Who am I? Well, I'm just another code grinder. What is a code grinder?
From the Jargon File: code grinder n. 1. A suit-wearing minion of the sort hired in legion strength by banks and insurance companies to implement payroll packages in RPG and other such unspeakable horrors. In its native habitat, the code grinder often removes the suit jacket to reveal an underplumage consisting of button-down shirt (starch optional) and a tie. In times of dire stress, the sleeves (if long) may be rolled up and the tie loosened about half an inch. It seldom helps. The code grinder's milieu is about as far from hackerdom as one can get and still touch a computer; the term connotes pity.
Maybe not quite as harsh as the jargon link, I don't wear a suit, but I do work for a lending company writing programs in VB and ASP, and generating reports in Crystal reports. I shouldn't really complain, I make good enough money, and most programmers work under more stressful conditions than I do. The work isn't exciting, but it pays the bills.
I am in my early 30's, and I got my degree in molecular biology. During my last semester while I was doing research, I discovered that I couldn't stand working all day in a chemistry lab, I am too sensitive to the chemicals and I was constantly feeling ill. So I did an about face and went back to programming. I had originally wanted to be a programmer in high school, but I didn't like my teacher who FORCED me to do extra credit work that I didn't want to do. I always had straight A's and was the first to complete assignments in CS class, but the teacher couldn't stand to let me be idle. So I refused to take C++ my senior year, and went into Biology when I got to college. I really enjoyed Bio, but I would have been better off if I had gone CS. I am better suited to programming and I put myself years behind by this side track. On the other hand I do know a lot about genetics, chemistry, etc that I wouldn't know otherwise.
I am married and have a son and daughter ages 5 and 3. I live in an OK house in a nice neighborhood with lots of other families. I am generally happy, but sometimes have attacks of ennui. To combat this I do various projects and activities, and I hope that this Blog will be a good place to journal these activities among other things. The problem is that I become bored after a few weeks, and have to find something new to stimulate my interest. For instance I might buy a new game for my PC, play it and enjoy it for a few weeks, but loose interest and never finish the game. This has happened several times with RPGs like Baldur's gate, Pool of Radiance, and EverQuest. My wife on the other hand can play these games over and over. The problem isn't that I don't like the games, I just can't stay excited buy them. I guess I have been rambling from one topic to another, but I never claimed to be a great writer. Maybe as this blog develops my entries will become more topical.
From the Jargon File: code grinder n. 1. A suit-wearing minion of the sort hired in legion strength by banks and insurance companies to implement payroll packages in RPG and other such unspeakable horrors. In its native habitat, the code grinder often removes the suit jacket to reveal an underplumage consisting of button-down shirt (starch optional) and a tie. In times of dire stress, the sleeves (if long) may be rolled up and the tie loosened about half an inch. It seldom helps. The code grinder's milieu is about as far from hackerdom as one can get and still touch a computer; the term connotes pity.
Maybe not quite as harsh as the jargon link, I don't wear a suit, but I do work for a lending company writing programs in VB and ASP, and generating reports in Crystal reports. I shouldn't really complain, I make good enough money, and most programmers work under more stressful conditions than I do. The work isn't exciting, but it pays the bills.
I am in my early 30's, and I got my degree in molecular biology. During my last semester while I was doing research, I discovered that I couldn't stand working all day in a chemistry lab, I am too sensitive to the chemicals and I was constantly feeling ill. So I did an about face and went back to programming. I had originally wanted to be a programmer in high school, but I didn't like my teacher who FORCED me to do extra credit work that I didn't want to do. I always had straight A's and was the first to complete assignments in CS class, but the teacher couldn't stand to let me be idle. So I refused to take C++ my senior year, and went into Biology when I got to college. I really enjoyed Bio, but I would have been better off if I had gone CS. I am better suited to programming and I put myself years behind by this side track. On the other hand I do know a lot about genetics, chemistry, etc that I wouldn't know otherwise.
I am married and have a son and daughter ages 5 and 3. I live in an OK house in a nice neighborhood with lots of other families. I am generally happy, but sometimes have attacks of ennui. To combat this I do various projects and activities, and I hope that this Blog will be a good place to journal these activities among other things. The problem is that I become bored after a few weeks, and have to find something new to stimulate my interest. For instance I might buy a new game for my PC, play it and enjoy it for a few weeks, but loose interest and never finish the game. This has happened several times with RPGs like Baldur's gate, Pool of Radiance, and EverQuest. My wife on the other hand can play these games over and over. The problem isn't that I don't like the games, I just can't stay excited buy them. I guess I have been rambling from one topic to another, but I never claimed to be a great writer. Maybe as this blog develops my entries will become more topical.
posted by czm at
10:09 AM
