Sex, Drugs and Rocking Code: The Uncensored Autobiography of an Anonymous Programmer, Paul W Carter, Capraro Press, 2020
Written by an anonymous IT programmer (for good reasons), this book looks at one person's search for the true meaning of work and life, while working sixteen-hour days.
On the subject of relationships, is your internal software compatible with hers? Are your sine waves in phase? (Are you compatible with each other?) Learn the art of compromise. Occasionally, do things that she wants to do, but you don't want to do. Not learning to say "No" will turn you into a doormat, in business and in life.
Achieving a state of "flow" is when you become one with your task, whether it is writing code for several hours, or something like snowboarding. Music is usually a good tool to get there. Find music that works for you, whether it is ambient, chill-out music, or heavy metal. Boredom is part of daily life. How a person deals with boredom, at home, or at work, is what, figuratively, separates the men from the boys. It's OK to do something silly, but do something. Don't just sit in a chair, staring out the window.
Stress and strife are also parts of daily life. A little bit of stress can actually be good for a person; continuous stress is not good. The book explores how to use such negativity to your advantage. After several days, or weeks, working on a coding project, you will be burned out. Find out what works for you when you can't take it anymore. For some people remedy may involve finding an isolated spot in the forest, or overlooking the ocean. For others, the remedy may involve staying home with your phone unplugged.
This book is short, honest and really well written. For anyone in the IT field, or of millennial age, this is very much recommended. It's recommended for everyone else, too.
