10,000 Hours Into a Project
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Today's Daily News highlighted a post about a home project with 10,000 of hours invested. I'm so happy to hear that other people put thousands of hours into home computer projects. I've certainly had a few over the years. Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level. Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones. Way too much fun. I'm several thousand hours in, with no signs of letting up. I have to be diligent to avoid spending an unhealthy amount of time at it. My approach is to make sure I get some exercise (yard work, bike ride, dog walk,...), do something productive (bills, groceries, home maintenance, help Mom, ...), and do something fun (play with computer, ...) every day. I'm interested an anyone else's approach to maintaining some balance and not spending too much time at this stuff.
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Today's Daily News highlighted a post about a home project with 10,000 of hours invested. I'm so happy to hear that other people put thousands of hours into home computer projects. I've certainly had a few over the years. Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level. Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones. Way too much fun. I'm several thousand hours in, with no signs of letting up. I have to be diligent to avoid spending an unhealthy amount of time at it. My approach is to make sure I get some exercise (yard work, bike ride, dog walk,...), do something productive (bills, groceries, home maintenance, help Mom, ...), and do something fun (play with computer, ...) every day. I'm interested an anyone else's approach to maintaining some balance and not spending too much time at this stuff.
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Today's Daily News highlighted a post about a home project with 10,000 of hours invested. I'm so happy to hear that other people put thousands of hours into home computer projects. I've certainly had a few over the years. Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level. Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones. Way too much fun. I'm several thousand hours in, with no signs of letting up. I have to be diligent to avoid spending an unhealthy amount of time at it. My approach is to make sure I get some exercise (yard work, bike ride, dog walk,...), do something productive (bills, groceries, home maintenance, help Mom, ...), and do something fun (play with computer, ...) every day. I'm interested an anyone else's approach to maintaining some balance and not spending too much time at this stuff.
I like your daily goals, and plan to adopt a similar approach when I retire. I've less than a year to go. Before I built software for a living I did it as a hobby, but not since. There is one major coding project I have in mind, but most of my fun time will be spent creating music and stained glass, and while I can maintain enough mobility and stamina, exploring more new caves.
There are no solutions, only trade-offs.
- Thomas SowellA day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.
- Calvin (Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes) -
Today's Daily News highlighted a post about a home project with 10,000 of hours invested. I'm so happy to hear that other people put thousands of hours into home computer projects. I've certainly had a few over the years. Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level. Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones. Way too much fun. I'm several thousand hours in, with no signs of letting up. I have to be diligent to avoid spending an unhealthy amount of time at it. My approach is to make sure I get some exercise (yard work, bike ride, dog walk,...), do something productive (bills, groceries, home maintenance, help Mom, ...), and do something fun (play with computer, ...) every day. I'm interested an anyone else's approach to maintaining some balance and not spending too much time at this stuff.
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If you're retired, and your hobby isn't detrimental to your health, why would you try to avoid spending "too much time" at it? Isn't that the point of retirement? Do things you enjoy?
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I like your daily goals, and plan to adopt a similar approach when I retire. I've less than a year to go. Before I built software for a living I did it as a hobby, but not since. There is one major coding project I have in mind, but most of my fun time will be spent creating music and stained glass, and while I can maintain enough mobility and stamina, exploring more new caves.
There are no solutions, only trade-offs.
- Thomas SowellA day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.
- Calvin (Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes)I like your plan too. I've also invested 1000's of hours into learning to play music, but never really reached a desired comfort level. Closest on claw hammer banjo these days. My favorite music partner passed away, and that hobby is kind of in a lull at the moment. It could work its way back to the top at anytime. Fortunately being retired, we have time to do all these things. Retirement is great - hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
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Today's Daily News highlighted a post about a home project with 10,000 of hours invested. I'm so happy to hear that other people put thousands of hours into home computer projects. I've certainly had a few over the years. Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level. Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones. Way too much fun. I'm several thousand hours in, with no signs of letting up. I have to be diligent to avoid spending an unhealthy amount of time at it. My approach is to make sure I get some exercise (yard work, bike ride, dog walk,...), do something productive (bills, groceries, home maintenance, help Mom, ...), and do something fun (play with computer, ...) every day. I'm interested an anyone else's approach to maintaining some balance and not spending too much time at this stuff.
BBar2 wrote:
Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level.
I commend you for such an accomplishment. Regardless of what it may be, dedicating your time to something for thousands of hours is a difficult thing to do.
BBar2 wrote:
Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones.
That is awesome!:thumbsup:
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BBar2 wrote:
Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level.
I commend you for such an accomplishment. Regardless of what it may be, dedicating your time to something for thousands of hours is a difficult thing to do.
BBar2 wrote:
Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones.
