8 ms·

Life is Beautiful

177 points by ihodes 16y ago

eitally 16y ago
As the father of a [teething] toddler [with a chest cold] and someone who has to travel with increasing frequency, I completely understand how Jeff felt last night. I'm not sure how he drew a connection between the awesomeness of family and the beautiful proton dance at the office, but if the point was to reemphasize the importance of perspective, it was a good read. This (posted on HN a few weeks ago), is quite a bit more coherent, though: http://patterico.com/2006/12/03/putting-things-in-perspective/ http://patterico.com/2006/12/03/putting-things-in-perspectiv...
Batsu 16y ago
I'm sorry to rain on that parade, but that last paragraph is really glued on there. I don't disagree with the sentiment, but that exposition went straight in to a brick wall.
- shawndumas 16y ago
  "Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox." Proverbs 14:4
- kentosi 16y ago
  Care to explain what you mean, please? PS - I wasn't the one who down-modded you.
- dejb 16y ago
  The last paragraph was the point. The first bit is just one of the many stories that could lead you to this conclusion.
dhyasama 16y ago
I love this bit: “Dad, there are poopy turds on the floor,” my daughter said. “I know, I’ll clean them in the morning.” “Dad, there are poopy turds on the floor.” “I’ll go clean them,” I said. it reminds me of the Louis Kahn quote: “And if you think of Brick, for instance, and you say to Brick, "What do you want Brick?" And Brick says to you "I like an Arch." And if you say to Brick "Look, arches are expensive, and I can use a concrete lentil over you. What do you think of that?" "Brick?" Brick says: "... I like an Arch" Kids (and bricks) have a way of getting you to do the right thing.
- andreyf 16y ago
  Sorry to nit-pick, but I think you meant lintel, not lentil. Lentil is the bean-like thing.
deleted 16y ago
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such 16y ago
Yes, yes. Lucky man praises luck.
rosshudgens 16y ago
Well done.. even more powerful because this isn't typical fare on this website. If read on a personal development website, it would read like more content fodder. Read here, it reads like amazing.
shawndumas 16y ago
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” --William Arthur Ward Thank You for giving me that present.
petercooper 16y ago
He's moved on from 2009's year of negativity when the divorce seemed anything but a beautiful dance of protons: http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/1558664990 http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/1558664990 & http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/12644932699 http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/12644932699 And it was only six months ago when he said it's necessary to have been abandoned, betrayed and ridiculed and to have a "restless, broken heart" in order to succeed: http://www.zeldman.com/2009/10/22/dirty-little-secret-of-success/ http://www.zeldman.com/2009/10/22/dirty-little-secret-of-suc... Just his own output seems to demonstrate that maybe it does take some pain to feel truly grateful for what you do have, but, sadly, I doubt most people will appreciate that until, well, they've been through the mill too.
- jasonmcalacanis 16y ago
  This is the social web. Pain, joy, suffering... all played out on our blogs, in our tweets and ripped to shreds in the comments by a legion of humans dealing with their own issues--all just as real, but not always in sync. Life is grand--and it can suck.... and it's beautiful and so ugly. Vote down... I forgive you.
thingie 16y ago
I tried. I tried really hard. I really wanted to see it this way. But hey. Sorry. I can't. This is just a mockery to me. I can't stand it anymore, happy faces, banal everyday stories "what are you doing tonight? I am… blah blah!". So you are happy, you are doing fine. Great. I can't help myself. Sorry. I don't mean it, you're fine person, I am sure you are. But I hate you. (Pardon me, HN. I don't feel good after reading this story and I am trying to help myself a little. I know it's silly. Downote this as much as you like, it's ok, I don't mind it, I just wanted to write this. Sorry.)
- puredemo 16y ago
  There are seven billion people on this planet and finite resources. If want you to stay happy long term you might want to lower your expectations a bit.
  - Tichy 16y ago
    He didn't even say what his expectations are? There are a lot of reasons why somebody might be unhappy. "Don't worry, be happy" is not a magic cure to everything.
- potatolicious 16y ago
  > "banal everyday stories" Isn't that what life is, though? It seems like a suboptimal strategy to only admire/enjoy the rare and fortuitous circumstances over everyday occurrences. After all, you are going to get a lot more of one than the other.
- alextp 16y ago
