1. Dear internet,

    I woke up this morning to the local news radio airing a story about how UT computer science students each have 2 jobs waiting for them upon graduation, and that the starting salary of a computer program these days ranges from $70,000 to $100,000 a year. 

    Someone with 0 years of experience in my industry can earn 6 figures.

    And this has got me thinking that, though I’ve got 17 years of experience in this industry, maybe I’m not actually in this industry. Maybe I’m just a hobbyist. A poseur.

    I was grumbling about this to Katie on our morning walk. “Grr,” I said. “I am feeling very negative about stuff!”

    “Grrr,” I said. “I should just admit that I am not a real entrepreneur, I’m just some jerk who knows how to code.”

    Katie looked at me and said, “Hurry up, Ben, I’ve got a doctors appointment in 30 minutes, and I still need to eat breakfast.”

    I looked up at the gray sky overhead and opened my mouth to take a deep breath.  Then, just as I inhaled, a large winged insect fly into my mouth and down my throat, lodging itself halfway down.

    I fell to my knees, gagging. I could feel it wriggling in my throat. I coughed and spit, but the bug, it still wriggled. Katie ran and got me a glass of water, tossed it in my face, and slapped me. I swallowed the bug and collapsed to the ground, sobbing.

    “I just ate a bug,” I hissed between ragged coughs. “LIFE HATES ME!”

    “Life does not hate you,” said Katie. “You lead what most people would consider to be a blessed and miraculous existence where half of your time is spent imagining things, and the other half is spent turning things from imagination into reality.  Thousands of people use the things you create, and you receive a steady stream of support and encouragement from your peers. Please now put your pants back on so that we can go get some coffee.”

    “But a bug! I ate a bug!” I said.

    “Pants,” said Katie.  ”Coffee.”

    I shrugged. Katie, as usual, is right: I am a genius and a visionary the likes of which the world has only rarely ever seen. Time and money and 20 year old computer programmers with 6 figure salaries are illusions that distract us from the only thing that really matters,  the central organizing principal behind all of reality: coffee.

    And pixel art.

    posted 3 months ago on Feb 17, 2012 | Permalink | 39 notes

  2. Tumblr Notes

    1. matt-wright said: I heard that same story this morning and it had me shaking my head. 17-year-old me heard an older version of this hype and wasted 2 years studying CS in college. I’m guessing 1% of grads can land 6-figures, and I bet 99% of those jobs suck.
    2. 1p5v reblogged this from benbrown and added:
      I love this. I am going to be so bold as to lump myself in with Ben Brown. Not because we work in the same industry or...
    3. superamit said: Like like like, so many times like. Like so many others, I envy your life.
    4. littlefatfur reblogged this from doug and added:
      Couple of things. First, why is Tumblr so anti-social? I wanted to respond to this post, but the only way I can do it is...
    5. heinley reblogged this from benbrown
    6. trenchant reblogged this from benbrown and added:
      Ben Brown: Fools Gold Playing Animal Crossing...we pros call “managing.”
    7. benbrown reblogged this from doug and added:
      doug posted this in response...my post from earlier.
    8. doug reblogged this from benbrown and added:
      go read this. Like Ben, I think many modern online creators are finding they’re
    9. slippy reblogged this from benbrown
    10. 1p5v said: Also, FWIW (best nerd abbrev. ever, IMHO), on the outside looking in for the past however many years I’ve “known” you since Consumating and what not, you really do seem to have a blessed life. You work magic in various ways. Keep working magic!
    11. kevinnuut said: These numbers are grossly inflated but it always depends on your city. Living in Austin, I haven’t seen a single newbie web developer earn that much. It might be different if you get into NI or TI or IBM though… indeed.com/salary
    12. benbrown posted this

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This is Ben Brown's blog about technology, community, and life in Austin, TX.

I run XOXCO, a boutique product development firm. We mostly make websites for Finland.

Right now, I am working on a pixel drawing app for the iPad called Make Pixel Art, hence I am posting tons of pixel drawings! I also contribute to Bitnauts. Prepare yourself for the low rez revolution.

I have been posting to my personal website since 1995!

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