The Unstoppable Force of My Coding Habit

I've been working as a software engineer for five years now, and I can proudly say that my work-life balance is impeccable. Or so everyone around me thinks. The truth is, I'm obsessed with coding outside of office hours too. It's not just a hobby; it's an addiction. On weekends, you'll find me tucked away in a corner of my cozy apartment, headphones on and completely engrossed in developing side projects or learning new languages. My friends and family often complain that I'm never available to hang out because I'm 'always coding.' They think I just want some alone time to relax. Ha! If only they knew the real reason. Coding is my sanctuary, my escape from reality. It's the one place where everything makes sense and problems can be solved with a few lines of code. Recently, my partner expressed concern about our social life diminishing because of this. We had plans for a long weekend getaway, but on the day before we were supposed to leave, I got an idea for a new project that could change my career trajectory. So instead of packing bags, I spent hours at my computer, losing track of time and neglecting everything else. When my partner found out, there was no denying it anymore. They accused me of valuing work over our relationship, which isn't true, but coding does take up a lot of mental space. The funny part? I'm not even sorry about it. If anything, I feel more fulfilled when I spend time on these projects rather than watching mindless TV shows or playing video games. So here's to the nights where my fingers fly across the keyboard while everyone else is fast asleep, dreaming of adventures that only exist in lines of code. And yes, my partner eventually understood this too. They even helped me name one of my recent projects 'Lover of Lines,' which, while not exactly romantic, sums it up pretty well.