[Dahut-pm] Walking With Dahuts

Michael Nachbaur mike at nachbaur.com
Wed Jul 12 11:22:59 PDT 2006


On Jul 11, 2006, at 10:50 PM, Kip Hampton wrote:

> DAAAHUUUT!!!

DAHUT dudes

> Consider the Dahuts. We have among us people from a pretty wide  
> variety
> of backgrounds with many different interests-- stargazers,  
> philosophers,
> writers, etc.--  yet, for the most part our dreams are deferred year
> after year as we devote the balance of our working time to the geekery
> that pays the bills.

Luckily some of that geekery is fulfilling.  I'm buoyed by the  
realization that at least I get to spend my days exercising my mind.   
My friends that have "Real" jobs are less fortunate, and spend their  
time living for the moments they between working and sleeping.  Being  
with them however, it made me realize that while work and play  
projects are fulfilling to some extent, there is definitely something  
to be said for being a well-rounded in-duh-vidual.  For the first  
time in a long time, I actually look forward to my weekends as  
something other than more time to devote to my personal projects.

> Are you really happy with what you're doing? Not just interested, or
> thankful to be in a position to pay the bills mostly on time, but
> fulfilled? Is that enough? Are you doing what you always thought you
> were "meant" to do? Is that question even meaningful anymore?

I'm happy for the moment.  I'm fairly certain that computer work will  
get tiresome in the future.  When I'm past my prime, I wonder where  
I'll put myself to pasture. I'd rather not be one of those people who  
just codes because he has to.  It's been my goal for years now to  
develop some sort of alternate career path in my spare time and, when  
things do hit a limit for me, I could then make the transition to the  
new career.  Pilot, writer, or any number of other passions of mine?   
I'm not sure how feasible it is, but at least they give me joy in my  
off-work hours.

My goals when I was younger were largely centred around what I wanted  
to achieve, rather than what I wanted to be.  As time goes on I'm  
changing my earlier naïve goals in favour of more "Adult" ones.  That  
being said, I still don't know what those are.

I suppose I just am doing the things that bring me joy, while still  
staying true to my core beliefs.  I sometimes wonder though if the  
"Things" I fill my life with - flying, motorcycle riding, and so on -  
are just time wasters to keep me distracted so that I don't have to  
think about these problems.

> Are you on course? If not, can you change it? What would it cost  
> you to
> put your dreams to the test? Are you willing to pay that price?

I'm still battling with whether or not my course, and my  
dissatisfaction with where I'm at, is an indication that I'm not  
doing the right things, or that I'm pursuing the wrong goals  
altogether.  i.e. "Is the world really as I see it, or is this just  
depression talking?"  Right now I'm not willing to pay the price to  
find out.

I know when I was making far too much in the DotCom era, and then  
after when I wasn't making enough to pay the rent, that I was still  
largely dissatisfied by the same things.  So it's not what I make or  
what I'm doing for a living that made me unhappy, it was how I was  
living my life (or, as the case was, not living it).

So ever since my dad died and that shook things up for me, I've  
focused on finding balance in my life and becoming a more rounded  
person...errm, in the metaphorical sense that is. :-)

> Inquiring minds want to know...

Me too buddy... these days motorcycles and music bring me joy.  For  
now, that's good enough for me.



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