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I have a bunch of work to do over the next 2-3 weeks. It's a lot more than I traditionally take on for reasons having to do with mental health. Worse, it has a drop dead date attached to it - an immovable deadline with emphasis on dead, because if I don't make it the project is in a really bad place.
I'm trying not to feel overwhelmed about it all. The timeline is doable in theory as long as nothing goes badly south but that's only if I can put in the time. I don't know if I have the stamina for it.
Historically I've gotten by because I am a really fast coder, so I work anywhere from half an hour to two hours a day, when I work. It's typically enough, and my clients rave about my productivity.
But in this case, I need to put in far more time than that to make it work. I'm just not used to it. I haven't done it in years, pretty deliberately.
Suddenly I have to.  And I guess I get to find out the hard way if I'm up for it or not. 
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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As prolific as you are, you can accomplish this thing. Then take a well earned break.
I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated.
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Based on your situation, I would not have taken the job. You have to dictate your rules, or you accept their rules without question, 100%.
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I didn't take the job on these terms. The job "evolved". 
I was brought on as a consultant, not as the primary developer.
The primary developer wound up outside their element, so it falls to me.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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In other words, you should get paid both your consulting fees and the primary developer's salary if you get this done by their deadline.
Go for it, I think we all have faith in you.
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honey the codewitch wrote: the job "evolved".
Best of luck on this one. sending you positive energy.
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Poor Scheduling on their part does not constitute an emergency on your part. And, if they want it bad, that's the way they will get it.
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Yeah. Intellectually I know that, but I get invested in projects, and concerned with my reputation as a freelance contractor, so it's not always so simple.
I knew the principal was not risk averse going in, but I didn't have a problem consulting on the project.
The primary developer is a colleague I've worked with before, and will again. He actually brought me this work in the first place, and we have an amicable relationship. His mistake if anything, was in simply getting in over his head, and to his credit, the first thing he did before he even got started was budget a consultant for the project and bring me on.
But as anyone who has consulted before knows, concerns only get so much consideration, and usually those concerns are little more than "I told you this would happen"s after the fact (except you can't say that)
I knew the project was risky, but I never planned on being a primary on it. I'm basically doing it to bail out my colleague. I'm happy to bail him out, it's just wow I got myself into it.
He's still holding the bag if things go south, so at least it's not all on me. Also, given the progress I've made so far, even just today I'm worrying over nothing. I just tend to estimate very conservatively, and my estimates put this down to the wire, accounting for some QA (it's not production code, but it's necessary code for this phase of development) it just has to work for what we need it for in 3 weeks or so. So that's good. It doesn't have to be polished.
Deep down I know I can do this, and I'm just battling the devils of insecurity on account of treading ground I haven't in quite some time (full time work) plus I don't like drop dead dates. Deadlines were made to be flexible. 
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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I like deadlines I like the whooshing sound they make when they fly by 
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S Thompson - RIP
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honey the codewitch wrote: and concerned with my reputation as a freelance contractor
You shouldn't, if it ends bad, it is their mess not yours.
honey the codewitch wrote: but I didn't have a problem consulting on the project.
Then continue doing it. Consulting doesn't implies only do things to their benefit. Sometimes telling "You are screwed up, if you don't manage to...." is consulting too (and I have done it a couple of times). You don't have to get more involved that what they hired you for, and if you do it voluntarelly, then they should thank you every hour you put in under your terms, getting you burned out is not going to be any good for anyone.
honey the codewitch wrote: I knew the project was risky, but I never planned on being a primary on it. I'm basically doing it to bail out my colleague. I'm happy to bail him out, it's just wow I got myself into it.
You can help, if you want. But helping doesn't exactly implies to get over your own limits.
honey the codewitch wrote: He's still holding the bag if things go south, so at least it's not all on me.
I would  if he did not.
honey the codewitch wrote: Deep down I know I can do this,
And we all know it too. You should actually think the other way around... is there anything you can't do?
honey the codewitch wrote: Deadlines were made to be flexible.
or totally ignored if the success depends on it.
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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You sound like the ever optimistic engineer. You need a reality check on your optimism. Or kiss your sanity goodbye.
There is something maturing going to your customer and saying, "The bad news, it's not gonna get done, the good news, I haven't quit."
There are NO drop dead dates unless it's mission/life critical... drop dead dates are /edit "elephant dung"/edit.
If the date was so critical, there should be a bonus for you if you meet the date. No $$, it's not drop dead. Listen to my wisdom.
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
modified 24-Dec-22 15:36pm.
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BobbyStrain wrote: And, if they want it bad, that's the way they will get it. then they should pay really good
FTFY
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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To do the same amount of coding as you do I have to spend so much time at the computer "QWERTY" is permanently burned into my retina.
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - An updated version available!
JaxCoder.com
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I think you have a lot more hours of coding in you.
If I read that correctly, you mentioned 2 hours a day.
That does not seem like very much, fast coder or not.
You need to pace the project with stages of code.
It's as much planning as speed.
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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I think you meant that reply for me.
What usually happens is 80% of the project is completed as I said in dribs and drabs, with about 20% of it being 6 hour stretches.
It's what I can handle at a time. It didn't used to be that way, but my mental health isn't what it used to be and there are some hard limits to what I can deal with and the amount these days.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
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I understand now.
You seem to know what you are doing and know you have constraints (you are not super-honey)
That's good. Protect yourself.
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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![Rose | [Rose]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
«The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled» Plutarch
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I never accept a delivery date I have not agreed to in the first place. Which means I probably made the estimate. One is only stressed when the path is not clear and one has committed to a time line that one is not sure about.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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I have to ask simple question here: how can I know my keyboard is a 3270 terminal or non-3270 keyboard?
just to see if there is enter key?
diligent hands rule....
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Get hold of a 3270 emulator and you should have all the information you need.
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thanks for good idea:
diligent hands rule....
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Is there a problem involving keyboards with no enter key? 
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3270 compatible keyboards will typically have two rows of function keys - although early keyboards will have none.
Can you give me some more information about this keyboard please? For example what connector is on the cable? Are there any keys on it that are not on a standard keyboard (a photo would be nice)? Do you know the make/model?
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Unless you have an old school terminal connected to a main frame, the answer is no.
3270 keyboards had a “return” key (with a hooked arrow picture like a bent “tab” arrow) where PCs have the “Enter” key.
3270 keyboards had an “Enter” key where a PC keyboard right Ctrl key is located. Many 3270 emulators use the right Ctrl key for Enter as it is consistent for typing.
On 3270, carriage return is a local operation like tab.
Enter sends all data entered in the screen to the host. IBM 3270 dealt with screens of data at a time versus character at a time.
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I did learn something from old school
diligent hands rule....
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