Just Another Day…

Category: Photo Post

  • BNR – Day 2 Thoughts

    Day 2 was a little better than day 1. I came into the class pre-read for the first chapter and I felt pretty well rested. So much of learning programming is repetition. Even when what you’re doing makes no sense, the more you do it the more you get these little “ah ha” moments as another piece falls into place.

    I think the biggest takeaway for me so far is that the question I always had has been answered. I’ve always struggled with knowing for sure if this was something that I had the mental capacity to do. I’ve tried several times by the self-taught book method and would only get so far before I was just plain lost. The combination of what I have previously read over the years, my experience writing databases several years ago and being in a class where things are explained and questions are answered as they come up has given me a new confidence.

    So while I know I will not go home being a rockstar programmer, I already feel like I’ve been given a big solid push in the right direction and have a good foundation to build on. I’m very confident that writing software will be part of my long term future.

    It might be just a hobby, or maybe a new chapter in life. Time will tell.


  • Sydney

    Sydney after a nice long meal.

  • Being A Big Nerd: Day 1

    In a word… Wow.

    The first 2 hours of the class I was concerned that it may be a bit too basic for me. After all I had been reading a lot and what was covered I already knew. But that quickly changed and before I knew it I was having flashbacks to being in HS and was sweating. I could tell the people around me were “getting it” a bit faster and had more experience. I was falling behind and fast!

    I took a short lunch and came back early to keep working and by the end of the class I was caught up. I’m used to being the most technical person in the room, but here I’m probably the least educated on the topic. I think it’s been a long time since my brain really felt stressed stretched like this.

    But, I have a few hours tonight to brush up on what we did today, and tomorrow I’m getting up early to read ahead in the next few chapters so that I’m as prepared as possible.

    We did actually write no less than 3 applications today, and 2 were actually deployed to the iPhone for testing. It was a pretty cool feeling to see your own application loaded onto the phone.

    I’m really looking forward to tomorrow and the rest of the week. It’s a good class of people, and the two teachers (Aaron and Joe) from Big Nerd Ranch are awesome. I’ve struggled at times when I was reading and typing my own code, but having somebody right there that can look over your shoulder and explain what you did wrong is pretty awesome.

    More later this week!


  • Transition Back Into Society

    Just like the prisons have a program to reintroduce reformed convicts into society, we have come up with our own version of a transition program for Brenda.

    Starting this November Brenda is returning to the work force as a freelance editor. But after 3+ years of not working outside of the house, she was feeling just a bit rusty and apprehensive. Would she spontaneously burst into song in front of the client and sing the Bob the Builder theme song? Would she keep saying to the client “very good” for even the smallest accomplishment? Or even worse, would she start asking those around her if they went poopy in their pants?

    To help ease her transition back into the world of non-child speak, we decided to swap jobs for the month of October (actually, it already started today). She would work at the office at a place she’s familiar with, with people that she knows – and I would take over at home being Mr. Mom. That also has the side benefits of giving me more time with the kids that I don’t normally get, and her a break from the kids for a bit.

    So we shall see how the month goes, but it seems like a win-win all around.


  • Just what I need!

    I think I would probably get 4 of them, one for each appendage. Then I could REALLY get things done and look stylish at the same time.