Heads up: Taking a vacation soon
I’m glad to see that Jeremy is taking a couple weeks off because I’m about to take a vacation too. Starting on May 22nd, I’m taking off until June 30th.
Back in grad school, it was easy to decide on a whim: “Okay 10 of us are going to fly into Utah, then do a road trip down to L.A. for SIGGRAPH! Bryce Canyon, here we come!” And I love working at Google, but getting the right balance between work and life is tricky. Last year, I resolved to start working eight-hour days, and I’ve been really glad for the extra time with my wife. So this year, I made a couple resolutions: first, to make Friday evenings a “date night.” We don’t have to go out on a date, but we do put away the computers, and that’s been great. The other resolution was to take a long vacation. 
When I get back, I’m going to take my Gmail inbox and start fresh by completely archiving it. So if you need to email something important, you’ll have to contact me again when I get back. I don’t know how much I’ll write on the blog, so if postings are scarce, you’ll know why.
Ryan Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 1:04 pm
Matt.. not sure where to put this feedback, but on the cache: operator.. if it doesn’t have anything for a site... they should put a link to visit the live URL of whatever you’re trying to see the cache for.
This would also make EWOQ a LOT easier to use.
Ryan Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 1:07 pm
Also Matt.. as a fellow software engineer.. what are these things you speak of?
vacation? 8 hour day? I’ve never seen either of these things... can you please explain them to me and tell me what they are..
Harith Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 1:13 pm
Hi Matt
Wish you a very refreshing vacation. Assume Emmy and J.D.are glad to have the house for themselves
May I suggest to ask Adam to “entertain” us while you are on vacation. We need to know him better, ya know
Teddie Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 1:18 pm
Try not to go near a computer or it will spoil the magic.
Beth Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 1:19 pm
Hi Matt,
Enjoy! You deserve it!
Now only if I can learn to do the same!
Beth
Ryan Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 1:23 pm
yeah i’m not sure what i’ll do without matt’s blog... aside from have 10 more minutes to do actual work every day.
AHFX Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 1:52 pm
Ryan,
Vacation = traveling around looking for a hotel that has wi-fi so you can pull out your laptop and see what you’ve missed while you were looking at famous places and things.
Have a great time Matt.
ELIAS KAI Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 2:13 pm
Welcome on Board to Adam , ,,, Hmmm now I got it, Matt is going on Vacation,.
You are welcome Matt in our place in Sweden , Paris or Lebanon.
Matt Cutts Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 2:21 pm
Ryan, I knew we should get you on board at Google.
Good point on the cache: operator; I’ll pass that feedback on. Thanks, AHFX. ELIAS, you’ve got places in Sweden, Paris, and Lebanon? That’s a pretty neat mix. 
ELIAS KAI Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 3:01 pm
No, I am not trying the Trends here, lol, I Meant you are welcome in any of those cities for a short stay.(invitation for your vacation)
BTW, Who’s winning the v7ndotcom elursrebmem contest, ( you can whisper, no one is hearing )
Have a Good Sunday...
Ryan Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
Matt, if the “i knew we should get you on board” comment is related to the EWOK comment, i’ve been doing that for a while.. it’s not the kind of “on board” I want though
Make sure you take your camera with you on vacation, we’ll all be expecting downloadable vacation videos - in an ipod compatible format.... narrated of course.
Jonathan D. Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 5:23 pm
What part of LA are you gonna be visiting? I’m local in the area and would love to meet up with you guys if you’re going to be around hehe. I was gonna head up for an interview if I got called to meet up with Bharat, but that never happened (oh well, that’s life). Sounds like you’re going to have a blast Matt!
Adam Senour Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 5:51 pm
I don’t want to know Adam better. I hear he’s a jackass.
Harith Said,
May 13, 2006 @ 11:05 pm
Good morning Matt
So you are going on vacation and leaving us poor publishers without any new infrastructure weather report. Or at least telling something about how long the everflux shall continue. Or at least when do you expect an PR/backlink update
Dean Clatworthy Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 1:59 am
Have a great vacation Matt
Weary Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 5:22 am
Have a great time Mat - it is possible to spend time away and not touch a computer - just done it for 3 days in London - difficult but I survived - aiming for 5 days next time.
Paul Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 6:39 am
The archive-all idea is a good one, and one I have wanted to do for a while. Unfortunately to archive an Inbox of some 15557 mails seems to require me to page through 300 odd pages selecting all. Is there a way to do a bulk operation like this in GMail without the hassle?
Have a great vacation!
Scott Clark Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 6:51 am
Sounds sweet Matt. If you’re coming through Lexington look me up for a beer or coffee. It’d be nice to finally meet face to face.
Looking forward to the Searchcast Tuesday.
Programming-Designs Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 9:41 am
So Matt, what is your email address exactly? I’d like to email you about something but just can’t find out what it is =(
Hope you have a great time though!
PuzZler Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 3:05 pm
hey matt, good for you, have fun and switch off comments here
Esrun Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 3:17 pm
Matt,
What on earth gives you the right to go away? Your only purpose in life is to post on this blog and give spammers tips on what you have and havn’t caught onto.
This post has truly sickened me.
Best Regards
Esrun
Peter (Brane) Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 4:54 pm
May 22nd until June 30? 6 weeks?
Google may have all forgotten all about you after 6 weeks of vacation..
What on earth are you going to do during 6 weeks of not working???
Quadszilla Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 5:03 pm
have fun on your vaction - you deserve it.
If you need someone to do some posts on your blog when your gone, i’d be glad to help
Vikas Amrohi Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 9:46 pm
have gr8 fun Matt, how lucky you are
I got impressed by your 8 hours working resolution.
from my boss 
I am sure if I try for this then i will 100% have a blasting kick on my ass
Hope fully if you are booking hotel online then you will face some more issues of search.
