ROCK ME AMADEUS

10:05 am

Windex 'n shrimp flavor?

At work, preparing to go into batch mode. I've got my Venti Mocha, my dustbot, my dry erase marker and my whiteboard, and I'm all set to kick my code's ass into working order. ("Venti" is starbucksese for "bigass", and "Mocha" is Italian for "Chocolate Coffee")

(Working...)


Next update: 4 - 7 pm

8:28 pm

Wasn't that a good try?

The thing I like about my current workplace is that my supervisors are like me in important ways. For instance, we all worked a lot today, rapidly completing one annoying programming task after another with no rest or interruptions. I was spitting out bug free (AFAIK) code all day, it was great. So in the afternoon, about 5 pm, we all installed "Unreal" and played deathmatch for an hour and a half. We really do need to pace ourselves, we can't be finishing all the work there is to do and leaving ourselves with an empty inbox, right? It's rumoured that the bottom of the inbox is actually a portal to Gehenna, and removing the final project from your intray would release the entire host of the evil kingdom into your cubicle. My inbox is only an abstract concept in my boss's Visio files, but I'm pretty sure the same principle applies. No hell in my office, please.

I now enter the well-deserved weekend, gleaming with the fresh edge of newly sharpened skills. I have seen a game designed and implemented completely by co-worker Brett, and I was impressed. He managed to fit raytraced sprites and cellular automata and particle systems into a racing game. Geez, I haven't used the word "Batch Mode" since I first saw it in the Jargon File some six or seven years ago. Maybe it just never applied to tasks I was doing. Now I know what a necessary thing it is. 1) Get in correct mind set 2) Do.

Well, I went and bought "The Mythical Man Month" (Frederick P. Brooks, Jr). It is being a good read right now, I need to find a place that sells coffee where you can sit around and read books, and read it there. I dunno if they have places like that in Seattle. Oh, maybe I should go pick up something to eat first. Hmm. I feel like eating suburban today.

Oh come on! Food and sticks were meant to be together! --ASD