Time Enough at Last

Posted on January 5, 2012 by

I was watching the old Twilight Zone episode (one of my all time favorites) with Burgess Meredith over the New Year holiday and it really got me thinking about how I spend my time.  I am trying to lay out some kind of daily schedule to do the the things I want to do and I am finding it really tough to fit in the things in life that are important to me.  It is a bit depressing and sobering to see how quickly I run out of time every day.

To get started, here are the things that I either have to do on a weekly basis or want to do.

  1. Work – Gotta do that
  2. Sleep – Gotta do that too
  3. Meals – Ok, there’s that
  4. Time with Family
  5. Exercise – Health is becoming a serious issue for me.  Serious in that I feel like I am dying
  6. Reading
  7. Learning something new
  8. Personal time – This includes just random things I might enjoy doing like video games, blogging, movies, tv, etc.
  9. House/Yard Work – Honestly, I really hate that stuff but it has to be done.

So, that is kind of the main groupings of things I need to schedule so now lets look at a typical weekday.

6:00 AM – Wake Up – This often gets pushed to around 6:20-6:30 but 6:00 is the right time

6:50 AM – Leave for work – I basically have 50 minutes or less to get ready for work and out the door.  Traffic is a bitch.

6:50-8:00 AM – Commute/Breakfast – Yes, I know that over an hour commute sucks but that is the situation today.  This is also the time I usually eat breakfast.  You can guess I am sure that what I eat generally isn’t recommended.

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM – Work – This is a typical day.  I won’t even begin to discuss the days I work later or overtime.  I usually grab lunch somewhere around 1:00.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM – Drive Home – Again, very sucky.

6:00 PM – 6:45 PM – Dinner with Family – In 2012 we are trying to eat at the table as a family.  This is important and special time.

6:45 PM – 7:45 PM – Family Time – This includes hanging out with my wife and daughter, playing games, etc.

7:45 PM – 8:20 PM – Open – This is usually Emily’s bath time and is often used for watching any TV that we have recorded.

8:20 PM – 9:00 PM – This is the time set aside to get Emily ready for bed, bedtime reading, and tucking in.  I am not always on bed duty but it is a good time for me to spend with my daughter whom I don’t get to see enough.

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM – Open – This is really the only open time in my day.  It needs to be used wisely and it often is not.  Note that this is about the only time I have with my wife sans kid.

10:00 PM – 11:00 PM – Bedtime.  This is when I would usually read, but lately I am so worn out that I fall asleep about the moment my head hits the pillow.  Sleeping from 10:00 to 6:00 provides the optimum amount of sleep for me at 8 hours.  I can go on less but as the sleep deprivation builds up during the week I have less and less energy.  The older I get, the more of an issue this becomes.

11:00 PM to 6:00 AM – Sleep.

After this the cycle repeats.  Obviously weekends are different but doing anything other than working (gotta get the $$$ when I can) or being with family feels unfair to my wife and daughter.  The weekends provide more time for things I want to do but reading and working on learning something like programming is hard to do when there are 5 day gaps between each session.  Anyway, when I put it all down on paper it looks ridiculous.  There is just no time and I am getting older, fatter, and slower every day.  The only way I am going to meet my goals is to work really hard at squeezing everything out of every hour of every day.  This has to mean that useless or lazy pursuits have to be pushed out.  Throw in a serious attempt at one hour of exercise a day somewhere and there is nothing left.  I am honestly disheartened by the reality of the situation but have no idea how to change it.

I don’t know how other people do it but I better figure it out or life will be over before I really feel like it got started.

Posted in Fitness, Personal, Technology, Television, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Old Dog, New Tricks?

Posted on January 4, 2012 by

I saw several Code Year tweets scroll through my feed over the last week of the year.  At some point I decided to check it out.  If you haven’t heard about it yet it is an initiative started by Codecademy.com to teach people how to program through weekly, free lessons.  I decided to sign up and see what I could learn.

After signing up I decided to do a little research on the site and found the following TechCrunch article.

