WPF And Visual Studio Crashes

Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to in 2009.

This Blog

I wrote the code for this blog, but it's not great.  Why write my own blog software? I write code for a living, and I write code for fun, it's what I do.  Part of the fun for me is using my creations, dogfooding if you will.  It gives me insight on how to build better software.  I'm no usability expert but I know what I like, so using my own shite helps to get better at usability.

Finding stuff on this blog is nearly impossible.  I have google search hooked up but the way it's set up is not helpful.  Either it's the way I post stuff or my lack of understanding of how to search my own crap with google, but I need to improve my blog search capability, that's a biggy on my todo list.  I've implemented my own search tool for the admin area, once I'm fairly confident that I can fend off a sql injection attack I'll put it on the main page.

Offline capability.  Blogging online is not fun.  Connectivity is annoyingly inconsistent, I don't know if it's my host, my connection, just the way it is, but it's annoying.  I would love to be able to compose everythingoffline and if it automagically stay in syc with panteravb.com.  Windows Live Writer? Nah, that sounds like a job for me and WPF, perfect chance to play in DirectX goodness.

The topics of this blog are not always technical.  This isn't going to change, HOWEVER, I do want to make sure those who couldn't give a crap about anything I have to say that's non-technical have the option to exclude that content. 

I tried tagging the content on this blog before but I didn't do a good job of it so that's on my todo list.

Screencasts/Codecasts

My 2009 plan involves at least one codecast per week on anything software related.  Huh, I guess that means one is due tomorrow, I better get crackin!

Personal Software Projects

I have so many little projects I'm working on, I want to set a schedule for getting them all done. I believe that having project plans and schedules works not just for stuff you get paid to do for work but also for personal projects. So I'm tasking myself with coming up with a timeline for all of my little projects.

Books

I have soooooooooooooooooooo many books I need slash want to read.  If you don't plan to read you won't, at least that's me, so in the new year I want to plan on reading  my non-tech books.  First on my list is a little one, The Art of War.  The rest of the books on my todo list in no specific order include Kitchen Confidential, Wisdom of our Fathers, Big Russ and Me, Notes From The Underground,The Omnivore's Dilemma,The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star,The Forgotten Man, and World Without End.

Other Platforms and Tools

Sometimes(or most of the time) the best way to learn is to look outside of the platform and or tools that you're familar with and see how others do it.  Platforms that I want to take a look at include those running on a non-windows os, probably linux.   Php, Ruby on Rails, Java(yes, I said Java), and anything else to help me learn how to build better software faster.

Fitness

Today starts my serious commitment to my local crossfit affiliate, Emerfit.  I've been going zero to four times a week since September but have yet to follow the nutritional plan(which is the cornerstone to any fitness program).  So for the next 6 weeks, my commitment involves no eating out and no alcohol.  Also no food(or drink[except water]) after 7pm any night of the week.  I've taken on the The Power of Less challenge, and you can follow my progress at the forum here.