I worked for a famous Japanese imaging corporation for almost 27 years. The pay was meh, the corporate overhead and B. S. was damn near unbearable.
But I worked as a peer with some of the finest engineers and scientists in the world, on a daily basis, and we respected each other (but often also wanted to strangle each other).
I was seldom the smartest person in the room (and I’m smarter than the average bear). It was humbling, challenging, and exciting.
I became a manager, and hated it. I was a very good manager, but spent my nights and weekends, coding.
Since leaving that company, I went straight back to coding, and I’m not as good as I was.
I’m way better.
I don’t really care whether or not I’m better than anyone else, but I find that I can usually meet any challenges thrown my way[0].
It seems that I picked up some good habits, along the way.
These days, most folks in the industry don’t want to have anything to do with me. I’m radioactive. It only took a short time to figure out that no one wants Pops on their team. I won’t go where I’m not wanted.
I’m extremely fortunate, in that I can support myself without earning a salary. I sought out people that want to help others, and have been working with them, for free.
It’s working for me. I’m not lonely at all, and I’m pretty motivated by the work.
I worked for a famous Japanese imaging corporation for almost 27 years. The pay was meh, the corporate overhead and B. S. was damn near unbearable.
But I worked as a peer with some of the finest engineers and scientists in the world, on a daily basis, and we respected each other (but often also wanted to strangle each other).
I was seldom the smartest person in the room (and I’m smarter than the average bear). It was humbling, challenging, and exciting.
I became a manager, and hated it. I was a very good manager, but spent my nights and weekends, coding.
Since leaving that company, I went straight back to coding, and I’m not as good as I was.
I’m way better.
I don’t really care whether or not I’m better than anyone else, but I find that I can usually meet any challenges thrown my way[0].
It seems that I picked up some good habits, along the way.
These days, most folks in the industry don’t want to have anything to do with me. I’m radioactive. It only took a short time to figure out that no one wants Pops on their team. I won’t go where I’m not wanted.
I’m extremely fortunate, in that I can support myself without earning a salary. I sought out people that want to help others, and have been working with them, for free.
It’s working for me. I’m not lonely at all, and I’m pretty motivated by the work.
[0] https://littlegreenviper.com/miscellany/thats-not-what-ships...