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by hfsktr 3331 days ago
Software Developer (mainly web). Full time. Sole developer in a 3-4 person department. Our consulting company (15-20 persons) was recently acquired by a much larger (1300 persons) but hasn't had an affect on us (yet).

[05:30 or [06:00] - wake up

[06:00]-[07:00] - make coffee and watch tv while I work out

[07:00] or [0715] - shower

[08:00] get to office (5 minute drive)

[08:15] - wait for my computer to finish starting up and be usable

[08:15]-[11:30] - work on assigned tickets, could be projects or bug-fixes or client meetings or anything in between

[11:30] - [12:30] - go home and make a sandwich for lunch, try to have a ~30 min nap

[12:30] - [17:00] - more assigned work

[17:00]-[23:00] - usually gaming and dinner, sometimes tv, errands

[23:00]-[05:30] - sleep, variable from 22:00-00:00 but consistent wake time.

Emails and chat are open all day. Not used much so it's not really a distraction. Some days I get to work 15 mins early and then I wait until Friday and leave early. I am one of 2-3 people who is here after 4:30 pm.

Most of the work is integrating custom functionality into the Umbraco CMS. Sometimes I get to write stand-alone apps though, which is nice. I get to do all the code and SQL and half the time figure out IIS stuff. We also support many clients that have outdated systems (ASP, ColdFusion) but those are usually bug-fixes to keep them running as best we can. Ever since the acquisition there has been very few days where there is enough work to fill a whole day (many many very big projects are just sitting at various stages of approval/planning/etc).

When I don't have enough work to do I build out functionality on my site or write an article. I do the coding here and we have a designer so I am getting to learn a lot more about CSS and layout that I don't get to do usually. Very rarely I will just pick up a tutorial to work through. My site has taken enough time to get to where it is that this is pretty rare.

To some people it sounds great but I would like to have consistent work and coworkers who I can actually talk to, even though we all are in cubicles next to each other, we are not a communicative group and the designer wants nothing to do with code (even though I'd like to get cross trained on design work). I've never been part of a code review and it's depressing not getting feedback about anything.

Sorry for the wall of text.

1 comments

"5 minute drive"? Buy a bike and chuck out 0600-0700!
I very strongly considered it. Or just walking (3 miles). The two hold ups are that I don't want to turn up to work all sweaty (or wet, or frozen etc) and to a lesser extent carrying all my stuff (purse, wallet, coffee, lunch).

Also going home for lunch is highly convenient and I really like that nap.

I wouldn't have to bike/walk every day of course. I am still considering it (clearly).

I'd certainly try it out for a day or two a week, backpack / jersey pockets for stuff.. easier if you have a locker or showers at your work. Hopefully you wouldn't arrive too sweaty after 3 miles which should take you about ~15 minutesish.

Win-win though, exercise and if you get in to it less fuel costs. Could easily clock up 30 miles a week and extend your route on nice days.. no brainer!

The best thing you can do to avoid getting sweaty is use either a basket or pannier bags to carry your stuff.