Category: Review

October 30, 2026 – The Fountainhead; Part 1, Chapters 6-12

October 30, 2026 / / 0 Comments

Two weeks in a row? I have almost pried the train back on the tracks. It doesn’t change the fact that I am worried about staying ahead. At this point I have read a chapter a night and yet I can feel the point that I am at reading is going to surpassed by the weekly deadline breathing down my neck. I guess if that happens I will have to pause until I catch up.

What to say about this week’s section of reading? It is really about character development. The book starts a little abruptly with the conflict between Roark and the school. This week, we see over and over the pattern of asking Roark to bend, his refusal and the consequences for not doing so. In contrast, Keating continues act within the ‘populist’ definition and successes keep coming.

Aside from the character development as well as the personal benefits of populism, we start to see the downside of it as well. For instance, Keating is introduced to Dominque Francon, (his boss’s daughter) and is struck. She recognizes his success but is romantically uninterested. He sees her upside, particularly looks and despite that attraction, he cannot stand up to his long time girlfriend.

Like many people that follow the populist trail, they end up being wishy washy and swarmy. By that I mean they end up not making a decision and playing both sides. Keating is dating Dominique as well as Catherine. Each one he pretending that the relationship is exclusive. Because he is not being genuine himself, it has mental consequences.

I was pretty certain that I was going to go here, but I wasn’t quite sure when. When I think about things, this is the perfect time to mention the political season with the mid-term elections next week. Since I did spend quite a bit of time looking at my ballot, I went over the ballot with my wife last weekend. I am going to give the benefit of the doubt here but I watch political ads and read the candidate bios with my mouth ajaw.

First of all, this is not political but an observation. I cannot trust either side. But there are some contested races and those are getting heavy ad play. One of them is in Washington (not even my state) and it is Marie Perez v John Braun. The incumbent is Perez. In the positive ads she is saying Washington (DC) is broken and she wants to go to fix it. Now wait a minute, aren’t you already in Washington already?

I want to meet the person that says “I know the solution, what we need to fix the problem is the same person that is part of the problem”. On second thought, no I really do not want to meet them. We really need to look at another paradigm of life to see how wrong and gullable the voters really are.

I am a long time Oregon Ducks hater. When I was growing up in Corvallis, home of the Oregon State Beavers there was a bitter rivalry. Both football teams were terrible and had been so all of my life at that time. But then something changed and the Ducks started having success in the mid-1990s. Now it is hard to look back and even remember that they used to be terrible. In fact, part of the reason I don’t like them is that the fans seem smug and patronizing. They say things like “I root for the Beavers too” but what is implied is “because they are no threat to the Ducks”.

This year, before the football season started all of the local talk was that this was the Duck’s year. They had a $40MM of NIL spent on the team. The quarterback was coming back for redemption after losing to Indiana in the playoffs. The schedule seemed favorable and all of that. I hate to admit it, but I almost feel bad for them. Their offense is terrible and consequently their current record is 4-3. Their playoff hopes are all but gone and they simply do not know how to lose and be happy.

The offense has been bad all year. It happens that last year’s Offensive Coordinator left to become the head coach at Kentucky. They seem to be overperforming at 6-1. The Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has been aware of the problems but this week he fired the current Offensive Coordinator. What is the lesson here? The coach didn’t say, this is your problem you need to fix it. Nope, you had your chance and now we need to go a different direction.

In what world do we say you Representative, you Governor, you Senator need to go in and clean up this mess that evolved while you involved? I will tell you what world. It is the world that people say things that they can’t do because it sounds good. I could say that I am going to get a gold medal in 2028. I could even want that but I don’t have a chance in hell of doing it. It is best that I don’t pretend that I am so tone deaf as to advertise that is something I will pursue, let alone achieve.

End Your Programming Routine: I am really not anti-populism. I am anti-populism for the sake of getting elected or getting a career advantage. Principles matter even if those principles are not as popular, especially in politics. If you truly do not have a position, taking the one that seems to be in favor is fine as long as that decision is rooted in solid principles.

October 23, 2026 – The Fountainhead; Part 1, Chapters 1-5

October 23, 2026 /

This series has been long anticipated by me. As I mentioned last week, I have been reading this book for quite a while. This particular section I read months ago and so I had to go back and refresh my mind about what specifically happened. As always, this is not going to be a book report but an analysis about how this book is relevant in our current lives. That is what makes a true classic anyway. In case you are not reading along, I will start with a short summary.

