: What's normal is not the same for everybody.
- teemujin 13y ago
  :) exactly... thats part of what I was trying to convey as well by saying we are "nomads" -- a wandering family.. but that doesn't mean its all bad. cheers.
cygwin98 13y ago
My “office” is a small corner of one of the bedrooms and consists of a 5yr old MacbookPro with a broken fan. I don't get this piece. If you're a developer, you should have the best development gears you can afford. Why have it so miserable to make it more of a punishment than a happy environment to work in.
- zhemao 13y ago
  Probably because he can't afford it. Also, from the article, it sounds like he's more of a product manager than a developer.
  - teemujin 13y ago
    buy new MacbookPro in Russia? x1.5 cost? ok...wait till back to USA? = yes. ;)
    - zhemao 13y ago
      Alternatively you could buy a cheaper computer with a working fan. If you are heading back to the US soon, it makes sense to wait, but otherwise, it might be better to get a less-capable computer that won't need to be shut down due to overheating.
      - teemujin 13y ago
        yes - but all machines are actually cheaper in the US - and Ruski keyboard is not necessary for me particularly... also- my machine is plenty powered for what we do... iOS dev and cloud application back ends - do not normally need massive processors... also its getting cold here already -so my fan is not as necessary now either... I'll get thru with a clunky machine till then. :)
- teemujin 13y ago
  hmm... maybe Im buying the better gear for my team? rather than on myself? or maybe a 5yr old Macbook is running just fine with the tools I need to develop with? Xcode running? check..iOS device running? check... Vagrant linux images running? check... Amazon running? check... not sure I understand your frustration here.
redbad 13y ago
This article is riddled with misspellings, typos, and grammar errors. :(
- teemujin 13y ago
  thanks...do you want to edit it for me? I suck at grammar and writing.

24 points by teemujin 13y ago

While I admire the guys's perseverance, I can't help but have the reaction of "wow that is selfish". If you're working that much (for that long) it sounds like you have very little family life.

teemujin 13y ago
Ouch...I actually spend more time with my family than I would if I was working a regular 9-5. We are together since I work at my laptop near them. But yes I am busy a lot... thats the point of the writing I guess.
- ironchef 13y ago
  "Spending time" doesn't actually mean you're really present though does it? Not trying to sound harsh, but it's something I've examined a lot in my family relations as well. It reminds me of the dads at the playground who are having conversations on their cell phones while their kids are trying to interact with them. They're spending time with their kids, but are they "there"? Thanks for writing though. I think too many people think success will happen within the first year or so and don't realize there are often pivots and things don't often go ... as planned.
  - teemujin 13y ago
    Yes you are right.. I am partially absent during my time with the kids.. there but not all there. I wish I could tell you I was the picture perfect version of a dad... but Im not - and to me being a dad is an everyday struggle to get it right...but that being said - my version of whats right and yours are probably very different...My dad was busy all the time too - he flew choppers in the Army... he went on TDY ( long term duty ) / he worked over weekends ( MEDIVAC )... he was busy as hell and yea sometimes he was grouchy.... but dammit he was a great dad..and I love the hell out of him...he was real with me...always... he let me know that the world is not all pretty smelling roses and sometimes you get your ass handed to you... maybe thats why I am the way I am now? dunno.. I hope to teach my kids the same kind of survival skills my parents taught me... do what you must do to survive and succeed on your own terms... be a real person... strive to stay honest and seek what is good in your heart. Thats all I'm doing here... if I've sacrificed being a 'great dad' - well... hopefully my wonderful kids and wife will forgive me for trying... my goal is to get to a place where I do have much more freedom and time with them...and I'd never trade the time Ive had with them thusfar... being an at home dad... even if it meant laptop glued to my fingers... has not been all that terrible in my pov. cheers.
cpursley 13y ago
Sounds like he's doing a good job providing his wife and children access to their family in Russia as well as abroad trips.
- teemujin 13y ago
  Thanks for noticing... yes thats part of the reason to do things this way - family is important... I think perhaps my writing gives the impression Im a shit dad... oh well... maybe according to someone's Hallmark card Daddy... - yea...Im a shit dad. ok. ;)
bluedino 13y ago
A lot of business owners that I know are addicted to work and their family lives have been greatly affected by the time they spend at work.

jakobe 13y ago

Does it have to be like this? Is it not possible to lead a startup and work normal hours (≤8) and spend time with your kids? I'm torn between thinking I'm putting too little time in my software business (solo developer), and thinking that I'm spending too little time with my family. I don't want to believe I need to sacrifice my family life to be successful.

teemujin 13y ago
I'm not saying my path is your path.... Im saying thats what I experienced.
jacquesm 13y ago
> Is it not possible to lead a startup and work normal hours (≤8) and spend time with your kids? Absolutely. The problem is that if you go head-to-head with people that will go all out there is a chance that they'll be able to outgun you with a similar sized team. In practice there are ways to offset for that depending on the situation, for instance, you could have more experience, better quality people you're working with, an established track record and/or a better launchpad. So it's not just a one-dimensional (time put in) problem.
- teemujin 13y ago
  It also depends on the talents of the team and individual in question... I don't want people to think I'm advocating they dump as many hours as I do into things... I'm just saying thats been my personal way of attacking things. Everyone is different - Im sure there are people out there who can put in way less time and get better results for their needs... this is just what I happen to be doing to make things work. I'm a bit extreme normally anyhow.
  - jacquesm 13y ago
    Be aware that this can be a trade-off too. It may be that you can burn fast but burn short or that you could burn a lot longer if you pace yourself. If you take off before you reach the end of that runway then good but if you run out of energy before you've reached a plateau of some stability then you could easily lose it all.

