22 minutes - as fast as I could sustain
I did not sustain it I assure you. :(
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
the ventromedial prefrontal cortex
This is a part of the human brain that is primarily used for the decision making process. Scientists speculate that this section of the subconscious works on autopilot to perform quick calculations of your surroundings and measure up the contingencies that may be important. I mean, there is just too much going on around you for you to work everything out (see analysis paralysis), some part of your brain has to do the obvious stuff quickly. When folks have damaged this section of the brain they lack judgement. Here is an example, you are talking to someone and have asked a question - just something simple like "Are you free Friday for twenty minutes?". Instead of getting a quick yes or no, you get a detailed description of this person schedule, the pro and cons or squeezing you in for a small slot. Long after you are too bored to care and looked at your watch a few times, they still have not figured it out. They just don't see your subtle responses.
So next time you come up across this guy, you will know why and still have no sympathy.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
tell me why...
Where there is paper, you will find a line of people happy to push it. It don’t matter what the reasons are – remember the caged monkey experiment!
catches today
You spend every waking hour with a hundred thousand thoughts running through your head. Blogging just seems to be about catching one of those thoughts as they pass by and writing it down. It don't have to be smart or professional - just something your wish to remember. Today's catches include:
- the right head to body size proportion to be correct
- why tall people get the best jobs
- eating more chocolate should make you thin - these are the things we should be researching
- fart count today (@6pm) - 10 (slightly above average for me)
- people buy ipods when they have Microsoft based PC at home
- sitting in the office alone - is it acceptable to talk to yourself?
- I should end every suggestion with "and anyone who disagrees is a homesexual"
- England will not win the World Cup in my lifetime
- explosive fluid combinations - Margarita, 2 x Mojito, White Russian
Friday, August 25, 2006
train log
No running this week really. I have eating and drinking way too much and the guilt has built up quite a bit. On top of everything else it is Friday and a fish n' chips is pretty much compulsory. I will behave again next week.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
some of us still care about the rules
The referee is not a b***ard. The ball will not be tampered with. The drugs will not be taken. There is no shame in coming in second - winning is overrated. The only people you impress are people you do not like anyway, that is why you cheated in the first place.
Take a good long deep look at yourself
Click Demonstration -> Go to the Demonstration Tests -> I wish to proceed -> Race IAT.
http://implicit.harvard.edu/
Emptybottle.org - The Web 2.0 Bullshit Generator
A great distraction methinks. I am such a sucker for this kind of stuff.
Emptybottle.org - The Web 2.0 Bullshit Generator
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
the best twenty english pounds you will ever spend
I actually spent my own money on software and this was worth every penny. If you regularly read more than ten different blogs then you need a good tool. Feed Demon fits the bill. It will monitor what you actually read and report to you the feeds you frequent the most or least. This way you can remove the feeds you add in because you think you have to but don't actually care about. :)
Feed Demon
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Thursday, August 17, 2006
train log
36 minutes - 10/3 minutes jog/walk
Felt like I was running outside my body - near death experience or what?
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
measured responses
Walking home today, I passed by a man on Hungerford Bridge who was drawing the view along the river. The pencil drawing looked interesting and representative - I am no art critic but shapes and colours interest me as much as the next person. The reason for this note to myself was why was I able to stop and look at the man's work at all. I was not the only person, a small crowd of five people were watching him scribble in his notebook. Why is it socially acceptable to stop and watch an artist working but not acceptable to watch, let's say, a drunk performing. Who decided when it is normal to stop and gawp and when it is rude.
My list of responses:
- Artist drawing - view and discuss progress with other crowd members.
- Office window - sneak a look to find attractive worker but don't look like you are looking.
- Beggar holding out paper cup - what beggar? I did not notice a beggar.
- Drunk lying next next to own vomit - good long stare followed by standing an empty can of Stellar in the middle of the sick.
- Sitting opposite two sleeping train commuters - place hands of one commuter on the hands of the other without getting caught, followed by giggling like a school girl all the way home.
I have to admit if anyone was watching me type this entry out while while on the train, I would show symptoms of that great English decease of terminal politeness and say nothing at all.
Monday, August 14, 2006
da process
Processes, rules and red tape are a good idea. They encourage us to be sure about what it is we are asking for. They force a consistency to our requests to ensure that whomever is helping with it can quickly understand the requirements and implications. All good so far.
Where the pattern breaks is when the process is only known to a few, or assumed to be common knowledge, or folks just plain don't want to do the work. Everything falls apart. Where do you go? Who do you talk to? Is there a process to deal with a stalled process? Self-service stinks.
Writer Zone
The one stop shop for all your blogging needs. I like the fact you can work offline and post later.
Link to Writer Zone
Thursday, August 10, 2006
train log
18 minutes - 5/1/4/1/3/1/2/1 minutes run/walk
Easier run for recovery purposes - only sweated like half a pig.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
train log
24 minutes - 6 minutes jog / 2 minutes walk
Felt pretty crappy all the way round. Thighs feel like they have been
stabbed by hot blade.
Monday, August 07, 2006
it is called perspective
The closer you get to something the more you understand the inner workings and processes but you lose sight of the purpose. Stand back and view the purpose and contribution of the whole but have no knowledge of what make this possible. So where do you stand?
It is funny that this situation can be used to describe the software development process or the problems in the Middle East. The best course of action usually is to understand both views and force and compromise - it is only way to move forward.
train log
25 minutes - 1 minute hard run / 1 minute walk.
First ten minutes felt like Daley Thompson. Last ten minutes felt like Wilfrid Brambell.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
two weeks leave
Having completed two weeks annual leave, two weeks with wife and children without a break, I am desperate to return to work. The first week was a blast – a proper holiday. I felt relaxed, uplifted, calm and work could not be further from my mind. That was way too good to last. Week two – DIY hell. Painting decorating, cleaning rooms from top to bottom, reorganising rooms for no apparent reason. Argh!! All those relaxed vibes I gained over a week were lost in about a morning. How come we look forward to our holidays so much and then spent so much of the time do things we care very little for. My live space went on-line the other day and I have not had a chance to play.
I am a software developer, get me out of here.
I can hear Suki coming down the stairs so I better save this and look like I was comparing paint prices or something else DIY related.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
|
|
