[Dahut-pm] Walking With Dahuts

[Jörg Walter]

Dahut, fellow, er, dahut.

> You know, having to make a living sucks.
>
> 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.

Only partly so. A saying goes like "Find a job you like, and you will have not 
one day of work in your life". While only the luckiest people really manage 
this, I try to live by that maxime. I have sacrificed a considerable amount 
of geekish pride in exchange for a job that is (despite being Java, PHP, 
small, ...) worth it, where my possibilities were at least recognized and 
sometimes needed.

> 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?

Yes, I am. Compared to the possibilities I could have with my education and 
abilities, I live a rather humble life. But I do live comfortably, and what's 
much more important: In part of my work, I can have a real positive influence 
on people (who I train). At the same time, I get regular chances to show off 
my geekish qualities, working as a freelance programmer. I like the diversity 
I get, any long-term employment in a fixed environment would sooner or later 
mean boredom for me.

As for "what I was meant do to": I don't think I had something I was meant do 
do. There were expectations of my parents, but they don't apply to me 
anymore. If I had followed the course I was "destined" to take, I'd live a 
pretty boring life by now. I am no longer cut out for a universitarian 
lifestyle, no great computer scientist will become of me (as my parents might 
have hoped), instead I am able to understand the needs of common people, 
which is a lot more useful for business life. I am totally annoyed that my 
diploma is still not finished, but in the meantime I make sure that I do 
something useful (as in "presentable in my CV").

> 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?

My dreams concern small things. I don't let go of the big clouds, but I'm 
content approaching them step-by-step. Since I am happy in the short-term 
world, I don't feel like paying any price for a big dream -- why should I? I 
rather trust in opportunities and catch them as they drift by, which has 
proven to be a satisfying strategy so far.

Make your small days happy, but keep your big dreams in mind.

-- 
CU
  Moe

-- 
CU
  Moe