(no subject)
As a diversion, I figured I'd put together a list of things that have captured my interest recently.
Among the challenges at work, the team of two I'm on is responsible for taking on a new role (in addition to all the other work we're assigned): mentoring. Not only does my team have a new member -- who started the week before I left for vacation -- to train, another team in the organization that my team works closely with has expressed an interest in learning what we do and how we do it. So, every Thursday, I'm teaching a two-hour session to a group of about six coworkers, describing the software engineering and software architecture behind the processes and tools my team has developed and is assigned to maintain. I'm kind of interested, once these sessions end, in holding further sessions on broader topics in software engineering and software architecture and, generally, in computer science, for larger audiences -- extending invitations to other product development teams in the organization.
Speaking of work, I've been doing a lot of thinking, too, about this whole concept of working for someone else: the stress it causes, how much I rely on the charity of an organization to continue to employ me, and other anxieties. I'm considering another Bachelor's degree while my employment is stable. I've thought about getting a degree in a separate area of proficiency, to give me more flexibility; I've also considered a business degree, with which to match my computer science degree to give me the ability to employ myself. I really like the latter idea most, to be honest; and it could give me some leverage in finding jobs where I lead technical teams, instead of just being a floating resource on one.
Since we're on the topic, my computer-related interests have recently been in the area of cryptography -- in particular, as implemented in Windows. In researching and working through the obscurities and writing code, I've learned quite a bit; the sci.crypt newsgroup, via Google, has been an indispensible resource along this journey.
In regards to more passive pursuits of pleasure :) the following television shows capture my interest regularly these days:
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Las Vegas)
Mythbusters
The Daily Show
Late Night With Conan O' Brien (Now in HDTV!)
The Jimmy Kimmel Show
World Cup Comedy on i
MXC
I've also read a fair number of books recently:
Al Franken's Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations
Al Franken's Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right
Edward Yourdon's Death March
Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide "trilogy," after seeing and rather enjoying the movie at the budget theater recently
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
In the absence of Calvin & Hobbes, I've grown quite fond of FoxTrot. And, since we're on the topic of comics, I find myself keeping up with the 8-bit Theater webcomic.
Among the challenges at work, the team of two I'm on is responsible for taking on a new role (in addition to all the other work we're assigned): mentoring. Not only does my team have a new member -- who started the week before I left for vacation -- to train, another team in the organization that my team works closely with has expressed an interest in learning what we do and how we do it. So, every Thursday, I'm teaching a two-hour session to a group of about six coworkers, describing the software engineering and software architecture behind the processes and tools my team has developed and is assigned to maintain. I'm kind of interested, once these sessions end, in holding further sessions on broader topics in software engineering and software architecture and, generally, in computer science, for larger audiences -- extending invitations to other product development teams in the organization.
Speaking of work, I've been doing a lot of thinking, too, about this whole concept of working for someone else: the stress it causes, how much I rely on the charity of an organization to continue to employ me, and other anxieties. I'm considering another Bachelor's degree while my employment is stable. I've thought about getting a degree in a separate area of proficiency, to give me more flexibility; I've also considered a business degree, with which to match my computer science degree to give me the ability to employ myself. I really like the latter idea most, to be honest; and it could give me some leverage in finding jobs where I lead technical teams, instead of just being a floating resource on one.
Since we're on the topic, my computer-related interests have recently been in the area of cryptography -- in particular, as implemented in Windows. In researching and working through the obscurities and writing code, I've learned quite a bit; the sci.crypt newsgroup, via Google, has been an indispensible resource along this journey.
In regards to more passive pursuits of pleasure :) the following television shows capture my interest regularly these days:
I've also read a fair number of books recently:
In the absence of Calvin & Hobbes, I've grown quite fond of FoxTrot. And, since we're on the topic of comics, I find myself keeping up with the 8-bit Theater webcomic.