Make it so my older son, that is not biologically mine, grow up understanding that he's not "unwanted" just because his natural father has been a selfish son of a bitch and left his mother alone...
Make it so my older son, that is not biologically mine, grow up understanding that he's not "unwanted" just because his natural father has been a selfish son of a bitch and left his mother alone when he discovered she was pregnant.
And That when I lose my temper with him is because I believe in him and it make me angry seeing that he make a fool of himself just to "fit in" with local bullies.
Kinda hard some days, especially now that he's in his teenager years.
Like right now I'm waiting that he comes up with a punishment for a stupid thing he did and I know already he will not comes up with anything and I'll have to talk with him for the next 2 hours and he will get probably only the first 5 minutes of it before spacing out.
Repetita Juvant they say.
I just hope that the UK government legalize recreational cannabis soon because I'm gonna need it if this puberty thing doesn't end soon.
You're an adult. You know he won't appreciate you or what you're doing for him until he is also an adult, like when he's thirty. You're doing it for the right reasons. It might take some time, but...
You're an adult. You know he won't appreciate you or what you're doing for him until he is also an adult, like when he's thirty.
You're doing it for the right reasons. It might take some time, but he'll appreciate you. You're putting in the time now and that's the hardest part.
I love making video games, and I'm trying to turn that into a career. My first game, which already has a small following, should be launching on steam in the next few months. I really hope I can...
I love making video games, and I'm trying to turn that into a career. My first game, which already has a small following, should be launching on steam in the next few months. I really hope I can do this for a living one day.
You're making the right moves to do it for a living. I remember when Gunpoint launched, Tom Francis had a goal for how much money he would make before quitting his job as a journalist. He got...
You're making the right moves to do it for a living. I remember when Gunpoint launched, Tom Francis had a goal for how much money he would make before quitting his job as a journalist. He got enough pre-orders and was happy, but then the launch day of the game was over 90% of the actual sales of the game. So, put in the work and you'll see return.
Finish school and become a well-certified IT technician. Went back to school at 27 to finish my degree that I started many years ago. Tired of being poor, making bad decisions, and working in the sun.
Finish school and become a well-certified IT technician.
Went back to school at 27 to finish my degree that I started many years ago. Tired of being poor, making bad decisions, and working in the sun.
I may be in the minority here, but a degree isn't important in IT support (even up to Admin/Engineer). Work experience and certifications are important. I've been in IT for over 30 years. I'm a...
I may be in the minority here, but a degree isn't important in IT support (even up to Admin/Engineer).
Work experience and certifications are important.
I've been in IT for over 30 years. I'm a Sys Admin making six-figures and don't have a college degree. I do have a crap-ton of certs though.
My son (28) didn't listen to me. Had to get an Associates in Computer Science Network Security. It's great that he did that (even better not on my dime), but he didn't want to work up through the trenches getting work experience and he listened to people getting paid to convince him college is best, so he didn't get certs either.
He has completed a ton of applications and only gotten a few hits. Those turned him down because he didn't have experience.
I agree with your points. I don't feel like I need my degree, but every job I find around me asks for applicants to have one. I actually have a few certs now, and I'm working on more. The degree...
I agree with your points. I don't feel like I need my degree, but every job I find around me asks for applicants to have one. I actually have a few certs now, and I'm working on more. The degree and the certs aren't the same thing, so they're both important. The work experience is certainly the most important. I have experience with computers in spades, but none professionally.
If nothing else, it motivates me. I'm also partially getting my degree so that I can make my mom happy and proud, so I'm not just motivated by money. Going back to school has, so far, been a good experience.
I hope I didn't come across as "you shouldn't get a degree". I do believe that going through the process helps mold a mind to think in a good way that is beneficial for the professional world. I'm...
I hope I didn't come across as "you shouldn't get a degree". I do believe that going through the process helps mold a mind to think in a good way that is beneficial for the professional world.
I'm surprised the jobs you're finding don't state "2/4 years of college degree OR applicable work experience" or applicable certifications.
I didn't take your comment as inflammatory, just putting out my reasoning. Most jobs I see ask for experience and certs, but quite a few also mention having a degree. I've applied for some with no...
I didn't take your comment as inflammatory, just putting out my reasoning.
Most jobs I see ask for experience and certs, but quite a few also mention having a degree. I've applied for some with no response plenty of times. It's pretty disheartening. The degree isn't costing me much money, just time but I'm enjoying my time right now anyway.
Honestly, I don't think I need the degree, I'm just hoping that it helps me. There isn't any way that the degree will make me look bad, so no reason to not get it. I'm looking for jobs right now too but it's not a priority since I want to finish school.
I'm in a similar boat as you, and being my second time in college, I can tell you I'm much more open and aware to the opportunities that are offered. I'm studying Software Development and Cyber...
I'm in a similar boat as you, and being my second time in college, I can tell you I'm much more open and aware to the opportunities that are offered. I'm studying Software Development and Cyber Security / Information Assurance, but I've gotten involved in my campus clubs, networked, meetups, professional development activities, secured a mentor, all because of going to college. I'm currently participating in the Salesforce Pathfinder Program and working on my first certification (testing in about 10 hours).
I guess the moral of the story is, although college isn't required, when you're working in an unrelated field, it can be hard to gain access to the right people to help secure a job. College isn't solely about the degree, but the opportunities it affords you to break out of the normal wake-up, go to work, come home, hang with family, play vidya, sleep cycle that so many of us have. Good luck in your studies! I'm nearing 30, and I still don't feel my age prevents me from learning/achieving what I want!
Yup. So many people underestimate the opportunity cost of NOT going to college, not to mention most people don't have the discipline to self-study without peers and mentors.
Yup. So many people underestimate the opportunity cost of NOT going to college, not to mention most people don't have the discipline to self-study without peers and mentors.
I finished about two years of college when I was 20, so I have about two years to go now. Thankfully, since I don't make a lot of money and I'm independent, the government is nice enough to help...
I finished about two years of college when I was 20, so I have about two years to go now.
