By J. Timothy King on July 5, 2012
Developing software is supposed to be one of the best jobs available, because it uses creativity, and it requires professional independence. And those software jobs are out there. But some of us are not currently working one of those jobs. In early 2009, I wrote a post entitled “7 Best Things About Being a Consulting […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, software engineering, stress |
By J. Timothy King on November 9, 2010
Every time I drove down Route 3A through Burlington, MA, I’d see a huge storefront with the words “Used Book Superstore” posted over it. I always wanted to peek inside. I mean, a used book superstore? Who ever heard of such a thing? There are large book retailers, like Barnes & Noble. There are smaller, […]
Posted in Books, Teaser Tuesdays | Tagged Dilbert, Robert Sapolsky, Scott Adams, stress, The Joy of Work, Used Book Superstore |
By J. Timothy King on March 17, 2010
Another part of this series of posts, “Depression and the Software Developer.” This latest story I started on Monday, part 4 of “Depression and the Software Developer”. [Note: You can read the story from the beginning in order to catch up.] No client or employer will ever admit to you that he doesn’t want to […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, software engineering, stress |
By J. Timothy King on March 15, 2010
Here’s a story I’ve been keeping on the back burner for almost a year now. I haven’t published it until now, because it still hit too close to home. But this week, I’ve scheduled an interview with Sharon Cathcart, author of In the Eye of the Beholder, which I am currently reading, and a memoir […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, software engineering, stress |
By J. Timothy King on April 21, 2009
(This is a continuation from part 2 of “Depression and the Software Developer”.) [Note: This is a recounting of an experience from several years ago. Read the story from the beginning in order to catch up.] According to psychologist Joe Griffin, the cycle of depression starts when innate needs are not being met. Among these […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Personal Improvement, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, Ivan Tyrrell, Joe Griffin, programming, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Software Development, software engineering, stress |
By J. Timothy King on April 20, 2009
(This is a continuation from part 1 of “Depression and the Software Developer”.) If one of the most powerful weapons against depression is hope, one of its most powerful fuels is hopelessness. I attacked my next job with gusto and enthusiasm. The company had previously outsourced a project to an offshore contractor, and now that […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Personal Improvement, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Software Development, software engineering, stress |
By J. Timothy King on April 17, 2009
Knowing what I know now, I wonder how I avoided depression for as long as I did: Stress causes depression. Perfectionists are more prone to depression. Isolation reinforces depression. As a software developer, those frequently go along with the job description. Seasonal Affective Disorder has gotten the rap for at least some of the funk, […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Personal Improvement, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Software Development, software engineering, stress |