Crunch time

So I’m in crunch time for the first time in a long, LONG time. I worked on a project from 9 am to 11 pm today, and tomorrow will be pretty much the same.

And y’know, it feels great. After so long of being a fixer or a cleaner-upper, I’m working on a project that I totally own from start to finish. Of course, it has a crazy short development cycle, ergo the crunch time. But I think I set myself up to work best under pressure way back when I was a teenager working in restaurant kitchens. I learned to love the pressure then, and I think because of that I still do my best work when the chips are down and the deadline is looking impossible.

My biggest problem is the part of me that procrastinates; I think its my subconscious trying to create those high-pressure situations.

Anyway, rambling. But today was the first time in a long time that I truly felt good about something I was building, since I’m building it my way. No one to blame but me if it fails. No one to take the credit if its a hit. 🙂

Another article published

I’ve been lax about posting when I get stuff published. Not that I’ve had a lot lately, but anyway…

Life beyond Google: Do alternative search engines measure up?, published at Computerworld.com.

I never know what’s going to happen when I submit to CW. Some of the editors give my stuff the Computerworld treatment which tends to bleach out any of my personality I’ve put into it, others leave my weirdness intact. I understand the bleaching process… they’re trying to project a consistent voice. But it’s strange to read one of these pieces and think “Wait…I wrote this? This doesn’t sound like me!”

Anyway, this one is more or less intact… probably not a thrilling read for most of my friends, though.