Blindsided by time
It’s amazing the things you never really think about when you start a new project. You can plan and plan and plan, but invariably you’ll run into something that you never expected.
In my case, I’ve just realized how obnoxious it will be to find files using my old archive file naming system, so I’m going through to carefully change all the names for a more convenient system. I just have to hope that there isn’t some other nasty surprise waiting for me down the line that will obviate this change.
I’ve recently been tapped for a number of potential projects, and I’m starting to feel just a little bit overwhelmed. First off, trib.com wants some new statistical information tools, and have suggested that as the only programmer who isn’t utterly swamped with tasks, I should take it on as a project. It’s an intriguing task, and I’ll probably take to it like a duck to water, but it does slightly increase my stress level.
I’ve also tentatively re-opened the door on my computer repair/tutor service, though I’m being pretty picky about when/where I accept jobs. So far it’s only garnered a few calls, but I don’t want to get more than 3 or 4 a week, or I’ll burn out. On a similar vein, I’ve been tapped to do some basic web-development work for a couple friends and local businesses. While most of the projects are small, I’m not really sure I have the time/energy/wherewithal to keep up.
Add in my continuing self-improvement goals and tasks, and I’ve got a fairly hefty plate in front of me. I only really worry because I find it a lot harder to keep myself in the normal range when I have a lot of tasks to finish. My manic phases love to take over and drive me at Warp-10 for weeks, and then I tend to crash messily. It’s just going to be a matter of managing the projects so that I control them, as opposed to the other way around.
On to my ranting. Why is it that people feel the need to drive 40 and 50 mph in a 30 zone? Do they really think they’ll get there any faster? Since it only takes about 10 minutes to get from anywhere in Casper to anywhere else in Casper, we’re talking about an average saved time of less than 5 minutes, assuming that you travel at double the speed limit and never have to stop. I still feel like laughing every time I see some high school kids blow my doors off going 50, and then get stopped at the next light, where I catch up. Then they floor it to the next light, and the process repeats ad infinitum.
I’ll admit that I tend to drive like someone’s grandmother, and I’m almost always within 5 mph of the speed limit. I’ll also admit that I do occasionally drive faster, like on a 15-hour trip, where the extra 5-10mph will save me over an hour or two of driving, or the occasional time where I’m running late, and will push just over my 5mph safety zone to shave a few extra seconds off my conscience. Still, it terrifies me to think that the vast majority of car accidents could be avoided if people would just calm down a little, and take an extra minute or two in transit time.