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Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

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Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#21

"my fondest memories of college are times like these, where things were done out of some inexplicable inner imperative, rather than because the work was demanded."

Sounds like the ideal which “unschooling” aims toward. Look for the child’s inner imperative and give that the focus.

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#22

One of the smartest things I've done in recent years is to buy the complete Calvin and Hobbes and put it prominently on a table that I walk by daily. I turn a page a day... In the morning before I get coffee usually, though it's often too dark and I'll come back to read the two facing pages later. Depending on the day that means I'll read a Sunday strip and three daily strips or six daily strips. Once in a great whil…

They're right now working on shrinking the size, with the "portable compendium vol 1" out now with more on the way. I love the original books but they're a bit unwieldy for me to just pick up and browse, so I'm buying these as they come out.

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#23

One of the smartest things I've done in recent years is to buy the complete Calvin and Hobbes and put it prominently on a table that I walk by daily. I turn a page a day... In the morning before I get coffee usually, though it's often too dark and I'll come back to read the two facing pages later. Depending on the day that means I'll read a Sunday strip and three daily strips or six daily strips. Once in a great whil…

They're right now working on shrinking the size, with the "portable compendium vol 1" out now with more on the way. I love the original books but they're a bit unwieldy for me to just pick up and browse, so I'm buying these as they come out.

The form factor is huge! In my case it works really well because I can read it standing up while looking down at the huge book.

But that's a great edition to put out!

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#25
An excerpt of that speech as a cartoon done by Gavin Aung Than of Zen Pencils - http://www.zenpencils.com/comic/128-bill-watterson-a-cartoon... (published 2013 along with commentary)

New Yorker's "Life after Calvin and Hobbes" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/10/30/the-mysteries-...

The Mysteries - by Bill Watterson, published October 10th, 2023 https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Mysteries/Bill-Wa...

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#26
He buried the lede: "Drawing comic strips for five years without pay drove home the point that the fun of cartooning wasn't in the money; it was in the work."

My advice is similar: don't do what you love, do what you can stand doing for 10 hours a day.

When people ask about software development, I say: can you debug one line of code for 10 hours straight? if so, then you can be a software engineer.

(actually, I've had to chase bugs for 3+ days straight, but I don't mention this lest it scare the kiddies...)

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#27
post #26

He buried the lede: "Drawing comic strips for five years without pay drove home the point that the fun of cartooning wasn't in the money; it was in the work." My advice is similar: don't do what you love, do what you can stand doing for 10 hours a day. When people ask about software development, I say: can you debug one line of code for 10 hours straight? if so, then you can be a software engineer. (actually, I've ha…

3+ days is standard for code in academia hahah.

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#28
There's nothing wrong with leading a life of quiet desperation. What's wrong is cheating yourself out of happiness by not being grateful for what you have. So you're one of the unwashed masses in the garage waiting for the clock. Does that mean you have to be unhappy? Not if you can be grateful for what that affords you in the rest of your life, not to mention grateful the work isn't worse. You can always choose to change things. But don't change just because you don't think you're happy enough.

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#29

One of the smartest things I've done in recent years is to buy the complete Calvin and Hobbes and put it prominently on a table that I walk by daily. I turn a page a day... In the morning before I get coffee usually, though it's often too dark and I'll come back to read the two facing pages later. Depending on the day that means I'll read a Sunday strip and three daily strips or six daily strips. Once in a great whil…

Reminds me of the project where someone got a big eInk display to show the front page of every newspaper in the morning.

Could be awesome to apply here to get a Calvin and Hobbes a day on the wall.

Re: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech (1990)

#30

One of the smartest things I've done in recent years is to buy the complete Calvin and Hobbes and put it prominently on a table that I walk by daily. I turn a page a day... In the morning before I get coffee usually, though it's often too dark and I'll come back to read the two facing pages later. Depending on the day that means I'll read a Sunday strip and three daily strips or six daily strips. Once in a great whil…

You are doing what I have been planning to do all year. Looks like 2024 will be the year for me.
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