Funemployment rate rising
Thursday, August 7th, 2025 05:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
flwydYesterday I announced that I am leaving Google through the Voluntary Exit Program offered to my division. I don't think I've cried this much in one week since I was a kid. I hadn't been intending to leave just yet, and I'm going to miss a lot of people and activity very dearly. But my tenure level means I'll get nearly a year's worth of salary to not work, which sounds to me a whole lot like a year of paid vacation.
I know that I was pretty well regarded at Google (I've made more memes than any human at Google, and I've got a colorful reputation in the Boulder office). But I didn't expect over 1,700 people to follow the link to my farewell essay in the first 24 hours. I've gotten dozens of email and chat and meme comment replies to my message, and my farewell message seems to have resonated with a lot of my colleagues. It makes me cry and smile at the same time.
When Google's first large-scale layoffs happened in January of 2023, I was pretty upset. All these people suddenly disappeared, and I couldn't say goodbye to them. And imagining what I would feel in that situation, I would be totally distraught to leave without being able to tell everyone what was on my mind and share a moment with each other one last time. I doubt I'd get a better opportunity to leave on a high note, so here I go into the unknown. In 2009 I quit my job with a plan to travel for the summer, which was a great experience. This time I haven't had any time to make plans beyond what I already had in place—I'm driving to Burning Man on what would be my last day—but after 15 years at a high-growth tech company I've got enough time to both plan some adventures and then have them.
As time goes on, I'll share some more reflections about my time at Google, the changing techno-social landscape, and whatever else is on my mind. For all the Googlers who are now following me via RSS, welcome to my blog and keep doing excellent work.
I know that I was pretty well regarded at Google (I've made more memes than any human at Google, and I've got a colorful reputation in the Boulder office). But I didn't expect over 1,700 people to follow the link to my farewell essay in the first 24 hours. I've gotten dozens of email and chat and meme comment replies to my message, and my farewell message seems to have resonated with a lot of my colleagues. It makes me cry and smile at the same time.
When Google's first large-scale layoffs happened in January of 2023, I was pretty upset. All these people suddenly disappeared, and I couldn't say goodbye to them. And imagining what I would feel in that situation, I would be totally distraught to leave without being able to tell everyone what was on my mind and share a moment with each other one last time. I doubt I'd get a better opportunity to leave on a high note, so here I go into the unknown. In 2009 I quit my job with a plan to travel for the summer, which was a great experience. This time I haven't had any time to make plans beyond what I already had in place—I'm driving to Burning Man on what would be my last day—but after 15 years at a high-growth tech company I've got enough time to both plan some adventures and then have them.
As time goes on, I'll share some more reflections about my time at Google, the changing techno-social landscape, and whatever else is on my mind. For all the Googlers who are now following me via RSS, welcome to my blog and keep doing excellent work.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-08 05:00 am (UTC)I never got to work with you, but appreciated many of your internal contributions both official and otherwise.
Keep being awesome.