I’m 39. My “progress” has mainly to be find an employer that treats me like a respected expert and not a code slinging drone. I’ve got some pay raises along the way but nothing earth shattering and would probably seem low to the typical HN person from the Bay Area.

The next step in my career long term is indie hacker type projects that will bring in supplemental income, and will be a lot of fun to make.

I also have some open source ideas I want to explore, but I don’t have too much time. But there are some interesting technologies I want to help advance because I believe in them. The primary purpose there is more ethical than money making.