  My past self empathizes with you. I'm not sure if it helps, but life can change, and even though everyday repetitive things will always be dull, being already happy can make it a lot more bearable, interesting even. Sometimes really silly things can keep you up. Since moving to this city (são paulo), just getting out of the house in daytime puts a smile in my face, because it brings back how uncomfortable I was living in the other places I did, and makes me feel slightly better, even though generally other aspects of life will always kinda suck. YMMV, though, as always.
ovi256 16y ago
Fluff ? On my HN ?
- puredemo 16y ago
  It's more likely than you think
edw519 16y ago
Domestic animals give love freely to the least deserving, but their lives are short and their ends are often brutal. And it’s worth it. It is all worth it. Every day, even a sad day blurred by headaches and filled with business meetings, is magical and infinite. I know this is hn, but thanks for the great thoughts. This is the first time I have talked about this... On October 8, 1991, we found a box on our front porch containing a kitten and a note, "Please take care of me." We named her Sarah. Sarah was a cat who acted like a dog. Every time I came home, she came running to the car, screaming for me the whole way. She sat on my lap every single day as I wrote thousands of lines of code. She was my best friend and companion for years, longer than any human. This past February, Sarah had started walking into walls. My vet thought she was going blind, a different reason for each eye. We started treatment immediately. She didn't sit with me when I worked anymore. Then on March 8, 2010, I was in the middle of an intense piece of work and took my eye off her for 5 minutes. She walked off the balcony and fell to the driveway below. Her injuries were too much; she had to be put down. I was surprised at how I reacted, inconsolable and unable to function for about a week. I sat at my terminal, but for the first time in my life, no code came out. OP was right. Our companions can be magical and mystical. And no matter how much it hurt, it was definitely worth it. The code is flowing again like it did for years with Sarah on my lap. Except now, it's her urn beside me, between my laptop and my monitor. Tonight was the first time I smiled about it. Thank you, OP.
- djm 16y ago
  If you haven't already, get another cat straight away. The value a pet adds to your life is unbelievable and there is a tendency (just going from personal observation) for people who do not replace a pet soon after it has died to simply not get another one at all. My dog died on March 30 and I had a new puppy by April 21, despite the inevitable feelings of guilt from doing it so soon. Being a puppy he is a real PITA and lots of work but his presence has given me a real pick-up over the last few weeks.
- jacquesm 16y ago
  Funny, my 'best companion' was called Sarah as well, only of the dog variety. Animals are amazing.
spekode 16y ago
My first undeniable indication that HN has "jumped the shark." But I'm relatively new around here. Maybe I just didn't notice the rot before.
- DenisM 16y ago
  The adults stepped away for a moment, they will be back momentarily to mop up this mess. At least that's what I'm telling myself...
javery 16y ago
Is it just me or does it seem cruel to keep this dog alive. If it is having seizures on a fairly routine basis that cause shrieks that "testify to his terror and pain." The more humane thing at this point would be to let this dog go. It's way harder for you then it will be for the animal and at some point is just being selfish.
- revicon 16y ago
  The same could be said for people in similar states.
- rauljara 16y ago
  Having been present at my own dog being put to sleep, I can say being put to sleep can be pretty awful for the animal, too. My dog had terminal cancer, and was clearly suffering, but given the choice, he would have chosen to live. He certainly struggled to live as he was dying. I don't profess to know what the right thing to do in these situations is, and I am not saying that you are wrong, just that it is not so clear cut as that. Especially if the dog is still having good days (which the essay does not say one way or the other).
  - puredemo 16y ago
    given the choice, he would have chosen to live How would you know something like that?
    - megablast 16y ago
      This will not be popular, but people who own animals often project their own feelings onto these animals. I too would feel far to guilty keeping that poor animal alive, for my own enjoyment, while he suffered so much. This is not a feel good story to me.
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177 points by ihodes 16y ago

As the father of a [teething] toddler [with a chest cold] and someone who has to travel with increasing frequency, I completely understand how Jeff felt last night. I'm not sure how he drew a connection between the awesomeness of family and the beautiful proton dance at the office, but if the point was to reemphasize the importance of perspective, it was a good read. This (posted on HN a few weeks ago), is quite a bit more coherent, though: http://patterico.com/2006/12/03/putting-things-in-perspective/ http://patterico.com/2006/12/03/putting-things-in-perspectiv...

