The Economics of Programming

It’s commonly known that if you want to be a software developer, you have to stay up to date with the latest technologies. What often isn’t explained is what this even means, since there are now a tremendous number of specializations within software development. It makes no sense to keep up with everything since 1) […]

Mansions

Back in 8th and 9th grade, I wanted to be an architect. I wanted to be an architect because I wanted to design and build houses. The irony! There had been some times as a kid when my parents were looking for another house, so our family would visit a few houses here and there […]

Passion! Success! Productivity!

Every now and then I come a cross some programmer’s personal blog in which they describe themselves with outrageous language. Without giving it away, I just came across one that says, under their little picture, “Passionate about Python and Javascript”. Bonus points if they throw in something about loving dogs, or cheesecake. JKLOLZ OMG! Passion! […]

Knowledge and Specialization

The Colorado stay-at-home order is shaking some things up in my life, and some of this is for the better, I think. Almost everything that was making me busy before has been put on hold, and I’m having to ask myself some really tough questions about what needs to change in my life. I write […]

Stay Out of the Store!

Companies that advertise themselves the most usually have the least to offer. Heavy advertising is merely a strategy, and it is most often employed by businesses that lack a substantial product. So while the marketing and advertising department may receive a massively larger slice of the budget, the goal is to have a product that […]

Reflections on Programming

There are four general types of people who become programmers: There are those who enter the fray by their inherent tendency to tinker, who tinker so much that they suddenly realize they are qualified for jobs. Then there are the money chasers who hear that “coding pays well” and who either put themselves through a […]

Coupons

I’m not convinced that coupons are worth using. This is largely due to the fact that most coupons I receive are not for stores I frequently visit, but they always manage to plant one question in my brain: “Hm, is there anything I need from this store?” This is a dangerous question. It’s like asking, […]

Your Life is Paid for in Time

On the one hand, I want to be a great programmer. I want to be highly skilled and capable in my field, and I want to become a technical go-to person in software. On the other hand, I do not love computers, or programming, or work. They are merely interesting, things that I typically enjoy […]

Thoughts on Cars

There’s one ideal way to own a car: Pay $0 for one that never breaks down. Wouldn’t that be great? Wouldn’t that be one of the best deals ever? Yeah, well, too bad. Every car decision is some combination of risk. You can pay a ridiculous portion of your net worth for a new car, […]

Personal Returns on Education

One clever life strategy is to carefully select your post-secondary education to maximize its ROI in your personal life. I’m not talking so much about monetary earnings as I am about the utility of specific skills in your life when they are used for you. For example, my degree is in Anthropology. This was a […]