Are you radically different than your younger self? Are there key elements that have stayed the same? Most parts? Do you feel as if you’ve followed the “roadmap of life” or forged your own path? Have there been “chapters” or do things all sort of slide into one contiguous flow? Share what you’d like!
Hahahaha! My guy, I feel this so hard. Hahahaha! Aww man, I had this whole thing with my gal the other day. I was talking to her and I was like “Did you know spanking is abusive nowadays!?” And she was like, “It was abusive a bit before that.” And I was like “You mean, like the 00s? Like 20 years ago?” And she said “No, a bit longer than that.” And I was all like “REALLY!?” I mean idk, they spanked us all the time growing up. They’d be all like ‘get the belt’ and shit and then you had to go get the belt and…oh…! Okay, I see it now." And she was all like “exactly!” And then I went into this whole tangetal thing about switches and yada, yada. But anyways shit’s genetic right? I swear to god my father was ADHD because he had handwriting that looked like a crumpled towel. He always had to be “doing” something or “going” somewhere. And when that man was mad, hot damn you better get the fuck out of site. That man would throw punches, chairs or people - but something was getting tossed and we all made the rounds. We were getting checked on by CPS too, cause the school kept calling on us. But my dad could talk like liquid smoke. I mean that man was smooth. And he was personable and really got it on with most folks but us. So they’d come - do the dance (if we were around he would make us hide outta sight) and then leave and it was until next time.
My queer awakening was 10/10 my brilliant spark of joy. Cause I was out of the house (at 16) and I for sure as FUCK was living. Even if I was making BUNK. Even if I didn’t have SHITTTT - I had friends. I had poon. l had a gig that I could work. Life was good. I woulda gone to the military like you, cause I come from a military family. But legitimately Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was being plastered all over the joint and it just didn’t seem like a environment condusive to my being. I’m such a faggy flamingo and I laugh sometimes thinking about what all military service would have done to this little maggoty brain.
Sounds like whatever you did in the military worked well for you cause you landed with a structure, a partner, some friends (?), and the gi bill =P! Yo, you’re from MO? I seriously (seriously) know some of the sweetest folks from down there. I’ve got a lot of love for the Midwest as a whole, but hot damn there’s something about the location that can spark up some sweetness. I glossed over the dad stuff because I have had this kinda wonder how I’d feel when he dies kinda thing that floats by time to time. But ultimately we haven’t had a relationship in over twenty years. So I don’t really know or expect much. Eh!
It sounds like you did okay, even though it was a shit-sandwich the whole time.
I heard there’s a lot of burnout in tech around the 10 year mark. And I think that’s why a lot of people pivot from dev roles to management. Not that anything is easier, but I think you just get to use your brain a little less intensely. I also (although can’t prove it) think tech is becoming super ageist. Which is weird considering the more you’ve been around it the more you know? I think more so it’s because you don’t have to pay grunts nearly as much and the customers will buy/use what you’ve got even if it’s a taped together buggy mess.
You sound like you’ve been going through it again at the end there. Check out Open Path they might be able to cut you a deal. Look for someone who specializes in what you need - and you vibe with. Don’t get stuck with someone who doesn’t make you feel safe. I heard about this organization through milspouse and it might actually help you. I don’t think it hurts to reach out, and you might legit find a gig through it. I’ve also heard about this through milspouse too and while idk much about this one, you might actually be able to work for these guys though. Cause you’ve got gobs of experience and you probably know how to talk to people in a commanding way from what all I’ve read up there.
GL my dood! Keep your sparkle, keep going. Be careful if you’re dancing with the dark. Cause I heard men of your age and background can be of a certain risk to themselves. You know? So if you notice shit getting bad, find people you love and get them in your life yesterday. Okay?
Be well!
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Oh yeah for sure this stuff comes from intergenerational trauma. My grandfather (not by blood, but by upbringing) was a horrible wretched soul. My grandmother was a saint, and I’d pop anyone who says otherwise =P! (Okay that was a joke, I pass a fist) But legit I heard this man was some kinda monster and I honestly do not know how many people he’s hurt big picture but I do know that his ripples can be felt even after his death. And I talked about this once before but it was crazy how all roads led to “fag” and men weren’t allowed to be or do anything for generations based on those limitations. Things have kinda changed, but it’s still not there. Aww man, my dad had levels of rage. I am still terrified of that man to this day. Even though I know logically - what’s he gunna do? But I can still go back there. But I mean I think we can do that with all sorts of emotions and memories are just kinda like that - you can go back to what you remember. And yeah, same here - if he was mad at something else hot damn he’d take it out on us. Was a mess. I am glad you reconnected and got to a place where you could sorta heal that image in your head and gain some more closure. I hear that’s the upside of all the chaos, but I think in my case I’m just gunna let sleeping dogs lie. Cause I really don’t have much else I can do. And the few times I have tried to reconnect with him over the phone he started getting mad a couple minutes in. Which stinks because one of my sibbies kinda has that flamey temp too. And they’re both bigguns’ (and I am the size of a pinkie =P!)
