I admit that I am off to a very slow start for 2009. This especially does not bode well for me and 2009, given that one of my resolutions was to try making on average a post every two days and now we are at what – January 7th and I am only just now making the first post of the year. Once again, I could make a ton of excuses. Even more so then usual given things at work and such.
I mean, after all, there was New Years, where I did go to sleep not long after midnight. I did get back up later and could not really sleep. Then there was recovery on the first itself. I had things I needed to do on Friday and when done with those I was just lacking in motivation. Then Saturday the server room at the office blew up. Well, not exactly, but it may have been easier if it had. Saturday was gone, so was Sunday. Monday I was just not feeling it, kind of bummed a bit. Then last night I got on a roll working (and had things to get done) until about 1:30 a.m. Today I was not really feeling it either and little silly things at the office were really getting to me.
Then, just a bit ago, I popped open one of the new rips in my musical library(**). It was a U2 collection of hits from the 80′s and 90′s. I had to purchase it by the way, because I have misplaced my U2 War CD (ranked as a top CD from the 80′s and again of the century). Actually, I have misplaced about ninety-six CD’s in one binder, that included U2′s War – does that mean I am getting old? Now why does this inspire me to write? I am not sure. I think it goes back to college days.
Back then there was a ritual when working on coding projects for computer classes. First, you had to wait until there was real pressure to get it done otherwise why bother. So you held off until usually the night before to start. Now you could look at the project details a little bit sometime that evening, but the best work was done after at least 11:00 p.m. And the best work was done with a few drinks, usually bourbon based but maybe something else depending on the eve. Add in some pizza and you are set. Oh, and this all took place generally in the computer lab with friends – so headphones to block it all out.
As the morning hours slowly moved toward that 8:00 a.m. class time with Dr. Miller or Dr. Carpenter (why they insisted on first thing in the morning classes for comp sci majors I will never know – especially considering the schedule almost all of us keep these days), they eyes got heavier and the brain become dull. In goes the U2, very up beat and rocking it. And instantly you are alive again and inspired. So now whenever I need a pickup or to just get the momentum going a project, in it goes and we are off to the races. Cycle that a couple of times and all but once even the most difficult code was accomplished (I am still convinced the Fortran 77 compiler on the mainframe had an error based on the documentation).
Anyway, with Bono and U2 getting me started up hopefully I will get to rocking and jamming and make more than a few posts over the next few days to get folks back to expecting to hear from on a more regular basis here.
** – For the record, yes, I have it legitimately – there is another post to make, but I am big on no piracy as much as possible. The rip is to have in my MP3 playing Zune or the computer w/o the CD have to spin up.
