Comments on: Priorities http://www.possibleprobable.com/?p=36 a blog by Aaron Hillegass Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:14:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Mike Diener http://www.possibleprobable.com/?p=36#comment-100 Mike Diener Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:58:05 +0000 http://www.possibleprobable.com/?p=36#comment-100 In answering the question "Do you write by inspiration or by perspiration?" Faulkner is supposed to have once said someting to the effect of "I write by inspiration. Fortunately, inspiration strikes every day at 8 am." Living in Colorado, I have lots of opportunity to go ski touring etc., and, ah, refill my brain, but at the end of the day, only hard work is going to solve my problems. Indeded, I have found in my years as an applied research chemist that, if I work really, really hard, then there is a chance that I will learn something new and interesting. If I don't work really, really hard, then I can probably still maintain my job and get by. I know lots of people with quality big ideas, but only a few with enough drive to make even one of them happen. Sipping wine on the porch with your wife is one reward for hard work - you didn't get the wine, the porch or the wife by going skiing and thinking deep thoughts. Lastly, I'll comment that efficiency is great, but I am constantly running into time efficiency vs. money efficiency problems. And this is where the hard decisions get made. Life is indeed too short - better get something done today. In answering the question “Do you write by inspiration or by perspiration?” Faulkner is supposed to have once said someting to the effect of “I write by inspiration. Fortunately, inspiration strikes every day at 8 am.” Living in Colorado, I have lots of opportunity to go ski touring etc., and, ah, refill my brain, but at the end of the day, only hard work is going to solve my problems.

Indeded, I have found in my years as an applied research chemist that, if I work really, really hard, then there is a chance that I will learn something new and interesting. If I don’t work really, really hard, then I can probably still maintain my job and get by. I know lots of people with quality big ideas, but only a few with enough drive to make even one of them happen.

Sipping wine on the porch with your wife is one reward for hard work - you didn’t get the wine, the porch or the wife by going skiing and thinking deep thoughts.

Lastly, I’ll comment that efficiency is great, but I am constantly running into time efficiency vs. money efficiency problems. And this is where the hard decisions get made.

Life is indeed too short - better get something done today.

]]> By: Ken http://www.possibleprobable.com/?p=36#comment-96 Ken Sun, 11 Nov 2007 08:31:29 +0000 http://www.possibleprobable.com/?p=36#comment-96 Bravo! Glad someone said it. @Gavin: My brain is refilled with fresh air and ideas! Yea, and I've noticed, when I stop working on a problem and go do something else, the answer to my problem just pops in my head... sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to take a break. Bravo! Glad someone said it.

@Gavin: My brain is refilled with fresh air and ideas!
Yea, and I’ve noticed, when I stop working on a problem and go do something else, the answer to my problem just pops in my head… sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to take a break.

]]> By: Gavin http://www.possibleprobable.com/?p=36#comment-95 Gavin Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:14:29 +0000 http://www.possibleprobable.com/?p=36#comment-95 "People who rush from deadline to deadline don’t have time for the really important things: friends, family, fun, exercise, the simple pleasures, and big ideas." So true! Last week predicament, shall I go ski touring in the mountains with friends or spent another day on a seemingly endless project ? Sometimes when you code and can't figure out bugs or problems, 'you are simply too close to the problem'... Well I took the trail less traveled... and I'm glad I did! (My brain is refilled with fresh air and ideas!) High on attitude and btw life is too short! :-) “People who rush from deadline to deadline don’t have time for the really important things: friends, family, fun, exercise, the simple pleasures, and big ideas.” So true!

Last week predicament, shall I go ski touring in the mountains with friends or spent another day on a seemingly endless project ?

Sometimes when you code and can’t figure out bugs or problems, ‘you are simply too close to the problem’…

Well I took the trail less traveled… and I’m glad I did! (My brain is refilled with fresh air and ideas!)

High on attitude and btw life is too short! :-)

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