zapperdapper

7 ms·

91.
by zapperdapper 8y ago
I agree that this "meaning" is a hard thing to put your finger on. But you know it when you see it. I think it's maybe not so much about the actual work as how you feel about the work. I have worked on side projects that ar
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
His problem though is not with side projects is it? It's the 40 hours cranking out meaningless crap in the office that's the issue here. I've had no problem finding meaning in my side projects - the job I do for money though
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
haha - brilliant, and spot on!
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Very much my experience too. The only thing I found that worked for me in the end was what I call the "just work less" approach. How? Cut expenses to the bone, and then cut some more. Go contracting. Aim to work for money maybe
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Does it though? I've worked with a really fantastic team and manager before, but the utter meaningless of the work, day after day, got to me in the end and I pulled the pin on it.
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
I was in a similar position post divorce. Drove away from the family home with next to nothing and was sleeping in the car. That was actually not as bad as it sounds - I worked out and showered at the gym, and spent a lot of time in the off
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
The herd mentality is very much in evidence in the stock market. There's often no logic to it. By standing apart from the herd and sometimes running in the opposite direction you can often make a killing. Example : 2007 when the market
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
> I'm wondering now if I should think about changing career completely, what can an ex-developer retrain into? Been asking myself that question for 16 years - I wish I had the answer. My solution was to go contracting and take exten
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
You are not alone!
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Yes, I do think "overwhelm" is a huge problem in the industry. I recently started a new job and not been there 3 months yet and it felt like been caught up in an avalanche. GTD can help. I get a sense of control from simply openin
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
I can't help but chuckle when I hear management banging on about "agile". Here's their reality: 1. It's all top priority. 2. It all needs to be done yesterday. :) No wonder we get stressed!
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Absolutely agree - 3 months is really the minimum for a career break. I was thinking a year off in this case might do the trick. There could be other issues at play here though of course... Also agree with your advice to do other things. Si
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Recently was in Philippines for a month and met a guy there who was a former software engineer who owns and runs a resort. He'd been there 7 years and was really doing well. Really nice Swiss guy. Resort was magical too - we had a cold
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Funnily enough this can work - but you have to be careful you don't burn yourself even more. If you find something that just captures your imagination then go with the flow. By coincidence it was a video linked to here on HackerNews th
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Extended career breaks work magic for me too. I recently took six months away from work and it was sheer bliss. I was doing some techie stuff - but only things I really wanted to do and didn't force myself. I did a lot of sleeping, wal
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
You would have thought so, but many of the people who are the first to stand up rarely get up and walk around during the flight. That's what I've observed anyway, and one of my hobbies is looking out for such oddities... :)
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
I once met a guy on a train, who turned out to be a multi-millionaire, who told me his investment strategy was based entirely around this very phenomenon. I still keep in touch with him from time to time. Fascinating guy. More personally it
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
I'm not quite sure what you want to track but here are a few I use: - Google Docs spreadsheet to track all aspects finances - Google Docs spreadsheet to track work projects using GTD - Pedometer+ (iPhone) to track steps (target 10,000
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Gilt-edged securities. Basically UK government bonds. Equivalent of US treasury bonds.
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
My savings rate is 74.95%. Yes, I am that anal about it. I'm keeping a fair bit in cash right now (ready for the next crash). In terms of "stash" I guess overall I'm about 40% gilts and bonds, 30% equities, 30% cash. Not
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Ask HN: Why do you hate your job?
1 points by zapperdapper 8y ago|0 comments
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Electricity is £10 a month and I'm in credit earning 3% interest in the balance. Heating oil is 500 every 18 months but depends a lot on weather. Virtually nothing on petrol as I rarely use the car these days.
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Slightly specialized I know, but I thought Randy Heit did great work on the ZDoom engine. Jaakko Keränen also did some really good things with the Doomsday Engine.
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Very nice!!
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Embedded is a BIG area - and even bigger now with IoT - so there are a lot of things you could learn - but what specifically are you interested in? You could for example take a look at some of the newer OSs like ARM Mbed OS, or Google Fuc
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
Yes this question has appeared here too many times. :( As someone who went through depression/burnout/divorce at 40 I really feel for what you are going through. I wish there was an easy answer. The bottom line is don't go th
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by zapperdapper 8y ago
+1 for Your Money or Your Life - the book that changed my life. I have been recommending that book to everyone who will listen since 2006! :)
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by zapperdapper 9y ago
> online self-education is a delusion because passive enthusiasts and desperate folks do not just really need tools but a purpose or a market. I believe you are accusing online education of giving people ("passive enthusiasts and de
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by zapperdapper 9y ago
Check my HN profile. From there you can find my GitHub (see the repo Website-Test that has everything), feel free to use my code if you so wish! Oh I really like neocities. You can sign up for pro membership and have custom domains and so o
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by zapperdapper 9y ago
Do you have to change your career to become a writer? I would focus on becoming a writer, and then if it works out change your career. Also, it depends what kind of writer you want to become - some options are easier than others. For exampl

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