Codecademy’s CodeYear Attracts 100,000 Aspiring Programmers In 48 Hours

While the article didn’t really tell me anything groundbreaking, I spotted a comment below the article that stopped me cold.

I think it’s a great idea.

But do not fool yourself: You will not be the next startup rockstar or the CTO of Facebook by completing these very basic coding lessons. It’s nice for technically uneducated people to understand some of concepts behind coding.

There is no shortcut to become a good coder. You will still need a few years of learning and a few years of practice to be able to write your own startup project code, scalable and reliable. If you’re 20, go for it. If you’re 30 – too late.

Better to spend some time to learn project management and team leading skills – and listen a lot to senior coders how they work and what work environment they expect. You will be way more valuable to your startup then. - Roberto Valerio

What got me was “If you’re 30 – too late.”  I am not sure if I agree with what he is saying or not but I see where he is coming from.  Programming is a learned skill just like anything else.  The best programmers are almost always the guys who live and breath it for years.  We have all heard stories about young programmers sleeping at their desks and working through the night to complete a programming job or some personal project.  Certainly you have to have a passion for coding, just like you have to have a passion for anything to be really good at it but, I am not sure that age is necessarily a barrier to entry.

I remember a lady who was well into her 30s or maybe even 40s going back to school to become a biologist while I was working on my undergraduate degree.  I didn’t think she was too old to learn chemistry back then and I don’t think anyone is too old to learn to program now.  The odds of someone at 36 learning to code, becoming good at it and creating the next Facebook are probably slim, but why tell someone not to do it?  It just seems wrong to me.  What I think he is saying is that someone is wasting their time trying to learn to code when they reach middle age and that they would have better prospects professionally working on the leadership skills of team management and project management.  He may have a point but that is no reason not to learn something.  In fact, I am a firm believer in the idea that the more you know the better.

We don’t really know the limits of the human mind and it should be pushed.  Personally, I am really looking forward to digging into something I have only casually looked at for years.  As I have said before, I seem to have a knack for working with hardware and administration, but I have always felt that I lacked a solid base in programming knowledge.  Even if programming is not to be my future profession, I still want to learn.  I am excited for the Code Year project and will be learning along with thousands of others.  Some, I hope, are as old as me!

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2012 and Still no Flying Cars

Posted on January 3, 2012 by

I still remember watching 2001 and 2010 and thinking that everything in those films was possible because they were set so far into the future.  We are now in the second year AFTER 2012 and very little seen in those films has become reality.  I feel kind of ripped off in a way.  There was so much hope and promise coming out of the 60s but today we have little to show for it.  Sure we have the internet but how are we using it?  Cat videos.  Billions and Billions of bytes of cat videos.  Well, I guess 2012 is hear so we each have to face it in our own way.  Maybe the world will end, maybe it won’t.  For sure there are going to be some highs and lows.  Here are a few things I am looking forward to this year.

The Hobbit - Have you seen the trailer???!!!  Seriously, check this out!

How can you not be looking forward to this film?  I think I may be anticipating this one more than I did Episode 1 and that one was huge…right up until I saw it.  I suspect this time the film will live up to the hype.

Camping – I haven’t truly been camping in many years.  I am making it a clear point to get out this year and just enjoy being in the outdoors.  I realize some people don’t want anything to do with being away from modern conveniences but I am not that kind of person.  I truly enjoy being on my own away from the comforts of the world. Just not for too long mind you.  How does it get better just hanging out by the fire and talking about anything and everything with family and friends.  The Internet will never be able to provide the same experience.

Being a Dad - Sure, I have been a dad for over 8 years now but I am really enjoy it and expect to continue to do so. I especially like those moments when I share things with my daughter and she discovers a new “like” for the first time or learns something she never considered before.  There are always difficult times as a parent but they are far outweighed by the fun times.  My daughter is getting to the age where we can start to have real discussions about things we are interested in and I am fascinated with watching her finding her place in the world.  There are plenty of people out there that find being a parent a burden and a chore but for me it is the single most fulfilling thing I have ever done and ever will do in my life.

