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Tuesday, May 21, 2002 |
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Jasmine helping hand out apples at the Minnesota Aids Walk this past Sunday.
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Speaking of things to read, people ought to review Cliff Stohl's Cuckoo's Egg, especially if they're gonna go around running IIS with SQL Server databases, and they don't go and change the SA password to something other than nothing. 11:01:58 PM 
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From the "just finished reading" list: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Next on the nightstand: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. Not counting the various essays I've been cherry-picking from You Are Being Lied To, edited by Russ Kick. 10:35:45 PM
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Via Tomalak's Realm, an essay by Scott Berkum at Boxes and Arrows. At the most negative extreme, an analysis-dominated development team will achieve only turd polishing: the constant refinement of bad ideas, without any hope of arriving at substantially new approaches to the problem. What’s required to maximize the value of analysis is creative thinking. Knowing when and how to switch gears between analysis and creative exploration is the key. |
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Somebody in my family either likes wine, likes to collect wine, or both. Check out the "under construction" photo of my sister's wine cellar. Like, totally. 5:07:10 PM
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Old job title at old small consulting company: "Architect." Sometimes "Technical Architect," sometimes "Design Architect," depending on who was introducing me. New job title at local retail giant: "Senior Technical Analyst." Job titles are somewhat meaningless anyway, but they do provide some context for recognizing personal and professional growth. When I accepted the new job, I could certainly give a rip about the title. And, to a lesser extent, the pay. There were other priorities. But the job description essentially amounted to being able to continue to do the same stuff as before, but within a different context (trusted internal resource versus shifty money-grubbing consultant). Today, some organizational changes were announced, primarily
around simplifying job titles that had been carried over from the IS
departments of three different operating companies, and to bring those
titles (and pay grades) in line with the industry. What's the NEW new job
title, you say? Technical Architect. |
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Stephen Jay Gould died of cancer yesterday. I've only read one of his many publications, and have referenced it to many newly diagnosed leukemia patients through newsgroups, as well as to Mom when Paul was first diagnosed with lung cancer. It's called The Median Isn't The Message, and it's well worth the read. I hope it continues to carry the same impact moving forward, even though the cancer finally did catch up with him. It's about survival, and statistics, and how the numbers ultimately boil down to a very personal, very boolean statement: your odds of surviving cancer are either 100% or 0%. You live or you die. Period. 9:07:40 AM
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To read later, thanks to a reference in Wired: Oh my God, this War on Terrorism is gonna rule! I can't wait until the war is over and there's no more terrorism. I remember reading one of these strips earlier in the year. Something about Megatron, or some transforming robot from my childhood. I'll keep looking. Updated, later: it was Voltron , who shows up for the first time around page 8. |
Last update: 8/17/2002; 5:03:06 PM .