Batsu 16y ago

I'm sorry to rain on that parade, but that last paragraph is really glued on there. I don't disagree with the sentiment, but that exposition went straight in to a brick wall.

shawndumas 16y ago
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox." Proverbs 14:4
kentosi 16y ago
Care to explain what you mean, please? PS - I wasn't the one who down-modded you.
dejb 16y ago
The last paragraph was the point. The first bit is just one of the many stories that could lead you to this conclusion.

dhyasama 16y ago

I love this bit: “Dad, there are poopy turds on the floor,” my daughter said. “I know, I’ll clean them in the morning.” “Dad, there are poopy turds on the floor.” “I’ll go clean them,” I said. it reminds me of the Louis Kahn quote: “And if you think of Brick, for instance, and you say to Brick, "What do you want Brick?" And Brick says to you "I like an Arch." And if you say to Brick "Look, arches are expensive, and I can use a concrete lentil over you. What do you think of that?" "Brick?" Brick says: "... I like an Arch" Kids (and bricks) have a way of getting you to do the right thing.

andreyf 16y ago
Sorry to nit-pick, but I think you meant lintel, not lentil. Lentil is the bean-like thing.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

such 16y ago

Yes, yes. Lucky man praises luck.

rosshudgens 16y ago

Well done.. even more powerful because this isn't typical fare on this website. If read on a personal development website, it would read like more content fodder. Read here, it reads like amazing.

shawndumas 16y ago

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” --William Arthur Ward Thank You for giving me that present.

petercooper 16y ago

He's moved on from 2009's year of negativity when the divorce seemed anything but a beautiful dance of protons: http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/1558664990 http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/1558664990 & http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/12644932699 http://twitter.com/zeldman/status/12644932699 And it was only six months ago when he said it's necessary to have been abandoned, betrayed and ridiculed and to have a "restless, broken heart" in order to succeed: http://www.zeldman.com/2009/10/22/dirty-little-secret-of-success/ http://www.zeldman.com/2009/10/22/dirty-little-secret-of-suc... Just his own output seems to demonstrate that maybe it does take some pain to feel truly grateful for what you do have, but, sadly, I doubt most people will appreciate that until, well, they've been through the mill too.

jasonmcalacanis 16y ago
This is the social web. Pain, joy, suffering... all played out on our blogs, in our tweets and ripped to shreds in the comments by a legion of humans dealing with their own issues--all just as real, but not always in sync. Life is grand--and it can suck.... and it's beautiful and so ugly. Vote down... I forgive you.

thingie 16y ago

I tried. I tried really hard. I really wanted to see it this way. But hey. Sorry. I can't. This is just a mockery to me. I can't stand it anymore, happy faces, banal everyday stories "what are you doing tonight? I am… blah blah!". So you are happy, you are doing fine. Great. I can't help myself. Sorry. I don't mean it, you're fine person, I am sure you are. But I hate you. (Pardon me, HN. I don't feel good after reading this story and I am trying to help myself a little. I know it's silly. Downote this as much as you like, it's ok, I don't mind it, I just wanted to write this. Sorry.)

