Spike It
New tools and frameworks come up all the time in web development. Yet, I usually don’t pay much attention to them, apprehensive they’ll distract me from the fundamentals.
I also often thought it wouldn’t be worth peeking into new tech if I didn’t have the time to dive deep and use it in a side project.
Last week, though, I decided to spin up a playground with Gatsby, a popular framework I had never used before.
Without any master plan, I spent two hours throwing code at the screen, reading bits of documentation, and watching brief lessons.
In that short time, I finally understood the excitement around Gatsby and learned it’s a fantastic tool I could explore further in the future if needed.
I can now join the conversation with the cool kids, but most importantly, I gained the confidence to try out tech without needing to go all in.
It made me think about other things I could spin for a test drive. Instead of debating the pros and cons ad nauseam, I could do a spike.
Spike – A task aimed at answering a question or gathering information, rather than at producing shippable product. –The Agile Dictionary
That idea led me to Anissa, Dylan’s first babysitter, who is to arrive in a couple of hours.
Instead of hiring Anissa for the evening, we chose to go with a daylight tryout. And instead of leaving across town for dinner, G and I will be at home, studying and writing while Anissa keeps Dylan amused.
It’s a spike that may lead to more or not. But either way, it will help us understand what works for us.
✨ Thanks to Gabriel, who, without knowing, nudged me to try.
Hi, All! How have you been? 🌴 G and I are five weeks into being back at work, taking 2-hour shifts to care for Dylan. I’ve never been more focused. And life is thoroughly sweet and salty.
Words
Sharing how I let my fears shape life, plus some never-before-seen photos of me with a mic and camera plenty of years ago. Here’s how it starts:
In 2010, Oral-B ran a prize contest in Dutch magazine Viva, asking readers: “What wish can we help you make come true?” I responded: “Become a TMF VJ.” They picked my entry out of hundreds, and over the next few weeks, I visited the TMF studio for a live interview, broadcasted the evening news on TV network SBS6, and recorded two street interviews and five vlogs with a camera crew while being coached by Dutch TV personality Chimène van Oosterhout.
Quote I’m Pondering
Lucky people tend to be open to opportunities (or insights) that come along spontaneously, whereas unlucky people tend to be creatures of routine, fixated on certain specific outcomes. –Richard Wiseman via Peter Sims, Little Bets
With a baby toy dangling from my toe,
And love,
Mirha
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