It seems I may have more time on my hands again…

As I can’t drive once again; so I figure I might as well write a few posts. For the curious few, I obviously haven’t been writing much but I have been reading quite a bit over the past few months … and I thought I had my account configured to post recently read books on here, but it appears not. If you want to see my book list, feel free to check out my GoodReads account. Mostly I’ve been reading a whole lot of sci-fi, but since my daughter was given a Kindle for Christmas and there’s a whole lot of classic books you can download for free, I’ve been reading a lot of older stuff too. Either which way, it seems now I’ve got quite some free time to read since I can’t drive anywhere!

Review: Rama Revealed

Rama Revealed by Arthur C. Clarke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very detailed and many nice little plot twists in this in-depth book that ends the Rama series. Even without reading the 1st or 3rd books in the series, I totally give it top ratings especially for the ending.

I stayed up way too late too many nights because I just didn’t want to put it down…

View all my reviews

As of late…

There’s been plenty going on … just not evident here on this blog.

• Cub Scouts rocks -my son has moved on-ward from Tiger into Wolf! I just might want to get more involved in this… if nothing else, this year I’ve really enjoyed helping him with his belt loops more (last year we pretty just did whatever happened every wk in the den/pack mtgs and went to a few of the pack-wide events).
• I’ve been reading a lot more than I have in quite awhile. If you do GoodReads and are into that sort of thing, you can follow me … I just set it up to post reviews I think on my blog, so I still have *something* new occasionally appearing (hopefully doesn’t drive the few of you away …)
• VA Software Developers User Group – just recently got an idea in my head about wanting to start a users group primarily around software development within state agencies (and other state entities or probably anyone for that matter that’s interested). Probably won’t be specific to any platform since there’s quite a wide array of development. I wasn’t sure if there would be interest, but there sure seems to be.  When more arises, I’ll probably post about it here. I’m just as interested in the tech side of stuff as I am in the relational aspects (networking… whatever you want to call it) of getting to know others.

continuous integration

ASIDE: I really feel that terminology like this “turns off” a lot of everyday software developers from really getting into some of the more advanced topics, but then again I guess it depends on what you consider “everyday”, doesn’t it?

Either which way, the past few months I’ve spent a fair amount of time at work so that some of the important things that I do can be repeated easily, and by someone other than me.

scattered

Years ago, I had a blog that was called “scattered thoughts” and it would be appropriate at this point to change this blog’s name to just that. It’s been a challenge over the past month in particular to have a focus. So many things I just can’t get a strong desire to move forward on and as such, many things have fallen a bit away. It does seem that I’m entering a curve of sorts, and getting a bit back on some sort of better track though:

what if what you’ve doing up til now was wrong…

I’m not that huge into keeping up with the latest and greatest in software technologies. Never really have been either.

But what I’ve found is that my core understanding… my core knowledge… could use a little 90 degree turn and tweak. Just a little revisit to the fundamentals – the design concepts.

Clearly I am writing this specifically regarding my professional work realm, but I’m quite sure I’ve hit my head all too often on the wall over stuff, that if only I would backup and get a better picture of the goal(s), I might see a different route (or for a software perspective, using a different architecture) might make MORE sense.

Proverbs 3

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, ² for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

³ Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. ⁸ This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; ¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,
¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.

¹⁹ By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; ²⁰ by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.

²¹ My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; ²² they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. ²³ Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, ²⁶ for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you. ²⁹ Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. ³⁰ Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.

³¹ Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.

³² For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence.
³³ The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. ³⁴ He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. ³⁵ The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.

consider how you listen

Many a Christian is familiar with these verses regarding ‘a lamp on a stand’, but when I read this yesterday and today, the specific matter about listening stood out.

“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Going back a few verses when Jesus explains the parable of the sower, you also find the explanation of what many Christian strives for: “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Going past a few verses, when his mother and brothers come he states that “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

All this about hearing and listening to God’s word (the Bible), specifically being careful about how we do this. This makes sense, especially when pointed out, but isn’t it funny how one can stray from doing this. May we all be forgiven and God strengthen us again to consider this carefully…