Links: Glue work, creativity, and a bonus photosynthesizing sea slug

[sonia]

As a software developer, I did a lot of technical work, but mostly on legacy projects, because I got shoved back there as a woman engineer, and then I realized it was a lot more pleasant than being out front with the tech bros. And I did a lot of glue, connecting, communicating. It's nice to see that glue work named and recognized in an honest and positive way as both "technical" and crucial to the success of tech projects, or any project.
Glue by Tanya Reilly, whereistanya .

The US Federal Government Needs a VP of Engineering, not a CTO by danah boyd. More about inward facing work, coordination, cooperation, communication.

On creating bad art. by phantomrose96 . "I want to make bad art today. I want to make bad art tomorrow. If I am a worse writer tomorrow, I want that to be fine. If I am never more than a mediocre runner, I want to be at complete peace with that. Because if not, then I might box away my hobbies again, and my loves, and my pursuits. I might go back to empty. I might go back to nothing."

This is simply cool. Solar-powered sea slug harnesses stolen plant genes by Catherine Brahic. "Elysia chlorotica is a lurid green sea slug, with a gelatinous leaf-shaped body, that lives along the Atlantic seaboard of the US. What sets it apart from most other sea slugs is its ability to run on solar power."

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

Oh! That phantomrose96 post is profound.

Thanks to the disabled mentors who've taught me that competing with myself is a losing game. As my health declines. I conceptualize my 30-, 40-, 50-, 60-year-old selves as previous lives. I’m lucky enough to have some memory of my recent reincarnations.

[sonia]

I like that about previous lives.

We (mainstream US) don't seem to have cultural narratives around aging and disability and declining health. Sustainability includes declines and endings and hanging out in the middle range rather than pushing out toward the edges all the time. It feels good to really stop and sit with that, as much as my life already embodies it.

[silveradept]

These are great things to read and contemplate.

I should mention that danah boyd intentionally leaves out capitalization of her name, as it's something I have to remind myself every time I see her.

[sonia]

Thanks for the heads-up, fixed.