Category: Blog

I am still working on Open Live Writer, and in fact, am listed as a contributor for Version 0.60

I’ve even created a pull on a code change, but I’m not sure it will be accepted.  They are currently having a slight disagreement on how the program should behave.  It’s a minor change, just changed some text that is displayed in a dialog box.

However, I’ve done the following:

Created testplans – and I need to modify the corresponding test plan if it is accepted

I’ve tested all of the outstanding pulls so far.  That’s pretty easy, because they have an associated build and I just need to reinstall.  I have missed a few in the process, but other people tested those.

I’ve created documentation and some blog posts on the main site.

I’ve learned a lot about Jekyll and rake files and have been testing changes made by another contributor to the website.

I’m learning markdown – a lot of time the hard way.

Those are all tasks that I did at my old job — except that they never let me touch code.

It’s a pretty satisfying life – I’m not sure I could afford to do this without my husband, but I’m getting teacher retirement money, I’m teaching – part time, remotely, and I’m working on a project I enjoy.

The best things about working on Open Live Writer if that the team is great – they are truly welcoming and accept the contributions I want to make,  and it’s a project I use on a frequent basis.  In fact, I’m using it to write this post.

They have been working hard to improve the customer service experience.

First time I had to return something I had to make two trips because I didn’t have the full receipt – the email was missing the bar code.

Second time I had to convince them that while I had the receipt and it was from the Microsoft Store but online, I had to convince them that the item needed to be exchanged, and they insisted on keeping the box.  Microsoft Band.

Yesterday I walked in with a Microsoft Band 2 that wouldn’t change, and they took it and the charger, and handed me a new box.

Just stood there as I expected a hassle.

NICE!

They added spell check and some other important  features today, many of which I have been testing over the last few weeks.

The fun part is that I’ve been included as a contributor!

Here’s the release notes:

https://github.com/OpenLiveWriter/OpenLiveWriter/releases/tag/0.6.0.0

Primiarily, this is a test post, making sure that the latest version didn’t break anything.  So far, it is looking good.

I’ve learned a lot about Open Live Writer in writing the test plans.  I wasn’t doing half of what it was capable of.

However, I need to learn a lot more.

I will admit I still don’t understand the code yet  –  but I spent the holiday week creating test plans.  I think I have plans for most of the dialog boxes.  I had the majority of them in a pull request that was merged this morning.  I had a few more that I hadn’t merged yet, but put them in pull requests this morning.

I freely admit that GitHub and I aren’t friends, but we’re talking.  I don’t entirely understand the process but I am getting there, thus I don’t trust it yet.

Give me another week and I think I will be more comfortable with it.

I haven’t had to do a lot with source control.  I have source control setup on my local server, but it’s Subversive which is a good way to start.

I’ve always had a bit of trouble wrapping my head around source control, I love it, but I’ve come late to the party.

So as I’ve blogged before, I’m working on an Open Source project.  Right now, I’d doing what I do best, doing error checking, writing test plans, and documentation.  I’ve even looked into some code.

I’m proud of myself as I have been able to create my own branches, add test plans, and consolidate the branches.  When the other people get back from their breaks, I’ll do another push.  I’ve done two pushes so far that have been accepted the project.

I mentioned a group the other day that retirement was hard.  Here’s the deal.  I didn’t plan retiring – and I still have a really cool part time job doing exactly what I like.  The bonus is that I can do it anywhere I have good internet access – though that can be a problem traveling.

I didn’t plan retiring, it kind of just happened.  I was removed from my classroom because of a classroom management issue.  It was supposed to be investigated, but it never was.  It had been I would have been cleared.

I decided to go back into the technology space, and did.  Quite successfully.  Unfortunately Google bought the company out, and afterwards, just didn’t find what I wanted to do full time.

It was okay though because my husband had to have brain surgery and recover from a brain injury.   Being between jobs was great, because I had to get him to rehab most of the time.   It would have been really hard if I had to work full time.  As it was, I was able to increase my part time hours.

Once he recovered and had been back on the job for several months, and I’d gone through the interview process a few times, we decided that my retiring wasn’t a bad thing.  I am eligible for full retirement from teaching on December 31, including insurance, so that’s where I am going.

The income is less than half of what I was making as a teacher, but that’s okay too.  I don’t have quite the expenses, I put a lot of money in my classroom, especially for robotics.

