Stress is undoubtedly a massive factor in mental illness, but there are others. Genetics plays a huge factor, as does trauma. I suspect lack of community is pretty huge too.
It just seems like society is knowingly creating hell on earth.
Yeah. I agree with this one. We’re too invested in the current order to seriously consider anything else.
I guess this may be more of a project management thing, but trying to figure out what the most important part of a task is, and getting that done first.
If I’m cleaning the bathroom, I do the sink, because if I have to stop, that’s typically the grossest part.
When I’m doing my taxes, I do the stupid parts that I can’t afford to get wrong first.
When I’m packing for a trip, I get the stuff I need day-to-day sorted out and in my carry-on.
I don’t think these are great examples, but they mean something to me.
I really like the idea of changing settings midway through a show. A story would start in ancient China, then switch to the distant future (with the same characters, situation, and ongoing plot), then switch to WWII (same characters, etc), and so on.
I have no idea what kind of story would work with that kind of setting change, but I really like the idea.
And then I’d like to see the same kind of setting bouncing, but with the characters being aware of the switches, and trying to gain advantage through it. Kind of like Inception, but less terrible.
At the other end of the spectrum: My wife and I made a minimal gifts pact. We each got each other minor crap we needed for around the house. It was perfect. No waste. No extravagance. Just stuff we were going to get anyway.
I’m glad I’m not the only person who stands half naked in a dark kitchen eating shredded cheese directly from the bag while staring at my phone and hoping nobody sees me.
I’d lean towards the Software Development track, partly because that’s my background, and partially because it sounds like it would offer a better foundation in development fundamentals. I suspect AI is going to change significantly over the next couple of decades, so I suspect it would be less future proof.
Am I crazy for doing this later in life?
No. The best time to plant a tree is fifty years ago, the second best time is now.
When you get into development shops, you should discover that you’re promoted based on merit (if not, run). If that’s the case, use your maturity, and you’ll hopefully be able to progress quickly.
By using your maturity, I mean: have empathy for the user, focus on the most important parts of your project first, and speak up when you encounter problems. When I was a fresh dev, I focused on what was technically feasible, did the easy parts first, and tried to fight through problems on my own.