I don't usually do this Pubicly self-reflect that is. I usually write about tech stuff and programming. It's what I do; it's easy enough to pump out, and it's compact and digestible on the web. It looks good on a resume and it makes me look like a pseudo-intellectual. Writing about programming doesn...
Whoa, hey It's been a while right? I barely recognize you (or myself). It's been about four months now with nary an update or peep out of me. Not really good attendance. To be honest, I feel a bit guilty. Not too guilty mind you — just a bit. Life has been more unexpected than I expected. Things cam...
Hey! The name's Erick. This is my initial foray into using Pelican as a way to manage a 'blog'. I've always intended to start one up but never quite committed. I've built my own pseudo-blog in Django, I've dabbled with Ghost, and I have extensive experience using Wordpress to build sites for others;...
Staring out of the abyss You know how sometimes you have these ideas just surging through your brain? And you wish there was this Willy-Wonkian dream machine you could shove your head into, to show the world your thoughts; raw, unfiltered, and perfect? Or you know how sometimes you're devoid of any...
It's been quite a year Turns out when school is in session, I'm not the best at keeping this thing updated; my apologies. I feel like that's okay though. I may not be great at keeping on top of this, but I still have a vested interest in maintaining this blog — at least, when I have some free time (...
And so, with barely a chance to anticipate and prepare for it, the new year is upon us. Entering a new year has always been a reflective process for me; Usually I'm filled with equal parts determination and excitement punctuated with a hint of personal, not self-loathing, maybe self-disappointment i...
I read a book Which shouldn't be cause for celebration. I've earned a college degree which proves that on some level, I, Erick Diaz, can read a book. But something I've been learning for the past ten years is that reading as a kid and reading as an adult are inherently different. As a child I would ...
Being candid, I possess a decent level of technical acumen and a handful of technical skills. Both the acumen and the skills are part and parcel to being a software engineer. They compose the foundation to "thought work" — in many ways, they are the barrier to entry. Emphasis on entry. There is no c...
"Ideal" development isn't ideal Let me clarify; writing code and developing software under ideal conditions is nice. When everything aligns and a project goes off without a hitch, I'm spoiled. When everything goes as expected, I can take a step back. I can plan my code and be meticulous. This occasi...
Why Build Software? If you would've asked me that question at the beginning of my software journey, I'd probably have said something about wanting to create cool new things, or solve difficult problems; essentially, it was about being at the forefront of technology. Those ideas and wants still hold ...
Reflections on the past few weeks For the past few weeks I have been immersing myself deeply in the essential core of my 5 classes and studying diligently day and night. Was that convincing enough? I hope so. Its what I keep telling myself that I'm doing. In reality I've been panicking, mentally spr...
Free and Open Source Software Open source software is quickly becoming a necessary staple and cornerstone to software development itself and the advancement thereof. A recent(ish) study conducted by Black Duck Software (OSS logistics and legal problem solver) and North Bridge (venture capitalists th...
This is a loaded question; it hounds me in times of self-doubt. It's often followed by the question, "am I a good engineer?". Honestly, I already grapple with the concept and definition of the word "good". To deconstruct what it could mean to be a "good engineer" is beyond me. I like to sit and thin...