What's the plan Mike?

Way back in Post 300 I announced plans to wrap up work on the blog, and move onto other projects.  The idea doing the last post here in December.

Things haven't quite panned out that way.  Although it's interesting to note how things have gone, and that the announcement wasn't a lie, or even the in-vogue term of the moment "alternate truth".

What triggered Post 300 was the realisation that I had some other projects, and unless I throttle down my work on TestSheepNZ considerably I'd never make progress with them.  The intent was to work on my planned astronomy blog - I've not launched this, but I've done a lot of work on it, the first 2-3 months are written up and ready to go!

I also have worked none stop on my novel, Melody Harper's Moon, I included a little piece in a previous blog because I found it was the kind of inspiration I think we all needed.  This novel is finished and out with some readers at the moment, who are helping me evolve it (there are just so many testing parallels here).

I'm really pleased with that, but it could only happen by downing tools on test blogging to find the space for it.  I knew in post 300 that's what I'd need to do, but it was very hard.  There has been so much in testing and critical thinking I've wanted to write about, especially with the craziness of what people voted for in 2016.  In the actions since Donald Trump became President, the need for critical thinking has never been higher, as we're told at press conferences "we didn't keep numbers on attendance at the inauguration, but I'm telling you it was the largest attendance ever, at least a million".

My interest in critical thinking originally was about avoiding making wrong moves in work, being led down a garden path (as we Brits say).  Suddenly it's very relevant to everything we're being told.  I know my Twitter account like many is focusing more and more on talking politics.  And I know I've lost a few followers about it.  I've thought really hard about making another account for such talk, but if I have a brand, I hope it's not just about testing, it's very much following your head and your heart.  So I hope you'll understand why it's important to me, to all of us.

I'm hoping to pick up working on the automation series I started last year.  That was a real educational blast.  We've done some considerable work on automation theory, and including Java fundamentals, so we have a strong base to work from.

And finally, since the inauguration, I've started work on a satirical political site called President Sidious.  It mimics the ascension of Emperor Palpatine, but aping a lot of Donald Trumps misbehaviour.  There's an account linked to it which I'll be posting on occasionally, if you enjoy the blog, consider following it here.

No ... wait.  Use the Jedi mind trick, "you will follow that account"...

I really encourage you to check it out, and let me know what you think - satire is a very difficult thing.  Today I wrote about making Jabba the Hutt Minister For Women's Affairs, and that seems so ridiculous, until you find out this is the group of guys (notice "guys") who are passing executive orders over what women aren't allowed to do with their body regarding birth control.  Because of course "they know best" ...

As almost a survival bootcamp for the next 4 years, consider reading my series of posts on Critical Thinking, which can be found here.


Now playing: "Cosmic Dancer", Marc Bolan