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Subject:I got the bluuuuueeess From:Cyndy Davis <kivrin -at- ZDNETMAIL -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 18 Sep 1998 01:25:13 -0700
Ok, so I can't sing =)I have to insert my 2 cents about Matt and his brush with depression.
Several posters have disagreed with Matt's feeling about peaking out. While I completely agree that there is ALWAYS something new to learn, I understand where Matt is coming from. My brain boggles at the amount of information I have learned in the last 8 months but when I look at what the majority of my writing is, I am depressed. At times its straight formula writing.
"Steps to bore my reader
1. Turn your PC on.
2. Press <Start> to display the menu options.
3. Highlight the desired game
4. Enter your name in the Name field of the New Game dialog."
ARRGGGHHH! Half of the manuals we produce have very straightforward steps with field descriptions. Even my verbs are boring, we display, identify, indicate, set and edit - on exciting days we define!
What's the other half of these manuals? Indepth explanations of mathematical theory and operations that translate a irregular ellipsoid (Earth) into defined exact coordinates that anyone can return to and pinpoint themselves up to .001 meters.
While I learn new tools, science and technology, there are times I feel a monkey could do my job. Its easy to feel that I have learned what I need from this job. I probably will never have to know what Baarda's data snooping procedure does or why you should implement it in the future when I'm not at this job, but I like my job.
IMO, Matt should look at what he is learning for life, rather than marketable skills to move on with. Management might be the next move Matt needs, everyone needs to find the niche that they fit nicely into. The trouble with that niche is it is easily outgrown. I did the management schtick (a retail kitchen store in a mall). I found that I didn't want to write schedules, deal with sick employees, perform reviews and tell employees how to dress. (Not that all management positions are like that)
I encourage anyone with the blues to take an extra day off, get a pad of paper and a pencil (no laptops allowed) and plan your life. Set a 5 year goal, a 10 year goal, a dream vacation, retirement idea and your obituary. Look at what they have in common. Then, decide what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Do you need to quit, move to Jamaica and sell seashells and margaritas on the beach to write the definitive novel of the disillusioned professional?
Bottom line: If you have the blues, get out the watercolor set and paint over the boring blues.
(Forgive the mixed metaphors and strange ideas, its 3 am and I'm still at work)