Reading – Something happened in the last 15 years that I am not proud of.  Somewhere along the line I became intellectually stagnate.  It wasn’t that I stopped learning but I just stopped really caring.  The weight of responsibility got in the way maybe but whatever happened I stopped reading like I once did.  I am really trying hard to change this.  Last year I actively pushed myself to read more and although I didn’t return to my pre-college levels I felt some progress.  I am trying to add more non-fiction to my reading diet this year and I am looking forward to the challenge of reading 12 or more books for the year.  Hopefully this is the start of a process that gets me to reading one book a week but like anything else you have to train to get good at anything.  This year is poised to be great when it comes to mental stimulation

Professional Development - Another thing I have let slide over the past decade is my own professional development.  ”But Jeff, didn’t you go back to school a few years ago?” you say and you would be right but looking back on that it seems more like a time filler.  I was never cut out to be a pure businessman and it took getting a master’s degree in business to find that out.  I am looking at 2012 as an opportunity to get back to what I used to enjoy about technology and that is, well, technology.  I have signed up for Code Year and I am really excited about getting started with the program.  I have always been a hardware and admin guy who yearned to be something more.  I hope that this program will help me break out of the doldrums I have been facing professionally and get me moving again.

Poker – I had a dismal year playing cards in 2011.  It is all friendly, home game stuff but I let my game slide and lost some of the joy I used to get out of the game.  I am going to get back to studying the game in 2012 even though I can’t play online anymore.  Poker helps me keep my mind sharp but last year I let all of the math go out the window and I came out a big loser.  I want to play more and play better.  More poker in 2012 is definitely something I am looking forward to.

Movies, Movies, Movies – Look, I love movies.  I don’t know why but I really do love movies.  Good ones, bad ones, it doesn’t matter.  It probably has something to do with storytelling as going to the movies is akin to reading.  2012 looks to be a great year.  I have already mentioned The Hobbit but that is only one of many promising films for 2012.  Also, I hate to say it but I am kind of looking forward to Star Wars in 3D.  I feel dirty saying it but yeah, I’ll be there.

Comics – Also gotta give a shout out to comics for 2012.  Yeah, I am 36 and read comics.  I don’t just read them but I enjoy the hell out them.  I am going to tighten up my read list for the year but some of the stuff coming out looks great.  I hope I can also turn more people on to comics during the year.  I had a minor success last year and I would like to build on that and get more people reading.

There’s probably more out there but 2012 is looking to be a really great year for me and the people around me.  Can we all agree to be excellent to each other and not fuck anything up?

KTHXBAI!

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Eargasms for 2012

Posted on January 2, 2012 by

With everyone posting their resolutions for 2012 I thought I might do some counter programming and write about something else.  Like to hear it?  Here it goes!

I listen to a lot of podcasts.  I spend quite a bit of time on the road and radio in Birmingham just plain sucks.  Podcasts offer a great alternative to terrestrial radio and you never have to worry about “catching” a show.  There is plenty of content out there to fit every interest but here are my top picks going into 2012.

WTF with Marc MaronWTF with Marc Maron

I have written about this podcast before so I will mention it first.  I really enjoy WTF because it provides a behind the scenes look at the business of stand-up comedy.  Marc is at his best when talking about his experiences as a comic and those of his guests.   This podcast has taught me a lot about how hard the life of a road comic really is and makes me reconsider ever thinking about entering that profession.  Those guys really bust their asses out there trying to make everyone laugh.  It’s a tough job and I certainly appreciate the talent it takes to be a great comic a lot more after listening to this show.

The podcast can get a little NSFW so this isn’t one for the kiddies but if you are a comedy junkie I would really recommend giving this one a shot.  Seek out some of the old episodes as well.  The most recent ones are available for free and all the episodes are available for a small fee.  Recent guests include Kevin Pollack, Chris Rock, and Penn Jillete.  New episodes come out twice a week and I rarely miss an episode.

