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April 25, 2007
Season change
Well with Presignups BASICALLY out of the way, it's time to transition.
In between projects, I'm working on a new tool called Logger (not to be confused with Frogger). Logger will keep a record of every important error event for all my code. At least that's the plan.
For now, it'll email me each day I work (aka not wednesdays or weekends) giving me a summary of information: current resident count, portal logins, group membership, etc...
So instead of getting emails when problems occur, I'll get summary emails the next day. Now that I'm writing this right now, I'm thinking there are some things I still may want instant emails about, but mostly Logger is designed to tell me what has been going on, without clogging my inbox.
It'll also help keep my systems synchronized by checking things that break and ... FIXING things that are broken automatically then rechecking. Self-correcting DB code. It's a weird idea, but somebody's gotta try it.
So hopefully that'll startup on thursday (when I hopefully have it done).
Then!
I'm gonna re-write the online housing application and incorporate it into the WOU online application.
I have some MASSIVE student payroll rewrites to do.
Also, I'm gonna design and build a system for the housing folks for use by future residents (200701) so they can see their preliminary room assignment, roommate(s) and roommate contact info. That is to alleviate the myriad mailings we do each time a room assignment for a future term occurs.
See, really down deep, I'm a closet tree hugger. I love saving paper. And ink. I like computers for that reason.
(Just don't mention the fossil fuels we burn to run the computer, k?)
Today people in front of the WUC were handing out buttons that say Think Green. I'm into that.
Anyway if I get all that done, we'll be ready for the August install, September prep, October cleanup, November baby and December migration.
Happy new year.
Posted by ellism at 2:40 AM | Comments (0)
April 19, 2007
wednesdays
Today, thank God, is the last wednesday I'll be working for some time. I work wednesdays in April, so as to oversee the Presignups process. It's strange, wednesdays. I haven't worked them for so long, it's really a different way of doing things. I've been calling it 5 8's, but it's not really that. Wednesdays for me are errand days. Mowing the lawn, going shopping, cleaning the house, etc...
How do the rest of you get things done? Seriously! I've had such a hard time takin' care of business without wednesdays because that's when I get caught up. When do you service your cars, or work with businesses that only work M-F 8-5? Lunch? Oh maybe that's what I'm doing wrong.... (since I don't really take one). But what if you have to deal with someplace in Salem or Portland? I don't get it, wednesdays are SOOOO awesome.
But then there's this other side. When I work 5 days-a-week, I leave at 6pm. Like, the sun is still shining @ 6. (weird). I get home and have time to do more than just eat and go to sleep. I can actually like ... do stuff. 'course I'm still kinda tired, but not SO tired.
So it's still a toss up.
1. Work 5 days-a-week. I get 5 longer nights, but am tired each day.
2. Work 4 days-a-week. I get 4 short nights, but get a whole fresh day to ... whatever.
I'll stick with my 4 10's, but its been nice to try something else for a bit. It's like september, where I get to switch it up a bit. Variety is the spice of life.
You can live your life in a rut, or a groove. Sometimes they look the same, but you can feel the difference. I guess Simon & Garfunkel had it right... feeling' groovy.
I feel like I've woken up from a three week sleep. And I've done just that. Three weeks of fighting allergies and taking medication and feeling uber-fuzzy. Now I can think again. I can dream again. My list gets shorter, not longer. I'm gonna win after all.
I'm listening to Thirteen Senses right now. Good band (thanks Ruckus). I'm always so pleasantly pleased when I find a band I really like. I'm pretty tolerant, but real picky. I like music that I can listen to over and over. But I burn through music that way. My head memorizes it and gets tired of it. And quick. Today this music puts me in a more thoughtful mood. I used to use techno (particularly trance) to code. Somehow it ordered my mind and allowed me to focus and write and type and cipher all simultaneously. But trance can put me in a weird state, so I stopped listening to it.
I've been thinking a lot more about music lately. How it can affect our productivity at work. How it can change our mood, etc... (lol) It's like a mind altering drug. But we get to choose the flavor. Reminds me of a blog I wrote about how we 'program' ourselves daily, by what we listen to, etc...
I know it's not true, but I feel like I've gotten more done in the last 3 days than in the last three weeks (maybe not today, but mon/tue were great). I'm gonna continue striving for ever-increasing performance. I wonder if I can learn to work like a runner runs a race to win. Only one winner. There's a change in mindset. To be the best. That's what I want.
... *more thoughts* ...
Posted by ellism at 1:43 AM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2007
Progeny
So a few weeks ago, my wife and I found out that we are expecting. Imminent stork arrival this fall... details to follow.
We've pretty much told everyone at this point. 'cept maybe you :)
I'm bombarded by emotional, spiritual, philosophical, and material thoughts on a broader range of topics than I've ever really considered before. Everyone keeps telling me how wonderful it'll be (which I don't doubt). I like change. I think I always have. It's cuz I'm a (super)naturally hopeful person. Change ALWAYS comes with the possibility (and in my case expectation) of better things, better times. Growth. Movement. Strength. I'm into that, and though I'm balanced enough to understand that raising a child is no piece of cake, I'm WELL willing to make the investment - with Joy.
Boy, I could go on and on, but I won't. I'm sure there will be many more thoughts to follow.
Fall will be ever-more interesting. It appears some projects may need to be postponed.
Posted by ellism at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)
April 7, 2007
Presignups .... 2k7
So the first rollout of Presignups is done. As of 5pm, residents can now login to the Portal, sign their financial commitment and update their preferences.
Next week Squatters (residents able to stay in their own room) can choose their room, followed the next week by Movers (residents wanting to choose a different room).
The goal is that everyone would be able to choose their optimal room and that nothing breaks.
Hahahah
Well here's hopin'. I never really trust software that I didn't write. Configuring someone else's tool and crossing your fingers never really does it for me. 'Course my own software isn't flawless - far from. But I can fix it. I hate being limited by other peoples' stuff. Meh.
Should I trust my own software? Perhaps I don't trust myself. But upon this introspection, I think I need to be more focused when writing software. I choose ... now ... to write precise, non-assumptive code. I also need to not produce, but create. A machine produces, and innovator creates.
What do you get when you mix code and philosophy? Me, I suppose.
I've felt so unfocused lately. I used to be able to code for 5 hours, then wake up and eat lunch. 5 more hours of code and I'd go home. Simple. Elegant. I want to get back there. Perhaps I've learned to multi-task. What if that really isn't a good thing?
I think I'll start practicing focus. Distraction seems to be playing it's part. With a little help and a litle practice, hopefully I can turn this temporary disadvantage around.
Blogging is good. It's honest. Will anyone read it? Does anyone care? Probably not, but it's like self-help for the do-it-yourself-er. Never thought writing could be so helpful.
Posted by ellism at 2:12 AM | Comments (0)