[aksdj4aa]

> these types of interactions just don't happen anymore

And that's a good thing! I can't tell you how much of my day was wasted with pointless "lead in" conversation that ended up being just another business meeting. Or "lets get lunch" and it ends up being just talking about work. These are the "hello" slack messages of yesteryear. A frustrating waste of time. If you want my time schedule it, do not come up to my at my desk and ask me anything related to work. SCHEDULE IT. Otherwise once you let people into your work time they consume all of it and you end up working late every single day.

I have absolutely no interest in the personal lives of my co-workers and I strongly believe that if it can't be handled in an email, or a short meeting, then it's a problem that needs to be split up. I've carried this from junior to staff engineer and it's served me well. I zone out during long meetings and regularly work during other "important" meetings. There are very few meetings that matter to me because 99.9% of them are job justification on the part of PMs who want to hear themselves talk.

Remote has been a total life changer for me, and I've done it for the last 4 years. I am far more productive, I have a far tighter reign on my schedule, and the only thing I'm missing is those "little conversations" I couldn't care less about. I want to do my 8, clock out, and go home to do the things I actually enjoy. Remote has enabled me to do this WELL. I was miserable in the office and I enjoy life far more now. I even get the opportunity to pursue continuing education because I'm now rated based on my output rather than ass-in-seat metrics middle managers love.