I have Special Interests (pixel-perfect UIs, the overall ‘feel’ of software, old computers, obsolete media like floppies, useless machines, etc.) that my brain finds extremely stimulating and rewarding and I’m able to devote hours to creating things that scratch these itches. Unfortunately neither the job market, nor anyone else actually, sees beauty there where I see it and so they will not value it (that includes financially). Meanwhile, there are other things like machine learning or cell biology that my brain is also very well equipped for but I don’t spend time learning them because they don’t draw me to them the way my SIs do (I have ADHD so the stimulation level of activities is quite decisive). This is a handicap because it leaves me fixated on several irrelevant things which I did not choose. How do you guys deal with this?
Maybe people would enjoy seeing you tinker with some of these things? People really enjoy watching restoration projects, maybe you could do something similar? The ‘Hand tool rescue’ channel is a pretty good one if you’ve never seen it (I’d link it but my internet is shit right now, sorry!)
Yeah honestly the “if it’s not a tool, maybe it’s art” is a really cool angle.
I like that.