Thankfully, since I don't make a lot of money and I'm independent, the government is nice enough to help out. I'm also attending one of the cheapest schools possible, basically a local community college that offers some four-year degrees.
A bunch of bad reasons. I was jaded and misguided. In high school I was in the IB program. It was challenging and an utter waste of time. By the time I got to University, I was doing the same shit...
A bunch of bad reasons. I was jaded and misguided.
In high school I was in the IB program. It was challenging and an utter waste of time. By the time I got to University, I was doing the same shit over again. No joke, the text book we used in my Biology class at University was page-for-page the same book I used in high school, but this time I had to buy it. I was feeling really burned out. I didn't want to sit through school for another four years of the same shit I had already done.
I was also really uncertain about what I wanted to do. I wanted to take some time to figure it out. I didn't want to get a degree in something I didn't like. I started with a Comp Science degree and the subject never really grew on me. I don't really like software development, and the program I was in (CS at UCF) is one of the most arduous and challenging. I loved computers my whole life, but I thought that CS was the only way to actually make money with computers. I was wrong and I only realized that too-many years later. I thought I would get a job writing or some other kind of artsy type job.
I never put any effort into it and I dropped into a depression. Then my dad died and my wife lost her job and I had to work as much as I could at my dead-end job to make ends meet. We decided to move back home closer to our families and that gave me the opportunity to make about twice as much money as I was making before, but I was working outside. I became a certified tree trimmer and was making good money, but it's still just barely enough to live on. I realized that my only option was to go back to school.
Back to this point for a second:
I didn't want to get a degree in something I didn't like.
This is probably my biggest mistake. I should have just stayed in school for computers. Even if I found it difficult and I didn't like it, that degree would have earned me jobs I could have done and I would have liked. Instead I made the mistake of thinking I was bigger than a college degree. I don't want anyone else to make that mistake. At the time I had so much free time and energy, I wish I had put the time and effort into getting a degree, even if it was in a field I didn't really like.
Yeah, currently getting a degree in math, which is challenging and interesting but doesn't quite keep me awake at night. I need some direction, which I probably won't get from leaving school, so...
Yeah, currently getting a degree in math, which is challenging and interesting but doesn't quite keep me awake at night. I need some direction, which I probably won't get from leaving school, so I'm planning on staying for the foreseeable future :)
My long-term goal is to start a tech-related business and make enough money to support myself. I can do software dev and product design, but I don't think I have the network or the marketing...
My long-term goal is to start a tech-related business and make enough money to support myself. I can do software dev and product design, but I don't think I have the network or the marketing skills yet to handle a business by myself. I'm currently a student and I don't like school at all, so hopefully I can come up with something interesting to build soon.
If you may take an advice from someone who is working on his 6th startup then I would suggest the following: Stick to the school. Learn as many technical skills as you can especially math. Build...
If you may take an advice from someone who is working on his 6th startup then I would suggest the following:
Stick to the school. Learn as many technical skills as you can especially math.
Build network during school years. Go to meetups and hackathons.
Work on small side projects or help for open source projects in any capacity
After school go and work for a mid/large non-tech company. Learn the business and come up with a solution to automatize a small but important part of its processes
Leave the co with one of its sales people as a co-founder and sell the solution for all the comapnies in the field
As I asked the other responder, what purpose should I have when building a network? Do you think I should just generally interact with people who are working on interesting things, or should I be...
As I asked the other responder, what purpose should I have when building a network? Do you think I should just generally interact with people who are working on interesting things, or should I be asking for something specific? I'm not that used to the concept of networking.
The best way to build a network to work on something (even on a very small scale thing, and it do not need to be software or product, organizing things together is work just fine) together with...
The best way to build a network to work on something (even on a very small scale thing, and it do not need to be software or product, organizing things together is work just fine) together with others. Networking is overrated, just be human, just be genuinely interested in other people and don't be afraid to ask questions, start a conversation and listen. If you do this for few years you will have large enough network that you can start introducing people with a similar interest to each other. Than you will get introduced by others and so the perpetual "networking machine" is on.
Stick to school for now and use it to your advantage. There are so many good-to-know people you'll meet in school. Fellow students will go on to do great things, certainly, but there are so many...
Stick to school for now and use it to your advantage.
There are so many good-to-know people you'll meet in school. Fellow students will go on to do great things, certainly, but there are so many influential people who teach classes who are there to give you advice and guidance. Use the school as a resource.
I know you're young, and you probably really want to 'make it on your own' but what you'll realize is that most people get to where they are by making connections (or having connections already). Schools are a great way to network and meet important people. Don't just hedge your bets on becoming the next Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg. Even Gates woudln't have gotten as far as he did without Steve Ballmer, and those two met in college.
Yeah, you're spot on with the last paragraph. I don't care that much about what I'm studying in school and it's been an uphill battle finding motivation for classes. I've gotten so much better at...
Yeah, you're spot on with the last paragraph. I don't care that much about what I'm studying in school and it's been an uphill battle finding motivation for classes. I've gotten so much better at software development and design in the last year or two, and spending time in college when I already have command of at least two marketable skills can be very frustrating.
I know that the household names who succeeded after leaving college are mainly a product of survivorship bias, and networking is the main reason I'm still in school, like you said. I need to prioritize networking more and coding less, but I still don't know how to do that, because I don't know exactly what I want from my connections. Do you recommend having any specific goal when networking as an entrepreneur?
I don't want to get too into it, but in the case of Bill Gates, he was super lucky. Born in the right place, at the right time and surrounded by people who could help him. Obviously a very hard...
I don't want to get too into it, but in the case of Bill Gates, he was super lucky. Born in the right place, at the right time and surrounded by people who could help him. Obviously a very hard worker and smart person. Not everyone gets to be as lucky, though, so you have to be an even harder worker and an even smarter person.
Financial comfort, not just stability. Things like getting my student loans paid off (8-9 years to go :/) so I'm not paying out the nose every month, getting a car so I can do things that I...
