Is being married to work really a bad thing when you are young. Do I really have a lot of time to find my life partner? –@niketdesai
It’s very important to be married to work when you are young. To develop ideas and have a passion that takes you beyond the competition (the rest of society). Too many people spend their 20s chasing simple and easy pleasures without regard to their own health and without regard to building up so that later in life they can pursue more fruitful pursuits.
Also, looking at the divorce rate of people who are married in their 20s its often better to be married to your work than to be married to a human.
On My Favorites
Several people asked me my favorites on a variety of topics so I supply them here:
Favorite Comedian: Louis CK and Jim Norton couldn’t be more different from each other. But I love them both. Jim Norton I went to school with and I wrote a detailed post about it http://bit.ly/q6ywyT. The other, Louis CK, I have probably watched every episode he’s been on TV (in the HBO series, “Lucky Louie” which also featured Norton, and in his new series “Louie”, which is much better) and I’ve watched every YouTube clip with him.
Favorite Vonnegut book: “Slaughterhouse Five”. The most autobiographical – it details Vonnegut’s experiences in Dresden during and after the fire bombing that destroyed the entire city. It shakes up Vonnegut’s spirit to the point where the main character can’t even stay fixed in time. The book is surreal and I think represents Vonnegut’s purest voice and philosophy.
Favorite Freaks n Geeks episode: The 14th episode. “Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers.” Specifically the scene at the end when Bill is crying because he can’t handle the fact that his mom is going out with the coach of the school. Bill is the ultimate geek and he scorned the coach and everything he stood for. I related to Bill and felt like crying when he was crying. Also, the first scene where food is falling out of his mouth while he is laughing at Garry Shandling (one of my favorite comedians) is classic.
Favorite book about software: You don’t have to be a programmer to appreciate “Joel on Software” by Joel Spolsky or “Hackers & Painters” by Paul Graham. Both guys are (or started as) programmers, built up successful business and learned how to apply their programming skills to deeper issues in both business and life. I recommend both.
Favorite business book: “The Rational Optimist” by Matt Ridley is the perfect book for business. It shows with science and sound reasoning why the doom-and-gloomers will always be wrong. Economic development has saved country after country from the disasters of infant mortality, illiteracy, war, terrorism, and so on. I also like “The Science of Getting Rich” written in 1900 by Wallace Wattles.
Favorite Beatles song: “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” – by George Harrison, the most underrated Beatle and perhaps songwriter among the four. Even the title is like an entire poem by itself.
Favorite Superhero: Dr. Strange, of course. Not only is he the Sorcerer Supreme but he cleans up on women. I mean, look at Clea. And he has magical powers that can basically do anything: teleport, create exotic food fishes, heal people. He can also astral project, something I’ve wanted to do since I was 12. And he’s got a guy named Wong who is a master or martial arts who is his assistant.