Agreed. Without any 'core values' and a 'mission statement' I have to focus on dumb things like working hard and making the customers happy. Also, the time I would have spent making crap up for my annual performance review, I wasted by learning a new programming language. Yeah, I really feel stifled by the lack of 5 layers of management and me doing my job.

Remember when you left on vacation without a care in the world and didn't touch a computer for 2 weeks? That's not happening for quite awhile.

I like my vacations better this way. Humans are built to adjust to their situation. It benefits us, from an evolutionary standpoint, to stop enjoying ourselves and start looking for potential enemies. So in that sense it doesn't matter to me if my vacation is interrupted.

So I can't do three week vacations. I take three one-week vacations interspersed with (on average) a day or so of work. I find I have more fun that way anyhow.

Sure, but the flip side is the incredible day-to-day flexibility you have to engage in whatever interests or random fun activities that pop up. I can easily take afternoons and days off, or sleep in until 11 if I want.

I've been running my own business (web dev) for more than 6 years and I take vacations whenever I want (except when we are delivering a project) I only make sure to travel places where I can find good internet access.

Yeah, I took 3 weeks of vacation this summer but I had to keep an eye on email and make sure everything was working - they just aren't as relaxing as they used to be.

I find vacations without access to internet boring if vacation take more then one week. No matter if I am freelancing or working full-time, 'cos even if I am working full-time I also do own stuff...

Remember those "offline" weekends? They are gone too... :)

Vacations are a thing in the past indeed... =)

I guess I should watch it with the hair gel before I get too close ;-)

Wow, the domain name rang a bell big time. Sure enough, I met the guy's cofounder/cousin at an informal gamedev meetup when he visited London a few years back. Haven't kept in touch, but good to see he's doing well. (hi Nicke!)

1-8 made me smile, but #9 cracked me up. I can relate - unless bullet points on a scratch pad count as a spec.