Forem: Adam Cuppy

Software Engineer in Residence

Adam Cuppy — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 01:41:10 +0000

📣 We're looking for two more junior- and mid-level software developers to join our Software Engineer in Residence program - an accelerated path to leveling-up...

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My favorite code-based expression

Adam Cuppy — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 04:01:54 +0000

For whatever reason, I love writing Ruby's or/equal operator (||=). Said in human-speak, if the variable on the left is null then assign it the value on the right; otherwise, leave the variable on the left as is: @left ||= 'right'

Simplicity

The concept of or/equal exists throughout life, "Is the oven on? No, then set it to 350 degrees." We get it. The flow is natural.

Interpretability

The syntax is easy to parse. If you're familiar with || meaning or and = meaning should now equal then combining them leads down a logical path towards or should now equal. Neat!

What's your favorite programming expression/method/operator?

Post and example. Why do you love writing it?

The Sound of Silence

Adam Cuppy — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 18:02:03 +0000

I lost my Airpods this morning. They may show up later, but for the time being, gone.

As a father of a 1-year old, private/alone time is precious. There are four-hours of audio for two books I'm trying to finish, and I have a 90-minute run today. There's little I can do to occupy my mind on a long-run, so audiobooks and podcasts are essential (yes, essential.)

So, to my surprise, I found the loss of these little white wireless bastards a major hit to my positive state of mind.

Last night.

I'm training for a triathlon and, as I mentioned moments ago, having time alone is precious. Earlier in the week my bike tire got a flat. I'm new to fixing a flat, so they take me longer than a "trained professional."

After an hour or so of YouTube and wrenching my fingers into a wheel frame, I fixed the flat! Because I used up 60-minutes of my 120-minute ride time, I had to combine a meeting with a ride on a bike-trainer (similar to a stationary bike, but with a real bike in a bike-mount).

00:12:36 minutes into the 2-hour ride the tire went flat again - damn! Let the mourning being.

From time to time, I pick up my copy of "The Daily Stoic" by Ryan Holiday. I don't consider myself a stoic (I'm not a thousand years old.) However, I like the short/concise nature of many stoic principles. Often, when I'm in a life-pinch, I pick it up and read the day's except. Without fail, it applies.

Now, it might be divine intervention; or it might be that, like a good palm reading, I will find a way to make any generalizable advice, applicable. Regardless, today's except was spot on.

"This is the mark of perfection of character - to spend each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, laziness, or any pretending." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 7.69

As Ryan puts it in the book:

"...Can you actually live today like it is your last day? Is it even possible to embody completeness or perfection in our ethos (character)... Maybe not. But if trying was enough for the Stoics, it should be enough for us too.

Today, I will commit to trying. Today, I will be okay with almost. Today, I will accept the sound of silence as the sound of acceptance: of being human.

It's obvious

Adam Cuppy — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 23:12:52 +0000

We don't discard physics because it can't reconcile what's on the other side of a black hole.

We don't discard the spherical nature of the planet because we can't see the curve from sea level.

Perspective sheds light on what may become obvious later on. An obvious solution is only an option with perspective. Otherwise, it's blind faith.

Our reality - what's obvious - is the result of an ever-growing account of perceptions. The larger the list, the more obvious things appear to be. However...

The earth was obviously flat, for thousands of years, until humanity gained a better perspective. The electron was obviously theoretical until it became observable. The Black Death (plague) was obviously the "fury of God" until we discovered a pathogen being spread through rodents and a lack of hygiene.

In other words, what's obvious is only that way until we have the opportunity to see the world from a new - better - perspective.