Dutch Lock Down Day Fifty Three

Alternative Title: So Long Farewell Auf Wiedersehen Goodbye

Just in case you don’t know the reference because you haven’t seen The Sound of Music or don’t remember the iconic scene where the von Trapp kids sing their way out of a party in joy or out of a scary situation in stress, here’s the happier bit:

Also, if you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend the whole thing – simply brilliant. I’m normally a sci fi person myself, but it’s just SO iconic and there are just SO MANY beautiful scenes and songs.

Yes, I’m totally procrastinating.

Yes, I’ll get to the point shortly.

But first the news:

• Coronovirus in the Netherlands: your personal stories
• Fifth of Dutch Think Gov’t is Relaxing Lockdown Too Quickly
• How to achieve the power of face-to-face networking in a society disrupted by Covid19

I’m leaving Red Hat.

ASIDE: That ^ sentence was so intense that I went on a REALLY LONG WALK after I wrote it.

It’s the end of an entire chapter of my career, sure, but also my life.

I’ve been with Red Hat for ELEVEN YEARS!

And while, yes, if you look at LinkedIn, it looks like I’ve done five different things over here, I’ve really only done TWO.

Support.

And Community.

Which, really, are the exact same thing.

With support, I answered phones and solved problems with customers, partners, and collaborators. And with community, I solved problems with customers, partners, and collaborators.

Okay, so less phones.

So I’ve only done one thing here at Red Hat – Community Support.

I’m especially thankful for my experience here at Red Hat where I learned so much about open source, Fedora, CentOS, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Satellite, registration, upstream projects and downstream products, infrastructure and network troubleshooting, OpenStack, OpenShift, containers, cloud vs edge, escape rooms, #AllThingsCommunity, support, public speaking, Toastmasters, international travel, the importance of a code of conduct, the significance of open source licenses, the value of sticker swag, and the miracle of rubber ducks.

I could write the longest run on sentence in the world. Covering everything I’ve learned. Over the past eleven years. That Red Hat was either directly or indirectly involved, supportive of, or Simply There When.

But every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

I know, I’m all caught up, too.

It’s a lot.

Despite the title, this is not actually good bye.

ASIDE: I’m terrible at good byes.

This is “I’ll See You Around”.

Because the next chapter is within open source. Within cloud computing. Within edge.

Within Community Support.

And while I absolutely cannot wait to tell you about it, this is not the time for looking forward, but for looking back.

This is a time for celebrating the past.

For thanking my beautiful colleagues.

Maybe for shedding a tear or two.

Definitely for expressing those difficult emotions.

I love you, Red Hat.

Thank you.

And good bye.