Sword and Laser PodcastThe Sword and Laser

For something different than comedy try the Sword and Laser podcast. Hosted by tech news veteran Tom Merritt and the object of male geek desire everywhere, Veronica Belmont, the Sword and Laser podcast covers the world of Science Fiction and Fantasy literature.  Mostly the podcast is a companion for the online book group that can be found at goodreads.com but they also spend time talking about upcoming releases and announcements in the publishing world.  There will also be the occasional discussion of Sci-Fi/Fantasy happenings outside of the printed word but this is mostly for the readers out there.   Except, of course, when Game of Thrones in running.  During a season there is always more Westeros that anyone not interested in those books might want.

I have enjoyed it because it has helped motivate me to read more and has given me a few great recommendations.  There is a large and growing community surrounding this group so the more involved you are the more you will get out of it.

iFanboyiFanboy

iFanboy is about comics.  That’s all there is to know and all you really need to know.  I have listened to a few comic book podcasts over the years but this is the one I enjoy the most.  The guys who host the show have a genuine love of comics but don’t go overboard on geeking out over things like continuity, costumes, or any of the other stuff that scares off the muggles when it comes to comics.  They review the big comics of the week and also really make a point to talk about some of the smaller books that are really good.  The iFanboys also release separate episodes dealing with specific topics like creators, films, collected editions, and other facets of the comic business.

One important note, if you are at all concerned about spoilers then be careful with this podcast as they will talk about what happens in each week’s books.  They usually warn before giving out any major plot points but it is something to be aware of.  I usually don’t worry about it too much but I know how some people can be.

If you are looking to get into comics or just interested in hearing more about what’s out there then this is a great podcast for you.

NerdistNerdist

Hosted by Chris Hardwick, the Nerdist podcast is one I had some trouble warming up to.  Singled Out marked the time for me when MTV completely lost its relevance.  Once they started catering to the frat boy/sorority girl crowd I was out.  Maybe MTV always did that but that one show certainly made it clear for me.  It is for that reason I have generally avoided anything with Chris Hardwick since about 1995.  After hearing enough talk about this podcast I finally broke down and gave it a try.  I was mostly surprised.  Chris’s time on MTV was a bit of a fluke and he is really a geek at heart.  Nerdist has a fairly wide spectrum of topics but it generally orbits around geekery of all kinds.  Science, video games, comedy, film, books, it is all open season on Nerdist.  Hardwick grew up during the 80′s so he is a bit of a kindred spirit for us 30 something geeks.

I give this one a cautious recommendation as I haven’t listened to enough episodes to get completely behind it yet.

This Week in Tech

TWiT

I want to take a moment and recognize the TWIT network.  After the destruction of Tech TV, Leo Laporte made a huge gamble and started is own netcasting company the podcast This Week in Tech.  From those humble beginnings, Laporte has built what may be the most successful internet based media company running today.  This Week in Tech is still running strong but the real meat of the network is in the other stable of shows.  The TWiT network has everything you need from Windows Weekly, to This Week in Google and everything in between.  They even have shows specifically geared toward iPad and Android users.  I have been listening to TWiT shows since the beginning and have really gotten a lot out of them.  I am a little disappointed at how certainly personalities are over used and the love for Apple seems to permeate everything on the network but overall TWiT produces some really good content that is worth listening to.  I typically listen to This Week in Tech, MacBreak Weekly and Windows Weekly but I have yet to find anything that is just garbage.  Although, iPad Today concerns me greatly.  Still, for iPad users it is probably a good listen.

If you catch me listening to a podcast then there is a good chance it is something produced by TWiT.  Oh, and I almost forgot to mention I think all of their shows have video versions.  It’s hard for me to watch video but I have streamed the shows to my TV at home and that has been very nice.

The Totally Rad ShowThe Totally Rad Show

My final recommendation for 2012 is The Totally Rad Show.  This show is produced by Revision3 and is exactly what the name suggests…Totally Rad.  TRS is a daily show hosted by 3 guys who are proud to call themselves geeks.  They talk about the latest movies, TV shows, video games, comics, and just about whatever else that is totally rad.  This used to be an hour long weekly show which I liked more but the shorter daily episodes are good too and you are guaranteed new content each week day.  Also, keep an eye on Dan Trachtenberg.  He will be directing some interesting films I suspect in the future.  I don’t always agree with his views on movies but you have to admit that his Portal short film was awesome.

