I've been quarantined for over 6 months and I kinda snapped one day and booked a months stay in the mountains far from everything including broadband.

OK sounds a little crazy when I put it that way but I have had Digital Nomad envy for years... probably before it was even a thing. I just always wanted to pick up and go. So this time I did and it's wonderful.

I'm still working just as I have been for the past 7 months, at home. Software development is exactly the kind of work for remote work. Despite what managers say it isn't any different from home as it is in a dirty old beige box in a big building. I write code, I discuss with my team solutions to our problems and I go to meetings when I can't avoid it (now on Zoom). I am much more productive, I get code written at a much faster pace with better testing and more time devoted to design. Yeah everything our employers wanted! Strange that they are still having issue with the whole thing!

Even better then my work life, my home life is awesome! I have time to contribute to Open Source projects, chase my hobbies and even blog. I spend more time with my family and my dog! Yup I love it.

Now I've changed my home office view to the rolling hills of the Appalachia with mountains in the distance and horse paddocks outside my window. Don't tell my employer... I'm not going back to the beige prison cell. Pass. I feel like I'm on vacation and I even worked a couple of long days this week to hit my deadlines.

We are spending our time hunting for land out here in the mountains because we will be returning after life gets sorted out! The only real challenge is broadband, there isn't any. I'm using 4G which works great but is a finite resource, fortunately it does the job and Elon Musk's Starlink is moving into beta, good by cities and crowds! Now I can hike up a mountain after work every day, the dog approves.

If nothing else this pandemic has given me the chance to live life how I wish and it's even more satisfying then the momentary daydreams experienced while looking out an office window.