Earlier quoted context omitted.
ah, but it was worth it :)
Not really, it was just a face kiss and she slapped me pretty hard :(
You still had the right idea in middle school. Slaps in the face stop hurting sooner than regrets do.
The days are long but the decades are short
151–160 of 406 posts
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#152> "having enough money so that you don’t stress about paying rent does more to change your wellbeing than having enough money to buy your own jet" remember the old adage future billionaires of HNs: "if it flys, floats or flirts, it's cheaper to rent it". Rarely does it make sense to buy a jet until you're utilizing over 100 hrs annually. Charter->JetCard->Fractional->Ownership
this video explains why a billionaire may consider the purchase:
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#153> "having enough money so that you don’t stress about paying rent does more to change your wellbeing than having enough money to buy your own jet" remember the old adage future billionaires of HNs: "if it flys, floats or flirts, it's cheaper to rent it". Rarely does it make sense to buy a jet until you're utilizing over 100 hrs annually. Charter->JetCard->Fractional->Ownership
>> ...or flirts... That is so not politically correct. It's funny.
The version I heard used a different f-word. So it's definitely politically correct.
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#154Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can absolutely see this at an investment bank, or at a job where physical presence is mandatory (such as a security guard, a teacher, or a bank teller). In a creative job like software, it's absurd. Especially when so many places say, "Come when you want".
As a contrarian view, I kinda like the strict schedule. Lets face it, you're going to have to suffer thru primate dominance rituals. This particular dominance ritual is well understood and easily worked around and isn't all that painful and usually isn't very punishing. What I'm getting at is the alternatives for the boss to throw some weight around and show who's boss are generally worse than a mere schedule. "Oh, s…
Calling an Industrial Age invention a primate dominance ritual is insane.
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#155Earlier quoted context omitted.
By left, I assume you mean left the job completely? As interesting as a story this is, is it really the only reason you chose to leave? Did you enjoy the work and did you try and negotiate at all? I don't mean to criticize your prioritization but the decision seems a little impulsive given how you described it. As you mentioned you gave your priorities a lot of thought, but what about the decision itself?
I worked at a small startup like this once. The boss/founder came from a non-software background, so he was used to expecting everyone in the office by 8 am. The way I explained it to him was "You pay me to think about the software, and solve the problems. I do this not only in the office, I do this in the shower, I do this on the way home, I do this on the way to work. Now, is it more important for me to be thinking…
I work at what the owners call a "15-year old startup" and they're very strict about being on time for the office hours. And the reasons you cite (in the shower, while commuting) are among the reasons they pay us salary. We're expected to work a small amount in the evenings and weekends as well as our 40 hours during the week. Our management uses the excuse "Well, it's the tech industry, we all work extra."
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#156Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can't say I'm surprised to see this as the top comment, but I think it's sad that you (and apparently many other upvoters) don't think 30 year olds can offer valuable advice on life. It's also wrong as proven by history. Many writers have produced some of their best works at the same age. One example is Kirkegaard who wrote "Fear and Trembling"[1] at age 30. If you think that Sam's advice is narrowminded or bad as…
I think there's a difference between providing everyday life advice and writing an influential philosophical work. For example, having a family. I have no idea if Sam has children, but many 30 year olds (like myself) do not, so I don't consider myself able to give life advice to anyone who does, because their life and my life are dramatically different. In general, I think, it's not that 30 year olds can't give life…
That probably just means that a lot of advice doesn't apply to everyone at all stages of life. Someone with kids could write a similar list with advice that would be good for some and bad for others.
I bet a lot of parents, in good faith, give their children bad advice. For instance, "get a good education so you have something to fall back on". That may be good advice for some - probably even the majority of people. For others it will be terrible advice.
Knowing the background and credentials of an author (age, experience, works, kids/no kids etc) can be valuable and guide the reader. It may help identify whether the advice is relevant and applicable to him/her, but it shouldn't discredit or disqualify the author or work in itself.
In this case, Sam just chose to share the answer he gave a friend who most likely will find it more valuable than someone who is living an entirely different life. He didn't say that it applies to everyone, and I'm also certain that he knows that he will learn more life lessons. Nothing is final and I'd certainly expect to see different advice when he turns 40.
The fact that we continue to learn throughout life is not a reason for not sharing what we've learned so far, particularly if we believe others can benefit from it.
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#157I was 5 minutes late to work every morning, because of taking my son to school in the neighborhood where our new house was being built. I didn't want him to have to move schools in the middle of the year. Boss said "This won't do. You'll have to examine your priorities." I thought about it all day, that night. Next morning I got to work (5 minutes late), went in his office, said "I examined my priorities. Work is #12…
I can absolutely see this at an investment bank, or at a job where physical presence is mandatory (such as a security guard, a teacher, or a bank teller). In a creative job like software, it's absurd. Especially when so many places say, "Come when you want".
Then why bother with an office at all? We have discussions here about remote work and private offices disrupting team communication, but if your team isn't all in the office at the same time I don't see how that is any better.
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#158> On work: it’s difficult to do a great job on work you don’t care about. And it’s hard to be totally happy/fulfilled in life if you don’t like what you do for your work I get that this is aimed at the startup crowd, but I've always felt that this sentiment is pretty privileged. We, the elite, get to cherry pick our work and do what we like. But I bet 9/10 people will never feel they have this luxury, and 8/10 will b…
Hmm I always default to not "do what you love" but "love what you do" in that most work has some interesting component, and what's really important to develop is the ability to isolate that aspect and motivate yourself with it. That's something I think everyone can use, regardless of their position in life
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Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm the counterexample - I like letting capable people as loose as possible, and more often than I'd like this backfires. I'd appreciate some effective pointers on how to deal with this issue.
This is correct, from my understanding cultivated sternness happens not by being that way by default but by being so lenient at several different moments in your past that you were strictly taken advantage of until you could accept it no longer and you had to be strict or mean. Then the first time you decide to do so all every one ever sees is "Oh this guy is really harsh, what a jerk". Such is life. I'd LOVE for poi…
I would imagine some flexible middle ground? Like a number of hours you strictly have to be in the office per week, but outside general availability time (10-14) they can choose when they come and leave as long as they fill their quota.
Re: The days are long but the decades are short
#160> On work: it’s difficult to do a great job on work you don’t care about. And it’s hard to be totally happy/fulfilled in life if you don’t like what you do for your work I get that this is aimed at the startup crowd, but I've always felt that this sentiment is pretty privileged. We, the elite, get to cherry pick our work and do what we like. But I bet 9/10 people will never feel they have this luxury, and 8/10 will b…
Hmm I always default to not "do what you love" but "love what you do" in that most work has some interesting component, and what's really important to develop is the ability to isolate that aspect and motivate yourself with it. That's something I think everyone can use, regardless of their position in life
You know that song, "if you can'y be with yhe one you love, love the one you're with?"