Listening to loud industrial (VNV Nation & Assemblage 23 right now) here at work. Seems rather appropriate for the moment for some reason. Mix in some odd German electronic music and you have a typical Jakemusic set for work. People used to cringe at the SIPB office whenever I headed for the stereo with a disc in my hand...
I think that many people are correct, in that technology is fun, but it's not a life in itself. I think too many in this industry work too long for no good reason. Perhaps a dream of future wealth that maybe comes through, but maybe results in making lots of money for other people and burning out by the age of 30. Perhaps a general fear of life outside of work, with all those things outside of your control. Perhaps just a sheer inertia or peer pressure. All I know is that you have to take control of your life, if you want it to turn out the way you want. You can't predict the future, and you can't avoid mistakes. But you can't just hope that things will get better, and wake up one day feeling it's too late.
Programming should be your job. It shouldn't be your life.
The masochistic pride in this life has always disgusted me. Nerds complain about being marginalized by society, but it's always struck me how much of this marginalization is self-inflicted. I was always depressed by students in school who were horrified they had to take humanities classes. Who couldn't talk about anything besides their narrow areas of interest, especially to people outside their small circles. Who would be on the computer constantly when they weren't sleeping. Who now are probably living the same life as 4 years ago, and will still be the same in 20.
Get out. Go to a museum. Read a real work of literature. Write music. Paint, sculpt, blow glass even. Walk around. Most important, talk to people. Broaden your horizons and connect. The machines can wait. Perhaps you could make a movement out of this. I think that might be what TechnoRealism was supposed to be, before it dissolved into vapor.
Sorry if I offended you. I'm just a ranting old coot anyway...