The book starts with the introduction of the two main characters. One by the name of Howard Roark who is an idealistic, architecture student and the other is the Peter Keating who is the star pupil. It is recognized that Roark is the more talented of the two however he refuses to modify his ideals regardless of the consequences. This leads Roark to get kicked out of school and have difficulty finding employment without credentials.

Keating on the other hand seems to have no qualms about delivering what is asked. This includes a propensity to go against his grain even if it is in contrast to his own inner compass. Keating recognizes that Roark is in fact better at his discipline than he is and it drives him crazy that he will not apply it to the ‘common good’. That is winning project work regardless of his design sensibilities and principle.

As they both begin their careers, Keating move up at a rapid pace. Some of that is his ability but there is also a component of win at all costs. This manifests itself as deceit and manipulation. Roark on the other hand stays attached at the hip with his mentor Henry Cameron. Because his aesthetic sense is not popular, it becomes his financial ruin and Cameron gives up his practice leaving Roark out on a limb with no job or prospects.

There are a number of other characters that are introduced into the story that I will simply just introduce the primary ones for now for possible reference at a later point.

  • Guy Francon – Peter Keating’s benefactor and employer
  • Catherine Halsey – Peter’s Girlfriend and safety net
  • Ellsworth Tooney – Catherine’s uncle and renowned art influencer

At one point in my life, I was a member of the Brewers Association. I was having an issue with my chemistry career and I was seriously thinking about opening some kind of craft beer establishment. It came with a magazine and industry information and I remember reading a opinion piece. It went something like this.

I am a degreed and experienced brewer that owns and runs a brewpub establishment. When I make beer using malt extract it comes out better than starting with grain. So this is what I make and serve. Does this make me any less of a professional beer maker?

For those of you not in the know, malt extract is the condensed form of wort (or sugar water). It is considered a short cut in the brewing process and it very common in homebrewing because it reduces the amount of equipment and time required to brew beer. Suffice to say, I could read the angst in the question because it was clearly a chink in the questioner’s ego.

Keep in mind that this kind of dilemma is pre internet forum or social media. This would be the kind of thing that today you would read about in Reddit or similar. It is also the kind of question that would come up in a new or isolated or enthusiasts environment. Rest assured that if SAB Miller thought it would save them money, they would start with malt extract as well. Mind you, I know nothing about their operations and so this is not an accusation. I am simply saying that working with the largest food companies in the world, there is no room for ideals such as starting point conflicts.

For a lot of my career, I have had the distinction of working with and mentoring many younger associates. What I have observed is that school is full of ideals. That could be the ‘best’ way to program or engineering means to do things in this way. This often times leads those associates to end up having a conflict between what they believe to be true and the way that things really are. Academia often is oriented towards research and the purity of the process whereas business is primarily about the bottom line.

I myself have never had these kinds of moral questions mentioned above because I don’t really think that they matter. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have principles it simply is the result of my pragmatism. Does the code do what it is supposed to do? Is it reliable? Is it supportable? After that, technology choices and ways to do it are preferences, not principles.

One last anecdote. I was a year in with a former company and another co-worker of mine was lamenting that every day working here he was losing his programming skills because the technology curve was several years behind. What I said to him was that he would have to make a choice. In our current field, this was cutting edge; not the technology but the application of it. If being at the bleeding edge of technology is important, then it would be best to find someplace better to apply skills.

End Your Programming Routine: I want to make sure that I am not misunderstood, principles are very important. I think that many times people confuse principles with preference. It really depends on how you frame those principles and I am not advocating for justification. That often translated to a failure of leadership but that is a totally different story. Know what you believe and why. Then you can apply what you are doing against that lens.

October 15, 2026 – You Know I am a Fan Boy

October 15, 2026 /

I had just finished up writing my last post and I was kind of staring off into the distance thinking about making breakfast when I realized that I was blankly staring at my Mug Boss. All of a sudden, I kind of thought that my fishing bucket was the first I have ever mentioned my obsession with that style of organizer. So, I searched and could not find any reference to Mug Boss. Sure enough, I never had.

I suppose that I have nothing to really prove but I thought that I had evidence right in front of me about how hard I have fallen for this idea. The picture is the Mug boss on my desk but I also have them on my bench in the garage and somewhere in the shed that is going to become my workshop.