The question is what do you do with yourself?  Especially since I have a pretty good education. 

I’ve explored a lot of options – being a volunteer teacher didn’t work out – having someone who hasn’t been in the classroom since high school trying to tell me what to do wasn’t good.  

Right now though, I’m in a really good place.

I get to do the very thing I’ve been passionate about for years – teach computer science and web design to talented and gift students – Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.

I am doing my own version of Extreme Makeup Weight Loss.  First, it isn’t extreme.  I have memberships at Planet Fitness and Sunstone FIT (which is a Yoga/Exercise studio) and the local pool.  I’m doing things at my own pace and feel good.

I’m a patient at Baylor Dental College, which so far is working out.  I have appointments in January with the graduate school and with a regular student.  Already my mouth is better – they got me to go back to a local dentist change and have a crown fixed which makes my bite better. 

I’m currently working on an open source project and I’ve already contributed to it in a small way.  It’s one of my favorite programs, and Open Live Writer.

Patiently waiting for the retirement insurance and pay checks.

Oh, and an official retirement party is happening on January 15th, Blue Mesa at Northwest Highway.

Of course, if the absolute right gig would come knocking on the door, I would be all over it.  I do enjoy having my own full paycheck.  The last job was great – 15 minutes from the house, attached to the local mall.

I found a typo in the FAQs while looking through the documentation.  Reported and it got fixed.  Something I’d liked to start getting involved in.

Also want to start working on code.  Would love to see a mobile version too.

I found my first issue when I set up my blog.  It might be related to another issue, but not sure.  Then I spotted the typo so reported it first.

Feels good to have Open Live Writer up and feeling like I am contributing in some small way.

I took advantage of a couple of CyberMonday opportunities and the Medtronics Connect device was one of them.

Since I’m an avowed Windows girl, it is a big awkward but works. I do have a iPod Touch, and am using it to upload my data. I can keep it in my bag, attached to a portable charger and use the hotspot on my phone.

I really wish they would create a Windows Phone app – or let me.

I wish they also had more than CGMS data uploading. I’d like to be able to see everything on the Connect app and website that you can see on the pump.

Not bad though, for a release 1.0

Oh, and the diabetes dog still works better – if she is relaxed, my blood sugar is just fine.

It is taking me quite a while to get here — and I'm not completely retired — I have a really cool part time job.

I'm still working for Johns Hopkins — I've been with them over a year and in fact am taking my first vacation from them — will have a sub for three days.  I teach 5 courses for them:

• Advanced Scratch
• Java I
• Java II
• Introduction to Web Design
• Advanced Web Design

It's interesting — most of the time I average about an hour a day but it is seven days a week.  In the summer it frequently went up to 5 hours a day, but not every day. 

I have one web client who I host and do her web design for her.  I also consult with her on a regular basis on the best way to do her business with a computer.

I have another client who swears she needs help with a web site I set up for her a couple of summers ago, but she updates it just fine.

I also do computer stuff for a non-profit — we raise money for beagle rescue.  That's been a lot of fun and I recently did a project for them that was fun, I'll do again, but would do it a lot differently.

I'm doing very little face to face tutoring.  In fact, I've turned the inactive flag on and I'm really only working with one student – but I think she's coming to the same place I am.

A lot of my recent experiences have shown me what not to do.

My last paid gig was working on a mobile payment app which I loved the work, but not the people so much.  I've done quite a few job interviews since and I'm completely over that.

That whole job interview stress thing is why I'm not into the face-to-face tutoring — that whole getting to know new people and trying to please them — yeah, I'm over wanting to do that. 

I'm also not into teaching people I don't know for free.  Tried that one day but the biggest problem with that was the person I was working with was too controlling.  Seriously: someone who hasn't gone to one college class is trying to tell a person with a master's degree in education and 20+ years of experience how and what to do? 

I'm certainly into working with someone I know to set up a website they can update.  I'm even into do a flat page thing and hosting it, like I do for the one client.  But doing that full time, not really into that at all.  If I know you and you want to learn something from me — hey, ask, I'll probably make the time and probably won't even charge.

My next explorations include learning how to do Windows 10 things and how to do mobile responsive websites, starting with my own. 

And teaching for Johns Hopkins.