Babuye Take Care & Be on with your blogs
Harith Said,
May 14, 2006 @ 10:48 pm
Would Jeremy Zawodny join Google, after doing some thinking and examining his life?
Jeremy is a nice guy. After reading what he wrote on his blog recently, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him working at the plex!
Here is a snippet of what Jeremy wrote:
[ If I do manage to spend much effort thinking about work, I hope it's the result of stepping back quite a bit to consider what I've been up to during the past few years and what I'd like to do in the next few. I really need to do that, but I find it exceptionally difficult to do when I'm immersed in the Bay Area tech scene on a day to day basis.
A wise man once said "an unexamined life is not worth living." ]
First Adam, and next Jeremy, maybe
Ian Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 2:45 am
Matt - also on the cache: operator, why not have links to the wayback machine, like Yahoo! do? (or even better, provide your own version of the wayback machine
)
renata Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 5:47 am
Wow! Google give you so long vacation! I wood agree to work for Google too only from this reason;-)
Maurice Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 6:06 am
MM I though that Jeremy might move his posts do have its not fun anymore tinge
Valentine Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 7:15 am
Hi Matt, here’s wishing you a great holiday but who will be looking out for spam in your absence?
I just did a search on Google and out of the top 100 results, 32 were redirects, 3 were cancelled accounts (presumably redirects that got stopped by the hosts) and 2 blank pages.
25 of these results were in the top 50. That’s 50% spam.
Stuart D Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 7:33 am
I really want to goto Bryce Canon now! Anybody know of the bus link From London to there?
lots0 Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 8:17 am
Have fun, don’t stress.
You know we want to hear all about the trip whan you get back...
So keep good notes... just kidding
Igor M. Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 8:22 am
Matt ....... leave the laptop at home (tell em you forgot it by accident and if they mail you one, tell them it got lost in the mail and send it to me ... I’ll take care of it)
Leave the cell phone turned off.
After such a long vacation you’ll love your job even more.
Enjoy.
BizMord
Igor M.
Kieran Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 8:31 am
Work/Life balance is huge! As my old boss use to say a happy worker is a good worker.
Brendan O'Connell Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 8:41 am
Excellent choice. I take two weeks off every year and stay in a reasonably remote place where life and living not technology is the agenda
Shari Thurow Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 9:46 am
Hi Matt-
Have a great vacation! I don’t know how you can take 6 weeks off. I get impatient for a computer after 7 days.
Which grad school are you going to? (Pardon my ignorance, I didn’t know you were back in school.) I’m still trying to narrow down my choices for a PHD program. I decided to just get a 2nd masters where I’m at and get my PHD elsewhere. It’s hard to find a good HCI university with an emphasis on search.
Any suggestions? Stanford and Berkeley are already on my list.
Thanks!
Adam Senour Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 11:13 am
For lack of a better way to ask this, why me? In all seriousness, I don’t really think I’m all that fascinating.
Matt Cutts Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 11:23 am
renata, it took me quite a while to build up that much vacation.
Shari, I’m not back in grad school and doubt I’ll ever return. But I still remember enjoying it and the ability to take off and do fun things.
Quadszilla, maybe I’ll just link to your post about paid links.
BTW, I’ll be on vacation so won’t be able to play poker with everyone. I would have declined on your site, but commenting was a hassle (had to register or something?). Plus I suck rocks at poker. Now if it were some competitive Canasta, I might be able to give you a run for your money. 
Harith Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 11:24 am
Adam Senour
“For lack of a better way to ask this, why me? In all seriousness, I don’t really think I’m all that fascinating.”
Because you are “someone with knowledge of search and who was intelligent, nice, patient, and well-spoken.”
Just kidding.
Honestly had that Adam in mind when I wrote: First Adam, and next Jeremy, maybe
Hawaii SEO Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 12:53 pm
Good news… After that post on the AdWords book review a few days ago, it seemed like you night need a vacation. I hope Hawaii on the list of possible destinations.
Aloha,
Dave.
omallers Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 2:36 pm
hey Brendan O’Connell,
did you go to CWC?
Adam Senour Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 9:13 pm
No wonder I was so confused. Dammit, tell that guy to change his name, Matt. There’s only one of us.
Mike Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 9:55 pm
I second what Programming-Designs said about your gmail address
I really am stumped about something; however, it’s a bit off topic so I’ll keep hoping for a grab bag again but I’m not sure I want to admit my ignorance in such a public way . . . 
Have a great vacation. I’ll miss your posts.
Nishant Said,
May 15, 2006 @ 10:23 pm
Hi Matt,
Enjoy !
Have fun on your vacation !
Nishant Bhargava
Joseph Hunkins Said,
May 16, 2006 @ 1:34 pm
Well deserved! Have a great trip and, like Jeremy, post a few pix if you are up to it so even your vacation life can be the subject of international online attention.
Brendan O'Connell Said,
May 16, 2006 @ 1:57 pm
“omallers” no, I did not go to CWC, nor do I know what it is, though the Google result provides an fascinating range of options.
George Said,
May 19, 2006 @ 6:03 am
I have reported spam sites that have scraped content from my sites forever and Google doesn’t do anything to remove them. I usually check for my domain name and this is what I found this morning:
http://4535DOT6frgq1DOTinfo/
You, Matt, sometimes checkout sites and this is probably the worst one I have seen so far!! Why isn’t sites like this one removed? Why do they have a better ranking then my site?
Scott Thompson Said,
June 9, 2006 @ 7:19 am
Good idea to put away the PCs. I work all day and then come home and work on personal sites and projects. It really does cut into your life if you are not careful.