I Live in Iowa: Week 64

It's not that weeks pass the same, it's that the differences are not always immediately obvious. For example, I can't say that I was incredibly productive this week at work or finished some magnificent project. Actually I finished one aspect of a big project this week. Unfortunately one aspect means I have more aspects to solve. However, I am having great fun with a project that I handed off. So the way it typically works at work is all of the projects are funneled through my supervisor, a senior engineer. Then he doles out the projects based on what we are working on and have worked on in the past. He rarely gets a chance to do projects of his own. So after I spent a week or two struggling with this one particular project he offered to take a look at it. Two weeks later he is still taking a look at it. This is incredibly rewarding for me, because it shows that when I struggle, it really is a struggle and not some little detail I missed.

Another very very positive thing that happened at work this week was a direct result of something that did not happen at work. I went to a Independence Day potluck and met one of the X-13s at work. That is to say one of the skilled factory workers. The person that has the ability to put all the gages on a machine before we run a physical test and make sure it all works. This is a union position. For worse, the salaried (engineers, etc.) and unsalaried (union) employees don't really interact much. It is a loss for all because even with all of the theoretical knowledge that we have putting it all together in an actual system we don't know what is making it all work. So I met J and we talked at the potluck and he invited me to come see what he does. Then Thursday I did go hang out with him for an hour and a half. It was incredibly productive. It is probably going to be a recurring occurrence. There is a hesitation in such a large company to meet new people and get in their way or come off as the clueless person that I am. Now that I know a guy on the inside though, I can go through the door and ask the embarrassing questions.

In the world of running I ran 7.4 miles. That is great progress. That's almost four times as much as I did last week. I also put some miles on the bicycle, but not a whole lot. The longest ride was 44 miles.

What else? I went tubing Saturday. That deserves it's own blog post.

My iOS Objective-C class is as challenging for me as any class. Of course without the prerequisites I think I'm doing really well actually. The lectures are great! The homework on the other hand, totally bewildering for a third rate programmer. I'm learning so much it is great!

I have two projects in the works. One is the book that I was working on a year and a half ago. I'm working on it again. The other won't be a huge surprise once I announce it, but I am facing some difficulty finding a situation I can agree to.

Hopefully you had a good week. It has been hot out so be sure to stay cool.