The Mug Boss fits around a ‘standard’ sized mug. These days, mugs come in all kinds of sizes but it used to be most mugs were the same size. “You know it when you see it” is kind of my answer. Speaking of mugs, they are almost a revolving door in my house. Every new decorating whim gets a new set of mugs. Out with the old and in with the new and let’s be honest, there are only so many mugs you can house and use. For that reason, my most sentimental mugs that do not fit in the decorating motif typically get the Mug Boss duties. It is kind of a win/win where I still hold onto the memories while still keeping it useful.

As an example, you cannot see it but this mug came from my CH2M Hill days. Not only did I work there but my dad did for his entire career. One of the founders came up with a set of guidelines called “The Little Yellow Book” which is why the mug is yellow. And since we worked at the original office, there was a lot of ownership in the wellbeing of a 30,000 employee company. Even though I only worked there about four years, I admired the spirit of many of the long tenured employees. For various reasons I never fully adopted the same mentality but my dad did. It does make me feel good to think about such an engineering juggernaut with ‘can do’ spirit came out of my small home town and my dad was part of that.

You know that I am a sentimental sucker. Why else would I go on and on about about a former workplace that I was happy to leave? Enough of that. I have three of these things and if I had another mug that was on the outs, I would probably have another one. The one in the picture is on my desk. It holds the things that I use (or used to) at my desk. I won’t go through everything but writing instruments, a pocket knife, multi-tool, screwdrivers, speedloaders for my pellet rifle when I used to shoot every day, etc.

When I have a shop bench again, I have one for marking and measuring in my shop. That would be regular pencils, sharpies, wax pencils, precision measuring as well as some kind of utility knife. The one I had on my garage bench holds similar type items for the types of activities that will happen in the garage. That would be things like food preservation, reloading, and simple home projects. Each one of the mugs have a similar story to what I shared above hidden under the canvas pockets.

Unlike the ‘Fishing Boss’, the ‘Mug Boss’ is still available at a street price for around $10 from many retailers. I would consider it a novelty item appealing to people like myself. That would be tool/gear oriented people that have a desire to organize their desktop or bench with pens, pencils and small tools. Despite it being a novelty, it is a very useful one that kind of shows your personality without being too over the top. People that know will get it immediately and those that don’t will just see the utility of it.

We are getting to that time of year again and I would say that this is an excellent stocking stuffer. To me, the good thing is that if you already have one I am certain that a use can be had for another.

ScoreAdvantagesDisadvantages
Value5/5Ten dollars and a mug to have what you need at handWill likely have to order rather than pickup at a retailer
Quality5/5Never worn one outDoesn’t fit all mug shapes equally as well
Performance5/5Multi sized pockets to hold different shaped itemsMug shape constricts what can be held.

End Your Programming Routine: As I am in the very slow process of putting my new spaces together, I find myself looking for the box that holds my Mug Boss very often. I want that bit holder or a sharpie because this is where I kept them. My shop just got wired a couple of weeks ago and my wife already has projects for me. I told her that I will do the bare minimum of organization for this first couple of projects. It is absolutely critical to me to know where stuff my is. Plus where else do pencils with no erasers go? To the Mug Boss of course.

May 8, 2026 – Surprised By Joy, Conclusion

May 8, 2026 /

Part of why this is so late is that I have been dragging my feet on wrapping this book up. Trust me, I am ready to skip this all together and get started into “Fountainhead”. But, sometimes we must do what we must. I must put everything aside and give my honest opinion.

I remember reading “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” in 6th Grade Language Arts. I was a big fantasy reader as a youth at least through high school. It was part of my Dungeons and Dragons phase. I read “Lord of the Rings” as well as the “Hobbit” as well as some pretty weird stuff as well. My favorite fantasy series was actually written by Terry Brooks call “The Elfstones of Shannara”.

Narnia was definitely not my favorite fantasy series. I found it a little tame in that I wanted sword fighting and fireball spells. I don’t think I read any farther than “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” from Lewis but at least it was adjacent to the subject matter I was interested in. It was certainly better that reading Tom Sawyer again.

A large part of why I stopped reading fantasy was because I was so tired of poor writing. That includes names that you couldn’t recognize talking about events that had no context and seemingly disconnected story lines. I know that elves are not real but come on, what is with the rites of the fourteen moons of Fortuna? Maybe I am just dense.