Financial comfort, not just stability. Things like getting my student loans paid off (8-9 years to go :/) so I'm not paying out the nose every month, getting a car so I can do things that I desperately want to do like going hiking or camping, moving out of my tiny studio loft apartment that has me feeling incredibly cramped, getting a new chair instead of the recliner I've had for a few years that I got second-hand and has a busted foot rest spring preventing me from retracting the damn thing, getting new clothes instead of the several-years-old clothes that I wear every week and are beginning to fall apart, being able to visit a doctor without worrying excessively about deductible and co-pay costs, and just generally being able to do things without having to closely monitor my bank account balance.
My current level of financial stability is still a major step up from what I grew up with, but I consider it a stepping stone only.
Damn... that all sounds just horribly insurmountable. What will you be doing to make more money? Is it just a matter of waiting until the student loans are gone?
Damn... that all sounds just horribly insurmountable. What will you be doing to make more money? Is it just a matter of waiting until the student loans are gone?
Honestly, I could be making more right now, but I'm forgoing the extra pay for things like the type of work I'm doing and the flexible schedule. I'll be making a bit more soon, anyway. I'm a...
Honestly, I could be making more right now, but I'm forgoing the extra pay for things like the type of work I'm doing and the flexible schedule. I'll be making a bit more soon, anyway. I'm a programmer, so long-term pay isn't a problem.
Basically it's just a matter of time. And student loans will be a problem for a while still, but I plan on getting rid of those asap.
With regards to becoming a better programmer, I feel like I've grown a lot as a developer recently by building things that I could deploy very quickly, which resulted in faster iteration and more...
With regards to becoming a better programmer, I feel like I've grown a lot as a developer recently by building things that I could deploy very quickly, which resulted in faster iteration and more efficiency. I used to write iOS apps, which take months to build, but writing a basic website and putting it up within a weekend is so satisfying :)
Also, I recommend learning regular expressions, if you don't know them already. They completely transformed my approach to string handling.
As a side note, I found https://regexr.com/ to be a great resource for learning regular expressions. It gives real-time feedback of an expression on a piece of text of your choice. Trying to do a...
As a side note, I found https://regexr.com/ to be a great resource for learning regular expressions. It gives real-time feedback of an expression on a piece of text of your choice.
Trying to do a whole example and learn off rules can be cumbersome, so having the real-time feedback and cheat sheet made the whole process much more engaging. Just thought I'd include it in there since it's a resource I wish I had starting out.
I'm currently trying to get out of debt so my GF and I can start the process of looking for and buying a house. It's not a ton of debt, but it's enough to make me shudder at my stupid life choices...
I'm currently trying to get out of debt so my GF and I can start the process of looking for and buying a house. It's not a ton of debt, but it's enough to make me shudder at my stupid life choices when I was younger. Money and adulting is hard, but I need to pony up and make things happen.
Recently I've only just gotten my life somewhat back on track. I was in a severe rutt after getting out of a depression. But to cut a long story short and avoid needless oversharing, I'm not...
Recently I've only just gotten my life somewhat back on track. I was in a severe rutt after getting out of a depression. But to cut a long story short and avoid needless oversharing, I'm not having to decide between food or overdraft fees anymore and my savings account is actually being used!
I've only been saving for a few months, but I've been trying to put whatever I don't use during the month in savings and it's already stacking up. I've even had a few cases of impulse saving instead of impulse shopping.
I was comparing two products on amazon back and forth for ages and eventually decided against buying either of them, but realised I was already happy with not having £36-45, i was just trying to decide which features I'd rather have. So I put £45 in savings and it honestly felt as good as if the thing manifested in front of me when I transfered the money.
My long term goal is to save enough for a PC moving up from this laptop, but that's not as important as my shattered to heck phone, which also isn't that important since it still works. I've always wanted a tattoo and have a design in mind, but never been sure on placement. So until I decide on that, Imma just try and get this savings account to the 2-3k mark and then I'll consider dumping that into a University foundation degree and really get my life sorted out.
For now though, this breathing room is liberating and it's given me space to fix my sleep schedule, diet, and start programming for fun instead of using it as a coping mechanism.
Yeah, things still aren't the best but they're perfect by comparison to that void.. The design isn't done but it's mostly there. A friend on discord started it for me a few months ago but it was...
Yeah, things still aren't the best but they're perfect by comparison to that void..
The design isn't done but it's mostly there. A friend on discord started it for me a few months ago but it was just a favor so he didn't finish it in one go. I've been trying to throw money at him to finish it but he's busy with school and I don't wanna chance him dropping school work for some money right now.
It's to remember my dad by since I lost him before my teens. I originally wanted some text like "memento mortis" but that's just an extra thing to obsess over. Font, size, placement, what the text even says.. So I think I'll just skip that since I can live without text
I wish you the best on your fitness journey. You're doing it the right way - slow and steady. Making drastic changes works for some people but most of us accept change more readily when it's...
I wish you the best on your fitness journey. You're doing it the right way - slow and steady. Making drastic changes works for some people but most of us accept change more readily when it's incremental.
I'm on a similar path. I'm on week 8 of a 12 week plan to cut my body fat down. Once I hit my goal, I plan to increase my calorie intake slightly and continue to work out hard every week in an effort to put on some lean muscle.
Short-term Long-term goal: Pay off student loans, start saving for downpayment. Mid-term Long-term goal: Have my own business, not just be a contracter. Long-term Long-term goal and dream: Own a...
Short-term Long-term goal: Pay off student loans, start saving for downpayment.
Mid-term Long-term goal: Have my own business, not just be a contracter.
Long-term Long-term goal and dream: Own a retreat center where people can come and do Yoga, meditate, get bodywork done, work on old traumas and addictions. Fun stuff like that :)
Recently started a PhD program, so... that! My longer-term goal is to learn the skills to be able to transition from the field of my undergrad degree (a natural science) to software development.
Recently started a PhD program, so... that! My longer-term goal is to learn the skills to be able to transition from the field of my undergrad degree (a natural science) to software development.
I don't know how it works in the natural sciences, but in engineering school I've been told half a dozen times that it's easier to teach the engineers computers than it is to teach the programmers...
I don't know how it works in the natural sciences, but in engineering school I've been told half a dozen times that it's easier to teach the engineers computers than it is to teach the programmers engineering. Hopefully that phenomenon makes your transition easier and more enjoyable.
