I’ve had the same supper for 10 years • Hacker News Board

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#291

Post by isoskeles » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:15 AM UTC

robbrown451 wrote: post #168

isoskeles wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find them a bit less depressing than people frantically trying to experience "new" things as an effort to quiet the constant agitation of their souls.

I don't think that the reason I've tried Chinese food is to quiet the agitation of my soul. Do you?

No, I don't think that about trying new foods. But I do think that trying new foods is on a more trivial level of openness to new experiences. When you've done it enough, it's all the same experience.

I don't mean the food all tastes the same, but rather, you've adapted to the idea of trying unfamiliar foods. At this point, every new food you try has a risk-reward where you could feel somewhere between extreme disgust or delight on either end. And people who are more open to trying new foods just weigh the reward higher than the risk. Conversely, less open people will weigh the risk higher, or they just might not care. Maybe they think, "Food doesn't move me that much. It doesn't make me nearly as happy as my sheep." (Of course, maybe they don't know because they've never tried sesame chicken.)

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#292

Post by tomcooks » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:16 AM UTC

> I’ve had several strokes.

This sums up the article

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#293

Post by chubbyish » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:16 AM UTC

Jtsummers wrote: post #77

FractalParadigm wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I came to this realization in university - I love software, I love writing programs and solving problems, but I really don't love office work or the idea of sitting at a desk all day. I dropped out of a software engineering program to work on a factory floor, a decision I haven't regret once in five years (even if my parents would consider me a failure). The hours are good, the wage is good, benefits are good, I get…

My happiest period with relation to work was similar, laborious but satisfying because I got something done every day and didn't have to think about it after work. When you're writing software, it's hard to turn off the switch (I think especially if you find software development itself to be an interesting subject) when you leave the office. It's hard to not think about the design, the thing you'll do tomorrow, conti…

Same here. I love software but also hate it. Too many decisions.

During lockdown I relish the opportunity to clean the house and cook because they are straightforward tasks where there are clear goals and I always achieve success.

Software for me these days involves too much despair and worry over whether things are done the right way.

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#294

Post by tomcooks » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:17 AM UTC

voidfunc wrote: post #186

prawn wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could easily tweak this to be similar to something I grew up with, from Slovenia: https://www.tasteatlas.com/manestra Maybe cook longer and blend some of it to thicken it up. Ours typically had pork and Polish sausage added, plus this type of pasta: https://www.google.com/search?q=Ditalini&safe=off&source=lnm... It's similar to what Italians would know of as Pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans) but obviously varies…

Very familiar with pasta fagioli (Italian heritage). Ill check this out tho, thanks!

Pasta e fagioli, o coi fagioli

If it's about heritage get it right, it's worth it.

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#295

Post by [deleted] » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:17 AM UTC

FractalParadigm wrote: post #65

montenegrohugo wrote: post #7

There is value in finding your place in life and being content with it. Yes, you might be able to change it, perhaps to conform to more traditional standards of 'success', but why bother if you're happy as you are? If we humans optimize by happiness, then we should have nothing but envy for a life like Wilf Davies leads.

I came to this realization in university - I love software, I love writing programs and solving problems, but I really don't love office work or the idea of sitting at a desk all day. I dropped out of a software engineering program to work on a factory floor, a decision I haven't regret once in five years (even if my parents would consider me a failure). The hours are good, the wage is good, benefits are good, I get…

[deleted]

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#296

Post by boredtofears » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:18 AM UTC

usgroup wrote: post #286

telesilla wrote: post #266

"This valley is cut in the shape of my heart". I've known farmers like him, bachelors who are mild mannered and love their lives and the extended family that comes with living an entire life in one valley. He maybe goes to Sunday service for socialization and the local pub to watch the game, and as long as his sheep are healthy and the sky does what it promises (because he knows the day before always if it will rain)…

I appreciate the romance, but those of us who have children leave behind much more than stone walls we built in our 20s. He’s a 72 year old Batchelor who’s once stepped foot outside a Welsh valley. If happiness is a lobotomy then credit to us who don’t choose it.

Yes, what an amazing world we are leaving our children. I'm sure they'll be so thankful of the task our habits and livelihoods have left them. You've left them so much, indeed.

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#297

Post by chubbyish » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:19 AM UTC

brokencode wrote: post #200

diehunde wrote: post #180

Trying to eat something different everyday is an American obsession that I'll never understand. It's just so stressful and inconvenient. I grew up in a small town where eating the same for dinner everyday was extremely common. Tea or coffee and bread. The only variable would be what you put in your bread. Some days it would be butter, some days it would jam. Some days it would be honey, some days it would be avocado.

I think eating the same thing every day is fine, though you need to make sure to have a balanced diet with good nutrition. The author mentioned his uncle who just ate bread, butter, and cheese for every meal, and I’m not sure how you can even survive off of that. Surely it’s lacking something important with no fruit or vegetables. I’ve heard that humans had a long period of time after we became sedentary and started…

How is the author overweight eating what he eats, and walking around outside. That makes no sense.

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#298

Post by indy » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:22 AM UTC

usgroup wrote: post #286

telesilla wrote: post #266

"This valley is cut in the shape of my heart". I've known farmers like him, bachelors who are mild mannered and love their lives and the extended family that comes with living an entire life in one valley. He maybe goes to Sunday service for socialization and the local pub to watch the game, and as long as his sheep are healthy and the sky does what it promises (because he knows the day before always if it will rain)…

I appreciate the romance, but those of us who have children leave behind much more than stone walls we built in our 20s. He’s a 72 year old Batchelor who’s once stepped foot outside a Welsh valley. If happiness is a lobotomy then credit to us who don’t choose it.

There are many paths to happiness, no need to denigrate this man's life.

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#299

Post by beaner » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:26 AM UTC

usgroup wrote: post #286

telesilla wrote: post #266

"This valley is cut in the shape of my heart". I've known farmers like him, bachelors who are mild mannered and love their lives and the extended family that comes with living an entire life in one valley. He maybe goes to Sunday service for socialization and the local pub to watch the game, and as long as his sheep are healthy and the sky does what it promises (because he knows the day before always if it will rain)…

I appreciate the romance, but those of us who have children leave behind much more than stone walls we built in our 20s. He’s a 72 year old Batchelor who’s once stepped foot outside a Welsh valley. If happiness is a lobotomy then credit to us who don’t choose it.

Such a close-minded view. Children are great but they're just more people with their own experiences, like this man. And it seems rare these days that they might be as naturally at-one with the world around them as he is.

Re: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

#300

Post by lotsofpulp » Sat, May 08, 2021, 7:26 AM UTC

giantg2 wrote: post #42

kohanz wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but his diet has clearly worked for him. Is it clear, given the multiple strokes? We don't know with certainty whether the diet was a significant factor, but it's possible.

I know of people who do not eat veggies an have lived into their 70s before they have a stroke. The are also people who have strokes or other problems before 70 even if they eat their veggies. I fully expect that my high stress and sedentary life of a software developer will kill me long before 70. Such are the trade offs of a well paying profession.

>I fully expect that my high stress and sedentary life of a software developer will kill me long before 70.

You may need to negotiate better terms for yourself if you work in the most financially rewarding field of work in the world, maybe the history of the world, and you can't find the time to exercise or de stress.