Not feeling very well today. But I still have to pack my suitcase. Important appointment Monday. I get dizzy when I stand up. Negative Covid test. š· I have to push through somehow.
Every Good Boy Deserves Fun
If you have ever studied music, you know where that sentence comes from. During my childhood years my mom thought she could make me musical.
Haha! I remember being completely frustrated trying to make my side flute make some sort of noise. Holy crap! If you donāt place it on your lips just right, it makes absolutely no sound. And then once I did manage to make sound, the long notes killed me. It seemed that I could never hold my breath long enough.
Then I took piano lessons and was bored out of my mind. I just didnāt want to.
As an adult, I figured out that I really like the ukulele. I own a tenor ukulele and it makes the most beautiful sound, even when I hit the wrong notes. I tell myself that if I get really good at playing, I might try playing the guitar. But thatās a big if!
Make Every Day Fun!
Studying today feels like a dĆ©jĆ vu. Iāve done this before! The first time I went to university I majored in Business and minored in Management Information Systems. So, I took a lot of computer science classes. I graduated in Ā“98.
And now 1000 years later šµāš« Iām right back where I started. Standing on the threshold of a German University. I have mixed feelings about having to start over. But the circumstances are different. Different country. Different language. Different time period. New adventure! And I welcome the 2nd chance.
When life throws you lemons just add some sugar and water and enjoy the lemonade.
Today Iām feeling overwhelmed by the massive size of information that I have to somehow upload into my head. I know that in situations like this I should step closer to the project instead of stepping back, but right now Iām at a standstill.
Deep Breath. The library inside my head reminds me of this:
During a stay at hotel Marriott Courtyard, in Oberpfaffenhofen, I met a lady from Bangladesh. Chance placed us next to each other at breakfast. Our initial hellos and good morning turned into a mini conversation. I discovered that she was in Germany to take a course. That piqued my interest, so I probed for more information and found out that she was working for the British Navy.
Wow! Just wow. She was so nice and charming and humble. Iām going to take a hint from whatever higher power that placed us next to each other and keep pressing on. My road might involve a series of failure. But thatās Okay!
I shot this picture a few days ago. And it leads me to my tip of the day.
Donāt let anyone rock your boat!
Today Iām blogging directly from IntelliJ. Look at me, I'm learning stuff! š¤£
Iām spending this weekend decluttering, re-organizing, and cleaning, so I can focus on studying and coding next week.
Not very exciting, but necessary. And at the end of the day Iām always thankful for making progress.
I decided to update my profile picture because the old profile picture doesnāt represent me anymore.
Other than lip gloss, Iām not wearing makeup. Iām not a fan of makeup. And yes, that is my real hair! I donāt know why people keep asking me that.
Iāve just started wearing prescription glasses! š¤
I met these beautiful horses while taking a walk.
Spent today high in the mountains with the groundhogs. While I was busy trying to take a picture of these little guys, a bigger groundhog snuck up on me from behind and frightened me. š All part of the adventure. I love it up here!
Say cheese, groundhog. š
Today“s hike left me winded, but look at the view!
I'm somewhere close to heaven, but it's hot as hell š«
Iām back from the Twilight Zone. I donāt understand anything that just happened. Anyway, Iām done trying to make sense of nonsense.
Back to being a happy little elf. š§š¼āāļø āØ
I understand.
Iām spending the next few days trying to get used to my new glasses. I didnāt know that they would make me feel seasick. š¤¢
I have bifocals so I have to be conscious of where Iām looking. Going up and down stairs is especially weird. I feel like Iām going to fall.
I hope that I can adjust quickly because I have so much to do this week.
Throughout my lifetime Iāve always been able to find someone to hold onto. A kindred spirit to comfort me when everything is cloudy. But right now all Iām holding onto is me.
I fill my heart with flowers. And enjoy the feel of the sun on my skin. The breeze whispers in my ear, āYouāre okay.ā
And that's enough for me. š»
Today someone broke something, blamed me for it, and ridiculed me as I tried my best to fix it. We resolved the situation, but I didnāt like how I was treated. Then when I confronted him about it, all he had to say was, "I was stressed."
So I have to take your verbal abuse because you were stressed?
I get a lot of spam emails and sometimes they get into my inbox. This one is funny! So apparently my name is Peter. And Peter is getting a shipping confirmation from Amazon. The way this is written is hilarious. I literally laughed out loud!
Peter bought a Magnetic Locator. What the š¤ is that?
He spent $569,00.
And the last few sentences were really funny: āThanks a lot for your order. You made a nice choice!ā
And in fine print is written, āYour order will be with you shortly. Go ahead and clear off some shelf space.ā
Thank you for sending me this silly email. I needed the laugh.
I don't know what a Magnetic Locator is, but now I want one. 𤣠š
I havenāt written any poetry in a long time, but yesterday I found myself writing again. When I write poetry, the pen moves my hand. The emotions write themselves.
And my goodness, this one needed to be written. I donāt know if it has all the elements needed to be published, but I submitted it to a well-known publisher. Chances are slim that itāll get accepted, but trying is free.
Who knows, maybe this time theyāll say yes.
The poem is called Hero. I unfortunately canāt post it yet because Iāve submitted it. But Iāll post it in the near future once the reviewing process is over.
Itās amazing how much better I feel now that Iāve gotten all that emotion out of me and onto paper.