Thank you for the kind words! I've been trying to learn programming since I was a teen, but this is the first time it's truly stuck and I'm having a wonderful time with it all. At least in the...
Thank you for the kind words! I've been trying to learn programming since I was a teen, but this is the first time it's truly stuck and I'm having a wonderful time with it all.
At least in the natural sciences, the stereotype is that scientific code is horrendous but "it works," so I'm trying to avoid the horrendous part.
Some long-ish terms goals in no particular order: "Finish" remodeling the house we recently purchased Be as present as possible with my children while they're young and take vacations Either ditch...
Some long-ish terms goals in no particular order:
"Finish" remodeling the house we recently purchased
Be as present as possible with my children while they're young and take vacations
Either ditch the business I started and spend that time on personal hobbies, or make it a full time thing
Hit 40 in the best shape of my life and get my spouse motivated to do the same
Continue funding retirement
Spend more time with my dad who is elderly
We traded in our nice house for a bit of a fixer-upper last summer so my husband could have some professional freedom, and so I'm learning some carpentry and other reno-applicable skills, which it...
We traded in our nice house for a bit of a fixer-upper last summer so my husband could have some professional freedom, and so I'm learning some carpentry and other reno-applicable skills, which it turns out I really like and want to do more of! I'm currently working through a book on woodworking, and I'd like to turn building things (maybe furniture in particular?) into a hobby.
Personally I'd really like to get better organized. Everything works okay in my life, but nothing is ever planned efficiently or effectively. The small business I work for had 4 of us working here, one has dementia and another had a couple kids and is only part time now. A lot of their responsibilities have ended up mine, and I feel like I am so disorganized that I'm barely keeping it together some days! So I need to work on a strategy and a mindset for that.
Also sometimes I get home from work with big dreams for cooking or gardening or home stuff, but just end up watching tv all night which I find to be a sad state of affairs, so I need to work on my motivation.
Quite a bit longer, but I quite like this quote. It's from the ending of The Sate: Its Historic Role by Peter Kropotkin.
Quite a bit longer, but I quite like this quote. It's from the ending of The Sate: Its Historic Role by Peter Kropotkin.
To give full scope to socialism entails rebuilding from top to bottom a society dominated by the narrow individualism of the shopkeeper. It is not as has sometimes been said by those indulging in metaphysical wooliness just a question of giving the worker ‘the total product of his labour’; it is a question of completely reshaping all relationships, from those which exist today between every individual and his churchwarden or his station-master to those which exist between trades, hamlets, cities and regions. In every street, in every hamlet, in every group of men gathered around a factory or along a section of the railway line, the creative, constructive and organizational spirit must be awakened in order to rebuild life — in the factory, in the village, in the store, in production and in distribution of supplies. All relations between individuals and great centers of population have to be made all over again, from the very day, from the very moment one alters the existing commercial or administrative organization.
And they expect this immense task, requiring the free expression of popular genius, to be carried out within the framework of the State and the pyramidal organization which is the essence of the State! They expect the State whose very raison d’etre is the crushing of the individual, the hatred of initiative, the triumph of one idea which must be inevitably that of mediocrity — to become the lever for the accomplishment of this immense transformation. They want to direct the renewal of a society by means of decrees and electoral majorities ... How ridiculous!
Throughout the history of our civilization, two traditions, two opposing tendencies have confronted each other: the Roman and the Popular; the imperial and the federalist; the authoritarian and the libertarian. And this is so, once more, on the eve of the social revolution.
Between these two currents, always manifesting themselves, always at grips with each other — the popular trend and that which thirsts for political and religious domination — we have made our choice.
We seek to recapture the spirit which drove people in the twelfth century to organism themselves on the basis of free agreement and individual initiative as well as of the free federation of the interested parties. And we are quite prepared to leave the others to cling to the imperial, the Roman and canonical tradition.
These are interesting ideas. I've heard it said before that the State has a monopoly on violence, which I think relates to your statement. I've long held the unpopular belief that violence is at...
These are interesting ideas. I've heard it said before that the State has a monopoly on violence, which I think relates to your statement.
I've long held the unpopular belief that violence is at the core of our species and has been the ultimate deciding factor in any dispute since time immemorial. Do you have any strategies for changing human's tendencies towards violence?
I like and support that approach. I'd revise that to say that "tax collection" contains the threat of violence. Eric Garner is an interesting example to use as the altercation arose from him...
I think the best thing we can do in the short term is to highlight violence that is otherwise glossed with euphemisms, and in general be more aware of violence that we tend to ignore.
I like and support that approach.
Taxes are fundamentally violent, one of the clearest examples of this is Eric Garner
I'd revise that to say that "tax collection" contains the threat of violence. Eric Garner is an interesting example to use as the altercation arose from him selling cigarettes illegally (avoiding the taxes).
I'd urge you consider an hypothetical counterpoint:
Small colonial village with 50 residents.
Each resident is required to keep a barrel of water next to their house to use to put out a possible house fire. There are no such thing as firefighters.
Except Carl. Carl doesn't want to keep a barrel of water next to his house for whatever reason.
Carl's neighbor is Ben and Judy.
Carl's house catches on fire. There is no barrel of water to put it out.
The fire spreads to Ben and Judy's house. Their house burns down despite their attempts to put it out with their barrel of water.
Should Carl be allowed to refuse to keep a barrel of water next to his house?
You're not going to get rid of the state until you find a way to satisfy the second layer of Maslow's hierarchy, security. Rational people understand that even exceptional martial competence is no...
You're not going to get rid of the state until you find a way to satisfy the second layer of Maslow's hierarchy, security. Rational people understand that even exceptional martial competence is no guarantee of safety. You can spend all your time protecting yourself and your loved ones and stuff, or you can surrender some freedom to a group that lessens the burden of security to some degree, but allows you to get on with your life. That's pretty much a bedrock principle of the human condition. And forget about capitalism. Commerce depends on the physical security the establishment, the staff, the customers, trade and shipping routes and the means of production. The waters off the coast of Somalia are a good example of what the world would look like without various national navies and coast guards, etc. If Walmart couldn't get essentially free security from a state (and states and cities) they'd become a security company with a sideline of selling stuff.
