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What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

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Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#41

For anyone who is interested, the microdata is here: http://www.bls.gov/tus/datafiles_2011.htm Most of the questions people are asking can be answered with about 20 minutes of work and a little pandas-fu (or excel, if you are that sort of person).

If anybody gets a chance, a graph that isn't a spiral of circles would make for a slightly easier comparison. Seriously, a spiral of circles?

Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#42
post #31
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Parenthood rocks. Apart from the obvious point that it is mind-bogglingly fantastic in itself (far more rewarding than all of this computer stuff) it had a profound effect on my work life balance. Gone are stupid hours at work; I changed my work hours to fit nursery drop-off/collection times and even dropped to a 4 day week so I could spend quality time with my daughter rather than her going to nursery for an extra d…

"It's been long enough that I really have no idea what I used to do with all of my spare time before I became a father. " My little guy just turned two and I echo all your thoughts here, but this one is especially true. What the hell did we do with all our time before?? Here's to parenthood. :)

Sometimes I feel like the only software engineer with a wife and child. Nice to know the field isn't entirely 20-somethings.

Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#43
post #42
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"It's been long enough that I really have no idea what I used to do with all of my spare time before I became a father. " My little guy just turned two and I echo all your thoughts here, but this one is especially true. What the hell did we do with all our time before?? Here's to parenthood. :)

Sometimes I feel like the only software engineer with a wife and child. Nice to know the field isn't entirely 20-somethings.

Agreed. We need to start a band or something. ;)

Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#46
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"It's been long enough that I really have no idea what I used to do with all of my spare time before I became a father. " My little guy just turned two and I echo all your thoughts here, but this one is especially true. What the hell did we do with all our time before?? Here's to parenthood. :)

Sleep.

Not really.

We were (extremely) lucky as she slept through 7pm-7am straight from 3 months. Now she's older and wants to push the boundaries and assert herself she's battling us (and herself) at bedtime. It's usually 8pm but can be 9pm before she conks out but she is rarely ever awake before 6am, most days it's 6.30am. She's probably up in the night two or three times a week but has never failed to go back to sleep within minutes once tucked back in.

Of course I can choose to not go to bed until 1am every night, but with a highly mobile wriggly vocal 6am alarm clock that is impossible to ignore or 'snooze' you quickly learn not to. I've only got myself to blame if I don't get my 7 or 8 hours of sleep a night.

It's more the wistful memories of lazy weekend afternoons I used to spend slumped on the sofa watching football and not really achieving anything of an entire day (or weekend). A day at work is easy compared to keeping an active two year old entertained (but work is a lot more dull and far less rewarding - and I like my job!).

Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#47
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sleep.

Not really. We were (extremely) lucky as she slept through 7pm-7am straight from 3 months. Now she's older and wants to push the boundaries and assert herself she's battling us (and herself) at bedtime. It's usually 8pm but can be 9pm before she conks out but she is rarely ever awake before 6am, most days it's 6.30am. She's probably up in the night two or three times a week but has never failed to go back to sleep wi…

Same here we're even luckier that our daughter will entertain herself in her own bed until she decides it's time to sleep. So it's in bed at 7:45, but sometimes she'll be up signing until 8:30 or 9. The biggest difference in our house is the lazy weekend mornings. No more staying in bed until 10AM or 11AM. A hungry 2 year old is motivation to make an 8AM breakfast.

Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#48
post #3

Get up Check email on phone / check HN / check reddit Shower/get baby ready check email / check HN / check reddit prep backpack, get things needed for work bike to bart (music) check HN / check reddit (music) arrive at embarcaderro go to starbucks - order "large hot water" {free} - insert teabag supplied by office (restock once a week) [mighty leaf green tea tropical] walk to client site work / email / work / HN / re…

"The ride bike to BART then get off at Embarcadero" is what killed me. Here I thought I was a special East Bay flower.

I wish I could ride bart. East bay --> san jose is not a very fun commute.

Just what, 6 more years before the south bay bart lines are done?

Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The ride bike to BART then get off at Embarcadero" is what killed me. Here I thought I was a special East Bay flower.

I wish I could ride bart. East bay --> san jose is not a very fun commute. Just what, 6 more years before the south bay bart lines are done?

They've been promising the Livermore line forever. I think it'll probably just be vapor forever, Livermore-ites may have just decided they're ok not having a direct line from SF, Oakland, and Berkeley funneling drug dealers, muggers, and the homeless straight to downtown.

Re: What Americans Actually Do All Day Long

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Statistics are just statistics. Nothing is sad about 6 minutes when the "average" American isn't in school.

They're not "just statistics", as they point to some interesting facts. Americans for example travel less and work more compared to other countries. "6 minutes of education" is definitively negative (although I would personally use "narrow (minded)" in place of "sad") when compared with "90+ minutes of TV".

My continuing education takes place at work and is part of work. I am also frequently being educated while reading, watching TV, browsing the Internet, or socializing. I don't see a description of what constitutes "education", do they mean purely "attending classes"?
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