Getting back to Narnia, it was well established that C.S. Lewis was a literature powerhouse in the 1980s. Of course when he has something to say, it might be worth trying to figure out if it was of some value. It was many, many years later that I realized Lewis was more than a fantasy writer. In fact, for me it was the fact that he was a recognized author that made me investigate his theory on religion in the first place.

OK, enough beating around the bush with Lewis related items. My take on the on the book is forthcoming. Nothing real earth shattering here, it is a biography about Lewis’s early life. I think what he was trying to portray was that it seems logical that when bad things happen to you, your outlook darkens. The surprised part of the title has to do with his dark outlook seemed to self heal.

I will try not to sound too boorish but I really didn’t enjoy the book at all. It was a gift, from my son for Christmas. I am pretty sure that he saw me reading “Mere Christianity” and then saw this. I had higher hopes about this book based on my previous reading but what I am trying to say is that I didn’t seek this out.

There were a couple of things that I found interesting even if I did not care for the book. The first was the whole culture of being a student in Britain. I went down a complete rabbit hole trying to understand what in the world Lewis was talking about when he talked about that stuff mid-book. I really had no concept how ridiculous the rigid social boundaries were in that environment.

The second thing I found interesting how many classic works of literature were referenced and how many I have actually read. I have to say that most of them I did not care for so it was no form of validation for me. I guess what I thought was the interesting part was that it seems like Lewis did enjoy reading most of those works. It could be possible I am just too dense to get it. I have also mentioned in the past when I was reading Dante that it is possible that there were so many less choices back then that whatever survived was considered a classic. It does make me do a double take on whether I am in a right frame of mind.

I said that I didn’t care for this book, but why? If you were interested in reading a biography of C.S. Lewis, then I would say this fits the bill. But, if you were looking for some epiphany moment or even something to look for or work to go from Atheist to Christian you are going to be out of luck. I would go as far as saying Lewis used his status as a Christian to sell a biography, It is good business but really sets the wrong expectations. It could also be that Lewis was badgered to tell his story and so he reluctantly did. But then what is the point?

End Your Programming Routine: Look, not all of them can be winners. I feel like I have had more losers than winners over the last couple of years. That is not all bad because discriminating taste has to be critical to be of any value and not simply like or approve everything. I still respect Lewis as an author, but I am pretty sure that I am done with him now.

May 1, 2026 – Surprised By Joy, Chapters 11-15

May 1, 2026 /

I know that it hasn’t been the most direct path, however we have gotten to the end. This week I have finished Surprised by Joy. That means if you are reading along, then you are done as well. The plan is to cover the last five chapters this week and then go over a total review next week.

If I could say anything about this week, I would say that this is my favorite third of the book. Not only did we get the details of Lewis’s conversion but the subject manner was more than dry, ancient authors, titles and fantasy land. You have a bit of a war story, introductions to the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien and the final, happy conclusion.

I will save my overall opinion for next week. We will focus on the subject matter on hand. Here is a brief summary of the final five chapters. Last week we ended in what I would call high school in today’s parlance. We begin there again. There is one thing that I noticed in chapter 11 and that is kind of a change in tone. It is still primarily reading literature and poetry but an internal struggle seems to crop up. That struggle is the difference between fate and faith.

I think many non-Christians can relate to this. How can God be good and all powerful and yet bad things happen especially to good and faithful people? You hear that as a criticism to faith. That is a question that everyone has to wrestle with but I tend to side on the side of fatalism. I cannot diagnose any situation other than my own but I tend to look at it more like ‘your mission is done’. We cant see the future and only the individuals knows all of the details about their past. What may appear to be upstanding could only be a shell. I simply do not know.

Of course there are all kinds of nuances. Babies cannot be shells, right? Agreed, but it could be that death of an infant spurs some kind of reaction like starting a foundation or a sibling becomes a doctor or researcher. I simply cannot say the impact outside of the obvious ones.

From there, Lewis enlists in the Army and is eventually shipped off to the front in World War I. There is surprisingly little written about this time. It seems that this experience is so polarizing in those that have survived but it really does not seem to make much of an impact in Lewis’s life. I would characterize his attitude as ambivalent and certainly not galvanizing.