That is awesome!:thumbsup:
Thanks - The astronomy projects came from reading about a simple home made device to follow the moving night sky, called a Barn-Door-Tracker. I thought if the simple Barn-Door approach worked, then a stepper motor and some cheap gears could do wonders. It worked, and I learned a lot, but exposed the limits of cheap gears. Now I'm on version 2 of that project using higher quality gears, and I have a new astronomy hobby on top of it all. It's easy to spend time on it, because I really enjoy every aspect. Playing with computers. Coding. Building little devices. Now the astronomy element. Too much fun. That's why I have to work on the life balance element. I get lost in this stuff. p.s. Your post got me going this morning. I tried out your link. That looks like a fun project. I know you can put serious hours into building something like that. I wish more environments embraced that clear menu based format. I miss that in modern software.
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Thanks - The astronomy projects came from reading about a simple home made device to follow the moving night sky, called a Barn-Door-Tracker. I thought if the simple Barn-Door approach worked, then a stepper motor and some cheap gears could do wonders. It worked, and I learned a lot, but exposed the limits of cheap gears. Now I'm on version 2 of that project using higher quality gears, and I have a new astronomy hobby on top of it all. It's easy to spend time on it, because I really enjoy every aspect. Playing with computers. Coding. Building little devices. Now the astronomy element. Too much fun. That's why I have to work on the life balance element. I get lost in this stuff. p.s. Your post got me going this morning. I tried out your link. That looks like a fun project. I know you can put serious hours into building something like that. I wish more environments embraced that clear menu based format. I miss that in modern software.
BBar2 wrote:
The astronomy projects came from reading about a simple home made device to follow the moving night sky, called a Barn-Door-Tracker. I thought if the simple Barn-Door approach worked, then a stepper motor and some cheap gears could do wonders. It worked, and I learned a lot, but exposed the limits of cheap gears. Now I'm on version 2 of that project using higher quality gears, and I have a new astronomy hobby on top of it all. It's easy to spend time on it, because I really enjoy every aspect. Playing with computers. Coding. Building little devices. Now the astronomy element. Too much fun. That's why I have to work on the life balance element. I get lost in this stuff.
I know I said this before, but that's one of the most awesome projects I've ever come across. It's no wonder that you've put so many hours into such a thing. I could see myself spending 10,000 hours with a project that is as fascinating as this. I must have been around 8 years old when my parents bought me a telescope for Christmas. It was a Celestron refraction telescope. I'd spend hours looking and studying at everything I could. I used it from home, at the airport to watch planes take off, in an open field, at the houses of other people, and just about anywhere else where I had things to look at. In college, I took an Introduction to Astronomy course. I didn't think it would be such a difficult class. However, I did think it would be one of the most interesting college courses that I have ever taken. Turns out that I was right about that.
BBar2 wrote:
That's why I have to work on the life balance element. I get lost in this stuff.
My work-life balance is so lopsided that the scale bends sideways and falls off the table. I don't have any answers, but it is interesting that we've both invested thousands of hours into a project. I sort of just accepted that it's the price I pay for immersing myself into an endeavor that requires so much dedication. Thank you for posting this question about work life balance. I hope it provides some answers.
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I don't know what I'm looking at. Maybe two sub woofers on the floor? Tube amp in the middle. That's a big guess. Where do you plug in the guitar? Looks like fun.
Yes. Two REL T/5x sub-base the term I prefer. A recent addition to the system per numerous recommendations. I may attempt return as its use did not add to my enjoyment and barely noticed any base extension on the few deep thumps in Stravinsky Petruska and Firebird Suite though they are not ideally positioned. Also I longer understand the logic of sub-base additions to a system as it is documented few symphonic orchestra instruments reach the sub-base spectrum and only on occasion. I am happy w/ the Spendor A7 speakers as they cover most of the symphonic bandwidth. Also it seems to me two un-aligned sources of the same spectrum can only muddy the sonics. Yes a tube amplifier Jadis Orchestra Black. Its replacement of the inexpensive Cambridge Audio SR10 Receiver on the top shelf which I thought excellent left me thinking stunning. I wish I were skilled in music playing in addition to listening however I enjoy providing my upstairs neighbor w/ free concerts.
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Today's Daily News highlighted a post about a home project with 10,000 of hours invested. I'm so happy to hear that other people put thousands of hours into home computer projects. I've certainly had a few over the years. Lots of small computer projects, but a few that raised to the 1000's of hours level. Since I retired a few years ago, its home built telescope mounts controlled by Arduino's, Raspberry Pi's and phones. Way too much fun. I'm several thousand hours in, with no signs of letting up. I have to be diligent to avoid spending an unhealthy amount of time at it. My approach is to make sure I get some exercise (yard work, bike ride, dog walk,...), do something productive (bills, groceries, home maintenance, help Mom, ...), and do something fun (play with computer, ...) every day. I'm interested an anyone else's approach to maintaining some balance and not spending too much time at this stuff.
It's easy, I ust cratch the project until I get some epiphany. CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr.PhD P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
