Something Exciting

If you’re waiting for something exciting to happen, maybe that thing is waiting for you to help get it started.

Knowledge Is Always Valuable

Knowledge is always valuable. Learning is always worthwhile. 

Another Day In The Life Of A Software Developer

Manager: Did you get the email?

Developer: Which email?

Manager: From the Business Analyst.

Developer: Oh, I just received it. Did they find a bug?

Manager: No. It’s a new requirement.

Developer: For next week? 

Manager: No. They need it today.

Developer: I thought UAT was locked.

Manager: It is, but they said it’s important, and I told them that we could do it.

Developer. Okay...

Manager: It’s a simple change. You should be able to do it in fifteen minutes.

Developer: I have to analyze the requirement, determine which programs need to change, check out the code, make the modifications, run through the test plan, check in the changes, build a deployment package, and get it approved for release. I can’t do that in fifteen minutes.

Manager: Well, it has to be ready by 2 o’clock.

Developer: Alright, I’ll work through lunch. If I have any questions, I’ll check with the Business Analyst.

Manager: You’d better catch him soon. 

Developer: Why?

Manager: He’s going on the corporate golf outing.

Crickets: Cheep-cheep! Cheep-cheep!

Developer: I’ll figure it out.

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Fair Summer

Welcome 

Fair Summer 

Embrace her joyously 

Savor her passionately 

Dance with her tirelessly 

Adore her 

Cherish her 

Love her 

Knowing 

That time is short 

And she won’t be able

To stay with you 

Much longer 

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Time For A Checkup

Think about what you want to do 

Where you want to be 

How you want to feel 

And what it will take to get there 

Think about all that you’ve achieved 

Who you are today 

How that makes you feel 

And what it took to get here

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

The Best We Can Do

Treasure fond memories 

Learn from mistakes 

Forgive yourself and all others 

For what can’t be changed 

This is all we can do 

With the past 

This is the best we can do 

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

New York Minute 146 - Apple Pooch

I stopped by one of the Apple Stores in Manhattan a few days ago. A well-dressed gentleman who looked to be about seventy walked into the store with a large black dog on a leash. The man had no apparent disability; the dog was a pet.

The gentleman chatted at length with one of the employees near a display table showcasing a number of colorful Apple Watches. The dog sat patiently on the floor for a while, but eventually, he lept up and put his paws on the display table. After trying to get the owner’s attention for several seconds, the dog went back down to the floor, only to leap up again shortly thereafter.

This happened several times in a row until the employee asked the man to control the dog and keep him from leaping up, suggesting that the dog’s claws could scratch the table or damage the products on display. The customer ran his fingers over the table top and said indignantly, “He’s not scratching anything!”

The world’s gone to the dogs.

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

The Sun Will Come Again

No matter how much it rains 

The sun will come out again 

My Father Taught Me

My father taught me 

How to tie my first tie 

Comb my hair neatly 

With a part on the side 

How to button shirts properly 

And dress like a man 

Even fasten cuff links 

Quite a trick with one hand 

He taught me good manners 

From a very young age 

Always hold doors for women 

And make them feel safe 

Be polite and thoughtful 

And help when you can 

And show earnest respect 

To every woman and man 

To value knowledge 

And pursue it aggressively

To appreciate reason 

And apply it effectively 

To share what you know 

And listen when you don’t 

To debate in good faith 

And avoid those who won’t

To read lots of books 

And treasure what’s wise 

To carry a pen 

To keep thoughts organized 

To maintain high standards 

And fully realize 

That hard work can lead 

To the dreams that you prize 

To value the arts 

For the wonders that they are 

Music 

Architecture 

Painting and Sculpture 

Theater 

Dance 

Poetry and Literature 

To appreciate language 

And the power of words 

To communicate clearly 

When you need to be heard 

That to learn a new language 

Means relearning your own 

And opens up paths 

To what more can be known 

To host your guests generously 

Laugh with them heartily 

Speak your mind eloquently 

Listen attentively 

To express appreciation enthusiastically 

And disappointment supportively 

To live life sympathetically  

And love others forgivingly

To understand concepts 

That explain how things work 

To delve into the secrets 

Of our fascinating world 

Mathematics and Physics 

Chemistry and Statistics 

Acoustics and Electronics 

Sociology and Economics

To understand history 

And the lessons it serves 

To appreciate Liberty 

With the respect it deserves 

To follow keen thinkers 

Who keep us informed 

To be mindful of tyranny 

In all of its forms 

To value accomplishment 

And strive for the best 

To write down details 

I can’t keep in my head 

To toil through the night 

‘til the job is done right 

To never cut corners 

On the work that’s required 

To laugh in the best times 

And laugh in the worst 

To laugh at the senseless 

And laugh ‘til it hurts 

Then smile and appreciate 

The blessings of life 

To hug all your children 

And honor your wife 

To keep your commitments 

When the challenge is hard 

To stand for your values 

With all that you are 

To be a good parent 

Who always provides 

To speak the truth freely 

And do what is right 

These are some

Of the many great things 

That my father taught me 

Over the years 

As he set an example 

That meant so much to me 

Of how to live 

And to act 

To think 

And to love 

And to be 

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Next Day In The Life Of A Software Developer

Developer: As discussed, I’ve modified it to be purple and orange. Can you please check it?

Business Analyst: They want to go back to red, white, and blue.

Developer: Okay. I can roll back the change.

Business Analyst: But they want parts of it to be purple and orange.

Developer: Which parts?

Business Analyst: I’ll have to get back to you.

Developer: Please let me know as soon as you can.

Crickets: Cheep-cheep! Cheep-cheep!

Manager: Did you switch it back to red, white, and blue?

Developer: I can roll back the change, but they said that they want some parts to be purple and orange.

Manager: How long will that take?

Developer: They haven’t told me which parts yet.

Manager: It has to go into UAT tomorrow.

Developer: They haven’t told me what they want yet.

Manager: I’ll talk to them, but it still has to go to UAT.

Developer: I’ll handle it.

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved