Back From Vacation And Raring To Go – To Poughkeepsie

(Originally posted 2011-08-11.)

Usually when I go away on holiday I bring something back with me. Often in the form of fresh ideas. This year it’s been such a hectic one that all I did was to flake out. So no new ideas this time. Perhaps that’s a good thing, perhaps not. 🙂

But I think I did achieve something: Mental decluttering. So I can, for example, look at stuff I was working on with a fresh take.

And the timing is actually pretty good for that: On Sunday I fly to Poughkeepsie to begin a four-week residency. We’ll be writing a Redbook on "Batch Modernization", following on from Batch Modernization on z/OS, which people seem to have rather liked. 🙂

I actually don’t know who will be on the team: I expect a mixture of the previous team (any of whom I’d be glad to be working with again) and new people (pleased to meet you). 🙂

I also don’t know what we’re going to write about. So I really do start with a "clean mind". 🙂 Or at least, I hope, an open one.

I think some of what I’ve talked about in recent posts could be useful – if not immediately reused – in the Redbook. I’ve also a few bits and pieces in my mind. But it’s a team effort to define shape and content. (And one of my ideas is that we look at each other’s stuff more this time around – to provide a different perspective.)

Now, I think there are two things that concern you, dear reader :

• A question: Are there topics in the Batch Modernisation realm you’d particularly like to see covered? No promises, but I am interested…
• A hope: I’d like to think I could take some extracts from what we’re writing and post them here. Again, no promises as the rest of the team might not be happy with these "teasers".

I should point out that it’s not MY residency: My friend Alex Louwe-Kooijmans is running it. And, further, it’s a team effort. But I’m raring to go, recharged from holiday, and hoping to share what I can with you.

(And actually I did experiment with one thing while away: Programming Mac OS X – both Applescript and with Objective C. It’s the first time I’ve really had the chance to get to know my Macbook Pro.)