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Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

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Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#51

Post by 52-6F-62 »

mkirklions wrote: post #41
intended wrote: post #18

If you are unsure of the next best move choose the next move which leaves you with the most options. The meta point being that advance programs recognize this pattern and then judge you accordingly. The meta meta pattern thus leads to making all your moves seem like they were all planned from the start. This is sort of encapsulated by a saying attributed to GE executives: “if at first you don’t succeed, bury all evid…

Andddd this is how I wait another year and another year to have children...

You're not alone.

Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#53

Post by wuliwong »

darrenf wrote: post #22
wccrawford wrote: post #4

I couldn't understand how the title related to the advice until I finally looked up the definition of "bargain". "an agreement between two or more parties as to what each party will do for the other." I've never, ever heard anyone use the word "bargain" in the way that the author is doing. I can't deny that it technically fits the definition, but if you want to be understand, I think it's important to use language th…

> I've never, ever heard anyone use the word "bargain" in the way that the author is doing. I can't deny that it technically fits the definition, but if you want to be understand, I think it's important to use language the way other people use it. This surprises me as much as the author's usage did not. Are phrases like "bargaining chip" or "more than they bargained for" not common enough that this sense of "bargain"…

I think disagree with the parent comment and you.

For reference, there appear to be two definitions of bargain:

1.an agreement between two or more parties as to what each party will do for the other.

2. a thing bought or offered for sale more cheaply than is usual or expected.

I believe that the author actually does mean to use definition #2. One of the section headers in the article is "Bargain Shopping Careers." This certainly implies looking for GOOD deals not simply 'agreements.'

While I agree the first definition of bargain is also commonly understood, if you say 'seeking bargains' and all you mean is a that you are seeking agreements AND you are talking to someone who grew up in United States, I would advise you to just say "seeking agreements" otherwise the person will assume you are specifically looking for 'good deals' not simply agreements.

Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#54

Post by alex_hitchins »

mkirklions wrote: post #40
erikb wrote: post #5

Completely agree with what is stated. Jobs where you can learn something are much more valuable than jobs that pay well from the beginning. I'd like to add that at least for me it was confusing how many valuable skills I need before I can really sell myself consistently. It's not enough to just develop in a programming language. You need to know how to QA your code, how to project manage, how to deploy your code to u…

Oh boy. I sold out and took the money to be a program manager. I use the money to pay for my pet projects that I hope one day will explode. Goal is to be a leader, not a laborer.

My goal is just to be a good person that others respect.

Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#55

Post by wuliwong »

paulpauper wrote: post #47
wuliwong wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Huge sums of money" isn't well defined so I can't comment on that. But the idea that $85K is only enough to cover rent and other expenses is wrong.

I'm assuming Seattle living expenses, which are higher than national average. Also it's not like he keeps all the $85k. Taxes take a chunk of that . I keep reading stories of how hard it is to live in Bay Area on low six figures, so I assume that $85k in 2004 in Seattle would also be somewhat hard.

$85k adjusted for CPI is something like $113k today. Microsoft is in Redmond not Seattle. Hard is certainly relative but living in the suburbs of Seattle, fresh out of college making $113k is nearly objectively not hard.

Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#56

Post by snegu »

paulpauper wrote: post #47
wuliwong wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Huge sums of money" isn't well defined so I can't comment on that. But the idea that $85K is only enough to cover rent and other expenses is wrong.

I'm assuming Seattle living expenses, which are higher than national average. Also it's not like he keeps all the $85k. Taxes take a chunk of that . I keep reading stories of how hard it is to live in Bay Area on low six figures, so I assume that $85k in 2004 in Seattle would also be somewhat hard.

No, I easily supported a family of 3 on that in 2016 in the Seattle area. For a single guy, he'd be living well.

Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#57

Post by snegu »

wuliwong wrote: post #55
paulpauper wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm assuming Seattle living expenses, which are higher than national average. Also it's not like he keeps all the $85k. Taxes take a chunk of that . I keep reading stories of how hard it is to live in Bay Area on low six figures, so I assume that $85k in 2004 in Seattle would also be somewhat hard.

$85k adjusted for CPI is something like $113k today. Microsoft is in Redmond not Seattle. Hard is certainly relative but living in the suburbs of Seattle, fresh out of college making $113k is nearly objectively not hard.

Don't know about 2004, but Redmond housing is now more expensive than Seattle!

Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#58

Post by mywittyname »

paulpauper wrote: post #46
majormajor wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Shit, 85K as a college grad TODAY still puts you solidly into the upper ranges of your demographic. If you think that's "just cover rent and expenses" money, how do you think the people you buy coffee, food, or anything else from live?? The author also doesn't seem to discuss what he did the 8 following years , which seems baffling. > I didn’t know which traits I ultimately wanted in my career, but I appreciated that…

Assuming Seattle living expenses which are higher than national average

Back then, Seattle/Redmond was much, much more affordable. In 2004, the Case-Shiller Index for Seattle was 125, while the national index was 140 (!). Today Seattle has a 250 index while the national index is 195.

In other words, Seattle housing went from pretty well below-average to wildly more than average in ~15 years.

So $85k in Seattle in 2004 then would be roughly like $160k in Columbus today.

Re: Don’t Know What to Do with Your Life? Seek Bargains (2012)

#60

Post by gamechangr »

majormajor wrote: post #38
branchless wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People in their 20s don't remember before the banking coup. They think it has to be like this.

Shit, 85K as a college grad TODAY still puts you solidly into the upper ranges of your demographic. If you think that's "just cover rent and expenses" money, how do you think the people you buy coffee, food, or anything else from live?? The author also doesn't seem to discuss what he did the 8 following years , which seems baffling. > I didn’t know which traits I ultimately wanted in my career, but I appreciated that…

It's interesting that you said.. "that's why I'd listen to you if I were a High School Senior".

That's exactly who his intended audience was...

http://calnewport.com/books/straight-a-student/

https://cognitomentoring.org/blog/a-summary-and-broad-points...

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