I'm free?

I just started my week of vacation and I'm already back to work. I actually need to submit requirements for a project I'm part of before I decouple myself from the exciting world of working all the damn time.

I'm feeling both elated that I'm getting some time to myself (as well as time to see K--- - who I quite like to see), and chagrined that I'm leaving work in the middle of a big push. I feel like I'm letting my end down, which I sort of hate.

On the plus side, I'm going to spend some of the time away working on defining a long term community plan for my company's website. I'm very excited about this because I like to think I'm actually pretty smart about community - at least figuring out what people will want and use. Now I have to get smart about what elements of community we can use to pay my salary.

Speaking of interesting community stuff, D-- (to whom, shouts out while he's laid up in bed ) sent me this story from USA Today about more crowdsourcing from NASA. NASA was involved in the Mars Clickworker project as well, so they've clearly got some smart folks thinking about this crowdsourcing stuff. I just love the idea of getting people to participate in the principle of "many hands make light work" when they have no social capital to gain from it.

I've got to think how to use this impulse for the benefit of the site. Google's doing the same sort of thing with the label game they host to help with image cataloging.

So, thanks D--. Feel better! Now I've got to get to work so I can finish packing and get up early to drive to NYC