I watched the first episode but don't have the courage and strength to watch more. Hard stuff there.

Kind of ironic isn't it? The geeks who are cast as emotionally stunted are more willing to talk. And the psych sci who are cast as emotionally educated are not. 🤔
I think you'll find that there are many of us geeks who are very open to what you're researching.

That exclusion is precisely the point you're making. Gatekeeping, othering, etc. by Technical is meant to exclude. So I have to ask myself how I'm complicit. It's not something I anticipated (or relish) doing at 61 as I contemplate the remaining years of my career.

This hit me in an unexpected way. I have been Technical for almost 40 years and am pondering retirement. Technical is partly identity (and much more). I thought I had become OK with the loss of that identity. Being in the airlock would be a gut punch - being excluded. Lots to reprocess here.

Saved! Going with me on my next hike.

WJW. Thanks for articulating this. I haven't been able to put into words what I experienced.

If you're not sure what to do next-- or first-- in recovery, sit down & start journaling about your identity, goals, & values. Don't make it more complicated than "This is who I am. This is who I want to be. I want this. I value that."

Let yourself doodle. Daydream. Imagine.

Yes!

Speaking from experience, big challenges often *do*’end up being the most rewarding. Best of luck!

I love this idea! I’m contemplating retirement in a few years and am struggling to think of things “to fill my time”. I spin trying to decide what to do with free time. My idea was to write down bunches of things that I like to do on slips of paper and pick one at random from a fishbowl.

It gets even harder/closer when you’re 60 and you’ve been programming for 40 years. Never been more fun but, damn… the BS just wears you down. Hardest on Mondays of course. The trick is, I don’t let my mood on Mondays rule me for the rest of the week.

I could get spoiled having these sorts of things near my hikes! I’ll settle for hot chocolate and cookies when I get back to my car 😉

Was there really an ice cream truck active on the trail? And did you partake?

Good people follow good people. You're good people.