37signals goes to Maine Oct 08
21 comments Latest by Yossef
Last week, the entire 37signals team went to York Harbor, Maine for three days. (We stayed at The York Harbor Inn.)
So what happens at a 37signals company trip to Maine? We talk about what we’ve done and what we’re about to do. We have breakout sessions to work on projects in small teams. We eat lobster. David talks about racing cars. Joshua plays flamenco guitar. We watch SNL clips. Ryan teaches us how to meditate. Jamis explains how to use an abacus. Jamie shows some of his fave ‘80s skateboard art. Sarah gives us a lesson on banjos. And more.
Plus, there’s rock balancing on the beach. Lots of rock balancing.
Why the random subjects listed above? We decided to let everyone give two different talks. One on work stuff, one on whatever. Here was the setup:
The first 15 minute talk will be on 37signals. What would you like to see us do next year? What sort of things would you like to work on next year? What do you think we can do a better job on? What’s good and what’s bad? Where are we failing? Where are we kicking ass? Everything is fair game. This is your chance to get good/bad/other off your mind.
The second 15 minutes will be about something else entirely. You’ll teach or talk on something that has nothing to do with work. If you’re into butterflies, tell us something interesting about butterflies. If you’re into golf, what’s fascinating about golf? Got a hobby that you just love? Tell us about what you love about it. Share whatever you’re finding interesting these days. Let’s all expand our horizons a bit.
During our typical one-day meetings, this sorta stuff isn’t possible. It was definitely nice to have the extra time to stretch out.
Music in video: “Captain Bacardi” by Antonio Carlos Jobim (Album: Wave)
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21 comments so far
Marcel Molina 08 Oct 08
Good times.
P.S. Vladimir Nabokov was into butterflies. Way into them.
Ivan Stegic 08 Oct 08
So, soooooo, so jealous of you guys. Great that you’re reporting back and sharing with us. Thanks!
BHK 08 Oct 08
Rock balancing….interesting
Ryan Bergeman 08 Oct 08
Looks like it was an awesome time. Thanks for sharing the video.
Nathan 08 Oct 08
Man, I had to move to Florida…
Hope you guys enjoyed my home state!
David Wallace 08 Oct 08
Big fan of 37 Signals and York Harbor from my basecamp (2nd floor—not a highrise) in Boston. Sorry you didn’t ask for groupies to attend. But I’ll head up there to see if your rocks are still balanced and report back. The meeting looked effective and fun in equal measure.
As ex-pat Chicagoan, would you mind airlifting some Vienna Beef products next time you come East?
Thanks David
Mike Hickerson 08 Oct 08
This is a great idea. I work on a team that is spread out all over the country and rarely see each other in person (though we are constantly in contact via Basecamp, phone, IM, etc.). Each quarter, a different meeting or conference brings us together, but each fall, we schedule a meeting of “just us,” and spend a lot of time in “non-productive” activities. As my boss put so well, since so much of our “time together” is task-focused and mediated, we need the relational, face-to-face time to keep our working relationships on good terms. Though it seems strange to schedule a trip primarily for relational time, these are the kinds of activities that, if we were in the same office, would be taken care of by going out for drinks after work, catching a ball game once or twice a year, office parties, etc.
Don Schenck 08 Oct 08
Two things:
1. I listen to Bossa Nova music like that all the time. Love it.
2. Next time, invite me. I’ll talk about, demonstrate and teach surfing. Cold-water surfing, to be sure!
(and cigars and scotch)
Tim Jahn 08 Oct 08
What a great way to not only bring the team closer but to relax at the same time and remind yourselves that at the end of the day, you need to be having fun. I especially like how you chose a destination far away from your home base. Nothing like “getting away” for a weekend (especially out there).
Brian Jones 08 Oct 08
Do you guys work in one office location together, or is your team fairly spread out at different locations?
Brian.
MI 08 Oct 08
Brian, we’re spread out all over the place. You can take a look in the sidebar to see where we all live.
Brian Jones 08 Oct 08
Very nice, you have someone working in Ontario, Canada. :)
Brian.
Bruno Zanchet 08 Oct 08
I think this song is a better soundtrack for beaches were you can actually swim, instead of balancing rocks :)
Chico 08 Oct 08
Nice time not only to afirm work relationship, but also to build real life friendship…
Wave is a great album!
It´s good to know that you guys enjoy brazilian music…
Regards from Brazil.
Jacob Stetser 08 Oct 08
Maine. The Way Life Should Be. ;)
Ahh, I grew up there.. For a long time the license plates said ‘Vacationland’—and then when everyone started coming there, we changed it to what you see above.
Glad you enjoyed your visit – it’s quiet, rustic, slow-paced… I can’t live there right now, like my life a little faster these days, but I love going back to visit family.
matt 08 Oct 08
Great to hear you guys made it here. Maine rules, and York Harbor is nice. Any time you are back here, I am happy to show 37 love and show you around Portland. We have a small, but very proficient group of Experience Design people here. I know I am a fan of your applications and will continue to use them daily. Thanks for checking out the coolest place in the U.S. ;)
Cheers.
fs 08 Oct 08
Maine’s license plates still say Vacationland. The sign on I-95 after you enter the state says The Way Life Should Be.
Pat Washburn 08 Oct 08
Dudes! I’m a 37signals enthusiast (used to work for OrganizedWisdom) and I live like 10 minutes from there! And your meetings need more women in them. And Labrador retrievers.
Brandon Eley 08 Oct 08
It’s great to see that you guys get away and recharge the batteries. I absolutely love Maine. I’ve only been once, years ago, but would love to go back for purely pleasure (it was a business trip and I had little time to relax when I was there).
Andrew 09 Oct 08
Yeah. You guys really should have gone to Moab, Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Zion.
Well, there’s always next year.
Yossef 09 Oct 08
Mr. red hoodie rock balancer doesn’t want to walk with the rest of 37signals, is happier on his own.
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