States may be a terrible solution, but so far they've proven to be the least worst solution.
State is the veneer over Might makes Right. But you take it away and we're still in a Might makes Right world, just now one where in our personal might matters more. It comes down to a fundamental...
State is the veneer over Might makes Right. But you take it away and we're still in a Might makes Right world, just now one where in our personal might matters more.
It comes down to a fundamental rule: Power rules the world. Until you change that, nothing else will change.
I'm learning to write fiction so I can write books in retirement. It's only 7 or 8 years away, so I've got time. But that's as long-term a goal as I've ever had.
I'm learning to write fiction so I can write books in retirement. It's only 7 or 8 years away, so I've got time. But that's as long-term a goal as I've ever had.
I haven't finished anything in a long time, but here's a wip I pulled off my twitter. https://imgur.com/a/krOUnFM I'm working on a medusa thing atm, but it still looks like a block of clay and wires.
I haven't finished anything in a long time, but here's a wip I pulled off my twitter. https://imgur.com/a/krOUnFM I'm working on a medusa thing atm, but it still looks like a block of clay and wires.
Started a bachelor's course in 3D animation, hoping to use it to get a visa to return to living in Scotland. I have Scottish heritage but it's one generation too far for me to claim a heritage...
Started a bachelor's course in 3D animation, hoping to use it to get a visa to return to living in Scotland. I have Scottish heritage but it's one generation too far for me to claim a heritage visa. I much prefer it to Australia.
Pay for my car. It's not too much money at all, and it's on loan from family members who helped me out of a tight spot, but I'd like to pay them back as quickly as possible. Picking up hours...
Pay for my car.
It's not too much money at all, and it's on loan from family members who helped me out of a tight spot, but I'd like to pay them back as quickly as possible. Picking up hours wherever I can since my employer doesn't really have a hard cap on overtime.
hitting my weight goal. I got down to my lowest in years, lost the momentum, and gained back some weight. I'm really frustrated now because the loss felt so effortless and now I'm struggling to...
hitting my weight goal. I got down to my lowest in years, lost the momentum, and gained back some weight. I'm really frustrated now because the loss felt so effortless and now I'm struggling to not exceed my maximum daily limit. it's fucked, honestly.
Losing weight can be a real fucked up endeavor for a LOT of people; you're not alone with this! You did it once though, so, internet stranger, I'm confident you can do it again, and beyond. You've...
Losing weight can be a real fucked up endeavor for a LOT of people; you're not alone with this! You did it once though, so, internet stranger, I'm confident you can do it again, and beyond. You've got this!
My kids (17, 15, 13) and I have a family plan. We want to buy a plot of land in the Pacific Northwest and build tiny homes. Even if it is not the kid's main residence when they get older it is...
My kids (17, 15, 13) and I have a family plan. We want to buy a plot of land in the Pacific Northwest and build tiny homes. Even if it is not the kid's main residence when they get older it is somewhere for us to go for family time. Something we plan to have done in the next 6-7 years.
Thanks for your reply. I ask because I was also homeschooled mostly, and then transitioned back into public school for the 7th and 8th grade. My experience is definitely not the default, but I'm...
Thanks for your reply.
I ask because I was also homeschooled mostly, and then transitioned back into public school for the 7th and 8th grade. My experience is definitely not the default, but I'm really glad I went because it was a lot of fun. Made an amazing group friends who introduced me to anime lol. Had the best science teacher, which cemented my desire to go into STEM. However, I ended up back in homeshool for high school, so I can't attest to how that's going to be...
Anyway, good luck! Have fun, find kind and genuine friends c:
Building a software project for trade associations Raising my girls right Building my trade association management business so I can get out of the day-to-day
Building a software project for trade associations
Raising my girls right
Building my trade association management business so I can get out of the day-to-day
Make it so my older son, that is not biologically mine, grow up understanding that he's not "unwanted" just because his natural father has been a selfish son of a bitch and left his mother alone when he discovered she was pregnant.
And That when I lose my temper with him is because I believe in him and it make me angry seeing that he make a fool of himself just to "fit in" with local bullies.
Kinda hard some days, especially now that he's in his teenager years.
Like right now I'm waiting that he comes up with a punishment for a stupid thing he did and I know already he will not comes up with anything and I'll have to talk with him for the next 2 hours and he will get probably only the first 5 minutes of it before spacing out.
Repetita Juvant they say.
I just hope that the UK government legalize recreational cannabis soon because I'm gonna need it if this puberty thing doesn't end soon.
You're an adult. You know he won't appreciate you or what you're doing for him until he is also an adult, like when he's thirty.
You're doing it for the right reasons. It might take some time, but he'll appreciate you. You're putting in the time now and that's the hardest part.
I know, sometimes it's just so damn hard.
Thanks for the words of encouragement tho :)
Paying off the mortgage.
I love making video games, and I'm trying to turn that into a career. My first game, which already has a small following, should be launching on steam in the next few months. I really hope I can do this for a living one day.
You're making the right moves to do it for a living. I remember when Gunpoint launched, Tom Francis had a goal for how much money he would make before quitting his job as a journalist. He got enough pre-orders and was happy, but then the launch day of the game was over 90% of the actual sales of the game. So, put in the work and you'll see return.
Thanks for the encouragement. I hope you're right :)
Hey I'd like to help promote your game. I've already helped some small indie titles get more attention. Lemme know interested.
Well thank you, that's very nice of you to offer. I'll send you a pm.
Finish school and become a well-certified IT technician.
Went back to school at 27 to finish my degree that I started many years ago. Tired of being poor, making bad decisions, and working in the sun.
I may be in the minority here, but a degree isn't important in IT support (even up to Admin/Engineer).
Work experience and certifications are important.
I've been in IT for over 30 years. I'm a Sys Admin making six-figures and don't have a college degree. I do have a crap-ton of certs though.
