from Hacker News

Life Lessons from a 97-Year-Old Lobsterman (2019)

by marconey on 11/21/20, 5:30 PM with 52 comments

• by nkurz on 11/21/20, 7:27 PM

  As one might fear, Olson died shortly after the article was written, still age 97: https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/john-w-olson-obituary/12...

• by holoduke on 11/21/20, 11:45 PM

  I am running two software companies. Extremely busy and got to deal with lots of negativities (unhappy people, firing, project delays etc). Yet the financials are better than ever. Sometimes I wish I just had a simpler life. Being a woodmaker or a electrician. I sometimes despise the life of ambitious posh people. Hate the world of VCs, diners and rich fake parties. Taking a step back is hard. Lots of pressure from the outside.

• by fm2606 on 11/22/20, 11:27 AM

  I went from manual to office to manual back to office.

  At 18 entered college to do computer programming, dropped out and at 19 joined Air Force to be an aircraft mechanic. After 4 years back to college as an aerospace engineer student. Graduated and then started the job jumping for 6 years because the jobs were boring. At age 35 I became a firefighter - paramedic (did PM classes at night - the fire department trained me to be a FF). About 4 years in to this career I saw a lot of people get injured, mainly with back injuries from repetitive, awkward positions so I decided to get a Master's in Computer Science online from DePaul University. It took me 5 years to complete. I started working part-time remote as a programmer.

  When Covid hit I decided that it was time to go and I found a full-time, remote programming job making good money. I thoroughly enjoy it. I still think FF-PM is the best job ever but with serious chronic health issues I couldn't risk getting sick. Also a constant sleep schedule is AWESOME!

  I spent 14 years as FF-PM. I am now 50 yo. I don't ever plan on retiring because I enjoy working and don't really have any hobbies beyond reading and programming. I do worry about being able to get a job when I'm older, but I'll find something to do.

• by ioctrl on 11/21/20, 11:17 PM

  My father turned 80 recently and he still works five days a week. That wouldn’t be ideal for everyone, but he enjoys his job and he’s remained sharp and capable.

  That milestone really highlighted for me Silicon Valley’s weird relationship with age. It’s absurd to imagine 80 year old engineers working here. We’ll vote for a 78 year old to run the country, but won’t trust them to write code. Heck, it’s a bit shocking to see someone over 50 in my office. As someone who got into software engineering late in life, that’s worrying, and I suppose it’s time to start preparing for my third act.

• by cryptica on 11/21/20, 7:34 PM

  The software industry messed me up big time. Often, I wish I had chosen a simpler career. It must feel amazing to spend most of your time thinking only about real, simple tangible things.

  I imagine that having a simple practical mind as an adult must feel like childhood but I will never know.

• by Barrin92 on 11/22/20, 1:32 AM

  >John maneuvers easily around a slippery deck, his only helper his son Sam, 72, who often comes along as his dad’s sternman.

  It's a funny sentence, when you hear about a son helping his father out in his fishing business I don't think you often imagine someone who is already 70 himself.

• by rmk on 11/22/20, 7:55 AM

  Lot of commenters saying software has fucked them up. I wonder if it's the extended period inside that the pandemic has necessitated, that's triggering this angst. I am also feeling the same way, but I can't help but feel that to some degree, the months of isolation (not just from friends and framily, from the outdoors even) have a big part to play.

  The occupations where you are out and about carry a big risk: physical injury can put you out of work and cause debilitating pain for the rest of your life. Granted that it happens less will continue to trend down with improving oversight and safety standards, but it is still a risk. Perhaps we do not realise this or think clearly about it when we yearn for working with our hands/work outdoors?

• by Diesel555 on 11/22/20, 2:03 AM

  >He doesn’t get mad. Or if he does, he keeps it to himself.

  There is something to that.

• by leggomuhgreggo on 11/22/20, 6:57 AM

  Pretty good. Better than "Life lessons from a 97-year-old Spiderman"

• by nathanvanfleet on 11/22/20, 5:01 AM

  I thought he was going to be mutated like a lobster...

• by 1996 on 11/21/20, 8:24 PM

  Given the title, I was expecting advice from a human-arthropod hybrid who obtained longevity from genetic experimentation.

  Unfortunately, not yet!