After getting wounded and subsequently discharged from the army he starts his life again, now at Oxford. The next chapters cover his life and changing attitudes as they are shaped by that experience. For example, Lewis starts to notice that Christian authors have more depth to their stories. And for that reason it starts to persuade Lewis that he needs to change his path.

I find this a little strange actually. I am not aware of many author’s religion but I cannot say that Lewis or Tolkien stories are any deeper than a lot of the fantasy I have read in my life. One reason that I stopped reading that genre is that I found it incredibly convoluted and nonsensical. Sure, I can suspend belief that magic can happen but when it comes to names, characters and events without definition or context, I simply kind of glaze over.

Another strange behavior is that Lewis admits to attending church without actually believing. I think in most cases, people lose their faith while attending church but never have I heard the other direction. The sensibility of it all is irrational. I shouldn’t have to explain that but dedicating time to something that has no significance is simply not what people do.

In the last chapter, Lewis describes that he doesn’t really know how it happened. Somehow throughout this process he became a Christian. Lewis’s description is Atheist to Theist to Christian. As a result, here is my synopsis of the book title. Joy is a synonym for faith and belief. The whole title is about being surprised to find faith despite the path to get there.

End Your Programming Routine: I would say the ending is a bit of a letdown. Based on how I started this post and where I am at, I bet that you can guess how I am going to come down next week. As evangelists, it makes no matter on how you come to faith but I find it hard to believe that reading literature written by Christians that would make it so. In fact, this might be the only documented case. Then again, people emulate those that they admire. Does that make genuine faith? I am not here to tear down Lewis. He most likely has done more good in his work. It is just that the story seems so improbable.

April 3, 2026 – Surprised By Joy, Chapters 6-10

April 3, 2026 /

I certainly can appreciate that C.S. Lewis is a famous and respected mind in the field of Christian thought. I also admire his desire to take on the philosophical debate about the existence of God. Talk about using your power for greater purposes. But, I have to say, the more I read this book the more that I am ready to move on. If I was not doing this series, I probably would quit the book. That is not somethings I never say.

I went to grade school in the 1980s. When we had some sort of media day, we looked forward to it with great zeal. Remember screens only came into the classroom a couple times a year. I remember that in fourth grade we were watching a rented VHS video. It was something about a boy and a seal. We got about ten minutes into the movie and the kid cussed a couple of times. I think he said something like ‘shit’. The teacher immediately turned the movie off and media day was over.

It made no difference how disappointed we were, movie time was over. The teacher deemed the whole thing unworthy because of a couple of bad words. I am not going to say that I would have made a different decision if I was the teacher. But, I am here to say that I had heard swear words before. It was the loss of what could have been that was more significant.

There is some bad stuff in this book. I am not necessarily ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater, C.S. Lewis that is. However, I what I am learning is that I am getting to the point that I don’t really care. I find myself drifting off while reading because I am not following all of the technical details. Before I started reading this book, I was expecting that there was going to be some kind of epiphany or Devine moment that we could all benefit from.

I applaud Lewis for being candid. I can understand that any victim of sexual assault would turn away from God. School sounds a lot like what I imagine prison to be like. A rigid hierarchy of status and expectations followed by a lifestyle of debauchery. Things are starting to change and we have to take Lewis at face value but it seems like getting lost in fictional la la land is not something I would prescribe to fix his situation.

Part of my attitude relates to my complete and utter inability to relate to the situation. Early on in the book, there was references to literature that either I read or at least was aware of. As the book goes on, those touch points become more frequent and more obscure. Lewis switches context between fantasy and reality using characters and plot lines that make it very difficult to follow.

On top of fading in and out of reality, there is this school hierarchy affectionately called ‘fagging’. I am aware that there are alternate definitions of the word fag but I can certainly see where today’s most common connotation has it’s origin. It is absolute adherence to to the made (typically older) boy having other’s as subservient, regardless of the ask or outcome. Today we would most likely equate fagging to slavery.

The concept is also distinctly un-American. In a culture where we all believe that the opportunity to pull up our own bootstraps is valued, having servants or slaves or at least not having our own autonomy is not relatable. I realize that this is a simplification of the situation, I also understand that this is an argument to be against the idea that God is Good. For that reason, I can see why Lewis continues in the path that he has been travelling.