My son (28) didn't listen to me. Had to get an Associates in Computer Science Network Security. It's great that he did that (even better not on my dime), but he didn't want to work up through the trenches getting work experience and he listened to people getting paid to convince him college is best, so he didn't get certs either.
He has completed a ton of applications and only gotten a few hits. Those turned him down because he didn't have experience.
Good luck.
I agree with your points. I don't feel like I need my degree, but every job I find around me asks for applicants to have one. I actually have a few certs now, and I'm working on more. The degree and the certs aren't the same thing, so they're both important. The work experience is certainly the most important. I have experience with computers in spades, but none professionally.
If nothing else, it motivates me. I'm also partially getting my degree so that I can make my mom happy and proud, so I'm not just motivated by money. Going back to school has, so far, been a good experience.
I hope I didn't come across as "you shouldn't get a degree". I do believe that going through the process helps mold a mind to think in a good way that is beneficial for the professional world.
I'm surprised the jobs you're finding don't state "2/4 years of college degree OR applicable work experience" or applicable certifications.
Keep up the good work though!
I didn't take your comment as inflammatory, just putting out my reasoning.
Most jobs I see ask for experience and certs, but quite a few also mention having a degree. I've applied for some with no response plenty of times. It's pretty disheartening. The degree isn't costing me much money, just time but I'm enjoying my time right now anyway.
Honestly, I don't think I need the degree, I'm just hoping that it helps me. There isn't any way that the degree will make me look bad, so no reason to not get it. I'm looking for jobs right now too but it's not a priority since I want to finish school.
I'm in a similar boat as you, and being my second time in college, I can tell you I'm much more open and aware to the opportunities that are offered. I'm studying Software Development and Cyber Security / Information Assurance, but I've gotten involved in my campus clubs, networked, meetups, professional development activities, secured a mentor, all because of going to college. I'm currently participating in the Salesforce Pathfinder Program and working on my first certification (testing in about 10 hours).
I guess the moral of the story is, although college isn't required, when you're working in an unrelated field, it can be hard to gain access to the right people to help secure a job. College isn't solely about the degree, but the opportunities it affords you to break out of the normal wake-up, go to work, come home, hang with family, play vidya, sleep cycle that so many of us have. Good luck in your studies! I'm nearing 30, and I still don't feel my age prevents me from learning/achieving what I want!
Yup. So many people underestimate the opportunity cost of NOT going to college, not to mention most people don't have the discipline to self-study without peers and mentors.
I believe in you. That is a strong decision to make.
How far into your degree are you now? How are you paying for school?
I finished about two years of college when I was 20, so I have about two years to go now.
Thankfully, since I don't make a lot of money and I'm independent, the government is nice enough to help out. I'm also attending one of the cheapest schools possible, basically a local community college that offers some four-year degrees.
If you don't mind sharing, why did you leave school?
A bunch of bad reasons. I was jaded and misguided.
In high school I was in the IB program. It was challenging and an utter waste of time. By the time I got to University, I was doing the same shit over again. No joke, the text book we used in my Biology class at University was page-for-page the same book I used in high school, but this time I had to buy it. I was feeling really burned out. I didn't want to sit through school for another four years of the same shit I had already done.
I was also really uncertain about what I wanted to do. I wanted to take some time to figure it out. I didn't want to get a degree in something I didn't like. I started with a Comp Science degree and the subject never really grew on me. I don't really like software development, and the program I was in (CS at UCF) is one of the most arduous and challenging. I loved computers my whole life, but I thought that CS was the only way to actually make money with computers. I was wrong and I only realized that too-many years later. I thought I would get a job writing or some other kind of artsy type job.
I never put any effort into it and I dropped into a depression. Then my dad died and my wife lost her job and I had to work as much as I could at my dead-end job to make ends meet. We decided to move back home closer to our families and that gave me the opportunity to make about twice as much money as I was making before, but I was working outside. I became a certified tree trimmer and was making good money, but it's still just barely enough to live on. I realized that my only option was to go back to school.
Back to this point for a second:
This is probably my biggest mistake. I should have just stayed in school for computers. Even if I found it difficult and I didn't like it, that degree would have earned me jobs I could have done and I would have liked. Instead I made the mistake of thinking I was bigger than a college degree. I don't want anyone else to make that mistake. At the time I had so much free time and energy, I wish I had put the time and effort into getting a degree, even if it was in a field I didn't really like.
Yeah, currently getting a degree in math, which is challenging and interesting but doesn't quite keep me awake at night. I need some direction, which I probably won't get from leaving school, so I'm planning on staying for the foreseeable future :)
My long-term goal is to start a tech-related business and make enough money to support myself. I can do software dev and product design, but I don't think I have the network or the marketing skills yet to handle a business by myself. I'm currently a student and I don't like school at all, so hopefully I can come up with something interesting to build soon.
If you may take an advice from someone who is working on his 6th startup then I would suggest the following:
As I asked the other responder, what purpose should I have when building a network? Do you think I should just generally interact with people who are working on interesting things, or should I be asking for something specific? I'm not that used to the concept of networking.
The best way to build a network to work on something (even on a very small scale thing, and it do not need to be software or product, organizing things together is work just fine) together with others. Networking is overrated, just be human, just be genuinely interested in other people and don't be afraid to ask questions, start a conversation and listen. If you do this for few years you will have large enough network that you can start introducing people with a similar interest to each other. Than you will get introduced by others and so the perpetual "networking machine" is on.
Stick to school for now and use it to your advantage.
There are so many good-to-know people you'll meet in school. Fellow students will go on to do great things, certainly, but there are so many influential people who teach classes who are there to give you advice and guidance. Use the school as a resource.
I know you're young, and you probably really want to 'make it on your own' but what you'll realize is that most people get to where they are by making connections (or having connections already). Schools are a great way to network and meet important people. Don't just hedge your bets on becoming the next Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg. Even Gates woudln't have gotten as far as he did without Steve Ballmer, and those two met in college.
Yeah, you're spot on with the last paragraph. I don't care that much about what I'm studying in school and it's been an uphill battle finding motivation for classes. I've gotten so much better at software development and design in the last year or two, and spending time in college when I already have command of at least two marketable skills can be very frustrating.
