Log et al – Peter Curd

An irreverent peek into the inner rumblings of Peter Curd

Feb

7

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-07

By pcurd

  • I thank the health gods that they gave me an OK weekend – Thurs/Friday I felt bad and today I have a cold. I can live with that. **cough** #
  • For pre #rdgtweetup food, feel free to join me! (@ Burger King) http://4sq.com/cYHkXn #
  • I haven't been this happy to see Friday since.. At least last week. I wonder if I can crunch through my todo list today. #
  • Listening to an album on Spotify that I bought and have on my laptop… purchase #fail ? #
  • Syncing my iPhone.. wish me luck! #
  • RT @fringley: "I'm a complete moron" #chineseretweet #
  • Somehow the passenger side wing mirror has been ripped off my car :( I can't find it either :( #
  • Now @TheForster is trying to kill me. He made me run for the bus! I think I left my lungs behind. #
  • RT @chris_alexander: @PCurd people are short :P <- true dat #

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Jan

31

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-31

By pcurd

  • 4pm wake up sounds so good until you realise I only have 8 hours until bed time. Poop. #
  • 'Stupid Base 10 math, that's what you get for having extra fingers' brilliant writing in Mass Effect. #
  • RT @carocat: @pcurd RT @carocat: Games testing. So very true! http://bit.ly/60IzII <- This brings back memories :) #
  • Erk. Too busy to read tweets today so lost 4 hours worth. Repeat anything groundbreaking please! :) #
  • RT @NathanFillion: It has always been my understanding that the H in Jesus H Christ was for Huevos Rancheros. < @giraffetweet it's true! #
  • RT @fringley: Full of cold :( Like I have time to be ill. <- I'm fighting one off and have no time for death either. 800% rda Vitamin C FTW #
  • This weekend's server migration has been delayed until Valentines day – this is why IT people are so often single :) #
  • $AAPL stock price going UP :) @dtsn #
  • $499>!?! WTF wow #
  • $AAPL Just took off! http://www.google.co.uk/finance?q=NASDAQ:AAPL @dtsn #
  • What the balls? @game_offers is protected? @Gamedigital what's up with that? #
  • Stomach this is unfair, you are still gurgling and clearly unhappy and bad things will happen if I feed you but now you crave cheeseburger. #
  • Looking forward to #ddd8 pre conference drinks tonight – not sure what to do about food though… #
  • It's cold enough for snow in RG2 but no sign so far. This is good, I've had enough snow days on this project thank you very much. #
  • Managed to loose another glove tonight. Roll on summer! I like going out in a t shirt! #
  • Awake (mostly) for #DDD8. 7am on a Saturday is for sleeping, what was I thinking! :) #
  • Now heading to #DDD8. If I'm not there in 20 minutes… Just wait longer. #
  • I made it safely to #DDD8 and am queuing for coffee. Mmm coffee. #
  • RT @Plip: #ddd8 overslept :-/ <- #epic #fail #
  • The hordes at #DDD8 http://twitpic.com/10gozj #
  • In @RichardHopton's TDD session with @emmaguy and @chris_alexander http://twitpic.com/10gw1q #
  • As you may expect, Jon Skeet's talk is looking to be busy #DDD8 Hardly suprising but still impressive. #
  • In @garyshort's Not Everything is an Object session. Functional 101 for me :) #
  • Now in @blowdart's last DDD presentation. #DDD8 Last MVP talk too. #
  • RT @pcurd DeveloperDeveloperDeveloper 8 – DDD8 http://bit.ly/a27wfc #
  • With the #DDD8 crowd! (@ Pizza Express) http://4sq.com/9HtAmx #
  • RT @NathanFillion: Summer Glau!! <- yes! #
  • Amazing day at #DDD8 and geek dinner. Great to see so many new faces! Epic thanks to @zimakki for being a legend and everyone for greatness. #

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Jan

30

DeveloperDeveloperDeveloper 8 – DDD8

By pcurd

The latest event in the DeveloperDeveloperDeveloper family, DeveloperDeveloperDeveloper 8 happened at the Thames Valley Park Microsoft site on Saturday 30th of January and I was amongst the 340 or so lucky ticket holders.

