What makes you excited?

[off-by-one]

I'm in a kind of a career slump here and have hard time getting out. My main problem is I don't seem to find much things to be excited about or the enthusiasm is gone when some minor obstacles occur.

So, maybe it would help to hear from other people. What makes you excited? What makes you miss your lunch break or stay up at night hacking. Electronics, HW / SW related of course.

Is there something happening in the world that you are excited about, or is it some work / hobby project you are working on? Tell us, what is it and more importantly why do you think you are so excited about it. Also, how do you make it last?

Thanks.

[img]

It's a question of studying our own personality and finding a balance between things we are willing to change and things that we'd rather keep the way they are.
For example, I don't like group projects, but sometimes would do team-involving programming contracts to finance purchases of equipment that's of interest to me. Knowing that the contract is short-term makes it manageable.
I also like to keep in global view several projects at a time and zoom in to them as new ideas arise. This prevents me from getting fed up with constantly working on the same thing and coming up with inefficient technical solutions as a result.
The key point here is to view yourself as a piece of lab equipment and to determine your optimal mode of operation. Specific areas of interest are person-specific imo, and don't shed much light on 'how to make it last'.
Another thing to consider is, perhaps you've been driving yourself too hard lately and are simply tired? Have you tried getting a bit of rest and clearing your mind?

[gregariz]

It's a question of studying our own personality and finding a balance between things we are willing to change and things that we'd rather keep the way they are.

I think thats spot on...

For me, I hate the corporate grind with a passion. I think Scott Adams had it spot on with dilbert.. people do mostly get dummer as you go up the corporate ladder. I've found that since I went to a smaller company that I've enjoyed the work alot more and have been happier in myself. Big companies can have some cool projects too, but the bureaucracy quickly kills it. I expect my next move will be a startup with friends or my own startup - getting my hands on all aspects of the business without having to fight the corporate bullshit is what I find keeps me sustained.

[off-by-one]

Sorry for the late follow up. I appreciate all your responses.

Another thing to consider is, perhaps you've been driving yourself too hard lately and are simply tired? Have you tried getting a bit of rest and clearing your mind?

I'm probably a bit burnt out from my work. I'm tired of doing the same thing (maintain old messy code) that doesn't give me much satisfaction. I need a change, but at the same time I don't know what I would rather do or in what domain I'd like to work.

Resting doesn't seem to help. I just spent a long vacation doing nothing. I have many things to ponder and it makes me tired too.

I was hoping to hear from other people what they are doing, and why they think it's great. Maybe the enthusiasm might spread. Maybe I could found there something that is really interesting, but I haven't thought about.

[Conrad Hoffman]

It's always a challenge for me. The engineering mindset has to be quite pessimistic- do you really want dangerous machines and bridges and such designed by an optimist? Didn't think so. I tend to get fascinated by fundamentals, and will buy ancient used engineering books to learn the original history. I also work across just about all technologies and get excited by the way everything is actually related. One hobby feeds another. I've done the "start a company" thing and just don't have the fire in the belly to consider it again. Depending on who you are and who you work with, it's not always what it's cracked up to be. One lesson learned is that I'd only do it for something I had a true long term interest in, and much of that is obsolete analog stuff. The general economic decline drags me down a lot, and I'm not hopeful that it will improve in my lifetime. I doubt I've helped, but I hope I didn't drag you down further. 

[off-by-one]

I tend to get fascinated by fundamentals, and will buy ancient used engineering books to learn the original history.

I'm like this too. I think it's necessary to know the fundamentals and history in order to really understand something more complex. It's also makes learning easier when you know the background and understand why things are the way they are. Though, you have to learn a lot extra.

The general economic decline drags me down a lot, and I'm not hopeful that it will improve in my lifetime. I doubt I've helped, but I hope I didn't drag you down further. 

Not at all. The general notion of how the modern world works is somewhat depressing if you begin to think about it. It seems it's based on treason. For example I can not believe that infinite growth is the answer. But there's not much a single person can do about it.