Hahaha, nah man - that running beat (which most def had to be inspired by call and response negro spirituals) is solid. I picked it up right off the bat. One of the only military folks I know now - that’s their thing too. They got out and all they do is run, helps them feel connected to things. But I think they listen to electronic stuff, but it could follow a similar beat you know? Structure is almost impossible to follow to a T with ADHD. I cheat by changing things up just enough that it doesn’t drive me bonkers. A simple example would be like going one road over on your circuit next week to see different things. Helps keeps stuff interesting.
Being on-call is a poop. I think you’re supposed to get paid extra for that, and people are on some bs because they’re always trying to figure out how to weasel the most “productivity” out of someone while paying them the absolute least they can get away with. Legit, it sounds like you know what you want. And it sounds like you’ve got tons of passion and energy. I straight heave (on the low-low) heard of a lot of devs smashing dual-gigs and raking in the cash then investing that and getting out of the rat-race early.
That ADHD site could be money, bc legit if you’ve got it you know how it is when you’re out here trying to learn and stuff is all over the place. One thing I will warn though, is that it seems there’s two camps. I NEED MORE INFORMATION ALL THE TIME NOW, NOW, NOW and - I need this cleaned up and in tiny bites please. I’d look into the science of it all but I do know that there’s a huge issue transfering short term -> long term so clean information is really important. I was reading this site based off an article I can’t seem to find anymore (???) cause the post is gone. But the design was so choice on mobile because it was so clean and easy to read. And I always get so frustrated trying to read stuff outside of “reader” mode because most designs are too much. And it’s why I like PieFed cause it’s relatively (the threads are a bit smooshed together horizontally so I don’t always get it) easy to read. But ne ways, you’re gunna be fine one way or another. If you have too much trouble flex your military and coding experience and utilize it to get a gig. Cause sometimes you gotta use your edge to get ahead if the fish aren’t biting. And it’s pretty rough right now all things considered.
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Yoooasf;klahflkhfafksh!!! Legit like a freakin’ lightbulb here! I mean this might be absolutely bonkers but what if you could switch the way things are displayed like “light/dark” mode and create an accessibility revolution!? Then just code things to hide or show depending on what the individual selects. And you can set a default view in your profile? Idk, maybe that’s like trite, but I feel like if more sites offered cleaned up minimal views I would use them. That gucci mobile view is so choice. When I see a readable mobile site it’s like butter to my eyes because it’s so easy to read and I’ve got one of those Amoled screens (and a phone bigger than my hand =_o!) so it looks so slick!
10/10 you can get those grants. You can also get help building it if you need by checking out cool websites like this one that are run by exceptional human beings. But it’s also totally cool if that doesn’t sit well with you. And 100% learning things can be brutal because we both need an incredible amount of guidance but also the space to learn our own way. And I know my ass learns, thinks, communicates most def differently than others because <<<< Look at all this =P! I’m hyped for you though, seriously. You ever need someone to toss stuff around, I’m here =)!
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My guy, I hope you find your something. I can’t even imagine what life would be like riding high on testosterone. I’d probably smash every bone in my body at some point. I’m glad I am just impassioned and not blindly raging. Cause legitimately, things have for sure gotten crunchier out there and it takes some real strength to realize how unimportant so much of it is. Yo, you seem like a real character foreals. You ever think about getting in to some kinda martial arts? Cause one guy I met who was an old-dog former military type had those fabulous cauliflower ears (you know which ones I’m talking about) but he seemed calmer than anything. And maybe finding your way to something like that might legit connect you to that primal thing you liked about the military =)! Also the reason why I said what I said is because I know PTSD is a bitch and legitimately I’ve heard both young men and military men kill themselves are a higher rate than others and I just wanted to say keep yourself safe cause you seem like a good guy who’s going through it and I know when you’re going through it stuff can get cloudy.
I know you’re not old, hahahaha! But I also know you’re not a spring chicken =)! Always fun to talk to you, my brother hahahaha!