This year one of my friends, Rob Ashton (@RobAshton) was speaking along with some old favourites including Simon Sabin (@Simon_Sabin), Richard Hopton (@RichardHopton), Ben Hall (@Ben_Hall) and Barry Dorrans (@blowdart). I was also pleased to see Jon Skeet (@jonskeet) presenting as I had never before had a chance to see him live.

The turnout seems impressive which is to be expected considering the length of the waiting list – over 200 people within 15 minutes of the event “selling out”. At lunch, as always, seating was at a premium and even the grok talks, organised by Zi Makki (@ZiMakki), were full.

As DDD8 was the last community event Barry Dorrans was likely to present at for a while (due to his recent appointment to Microsoft), I think it is only fitting how popular the event has been. Even Barry’s book (Beginning ASP.NET Security) sold out. I was fortunate to get a signed copy which I will be sure to keep in my collection.

Jon Skeet was also kind enough to sign a copy of his latest book (C# in Depth) which I impulsed purchased.

The sessions I attended were:

Test Driven Development to save time, money and your sanity by Richard Hopton

Richard has a clear and simple approach to explaining TDD and although most of the content wasn’t new to me, his techniques and clarifications certainly made my own approaches seem more sensible. His session showed an introduction to the whys and hows of TDD and his code demo was efficient and explanatory, showing TDD and writing tests in an understandable way.

Multi-Tenant ASP.NET MVC Projects by Rob Ashton

Rob did an excellent job handling the room and although a lot of his content could be considered seriously technical, he explained it with ease and clarity. His to the point code demos conveyed the subject matter and complimented his slides and explanations exceptionally. His dry sense of humour came through and the controversial topic met with many questions that he handled with grace and technical accuracy.

C# 4 by Jon Skeet

I had been told that Jon was an excellent speaker and his reputation is well deserved, I enjoyed the level of detail and appreciated the amount of code – showing the changes rather than explaining the changes not only made them make more sense but also showed how and why you’d use the new features.

Not Everything is an Object by Gary Short (@garyshort)

I have never studied any kind of Functional Programming so was looking forward to hearing about it from Gary who has always been an excellent speaker when I have seen him before and I was not disappointed. As well as a good introduction to the fundamentals of Functional Programming, Gary launched into a humorous and informative history of programming language development. I know I’ll take at least something out of his comparison of inanimate objects and classes.

A Developer’s Guide to Encryption by Barry Dorrans

Knowing this was going to be Barry’s last talk at a DDD for the forseeable future, and last community event before “jumping the fence”, it was bound to be an entertaining talk and it was. Several of the organisers had arranged some.. interuptions themed around Barry’s departure. After several videos from people like Liam Westley (@westleyl) and Phil Winstanley (@plip) (including Barry’s poor book being burned to keep Phil’s hands warm) a video from Barry’s past showed up – The Crystal Maze. I’ll let you guess how that went down! The presentation was excellent (between videos) and as always Barry’s technical content was great. Of course, Barry’s book (Beginning ASP.NET Security) will fill the gaps!