How do you deal with heavy emotions?
I have published work before! Here is my publishing history:
Too much of anything is never a good thing, including money. Itā s my observation that wealthy people are often miserable.
Donāt waste your life chasing money. It will only make you unhappy. You will guard it and hoard it and push good people away because you think all they want is your money.
Who wants to live like that? I donāt!
I think a lot of people would describe me as exotic. People have trouble placing me on the map. And when I look in the mirror I can understand why. Iām multi-cultural and that can be confusing.
Because Iām āexoticā people make all kinds of assumptions about me. And I think the number one assumption is that Iām hyper-sexual. Hmm⦠what do I say about that?
The truth is, Iām no more sexual than any other woman. I value friendship and kindheartedness the most. Iām attracted to a brilliant mind. I like to learn about people. I like risk takers and people who travel the road not taken. I admire those who are softspoken but fiercely bold. And if you're none of these things, or just one of these things, you will NOT get an invitation to my bed!
I laugh at any man, brilliant or otherwise, who assumes that he can have sex with me because Iām exotic. Or because I said, āhello.ā
Iād be careful with what I say around Alexa. I mean, sheās already programmed to recognize and respond to her name. I think it would be quite easy to program her to start recording conversations when she hears other target words.
Am I the only one who thinks that sheās kind of spooky?
I finally went to the optician today. Yes, Iām blind. š¤ I ordered two pairs of glasses before I left. This was on the top of my summer to do list and Iām happy that I can finally check it off. I canāt wait to pick up my glasses in the next few weeks! It's going to be so nice to finally see properly again.
Oh my gosh, what an awesome week! And I have lots of crazy cool things planned this summer. Travel, concerts, and just lots of FUN.
I love summer!!! š
I'm confused. Payback for what? Why are you so angry? None of this makes sense.
If you have something to say to me, please just email me and I promise I will get back to you. Good or bad we can Doctor it. Itāll Be Pleasant. š»
Thanks for answering. So, it really is you whoās sending these messages! I didnāt know. I was guessing.
Your opinion of me is none of my business. But I hope you feel better now that youāve said what you needed to say.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when I reach out to a friend and they say, āI thought of you the other day.ā
If you thought of me the other day then why didnāt you call, text, or visit? So, you thought of me and chose to do nothing⦠Because thatās how much I mean to you! š
I hear many people say that learning Java takes a lot of practice and you have to wait for something in your head to click before you really understand it.
Well, Iām still waiting for my click. Oh my gosh, whereās my click? Iām not really panicking yet, but I would, at least, like to write basic code without struggling so much.
I really need my click to happen by the end of this year. Maybe I need to change the way Iām learning? Iām not sure what it is, but Iām going to find the problem, fix it, and get my click.
I was playing animal crossing with friends and Kapp'n sang,
āDonāt cry about dreams that donāt come true. Sometimes you just need another way.ā
And Oh my gosh, that line really resonates with me right now. This might sound silly, because itās just a game, but I'm inspired by it. āØ
My Island's name is maoland
DA-3535-0060-0852
I share this island with my family. I'm BlueBird. The house with the red roof is mine.
Watch out for the pitfall field! š
The new road map for the next few years of my life requires that I spend a lot of time buried in tech books. Working on social skills. Building bridges and making new friends. Iām so grateful for the opportunity and excited to start my new adventure. š¤©
My tip of the day:
Donāt let the fear of rejection stop you from trying. The feeling of āwhat ifā or āI should haveā is a lot worse than rejection.
At least with rejection comes the comfort of knowing that you tried. And now that youāve tried thereās nothing holding you back from moving forward.
Rejection might hurt for a few days but missed opportunity will gnaw at your soul for a lifetime!
This morning a bird flew against my living room window. Poor bird! š„ŗ
Part of being an adult is accepting that not everyone is meant to stay in my life. But itās really heartbreaking watching someone I respect and admire walk away. Every part of me wants to scream, āDonāt go! Stay here with me. Hold my hand.ā
But I canāt. š
Another funny thing about me:
When Iām annoyed I can and will āunlearn Germanā very quickly.
I seriously can go from understanding everything you say, to I donāt speak German in less than 60 seconds.
Itās just one of my defense responses. I can either fight, flee, or not understand you. And āEntschuldigung, ich spreche kein Deutsch,ā usually works! ĀÆ_(ć)_/ĀÆ
My tip of the day:
Donāt judge what you donāt understand. Especially if youāre not willing or not in a position to ask questions. People have their reasons for doing what they do.
Be compassionate. Be tolerant. And do no harm.
Social media is a big fat lie. Because even the sincerest people will subconsciously represent themselves online as the person they want and aspire to be, instead of who they really are.
And yes, that applied to me as well. Once I realized what I was doing I was devastated with an appropriate amount of imposter syndrome.
Iām not saying that you should leave social media. I know thatās not an option for everyone. And I also know that social media can be used for good things. But in most situations the bad side of social media outweighs the good. Just be mindful of the half truths that live on social networks.
