Adventures of a gasp female developer

Speaking of New Year Resolutions...

2010-01-04T13:34:00.000-05:00

I guess for me, it's more of a goals list than a resolution list.

No, I'm not going to go to the gym more or try to lose weight.

I am trying to take more photos, and trying to get a little side work as a photographer to add to my portfolio. I'd really like to get into an art festival this year too.

I recently ordered a large 20x30 print of one of the photos I had in my 2009 portfolio book that everyone seemed to indicate was a favorite:

I had a coupon for custom framing, so I took it in to have it fancied up. I think maybe this will be a nice once a year thing for me... having a portfolio book printed at the end of every year, and then get a big print framed of the best one.

I have a lot of house projects that I want to get done. I want the master bed and bath finished except for the moulding (that will be done all at once later once all the house floors are done). Finishing the bathroom entails painting, getting the shower enclosure up, and replacing the pocket door. The bedroom entails painting, wood laminate floors, putting the window treatments back up, and replacing the closet pocket door. I want to get rid of all the pocket doors. They break too easily and they are a pain to stick your finger in to open. I also want to finish all the other re-painting, and get some wainscoting up in the dining room when my sister moves back to FL. Oh, and we need to build shelving into the front bedroom so I can move my work room (stained glass and sewing) and we can get the guest bedroom set up.

In between home improvement projects, I think I'd like to try to do more sewing this year too, although I have a few stained glass projects planned for the house too, but I can't start on them until I settle on a design I actually like.

I'm also working through a PhotoShop book and a PHP book, hoping to learn some new things and brosh up on some old things.

Last year was a year of personal growth. This year is a year of getting things done.

New Year Resolution: I'll try to actually update this thing.

2010-01-04T13:10:00.000-05:00

Hi diddly ho there, fellow nerdies. For my New Year Resolution, I'm trying to update this blog more often. Originally, I had intended it to be full of crazy stories of things I experience as a female developer or funny anecdotes of things in the office. Now I realize, there are just some stories that can't be told. I can't talk about specific work related things without fear of retribution, and some of the things that happen to me as a female developer, I'm not sure I can talk about without fear that retribution will be brought down on other people.

I've found that I don't really have much by way of code to talk about here because I'm more of an art monkey in my spare time. I'm not one of those coders that is so passionate about what I do that it's all I do in my spare time. I'm one of those coders who saw this as an interesting thing to learn and a good way to make a living, so I pursued it, but I have other interests as well. I am very rational, but I need to do other things in life to feel well balanced. I need a creative outlet. I thrive on problem solving and coming up with new ideas. I hate implementing things I've done before because it bores me. That is probably why I don't code in my spare time. As a former CS student, at some point, you just realize that good code is all the same and relies on a series of good practices, but it's not exactly rocket science. Although, for some people, it might feel that way, based on some of the code reviews I've done.

In other news, I may be psychic. In October 2007, I took a trip to Las Vegas, and visited the wax museum, and took this picture:

I also correctly guessed the sex and the date of my new niece more than 6 months before. Ok, maybe that one was just dumb luck. And maybe I took silly pictures with all the celebrity wax figurines. Maybe I've just written so much code that I can see the future. Or maybe, I'm just bullshitting you.

Even nerds need a little sunshine

2009-04-02T20:36:00.006-04:00

Today, we had a Field Day. Our department put on shorts and headed to the great outdoors for tomfoolery and shenanigans. Beer and crazy competitions. At some point, I decided I needed some carbs for the sack race:

I was preparing to dominate, but I underestimated the competition, and unfortunately, I was beat by a nerdy Jesus look alike with springs in his legs. It's my own fault. I recommended they hire him. =P

I really hope my time outside doesn't give me a tan. I enjoy being pasty. The computer monitor tan is all I need to get by in life.

I am working on something really cool here. Without giving any implementation specs, it's a method of page construction for our internal platform here. I am pleased so far with the designs and the prototype. I just need more time to get it done amongst all the craziness. I have missed architect-ing good solutions. It has been a while since I was able to feel like I was actually getting anything done in this chaotic work environment.

I wish I had some nerdy side projects to blog about. Then, I'd have something nerdy to talk about and you all would think I was cool. :)

What kind of personality does a female programmer have?

2009-04-01T22:11:00.002-04:00

ESTJ - "Administrator". Much in touch with the external environment. Very responsible. Pillar of strength. 8.7% of total population.

