The Top Of My Todo List • Hacker News Board

Re: The Top Of My Todo List

#191

Post by robforman » Mon, Apr 23, 2012, 12:43 PM UTC

I found this article a few months back and was struck by its simplicity and big-picture view. We would be crazy to not try to learn from those ahead of us since we only get one pass at this.

I sent it around to some friends and, oddly, a common response was "You're too young (I'm 30) to be thinking about death." How ironic. We don't want to think about the end until its thrust upon us, but by then its too late to change course. I like the inversion you did. Its a good reminder to live life intentionally.

Re: The Top Of My Todo List

#192

Post by jarek » Tue, Apr 24, 2012, 9:00 AM UTC

architgupta wrote: post #5

Its like getting consistent physical exercise, isn't it? Keeping fit should be a priority - we feel happier, fitter, more relaxed after a workout. Yet its easy to laze around, sometimes checking email, hn, finding excuses to not go in today. In Ms. Ware's essay - consciously choosing happiness is a very intelligent thought. On some days I feel miserable, then I look around (I am in India). I thank heavens for a wonde…

Ah, that most Western of ideas — that to get consistent physical exercise it is necessary to "go in" for a "workout."

Re: The Top Of My Todo List

#193

Post by mattmanser » Wed, Apr 25, 2012, 12:21 AM UTC

robomartin wrote: post #168

mattmanser wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brilliant, always do the right thing. So catchy and yet so utterly useless at the same time. You sound just like the 'seduction' experts, 'confidence, that's what gets the girl'. My mum had an episode where she quite literally went mad. We spent a couple of weeks visiting her every day as she was confused, scared and angry. At some point I turned to my sister and said 'we have to go home, our lives have to go on'. Th…

How would you react if someone spoke to you as you just did to the author of this post? I suspect you would not like it very much. Perhaps you should consider tempering your words next time. The last paragraph of your post is worthy of discussion, the rest, as written, is an attack devoid of any class, manners and consideration.

The first 2 paragraphs were assholey, the rest was pure heart. It's controversial.

Yes. But needed to be said. I'm glad people read it.

In reality I wrote that when I was drunk, I was an asshole. But read it again. It's hard to admit sober. I think edw519 needed challenging, I think he was weak pretending to be strong. But damn, in all seriousness, edw519's choice was a LOT harder than mine. I knew recovery was a few weeks away. He knew his was never.

Don't give your disease ridden parents the rest of your life.

Mainly because they wouldn't have wanted you to when they were whole.

You're supposed to be the next generation. Not caring for an empty shell.

Re: The Top Of My Todo List

#194

Post by pragmatte » Wed, Apr 25, 2012, 8:44 AM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #61

When I first saw the title of this essay, I thought I already knew what I was going to say... Something about how my own todo this now has only one item on it, the single most important thing to do next. I gravitated to this based on the great quote by chess master Jose Capablanca: [When asked how many moves ahead he looked while playing]: "Only one, but it's always the right one." (from http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/…

Always do the right thing, even if it's the wrong thing. Just don't be afraid.

Re: The Top Of My Todo List

#195

Post by sundeep_b » Thu, Apr 26, 2012, 4:42 PM UTC

dazbradbury wrote: post #49

unimpressive wrote: post #12

I once did something similar, except inverted. I'd put at the bottom of my to-do list "...Die unfulfilled and unhappy" I figured seeing that at the bottom of my to-do list would remind me to make sure it doesn't happen. And maybe even rethink the items on top.

So logically, by completing all your items on the todo list, you die unfulfilled and unhappy. Where's the incentive there?! How about you put something like this at the bottom... n-1)Immediately think of something important and meaningful to do, and add it above. n)...Die unfulfilled and unhappy

:)

Well, the idea is that he won't reach the end of the list. So, two more items at the end will make no difference except add only more backlog!

Re: The Top Of My Todo List

#196

Post by melvinram » Thu, Apr 26, 2012, 10:33 PM UTC

Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #188

melvinram wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I struggle with this from time to time. I'm building a business that I plan/hope will allow me to have the freedom to do whatever I want with my time at some point in the future. Today, however, I work. I work a lot. 12 hours is the low end for a day. I've put work ahead of lot of things. If I were to truly close my eyes and do what I feel like, I'd be headed to a river/lake or getting on a plane. But I have clients,…

I have two concerns with the work now, enjoy later: 1) It forms habits. I think there are a lot of people who work now and just keep working because they never work out how to stop. 2) Later isn't always what you think it might be. A cautionary tale: My parents worked (very) hard their whole lives, both became company directors, had a small shareholding in the company one of them worked for and did well out of it. Th…

I hear ya. And very for your mom.

I'm 28 today so for me, later = 35 onwards.

Re: The Top Of My Todo List

#197

Post by architgupta » Fri, Apr 27, 2012, 6:43 PM UTC

jarek wrote: post #192

architgupta wrote: post #5

Its like getting consistent physical exercise, isn't it? Keeping fit should be a priority - we feel happier, fitter, more relaxed after a workout. Yet its easy to laze around, sometimes checking email, hn, finding excuses to not go in today. In Ms. Ware's essay - consciously choosing happiness is a very intelligent thought. On some days I feel miserable, then I look around (I am in India). I thank heavens for a wonde…

Ah, that most Western of ideas — that to get consistent physical exercise it is necessary to "go in" for a "workout."

I am in Delhi (have also lived in San Francisco). Actually in SF, it was easy to remain fit, by just walking 7-8 miles after work with friends up and down the hills.

In Delhi (at least in my part of town), its unsafe to walk/cycle in streets due to bad driving and traffic. better to go to a public park or a gym. So yeah, its the east where rapid urbanization isn't leaving space for a random walk.