TV Detox The tv is missed when you have too much to do and don't want to think about it. I took mine to a friend's house after reading this from Scientific American. Actually, backup: someone on the radio was ranting about Bush. The caller was tying W's substance abuse problems to his delayed/stunted/truncated emotional and intellectual development. (After giving up tv maybe I will give up Bush rants. One thing at a time.) Coping. What is good coping vs. bad coping? Coping with boredom by calling a friend vs. turning on the tv. Or surfing the web. Is one better? Take the leap and assume yes (irritability onstructs reason). The radio does not help anxiety headaches. Like tea instead of double espresso. 11:42:51 PM    comment []

Technical Debt Remedies Currently experiencing technical debt: "every time you postpone a fix, you incur a debt. You may know something is broken, but you don't have time to fix it right now. Boom. That goes in the ledger. You're in debt. Like real debt, that may be fine if you manage it....[snip]...just like real debt, it doesn't take much to get to the point where you can never pay it back, where you have so many problems you can never go back and address them." How do you get out? Does the Motley Fool's 60-Second Guide to Getting Out of Debt or How to Get Out of Debt online seminar apply? Surely it must. There are no complicated secrets, but -- unfortunately -- there are no easy solutions either. Someone offering the secret to an easier way out is trying to take your money. You've read enough on agile development processes, the book store will not get you out of t.d. Passive procrastination yields few magic answers. It doesn't take a reckless person or a wild spending spree to create a debt crisis. Prevention cannot be guarunteed by simply working long hours or using version control. Awareness and vigilance are paramount. Compound interest is a powerful force that works either for you or against you. If you want this force on your side, you'll have to rise above the advertisers and bankers that are used to having the force on their side. Who are the bankers in our case? Sales people, bosses, customers wanting an unrealistic delivery date? Programmers who fail to tell them the truth by saying "no"? Some fear admitting they are not developer superheros.  "Good debts" combine a low, tax-adjusted interest rate with the potential to gain something that appreciates in value.Those who practice xUnit testing tell you the security and confidence gained from self-testing code pays for itself many times over. You'll probably have to sacrifice some weekends to get up to speed. They did. You have to spend money to make money. As Edison would say: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." 12:42:06 AM    comment []