Recently I created a github account: github.com/xjpa

Let’s stop overthinking for a moment.

Observe the most complex of all beasts: nature.

The grass grows, the trees sway, and the sun graces the sky without pause or deliberation. Nature’s rhythms flow unimpeded, akin to a timeless melody sung by the universe. There is no second-guessing in the realm of blossoming flowers, nor hesitation in the rising of the dawn. It is the harmonious symphony of existence, an enchanting orchestra of motion and momentum.

Yet, we, with our complex minds, often find ourselves entangled in a labyrinth of thoughts. We weigh the consequences, ponder the possibilities, and lose ourselves in a maze of contemplation. Our spirits falter, and our bodies grow weary under the weight of overthinking.

But I say to you, fear not the delicate art of spontaneity. Embrace the vivacious cadence of life’s dance, and allow yourself to be carried by its enchanting current. Release the grip of constant analysis and self-doubt, for it is in the freedom of action that we re-discover our inner fire.

Let’s go back to our roots. To our ancestors who were glorious hunters and architects of wonders.

What Should I Build?

Recent interests makes me inclined to say you should program something, or get some dumbbells and build some muscle, or what I am doing right now: writing. Go start a blog of your own detailing your hero’s journey, an epic monomyth that your descendants will read about in the future.

Anything you want. Just build something. A song perhaps or a novel. It’s the dopamine hit you get from manifesting something into reality that you are after. No matter how small it is. It is your identity that you are carving as you create.

Just writing 1-2 lines of code today? Fine. I see many people who did that all over github, they never even bothered to git squash their commits. But you know what? Bit by bit, and line by line, they progressed forward. And months later they’ve finished their side project. Meanwhile the perfectionists worrying about the right way to do it, clean code, architecture, system design, and more all got ensnared by the allure of flawless execution and languished in inertia.

Like a wizard conjuring spells from ethereal runes, programming is about bring digital wonders to life. You can start with tackling complex things, and I think that’s definitely the way to go, especially with google and ChatGPT, you dont need a prerequisite, just good researching skills and the ability to break big problems down to smaller chunks.

Or you can start with the simple ones: a todo app, an easy script, or perhaps solving an algorithmic problem. Then you can later put your mind into creating an app that simplifies daily tasks, a website that inspires with its beauty, or a video game that takes the mind on a thrilling adventure.

Or maybe you dont like writing, or you dont like programming. So look to others. There’s many great fulfilling builder activities out there like woodworking, electronics and robotics. Go paint something. Maybe even gardening, just like samurais in the past working on their zen gardens in peacetime. My father is an army general, and one of his hobbies (outside from guns of course) is architecture.

Perhaps why not return to the primal art of cooking?

Bake a cake, or a treat for your dog. Call the boys for a heavy workout, a marathon or a friendly sparring session at the gym, then serve some good protein like a nice steak for them; just like a warrior-chieftain does in the olden times to feed the champions of his tribe. Or cook it for yourself. Don’t know how to cook? Neither am I, and that is why I keep trying

So heed the call to build something. Whether it’s for yourself, your loyal companions, or a treat for your loyal canine friend who’ll follow you into the ends of the Earth, let your creative endeavours be a testament to the human spirit’s resilience and the yearning for fulfillment. For in the act of building, you manifest a piece of your essence into the world, leaving a lasting legacy that echoes through existence.

/hacking

And from this call I started the page found at blog.johnamata.com/hacking where I’ll be blogging about every little thing I’m working on in this lifelong journey of learning software engineering.

Built something simple? Blog about it to get that dopamine rush, and to retain the lessons learned. Followed some tutorial? Doesnt matter, blog about it, I’m sure you learned something useful that which you’d want to remember for the future. Are you unsure of what you’re writing about? Again it doesnt matter, you do not need to be an expert to start. And if you do make mistakes, make sure to learn from it and correct it. In the end, you are mostly writing for yourself. Realistically, I doubt anyone would ever really read this blog of mine besides me, my family, and some bots anyway.

Currently I’m visiting the foundations of programming, going over things I may have missed on. A humble start. Let us begin the obsession. And maybe someday, I’ll have my own answer for what I did about having a project of one’s own.