I can't sit still every time I think about Pete's post about leaving Microsoft.

I don't see anything wrong with the main purpose of going to work to be to bring home a paycheck. If I were to only go to work to do the things I'm most passionate about, then I'd be broke and not be able to afford to do the things I'm most passionate about. I don't know any employers who are looking for a person to experiment with recording equipment, write experimental songs that nobody else wants to listen to, go to hockey games, host LAN parties, go camp and hike in the Rockies, and spend all day with Nikki and Eva. Somehow I have to pay the bills that lets me do those things, and since I like writing code I can find a steady job to pay those bills.

What does this say about the technologies I know about or how good my software development skills are? Nothing.

I know Pete was ranting a bit and was careful to make a generalization about the "day job" programmers, but I just couldn't sit still without stating how I try to fit into life's puzzle.