Be in service to someone or something without expecting anything in return. For me it is my dog.
For me it is my God. :)
Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
231–240 of 312 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#232Don't listen to other people.
Also: Don't ask for advice on HN.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#233Earlier quoted context omitted.
Software development is only a well paid profession fairly recently, and only a very well paid profession if you are lucky.
Programmers have been well paid since at least the dot com bubble, that's a conservative 20 years, wouldn't consider that 'fairly recently' imo. Also I would consider a bare six figure salary well paid.
I worked in state government in my past, and very few of the programmers there were making six figures.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#234I am 69, so I will chime in here: I now spend much more time dedicated to the food I eat, exercise, and meditation. A good thing is that I mostly no longer care much about changing other people's opinions on things. I certainly enjoy talking and expressing myself but if someone listens to me then that is sufficient - they don't have to agree with me. It works the other way also: even if I disagree with someone, I can…
regarding meditation, when did you start and are you doing it differently right now?
I started meditation in the mid 1970s, but this year started more formal training (a nine month set of lessons from the SRF). I probably devote about 30 minutes a day to meditation.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#2351. Find good friends; keep good friends. You'll probably only find a handful of these throughout your life. Good friends help validate your existence and make life worth living. They will surprise you. They may turn out to be a lot older than you, or a lot younger. They may be people you grow up with, or only meet online. You may go for years without meeting/talking to them, but as soon as you're together again every…
> I particularly hate my bladder when it wakes me up at Stupid O'Clock
Be grateful, - at least it actually wakes you!
Not sure if it's just age, or other factors but I've certainly seen people who don't always wake up in time.
Your first point also resonated with me and reminded me of this:
"One of the lessons we can learn from history is that people always move on. Sometimes after just a little while, sometimes after years of love and affection. Sometimes unexpectedly, But always.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#236Surprised a search for caffeine doesn't find anything on the page.
Having given up soda around college (and never getting into coffee, and rarely drinking alcohol), almost 20 years later I'm glad I have the ability to drink just a little bit and get a good short burst of energy.
Treat caffeine as you'd treat aspirin, or bandages, especially when you're younger and you really do have an efficient power generator, and ability to do more with less. You'll have less of a tolerance you need to beat to get the same effect when you're older.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#237First, you'll probably never think of yourself as old. You'll look in the mirror and wonder why 20 year old you has all this gray hair and wrinkles. Second, it's ok to let things slide for a while, but the longer you let them slide, the tougher they are to fix (and if you wait too long, some things can't be fixed). See plenty of other comments about teeth, back, RSI, diet. If you decide to let something go for a whil…
How to build my ethics? Honest question, i have been clueless for a while.
Read the biographies of people you admire.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#238Earlier quoted context omitted.
Programmers have been well paid since at least the dot com bubble, that's a conservative 20 years, wouldn't consider that 'fairly recently' imo. Also I would consider a bare six figure salary well paid.
I worked in state government in my past, and very few of the programmers there were making six figures.
True, I stand corrected. I think that's still the case actually.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#239Optimistic failures are so common, that I assume every idea/business/etc. will fail, and I'm right most of the time.
That doesn't mean you will fail, but it means I'm not going to be particularly excited.
Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?
#2401) save/invest $ aggressively. Financial independence has huge benefits in the near-term and long-term. You don’t need most of the crap you’re buying.
2) if you choose to have kids, make spending time with them priority #1. There is nothing more rewarding.
3) immerse yourself in nature frequently (without much gear)
4) find opportunities to work/volunteer/friend with people from a diverse array of backgrounds
5) listen:talk 5:1
6) amen to dental care comments
7) learn continually about a wide array of topics