[AntiProtonBoy]

Re. the economic decline thing, the great thing about electronics is that you can find a heap of stuff for salvaging and recycling. I used to be a poor migrant kid with practically no pocket money to spend. That didn't stop me from ripping stuff apart and reuse components; including basic stuff like resistors and capacitors. I practically build entire kits from recycled electronics. Was a lot of fun.

One of the things that kept me motivated is building things incrementally and see actual progress. That gives you a sense of achievement and motivates you to improve or start new projects.

[SgtRock]

Dear off-by-one.

You stated:

"I'm probably a bit burnt out from my work. I'm tired of doing the same thing (maintain old messy code)"

--Let me guess. By now there is a mountain patched and repatched code. They cannot afford to rewrite it so your job it to slap some more patches on it and wait for it to find the next disallowed state. Sort of like using digital duck tape. Find the quacks and put duck tape on them. Sounds like another Turing Machine with a halting problem.

--I agree with Anti-Proton-Boy. Try designing your own project and do it exactly the way you want to do it. You can gets lots of help here on this forum. And if any contrarian Philistines oppose your idea, you can do like Sampson did. Rise up and slay them all with the ass bone of a mule. That should help you stay out of the Horse Latitudes. Best Regards
Clear Ether

[Kozmyk]

do like Sampson did. Rise up and slay them all with the ass bone of a mule.

LOL That made my night that one did. 

[Kiriakos-GR]

I love to investigate and discover technological problems.
And I love the moment that I am discovering the what got wrong.

Unfortunately I do all that by paying for special tools, and by wasting all my life to it.
Yes its not a natural or healthy way of life, but the essence of life is to die happy,
and I am working on that, no matter the cost.

When I will die, do not search for money, just get my tools. 
 

[vk6zgo]

It's always a challenge for me. The engineering mindset has to be quite pessimistic- do you really want dangerous machines and bridges and such designed by an optimist? Didn't think so. I tend to get fascinated by fundamentals, and will buy ancient used engineering books to learn the original history. I also work across just about all technologies and get excited by the way everything is actually related. One hobby feeds another. I've done the "start a company" thing and just don't have the fire in the belly to consider it again. Depending on who you are and who you work with, it's not always what it's cracked up to be. One lesson learned is that I'd only do it for something I had a true long term interest in, and much of that is obsolete analog stuff. The general economic decline drags me down a lot, and I'm not hopeful that it will improve in my lifetime. I doubt I've helped, but I hope I didn't drag you down further. 

If you are an Engineer,you are supposed to be interested in fundamentals.(Harmonics too if it comes to that! )

The real world is analog,& everything eventually interfaces with that world,so there will always be a place for analog concepts,if not fully analog circuits.

For instance many digital comms systems obtain extra "bandwidth" by using multiple amplitude levels & phases.
Note: I used the quote marks around"bandwidth" to indicate the apparent bandwidth to the user.
The true bandwidth,as shown on a spectrum analyser is considerably less.
Amplitude & phase distortion will affect these systems just as they would an all analog one.

VK6ZGO

[SgtRock]

Dear VK6ZGO:

--Often but not always people who do engineering work, both those with degrees and those without, find it very exciting. Just look at our friends Dave and Kiriakos. They are excited about what they are doing, they love it. It rubs off on other people.

--I was taught math and physics at a very young age by an Electrical Engineer. He was shot down and captured in WWII. When the War was over  he used the GI Bill to get his BS in EE. He was a TV Station Engineer for a while. Then he worked in missile telemetry for Martin Marietta. Then he moved to NASA where he helped design Laser Communication Systems, used to avoid possible RF interference in remote control systems like the crawler which carries the big rockets. But whatever he was doing he was always excited and happy about it. I guess after being shot nearly to pieces and then spending 3 years in a POW camp, he saw the rest of his life as an extremely valuable bonus. People like my dear friend Noah Puckett are optimistic about things in general, but often pessimistic or at least realistic about engineering. That is because Engineers, be they mighty or humble can bankrupt companies or even accidentally kill people and break things a lot more easily that most people.

--Your quote of Conrad Hoffman reminded me of a Kipling poem my friend used to recite to me. I will quote you the first stanza, the rest you can find at http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_strain.htm.

