Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do? • Hacker News Board

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#11

Post by cgoddard » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 1:08 AM UTC

int3rnaut wrote: post #9

"Programming has never been a strong passion of mine", if you look at the real successful people--the people that are happy, they do things that they are passionate about. If you're not passionate about programming or being a hacker--why put yourself through it? What ARE you passionate about?

I'm doing it because I can make a living that way. I'm sure that's why most people do their jobs. Not everyone does what they dream of, because society doesn't value all contributions equally, and some not at all.

Helping poor people with odd jobs and cleaning is actually something I'm passionate about, but it's also a good way to be pretty poor and destitute yourself.

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#12

Post by DanBC » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 1:19 AM UTC

buy / borrow these books, and work through them

(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Over-Mood-Change-Changing/dp/08...)

(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Anxiety-Helen-Kennerley/d...)

Find a friend to help give you a poke now and again.

Here's an Australian website that is often recommended.

(http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome)

A few weeks work will drastically reduce anxiety.

{Start-up idea: MoodGym but better.)

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#13

Post by jim_lawless » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 1:37 AM UTC

You might contact a contracting / consulting firm. Let them sell you.

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#14

Post by lbcadden3 » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 2:11 AM UTC

If you are using dried beans and not instant rice you are not really suffering nutritionally. Not any worse than what most americans eat anyway.Do a google search.

Go to a soup kitchen for a meal every once in a while, if you feel guilty about it volunteer at a different one.

Get out of the house.

You have issues other than a job to worry about and going back to the same type of work you do not enjoy is not going to help.

Salvation Army, Red Cross or any 'decent church' should be able to direct and help you with social services.

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#15

Post by cgoddard » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 2:35 AM UTC

lbcadden3 wrote: post #14

If you are using dried beans and not instant rice you are not really suffering nutritionally. Not any worse than what most americans eat anyway.Do a google search. Go to a soup kitchen for a meal every once in a while, if you feel guilty about it volunteer at a different one. Get out of the house. You have issues other than a job to worry about and going back to the same type of work you do not enjoy is not going to…

I mean the works alright. It doesn't suck. But work is work, and it's never been a reasonable thing for me to do one thing every possible moment and feel happy and balanced.

Trust me job and money is my biggest worry, and there's not many that are bigger than that. I'll leave the existential stuff until after I have the necessities taken care of.

Good to know the nutrition might not be that bad, at least relatively. ;-)

After reading some other threads on here I'm thinking that I should probably figure out about somewhere in the city to house in so that the car isn't an issue. I live out in the boonies right now, so soup kitchen would be a commute and maybe cost more than the actual food.

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#16

Post by cgoddard » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 2:36 AM UTC

DanBC wrote: post #12

buy / borrow these books, and work through them ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Over-Mood-Change-Changing/dp/08... ) ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Anxiety-Helen-Kennerley/d... ) Find a friend to help give you a poke now and again. Here's an Australian website that is often recommended. ( http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome ) A few weeks work will drastically reduce anxiety. {Start-up idea: MoodGym but better.)

Anxiety is my least worry. I don't want to get caught up in some sort of meta-anxiety about my anxiety. Once I'm done securing a more stable job then I'll see what I can do to fix the anxiety. :-)

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#17

Post by cgoddard » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 2:37 AM UTC

jim_lawless wrote: post #13

You might contact a contracting / consulting firm. Let them sell you.

I don't know where to find them. Can you direct me anywhere? I know basically nothing about this.

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#18

Post by 18pfsmt » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 2:42 AM UTC

I live in the same area, and though I do have income, I am always looking for other opportunities. From trolling CL occasionally, I've seen a number of jobs listed that might match with your stated skill-set. Most of them are in Broomfield, Boulder, or Denver, and it seems most of them are being screened by employment agencies. However, quite a few are from small, somewhat-technically-clueless (given the descriptions), shops that just need help with their wordpress or other CMS.

It sounds like you may just be in a funk, so if you want to go out for some beers (I'll buy :), just let me know.

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#19

Post by jim_lawless » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 2:53 AM UTC

cgoddard wrote: post #17

jim_lawless wrote: post #13

You might contact a contracting / consulting firm. Let them sell you.

I don't know where to find them. Can you direct me anywhere? I know basically nothing about this.

I Googled "denver software consulting" (without the quotes) and saw some decent results. Here are a couple:

http://www.righttimeconsulting.com/career-opportunities/

http://denversoftwarepeople.com/

Re: Advice needed: what's a destitute hacker to do?

#20

Post by paulsutter » Sat, Mar 17, 2012, 3:39 AM UTC

When I get in a rut, the best thing is to get some small things done first.

Have you looked at sites like elance, odesk, and guru? You can find small projects there that pay. It could be a good way to get some momentum back. You may have to apply for a bunch of projects to get your first assignment, but don't get discouraged. You have talent. Whatever experience is lacking on your profile, just add your test scores etc.

You mention several different ways that your confidence is low. Let me tell you a secret: the rest of us feel the same way, just that we may have managed to ignore it a little better.

Finally, learning to sell yourself isn't easy but it's no more difficult than learning to program. It's perfectly ok to mess up. Just keep trying and dont take it too serioisly - you will eventually get the hang of it.