Extroverted (E) 65.52% Introverted (I) 34.48%
Sensing (S) 58.97% Intuitive (N) 41.03%
Thinking (T) 79.31% Feeling (F) 20.69%
Judging (J) 76.47% Perceiving (P) 23.53%

Enneagram Test Results

Type 1	Perfectionism	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	86%
Type 2	Helpfulness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	46%
Type 3	Image Awareness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	46%
Type 4	Sensitivity	\|\|\|\|	13%
Type 5	Detachment	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	53%
Type 6	Anxiety	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	66%
Type 7	Adventurousness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	40%
Type 8	Aggressiveness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	70%
Type 9	Calmness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	43%

Your main type is 1
Your variant is social

type	score	type behavior motivation
1	26	I must be perfect and good to be happy.
8	21	I must be strong and in control to be happy.
6	20	I must be secure and safe to be happy.
5	16	I must be knowledgable and independent to be happy.

Main type	Variant

personality tests by similarminds.com

PhotoShop

2009-03-05T22:30:00.002-05:00

May the code gods forgive me, but sometimes I really miss being a PhotoShop monkey. There is just so much fun to be had. I actually used to be quite proficient at photo editing and creative crap. Seems that some of our dev team got poached for other projects, so I thought it'd be fun to put out an APB for them... on a milk carton.

I promise...

2009-03-04T11:32:00.000-05:00

... to try updating my tech blog more often. :)

The problem here is that for a long time, I felt I lost my passion for tech. I interviewed for a management position that didn't quite work out, but it was my own fault. I allowed someone to convince me to step back from it and do something else, under the promise and assumption that, "we really need you right here and right now, and there will always be something available for a person of your skill level".

Well, now the economy is in the crapper, and no such availabilities exist. I was bitter and I doubted myself for this decision for a long time... until recently, when I decided to start running as a personal goal for 2009. Yes, sneakers on, treadmill moving, the works. In stereotypical super-nerd fashion, I am a thick-framed glasses-wearing asthmatic who is allergic to everything, so this decision presented quite a challenge.

I decided to run because I was tired of being just another doughy programmer with a sit down job and a host of health problems. I have never been athletic in my life, ever. I have never stuck to a workout regime for very long either. Amazingly enough, after only two months, I found myself running an eight minute mile without needing to use my inhaler anymore, and I'm trying to work my way up to a 5K for the end of April.

I am now able to clear my head at the gym and start my morning with a smile. I have no more stress and anxiety in the work place. I am more assertive. I have more energy. I am actually transitioning into a morning person too, believe it or not (and that's saying a lot since I gave up coffee almost five years ago and am notorious for sleeping in). Best of all, I am finally rediscovering that once upon a time, I actually did enjoy writing code.

The turn of events that led me here may have been for the best, or at least I'm trying to see it that way now. I do enjoy finding simpler ways to do things and architecting good solutions. There may be hope for me yet.

Technical Debt

2009-03-04T11:28:00.000-05:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_debt

Yes, it's real!

2008-08-10T18:35:00.000-04:00

Three months. Well, color me a slacker. I kind of forgot about this thing, to be honest.

We have a new boss. There are some potential changes in work environment coming. I got a laptop, and may be working from home soon. I need to test the dial-up number on my laptop to see if I can connect to the VPN.

One of my friends who sat next to me had a baby and quit to stay home with her. That means I'm the last and only female web developer on our team. Is it really so rare for girls to be good programmers? I get a little sad every time I actually get the chance to interview another female developer, and she turns out to be awful.

I'm trying to decide what I want to do once my current project is over. I'm not sure of the direction of my career yet. Management or Architect? I hate making these kinds of decisions.

Dear Google

2008-05-14T13:02:00.001-04:00

Dear Google:

Stop following me, you creepy stalker bastard. You know more about my interests than my husband. Don't make me get a restraining order.

Where DOES the time go?

2008-05-06T19:26:00.000-04:00

My last entry was on 4/24.
It's now 4:24.
PST.
Not EST.
Third time I've been cross country in 6 weeks for work.
Nice to get away, but lonely too.
And physically tiring.
My body doesn't like switching from EST to PST and back again.
It's a sad state of affairs when sleeping at the Hilton feels like coming home.
I want an omelette.
And a hug.
And maybe some puppy kisses.

I do have one little anecdote from my latest round of travels though. While I was waiting for a connecting flight, I caught a guy sitting across from me staring. It was hard to tell if he was staring at my cleavage or my iPhone. Am I missing something here?

myspace

2008-04-24T19:46:00.000-04:00

ya' know... if you're a professional, having a myspace account is just a plain old bad idea.

