Instansiation
Hi. I’m Bradley. I am going to start this adventure with something about what for and why. Chances are better than average that this mostly ends up being useful down the road as evidence of how wrong I can be. In any case, here we go…
was.
I have actually tried this before. I am a software developer by trade. A few years ago I was in the wrong job. I was spending a lot of time reading the popular software blogs of the day. I was seeing a lot of really interesting insight and useful lessons coming from people like Uncle Bob Martin, Joel Splosky, and others. Unfortunately my work at the time just wasn’t the right place to apply most of what I was learning. As a means of scratching that itch, I registered a domain, installed Wordpress, and away I went. For several months I dutifully crafted thoughtful posts where I combined ideas and experiences of my own with the things I was reading and had a lot of fun doing it. Eventually I moved on to a job that was a better fit for me. I probably made one or two more posts. I continued to write down ideas that I had from time to time. I even kept the hosting fees up to date. It didn’t matter much though. My original purpose just didn’t exist anymore and I never got around to finding a new one. That was over 3 years ago.
is.
Recently I got another of what had become periodic notifications that my Wordpress installation had been compromised and was hosting malware. I had dealt with this several times before. It takes a little time to clean up the mess and update the software to remove the vulnerabilities then you forget about it until the next hack. I knew almost immediately when I got the email that I wasn’t going to do it again. After a little reflection, I archived a copy of my content and deleted the Wordpress installation.
At the same time that I was eradicating the old I was already starting to consider the new. Keeping yourself visible online is incredibly important in this day and age. Especially when you make your living in the software business. If you have been on the interviewer side of the hiring process recently you’ll know that the Googling often happens before the resume is read all the way through. Also my blog, stale as it was, was still netting an average of one recruiter email per month. Maintaining visibility is a no brainer to me.
It has never been easier been easier to establish your own presence and voice on the internet. Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, LinkedIn, Instagram… If you’ve got something to say or show it could hardly be easier to get it out there. I use those services and many more. Ultimately, and especially as an engineer, I just can’t imagine myself staying confined to anyone else’s sandbox.
will be.
To me the motive is clear but, as I learned from my 3 year blogging hiatus, the purpose is more important. My previous blog had a lot more to do with big ideas about software engineering than it really had to do with me. There is no doubt that software and computers are a huge part of my life. I have been identified as a “computer guy” by most that know me ever since I was 5 years old and my dad brought home the family’s first Apple IIe. The more I’ve learned though the more I realize how much there is to connect all of my interests. It just ends up being so much easier to understand how and why someone does their work the way they do when you understand more of the total person.
Over time I am hoping to find interesting ways to unload onto this space a mix of technology, running, food, and many other bits of general wonderment at what a amazing place the world is.
This is going to be fun.