"Hymn of Breaking Strain

THE careful text-books measure
(Let all who build beware!)
The load, the shock, the pressure
Material can bear.
So, when the buckled girder
Lets down the grinding span,
'The blame of loss, or murder,
Is laid upon the man.
Not on the Stuff - the Man!"

Best Regards
Clear Ether

[ivan747]

I like starting projects, even if I know they probably won't see the light of the day. Just sketching stuff on a notebook is way more fun than trying to end a project that can wait a month or two to be finished.

[Simon]

well the answer to the initial question in the topic title is simple and obvious: GIRLS - preferably scantily dressed   

As to the more long winded bit anything I'm working on, because usually it is something I'm doing for me and that I want to make work

[Zero999]

Don't bitch too much, at least you have a job. It might not be very intellectually stimulating but at least pays the bills. My job isn't great fun but it's not too bad and the pay is reasonable so I'm happy.

[Simon]

Don't bitch too much, at least you have a job. It might not be very intellectually stimulating but at least pays the bills. My job isn't great fun but it's not too bad and the pay is reasonable so I'm happy.

who are you referring to ? (I haven't read the topic in detail)

[hacklordsniper]

There is a saying that if its fun, its not a job

[Simon]

There is a saying that if its fun, its not a job

not neccessarily

[nzo]

I like to work with processes that have a beginning and an ending, where I'm involved in the whole process.

I was a potter for about 25 years, mixed my own clay, built my own kilns, developed my own glazes, fired my own pots in electric, gas, diesel and wood-fired kilns. I started out with a raw lump of clay and ended up with durable ceramics of all shapes and sizes.

That's what I mean by beginning/ending processes. Working for a corporation like IBM, Enron, Morgan etc, I'd never see the end of my work. There be insanity.

Electronics, ham radio, building stuff is what turns me on energy wise. I'm a maker.

I'm also a process that began and will end. By spending much of my life being true to do what I love doing, I've stopped myself from going totally and irretrievably nuts, and being able to say at the end of my life: "All Used Up!".

[SgtRock]

Dear off-by-one:
--Firstly, let me concur enthusiastically with the first comment by Simon, but at my age the word women rather than girls would more apply. Also, being retired I concur with Simon's second comment. If I am doing something, it is because it is something I want to do, so excitement comes easily.

--Secondly, with regard to the rather rude comments of HERO999; I took your posts to be more in the nature of forthright admissions rather that bitching. I thought you were asking for help and advice, not the back of someone's hand. I notice you really did not blame anyone except maybe yourself. It seem to me that if anyone is bitching in this thread, it is not you. Reread this thread carefully, and I think you will see the need sometimes for the "assbone of a mule". Best Regards
Clear Ether

[off-by-one]

wow! I've been a bit busy and haven't visited here for a while. The thread has grown into a great conversation. Many good ideas about finding ones passion. Doing something for oneself, being able to do things from the start to finish and having some variation seems to be common.

--Let me guess. By now there is a mountain patched and repatched code. They cannot afford to rewrite it so your job it to slap some more patches on it and wait for it to find the next disallowed state. Sort of like using digital duck tape.

Something like that. Problems are fixed in a hurry to serve the customer better, but then at the same time it accumulates technical debt which makes our job increasingly harder.

Don't bitch too much, at least you have a job. It might not be very intellectually stimulating but at least pays the bills. My job isn't great fun but it's not too bad and the pay is reasonable so I'm happy.

I understand this might appear as bitching. I appreciate the fact that I have my current job, but I have to remind myself that I am responsible of my own career and happiness. I'm not a great risk taker so I'm hesitant to making a change if I'm not sure about it and sometimes it holds me back.


The reason I've been so busy is because I have now made a job contract with another company and I'm moving there. Things move fast when they get rolling. Does this make me excited? I don't know. The new job should be quite different in many ways and there should be more variation. I still don't know if it's the ideal job and I don't like the idea of finding it by trial and error, but it seems there really is no choice.

My final conclusion on the job was that I couldn't think of any reason why not to accept the offer, so I guess it's a good sign. At least it should give me an overall life change, which can only be good.