I'm back! It feels like I've been away for several weeks even if it was just for the weekend. I suppose it means that I been working too much for too long again. When RL goes on in 150 MPH small breaks feel like a neverending void. Lovely but scary :) I haven't eaten so much in years and we were almost alone on this mansion with a full staff waiting to be commanded. Pretty strange. I seldom think about how the night sky looks in the complete darkness of the countryside. I know I should remember it because I spent my first 15 years in the civilization backyard. Amazing though.
I also got lots of inspiration from the ruins around, the gardens and the 16th and 17th century interior design. I'm glad I had my new camera with me to take notes with. And I very happy that my wife gave us this gift.
One thing that I came thinking about is how hard it is for me to write in English. In my own language I'm not just a skilled writer and a real pain as a word and syntax police. I'm very, very good and quite a talented story teller. But in English and German I sucks. I can't express properly and always feel inferior and child-like when writing and talking. It's like an intellectual straitjacket. I always though it would be better with the years passing or when using different languages in work, but no. This is how good it gets and in some aspects it's a relive. :) It's a barrier that the real me never can breach and I'll try stop thinking about it. But then again it's kind of sad that I never will write the great NWN-stories and dialogues I know I can, because of this limitation.
The second thing is about work. What good does working do? It gives you the money to buy the food and other stuff, yes. But why is it so important to increase the growt. We have to work longer when we gets old. We have to work more every year. And then we have to work more efficient to increase the growth again. But why? When I took the train to a customer yesterday I looked at peoples faces. I must have looked at at least 400 people. Young, old, different sexes and backgrounds. Most of them were going to their jobs, some of them comming home and a few others without job. No one laughed, smiled, talked or looked relaxed. If mankind spends so much time working one would think it was a natural urge that gives satisifaction and therefore joy. Sort of like reproduction. But it doesen't looks so. Maybe I transfer my own feelings about being paid to work... or maybe free time, relaxing and having fun makes me think about things :)))
Next up - real modding stuff. Perhaps tomorrow there be screenies!
Have fun a work, school, home or where ever you go today!
/A
ZORK RtGUE now on The Neverwinter Vault!
10 years ago
8 comments:
My own personal feeling is that I must have done something really bad in a former life and work is my punishment. ;)
You seemed to have written that post well. imo :) Also imo. Anyone that masters more than their own language to any level is impressive.
You'll do awesome! and besides that. Look at all the native English speaking modders you can turn to for bits of advice? I for one am happy to assist, as I am sure many others would as well.
Keep up the great work. I am thrilled to hear your time off was good ;)
As for the work and getting paid, and working some more. Life seems to be suspended during our young adult lives until we retire. Then do we really get the chance to enjoy life at this point? "shrugs" I am not entirely sure. Seems something is amiss somewhere. As modern society has lost a balance between fun and relaxation vs work. Unless your inherently wealthy and never have to work. I think it is safe to say. that is not the normal by any means.
Liso
Work to live not live to work has been quoted several times, I know Liso has said it at times as well. And quite frankly if I weren't doing the work I am doing today, I would probably have large issues doing more than just necessary to keep myself alive. Funny how that changes when someone else comes in to the picture though. How it motivates one to do more and better to get the best for your own. Making more money to give the next generation a better start, for them to make even more. Give them a head start in this world etc.
I'm really happy I got into art as a profession, making what is needed for living doing what I would have done in my spare time anyway. I may not be doing exactly what I would want to all the time, however everything I do will help me improve in a creative way. That and making sure the people around me have what is needed is what drives me. I'm probably more stressed between work, than while working ;)
Hobbies are good. Mod'ing is great, relaxing will just give you time to think what is wrong with this world. It takes discipline in ones thinking to come up with the solutions.
Great post, Amraphael - and great responses too!
Welcome back - I'm happy you and your wife had a memorable trip. :)
well my swedish extends to 'bork bork bork' form the Swedish cehf on the Muppet SHow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Chef), so in comparison your english is amazing! ;) I think the improtant stuff you showed i nthat post - that you don;t just have the vocabulary, but also the sentence construction. And your spelling/typing is better than me!
