farrelle25

What a great idea. Does anyone know of a way of 'getting' / downloading all those URLs (maybe with the video title)..? I'm afraid of the site disappearing.

That sounds cool... I'd really like to try that path to Rome next Summer! I was very nervous starting with such little money (€200)... normally I carry much more but this time felt a 'call' of some sort to trust in providence and have my heart open.

It was a great experience although I was helped by a tax refund that appeared in my bank a/c and had a small 'buy me a coffee' site for friends following the walk.

Like the French man you mentioned, I met two walkers who carried no money and seemed to be permanently on the road... there was a real sense of peace from them. I don't think I could do that though.

> “Humans are far more decent than they believe they are, ..."

I did a 3-month walking pilgrimage in Belgium & France this summer. I had very little money and a tent and walked along quiet roads. Several people offered me a room for the night. (I was surprised, I don't know if I'd offer a stranger that) Many came out with food, snacks, fruit when they saw me resting near a church etc.

I used an app as well that allows camping in someone's garden ("Welcome to my Garden"). A few times I arrived to setup my tent and the owner had to leave for an appointment/event. They left me the keys to their house and told me to make myself at home until they returned(!)

> ... series of immediate physical constraints is why these hikes are so addictive for people in high-abstraction fields

That really hit home. I work in data analysis but in the early 2000s did a 4-month cycle in Australia and a 7-month walking pilgrimage in Europe. Since then, I've become addicted to walking for a few months every few years. Love the physical challenge of moving across the landscape. But 'suffer' when I return to abstract data work. Feels like a loss of purpose etc... thanks for that insight... Never thought of it in that way...

100% this … He’s a wounded Soul … desperate to be loved and admired. As someone else wrote - there’s a void inside him that can’t be filled.

Yes if only he had the heart/insight to make that 180 U-turn. It’d bring him some peace at last.

> Software projects fail because humans fail. Humans are the drivers of everything in our world.

Ah finally - I've had to scroll halfway down to find a key reason big software projects fail.

<rant>

I started programming in 1990 with PL/1 on IBM mainframes and for 35 years have dipped in and out of the software world. Every project I've seen fail was mainly down to people - egos, clashes, laziness, disinterest, inability to interact with end users, rudeness, lack of motivation, toxic team culture etc etc. It was rarely (never?) a major technical hurdle that scuppered a project. It was people and personalities, clashes and confusion.

</rant>

Of course the converse is also true - big software projects I've seen succeed were down to a few inspired leaders and/or engineers who set the tone. People with emotional intelligence, tact, clear vision, ability to really gather requirements and work with the end users. Leaders who treated their staff with dignity and respect. Of course, most of these projects were bland corporate business data ones... so not technically very challenging. But still big enough software projects.

Gez... don't know why I'm getting so emotional (!) But the hard-core sofware engineering world is all about people at the end of the day.

That's interesting about walking. I've done longish walking pilgrimages lasting several weeks (Camino etc.) and some stomach problems and joint problems improved a lot. I usually walked about 25km a day - I realise that's longer walking than what you mentioned.

There are some books about walking putting illness into remission. A famous one is "The Salt Path" where someone with "corticobasal degeneration" brain disease was positively impacted by their walk. (Although the claims are in doubt now because the main author wasn't truthful about other aspects of their walk)

Anyway walking probably a real positive overall!

> ... is a sophisticated system of ritual politeness that emphasizes deference, modesty, and indirectness.

I'm Irish and think we have a similar culture of indirectness and politeness...

In the countryside anyway we're rarely very blunt... everything indirect...

  "You'll have a cup of tea Mary?"
  "Ah no.. sure I'm only after a drop"
  "Ah go on... you will"
  "Not at all, I'm grand"
  "Go on, go on, go on you will" etc (as in Father Ted)

I'm middle-aged now so maybe this has changed with the younger generation...

This mightn't be exactly what you're looking for - but Leatherman seems an example of a class of people called 'Holy Fools'. (maybe because Leatherman carried a little prayer book)

The Holy Fools were semi-religious figures who acted strangely or pretended to be mad to challenge social norms and express spiritual truths.

They were common in Russia at one time and called: "yuródivyy"

In the West, some examples would be Francis of Assisi and Benedict Joseph Labre.

edit: In the USA I'd nearly call Johnny Appleseed one of the 'Holy Fools' and even Chris McCandless (Into the Wild)

> Having no "safe harbour" ...

Yes this is soul destroying - the psychological effects are brutal. Not having any little place as a 'base'.

I was homeless in Europe for a few weeks and it really crushes someone. I can see why so many rough sleepers take alcohol / drugs. Just to numb everything. I used to drink a few cans every night before trying to find a place to sleep.

Another crushing thing: as a commenter below said - on average people look down at you as if you were dirty etc. I found that so hard too.

I wish you the very best wherever you are ... really hope your situation will get better somehow please God...

(edit: oh just realised something - not implying the OP takes any substances or anything... just talking in general how I had to resort to alcohol in my situation)

Yes - I think that's the one the OP recommended. Great read. Gives a superb historical overview and the reader can follow the twists-and-turns of discovery. You get to 'know' the scientists as they battled the Quantum. Sets the scene before delving into other books that teach the actual Math etc.

I cycled across the Nullabour Plain in 1998 (Perth to Adelaide)... I have to agree with some parts of this article - there's something Spiritual about the landscape there.