I have some honorable mentions for 2012 but I will cover those in a later post.  These five should get you started on some great content and get you out of those terrestrial radio blues.

Happy New Year

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Do or Do Not. There is no Try.

Posted on December 28, 2011 by

I attempted to fix two iPods yesterday.  I had one success and one miserable failure.  I had two sets of parts.  One that cost me about $30.00 and one that cost me about $90.00.  Guess which one failed?  Did you guess the $30.00 repair?  If you did, you must be new around here and don’t know how things go for me.  No, it was the $90.00 repair.

A year ago my wife bought me a new iPod Touch for Christmas.  I had been using an iPod Video for years and was very happy with it.  I listen to a great many hours of various podcasts per month and the iPod Video had served me well.  After about 3 years, however, the battery was completely dead and I had real problems keeping it working even when plugged in.  During the year prior to that Christmas I had purchased my wife an iPad to replace the laptop  which got accidental busted about 2 months after purchasing it for the previous Christmas.  The laptop would stay broken for 2 years until about 2 weeks ago when I finally had the cash to repair it.  A repair, incidentally, that went surprisingly well.  Anyway, during the last year of my iPod Video’s life I fell in love with the iPad and, more specifically, iOS.  It was for that reason that we agreed that I could get the iPod Touch for Christmas last year.  I wasn’t in a position to get an iPhone as it wasn’t released on Sprint yet and I wasn’t due for an upgrade to something like a new Android phone.  The iPod Touch filled the void.

Not too long after having the iPod Touch I cracked the screen down near the home button.  It was a small crack and nothing I was concerned about, just an annoyance really.  I have really enjoyed using the device over the past year and the small blemish was never a concern.  Fast forward to the early part of last week.  I got out of the car with the iPod in my hand and as I was getting my key for the front door out of my pocket, the iPod slipped from my hand and landed, face down, on the sidewalk.  Instant busted iPod.  I was devastated.  I use it all the time and it was now seriously cracked.  After bellyaching about it for a day we decided to use some of our Christmas money to get it fixed.  I also decided to do it myself.  The directions at iFixit.com seemed straight forward and I have been a tinkerer for years.  I felt I could do it.  I ordered the parts and while on the site I found that getting a replacement battery and front face for my old iPod wasn’t too expensive and I ordered those parts as well.

The parts arrived yesterday.  I fixed the iPod Video and and it came out beautifully and is working perfectly.  It was then off to the more delicate repair of the iPod Touch.  Everything went well until I got to the final step.  Reattaching the screen to the rest of the unit.  The glass and digitizer are held onto the case by adhesive.  I had real problems getting the adhesive in the right places and when I put the screen down it wasn’t quite attached.  I pressed around the edges and that is when I heard a crunch.  I turned on the iPod which was working beautifully only moments ago to see that I had cracked the LCD digitzer.  The part was useless and I had wasted $90.00.  I was crushed.  I felt even worse considering the high I had been on after repairing the notebook and my old iPod.  The rest of my day was awful.  I could not enjoy dinner with my family and I was snapping at everyone and just very pissy in general.  I felt really bad about that.  I tend to get that way when I am mad at myself.

I went to bed feeling awful about both wasting the money on the part when I could have had it fixed by an experienced technician for about the same price and for my failure at the repair.  It is these kind of failures that really seem to set me back when it comes to confidence in myself.  I’ve broken enough things trying to “fix” them that I really should know better anyway.  I just always feel like I can do it when, in reality, I am just as likely to make things worse.

I woke up this morning feeling better about the situation.  I will eventually send the unit out and get it fixed properly.  I found a site, rotten-apples.net that seems to be a good place to try.  The repair is going to cost me about the same as the part I bought.  I guess it is a $90.00 lesson in taking on something that I shouldn’t take on.  Well, the bigger lesson is to pay a little upfront to protect your property, in this situation an $40.00 case would have kept the entire issue from ever happening.  The good news out of all of this is that my old iPod is working and I can use that for the time being.  I suppose one can always find some success in failure.

Oh well, there is always next time.

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