

Ask HN: What are you thankful for? - colinbartlett


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ericnolte
I'm a bit lazy so I'm going to copy/paste this from a Reddit reply I made
earlier this week. But, the story is what I'm very thankful for this year:

I don't have any directly related advice but let me give you some advice
anyways. About a year ago I asked this subreddit for help on starting a niche
website that would compete with the likes of Etsy, Ebay, Tindie, and Amazon. I
was working as a body shop manager at the time and knew absolutely nothing
about web development, programming, or anything particularly tech-related. Of
course, I got a lot of flack from our fellow redditors. So, after feeling a
bit beat down, I tried to take their negative comments as inspiration and
began learning as much as I could about web development. Now, just a year
later, I'm working as web dev for a large multi-national firm that makes a
substantial impact in some major aspects of the web. I'm much happier, living
in a new awesome city, and making significantly more money than I was this
time last year in result. I haven't realized my original idea that began this
journey of mine but, none the less, the dream made a huge difference in my
future. So, whatever you do, please, please, PLEASE don't let anyone here
degrade your ambition. TLDR Fuck 'em.

And TLDR - Hacker News Version - Left years spend in a non-tech career, spent
a year studying hard and traveling, and now am super happy working as a web
developer!

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slashnull
Thankful because I got to spend vast swaths of copious free time hacking away
in my room on two decrepit computers that were given to me by friends, almost
all expenses taken care of by my parents despite my dwindling school results,
during my late teenage years and early adulthood.

Thankful because this made me valuable to an industry currently growing and
almost guaranteed to keep doing so even while the greater occidental free
lunch is slowly coming to an end.

Thankful because among all of the social and professional situations that I
can't stand due to concentration problems, I found a tiny niche in which I can
thrive.

Thankful because in this microcosm, my flaws are a benefit, and my hobby is a
cash cow.

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lordnacho
Good health, friends and family.

Freedom from most of the awfulness of both the current and past (the past was
on balance worse): Disease, child mortality, malnutrition, war. To a degree
injustice; though I've not quite dodged that, there are worse things that have
happened to other people.

Being born in one of the most prosperous countries in the world (at that time
not long ago) when my parents were born in a war-torn hell.

Receiving a top class education before really knowing that it was such, among
interesting people who are now spread all over the world.

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notduncansmith
Thankful for the amazing friends I've made this year, and the opportunities
the universe has given me.

Thankful for my son's (and my) continued good health.

Thankful for all the resources I've come across, things that have made me
better at what I do.

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contingencies
Nature and the opportunity to explore it.

------
fredx123
Turkey, son... white meat and the dark meat.