As for work life balance - I often complain about my work, but then friends point out that I get a lot of holiday time, and flexible hours that let me enjoy my hobbies (at the moment the farly anti-socal sitting in a room staring at the toolset hobby). So I shouldn;t complain as much as I do. Since battling cancer 18 months ago, I'm more relaxed about work - having time for friends, family, and the things I enjoy are more important - and finding a new hobby like modding has been a great source of enjoyment for me. (And pain too, but you know what I mean!). I always wanted to be a writer, but thought that it was too risky a career - modding asa a hobby has let me explore this - so it's one thing I won;t have to regret not trying.
I wanted to reply yesterday but ironically was quite busy at work.
I often think about people and society and wonder why we spend time and place emphasis on many of the things we do.
Why work? Society dictates it. It's an extension of hunting and gathering in a very weird way. There are so many people and society has become so complex that most of us do clear do not hunt or gather, but trade goods and services to survive. There are whole segments of society entire professions dedicated to very abstract pursuits, take Marketing for example. These goods and services have become necessary or simply desirable just to support and continue the society we both want and have evolved into.
So why follow what society dictates? Many people do not take the time to think along these lines or question why they do what they do. Why? Because you need to have a job to provide food and shelter for yourself.
Why do you have the job you have? Who knows. Hopefully you are doing something that either provides what you need/want or gives you some pleasure.
Personally I have always viewed career as a means to an end. What do I want out of life? I want a family of my own, I want a loving wife and children. There are times I wish my kids would give me a few minutes of quiet so I can think, but I have what I want. My job allows me to have it.
I've had different jobs over time. Is started as a music teacher, not because I was going to bring home a fortune, but because I loved music and teaching. I got something out of it other than a paycheck.
I sidestepped in to computers and now manage and IT department. I've always enjoyed computers and programming so it's a great fit for me. Somedays it is very hard and down right aggravating but I get something much more than just a paycheck out of my job.
I commute 10 minutes to work. I have ample time with my wife and children every day, and I still have time to invest in myself. If I can invest in myself, I won't have anything to give to my wife. A small investment in 'me time' lets me be a good partner for my wife. Having a good relationship with my wife lets us be better and more effective parents to our children.
I believe the choices I have made about work and lifestyle (commute, size of home, savings, etc...) have all been made deliberately to support what I really want.
Why work?
You have to, to survive.
Do we have choices to make about what we do?
Yes we all do, often with limitations, but we always making a choice. Often some of the options are unacceptable but there are always choices.
I'm a pretty simple guy, and don't require too much to be happy. I've got a great family and wanting that is perhaps my biggest conceit. Otherwise I don't need to much, I've always been happy with pursuits that don't cost much. D&D is a pretty cheap hobby, and although D&D on the computer is more expensive, I've got a lot of entertainment out of a $45 game.
* whew *
(gets off soapbox)
Welcome back! I am glad that you and your wife had a relaxing time - you deserve it!
As for your English, I am in awe of how well you write considering it is your second language. If you do need help with editing any of your dialogs, there are plenty of us willing to help you out though... :)
Now, on the subject of work...I try to approach my job with the attitude that since I spend a majority of my time at it, I might as well enjoy it. Most days, it is very rewarding to have your customers trust you and approach you for advice (some trust me more than their own doctor). I smile at even the crankiest of customers and win them over too. ;D
My staff seem to enjoy working for me and even head office comments that it is a great atmosphere when they walk in the store. So, even a highly stressful job which can stretch to up to 12 hours a day - can be a little better if you approach it with a bit of joy instead of dreading each work day. That is how I see it. Oops, I had better head off to work now. :p
I knew that you all are a bunch of both kind and smart people. I'm overwhelmed the great comments! Thanks.
I realize the most people on this planet would give much for my job and the money that comes with it :) And I would never tell my employees that it often sucks. I often tell them that they should think about other things than work and guard their free time as crazy dogs though.
Working has it's bright moments and I don't think it's the job that's wrong. It's me. I love to work hard and under pressure but when I get paid for it the whole thing loose it's meaning.
With age I come to accept it. I don't have to like it. It makes life easy so I foucus on that instead. I'm pretty healthy. I've a wonderfull wife. Roof over my head and food on the table. I should be ashamed for having it all served to me (a little). But deep inside I agree with Briesence about that work must be punishment for something bad I did :))
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