There is more to life than code.

Posted by Luke Ludwig Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:34:00 GMT

Many skilled programmers are good, in part, because it is all they do. At work they code and they can't wait to get home so they can code on their own project. The world of programming is a large turbulent pool of knowledge, ideas, and skillsets too vast and changing for any one human mind to conquer. For many people this world of code is their primary passion in life. Programmers get sucked into an hour-gobbling vortex that leaves little time for other activities. Tired of sitting at your desk all day? Followed by sitting in your car as you commute home, and further by sitting in front of the tv or computer at home? Sit, sit sit, its what Americans do, especially lazy but passionate-about-code programmers. I think it is important for the health of the human psyche to have at least one hobby or activity, unrelated to work, that gets you excited, and why not make it a physical activity since the majority of your life is spent sitting on your bottom?

Physical activity? Most people are turned off just by the thought of it. Physical activity is usually set aside as one of those healthy things you should be doing, but never have time for. Like flossing your teeth. Occasionally inspiration hits and you'll go for a run every other day or hit the weight room. But if you are like most people, this usually lasts for only a week or two before you are back on the couch. You wouldn't want to miss an episode of Heroes. The problem is that very few people actually enjoy running or lifting weights. What you need is a physical hobby which excites you as much as the latest cool programming language. If you are passionate about excelling at a physical hobby, then your own self-motivation will drive you to stay in great shape, just as it drives you to stay on top of the latest programming trends.

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Inspiration While Kayaking

Posted by Luke Ludwig Fri, 04 May 2007 00:23:00 GMT

One Thursday afternoon in early May, I decided to leave work early at 3:30 and go kayaking. Adios manager Chris. After a boring hour commute home to lovely Woodbury, Minnesota, I tossed my kayak on top of my truck, drove to nearby St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park, launched, and was on the water by 5:00. My kayak is a yellow 17 foot long Current Designs Caribou and is designed for "seas" as it is a sea kayak. I paddled across the wide St. Croix river to the Wisconsin side and headed downriver along the shore. Out for exercise, I was planning to paddle about 8 miles in a moderately strenuous manner. The planned 4-mile turn around point is where the St. Croix joins with the Mississippi.

I soon got in a rhythm and began thinking about, what else -> backpacking. If you were to just meet me and ask what I do I would say "I backpack, paddle, and write code" [1]. Certainly you were expecting an answer more like, "I work as a Simulation Engineer at BAE Systems in Fridley. We make the biggest guns in the world, aka howitzers, for the army." Backpacking, paddling kayaks and canoes, and writing code are my three main... passions or hobbies? If I just call them passions then I have to make the standard disclaimer about my wife Becca being my first passion. How about passion-hobbies.

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