Things have to change or at least I am hoping so. That is about the only hope left I have in this book. We can start to see that Lewis platonic relationship with the neighbor Arthur is leading in a more positive direction with an emphasis on more and more esoteric book titles. I say that because I have heard of a lot of them but I have no idea what the plot line is about so more fantasy time.

End Your Programming Routine: I would have to say that in the book to date, it is a wonder that Lewis came back to Christianity at all. Today, we are ultra sensitive to mental health as well as equality. I suspect that in those days, if you weren’t born into privilege then your social position was pretty static. In some ways, accepting that position is far healthier than wishing you were somewhere else and everything being someone else’s fault. We will have to stay tuned to next week for that big event.

March 27, 2026 – Surprised By Joy, Chapter 1-5

March 27, 2026 /

Long time coming, I know. It seems like I have been talking about this book forever. That is what it feels like to me anyway and I wouldn’t be surprised if you feel the same way. “Surprised by Joy” is a memoir of sorts. It is self described by Lewis as his life journey that made him a unwavering Christian.

I wouldn’t have gotten here if my moving plans hadn’t changed. While not fully packed, I am as packed as I am going to get until we get some more certainty. You can listen to Monday’s podcast for more information on that subject. But the new found free time gave me the chance to spend a couple of evenings reading.

Lewis didn’t start out without faith. His grandfather was even a clergy man. But, like so many, the parents didn’t take to religion and it lost its place in their family. It probably didn’t help that they were academics and therefore preoccupied by their own interests and pursuits. It has been my observation that academics are the least likely to have deep faith.

There isn’t a ton of context in the book but by Lewis’s description, it seemed like he grew up a little feral. It could be that he was pre-school age, I don’t know. But he also goes onto relay that he was home schooled by his mom. While at the same time, they sent his older brother away to school. Maybe it was a money thing? Maybe they saw something in one and not the other? Maybe that was just the culture of the time?

That only lasted a couple of years until his mom developed cancer. When she eventually succumbed, it broke his dad. It also changed Lewis’s life from an academic standpoint. He was now shipped off to boarding school, just like his brother. Because faith was not a strong component, it really was neither here nor there related to his mother’s death. It just wasn’t a thing.

The first school that Lewis went to went kaput in a couple of years. It was no wonder because from his description, they were mercilessly beaten for no real reason. They also got no real education. He said that his day consists of doing math problems while the other students were grilled over subjects that they had no instruction and subsequent beatings. He brother said that he just kept doing the same math problems every day. Thus, he always got the right answer and no beating.

Numbers of students kept dwindling for obvious reasons causing the school to close. It was off to a new school. Once again, the experience was agnostic as it relates to faith. The second school was a short stint and so I will dismiss it completely here. It was the third school that really made it’s mark. It was here where Lewis proclaims that he lost his faith.

It seems like the turn of events was related to sexual abuse at school. I can see that, it seems like traumatic events can be galvanizing. How can God allow this? Conversely, I would have never made it through this without faith. But, when you start from a weak position to begin with, it is not surprising that Lewis turned away from God. It takes a pretty firm grasp of faith to go the other direction because it just doesn’t make a lot of sense.

I have to admit that in my own life, I have had similar questions. Thankfully, I really haven’t had anything that I would consider traumatic happen. But, the fact remains is how can a good and loving God permit such things as the Holocaust? At the same time, how could there be such rampant abuse by priests themselves?

What it really comes down to for me is that following strict doctrine, you cannot have good without bad. You should recognize that from “Mere Christianity” that we covered last year. I have always intuitively known that, but reading it codified it for me. It is also one of the best philosophical arguments that could be made.

End Your Programming Routine: Right now, we know the trigger of the loss of faith, we will have to see what the trigger is to solidify it. The plan is to read another five chapters for next week. With my newfound free time, I should be able to keep things on track.

March 19, 2026 – The Whole Fish Cookbook

March 19, 2026 /

This is a book that I have had on my list for a long time. I heard about Josh Niland on the Anchored Podcast four or five years ago. Actually, looking at the podcast publish date it was more like seven years ago. I put it on my Christmas List for a few years and then finally I cashed in my hotel points that were about to expire for a Barnes and Noble gift card.

A month ago, I went to the Barnes and Noble store because I wanted to spend the gift card before we moved. Yes, it could also be used online but there is something about going to an actual bookstore. The store is a couple of years old and I had never been in it. I figured that as soon as we moved, the likelihood that I would ever go would be slim to none since I hadn’t gone in when it was much more convenient.

