...side projects. Google's 20% time is well known. Alex Payne (better known as al3x) has written something nice about the value of having something to do besides work.
Sadly, in a place where the standard opening question in a bar is "so, what do you do?," side projects are often frowned upon. If you're an associate at a law firm, it might even be completely verboten, save for an approved pro bono project here and there. Many state bars require attorneys to provide a certain amount per year of free services, but aside from the rare academic or law review paper, most don't have time for outside projects in their chosen field.
Luckily for me, I'm not a lawyer, and I am generally free to work on my own interests on my own time. I can't help thinking how much things could change if this town were more open to allowing the hordes of brilliant, creative, educated people (my hometown of Bethesda, Maryland boats one of the most educated populations in the US) that flock here for public service to pursue their own ideas, and even use their creativity to improve what gets done, and even the process of how things get done around here and across the country.
Sadly, in a place where the standard opening question in a bar is "so, what do you do?," side projects are often frowned upon. If you're an associate at a law firm, it might even be completely verboten, save for an approved pro bono project here and there. Many state bars require attorneys to provide a certain amount per year of free services, but aside from the rare academic or law review paper, most don't have time for outside projects in their chosen field.
Luckily for me, I'm not a lawyer, and I am generally free to work on my own interests on my own time. I can't help thinking how much things could change if this town were more open to allowing the hordes of brilliant, creative, educated people (my hometown of Bethesda, Maryland boats one of the most educated populations in the US) that flock here for public service to pursue their own ideas, and even use their creativity to improve what gets done, and even the process of how things get done around here and across the country.
Leave a comment