Ask HN: Former software engineers, what are you doing now?

Re:Ask HN: Former software engineers, what are you doing now? by paledot on Saturday July 25, 2020 @05:03PM (#23952407)

I'm in the same place as you are, not FAANG salary but my wife has a FAANG job and we have enough savings to both retire now (early 30s) if we wanted to. I'm trying to figure out what I'd do if I "retired". Tentatively full-time parent part-time tinkerer, maybe put some of my back burner projects on the front burner and see if I can get a bit of passive income out of them. Mostly I'm feeling the lack of time and energy to build things (material and immaterial) for myself.

But, while work isn't a source of joy for me, it is a source of structure. I'm still trying to figure out if my life would be better without it.

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Re:Ask HN: Former software engineers, what are you doing now? by mrfusion on Saturday July 25, 2020 @06:25PM (#23952863)

What kind of tinkering would you do?

Have you thought of switching to a low paying but more fulfilling job?

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Re:Ask HN: Former software engineers, what are you doing now? by paledot on Sunday July 26, 2020 @10:46PM (#23961843)

Right now, woodworking and gardening. Later, who knows. Probably I'll circle back around to programming, but building things for myself instead of for other people.

I'm not really sure what I'd find more fulfilling in the day-to-day of salaried employment. In an abstract sense, sure, I could build websites to help orphaned puppies find forever homes instead of to help people find mattresses or whatever. However, if overall impact is my objective, I'm better off keeping the highest-paying job I can (consistent with my values) and donating my salary to charity.

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Re:Ask HN: Former software engineers, what are you doing now? by mrfusion on Monday July 27, 2020 @09:28AM (#23964866)

What kind of woodworking? Feel free to email if we’re getting too offtopic.

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Re:Ask HN: Former software engineers, what are you doing now? by Zucburger on Sunday July 26, 2020 @06:29PM (#23960664)

@paledot

Where did you first meet each other?

The lack of energy may be due to a lack of a pushing force, such as a boss.

Currently doing something on that topic if you want to discuss more.

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Re:Ask HN: Former software engineers, what are you doing now? by paledot on Sunday July 26, 2020 @10:39PM (#23961821)

I'm sure work could become my life if I wanted it to, but I want to back off, not double down. I definitely understand the abstract idea of a "pushing force", though. Part of this may be about learning to do without it. I've always needed a pushing force, and I want to be able to make and achieve my own goals for no reason other than my own satisfaction.

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