I had no plans on what I was going to purchase. Because of our budget constraints, I certainly couldn’t get crazy. I picked up a copy of Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential” which I also want to read. But, I kind of ho hummed because I didn’t want to pay $20 for something I could certainly purchase used for $5 or potentially even get at the library. Then my eye caught “The Whole Fish Cookbook”.

I figure that with our move to the beach comes a large probability that our seafood consumption is going to increase due to proximity to the source. In fact, I have made the mental switch that this is going to happen and besides packing, I have had fishing on the brain. I have been searching real thoroughly for a surf fishing setup. In addition, I have purchased a bait casting rig as well as a new reel for one of my backup poles.

Since it has been so long since the podcast, I really didn’t remember a single thing other than aging fish is a thing. It wasn’t explained and I was very intrigued. The number one thing that I learned about this book is that fish and water do not mix. I suppose that if you were a fisherman, then images of the cleaning station come to mind. Gut or fillet and rinse. That is a no, no.

According to Niland, adding water to the flesh of the fish is an accelerant to decomposition. The fresh off the boat mildness is the result of minimum decomposition. Aging however in fish is as complementary as beef but the fish has to be handled correctly. That means no water.

I will admit that I have not tried it yet but I certainly have plans to. The other thing that Niland promotes is using the whole fish. That means heads, eyes, bones, liver and even scales. I will admit that I am a little less gung ho about some of that but I am willing to try something like a fish liver pate or making a fish sausage. The trick is getting enough livers at any one time to satisfy the recipe requirements.

I just finished the book and so I really haven’t had a chance to try anything yet. I will give some commentary on what I read however. Niland is an Australian so this book is written in the perspective of what is local to him. That also means that this cookbook is addressing saltwater species and not freshwater. I would say that the handling instructions are much less accessible unless you are buying fish off of the boat, not always possible for most.

I suspect that this can somewhat translate from saltwater to freshwater species, it just requires a little more research. It is just that I am not aware of a freshwater tuna as an example. But, certainly a trout versus salmon or panfish versus snapper is possible.

End Your Programming Routine: Because I haven’t tried anything yet, I cannot yet recommend this book. What I can say is that this book opened my mind to new ideas, particularly things that go against traditional preparations and handling. For that, it is worthy of considering. The cooking follows traditional French and British flavorings and the pictures are very appealing. I am ready to try.

March 13, 2026 – The Talent Code: Conclusion

March 13, 2026 /

I have to say that this is one of those books that I haven’t struggled to get through lately. Despite the fact that I got way behind in my writing and reviewing, I had no trouble finding time to read it. A lot of the books I have chosen in the last couple of years seem like an obligation to read rather than a desire. I guess that is what happens when you sign up for a weekly deadline.

I think that what is great about this book is that it offers hope. There really is the ability to do anything that you want to if you go about it with the right approach. I also find it empowering to learn that it isn’t just luck to become what you want. Of course, if you wait too long like me then you start to lose that ability. Age catches up with us all eventually.

What I would say about the Talent Code is that this is a worthwhile book to read. Even if it doesn’t work, it offers a different way to look at things. I tend to believe that it actually does work based on my experience. My example is as follows.

A mark of a young programmer is that when code executes and it doesn’t do what is expected there is a tendency to defend the code. This is especially true when the problem cannot be duplicated. What I believe is that code does not just behave randomly, the conditions have not been created so that it can be duplicated. I have seen things that I find very hard to believe, but I have seen it, so it is true.

The act of trying to figure out what those conditions are is deep practice. This is running test conditions that do not duplicate the problem until you can identify the problem condition. It is kind of the opposite of the musician problem but no less viable. Once you can change you opening position from it can’t be duplicated to what is happening differently, you become a significantly better programmer.

Sorry that I don’t have a great story that I tried real hard and became some kind of high paid athlete, programming is the world I know. But, I think the story works, it is what I did anyway. Actually, the act of programming is a good exercise in deep practice. You code, you test, you analyze, code and test again. It does make a person become fairly effective, relatively quickly.

If you will recall, this was not the book that I thought I was going to read when I started. I stated that in the Part One a few months ago. It actually turned out much better than what I thought. The Talent Code is a method to do nearly anything better, not just lead a team or be a better manager. I thank my former co-worker for suggesting this book to me and I am sorry that I put it off for so long.

