Catching up

[flexagon]

Hunh. Yesterday I did the first reading (and self-test) for the Sun Java Programmer Certification test. I can see right now it's going to be a major pain in the ass. While you don't have to program for this test, you have to know a lot of nitpicky details: have all the keywords memorized, be able to spot compiler errors by reading code, know the valid ways of assigning a char, stuff like that. Ohboyohboy. :b

As for the LJ quiet... I've been doing a lot of living and not really knowing what to write about it. I keep typing stuff and deleting it. I'm enjoying my last little while at work; my boss has put me on the task of editing/organizing a user manual and basically told me to do as much or as little as I feel like. Luckily for him, I pretty much can't resist fixing a broken document, so I've been doing some work. I'm taking this Friday, next Monday and next Friday off though, and not stressing too hard onsite either, so we're not talking a lot of work. Oh, and I sacrificed another Weds night to team-leading for the Dale Carnegie institute. It strikes me that while I expect to benefit from that myself, it really is volunteer work... and while I already resent how long my Wednesdays are, the helping-people thing feels pretty good. There there, nervous people... be calm. You can do it. You can get at least to my level. Trust K-teacher, who is truly on your side.

As of yesterday I am also the happy recipient of mugs from both jg26 and bluechromis... one made-to-order and the other a welcome surprise. Thanks guys! I probably wasn't verbally effusive enough about them when I got them, since my main concern at the time was to stash them away so they couldn't be dashed to the brick sidewalk by mistake, but I looked at them both for a long time later. Have no fear, they will get lots of use. :)

I'm reading The Onion Girl by Charles de Lint and liking it a lot better than I liked Moonheart or Dreams Underfoot, so far. And when I'm done with that I'm going to reread Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, at least if I don't get sidetracked into Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. And some more stuff about C++ and templates. Tra la... I like these long weekends I'm planning. I need to not chill quite as much this time though, and spend some time getting my life in order, since it'll be my last chance for a while.

Comments

[hiddenbear.livejournal.com]

you have to know a lot of nitpicky details
Are the later readings about real things, or is it all minor nitpicky things? Is the end result of the certification test an indicator that you know the details of the language, or that you are a good programmer?

[webrat.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the certification test. I don't blame you for thinking that you better cool it with the LJ for the next job. At the same time, it's kind of spooky quiet around here. o.O

Anyway, it's cool that you got the mugs from blue and j. :) Where's the pictures? :p

[artana.livejournal.com]

On a completely different note, you really liked Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix enough to re read it? I only ask because the huge gaping plot holes I saw left me with a bad taste in my mouth. And I loved every book up until this one.

So, if there is something redeeming about it, I'm all ears and extremely curious.