For me, this year was great in terms of learning new things. I’ve read a lot, from philosophy to psychology, from how to play theatre to how to communicate better. I’ve read business books about sales and marketing and stuff about mixing music with an equalizer. And so forth.

And whenever possible, sometimes at night, I tinkered around with these new skills. And a very nice thing happened.

Let me say it like this: Let’s say we take the song “Still D.R.E.”. It’s possible to learn a little bit about music, say about bars and beats and about a couple piano chords, and actually copy that piano part. Add some equalizer mixing and it’s possible to make it sound almost identical.

What happens? Dr. DRE is no longer a magician, because now we have peeked into his craft, and we see and suddenly understand what he is, basically, doing. (And this only increases my respect for him. The man mastered a craft after all. And still keeps mastering it.)

Of course I know that from my own craft. I am a software engineer, after all. I can tell you how an operating system or a CPU works in detail. So it shouldn’t suprise me that there is a technique to what DRE does, as well. But the unknown, at least to me, is always mysterious.

There’s a sentiment I believe, that goes like this: It’s a pity that humanity advances so fast. We are deleting all the magic in the world with science.

(Some?) Psychologists also say: Getting rid of delusions about life makes man depressive. Or shizophrenic.

But no, I believe there is enjoyment and virtue in studying crafts, nature and, perhaps most importantly, ourselves.

If you don’t believe me, try to play that piano part from “Still D.R.E.” yourself.