I was trying to finish up my portfolio and was estimating how long I worked on this site and related projects (e.g. the restaurant site, alamedalink, epeers grading module, advertising stuff, graphic design, dealing wth irrate peeps and social drama, etc) and it is insane. I figure I worked about 5 hours per day over 3 years. Some days I work 18 hours a day, sometime only 1 but I don't think any day ever goes by when I don't do any work. Even when I'm on vacation ,
(e:twisted) can vouch for this (easter drama.) For god's sake ever since I got the sidekick I have been working on it even when I am driving! or in the bathroom, shopping, out at friends, etc.
So if I go with 5 hours per day for 3 years that brings me to 5475 hours which is about 0.66 hours per journal. I will never forget how much effort I put into this project. So when people ask "How do you knwo how to do that?" or "How do you know so much stuff about web programming?", it is not because I am gifted with natural XML/PHP/Javascript/graphic design skills - it is through thousands of hours of work.