I've been working as a software developer for about ten years, and I've started to get a little annoyed when my manager asks me what I'm gonna work on improving this year. Like what can I say? That I'll try get better at coding? That I'll get better at project management? At some point the marginal utility is just not there anymore. Even if I did get twice as good (whatever that means) at systems design, it's not like there is _that_ much systems design to go around at work that it would actually be noticeable.

What do senior developers say they'll work on improving in their performance reviews?

What's more shocking to me is asking a person that is not even an acquaintance why they suck at juggling now.

Whoop

Whoop

Reminds me of when I play my mandolin when I’m camping. I’m sure fellow campers think I suck, despite having played for ten years. But I’m not going to play stuff I can play in my sleep, I’m playing stuff that still needs work. So, in consideration of others, once in a while I’ll rip off a fast version of Old Dangerfield or some other song I know really well just in case someone is in earshot.

People don't realize the exponential diffictlty curve with juggling. The highest amount of balls ever juggled is 11.

Anecdote:

I learned juggling in approximately 12minutes with a friend who knew juggling from before. He spotted me like you would spot someone in a gym: he put the balls in my hands, told me to hit one up, caught it mid flight (effectively freezing time), and told me "ok now hit the other ball up and catch this one". After 6-7 tries my brain was reprogrammed, and by the day's end we did juggling in pairs.

I guess the moral of the story is that a great teacher can push your limits way further than you could yourself? Or that it's easier to learn in a group setting?

I can juggle pretty well with three objects, but I have no idea what the next step would be. Four feels like it would be no fun, because it is just juggling two balls in each hand. What is the recommended next step?

Lesson is actually: if you want to blow people's minds then practice secretly. An appearance of effortlessness. Sprezzatura. Whatever it is, it seems to be the only thing that impresses the average person.