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Side projects I've built since 2009

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Re: Side projects I've built since 2009

#71

Post by PaulRobinson »

drish wrote: post #64
PaulRobinson wrote: post #18

I wish I had this energy again. I've got a list of side projects to get on with. I've made little progress in the last year, and suspect its burn out to blame - I'm just constantly exhausted. I think if you have the energy, this is awesome fun. It might even get to the point where one of them makes some decent income. But if you don't, like me, just realise that there is a reason for that, and it's OK. You need rest…

totally feel you, I also have a list of projects I wanted to jump in, but I feel exhausted, and blame myself for not working on them.

Blaming yourself is something I can relate to.

[Comedy take: I blame you for my projects not being done too! :) Bada-tish!]

Seriously though, guilt, blame, shame all that stuff: it's not helpful. It just compounds the feelings that make it hard to get started again because those feelings are emotionally draining.

What I'm trying to get myself into the habit of is a 5-minute dip into something. If I just say to myself when I'm feeling slightly exhausted "I just need to put 5 minutes into this next task, and then I'll stop", I frequently find myself spending 30+ minutes on it. I can then feel a sense of over-meeting my "goal". That builds a little momentum, it makes you feel good about getting something done.

I also have reminded myself of the advice I gave others when younger: don't underestimate rest - particularly sleep, but also generally doing nothing - as being part of getting stuff done.

I don't do this well at all at the moment, hence my comment you're replying to, but I absolutely 100% will not let blaming myself get into my head like that, and that does help a little with the 5-minute trick.

Re: Side projects I've built since 2009

#72

Post by ChrisMarshallNY »

90s_dev wrote: post #40
PaulRobinson wrote: post #18

I wish I had this energy again. I've got a list of side projects to get on with. I've made little progress in the last year, and suspect its burn out to blame - I'm just constantly exhausted. I think if you have the energy, this is awesome fun. It might even get to the point where one of them makes some decent income. But if you don't, like me, just realise that there is a reason for that, and it's OK. You need rest…

> I wish I had this energy again. I used to think my youthful energy was gone forever. Then about 3 months ago I had an idea for a project I truly believed in. I was able to write code for 16 hours straight, day after day, for most of the last 3 months. And it's not exhausting, it's rejuvenating . I feel like a young man again, despite my gray hairs! (I was planning on releasing it today actually, but this weekend I…

I'm 63, and still actively shipping "side" projects (quoted, because now they are my "day job"). Been doing it for at least a couple of decades. Probably more like 30 years.

Here's what I'm working on, right now[0]. It's a major rewrite of an existing app, that's been submitted to the App Store, and will probably go "live" in a day or so (unless someone at Apple has an issue with it, which happens, from time to time. Annoying, but not the end of the world). I'm working on the README and code documentation, now (I'll put together a docc catalog, as well as a Jazzy Docs site, and the supporting pages[1]).

[0] https://github.com/RiftValleySoftware/ambiamara (Just a timer app, but a pretty good one).

[1] https://riftvalleysoftware.com/work/ios-apps/rival-t/

Re: Side projects I've built since 2009

#73

Post by fm2606 »

nonethewiser wrote: post #65
90s_dev wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> However, my "paralysis by analysis" affliction is strong. The solution is to remember that nothing is perfect, and that all code is eventually thrown away and replaced. So just start writing code and have fun!

Strongly agree. I struggled with the same. A key discovery for me was that this "paralysis by analysis" is a form of perfectionism. I always thought perfectionism was someone who was productive but way too hard on themselves, overworking to achieve some end that's just not worth it. Not necessarily - it can also mean DOING NOTHING because you dont see a way to do it perfectly. This has helped me a lot with writing. S…

> "paralysis by analysis" is a form of perfectionism > it can also mean DOING NOTHING because you dont see a way to do it perfectly.

I had a professor point this out to me while in undergrad.

Re: Side projects I've built since 2009

#75

Post by wtf242 »

that's awesome! I've had many many side projects launched in the past 2 decades, but the only one still going is my books site https://thegreatestbooks.org

I created it 17~ years ago mostly as just a tool for myself and now it gets roughly 8 million views a month.

The hardest part of any side project is actually launching it and making it somewhat production ready. I always spend the vast majority of my time dealing with devops/deployment issues/tasks

Re: Side projects I've built since 2009

#77

Post by socalgal2 »

deadbabe wrote: post #70
PaulRobinson wrote: post #18

I wish I had this energy again. I've got a list of side projects to get on with. I've made little progress in the last year, and suspect its burn out to blame - I'm just constantly exhausted. I think if you have the energy, this is awesome fun. It might even get to the point where one of them makes some decent income. But if you don't, like me, just realise that there is a reason for that, and it's OK. You need rest…

Side projects lately feel the same as creating a blog: why bother, no one is ever gonna read it? And it’s not going to make much money or gain you karma.

I sometimes feel like that. All of the side projects I've done in the last 25 years have been mostly for my own enjoyment. I haven't done a single side project for money. I also used to run a blog for enjoyment. I stopped enjoying it, so stopped doing it.

I do sometimes feel like, if I'd spent 25% of the time I spent on these side projects on something that would have made me $$$$$$$$ then maybe I could now spend all my time on anything I want, or live in a nicer place and that sometimes dissuades me from some new side projects.

I think probably the biggest thing that gets me to start something is if I believe (even wrongly) that I can make tons of progress quickly. Usually that means I think I can get to something working in a few hours.

Re: Side projects I've built since 2009

#79

Post by cnity »

butlike wrote: post #76

What font is that used on the mildspring splash page? I first saw it in a band's logo and now am seeing it pop up everywhere.

Margin: https://www.dafont.com/margin.font

I too have noticed that these Cooper Black variants with a kinda 60s/70s retro style have become incredibly popular.

Re: Side projects I've built since 2009

#80

Post by jonplackett »

alentred wrote: post #15
jonplackett wrote: post #6

I should make a page of ‘Every Side Project I haven’t quite finished building since 2009’ But it would be so huge I can’t afford the hosting bill.

Preach. Sign me up when you finish this side project, I will list mine there too :)

This is actually quite a good idea.

SideProjectCemerary ?

You upload your side projects’ data/github/seni-working-prototype, it performs a very quick ritualistic ceremony/blessing and buries it in a little marked grave.

Visitors are free to go grave robbing if they wish.

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