Jan

24

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-24

By pcurd

  • RT @CAMURPHY: RT @robinem: @dylanbeattie Awesome screening process! http://bit.ly/86UR6i <- Brilliant! :) #
  • Basshunter is so much better in the original Swedish. Also, "LOL <(^^,)>" is the best title of an album ever. #
  • RT @Plip: Pop your DDD ideas here : http://wiki.developerdeveloperdeveloper.com/Ideas-to-make-DDD-even-better.ashx please RT #
  • I'm using WinDBG for crash dump debugging. I'm being a REAL MAN today.. woo! :-P #
  • to install SQL Server Mangement Studio 2008 I need to be running XP SP3 (OK, fine), Powershell 2.0 and Windows Installer 4.5.. still going.. #
  • I've just had my first banana in years. Feel slightly queasy which is worrying. #
  • I think my geek circle is complete. I now follow @BillGates, @wilw and @cyborgturkey. With some @NathanFillion on the side. #
  • Snow at work is snowing. #uksnow RG40 3/10 not settling fortunately. #
  • Tonight I am mostly wearing a suit – this is not because I am lazy and didn't want to change but because it looks good. Ok? Good. #
  • Just realised I'm wearing the leaky headphones with the good bass not the no leaky headphones with great bass. This explains the staring. #
  • Pre @giraffetweet drinks :) (@ Starbucks – Butter Market w/ @robashton) http://4sq.com/88DRu5 #
  • Loads of people here! (@ Giraffe Reading w/ @amykate) http://4sq.com/5OfoyL #
  • #rdgtweetup spoke to @amykate @saqibs @Outdoorwanderer @ach1000 @fringley @Tom_Lord @bakerleuk @daveluckett @CllrDaisyBenson and many more! #
  • RT @Tom_Lord: http://twitpic.com/z4ee4 – @jamesbmarshall at #rdgtweetup <- I bet the photographer was /amazing/ :) #
  • To my twitter friends – I am going to be an honourary uncle! I think that means I qualify for receiving presents, yes? #
  • Wow, some sort of spyware is rampant across the office today – usually get one infection a month – had 4 this morning! #
  • Weird, I can't get twitter on my client but I can on the web – API issues? #

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Jan

17

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-17

By pcurd

  • Not snowing in RG2 0/10 #uksnow #
  • I'm at Starbucks – Butter Market (6 Butter Market, Reading). http://4sq.com/88DRu5 #
  • RT @timmorgan: I just ate £200 worth of food with @PCurd and @RobAshton <- and @itsajo ! #
  • RT @RobAshton: A very nice evening out with @PCurd, @timmorgan and @itsajo – can definitely recommend Thai 9's all you can eat! <- here here #
  • #rdg #traffic From the A33 (J11 M4) to Langley Common Road, Arborfield there is a solid tailback Reading bound. That's 4.4 miles! Avoid! #
  • Gah no burger van. My hunger pangs are sticking like duct tape! #
  • mm my newest report returns a 666KB file… may have to add some padding to that.. #
  • Power back on in #RG40 #rdg ! #
  • RT @TechCrunch: Google Defends Against Large Scale Chinese Cyber Attack: May Cease Chinese Operations http://tcrn.ch/5FjR3f <- must read! #
  • Google pulling out of China is massive news. Impossible to put in words. For a corporate to push for social change overseas is momentus. #
  • Snow in RG2 about 1/10 #uksnow #
  • This week is crazy busy. I'm planning to spend the weekend in and Friday night working so maybe tonight is crazy night? No, I'm working :) #
  • I'm not overly pleased with my vps host at the moment, my website is down. Again. #
  • RT @Plip: DDD8 geek dinner signup http://bit.ly/5hIbSw <- geek noms! #
  • Lots of awesome people going to the #DDD8 geek dinner – almost more exciting than the event :-P #
  • A bit late (work! pah!) but registered for #DDD8. #
  • Seriously considering paying for my car insurance up front – £100 interest is freaky scary. #
  • RT @chrisbrownsell: Dragon Age: Origins may be worth playing just for Claudia Black alone. <- here here! #
  • F YEAH! I'm registered for #DDD8 AWESOME. I love @plip! :-) #
  • GAH! An 8:30 start time?! ON A SATURDAY! ARGK! :-P #