One of the funny things about me is that Iām really bad at small talk. How do I practice that? Anyway, I usually say inappropriate things to people. Like once an acquaintance proudly showed me a newborn baby. I asked whoās baby it was and she was a little offended. Oops! I never noticed she was pregnant. ĀÆ_(ć)_/ĀÆ
Once at a family gathering, I kindly offered to help an older lady find her missing earring. Only to find out that she only wore one earring! Oh boy!!! I was so embarrassed. š©
Then there was this time I tried to make small talk with this lady and commented that her hair was different only to find out that she was being treated for breast cancer. My heart broke! š
I always try to be nice but end up saying the wrong thing!
Every child in kindergarten should know this, but my tip of the day is:
Do NOT click on shady links! Donāt even think about it. š«
I havenāt driven a car in a few years. And my eyes are bad. I would need a lot of practice and new glasses before I start driving again.
And youāre going to laugh at me, but I never learned how to drive stick shift. I got my driverās license in the U.S. and they make you learn with an automatic. So, a lot of Americans can only drive automatic.
In Europe though itās the weirdest thing! And people laugh at me. But do you know whatās even more funny? Me trying to park! š
This morning I woke up to the song Chocolate by Kylie Minogue.
What did I have for breakfast?
Chocolate! š
Because Iām an adult and I can do what I want.
This morning my doorbell rang at about 7 a.m. Iām still asleep because itās Saturday, but Iām expecting packages, so I quickly roll out of bed and open the door. When the delivery guy said, āI have a package for your neighbor,ā I almost cursed him out. Oh, my goodness, why!
And when my neighbor picked up his package, he said that the delivery person never rang his doorbell. š
Today is National I Love My Dentist Day! š
Today my alarm went off at six a.m. Iām out the door at around 7:30. And as soon as Iām outside it starts raining. Nope, not going back for my umbrella. Thereās nothing like a brisk morning walk through the rain to wake you up. I love it! š§ š
Sometimes my temporomandibular joints hurt. And thereās really not much I can do about it. My dentist gave me this stupid mouth guard but when I forget to wear it at night my face hurts in the morning. š
And when thatās not bothering me, my wisdom teeth hurt. I donāt even have wisdom teeth anymore!!! 𤯠So why do I feel like my wisdom teeth hurt? Iām not telling my dentist because sheāll just think Iām crazy.
I have the weirdest dental problems. ĀÆ_(ć)_/ĀÆ
Thanks for the Facebook post! š
Ich und du oder du und ich?
Der Esel nennt sich immer zuletzt.
Also, es ist du und ich.
Aber warum bin ich der Esel? š
With time, practice and will power you can learn just about anything. But, unfortunately, time is a valuable resource that most people donāt have.
And literally everything requires time! I dare you to say a verb that does not require time.
Did you think of a verb that doesnāt require time?
Well, if you didnāt then please learn some of the basic keyboard shortcuts. This really has very little to do with programming. But itās still noteworthy knowledge.
I wonāt list them here because I only know the ones that are useful to me. But do yourself a favor and google keyboard shortcuts. It will save you so much time.
What an amazing day! I hope you had one too. š
Today I just enjoyed the moment. The weather is gorgeous and Iām surrounded by beautiful, kindhearted people.
Iām brimming with happiness!
I donāt know how to delete a course on Duolingo once itās added. I have German, Portuguese, French, and Romanian.
I donāt speak French at all. I added the course because I was curious and then decided it wasnāt for me. I donāt like that in French the words arenāt written like they sound.
I donāt speak Romanian either. I do, however, love this language. The structure is quite unique, and the sound of the language is so welcoming that itās fun to learn. I unfortunately donāt have the time right now to invest in a new language.
I speak German. My grammar is not the best, but I can understand 95% of Hochdeutsch and I can speak fluently enough to be understood.
I understand simple Portuguese. I think that I can speak enough to get by, and I can read Portuguese very well.
I spent years in High School and College learning Spanish, but I donāt remember any of it. If I have time someday, maybe Iāll revisit this language.
So in all transparency, that's what's up on my Duolingo! š
I must also say that if youāre really adamant on becoming fluent in a language Duolingo will not be enough. You will need a few other resources to achieve fluency.
I donāt usually notice a lot of spam mail because most of it gets trapped in the spam folder and the few that manage to get into my inbox gets marked and ignored. So, spam mail doesnāt bother me.
What does bother me is getting scam phone calls. Two members of my family have gotten the Europol scam phone call. And it was upsetting because when they hung up, the scammers called back from a different number.
Anyway, if you get a call from people claiming to be from Europol please just hang up and donāt answer phone numbers that you donāt know, at least for the remainder of that day. Unless youāre a hardcore criminal, the chances of Europol calling you is null. It was also a big red flag that they immediately started the conversation in English.
Our internet provider has left us (and the entire apartment building) without internet for 2.5 full days now. And itās still not fixed. Iām a very meek and understanding person, but this is really unacceptable. I feel like I want to fight somebody. š”
The only way I can get internet at home is by creating a hotspot with my cell phone. Thank God for backdoors!
I hurt my arm and shoulder playing Nintendo Switch Sports. In fact, my entire body hurts, but especially my arm. I could barely comb my hair this morning. Not my smartest moment!
But it was really fun. š
Today Iām practicing arrays and references. Pretty basic stuff! But you have to learn how to crawl before you can run.
Also, this is important so pay attention: Don't even think about trying to learn coding without an IDE! You can install a free version of IntelliJ. You can not learn how to code by just reading a book.