I know that the household names who succeeded after leaving college are mainly a product of survivorship bias, and networking is the main reason I'm still in school, like you said. I need to prioritize networking more and coding less, but I still don't know how to do that, because I don't know exactly what I want from my connections. Do you recommend having any specific goal when networking as an entrepreneur?
I don't want to get too into it, but in the case of Bill Gates, he was super lucky. Born in the right place, at the right time and surrounded by people who could help him. Obviously a very hard worker and smart person. Not everyone gets to be as lucky, though, so you have to be an even harder worker and an even smarter person.
Financial comfort, not just stability. Things like getting my student loans paid off (8-9 years to go :/) so I'm not paying out the nose every month, getting a car so I can do things that I desperately want to do like going hiking or camping, moving out of my tiny studio loft apartment that has me feeling incredibly cramped, getting a new chair instead of the recliner I've had for a few years that I got second-hand and has a busted foot rest spring preventing me from retracting the damn thing, getting new clothes instead of the several-years-old clothes that I wear every week and are beginning to fall apart, being able to visit a doctor without worrying excessively about deductible and co-pay costs, and just generally being able to do things without having to closely monitor my bank account balance.
My current level of financial stability is still a major step up from what I grew up with, but I consider it a stepping stone only.
Damn... that all sounds just horribly insurmountable. What will you be doing to make more money? Is it just a matter of waiting until the student loans are gone?
Honestly, I could be making more right now, but I'm forgoing the extra pay for things like the type of work I'm doing and the flexible schedule. I'll be making a bit more soon, anyway. I'm a programmer, so long-term pay isn't a problem.
Basically it's just a matter of time. And student loans will be a problem for a while still, but I plan on getting rid of those asap.
David Ramsey's Financial Peace University helped my wife and I out quite a bit, so maybe something to check out.
Long term?
Getting insurance, seeing a psychologist and eventually getting full custody of my kids maybe?
Becomming a better programmer.
Beating anxiety and PTSD and working towards being able to work or study again.
With regards to becoming a better programmer, I feel like I've grown a lot as a developer recently by building things that I could deploy very quickly, which resulted in faster iteration and more efficiency. I used to write iOS apps, which take months to build, but writing a basic website and putting it up within a weekend is so satisfying :)
Also, I recommend learning regular expressions, if you don't know them already. They completely transformed my approach to string handling.
As a side note, I found https://regexr.com/ to be a great resource for learning regular expressions. It gives real-time feedback of an expression on a piece of text of your choice.
Trying to do a whole example and learn off rules can be cumbersome, so having the real-time feedback and cheat sheet made the whole process much more engaging. Just thought I'd include it in there since it's a resource I wish I had starting out.
I recommend https://regexone.com as well. I like how they progress from simple to complex.
Thanks. Al Sweigart proposed that one ought to learn regular expressions before programming.
I'm currently trying to get out of debt so my GF and I can start the process of looking for and buying a house. It's not a ton of debt, but it's enough to make me shudder at my stupid life choices when I was younger. Money and adulting is hard, but I need to pony up and make things happen.
Recently I've only just gotten my life somewhat back on track. I was in a severe rutt after getting out of a depression. But to cut a long story short and avoid needless oversharing, I'm not having to decide between food or overdraft fees anymore and my savings account is actually being used!
I've only been saving for a few months, but I've been trying to put whatever I don't use during the month in savings and it's already stacking up. I've even had a few cases of impulse saving instead of impulse shopping.
I was comparing two products on amazon back and forth for ages and eventually decided against buying either of them, but realised I was already happy with not having £36-45, i was just trying to decide which features I'd rather have. So I put £45 in savings and it honestly felt as good as if the thing manifested in front of me when I transfered the money.
My long term goal is to save enough for a PC moving up from this laptop, but that's not as important as my shattered to heck phone, which also isn't that important since it still works. I've always wanted a tattoo and have a design in mind, but never been sure on placement. So until I decide on that, Imma just try and get this savings account to the 2-3k mark and then I'll consider dumping that into a University foundation degree and really get my life sorted out.
For now though, this breathing room is liberating and it's given me space to fix my sleep schedule, diet, and start programming for fun instead of using it as a coping mechanism.
Yeah, things still aren't the best but they're perfect by comparison to that void..
The design isn't done but it's mostly there. A friend on discord started it for me a few months ago but it was just a favor so he didn't finish it in one go. I've been trying to throw money at him to finish it but he's busy with school and I don't wanna chance him dropping school work for some money right now.
It's to remember my dad by since I lost him before my teens. I originally wanted some text like "memento mortis" but that's just an extra thing to obsess over. Font, size, placement, what the text even says.. So I think I'll just skip that since I can live without text
I wish you the best on your fitness journey. You're doing it the right way - slow and steady. Making drastic changes works for some people but most of us accept change more readily when it's incremental.
I'm on a similar path. I'm on week 8 of a 12 week plan to cut my body fat down. Once I hit my goal, I plan to increase my calorie intake slightly and continue to work out hard every week in an effort to put on some lean muscle.
Short-term Long-term goal: Pay off student loans, start saving for downpayment.
Mid-term Long-term goal: Have my own business, not just be a contracter.
Long-term Long-term goal and dream: Own a retreat center where people can come and do Yoga, meditate, get bodywork done, work on old traumas and addictions. Fun stuff like that :)
Recently started a PhD program, so... that! My longer-term goal is to learn the skills to be able to transition from the field of my undergrad degree (a natural science) to software development.
I don't know how it works in the natural sciences, but in engineering school I've been told half a dozen times that it's easier to teach the engineers computers than it is to teach the programmers engineering. Hopefully that phenomenon makes your transition easier and more enjoyable.
Thank you for the kind words! I've been trying to learn programming since I was a teen, but this is the first time it's truly stuck and I'm having a wonderful time with it all.
At least in the natural sciences, the stereotype is that scientific code is horrendous but "it works," so I'm trying to avoid the horrendous part.
