I am constantly trying to improve myself and enhance my capabilities, but sometimes you just have to stop and know your own limitations. Limitations aren’t a bad thing, because if you know of them, then you can try to work around them at the same time as focusing on what you are very good at.
I think I’ve hit on one of those limitations in myself. I have problems with big projects which I can only do on my own. I just seem to not be able to manage them correctly. In fact, in some cases they’ve put me off of programming altogether.
So sole-developing big projects is my downfall. The only way forward if I have to deal with the project in its entirety then I’ll just have to get somebody else to help. Preferably if they have prior knowledge of the platform/technologies used. That obviously frees up some of my time to regain my sanity on some other small projects.
One other thing that I could do, and probably should do in the future is only say “yes” to team-based projects (if they are big projects) and small/mini projects such as building small plugins/modules/components to existing well-documented and well-designed systems.
I’ve been learning quite recently that I should say “no” to things more often, particularly if there is any chance that I can’t do something (skill-limitation), don’t have the time to do something (time-limitation) or don’t have enough time to learn how to do something (time-skill-limitation).
This does of course sound a bit of a negative post, but it is a crucial aspect of self-employment, and as you know I try to be open about my career. However, I don’t think that it is entirely negative. I was always taught “Know Thyself”. By knowing myself I can actively and continually work on (and at) smoothing those knobbly bits that can get in the way.
I am open to comments, suggestions and ideas. For now I shall be proud to say that I am a “divide and conquer” style pluging/module/component programmer.
Many thanks and blessings,
Daniel
I got frustrated when I didn’t want to sign-up to the TES website just to give a comment on one of their stories - so I include my opinion below.
I’d be interested to hear other peoples opinions.
Here is the article in question: “Evangelicals’ free school would include creationism on science curriculum“.
My initial opinion is included below:
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This is a really tough situation. In order for us to have truly free schools (and a free society) we must be tolerant towards those who are intolerant - its one of the toughest things to do. The only thing that we can do, and maybe the only ethical thing that we can do, is politely put forward our arguments against the application of Creationism being taught as fact or at-least on par with Scientific statements (if our opinion is such).
I personally feel that a school needs to strike a careful balance between the extremes - too much faith-based teaching is bad due to intolerance to those who have found their answers purely in science, too much science-based teaching is also bad due to intolerance towards those who have faith. So I would say, teach religion as religion and teach science as science - but leave belief to the individual. Religion has been an important part of the worlds history (including the formation of modern Science), and we can’t just throw it away.
In addition to my opinion above - I would also add that it is still very much up to the parents about where they send their children. If an Evangelical wants to send their children to an Evangelical school then they will do so, if they decided to send them to a secular school (state or otherwise) then their child would probably end up Evangelical anyway because of their parents. Its just the unfortunate way that the world works - all we can do is try to be pervasive, ambient and ubiquitous with our tolerance.
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Cheers,
Daniel
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