Comments on: Too many projects

By: sarah

sarah — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:24:24 +0000

because his dad sold the family surveying equipment!

By: David Cantrell

David Cantrell — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:07:34 +0000

I have a similar problem. Not so much having lots of projects to do, but when I do get an idea into my head, I just can't let it go, even, gods damnit, at 0300 in the morning when I need to be up four hours later.

As for drilling through walls, if Brunel could have his tunnelers meet in the middle of a hill, why can't you drill from both sides?

By: Dan Holloway

Dan Holloway — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:41:27 +0000

Hey, I came over after seeing you on #writechat tonight (I'm another writer living in the middle of nowhere in the Cotswolds - there are lots of us - have you met @RebeccaWoodhead ?) Love this piece - do dig out and read online a great article by Hank Pfeffer called Danger: High Voltage - it's about the Too Many Aptitudes problem (and how you never get anything done when you're interested in too many things!)

Maybe bump into you at the Cheltenham Lit festival, Dan

By: Tom Novelli

Tom Novelli — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:04:39 +0000

Same here. Music, instruments, woodworking, engineering, math, operating systems, compilers, electronics... music is sort of a common thread there. Funny that you mention CPU design, I stayed up too late last night fooling around with 'Electric' VLSI CAD (a Debian package). Think I'll draw up my old 4/8-bit MISC CPU that I almost wired up from TTL chips I just want a better feel for things on that level.

As for doing something useful, if you could invent a test strip that's sensitive to 10ppm gluten... maybe you'd need a handheld mass spectrometer though.

By: Milo

Milo — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:55:16 +0000

Same here, don't hog the ideas. If you harbour them, they become stale and expire. Then again, I often start too many and then racked with guilt about never 100% completing any of them.

By: Violet

Violet — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:04:10 +0000

And don't be jealous, it's bad for you. People who devote themselves to one thing are the ones to be pitied, as they miss out on so much else. There is a balance to be struck here, and I don't think you are doing badly at it. To most people's eyes, you do have a main interest (let's call it "technology") which you have already taken a long way. It's just that to your eyes, which are rather closer to the subject, it splinters into many separate paths. But take a broader view, stand back, and you will see it as One.

By: Violet

Violet — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:54:09 +0000

I think Maurice might have an extension drill-bit that might reach, for exactly the same purposes. Ask him. Lots of love to all.

By: Olly

Olly — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:32:58 +0000

You know, I suffer from the same curse. I often get told I see the world differently to everyone else (which of course is impossible for me to verify). Somehow this seems to mean that I am always finding myself getting frustrated with the way things are done and finding better ways. But alas, time really is our curse.

By: Angie "Mum"

Angie "Mum" — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:48:26 +0000

I too have often felt that it would be easier if I had just one interest or one ability that shone above all others, but this is not the case. Whilst it would be easier, would you not finish projects and then be thrashing about trying to think of what to work on next. Surely it is better to work towards several things, some of which you will finish and others that you can always work towards. Lens question, how many projects have you started, my answer, I don't know and sometimes I cant make up my mind which one to work on next, but at least there isn`t time to be bored, overwhelmed some times but never bored.

Angie (Mum)