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Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

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Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#361

Post by vjk800 »

threadweaver34 wrote: post #339
ryeguy_24 wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm, interesting. I'm 39 and used to have amazing flow sessions in late 20s and early 30s but not seeing them much anymore. I can't tell if it's because of stresses of life or simply because I don't have enough time (with 3 young kids) to allow myself to fall into a state of flow. I really hope it's not stresses or my brain changing because I really valued those periods of focus.

Late 30's no kids, no stresses beyond the threat layoffs and still being single. I recently tried playing some video games adjacent to ones I've loved before, and I found it really hard to get into them. The games are Red Dead Redemption and SimCity 4, so the graphics and gameplay mechanics are ok. It's just been hard to really get into them.

The same for me. I still sometimes find games that I can really get into, but it's much harder than it was 10-20 years ago. I think part of that is because I've played so many games that many new games just feel like the same old again and again. The other reason is, of course, that the general inability to concentrate hard on stuff makes it so much more difficult to immerse myself into the game world.

Some exceptions in the past few years have been Zelda: breath of the wild and GTA V (yes, I know both of them are a bit older, but I only played them relatively recently).

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#362

Post by pmarreck »

threadweaver34 wrote: post #339
ryeguy_24 wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm, interesting. I'm 39 and used to have amazing flow sessions in late 20s and early 30s but not seeing them much anymore. I can't tell if it's because of stresses of life or simply because I don't have enough time (with 3 young kids) to allow myself to fall into a state of flow. I really hope it's not stresses or my brain changing because I really valued those periods of focus.

Late 30's no kids, no stresses beyond the threat layoffs and still being single. I recently tried playing some video games adjacent to ones I've loved before, and I found it really hard to get into them. The games are Red Dead Redemption and SimCity 4, so the graphics and gameplay mechanics are ok. It's just been hard to really get into them.

big into the star wars and hogwarts games recently, both open world rpg’s of a sort

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#363

Post by verelo »

bookofjoe wrote: post #262
vjk800 wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to love the long periods of focus in my 20s, but ever since more life started happening, I can't do those anymore. It turns out my stress tolerance is incredibly low and when the life outside my work is not completely in order (like it rarely is after the 20s), being able to get into the flow state gets very difficult. I wish I was one of those people who could just forget the problems at home, etc. when they…

On flow: back when I started my blog (2004) I soon realized that nothing had ever turned on the "flow switch" as predictably as preparing and publishing posts: for 4-6 hours/day, 5-6 days/week, I was in heaven. Reading the comments on vjk800's comment led me to focus on my state of mind today (I'll be 75 on June 8) as I work on my blog in its nineteenth year. Though I spend perhaps 2-3 hours/day 3-5 days/week on it n…

Love this. After 19 years I imagine your blog gets some traffic. Would you mind sharing how it's worked out? I think its pretty rare outside of newspapers to see someone publishing content for this long.

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#364

Post by etherealG »

imdsm wrote: post #226
asdfman123 wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is middle ground though. I love to code and am doing this job for that reason, but there’s a lot of other things I want to do while I’m alive, too. When I’m done coding all day I want to do other things like exercise, climb mountains, learn instruments, etc. My motivation to do other things isn’t due to a lack of curiosity, but curiosity channeled into other activities.

And that's understandable. What John was saying and many of us here echo is that, for us, we'd like to want do the other things, but programming (outside of the commercial grind) is sweeter than all those things. To be consumed by (personal) work, working late into the night only to wake up and continue, uninterrupted and enjoying the bliss of focus, well, it can't be beaten. There's nothing like it. > Programming is…

I would suggest reading a book called Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. It might help to align your feelings of addiction with your feelings of “spread” :)

Engineering is a wonderful tool but also a form of art. It’s ok to indulge your passion with some balance to the rest of life without calling it addiction.

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#365

Post by badpun »

nawgz wrote: post #338
badpun wrote: post #332

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people work way more than they need. No one needs a six figures salary for 30 years straight. People just get addicted to the nice, non-necessary things, they can get on such income though. This, and their taste for anything other than working slightly withers away (as it's not practiced, due to lack of time).

Are you fucking serious? Most people are living paycheck to paycheck This place is a fucking ivory tower huh? You guys are clueless

I meant - most people on this forum. The whole discussion was in the context of programming jobs.

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#366

Post by tambourine_man »

nawgz wrote: post #324
tambourine_man wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think I might have hit a nerve. Not my intention, sorry.

Let me be crystal clear: most people fucking hate working. Bosses are the worst, the money is the sole reason to do it, and we’d all be happier working way less. The idea people are “addicted” to working under a capitalist society is absurd; we are forced like prisoners, not free to make the choice ourselves. Or maybe you consider being unhoused and underfed “freedom”. The “nerve” you’ve hit is that I hate people exc…

HN is a different bubble than the rest of capitalist society. I get the feeling that most people here enjoy their work and get really well paid for it, so the logic is completely flipped on its head.

But if you're calling me names, then this discussion is really over.

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#367

Post by dr_kiszonka »

threadweaver34 wrote: post #339
ryeguy_24 wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm, interesting. I'm 39 and used to have amazing flow sessions in late 20s and early 30s but not seeing them much anymore. I can't tell if it's because of stresses of life or simply because I don't have enough time (with 3 young kids) to allow myself to fall into a state of flow. I really hope it's not stresses or my brain changing because I really valued those periods of focus.

Late 30's no kids, no stresses beyond the threat layoffs and still being single. I recently tried playing some video games adjacent to ones I've loved before, and I found it really hard to get into them. The games are Red Dead Redemption and SimCity 4, so the graphics and gameplay mechanics are ok. It's just been hard to really get into them.

I find that my taste for games and tv reflects what is missing in my life. If your life is relatively peaceful, maybe you would enjoy more action-oriented games like FPS?

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#368

Post by dr_kiszonka »

msarnoff wrote: post #353

I worked closely with the author (John Calhoun, @JKCalhoun) at Apple in my first job out of college. On my first day, I remember being introduced to him. I looked on his bookshelf and saw a printed and bound copy of the Glider source code. I asked him if it was the same Glider I remembered playing as a little kid in the early 90s on our friends' Mac. And it was. It was a real "holy crap" moment for me, not only did I…

Thanks for the write-up! I met one senior engineer like this and it was a fantastic experience.

Re: Same Stop: Life after 26 years as a programmer for Apple

#370

Post by jprd »

verelo wrote: post #363
bookofjoe wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On flow: back when I started my blog (2004) I soon realized that nothing had ever turned on the "flow switch" as predictably as preparing and publishing posts: for 4-6 hours/day, 5-6 days/week, I was in heaven. Reading the comments on vjk800's comment led me to focus on my state of mind today (I'll be 75 on June 8) as I work on my blog in its nineteenth year. Though I spend perhaps 2-3 hours/day 3-5 days/week on it n…

Love this. After 19 years I imagine your blog gets some traffic. Would you mind sharing how it's worked out? I think its pretty rare outside of newspapers to see someone publishing content for this long.

Love this too! Super interested in this story, I'm seeking inspiration for this kind of activity and you seem to be hitting the "sweet spot".
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