Some long-ish terms goals in no particular order:
"Finish" remodeling the house we recently purchased
Be as present as possible with my children while they're young and take vacations
Either ditch the business I started and spend that time on personal hobbies, or make it a full time thing
Hit 40 in the best shape of my life and get my spouse motivated to do the same
Continue funding retirement
Spend more time with my dad who is elderly
I really like these. You seem like you've got it all together.
Thanks man. Trying to focus on what's important.
We traded in our nice house for a bit of a fixer-upper last summer so my husband could have some professional freedom, and so I'm learning some carpentry and other reno-applicable skills, which it turns out I really like and want to do more of! I'm currently working through a book on woodworking, and I'd like to turn building things (maybe furniture in particular?) into a hobby.
Personally I'd really like to get better organized. Everything works okay in my life, but nothing is ever planned efficiently or effectively. The small business I work for had 4 of us working here, one has dementia and another had a couple kids and is only part time now. A lot of their responsibilities have ended up mine, and I feel like I am so disorganized that I'm barely keeping it together some days! So I need to work on a strategy and a mindset for that.
Also sometimes I get home from work with big dreams for cooking or gardening or home stuff, but just end up watching tv all night which I find to be a sad state of affairs, so I need to work on my motivation.
Quite a bit longer, but I quite like this quote. It's from the ending of The Sate: Its Historic Role by Peter Kropotkin.
How did those free 12th century federalists fare against Genghis Kahn? This anti-statism has a distinct chicken-and-egg problem.
Do you know of any books I could read that would help me understand statism? I've seen the word several times and haven't really grasped it.
What would replace the State then? How would you envision the world working?
These are interesting ideas. I've heard it said before that the State has a monopoly on violence, which I think relates to your statement.
I've long held the unpopular belief that violence is at the core of our species and has been the ultimate deciding factor in any dispute since time immemorial. Do you have any strategies for changing human's tendencies towards violence?
I like and support that approach.
I'd revise that to say that "tax collection" contains the threat of violence. Eric Garner is an interesting example to use as the altercation arose from him selling cigarettes illegally (avoiding the taxes).
I'd urge you consider an hypothetical counterpoint:
Small colonial village with 50 residents.
Each resident is required to keep a barrel of water next to their house to use to put out a possible house fire. There are no such thing as firefighters.
Except Carl. Carl doesn't want to keep a barrel of water next to his house for whatever reason.
Carl's neighbor is Ben and Judy.
Carl's house catches on fire. There is no barrel of water to put it out.
The fire spreads to Ben and Judy's house. Their house burns down despite their attempts to put it out with their barrel of water.
Should Carl be allowed to refuse to keep a barrel of water next to his house?
You're not going to get rid of the state until you find a way to satisfy the second layer of Maslow's hierarchy, security. Rational people understand that even exceptional martial competence is no guarantee of safety. You can spend all your time protecting yourself and your loved ones and stuff, or you can surrender some freedom to a group that lessens the burden of security to some degree, but allows you to get on with your life. That's pretty much a bedrock principle of the human condition. And forget about capitalism. Commerce depends on the physical security the establishment, the staff, the customers, trade and shipping routes and the means of production. The waters off the coast of Somalia are a good example of what the world would look like without various national navies and coast guards, etc. If Walmart couldn't get essentially free security from a state (and states and cities) they'd become a security company with a sideline of selling stuff.
States may be a terrible solution, but so far they've proven to be the least worst solution.
State is the veneer over Might makes Right. But you take it away and we're still in a Might makes Right world, just now one where in our personal might matters more.
It comes down to a fundamental rule: Power rules the world. Until you change that, nothing else will change.
I'm learning to write fiction so I can write books in retirement. It's only 7 or 8 years away, so I've got time. But that's as long-term a goal as I've ever had.
Getting better at sculpting. Learning to do digital art and write. Not being fat, but that's hard to say I'm working for it with ice cream in my hand.
Could you maybe share some pictures of your sculptures? I'd be interested in seeing those :)
I haven't finished anything in a long time, but here's a wip I pulled off my twitter. https://imgur.com/a/krOUnFM I'm working on a medusa thing atm, but it still looks like a block of clay and wires.
Woah, that looks awesome. So much expression and character.
Sculpting is a cool hobby.
Thank you! It is really fun. Everyone should play around with some clay at least once.
Started a bachelor's course in 3D animation, hoping to use it to get a visa to return to living in Scotland. I have Scottish heritage but it's one generation too far for me to claim a heritage visa. I much prefer it to Australia.
Pay for my car.
It's not too much money at all, and it's on loan from family members who helped me out of a tight spot, but I'd like to pay them back as quickly as possible. Picking up hours wherever I can since my employer doesn't really have a hard cap on overtime.
hitting my weight goal. I got down to my lowest in years, lost the momentum, and gained back some weight. I'm really frustrated now because the loss felt so effortless and now I'm struggling to not exceed my maximum daily limit. it's fucked, honestly.
Losing weight can be a real fucked up endeavor for a LOT of people; you're not alone with this! You did it once though, so, internet stranger, I'm confident you can do it again, and beyond. You've got this!
thanks, stranger friend!
My kids (17, 15, 13) and I have a family plan. We want to buy a plot of land in the Pacific Northwest and build tiny homes. Even if it is not the kid's main residence when they get older it is somewhere for us to go for family time. Something we plan to have done in the next 6-7 years.
Finish my (home)school year and get transferred to an actual school. I hope the adjustment won’t be too difficult.
How long have you been homeschooled for?
I think about seven years, since I was seven.
Edit: Also, sorry for the doublepost.
Thanks for your reply.
I ask because I was also homeschooled mostly, and then transitioned back into public school for the 7th and 8th grade. My experience is definitely not the default, but I'm really glad I went because it was a lot of fun. Made an amazing group friends who introduced me to anime lol. Had the best science teacher, which cemented my desire to go into STEM. However, I ended up back in homeshool for high school, so I can't attest to how that's going to be...
Anyway, good luck! Have fun, find kind and genuine friends c:
Move to a better apartment in a better neighborhood.
Get a job I don't hate
Find my other half