Cranky-D

I guess there’s some key phrase in teh post I wanted to make that is making me self-blocking. I don’t get it. However, I need to get to sleep. Stupid fucking computers.

My first attempt at active learning in which in I planned the activity
was for my peer teaching group in my “Preparing Future Faculty'’
class. The idea behind the activity was that it was supposed to be
taking place in the middle of the term, and that it was to be a break
from the assumed normal routine of the class.

The class I was simulating was an introductory course in procedural
programming. My activity not only had to be appropriate for the
students (who were, of course, not really there), but my peer teaching
group had to be able to participate as well. Not all of them know how
to program.

I assumed that the “students'’ had been learning a lot of programming
techniques, but that they hadn’t seen many real-world applications of
their knowledge. I decided to demonstrate that they did, in fact,
already know how to do something practical and fun. I have some
experience with small robots. I wrote down some functions to control
a robot that could easily be created by students at a usual mid-term
ability, but only described how they would function. I left the
details out, since they were unnecessary for the desired task. Then I
used the functions I described to create a small robot control program
that had a logic error in it, and had my students form a group and
discuss the program to figure out the logic error. They were able to
do that quickly. Then I asked them to think of something interesting
for the robot to do, and had them again form a group to write the
program that would make it happen. Again, they were all able to
participate.

The biggest surprise was that my one peer with no programming
experience appeared to be the most interested in the activity. She
came up with the idea for the new behavior, and when I thought we
should stop, she wanted to continue and write the program. It also
seemed that she learned that programming doesn’t have to be as arcane
as I assume some non-programmers believe it to be.
–More–(57%)

I was trying to make a post, and it seems that now I have a word limit. I know I didn’t add that feature. I imagine someone else did.

Now I get to re-install the stupid program because I don’t know where the modification is. That is really a thrilling development. I just have oodles of time for that shit. Oh, wait, I don’t.

The night before my Tuesday flight, I went out to our local bar as usual to have the hot wings and beer dinner. We left early. Still, though, I ended up getting only 4 hours of sleep that night, and I had only had about 4 hours the night before.

I was a wreck.

Since I cannot sleep on airplanes, I rode in a kind of half-doze that stopped every time my head fell forward. I was in no mood to read. Still, after the first leg of the flight, I felt a bit better. I bought some milk to settle my stomach.

Anyway, I arrived at LAX in fairly good spirits. My cell phone made itself useful by providing a way to contact the guy who was picking me up. He was there in no time. Then we had a long ride to the client site somewhere north of LA, and even though I had been up since 2 am CA time, we worked until 7:30. Then we went out for dinner and drinkies.

Every other day of the week, I woke up way too early, finally got up around 7, and we were at the client site a little after 8. Then, work until 7-8 pm, and go out for dinner and drinkies. Lather, rinse, repeat.

They seem to be relatively happy with me so far. We’ll see if they keep me.

It hasn’t been a week yet since I’ve had a job. I’m still trying to find my bearings.

On one hand, I feel a bit better about myself. Looking for work really wears you down, and going through those interviews only to get the form rejection email really sucked the life out of me. The fact that a few people have decided that I’m worth a shot is both gratifying and unexpected, and lifted some of the low-level depression that seems to follow me everywhere. As a Gemini, I can contain both towering arrogance about my abilities and incredible insecurity at the same time without conflict. I figure I won’t last more than a few weeks. My contract is not really all that binding. As it states, “Either party may terminate the relationship at any time.” On the other hand, they’re issuing me a company credit card.

I don’t get it.

Right now I’m just studying code and company press release stuff. I really need a project to get me going. I already know what I’d like to do. The question is, how to bring it up without sounding too high and mighty. I don’t want to alienate the other developers.

Understand something. I have met people who can code as well as I can, but I really can’t say I’ve met anyone who can do significantly better than I can. Pretty arrogant, right? Or do you call it confidence? I don’t know. I depends on how I’m feeling at the time.

Anyway, I’m up way too late, and while I don’t have to be up early tomorrow, I do have to be up early the next day. I’m going to be a zombie on Tuesday. Hopefully I’ll be able to control my tongue well enough so that I make everyone think I’m a great guy, rather than have them see the truth about me.