I would love more of this kind of content. I often wonder how many folks over complicate things without considering the cost to benefit scenario. I recently met an old aircraft engineer and pilot and we've become good friends. I admire so much about his approach to life and his hobbies. He loves and regularly does wind surfing, kite-surfing and paragliding. All the tools for these hobbies he built from scratch with his own hands. He has knee issues and kidney troubles but I regularly find him in his workshop. His wisdom to me is going out and buying kite surf gear won't make you a kite surfer. Know how kites work and how to fly kites will. He has one of the nicest 2 man sail boats he used the plans for a fireball and basically copied the design its light and fast. Look forward to the day I can do something similar!
I used to Kitesurf with these guys when they were still at MIT. Awesome bunch.
[edit] apologies, I thought you were talking about the Zero Prestige founder and now realise you're talking about the parent's anecdote. As someone who builds his own kitesurf gear, electric vehicles, maintains an old house and has a wife & two rambunctious boys - it's totally doable.
You're talking about Saul? Incredible inventor. I meet him occasionally as I live a few dozen yards from Other Lab. Do you live nearby? Would love to get coffee if you're up for it. @HNusername at gmail.
HN as a general rule prefers website or article titles over any other title, even when the 'editorialized' title posted here is better and more informative than the original. It's not a great rule for some situations like this one where the original doesn't have a good title.