I left Automattic at the end of March 2016, with a short farewell note to everyone I’ve got to know and work with during my 4+ years at the company.

At the time, I attempted to write a longer, more thoughtful, farewell note, but could not. To my surprise, Automatticians wrote many sweet comments in response.

They remembered when and how we met. They wrote thankful and kind words. The fact that I was surprised and that I still can’t bring myself to re-read the comments probably says a lot about… the cultural conditioning,the imposter syndrome, my personal issues? Give me a couple of decades, and I’ll figure it out.

Since March, I have wanted to write about what WordPress community, working at Automattic, and eventually leaving, have meant to me. I am still coming up short for words, so I have a song for you instead.

How much can I write in 5 minutes? Let’s find out.

Today’s victories: a phone call to the Zurich Social Security service, in German (victory!), my questions highlighted two actual problems that the clerk agreed with (victory!), they promised to send the correction forms (victory!), and they did 10 minutes later (victory!), and I filled them out and mailed (OK, put in the envelope to mail) that same morning (joyful celebration!).

Today’s mixed news: took Maxim to an eye specialist (the slight strabismus problem that I got concerned about some 6 months ago, rescheduled several visits, and finally made it today). Highlights: his eyes are fine, what I sometimes see as crossed eyes is an “optical effect” (in the words of the doctor) because of the wide nose, and is quite common in children and disappears with age. Lowlights: the very experienced, matron-like doctor noticed immediately that Maxim did not want to cooperate, and she was not amused. Also, a non-pretty scene walking back to the car (neither of us handled it well, I am sorry to report).

Today’s upside: I am blogging again, and look how much can actually get written in 5 minutes. I honestly thought I’d max out at 3 sentences. Wow.

Goodnight, sweethearts! See you later on the internets!

On our 4th day in Tokyo, we took a break from work and projects and explored the urban and green parts of Shibuya. (People with wearable devices tell me we walked some 23,000 steps).

Rather than a specific site, what I liked most were the clear blue skies, bright winter sun, and crisp winter air.

Today was when I realized that my newly developed green tea addiction was getting out of hand. After consuming dozens of green tea cookies, staying up too late due to drinking green tea throughout the day, I could not finish the green tea ice cream pictured below.

View from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, with Mount Fuji in the background

People lining up in mysterious patterns in the atrium below

Hello Kitty doing the heavy lifting

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Ice cream: green tea, cheesecake, framboise

Dinner at a Thai place

Shibuya Crossing with a diagonal crosswalk

A quiet quarter where the Airbnb house was located