Good leaders get a lot of credit—and they deserve it. But leaders (and teams!) can only thrive if they have active followers.
What do I mean? Let me tell you about an experience I had this year in a very different situation—kayaking off the coast of New Zealand. Read more on Your Team Needs You! – The Power of Being an “Active Follower”…
I’ve been learning about and playing with PICO-8, a “fantasy console” (as their website phrases it). It’s a virtual machine with specs designed to be extremely limited compared to modern computers. With a 128×128 display, 16 colors, and a program size confined to 32K, you’re dealing with what would now be considered pretty dated specs.
But that’s the point of PICO-8. It was designed with constraints so that creators could build things within well-defined boundaries. Experimenting with it is ultimately a fun exercise in creativity within those constraints. Read more on Creativity Within Constraints: Having Fun with PICO-8…
Recently, I saw Windows 95 running under Electron. The project definitely brought up some old memories from when I was young and new to computers in the mid-1990s. Back then, I spent all of my time outside of school learning how to write code in BASIC.
I discovered that the Windows 95 under Electron project uses a v86, x86 emulator running in JavaScript, and I decided that it would be fun to experiment with the emulator and get QBASIC up and running in a browser. Maybe I could recreate my programming experience from my childhood, all in a browser! Read more on Running QBASIC in a Browser – My Nostalgic Trip Back to the 1990s…
When I got out of college, I had most of the necessary technical chops, but it hadn’t really prepared me for working in teams. We hadn’t had any specific training on how to work with others effectively. I needed to develop my interpersonal skills.
Fortunately, many schools are evolving their education plans to help develop these crucial skills. This is an important shift to prepare up-and-comers for working in the real world, where knowing how to collaborate and deal with different viewpoints and opinions effectively is required. Read more on Evolving Education Practices in Soft Skills…
Job shadowing can be stressful. Awkward introductions, unclear expectations, and ambiguous objectives can impede what should be a productive learning experience. Instead, learn from my mistakes. Avoid these common pitfalls, and make the most of your shadowing opportunity. Read more on Making the Most Out of Job Shadowing…
If you ask any software developer, there’s a decent chance that they have tried their hand at game development. It seems like a natural fit since it uses many of the same skills. What’s more, programmers come into it with the knowledge that most aspiring game makers lack: how to write good code and create effective software. Read more on 7 Reasons Game Development Is the Perfect Side Hobby for Software Developers…
Because I’m a recent college graduate, the experience of researching and interviewing for my first job is fresh in my mind. This time last year, I was researching different companies, marking my calendar with the university’s career fair, preparing for the interview process, and turning down my first job offer ever. It was an exciting, but stressful, time of life.
Now that I’m a few months into my full-time job, I’ve been able to reflect on the things I wish I’d known going into the process. In no particular order, here are the top five pieces of advice I’d give to other soon-to-be graduates who are navigating the job search process. Read more on Choosing Your First Full-Time Job – Five Tips from a Recent College Grad…
DEF CON was an interesting experience. From the badges to the 110-degree days, a lot happened and a lot was learned. The conference may have a reputation of being a constant party, but it’s more than that. Here’s my account of what happened at DEF CON 26. Read more on DEF CON from a Developer’s Perspective…
In the sixth chapter of The Confidence Code, Katty Kay and Claire Shipman discuss some tactics anyone can use to build their confidence.
This chapter begins with Kay and Shipman introducing the idea of failing fast–an idea that even they seemed uncertain of at first:
Read more on Unpacking the Confidence Code, Part 5 – Growing in Confidence…
Recently, my husband and I received some great news: We’re expecting our first child in February! We’re thrilled, and the journey is going to be very exciting, but it does come with some significant changes. Namely, for the last few months, I’ve felt that the things I needed to do have required several times the amount of energy that I’ve had available.
During this time, I felt like I was dropping the ball on all of my commitments at once. I was keeping up with daily project work, but I was falling behind on almost everything else. Every way I turned, it felt like I was letting someone down.
Here’s how I managed to get through this time, mitigate issues, and repair some of the damage. Read more on On Taking a Step Back: Gracefully Managing Your Commitments When Everything is a Little Too Much…