puredemo 16y ago
There are seven billion people on this planet and finite resources. If want you to stay happy long term you might want to lower your expectations a bit.
- Tichy 16y ago
  He didn't even say what his expectations are? There are a lot of reasons why somebody might be unhappy. "Don't worry, be happy" is not a magic cure to everything.
potatolicious 16y ago
> "banal everyday stories" Isn't that what life is, though? It seems like a suboptimal strategy to only admire/enjoy the rare and fortuitous circumstances over everyday occurrences. After all, you are going to get a lot more of one than the other.
alextp 16y ago
My past self empathizes with you. I'm not sure if it helps, but life can change, and even though everyday repetitive things will always be dull, being already happy can make it a lot more bearable, interesting even. Sometimes really silly things can keep you up. Since moving to this city (são paulo), just getting out of the house in daytime puts a smile in my face, because it brings back how uncomfortable I was living in the other places I did, and makes me feel slightly better, even though generally other aspects of life will always kinda suck. YMMV, though, as always.

ovi256 16y ago

Fluff ? On my HN ?

puredemo 16y ago
It's more likely than you think

edw519 16y ago

Domestic animals give love freely to the least deserving, but their lives are short and their ends are often brutal. And it’s worth it. It is all worth it. Every day, even a sad day blurred by headaches and filled with business meetings, is magical and infinite. I know this is hn, but thanks for the great thoughts. This is the first time I have talked about this... On October 8, 1991, we found a box on our front porch containing a kitten and a note, "Please take care of me." We named her Sarah. Sarah was a cat who acted like a dog. Every time I came home, she came running to the car, screaming for me the whole way. She sat on my lap every single day as I wrote thousands of lines of code. She was my best friend and companion for years, longer than any human. This past February, Sarah had started walking into walls. My vet thought she was going blind, a different reason for each eye. We started treatment immediately. She didn't sit with me when I worked anymore. Then on March 8, 2010, I was in the middle of an intense piece of work and took my eye off her for 5 minutes. She walked off the balcony and fell to the driveway below. Her injuries were too much; she had to be put down. I was surprised at how I reacted, inconsolable and unable to function for about a week. I sat at my terminal, but for the first time in my life, no code came out. OP was right. Our companions can be magical and mystical. And no matter how much it hurt, it was definitely worth it. The code is flowing again like it did for years with Sarah on my lap. Except now, it's her urn beside me, between my laptop and my monitor. Tonight was the first time I smiled about it. Thank you, OP.

djm 16y ago
If you haven't already, get another cat straight away. The value a pet adds to your life is unbelievable and there is a tendency (just going from personal observation) for people who do not replace a pet soon after it has died to simply not get another one at all. My dog died on March 30 and I had a new puppy by April 21, despite the inevitable feelings of guilt from doing it so soon. Being a puppy he is a real PITA and lots of work but his presence has given me a real pick-up over the last few weeks.
jacquesm 16y ago
Funny, my 'best companion' was called Sarah as well, only of the dog variety. Animals are amazing.

spekode 16y ago

My first undeniable indication that HN has "jumped the shark." But I'm relatively new around here. Maybe I just didn't notice the rot before.

DenisM 16y ago
The adults stepped away for a moment, they will be back momentarily to mop up this mess. At least that's what I'm telling myself...

javery 16y ago

Is it just me or does it seem cruel to keep this dog alive. If it is having seizures on a fairly routine basis that cause shrieks that "testify to his terror and pain." The more humane thing at this point would be to let this dog go. It's way harder for you then it will be for the animal and at some point is just being selfish.

revicon 16y ago
The same could be said for people in similar states.
rauljara 16y ago
Having been present at my own dog being put to sleep, I can say being put to sleep can be pretty awful for the animal, too. My dog had terminal cancer, and was clearly suffering, but given the choice, he would have chosen to live. He certainly struggled to live as he was dying. I don't profess to know what the right thing to do in these situations is, and I am not saying that you are wrong, just that it is not so clear cut as that. Especially if the dog is still having good days (which the essay does not say one way or the other).
- puredemo 16y ago
  given the choice, he would have chosen to live How would you know something like that?
  - megablast 16y ago
    This will not be popular, but people who own animals often project their own feelings onto these animals. I too would feel far to guilty keeping that poor animal alive, for my own enjoyment, while he suffered so much. This is not a feel good story to me.
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