ZirconCode 13y ago

Sorry if I come of a bit harsh (personal bias, I'm aware), but here's my input: As someone who grew up in two different places (granted, they were strong opposites), and as someone who knew many children whose parents moved a lot, I'm warning you; It has a very negative effect on most children, loosing your friends/peers and not being allowed to "invest" in them. As an adult you might think, oh, well he can use Skype or e-mail then, and what's so bad about making new friends. No. Eventually most of them stop making friends, or make them very superficially. Your kids most likely won't have childhood friends, friends they trust, nor close friends. And no, family (or you) is not a substitute either. > sacrificing the safety & comfort of a ‘normal life’ and just doing what it takes to make something happen That's great as long as it's only your stuff you're sacrificing. I do commend the bravery and spirit, but I'm strongly against including kids in it.

teemujin 13y ago
Thats interesting because I was included in my dads military life - pretty much daily... moving, losing friends and remaking them was all apart of my up bringing...and as someone who grew up in many places with many cultures around me - I would argue that diversity and change are things to embrace...learn on your feet is good sometimes too. I get the feeling people think I've abandoned my kids - they are right here next to me...and now I get to see them more than I would at someone else's office...and I get to show them what I'm doing and explain to them what it takes to make things happen ( for me anyhow )...its on them to learn from their own life experiences...I just hope to give them the proper outlook to handle things that might seem harsh - so they can survive it and move beyond it if needed.
seanp2k2 13y ago
I don't have any friends I communicate with on even a monthly basis that I've known since even highschool. We'd have to bump it up to college for friends that I speak with monthly. I lived in the same place with my parents for 21 years. While not negating your point, it's possible to have the same issue when you do stay in one spot. I do have close friends, and I do have friends I trust...I've just met them all in the past few years. Do I wish I had a group of people I grew up with? Sure, and I envy that in some, but the great thing about being an adult is that you get to pick your own family.

cpursley 13y ago

Interesting. I'm married to a Russian devushka and work with a Russian developer similar to the author. Also considering moving to Russia part-time (black sea area) if my startup gains enough traction.

teemujin 13y ago
If its just you and your wife - then I'd say take a chance! :) I actually enjoy my time in Russia...We even have a guy working with us from Ukraine so its a lot of cultural fun for me anyhow. ;)

dodyg 13y ago

I left my hometown in East Borneo when I was 13. I now live in Cairo, Egypt, which is my 7th country. I started my company in 2003 back in Chicago. I just got married to an Italian woman three months ago. Bottom line: What's normal is not the same for everybody.

teemujin 13y ago
:) exactly... thats part of what I was trying to convey as well by saying we are "nomads" -- a wandering family.. but that doesn't mean its all bad. cheers.

cygwin98 13y ago

My “office” is a small corner of one of the bedrooms and consists of a 5yr old MacbookPro with a broken fan. I don't get this piece. If you're a developer, you should have the best development gears you can afford. Why have it so miserable to make it more of a punishment than a happy environment to work in.

zhemao 13y ago
Probably because he can't afford it. Also, from the article, it sounds like he's more of a product manager than a developer.
- teemujin 13y ago
  buy new MacbookPro in Russia? x1.5 cost? ok...wait till back to USA? = yes. ;)
  - zhemao 13y ago
    Alternatively you could buy a cheaper computer with a working fan. If you are heading back to the US soon, it makes sense to wait, but otherwise, it might be better to get a less-capable computer that won't need to be shut down due to overheating.
    - teemujin 13y ago
      yes - but all machines are actually cheaper in the US - and Ruski keyboard is not necessary for me particularly... also- my machine is plenty powered for what we do... iOS dev and cloud application back ends - do not normally need massive processors... also its getting cold here already -so my fan is not as necessary now either... I'll get thru with a clunky machine till then. :)
teemujin 13y ago
hmm... maybe Im buying the better gear for my team? rather than on myself? or maybe a 5yr old Macbook is running just fine with the tools I need to develop with? Xcode running? check..iOS device running? check... Vagrant linux images running? check... Amazon running? check... not sure I understand your frustration here.

redbad 13y ago

This article is riddled with misspellings, typos, and grammar errors. :(

teemujin 13y ago
thanks...do you want to edit it for me? I suck at grammar and writing.