Sometimes itās really difficult to schedule coding practice into my day. I was so busy this week that I didnāt do any coding at all. But thatās okay. Right now, programming isnāt my 1st priority so I can afford the practice delay.
Hopefully, I can catch up over Easter break. Have a great Easter! And if you donāt celebrate Easter, then Happy Spring! š·
Tip of today: Before you start coding, sometimes it helps to write down your algorithm in words.
So with a lot of tears and sweat and HELP I've finally completed the Abecedarian exercise. I have a long way to go, but onto the next chapter.
package com.jenue;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Abecedarian {
public static void main(String[] args) {
String word;
do {
System.out.print("Enter word: ");
Scanner in = new Scanner(System. in);
word = in.nextLine();
System.out.println(word.length());
} while (word.length()<1);
boolean result=isAbecedarian(word.toLowerCase());
System.out.println(result);
}
public static boolean isAbecedarian(String word) {
boolean result = true;
char previousChar = ' ';
for(int i = 0; i < word.length() && result; i++) {
char currentChar = word.charAt(i);
result = currentChar>previousChar;
previousChar = currentChar;
}
return result;
}
}
Java and JavaScript are two very different languages. Java is a Backend programming language whereas JavaScript is used for Frontend.
Iām really struggling with this assignment. Which brings me to my tip of the day:
Ask for help!
A lot of people are afraid to ask for help. Donāt be!
Ask the right questions.
Ask for directions to help you solve your project. Donāt expect another developer to do your job for you. Thereās a big difference.
Also, if one person canāt or wonāt help you, ask someone else. And donāt be afraid to be just a little bit annoying. Someone will help you. CS is about team work!
Working on a Java loop exercise from the book, āThink Javaā. Yes, I know. Iām really behind. I should already be done with this book, but Iām not. šÆ
Iām writing a method that takes a String and returns a Boolean indicating whether the word is abecedarian. An abecedarian is a word that has letters in alphabetical order. For example: biopsy, behint, dehort...
For me this is very complicated, so I hope I wonāt take too long to get it done. Wish me luck!
When I'm done I'll post my working code.
I woke up this morning and itās snowing! What happened to Spring? It looks like a winter wonderland outside.
Anywho, my tip of the day is: Donāt waste a minute of your existence trying to make someone like you.
First of all, this lesson is easier said than done. But when someoneās heart is set to cold, itās best to just leave it alone! If your boss doesnāt like you then you have to stay out of his way. Do your job well and let your work speak for itself. The same thing applies to a teacher, object of affection, hero, or the cool kid who you admire so much.
I know it hurts. And if Iām being honest, I still make this mistake. Itās a really difficult lesson because you think maybe if you stay later at work, or do extra credit, or give this girl flowers⦠No! It never works. They will still find some reason not to like you. Save yourself some pain.
Find people who appreciate you for you! And feel no animosity towards those who donāt like you. That takes too much energy. Give your energy, instead, to people who know your value.
Letās start with Will Smith. Oh boy! There were children watching their āheroā being less than heroic. And for what? Because he didnāt like what someone else said. Since when are we so soft? Now the children think that itās Ok to slap someone.
I once heard a girl being offended because someone complimented her. I was among her entourage, so I asked why she was so unnerved by it. She said that a compliment from someone undesirable is no compliment; itās the opposite. Her answer was really confusing to me, because it didnāt make sense. And it still doesnāt make sense to me.
But I realize that this is how some people feel. If youāre not pretty, young, smart, cool, etc. then they will be offended, even if you worship the ground they walk on. Because they donāt like you and how dare you have the audacity to ālikeā them. Theyāre basically offended by your existence.
I think this line of thinking is utter bullshit! But Iāve experienced this very thing. I offended someone just because I was a little bit too appreciative. At first, I couldnāt really figure out why I was being shunned and then it hit me. Heartbroken!
But what can you do? Chris Rock was just telling a joke. And he meant no ill will at all. Yet, he was slapped. I was literally just saying thank you because someone helped me out in a way that one else could. And I was shunned.
People will take offence to any, and everything. Iām done being bothered by it. If youāre offended by my good intentions and my good will, then thatās your problem!
Today is so beautiful that my daily coding practice almost eluded me. So, as I was reading along, I didnāt fully understand what was happening with the code in question. But, as soon as I typed it into my IDE (IntelliJ) and ran the code, I could SEE what was happening.
So that is my tip for you today. Donāt immediately panic if something goes over your head. Wait at least until you run the code before you get anxious. And if you still donāt understand, then contact your nearest computer scientist. š And if s/he canāt help you, then you can start panicking. š
Letās talk about something you wonāt learn in your computer science class. The goal of this article is to answer the question, what does a computer scientist do? What can I expect at my first internship? How are tasks distributed?
Letās start with the fact that a programmer, who is hired at an IT company or works in the IT department, seldom works alone. In your computer science class you almost always code by yourself. But in the real working world you will be part of a team. Work will be divided among you.
You will be delegated a ticket. A ticket is a description of a task that needs to be done. Tickets can come from within the IT department. For example, one of your team members may notice a bug. Or, a ticket can be a request from outside the IT department. For example, from another department within your company or even a customer request.
Tickets are written and then put in backlog to be delegated and discussed at planning meetings. In this meeting tickets are picked for a two-week period. A two-week cycle of a project or work is called a sprint.
