Hi. My blog. This description is non-normative.

Recent Insights

  • Rewriting the Co-op

    This is a second chapter in a series – the first chapter is Starting the Co-op.”

    Following that first successful cycle, we decided to wait through New Year’s, 2007 to open a new cycle.  This gave me a nice, solid month to work away at the site, polishing away the last few bugs, and generally getting things locked down for production.

    I settled in, the second week in December of ‘06, to start patching up these past few bugs.  What I quickly found, however, was that this software was nigh-unpatchable.  Every time I’d try to add or remove a feature, everything would break.  I don’t mean a couple error messages would show up – I mean the page would simply not appear.  Locked up.  No errors in the log.  Dead.

    The Oklahoma software, you see, was built over several years, by people who were not professional programmers.  They were students and foodies – and they did admirable work.  Yet, there was not a consistent design standard or vision, and the result of that was a big ball of “spaghetti code” – code that’s great when the sauce is on it, but is awful if you need to change out specific noodles.  (So that metaphor doesn’t work right.  Oh well.)  Plus, even they still considered the whole package “beta” – and not the “works really well Google-style” beta, either.

    Continue Reading »

  • Starting the Co-op

    Many of you know that I’m involved in this thing called the West Michigan Co-op.  It’s an online-based farmer’s market (or buyer’s club, depending on who you talk to) that serves the greater Grand Rapids (Michigan) area.

    I don’t think that the real story of how this adventure began has ever really been documented, so I’m going to attempt to do so here, at least from my point of view.  I’m don’t intend to put this on the Co-op Wiki, simply because I will undoubtedly present a biased view, based on my perspective and knowledge, but I will try to stay away from bias when it seems obvious.  As our mothers used to say, if you can’t say something nice… etc.

    This also happens to chronicle my life, to some extent, for the past few years.  My involvement in the Co-op has led to about half the jobs I currently do, which have definitely helped me grow as an individual.  I sometimes get asked if I go to a church; though I am a person of faith, I don’t attend a church at present.  I perceive my involvement in the Co-op as an equivalent; I have been tried and tested,  I have made sacrifices, and I have given my time (and money) for a cause I deeply believe in – and it has rewarded me in kind, though almost never directly.  If that’s not bordering on church or religion, I don’t think you know what church or religion really are.  (And if you don’t feel personally and spiritually rewarded by your involvement with your church, you’re doing it wrong.)

    Continue Reading »

  • Turkey Day Break

    Hello, all!

    As you may have guess by no Five and Change on Wednesday, I’m taking a Thanksgiving break. Just wanted to say thanks to all four of you that read regularly.

    I am thankful for my family and friends, and I hope you have all had as nice a Thanksgiving as I have.

    Peace and Prosperity –

    PD

  • Trust your instinct.

    Today it occurred to me that I am involved in a lot of things that truly interest me. Some of them I make money from, which is a bonus, and some of them I most certainly lose money on, which isn’t great, but at least the activity interests me, and is in some way fulfilling.

    I also absolutely know that many people aren’t that lucky. I frequently talk to people who a) don’t like their job, b) don’t like their home, or c) don’t like either. I know I have felt that way from time as well; we all work a shit job once in a while; we all let the house get a little too dirty; we all let our relationships suffer occasionally.

    Continue Reading »

  • Are all generalizations insults?

    I was reading a Slashdot post today about the Olympics changing the gymnastics scoring system, when I came across the following by CmdrTaco (one of Slashdot’s primary editors):

    Now I’m sure that no Slashdot reader will intentionally watch any “sport” that has judges determine the winner, but their wives/girlfriends might seize control of the remote because they want to know who is the best at that ribbon-twirling thing.

    Continue Reading »

  • One Bizzare Feeling…

    There was a spectacular moment today, where I felt like I was “in the zone.” I thought it was worth a mention.

    Not sure if this is really a productivity thing, but I’m definitely getting used to my gmail labels, and my jott.com. Invoicing still isn’t something I look forward to, but at least the resistance level is now so low, that when I’m doing it I feel like the check is actually around the corner. Instead of struggling to get myself to sit down and get it done.

    Continue Reading »

  • On Creation and Evolution

    I saw a post over at sikkdays and had to respond. I ended up putting essentially a blog post together, so I thought I’d re-post here. The original post at sikkdays was regarding the new Michigan Legislation that is working it’s way through the State House and Senate regarding the teaching of Intelligent Design as a challenge to Evolution.

    Continue Reading »

  • Net Neutrality? How ’bout Channel Neutrality?

    Inspired by Sikkdays’ post about Net Neutrality, I though I’d put my 2 cents in regarding another, related issue.

    Net Neutrality

    Net Neutrality is tiered service based not on the money you pay your ISP, but based on the money a service provider (like Google, Yahoo, Blogger) pays that ISP. Usually, as an ISP, you would do this if you had a competing service. For example, Comcast might want to put a speed limit on Skype, because Comcast has their own digital voice service. AT&T would do the same, in favor of selling you a phone.

    Continue Reading »

YUI-Mainstream Theme by Buzzdroid.com

 Premium Wordrpess Theme