ashe dryden

Starting today I am spending a good amount of time trying to re-center myself by limiting my obligations to other people and things. I've been rather overwhelmed trying to keep up with 700 people on twitter, a couple hundred emails a day, an ever-growing instapaper reading list, and new conferences/speaking gigs.

I am still travelling full time through mid-November for speaking to meet current obligations, but have decided not to accept any more speaking invitations until at least March. Even then, I won't be traveling to the extent I am now.

I need time to work on my book, my video series, the diversity resource site, and my other writing. Creating these resources for people to reference so they can learn on their own will save myself and others from doing as much free labor as we've all been engaging in. After all, it's a major tenet of programming to not repeat yourself.

I also need time to work on myself: my physical and mental health, my relationships with family and friends, and in general just doing things for me.

This doesn't mean I don't want to spend time with you or have those conversations with you, but I am one of those all-or-nothing people and have been in the "all" track a little too long.

I think we're all best served by my taking a bit of a break.

Close friends are welcome to text me.

See you all soon <3