>You sound a lot like me - lots of projects/stuff at once, bordom with schooling but shined in self taught stuff, ADD, list goes on and on.

I think it is pretty common in our profession. I've made something of a study of adult ADD - especially of the high-functioning variety. ADD and a lot mental horsepower is an interesting mix. Potentially volatile if it doesn't find the right outlet but can also be a lot of fun. I did really well in school but it was at great cost. Once I got out into the real world I got into some pretty edgy stuff just to feed the beast.

I spent a lot of years before I hit on computers trying to figure out what to do with it. This seems a good fit.


>
>>I've always had kind of a knack for being a quick study and rapidly prioritizing what I needed to know on a given subject. It's just a pattern of thinking that starts from the big picture and zooms in without getting hung up or freaked out on stuff that isn't immediately understandable and still filing it away for when it matches something, like you do with jigsaw puzzles. I sort of think of it as a parlor trick, like being able to wiggle your ears <g>
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>>I think my ADD has forced me to learn something quickly or not at all as I usually have about 20 things at once that I am passionate about. I'm terrible at sitting in class (cut 80% of my classes in college) but self-teaching always just came naturally.
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>>Seems to be working on this stuff as at about 2 am I figured out how to get the Boost C++ libraries to compile for Win 64 bit and now my OpenFAST project links and compiles in anticipation of my first session with my mentor tonight.
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>>Hope this gives hope to all the 65+ year old guys <bg>
>>
>>
>>>I know you (hey me also - at least I tell myself that) are pretty smart guys, but trying to grasp how you can get a handle on this as quick as you are with no background in it. Perhaps there is hope for all of us 40+ year old guys.
>>>
>>>>>Charles, did you have any background in VC++ before you started to learn it as mentioned here?
>>>>
>>>>As of July 3 I was extensively sort of aware that such a thing existed. <g> I decided I needed to focus on the specific way in which .NET projects used VC++ / CLI and so I after skimming Wrox beginner book to get syntax I am now about half way through Apress "Expert C++ CLI .NET for Visual C++ Programmers" (with it had been "for C# Programmers but you play the hand you're dealt)
>>>>
>>>>Since I am also a firm proponent of spending money to make money I have also plunked down a healthy retainer with OCI, the company that wrote OpenFAST and released it into the wild, for professional consulting and mentoring.
>>>>
>>>>My interaction with their guy so far indicates this was a very wise choice.
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>God I love this business. For the first time I am doing what they said you could do in .NET but I've never done or seen done before - two languages in the same solution.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>And one of them is C++. Really a new experience. I am s