Is this thing on? 🎤

I’ve been programming professionally for years, and let’s face it, not every day at work will leave you at the end of it feeling warm and fuzzy from exercising your creative muscles. Every so often, it’s a grind. Plain and simple. Maybe you’ve been putting out fires or spent the whole day tracking down a really tricky corner case bug. Perhaps you’ve been stuck in long needless meetings. It happens. On those days, I feel it’s important to unwind, one way or another. Some people do it by watching movies or by playing video games. I enjoy feeling like I’ve accomplished something. It doesn’t have to be a significant achievement, just some positive progress towards something.

This is what side projects are for. I’ve started lots of little side projects over the years, but nothing I felt would stand up to the scrutiny of others. I judge myself way too harshly. So, I’ve let them all fall to the wayside. Unfinished, unpolished. Not worthy. You suck!

It’s somewhat ironic to fear critique personally while, at the same time, being used to having your professional work scrutinized and, if flawed — hammered down by hordes of naysayers. Never read the App Store reviews, I say. It’s much easier when it doesn’t have your name on it.

So, I’m going to make something and finish it. I’m not sure what yet, but perhaps I’ll just start by writing about it here. Instead of watching TV tomorrow night, I’m going to start building something. This time I plan to ship it, too. I have lots of ideas, we all do, but of course, I see so many flaws in them all, so why start, right?