Reboot
Let me describe a typical day in my life for you. I get up and get on my computer around 9am. I catch up on news right away, which typically takes me about an hour. Then I get down to programming. I'll sometimes have lunch around 1:30 or 2. My fiancé gets home around 4:30. Sometimes we go for a run. I then program till dinner. Thet which point I eat dinner (surprise!). Then I program till about 9pm. At that point I start working on my physcial therapy exercises, core workout and stretching routine. And depending on how much of that I do, it can take up to two hours. Then I go to sleep.
To summarize, I am doing a horrible job at spending less time online. To quote from last March:
I love the internet. I am not in anyway proposing stopping or some other alternative. I am not going to stop posting to TSP, or reading emails, or communicating with my friends from other cities, states and countries. It is just that the inner hippy in me is wondering if maybe I am beginning to use it a little too much. I can't quite put my finger on the why, but this fear is starting to creep into my consciousness more and more.
The converse is, if making websites (and thus being online) makes me so happy, why stop?
I tentatively think that another one of my goals for this year might be to spend less time at my computer.
Looking back at this year, I think my time online has only increased, not decreased. Culminating with my obsession with Node in the last month.
Well, tonight my family and I sat down to start watching a documentary on the history of the national park system. And it has convinced me that I am missing out on things that are important to me by spending so much time programming.
The problem is, that sometimes while I am programming, this feeling of sheer panic washes over me and I feel overwhelmed by how much there is to learn. And how much I want to do. And how smart other people are. And I feel like the only way I can keep up, stay relevant and not drown is by doing it as much as I possibly can. All day everyday. And read as much as I can. Everything in fact. And this feeling of panic seems to be happening every week these days.
But I'm beginning to resent all that I have been missing out on. There isn't enough time, and I haven't been using it wisely. I've just been slaving away at another task.
So, why did a documentary on the national parks make me want to start programming less?
- Well, the first part of the documentary is on Yosemeti National Park. Which sounds amazing. And I have never been to the Yosemeti valley. So, it makes me want to spend more time outside in beautiful places.
- The documentary talks a lot about John Muir who would go on long walks through out the Sierra Nevadas. It wouldn't be unusual for him to "cover 50 miles in 2 days". So, that makes me think of The Pacific Crest Trail. Makes me want to attempt another go at it.
- But mostly the topic reminds me of two of my favorite authors, Edward Abbey and Henry David Thoreau. What these two people have to say hits home like nothing else for me. While on the surface Desert Solitaire is a collection of stories about the desert south west, I think it is more about finding what you are passionate about and fighting tooth and nail to protect that. It just so happens that both Thoreau and Abbey are passionate about spending time outdoors and away from civilization.
I don't want to disappear into the woods for two years (like I thought I wanted to in High School). I don't think that would make me happy. But I do want to simplify my life and spend more time outside and doing liesurely things. The last time I touched my guitar was over 6 months ago. I can't even remember the last time I finished a book. Maybe Harry Potter 7, in 2007.
I'm finishing up working with Dan in early January, and I think I am going to take some time off from programming when I do that. Probably 2 to 4 weeks. Just to try and reboot while I figure out what my next job is going to be.
And I can't wait.
26 December 2009 09:24am UTC • 343 views • 2 comments
Tagged with time, life, outdoors, edwardabbey, henrydavidthoreau, programming, dan, nationalparks
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2 comments
First Mate Beca
26 December 2009 06:48pm UTC
Yay for taking a break! Sebastian and I watched that documentary, the national parks are so beautiful! It would make anyone want to spend more time outside! I am surprised actually that 90% of your day is spend on your computer! No books? No guitar? No movies? What is going on here?
Dread Pirate Benjamin
27 December 2009 03:30am UTC
Well, Keri and I do watch some TV. We watch House and Glee every week. And when The Sing Off was on a week and a half ago we were addicted to that!