Django 1.1 is released

Wow, I am super excited to have Django 1.1 ... Wow! Ok, not so much but it's cool and I am going to check it out right away. I'm just getting started anyway, so I might as well start out with the latest major release. Should I be using the SVN builds?

Learning DJANGO

I've been coding for years now. Mostly in Java, C++ and C#; recently however I have been doing lots and lots of work with Python. I really like python, it's a great language and I find using it has made me more productive.

After playing with Python for a few weeks, I've decided to try and create a site using Django. I have to say, this is something I am very new to. My previous development attempts used JSP, PHP and ASP.NET, none of these were as hands off as Django. There is a lot I am going to have to learn to work with this system, and the documentation is a little annoying. I fell in love with Java Docs a long time ago.

I also find it hard to believe that there are no good development IDE's with Django support. I mean Dreamweaver, Aptana, Coda ... None of these apps have the level of support for Django that you would get from InteliJ, Netbeans, Eclipse or Visual Studio when using Java or .Net. I can code without an IDE, but I do find them helpful when I am working with a big framework and the learning curve is still steep.

Django is a totally cool tool set, and I can't wait to really be able to use it. In the meantime I will be here, fighting to have that breakthrough, after which things will make sense. Oh and I don't know about Rails but Kudos to the Django developers for making config files that make sense. After spending years working with Spring and JSF I really appreciate the configuration files and setup in Django.

If you don't know what Django is and want to find out please go to http://www.djangoproject.org.

Change is in the air.

Once again change is in the Air. I am certain it's for the best, although I am afraid that it will bring some pain. Is this how it works for all of us? Do people at some point in their lives just give up improving and growing because the change is so painful? I can definitely see it, I mean I know that throughout my life times such as these have always led to me being better and more content, but I also know I have it pretty good now and I have only had to sell out a little bit.

If by some chance you manage to stumble onto this blog, please let me know what you think? Resist the change and stagnate or embrace it and enjoy the ride?

The back story:

I used to tell myself I would see the word. I wouldn't end up as one of the many nameless, faceless, thoughtless consuming consumers. I was determined to be the best that I could be in all regards. I told myself I wouldn't live life fearing death or failure, that I would take what came and use it to my advantage and that most of all I would not be boring.

The now story:

Well here I am, I'm in my early 30's; I've purchased a condo and I have so many useless things and I am employed by a large oil company. Over the years I have been rationalizing this to myself, but slowly it's eaten away at me. I live a life of comfortable disconnection and the more I think of how my life used to be the more it scares me. I am afraid of change, hard work and getting hurt. I am terrified that the illusion of control I have built up over the years will come crumbling down and I will discover that I've lost my edge, my skills have withered and I will have to remain out of necessity what I have become, forever consuming and contributing nothing real, as this will have become my only means of survival.

I never wanted to be the person who spends money to find happiness. Yet here I am; in a few short years I have completely forgotten what it is like to just have fun without money. I'm missing the world because I'm worried about my mortgage. I fill out paperwork that really does nothing but help the other useless people do their pointless tasks ... Some made up rule says I'm essential, but you'll have to take my word for it when I say I'm not.

Buildings are erected, mountains are scaled, books are written, art is created, games are played, things are discovered, and I am witness to non of it.

Looking forward:

Recently things have begun to change, I may be out of work and in good circumstances. I am considering striking out on my own, to try and fulfill my dreams, see the world and create something that matters, even if it's just to me.

Or I can find another job. I am pretty good at what I do, and there is security. Experience has taught me that I will be unhappy, but maybe that is the price. Perhaps I should just buy a new product and shut up.

What do you think?

Motoko waits at the Hospital

Motoko waits at the Hospital, originally uploaded by mburchil.

Yay! Happy Canada day! Motoko and I got to spend the day celebrating by making use of our wonderful universal health care system.

Canadian health care is awesome, you get pretty good care, from good doctors and they have access to very modern equipment and training. If it weren't for the healthcare system many of us would not be so healthy and I would be missing a few family members.

On the other hand why does it take four hours to get seven stitches?


People will blame health care, and they will blame the government, but I think it has more to do with us. When we went to the hospital they had all the latest stuff and the doctor was very knowledgeable. However nothing seemed efficient, people would start something then run off and come back an hour later only to do another 30 seconds of work and run off again. The hospital staff were not slacking, they were working, they just didn't get anything done.