Here is a cool visual tool for learning about branching in git. Great for beginners!
Monthly Archives for February 2013
28 02.18.2013
Last week I turned 28, and I decided to make it a tradition to write a birthday post every year (not sorry!). What a hilarious thing to do, since I have a track record of failing at *something* every year. Anyone that knows me, in person or online, knows that halfway through my 28th year of living, Jimmy and I broke up after a 7.5 year relationship. It was tragic for a little bit, but it was one of those bittersweet sad-but-awesome-that-it-happened things. No disrespect to Jimmy, who I still consider a pal, but everyone knew this had to happen. Especially the cat, since Jimmy was the disciplinarian and now he can jump all over my shit without consequence.
So on to a recap of the cool parts of the last year…
I got bangs, and that’s probably why Michelle Obama did. I finally finished my Masters, and that was one of the coolest accomplishments for me ever. I went on my first real vacation with my best mate, Michelle, to Ocean City a few weeks after The Breakup™ and spent some glorious time with her in the ocean. Jefrey almost died, but now he is all better and on a prescription food diet, so he’s still stuck with me! Not too long after Baltimore, I got to go to GHC in Baltimore and spend time with my dear Doran Family. I went to an assessment conference in Philly, which lead to new opportunities, a special new friendship, and grew my interest in academic assessment – related to my Masters software. I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed and that was as hilarious and bloody as expected. I went to Boston to play around with JavaScript, which also lead to opportunities and friendships. I trolled my family over the holidays, as I do. I got to work with Jeanne and win Best Design at Hack Jersey, which was a great opportunity to work with her face-to-face more than we ever had been able to in the past. A couple of weeks ago, I had my fake front teeth replaced with better looking permanent ones, which I hope is the final chapter in years of dental nightmares.
So, yeah, this year I wrote a lot of code, did a lot of domestic traveling, and became friends with a lot of new people. I know I’ve got a lot more exploring to do and adventures to go on, so I anticipate that my future “29″ post will be even more full of cool stuff.
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- Right after my Masters project was approved, we had cake
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- Michelle and I on a ferry to Delaware
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- Orioles Stadium in Baltimore. My circle, now.
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- For Christmas, I made a tattoo parody of my sister’s ink.
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- Jeanne Pinder and I, aka “Team Ladies Night” at Hack Jersey
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- New front teeth, after 10 years of waiting!
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- Katie got me a clock with my face on it.
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- “Two cocks and a clock.” Michelle’s mom made the cakes.
An open letter to women who are not my mom (all of you) 02.04.2013
Dear moms,
I love you all. I didn’t grow up with one, but I still appreciate what mine probably would have gone through were she alive throughout my childhood. She’d have to deal with my eye rolling, snark, mouth of a sailor, and inability to hide the disdain on my very expressive face whenever someone tries to mansplain things to me. I imagine that right about now, exactly one week before I turn 28, she’d be asking me when I plan to start a family or settle on a career or start brushing my hair regularly.
But my mom is not alive, and so no one is entitled to tell me that being a mom and wife is “much more fulfilling” than living on my own and building my career, and that I’m “missing out.” And it works the other way around: I’m not entitled to tell you that I think being without children is pretty awesome and fulfilling and I’m having so much more fun than you har har har.
In Who’s Afraid of Marie Curie, Linley Erin Hall briefly explored the concept of women being harder on younger women in science and technology than some men are. In so many words, she said it was most likely because they, themselves, had a rough time getting into their career without being discriminated against. If they had to go through the sexism and ageism to get to where they’re at, then other women should have to walk a mile in their shoes to get to the same level, right? Of course, most of us know that women are harder on other women even outside of STEM, but I never really thought about it until Hall mentioned it. Everyone who was ever irrationally hard on me when it came to my life choices were all women, and that bums me out. Call it women-on-women hate or jealousy or whatever. It’s just gross.
We’re all trying to live Our Best Life™, and that means a life not like anyone else’s. I’m not sure if I want to have kids or not, because my brain is currently preoccupied with more selfish thoughts like where do I plan to live when my lease is up this summer, what do I want to do next in my career, and should I get the white mocha latte with raspberry syrup this afternoon (yes, Jenn, you’ll be in a better mood after it).
I always welcome advice from other women who have wisdom, insight, and a different perspective on life than I have, so long as they do not tell me that I’m not living my best life when I know I am. If my mom was not given the gift of a longer life, long enough to be able to nag me about always wearing old band t-shirts with holes and drinking so much coffee, then you cannot nag me either. Not sorry!
xoxo j
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