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Jan

10

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-10

By pcurd

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Jan

3

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-03

By pcurd

  • Coffee and Dragon Age for 10 minutes whilst I wait for mother. Lovely :) #
  • At @giraffetweet in Exeter – it's tiny and cute! Very busy! #
  • Am going to see Avatar in 3D at 8 but I'm falling asleep – even after Starbucks! Bloody holidays! #
  • #Avatar was good – story wasn't awful and the cgi is excellent. The 3D version is great so I strongly recommend seeing it! #
  • I started taking #Berocca yesterday and actually do feel a bit better today, possibly the placebo effect but still. It's good! #
  • Mother's fridge freezer has packed in – no engineer until Wednesday. Just loaded 4 black sacks of defrosted food. Now itemising for claim. #
  • 12 Days. 12 free downloads from iTunes. Today's free download: Lesbian Vampire Killers http://www.itunes12daysofchristmas.co.uk/ #
  • My new trousers are 4% Spandex. #win? #
  • Happy New Years Eve! Including 4% spandex! http://twitpic.com/w2ov6 #
  • Happy New Year! 2009 wasn't bad for me (I am a minority I know) but I have great hope for changes in 2010. Hear's to it **raises glass** #
  • RT @majornelson: If you are outside celebrating tonight, remember to look up for a rare "Blue Moon" http://bit.ly/7g68UL #
  • #10yearsago I was underage and couldn't drink. I was at home and was underexcited. Oh, how my life hasn't changed much :) #
  • #project365 I put my first image up on my Tumblr – will take advice on the best place to put it :) http://pcurd.tumblr.com/post/311474566/ #
  • Just finished pointing my website and email over to new host. Dns may take some time.. Expect weirdness! Please report problems! #
  • I need some decent photoblog software. YAPB on WordPress does do photos by email. Any suggestions? Asp or php is fine. Mysql avail. Thanks! #
  • Damn the auto correct – YAPB !doesn't! do photos by email. Must have that feature! #

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Dec

27

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-27

By pcurd

  • Feeling poop today (not literally, that would be messy). Going to part work from home, part bitch about feeling poop. #
  • Powercut at work in RG40 … Fortunate I'm off I guess! #
  • RT @amykate The Lot of the Geeks at Christmas http://bit.ly/7ysPpm #
  • On my way to town pre #rdgtweetup @deepwire, @amykate, @carocat etc – drinks before sounds good :) in reply to deepwire #
  • Heading to Slug and Lettace for pre #rdgtweetup drunks. #
  • Pre #rdgtweetup – in the doorway (@ Slug and Lettuce) http://4sq.com/6ZOIIk #
  • Now at @giraffetweet for #rdgtweetup. There's somewhere between 20 and 500 of us! #
  • Excellent night at the #rdgtweetup. Journey home involved a cab and 20 minutes walking where the cab couldn't get. Bed! #
  • RT @chris_alexander Security Question Epic Fail http://bit.ly/6RJvy4 #
  • Now at Sedgemoor. I think some £290 baked beans are on the agenda. #
  • Now I've left 'London' I can no longer see my FourSquare friends :( don't go anywhere exciting! #
  • Really am going to sleep now, two more sleeps to Christmas! Woo! #
  • Last minute shopping won't get done while I'm sat in bed will it? I need to buy some things that didn't arrive by post and other such things #
  • Lots of non-trampy, cute girls about today. Where were they when I lived here?? #grumbles #
  • Ford Mondeo #fail http://twitpic.com/uygor #
  • My faith in society must be at an all time low. First thought seeing an older man and a young girl is 'Isn't that illegal?'. It's her Dad! #
  • Wow just heard the big f word on Taggert whilst in the room with Mother and Grandmother. I didn't flinch. First time ever! Only 25 years! #
  • Merry Christmas Twitterverse! #
  • RT @littlespy: http://twitpic.com/v12kt – …and that rudolf fella…also me… ( and http://twitpic.com/v12ht) <- frickin brilliant! #
  • I hope I'm not going to bed too late for Father Christmas to visit.. Merry Christmas to all and to all, a good night. X #
  • Bloody hell! My mum went overboard on presents! http://twitpic.com/v4wn7 #
  • I'm overwhelmed. No main present this year so loads of small presents have appeared! Lots of cooking things and smelly stuff. #
  • Turkey! http://twitpic.com/v56gh #
  • I love where Top of the Pops cut Killing in the Name of. Just before the final chorus… #ratmxmas #
  • Now fed, champagned and ready for slouching. It's been a bloody long year – some peace is in order. #
  • Doctor Who is really taking liberties now! Awesome though! But a weeks wait!?? #

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Dec

20

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-20

By pcurd

  • I just completed Auditorium on the iPhone :) @carocat @RobAshton @itsajo #
  • RT @bakerleuk: in giraffe with @amykate <- you went to @giraffetweet without /me/! How very dare you! :) #
  • McDonalds just reopened the toilets so we would stay customers. :) #CustomerService #Win #
  • Just walked straight on to the bus – #win #
  • Great day with @carocat @amykate @bakerleuk @timmorgan @talldavek and a weird film. Now sleepytime. Hello Monday, here I come. #
  • RT @lukesmith: google ascii art – http://is.gd/5mXwM <- heh, coolk #
  • RT @scottisafool: Ok, this is freakin' cool! For WinMo users http://bit.ly/72hlxD <- works like a charm on my TyTn 2! Awesome! #
  • Sorry to those people who follow me by avatar – I have changed it. Thanks to @RobAshton for the picture! Any comments before I roll it out? #
  • Right – going to spend an hour on a new website.. not sure what to put on it.. mm… #
  • Just received my second Christmas card :) #
  • Oooo 787 flies… soooon :) #
  • The Boeing 787 is moving! #
  • Boeing 787 Dreamliner is flying! Awesome take off! #787ff #
  • RG2 3/10 #uksnow Was pretty! #
  • RT @amykate Love how even though it's the 21st century, there's all this tech to communicate with, British still just talk about the weather #
  • #uksnow 5/10 RG40 #
  • RT @Gamedigital: Hahaaa you all got that one! Yes, it has no L (no-el). Shall I spare you or would you like another?! <- my boss liked this! #
  • Woo! Thank you @Chris_Quartly and @Carrie_Quartly for my first Christmas present! Very much appreciated :) #
  • Oh dear, I have to go in REALLY early tomorrow – like 2 and a half hours early – for a big meeting. That's like… 9am! who's awake by then? #
  • #uksnow RG40 5/10 Come out of nowhere! Wow! #
  • I've just eaten an entire box of Cadbury's fingers and I;m not even sorry #
  • Christmas party tomorrow. Minor panic about what to wear until I remembered I'm a man so all I have to do is choose from my one suit. #
  • Airinmar Ltd Christmas Party! Citing! http://twitpic.com/u27t7 #
  • Just won £50 in the company raffle/money giving! Christmas lunch is sorted! #
  • Party is over! I am drunk. There were four fallings in the ice (none were me). I am going to bed after having been kissed by a man. #
  • Heading into #rdg. Exciting. #
  • I'm at Starbucks Riverside w/ @amykate. http://4sq.com/4pfntF #

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Dec

15

NaNoWriMo – my failure and my thoughts

By pcurd

Last month I attempted to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I didn’t do very well (as can be seen here), barely managing 4,000 words.

I had hoped this would be my chance to actually write a decent amount of prose and possibly actually articulate a few ideas and characters I’ve had knocking around.

As it turns out, it wasn’t. I have fleshed out part of one character, but nothing more. The back story was unbelievable and even I did care what happened to him. I clearly have some work to do on my style.

I had hoped having “Writing Buddies” would spur me on but even carocat and amykate didn’t finish. In fact, I wrote more than either of them (at least, that they logged on the website).

So what went wrong?

Well, Dragon Age: Origins came out – I have invested 16 hours or so in that so far, that’s valuable writing time lost. I could have been using my Starbucks time to work on it but.. I didn’t. I think the primary reason I stopped writing was I got fixated on the word count. Against better advise I began to measure my progress based on 1,666 words a day, and this wasn’t feasible. By day 3 I was far behind and even a brief splurge on day 4 couldn’t bring it back up.

Why did the word count matter? It didn’t, not at all. But it was symbolic of my failure to give NaNoWriMo the care and attention it needed. Perhaps if I had pushed myself harder I would have gotten into the story, that alone might have kept me going. Perhaps if I had been challenged to keep up with some other target rather than words, although what that might have been is beyond me.

All told though, it was an enjoyable few evenings – even if I was a little too presumptuous, declaring the book a triumph by the second day…

Maybe next year, maybe some other time but I feel there is a book in me somewhere.

Amykate herself explains her own failure in a eloquence most becoming an author on her blog here.

Carocat .. well perhaps trails off is the best way to explain, I’ll let her cover the basics in her last NaNoWriMo post too.