• Novel: multiple independent story lines that you hope will eventually converge to make a point.
• Short story: a limited number of characters with only one point to make
• Essay: tell ‘em what you’re going to say, say it, then tell ‘em what you said
• Tragedy: everything that can go wrong usually does
• Sonnet: ornately crafted for no particular reason
• Ode: behold my skillz, and despair!
• Thriller: I’ve got a  bad feeling about this…
• Murder Mystery: when things go wrong, top priority is on placing blame
• Self-Help: You can do it!  Please do.
• Epic Saga: “Help! I can’t stop writing!”
• Technical Documentation: Useful bits hidden in a sea of jargon, surrounded by a narcoleptic field
• Government Bulletin: Technical docs sans useful bits
• Billboard: all flash, no substance

Since I come from the school of “simple elegance”, I’d have to say that my ideal software’s literary equivalent would be

Comedy: If you have to explain it, it’s not very good.

Share/Bookmark

Looks like Saturday Kevin and his fiancee Elizabeth took part in the Skyline 50k trail run, as covered by consummate trail runner Scott Dunlap in his widely read trail-running blog. Actually, they did a heck of a lot more than “take part” – Kevin took fourth place in the men’s division, and Elizabeth took first place in women’s, and set a new course record!  Way to go Kevin and Elizabeth!

Scott has some great photos of the Skyline summit trails and vistas in that article too.  Ok, the photos are of runners, but my eye is always drawn to the scenery.  I drive through that area nearly every morning (Hwy 9 north to 35/Skyline Drive, west on Skyline to La Honda, then 84 north to Sand Hill Road), and nearly every morning there’s at least one “wow” glimpse somewhere along the way. 

From Skyline you can see the Pacific on the left, looking over the Pescadero hills, and the San Francisco Bay on the right, looking over the Palo Alto hills.  Sometimes the coast is being consumed by a wall of advancing fog, other times the Bay is overcast or smoggy, but rare is the day that Skyline does not ride above the murk. A few weeks ago the “wow” was 3 inches of snow that dusted the ridge overnight.  (They closed 35 for the day shortly after I got through.)  Last week it was a pair of wild turkeys ambling along a grassy hillside, just a few yards from the road.  This week it might be discovering a burst of daffodils dancing round a long ago homestead.

I try to use my one hour commute time to meditate on some code problem at work or construction challenge at home. I’m pleased to report that Skyline Drive usually comes up with something to knock that train of thought asunder just about every day.

Share/Bookmark

If you’re anywhere near the office, get over here!  Randy’s bringing General Colin Powell in to see PicLens!!

A flurry of activity.  Sweeping away today’s lunch debris.  And yesterday’s lunch debris.  And whatever that was last week.  “Are you finished with this soda?”  “I thought that was yours?”  Trash.  Crumbs. Crumbs!  Get the crumbs! Chairs.  Need chairs.  Where did the chairs go?  No, no, not that one.  A nice chair. Without the coffee. ”Hi, sorry to interrupt. This interview is cancelled.  We need your chair.” 

Demo check:  Stable build of PicLens installed.  Check.  Google Images… Hmm.  Flickr?  Hmm.  Helloo internet?  No Internet! Ack! Switching to a new provider?  NOW?!

Plan B:  Wireless.  The neighbor’s wireless, open access point.  Gotta love neighbors. Google Images… Check.  Flickr… Check.  Facebook… Facebook? FacebookFacebook? Scratch Facebook (looks like half of Facebook’s servers took a powder at noon).  Pix.ie… Check.  Stanford Daily… Check.

PSST! He’s here!

“General Powell, we’re so pleased to meet you. Won’t you have a seat?”

Share/Bookmark

Glance in the mirror. Schoolbus approaching.

Glance in the mirror. Schoolbus bumper. 

Big bumper.

Right on my tail.

Damned tailgators.

And still moving.

Ouch!

Share/Bookmark

Hedges neatly trimmed

Every posey in its place

Duck! Low branch.

Short gardener?

Share/Bookmark