When a programmer is complete with a ticket. S/he will write code to automate a test for his own work. So completely a ticket is usually a two-step process. You complete the task of the ticket and then you will test it (automated).
A green test is a working test.
A red test is a failed test.
After a successful green test, the developer will ask for a PR or Pull Request. A pull request is a request for another developer to review and approve your code.
Once approved your pull request will be merged into the Main branch.
Developers work in branches. A branch is a copy of the code that the team is working on.
Sometimes when two developers change the same line of code you get a merge conflict. In this case a reviewer will look at the changes and decide which one is best.
This is what a developer does in a nutshell. Your computer science class will only teach you how to code, but there is so much more to being a computer scientist than just coding. It involves a lot of teamwork, a lot of communication, more meetings than you think is necessary, and twice as much problem-solving skills. And letās not even talk about deadlines and being on call.
But at the end of day, if you love what you do, itās all worth it!
Today we changed the clocks forward 1 hour. I think we can all agree that the world has had enough of the daylight savings nonsense. Can we please just abolish this useless concept of time? So annoying! š
Iām actually a lot disappointed with myself that my coding skills has not improved to any significant degree in the last months.
But I have a plan to change that. You see, I would often get stuck on a concept for weeks and wouldnāt dare to move on until I think that Iām at an expert level of understanding.
That was, of course, wrong! Some concepts I will understand immediately, and other concepts will need practice. But that doesnāt mean that I should stand still and not move forward. Initially, learning to code will be memorizing a series of steps that include instructions on how to perform certain tasks. You will need to memorize the basics! But you canāt possibly memorize everything.
In time and with practice you will automatically remember the code you need. Itās more important for you to know how to look up information. Itās kind of like not knowing how to spell a certain word. What do you do? Well, you just look the word up in a dictionary. Itās the same with coding. If there is something you donāt know how to do or have forgotten, you need to know how to look those things up. Thatās what stack overflow is for.
Also, donāt beat yourself up if your code doesnāt work the first time you run it. No oneās code works the first time they run it. Fixing bugs is a big part of programming. Get used to it.
Also, spend some time learning the work jargon. Itās impossible to know everything, but you still need to sound literate and knowledgeable when discussing issues with other programmers.
Spend more of your spare time tinkering with code! There is a lot of trial and error when it comes to coding. And the best programmers like to tinker and play around with code in their spare time.
Sometimes I think that I live in an age where being nice is considered creepy. If youāre too nice people think you want something from them. But why? Why is it weird to be nice? I really donāt understand it.
I smile at people to make myself approachable.
Iām helpful because I like to make people happy.
And I like making people happy because it makes me feel good.
I say thank you and please because manners matter. Politeness is underrated!
It feels good to be nice. If you donāt believe me, do a random act of kindness and see how it makes you feel.
I wonder if nice people live longer? I think the physical effects of being nice has real medicinal properties. Someone should do a study on this. Nice people vs. Mean people, who lives longer. What do you think? š¤
Someone asked me whatās wrong and I said, āNothing, Iām just busy in my head,ā and their reaction was laughter. That puzzled me. But I get that a lot.
When Iām thinking I stare out into the distance, stare at the wall or stare out the window. I donāt know what that looks like to other people. I think I might look a bit stressed or worried. I really donāt know, but it seems to cause concern.
But Iām fine. Iām just thinking. Most of the time Iām just thinking about my day. Or, Iām planning for something. I like to go inside the attic of my head and plan and find archived information. Sometimes I just like to go there and relax. Itās my own personal library of memories. I can remember the smallest details of years past, like the names of the people from my kindergarten class.
I think I must look really weird sometimes. As if Iām there, but not there at the same time. Iām just busy in my head. And no, you may not ask me what Iām thinking. I hate that question. My thoughts are private, just like your thoughts are private. And unless youāre very close to me, access to my head will be politely denied.
Iām usually a very decisive person, but like all people I have my indecisive moments. On these occasions I just ask myself, āif Iām going to die tomorrowā¦ā
If Iām going to die tomorrow, what would I like for lunch?
If Iām going to die tomorrow, should finish reading this book?
If Iām going to die tomorrow, should I clean my apartment?
If Iām going to die tomorrow, should I cut my hair?
Itās amazing how āif Iām going to die tomorrowā will show you what you really want and need. So if youāre having a moment of indecisiveness just use this little prompt. š
I literally woke up this morning with the sun on my face. I was happy to be awake, but slightly sad to have left a beautiful dream. What is the opposite of a nightmare? Is there a word for that? My subconscious gave me exactly what I wanted, what I craved, what Iāve been fantasizing about, in the form of a dream. And I remember every detail of it.
I am very thankful and happy for this gift. I hope the dream visits me again soon, but until then Iāll enjoy the sunshine. Itās such a beautiful day today. And I know that this is also a gift. š
A year ago today, I was in the hospital getting a very difficult wisdom tooth removed. There were complications and I ended up in the heart station. But my wisdom tooth was gone! AND the surgeon managed not to break my jaw during the procedure. AND he also miraculously didnāt touch any of the surrounding nerves. AND the cardiologists couldnāt find anything wrong with my heart!
I dodged several bullets that day. I never considered myself a beautiful woman, so I didnāt realize how precious my face is until my doctor said that I could lose feeling in my lips, tongue, and have a huge scar from the screws that he would use to wire a broken jaw shut.