This isn’t a book that I am going to put on my must read list. Those are reserved for very special books like 1984. However, if I were Dave Ramsey, I would put this on my reading list. It falls in perfectly with Who Moved My Cheese and Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It is part of a collection of books that you can use to make your life better. To be honest, anybody should be interested in that.

As I stated last week, we are going back to CS Lewis for the next book. I highly suspect that there will be a couple of weeks before chapters 1-3 appear. We are in the midst of moving right now and to be honest, I haven’t even started reading the book yet. Clearly you don’t need my permission but go ahead and read whatever you want until I am back.

End Your Programming Routine: It is very easy to believe that the elite come from some special stock. You see certain demographics repeatedly in sports. But, you too can can be elite if you combine the right factors. Without a doubt, you can be good enough. That is good to know.

March 6, 2026 – The Talent Code: Part 3

March 6, 2026 /

I am sorry about this one. I should have just bit the bullet and written Part Three in a timely manner. I finished this book in early February and it was just my life getting in the way. Now, I have to go back to the time machine and try to remember what was going on in the book because now it is packed up in a box somewhere. Fortunately I took some notes weeks ago to kind of jog my memory.

Since it has been so long, I could spend a few words trying to summarize where we have been. Part One was all about how greatness is built. Part Two is about where to find talent and now Part Three is about harnessing it. Or said another way, it is coaching greatness.

I think the timing on this is pretty good. It would have been even better if I was actually writing this to come out during the Olympics like I should have. Nevertheless, I was watching one of the twenty something, American, gold medal athletes talking about how it is a dream come true and that this is what they have been working their whole life for this when it hit me. This is where this Part of the book comes to life.

Actually, what really hit me is that these athletes were enabled by choice or by circumstance. Circumstance is what the book talks about but I have to think choice is just as helpful. What I mean by choice is that a gold medal may be an athlete’s dream but it started well before this moment. The winners didn’t just show up to the Olympics and win. There was years of practice going into this moment. And to be frank, an eight year old is not getting to the mountain alone. Somebody opened the door and kept it open at least until emancipation.

OK, I was talking about the parents and not exactly the theme of today. But, coaching is what Coyle asserts as the third component of greatness. Chapter nine deals with a study of John Wooden and his habits. For those of you that weren’t around in the 1960s and 70s you don’t know how UCLA won ten of twelve championships. That is dominance.

What did Wooden do? He had two traits that were effective. The first one was that he did not treat players equally. The ones that needed riding got that treatment and the others were left alone, even if it seemed crazy. The second trait was constant but short feedback. Those two things were his keys to success.

Chapter ten was different but the same man. A good coach is able to navigate the matrix of relationships and performance. They are some how able to figure out what is important in the big organic blob called a human being. They are able to get to the root of motivation and correction. And they do it with theatrical honesty meaning that it is load and very readable.

Chapter eleven is one of those that probably would be re-written today. It was all about the (Las Vegas) Raiders evaluation of Jamarcus Russell prior to drafting him as the number one pick in 2008. I hope that they are reading this book this year as well. Russell had tremendous physical ability, it was said that he could throw a seventy yard pass on his knees with precision.

I think today we would look back and say that while there was no doubt Russell’s athleticism was unparalleled, however he was a terrible quarterback only lasting two seasons. The second of which he was benched early in the season. He had no ability to lead the team resulting in poor performance. After being dropped by the Raiders, he never played professional football again.

This book was written as that was all unfolding and I suspect that Coyle (as we all did) thought that he was going to be one of the greats. However, something so poignant was said in the book by the pro scout. Even greats need coaching. And, this is why Russell failed, coaching with the Raiders has been abysmal (mostly).

You know, you don’t have to look very far to find coaches and success. Think about who is considered one of the greatest current quarterbacks, that would be Patrick Mahommes of the Kansas City Chiefs. And yet, who is the coach, Andy Reid someone that has been perennially successful wherever he has been employed. Coincidence? I don’t really think so.

End Your Programming Routine: So, this is the book. It makes a lot of sense to me. Next week I am going to wrap up “The Talent Code”. Looking forward to what is next I am planning “Surprised By Joy” by C.S. Lewis. It seems to be a memoir from what I can surmise. I will plan to cover three chapters per week. I am relatively certain that next week is going to happen but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a gap after that.