Looking for Alaska
Book Notes Yeah, kitt finished writing this at 20:53 on 14 April 2016
I swear, all of the books I have been reading lately are from Mom's pile. It might begin to frustrate me if my pile of books doesn't start reducing in size, too. Something about the growing stacks, from two to three, is starting to bug me.
Also bugging me about this book is the setup. We have a geeky, six-foot kid who actively wants to go to private school because he has no friends in the public school he attends, who meets the most amazingly beautiful girl in the school, who we later learn is also attracted to him, and we are supposed to believe this setup?
If a six foot kid isn't immediately recruited to the basketball team, even in a private school, something is wrong. But the most unbelievable part is having the most attractive girl in the school being attracted to the book's protagonist who has exactly no friends in his previous school. Having no friends? No girls attracted to him, throwing themselves at him, wanting to date him? That's a hard suspension of disbelief to have. Just saying.
The book countdowns to the major event in the book, then counts up from said major event. It does that well for structure, but fails to convey the overwhelming heartbreak that is involved in said event. Not sure how else to explain how the second part felt superficial.
It's a good story, so for that reason I'd likely hand the book to a friend, though I wouldn't be worried about asking for the book back, or buying a second copy so that I had a version to loan. My copy will likely go into the Little Lending Library out front.
Best Thing In This Moment?
Blog Posted by kitt at 14:57 on 11 April 2016I have a billion ideas and maybe a thousand of said ideas started in some way or another. A large number of projects are unfinished, but have fulfilled their original purpose of my learning about a particular technology or framework or concept. I suspect I am not alone in the lots-of-ideas-learned-something way of working.
For the project I'm working on this week, though, I have to ask myself, "Am I working on the best thing I can be working on at this moment?"
The question popped into my head this morning, and I have to say, I'm unsure I am. For the work work I'm doing, I keep going from one fire to another fire and, quite frankly, when you go from one fire to another, you don't really think if what you're doing is the right thing or best thing or most rational thing to be working on, YOU NEED TO GET THIS DONE.
Being able to stop, look around, and ask, "Is this the best thing to be working on?" is probably the best ability one can have for a senior developer.
Well, maybe for any employee, but definitely when working for one's self.
Vital Abyss
Book Notes kitt decided around 20:48 on 10 April 2016 to publish this:
Okay, when do I ever start a review without an "okay?" The answer is, "Never," though usually I delete the "Okay," before a actually post the review.
Speaking of review introductions, man, am I starting to dislike reviews and tutorials and articles that have 50% "why I'm writing this" and like 30% actual meat of the story, and 20% wrap up. Kinda like these two paragraphs so far.
I am really liking the Expanse backstories that I've been reading. They fill in the gaps where events, movtivations, and circumstances are just assumed (rightly so), in the plot the reader follows in the main books. Just as with the Churn where we learn of Amos' backstory, and Gods of Risk where we see more of Bobbie, and The Butcher of Anderson Station where we understand the conversion of Fred Johnson, this book provides the backstory to the scientists doing the research into the protomolecule. It also explains some of the questions about just how people can do experiments on a population in the millions and not question the morality of such an action.
Fans of the Expanse should, of course, read this book, too. I wish the four shorter books were combined into one book, but, hey, more money as four smaller books than a compendium.
I kinda wonder if I should include plot lines so that I remember these books I'm reading. See? That was the lingering, unrelated 20% conclusion in this review.
Defining Redux Middleware
Blog Written with a loving hand by kitt some time around 23:06 on 7 April 2016So, I'm reading an article about redux middleware, becoming increasing annoyed by the author who writes 6 paragraphs about why he wrote this article I'm reading, when I come to the section where, hey, he's actually defining what middleware is, and he states:
The most concise definition I can give to describe middleware is this:
Middleware is created by composing functionality that wraps cross-cutting concerns which are not part of your main execution task.
Okay, when you are defining something, ACTUALLY DEFINE IT. You don't define something by using any verb that is not a linking verb. Here, definitions go like this:
Object is {what the object is}
It is not, Object is created by or Object goes something like this. Don't use examples as a definition, PROVIDE THE DEFINITION.
So, no, while middleware might be created by composing functionality, that is not the definition. Here, the definition: Middleware is software that bridges two parts of an application or a system. That's it. "Composing functionality" and "cross-cutting concerns" is crap-speak for "I don't really know what this is doing, so I'm going to use big words."
Now, in this case, redux middleware is the software that connects a react state with the state storage system (which is what redux nominally is).
Done. Simple. Why was that so hard?
There are Worse Places for Burpees
Blog Instead of being asleep at 20:32 on 1 April 2016, kitt created this:I was heading to Phoenix this evening and didn't have all of my burpees done for the day. Recognizing I had an hour before my flight which was enough time to do them, so I started looking around for a space. Turns out, airports are usually busy, but every once in a while you can find a space.
I found one near my gate:
So, despite knowing just how disgusting the floors are at airports, I did my remaining 62 burpees for 92 for the day. I tried to do them where no one was looking. I tried to do them when no one was looking. I didn't succeed well.
At one point, a small child noticed me. "Mommy, what is that lady doing?"
I was chuckling until I heard him say, "Mommy, make her stop!" Yeah, kid, not going to happen until I'm done with my burpees, 10 at a time. Cry all you want, but no, today is not that day.
I managed to finish the last one, gather my things, and step into the boarding line just as my group started moving forward. Perfect timing.