It was an excruciating experience, but Iām still here. So, today Iām celebrating life. Iām so happy to live a normal, simple, life completely undamaged and completely healed.
Yesterday I clicked on a youtube video and after I watched the video, I went to the about page to find out more about the channel. I was really surprised that the owner of the channel wrote a description in 3rd person. It just seemed really odd and out of place to me.
I know from experience, with publishing, that authors are often required to write their own biographies, written in the 3rd person. Iāve done it several times and it always felt dishonest to me. It felt like I was trying to trick people into believing that I was so important that someone else was writing about me. But thatās a big lie, isnāt it? I wrote the short biography myself. And I think that most people know that I wrote it myself. So why do I need to lie?
I donāt like autobiographies that are pretending to be biographies. Just be honest and write in the 1st person. Autobiographies are, in my opinion, much better. You know yourself better than anyone else, so Iād rather read what YOU write about yourself.
Just my opinion though š¤
Love and Solidarity to the Ukraine. I canāt imagine what itās like being invaded. I wish I could help, but all I can do is send prayers. šš¼
In all fields of life details matter. People notice the little things. And itās often the smallest details that make an otherwise mediocre work into something of excellence.
Itās really amazing how the smallest details can make a colossal difference. A hand placed on a shoulder can provide comfort. A smile can be encouraging. A thank you can change how people see you.
An extra line of code to properly document your work will be greatly appreciated, even if no one seems to care.
When accepting gifts people notice the wrapping. They will appreciate the hand stitched monogram and homemade items. And even if they donāt like the actual gift, they will love that you made the extra effort.
Paying attention to detail can make a good dinner into a special one. The examples can go on forever. But Iāll end this post here. I love a good detail! š¤
I miss the free-range emotional freedom that children enjoy. Theyāre allowed to cry when a nurse pokes them with a needle. When they get angry no oneās stopping them from having a temper tantrum. They brutally speak without filter. Theyāre not afraid to say, I love you. Theyāre not afraid to say, I hate you. Theyāre allowed to be afraid and hold onto their teddy bear.
As an adult, you can only dream of having that much emotional freedom. I would give almost anything to show my feelings without consequences. My emotions are, however, written on my face. I never learned how to control my facial expressions. š
So, you will know if I like you without me saying a word. And, unfortunately, the opposite is also true. ĀÆ_(ć)_/ĀÆ
That moment when the light bulb over your head shines bright! And you finally understand the coding concept that youāve been working on for days. Happy!!! š„³
Programming concepts can really take a while to sink in. Be patient. I promise youāll eventually understand it.
In regard to problem solving you often heard people say, think outside the box. Itās a difficult concept to imagine without taking into consideration that you will damage the box in the process. And if you succeed in finding a solution outside the box, it will never fit inside the old box.
My observation is that people are afraid to break the box. But thatās the whole idea, isnāt it? Youāre supposed to break the box. Because by definition, an outside-the-box solution has to be bigger than the inside of the old box.
But thatās okay. Making bigger boxes is the easy part. So dear friends, Break the box!
Last year I had to spend 5 days in the hospital because of a very difficult wisdom tooth. And ever since Iāve had a recurring dream where Iām lost in the hospital and I canāt find my way out. When I finally find an exit, my doctor is guarding the door and wonāt let me leave.
Strange dream. I donāt like hospitals and I usually hate doctors, but this doctor is different. I like him. I trust him. Iām not afraid of him, but for some reason I always wake up when he touches my hand.
Then I realize that he sent me home. And even though I'm happy to be back in my own bed, I want to know what's behind the door that he was guarding. Why did I wake up when he touched my hand? I want him to escort me through the door. But so far it's always the same dream...
Is there a word for the place that stores the souls/people that will be born? I know this is a weird question. But I hear children talk about this place all the time. They would ask, āMommy, where was I before I was in your tummy?ā And then they are really confused when their parents tell them that they were not in existence yet.
Iāve pondered this question and havenāt found an answer. Religion offers no clue as to where souls or people are kept before conception. It only talks about death. But if thereās a place for people who are no longer alive... Shouldnāt there also be a place for people or souls who are not yet born?
I think the children are right! Where is this place? What is this place? And why donāt we know about it?
Itās 44 days until the end of Winter and Iām really looking forward to Spring. Getting through Winter has always been a struggle for me due to the lack of sunlight where I live. I havenāt figured out a solid working solution yet. I take vitamin D supplements, but it really doesnāt change my mood. In the Winter I tend to feel more sad, depressed, and lonely compared to the other seasons. And I generally feel physically unwell. I know that, for me, my body and mind is directly connected with sunlight. On sunny Winter days I feel a lot better, but they are unfortunately few.
44 days is still a lot of days to go, so I try to keep my mind busy, my body fit, and self-soothe with comforting foods and happy music.
How do you survive the Winter blues?
We all need financial security and enough money for the basics and a little bit more. But, my definition of luxury includes things that canāt be bought with money. In my opinion if you can buy it with money, itās not real luxury. Again, Iām not saying that financial security isnāt important.
I'm saying that you donāt have to envy your neighbourās electric Porsche. If you look at the Porsche in terms practicality and need, you might notice that you donāt even want or need an electric Porsche at all. And if take it a step further and imagine yourself owning it, you might feel just a little bit ridiculous. Because itās just an expensive status symbol!
