Covid-19 Days – 36

broderic on April 18, 2020

I’ve said before that I am bored of television. Bored with YouTube. Bored with the internet. So I am trying to read. There’s the stack of books on my nightstand (and on shelves, and even on the floor) that I have not read. I’m trying to get to a few of those.

Currently, I am reading both Developer Testing and Working Effectively with Legacy Code. Both are very good reads and contain important points to think about while programming. Previously, I had only skimmed portions of the books. I’m trying to be more thorough now with the infinite time on my hands.

In the former, the book describes the roles of testing code from a programmer’s perspective. What to test, how to test, why test are topics covered. I’m reading it, because at work, I am running into the absurdity of failing tests indicating the product isn’t working where the failure is cosmetic in nature. It is perfection as the enemy of the good. I understand their point, but it is a hole we dug for ourselves because of a non-iterative approach.

In the latter, the book describes how to approach legacy code and systems when dealing with changes. It really sharpens the idea that all code is legacy code even the code you wrote five minutes ago. You have to be aware that it will change, and you have to make it ready to be changed. If not, legacy code gets rough. I’m reading it because of the code we’ve got is legacy and needs changing. Unfortunately, we changed it via throwing the baby out with the bath water and started from fresh. Jesus is that a mess.

Finally, I think I glanced at a few chapters in Clean Architecture. It’s really next on the list. I’m finding it useful as I approach my work. Our architecture isn’t clean, it’s dirty like a Big Ball of Mud.

Weird to write about software development at a time like this. Weird that I am reading books about it. Weird that I’ll tag it with the rona tag. It is just a weird time.

Covid-19 Days – 35

broderic on April 17, 2020

Did I say this already? What’s the protocol for shopping online during this epidemic? There’s nothing doing and I feel like spending money, but is it morally correct to force people to pull your orders in the middle of all this madness? While other people are working in this madness, should I contribute to their being in perilous positions? I’m not sure. I really want to spend money. I am bored.

Covid-19 Days – 34

broderic on April 16, 2020

I’m sort of getting some psychosis from staying at home. I’m sort of feeling depressed. A walk does me some good, but I get home and all that awaits me is the couch. Television does excite me. I’ve seen the YouTube videos. Even my beloved Nogizaka46 seem not to pull me from this funk.

But I am not so sure about what will happen when the social distancing ends. I’m getting work done, and now I know that I can. Can I go back to boring drive to work, work, drive home, eat, sleep routine?

That is another psychological issue.

I wish I could just wander aimlessly again like we did a decade or two ago.

Covid-19 Days – 33

broderic on April 16, 2020

Ed-die! Ed-die! Ed-die! Ed-die! Go O’s!

Welp baseball isn’t happening. Will it ever? Maybe. Not sure if I would even care in the midst of this crisis. It’s small and insignificant, but will baseball help us return to a semblance of normality? Doubtful. Maybe in a year or two when the rona isn’t something to worry too much about.

So this one is a bit late as I have been working into the night. It kind of sucks that home and work are the same place. This is what happens and why I fear working from home as I can’t escape from the clutches of the job. I hate capitalism.

Today was also supposed to be tax day. I haven’t filed yet. It seems that our accountant had passed away — not from the rona (at least I think not). So we were scrambling to figure out how to file. They changed the due date to July 15. I wonder if I will have filed by then?

Covid-19 Days – 32

broderic on April 14, 2020

It’s a new moon. Technically that happened a few days ago, but I forgot to say that. A month has passed! It feels like nothing. I think I can do this for another 32! NOT.

I’m not that masochistic. I know how to be alone because I’m well accustomed to it. Sitting here in my house. Going out to the bookstore. Watching movies. I do them most of the time by myself. It’s sort my default. If it isn’t your default, then check this Vox article out on how to get more acclimated to loneliness.

I do use the camaraderie of work to socialize. Face-to-face. Still fun and energizing. On the phone isn’t the same. I miss my buddies.

Covid-19 Days – 31

broderic on April 13, 2020

I owe you guys a post…

But I’ve got nothing.

Like the trying times we are in doing a post a day is exhausting. Don’t say I don’t do nothing for you guys.

Covid-19 Days – 30

broderic on April 12, 2020

Happy Easter! I actually left the house to go have some lunch with the family risking it all just for a bit more of human touch. It was good to spend the time, but I was truly worried. I don’t know if I am a carrier and if I was I don’t want to see the ramifications of that decision. I went for some food and fun with the family who I haven’t seen in weeks.

It was nice.

Covid-19 Days – 29

broderic on April 11, 2020

Saw this over at Kottke’s. It’s a comic on how using contact tracing would help solve the infection issue so that we can go about our normal lives if and when that day comes. Also, a way to do it with privacy concerns at the forefront. Let’s hope this works.

Contact Tracing

Covid-19 Days – 27

broderic on April 9, 2020

What day are at now? Thursday, April 9, 2020. Doesn’t it feel like a whole lifetime has passed? I’ve kind of lost track of the days.

I was used to the normal Monday to Friday slog at work. Morning – you commute to work. Afternoon – you commute home. Sleep. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Then it’s Friday and the weekend is here. Get to Sunday, and it starts again.

There is no commute. I wake up. Roll out of bed, make coffee, and get to work. Lunch. Then work more into the evening – a bit more than the hours required. Since there’s nothing better to do. Log some more work. Like a busy worker bee Hulk, I’m always at work. That’s just sad.

So, it’s been an eventful work week. I’ve got some new things to do, and this time I’m enjoying it. The tasking is always what makes it fun. When it’s like this, then I don’t mind. When it was like it was about a week ago. I just want to stay in bed.

Now, I need a desk.