BAD BAD BAD!

...because the people you work with are likely to think you're an idiot.

The internet just keeps giving me these wonderful presents.

meetings

2008-04-24T16:48:00.001-04:00

Every time a meeting is canceled, a fairy dies.

Latest Candidate Interview

2008-04-24T10:02:00.000-04:00

I shit you not, this was a real interview. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you, "C.C." - the latest in the long line people who have no business calling themselves web developers. After the first question, I was basically being polite.

What is the difference between HTML and XHTML?
one is static, the other is dynamic

How are XML and XHTML related?
XML is a way to store data and XHTML is related to HTML

What is a DTD?
Don't know.

Which version of HTML or XHTML do you use?
I use Dreamweaver, and it creates the file for me, so I'm not sure. I use whatever version it creates for me.

Do you write your own code?
Yes, but I use Dreamweaver do it.

What languages do you use?
ASP, ASP.net

What is OOP?
It uses classes and objects to develop things. There are methods and properties too.

Provide an example of something that you've developed for the web which applies OOP.
There are classes you can use for exporting information from a database.

What are web standards?
Deciding how to work in your programming.

What is the W3C?
Basically for the design...

Of what?
The website when you "work for the code."

Me and Google are tight, 'yo

2008-04-22T16:20:00.000-04:00

I have this habit of randomly Googling people, things, whatever, in my attempts to always learn more.

Today, I Googled the IM name of an exec from his signature, and I struck Blogger pay dirt: a super secret blog that the execs keep for a project that you have to be on a reader list for. There... were the names of all the execs' Blogger names, and clicking on them yielded a list of existing blogs they have. Apparently, one of them really likes monkeys.

PM says what?

2008-04-22T16:04:00.000-04:00

You know it's bad when the guy who's in charge of running the project says in a post-mortem:

"I think your QA person is terrified of what she doesn't know."

... and then every single person in the room does a bad job of holding in their laughter because they're conflicted about how they feel over hearing the truth.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

2008-04-10T18:43:00.000-04:00

Speak of the devil. I got promoted.

... and now that's Sr. Web Developer to you, sirs.

GirlDev on Office Grammar Nazi-ing

2008-03-26T14:06:00.000-04:00

GirlDev: somebody over here has a delicious sandwich. i can smell it!
Grammar Violating Co-worker: delecious?
GD: delicious. :)
GD: i don't want to delete their sandwich.
GD: although i suppose that's what a nerd might call eating one
GD: in which case, maybe i DO want to delete a sandwich
GD: the best way to make one disappear
Grammar Violating Co-worker: what
Grammar Violating Co-worker: I am friggin lost

*facepalm*

Yeah, I should have put it on bash.org instead of here. Bite me. :)

Interviews Gone Wild: HTML vs XHTML

2008-03-21T16:14:00.000-04:00

I'm what some folks might call a "senior web developer" (although that is technically not my job title here, and THAT annoys me, but that's a different rant for a different day). Before you roll your eyes, I come from a Java background, but I switched to the web because I'm all about the instant gratification.

For a long time, I was one of the main interviewers of potential web developers. Most of the people we currently have working here were interviewed by me. I have a reputation. I'm thorough. I ask the hard questions. I ferret out bullshit. I scare people. I enjoy making grown men cry.

I take notes on most of them, for both practical reasons and for my own personal amusement. I have quite a collection of "memorable quotes" from my archives.

Today, I think I'll share some of the responses I've received concerning HTML vx XHTML.

Here are some from self-described "experts":

"HTML is straight formatting that didn't include the use of divs. XHTML introduced more elements and is more dynamic."
-- AC, HTML self-rating of 10 on a 1-10 scale.

"Extensive Hypertext MakeUp Language"
-- CC, resume cover sheet stated, "formidable technical skills"

"I think XHTML is a much more condensed version of HTML... allows for less tags that are used."
-- LC, holds a degree in "New Media"

A few extras from some of the more humble applicants:

"I use transitive HTML."

"XHTML is more extreme!"

"Umm, it's more strict?"

GirlDev Vs Creative: Round Two.

2008-03-21T15:51:00.000-04:00

Today, the tech team had a demo to show the work that we have been doing for a never-ending project.

NotDev is an important guy on the creative side. Our pages are demonstrating functionality, not design, although they are styled to match the as of yet unapproved design samples. After explaining how everything was working, and asking him if he had anything to say, he speaks up.

I've been seeing a lot of demos with a whole lot of fluff. I'd like to see how these things are actually working.