Now count all the things that you actually have that are, in my opinion, real luxury: Family, friends, healthy children, love, peace, safety, a sense of accomplishment, a healthy mind and body, happiness, a purpose, knowing that youāre not alone, and a fulfilling occupation.
If you have two or more of the luxuries on my list, then you are indeed very rich! Donāt waste your time chasing an overabundance of money just to buy unimportant things. Spend your precious time creating happy memories instead.
Verschlimmbessert is my new favorite German word! It means, when you try to make something better but end up making it worse. Yes, one word means all of that. And itās a perfect example of German efficiency.
Iām wondering why Iāve never heard this word before, but I will be using it very often from now on. š
I want to know the name of the tech guru responsible for making the iphone as slippery as possible. Because the idea is actually kind of diabolical.
I can imagine that tech meeting going something like this:
I think Dr. Evil was also invited to this meeting, for whatever reason ĀÆ_(ć)_/ĀÆ But his suggestion of encasing it with cactus needles šµ was narrowly out voted.š
Does anyone have a more subtle way of making fun of the peasants?
Then someone says,
How about we charge them lots of $$$$$ BUT letās also make the phone as slippery as a snailās bottom so it will fall off of every surface known to mankind and then theyāll have to spend even more $$$$$.
Then someone else adds,
AND letās not include a phone charger any more. They can use their old chargers! OR spend even more $$$$$ replacing it.
YES! The peasants!! Let them eat phone!!!! (insert evil laugh here).
I just found out that drinking 8 glasses of water a day is not only a myth, but a straight up lie. I knew it! I always thought that was too much water and could never drink that much. Itās enough to just drink when youāre thirsty. Your body knows what it needs!
I remember when people used to carry around water bottles like they were living in the desert. Now it just seems silly, doesn't it? š
A new day! The sun is shining and Iām feeling a lot better. Today is Saturday and Iāll spend a good amount of time reading āThink Java, how to think like a Computer Scientistā by Allen B. Downey & Chris Mayfield. Iām already on chapter 6 and Iāve done the exercises to this point. I was really disappointed that there are no answers to the questions in the back of the book, but it really forces me to be resourceful and thatās an important part of learning Java as well. I do recommend this book. Itās written so a child can understand it. And the exercises are actually quite fun and challenging. It will take me a few weeks to work through the rest of the book and Iām really looking forward to it.
Today, I will also stop by Amigoscode on YouTube and listen to his tutorials. Check him out if youāre interested in coding. His channel has a lot of good content.
I would like to only blog about happiness and sunshine but life isnāt always like that, is it? So, today Iām going to be real with you. My soul feels like itās on fire. Iām tired of being disappointed. Iām tired of feeling alone and invisible. š But I still have hope that tomorrow will be better. Send hugs!
This year has definitely been a roller coaster ride for me. At one point, I honestly didnāt think I would see 2022, so Iām really thankful to be here. Iām curious to see what the future holds and prepared for the new adventure.
To those of you who walked with me in 2021, I love you and wish you a Happy New Year!
This is my bucket list of countries that I would like to visit, in alphabetical order. Right now, with all the covid mutations, Iām still very uncomfortable traveling. Heck, just going to the grocery store is a big deal. But maybe someday⦠š©
I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a very beautiful New Year filled with health, joy, happiness and success.
š
Ich wünsche dir frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr mit viel Gesundheit, Freude, Glück und Erfolg.
š
Desejo-te um ótimo Natal e um Ano Novo cheio de saúde, alegria, felicidade e sucesso.
Iām vaccinated for Covid with Biontech. They tell me that I need a booster. Okay, Iām willing to get a booster shot with Biontech because thatās what I was vaccinated with. But now theyāre telling me that I canāt have Biontech because Iām over 30; they donāt have enough and Moderna is just as good.
No, I donāt want Moderna. And if Moderna was just as good as Biontech they would have no problem at all giving it to people under 30 years old.
I would even offer to pay for the Biontech booster, but I donāt think thatās an option.
So, I guess Iām taking my chances with Omicron. I refuse to get vaccinated with an inferior vaccine just because there isnāt enough of the good stuff.
This whole situation just feels wrong.
Update: 31-12-2021
Today I was vaccinated with Biontech! Apparently, the rule is not set in stone. I went to the vaccination center and the Doctor just asked people what they wanted. Easy peasy, no fuss. So, if youāre over 30 and they refuse to give you Biontech I would recommend that you just go somewhere else.
Coding is exactly like learning a language and since I speak 4 languages, Iām hoping to polish my coding skills quickly. Trial and error is key. Practice. Donāt be afraid to make mistakes. Sometimes you might even want to make mistakes on purpose just to see what errors you will get.
Coding is also like writing a story. Other programmers should be able to look at your code and know what you are trying to do. Practice the jargon so you can communicate concisely with other programmers. Towards the end of the initial learning phase, coding will become more and more a team effort and communication will be essential.
Yesterday, after dinner, I ate a tiny piece of mango and then immediately threw up. There was nothing wrong with the mongo. I shared the mango with my family and none of them got sick.
This isnāt the first time I threw up from fruit, but I donāt think itās an allergy. You see, Iāve noticed that if I eat fruit first (and have nothing else) it stays in my tummy. I donāt get sick. But if I eat fruit after a meal, it will make me throw up.
