The Art of Work

On Independence Day – the Fourth of July for my friends who are not from the United States – I had the privilege of performing with the Lansing Concert Band. Those of you who are musicians will understand what I mean when I talk about the enjoyment of performing music. The right note, at the right time, with the right attack at the right dynamic, played in tune and contributing to the overall effect leaves one with a sense of satisfaction.

People think of musicians as “artists” because each one brings something unique to each performance. They interpret music differently within some general stylistic guidelines. They contribute something of themselves – leave a signature, if you will – that makes the performance of the same piece by two different musicians sound somewhat different. The same musician, playing the same piece at two different times in his or her life, may interpret the piece differently. That is what makes music so interesting: It is not the same twice.

Visual artists, looking at the same subject, will come up with different paintings for the same reasons. Each will approach the work and interpret it differently based on their outlook on life, their experiences, and so on.

As I sit here this evening working on a C++ program, I think of artists. Well-behaved and well-structured code is a like a work of art. Each coder will approach a problem in a slightly different way – perhaps with very different algorithms for accomplishing the goal. Each programmer’s code has certain “signatures” – even within the bounds of convention and other standards. Each wants to write code that is as efficient as possible, and that “looks good.”

I have worked on many spreadsheets and databases in my day. My approach to these is the same: I want them to function as advertised and they will inevitably bear my “signature” way of doing things.

For me, work is enjoyable when I view it as artistic expression. No matter what I do, I want to produce something that I am proud of, that others find value in, and that I can put just a little of myself into. In return, I get the satisfaction of a job well done.