... not that we haven't JUST shown him the diagrams of how everything works. I'm also pretty sure that if a creative person actually DID want to see code, that it would be because hell is freezing over.

We have bi-weekly meetings where we present our architecture and code for approval. He is invited, but does not attend these meetings.

GirlDev on Kids

2008-03-21T14:14:00.000-04:00

Is it just me or do employees with children seem to get more slack and preferential treatment around the office?

Take, for example... let's call him DaddyDev. DaddyDev is a sensitive guy who loves kids. His kid just had a birthday, and he left early for the day to celebrate. Fine, he's a good father. DaddyDev also seems to take close to the 10 allowed sick days per year with various "family" things that come up.

Now take me... child-hating ass-busting GirlDev, who has put in more than her fair share of overtime since working here, which I might add, I DO NOT get paid for. I MIGHT use 3 sick days a year... if I'm actually sick. If I have things to tend to at the house, I come in late or leave early, making up the hours elsewhere during the week.

I had a few things come up recently... important life changing things, and instead of taking sick days, I asked to leave 1-2 hours early on a couple days. BossMan approaches me and actually asks if I'm making up the time.

So, I guess I've been wasting my time meticulously filling out status reports for the last few years...

Maybe I should have lied and told people I had kids when I started working here, so I'd have "good" excuses for leaving early, like "my kid has a birthday" instead of "I'm refinancing my house".

Seriously, somebody please tell me when I'm going to start being rewarded for being a hard worker and doing my part to not contribute to planetary overpopulation.

Information Architects

2008-03-14T12:48:00.000-04:00

I'm convinced that most IAs out there don't have a CLUE about the job they're supposed to be doing because they've never actually spent any time developing.

I've been reviewing wireframes for a project that I'm working on, and when I pointed out all the things that were wrong with them, considering the new (technical and creative) design approach we're taking, the following conversation took place.

Bossman: But GirlDev, what ever will we tell the creative team?
GirlDev: Tell them to go work for a marketing company and come back when they actually know how to design efficiently for the web.
Bossman: Will you say that on a conference call? Pretty please.

uh ohs

2008-03-06T15:40:00.000-05:00

This was found in a co-worker's ActionScript from over a year ago, regarding some hard coded data:

// naughty. temporarily doing this until GirlDev comes back from vacation.

I'm not one of those crazy Mac people, but...

2008-03-06T15:27:00.000-05:00

...I do have an iPhone, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm hopelessly addicted to it, and it is the gateway drug of Macs. I might just have to get a PowerBook next time I kill off a laptop.

The SDK is coming out!!!
http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9886460-37.html?tag=nefd.blgs

[10:43] GirlDev: i don't know how i lived without an iphone
[10:43] GirlDev: seriously
[10:43] BoyDev: I also wonder how I'm currently living without one.
[10:44] GirlDev: i don't know. i figured you would have gotten one already :P
[10:44] GirlDev: it is really cool
[10:44] GirlDev: i am extremely thrilled with it
[10:45] GirlDev: the only thing i am still getting used to is the buttonless keybad
[10:46] BoyDev: Yeah, that's just a practice thing. We can be trained for anything. :)
[10:46] GirlDev: you would love it
[10:46] GirlDev: it's so slick
[10:46] GirlDev: and i do not often gush about tech toys
[10:47] GirlDev: i told my man-toy if iphone was people, i'd leave him for it
[10:47] GirlDev: he's sleek and sexy, and smart, he goes everywhere with me, and he does whatever i tell him to!
[10:48] GirlDev: tell me the iPhone is not the perfect man
[10:48] BoyDev: He requires a monthly fee.
[10:48] GirlDev: he's cheaper than cable sports packages and pro event tickets. :P
[10:49] GirlDev: and weekly golfing
[10:49] BoyDev: Point.
[10:49] GirlDev: you're only helping my case
[10:49] BoyDev: What makes you think iPhone would be a man, anyway?
[10:49] BoyDev: Woman all the way.
[10:50] GirlDev: ok, then i'm turning lesbian
[10:51] BoyDev: Point++.

Here it comes

2008-03-06T10:20:00.000-05:00

I'm a girl. I'm a developer - of the web variety. I code. I work for a large and globally well-known company. I'm sick of office politics. I'm sick of bureaucracy. Being a project monkey trapped in a cubicle zoo is slowly driving me mad. I suppose this blog will chronicle some of my madness. It might even be a comic.

Adventures of a *gasp* female developer