The fruits that have made me throw up include: mangos, bananas, pears, and grapes. Apparently, I can eat these fruits individually but not together with other foods.
Isnāt that the strangest thing? Has anyone else experienced this with fruit? I didnāt think that such a small piece of mango would make me throw up, but I was wrong!
Pressing On
I find myself in the uncomfortable situation of having no plans for the future. I had a plan, at least I thought I had a plan. And then someone told me that even if I reach my goal, I would still have to do X-Y-Z to move forward.
The discouragement was devastating. I stopped and did nothing at all. The only thing that I accomplished this year was getting my bad wisdom tooth removed. It was a horrible experience. I somehow ended up in the heart station of the hospital because I had trouble waking up.
Sometimes I wish that I hadnāt. Then at least I wouldnāt have to figure out what to do with my life. ~ Deep Breath ~ I have no choice but to press on. Without encouragement. Without support. Hoping that somehow, Iāll be okay.
And you know, I think I will be. I donāt break so easily. Itās time to move forward. If no one believes in you, you have to believe in yourself. And on my journey, I will be a source of encouragement and sunshine for others. šš»
Iām curious why 9 people clicked on the same story? I wrote āThe Lucky Cardā in 2006, so itās kind of weird that so many people are interested in the story now.
I got the idea for that story because several people told me that Iām a good luck charm. They were convinced that good things happen to them when Iām standing nearby. Funny, right?
Anywho, if you have questions please ask. My e-mail address is on the landing page. I usually answer my messages in a timely and friendly manner.
Gift Giving
I love giving gifts! And the gift giving season is indeed upon us. If I give you a gift itās because I love you, or I want to say thank you, or both. You will know why. š
But as much as I love giving gifts, Iām also very cautious about doing so. The whole gift giving process can get a little political. For example, what is an expensive gift? What is a cheap gift? I think you know where Iām going with this post. Whatās expensive for one person, may not be expensive for the other. And you might not share my opinion about whatās cheap. As a rule, if you are not close friends, a gift should fall in between expensive and cheap. But that can be a little tricky.
For example, good perfume is always expensive. But I could never give an adult cheap perfume. Iād rather not give anything at all. The same concept goes for jewelry. I mean, why would I give someone that I like something that will turn their hand green? I wonāt! So, what do I do? If Iām not allowed to give a person an expensive gift, then I stay away from perfume and jewelry.
Giving someone a ridiculously cheap gift is always a big NO for me. But there are many times when giving expensive gifts is inappropriate. For example, giving an expensive gift to your childās teacher⦠BIG NO for obvious reasons. Also, giving expensive gifts to those who might feel obligated to give you a gift in return is a no.
With all this said, here is a list of gifts that I like to give:
Gifts that I love getting:
I spend so much time chasing unattainable rainbows that Iāve been missing out on enjoying the stars that Iāve caught. I usually donāt make new yearās resolutions but this year Iāll make an exception. So here goes⦠Iām officially declaring my New Yearās resolution:
I will make my best effort to spend more time in the moment, appreciating and enjoying what I have.
Now that it is written, it shall be done! š
Iāll still be chasing rainbows and butterflies, because thatās who I am. But if I can spend more time in the moment and less time chasing, Iāve already won.
Do you have a New Yearās resolution?
In my family St. Nickās Day is special. And I would like to extend my cheer to all of you. May your hearts be filled with joy and warmth during this cold winter season.
I know that the holidays can be sad, stressful, and difficult. If youāre having a hard time right now just remember:
Everything passes
Keep breathing
Someone loves you (and you might not even know it)
Youāre made of stardust!
I made these ascii hugs and kisses Christmas trees and would like to share them with you. Just copy and paste. If the tree doesnāt paste completely in alignment you will have to adjust the spacing. Works really well in g-mail and looks amazing if you add color. So if you're tired of using the same old emojis give this a go. Tis the Season!
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/o ā” \
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o/x ā” x \ā”
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Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate it. I live in Europe so todayās just a normal workday for me. When I lived in the United States my Caribbean family celebrated with traditional Caribbean food.
My mother used to get all her ingredients from a little Asian shop on Old World 3rd Street. The shop owner, a sweet little ancient and wise man, always had everything we needed. He even had canned ackee and Cock flavored soup mix. And for those of you who donāt know, stop laughing, itās not what you think. Just google it!
Anywho, donāt forget to be thankful and create lots of good memories. Try to enjoy the little annoyances because someday youāll look back and realize that these were the good ole days.
Be the sunshine. š¦ Happy Thanksgiving! š¦
A lot of people have left social media and Iām one of them. In my opinion social media is doing more harm than good. Iāve been social media free for about 3 years and it was the best decision for my mental health and productivity. I kept Youtube for watching videos, but thatās it.
It has been quite a while since Iāve had a blog and now that Iām not on social media anymore I realize that I miss it. This will be my little corner on the internet where I journal my journey through life without oversharing, without likes, without followers and without fake friends. There will be no stalking and no nonsense here!
At this point in my life I find myself going back to coding. And this is where I will chart my progress, writing down what Iāve learned and how Iāve learned it because it might be helpful to someone else. This is also where I will post holiday greetings and spread sunshine.
More sunshine, more flowers, more power! Youāre welcome to stay a while and vibe with me.