I find that there are many ways to learn. I hope to provide some insight on the ways that I learn, share knowledge, and be a great community citizen to the web.

THE EXPERIENCE MATTERS

What? Starbucks didn’t open till 8:00am. How did I survive the mornings until then. I must say the breakfast sandwiches were much better than the U.S. The drop of dijon mustard was killer! Then there was Dim Sum for breakfast. I did skip the chicken feet (phoenix claws) for that setting. It was an experience that I will remember for a while.

REFLECTIONS ON BE > DO

Two words, two letters, transformed by time with priceless meanings. One is made manifest by the concrete actions, the other by essence.

ENGINEERS: THE CHALLENGE OF ENOUGH DOCUMENTATION

The question: In software engineering practices especially in the areas of Scrum, Agile, or XP, what documentation is necessary to build a quality product? The debate on documentation feels political. Each side of the spectrum is moving farther away from the center and becoming extreme with documentation practices. Snippets and quotes out of context are not useful to justify whether to document or not. Each stance has created a quality gap in the delivery, maintenance, and innovation of systems today. The pendulum is nowhere in the practicality zone.

CREATING A STARTUP WORK ROUTINE THAT MATTERS

At 6:40 am on December 23rd, 2021, enough is enough on being overwhelmed in the morning. It is an official holiday at my place of employment, but here I am still pushing out emails, reviewing dashboards, and stressing on the next set of due dates. Why? It is about routines. The explicit work rituals I have set for myself, and the ones where they are set for me. Full Disclaimer: I do have a decent work startup routine, if I would just follow it.

A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE @ 4 AM

Sometimes it is the small things in life delivered at the right time that bring joy. I thought at first it was the cup of coffee I just made, but then realized it is the intricacies of that cup of coffee that God has paid so much attention to.

CODE REVIEW - IS EVERYTHING IN THE RIGHT PLACE?

Is your foundation in good shape? One of the often overlooked parts of a code review is checking out the structure of the underneath repository. I refer to this as the “bones” or skeleton of the program, application, or service. It is often very easy to overlook a file or folder out of place. The subtle organization of files and folders can be beneficial for software engineers in future work.

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR WORK

The work we do needs to be washed in the joy and glory of the Lord. Yes, this even applies to washing dishes, making a bed, or taking the dog for a walk. Each email written needs to have grace and empathy, each line of code written or taken away is a moral decision that must be directed by God. Toil will then become joyful, a fulfillment of the words “well done good and faithful servant”.

CHOOSE WISDOM OVER FOLLY

Solomon recognized that wisdom is better than folly. One definition of folly is a constructed building that has no purpose but for decoration. What a shame it would be if our lives are only lived for decoration. Let’s have our lives to be purposeful. Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. Ecclesiastes 2:12 - 17 ESV - The Vanity of Living Wisely - So I - Bible Gateway

MASTER OF NONE

I once listened to a podcast that was talking about the pursuit of productivity. The description of the pursuit of productivity by an individual was very like Solomon’s pursuit here to find satisfaction and contentment. Neither seemed to be found. Solomon had all the time and resources to chase after contentment. He jumped from the first thing to the second thing, to the next thing all in an attempt to “evaluate” or “experiment” with the achievement of contentment. This failed.

BOOK SMART OR STREET SMART

The more I gain Godly wisdom and knowledge, the more my heart breaks. I can understand why Solomon says that life can be an unhappy business when it is in the world. I see every day situations of people striving to understand in their own minds. This world is busy with the noise of self accomplishment, self promotion, and self centeredness. Wisdom is realizing that God is in control. Wisdom is not trying to straighten out the crookedness that has been put there intentionally by God. Wisdom is being ok with God taking account for all things in this world and relying on His judgement, mercy, grace and empathy to change hearts and lives.