The Journey So Far I’m building a web app/chrome extension pair that allows your bookmarks to “decay” (grow old and disappear) over time; the intention is to encourage you to actually read those tabs you have open as opposed to letting them linger until your browser crashes.1 The first step I’m taking on this project is creating a Chrome Extension to easily bookmark pages and save that data locally. Missed another part of this project series?

I’ve been working on a small personal project for a few days now, and I thought I’d start sharing my progress, just to talk about how I work through things. A bit of rubber duck programming for me, a little bit of content for you (uh, and for me). “Bookmark Decay” The working title of a little project I’ve thought about on and off for a couple years. The basic idea is a list of bookmarks that “decay” (IE, disappear) after a certain amount of time.

My daughter screaming at daycare recently reminded me of the best manager I’ve ever had, and how his lack of bullshit led to a trust-filled and enduring relationship. Honesty in Daycare I recently started sending my 2 year old to daycare. It’s only for 2 days a week, and it’s only for 4 hours a day, but it’s still hard on both of us; she naturally doesn’t want to leave a space in which she’s already comfortable (home), and I don’t want to feel like a monster for leaving my crying child with strangers.

I was raised to work hard. Which is great! I have a fabulous work ethic, especially when I’m fully bought-in to a project, and it’s served me well all the way through school and into the professional world. I think everybody should know how to work hard, and be ready and willing to do so when the time and case demands it. BUT I think it’s important to note: You are not magically a better person because you’ve worked hard.

I have a friend who talks about programming making you feel alternately like a genius and an idiot, and every developer I’ve mentioned this to since laughs and agrees. Years ago he sent me this picture to illustrate his point: We've all been here. Over and over. I think about this a lot when I’m wrestling with a problem, whether it’s a new concept, bug in my code, or whatever. It’s actually a salve to my wounds, because it reminds me that whatever issues I’m having today will probably be gone tomorrow - or even maybe in the next hour.