In this episode I demonstrate how to automate the creation and distribution of AMIs across 4 AWS regions with the safety and reproducibility of version control. I'm not a fan of using Snapshots because then I have to manage all the snapshots, and their distribution... But wait, there's "A New Hope"! Star Wars references aside, … Continue reading #64 – IaC – HashiCorp Packer w/ Github Actions

Soooooooo, I got a little overzealous with the Quarantined Nerd Challenge dates. Whoopsy. Shortly after posting challenge #1 both Kin Lane and I got super busy and two weeks just flew past. Resetting expectations, QNC 2020 will continue but the event end dates will be on the <quarantine end date>. More examples to come very … Continue reading #63 – 2020 Quarantined Nerd Challenge – UPDATE

On day 2 of the 2020 Quarantined Nerd Challenge it's an honor to have "the API Whisperer" himself, Kin Lane – Chief Evangelist at API lifecycle company, POSTMAN, and host of apievangelist.com. Kin joins us to talk about API Chaining, API Mashups, and ScrAPIs – (Pronounced 'Scrape-e-i') the practice of scraping web content to produce … Continue reading #62 – 2020 QNC: API Chaining w/ Kin Lane

Welcome to #2020QNC. You are the top 1% of all naval aviators -- the elite, the BEST of the best.... Wait, that's Top Gun... Let's start again....  Welcome to week 1 of the 2020 "Quarantined Nerd Challenge". Challenge 1 is all about API Chaining! Share with us the most creative API mashup you can think of before the … Continue reading #61 – 2020 QNC – Week 1: API Chaining

Trying to remain focused and productive with children around can be difficult. Intense focus and "I want a snack" are definitely incompatible. In this episode I share how I balance productivity, guilt, and being a good parent throughout my day. Feeling guilty about productivity ruins your work day, and your kids pick up on the … Continue reading #60 – Remote Working: with kids

For those proficient in the kitchen (beyond the microwave), before you scoff at the idea of this post, yes, we've got a generation of people who have never needed to cook. In fact, the tech world is especially responsible for this era of folk who are nutritionally dependent on being in the office. Many organizations … Continue reading #59 – Remote Working: Don’t forget your Health

In this very open, transparent episode I'm joined by business scale up expert, Nick Bradley, to talk about mindset. "If you're grateful for what you have,even if its tiny, then you're winning."Nick Bradley We share some of our personal struggles and how we deal with things like 'victim mindset' to take control of our lives … Continue reading #58 – Staying positive & focused through dark times

A change of environment can be super distracting. For me, it can be as little as how much, or little, sleep I’m getting, or whether I’m maintaining a responsible, or irresponsible, level of caffeine intake. Don’t waste time being envious of those laser-focused, seemingly robotic colleagues because focus is learnable. After a decade of constant … Continue reading #57 – Remote Working: Staying Focused

How do I tell a one year old we can’t go to the playground? "Why can't we go outside, Dad?!" He's got an excellent vocabulary for his age – he can ask for food, milk, tell me when there's a crime scene in his pants – but we haven't mastered baby sign language for “the … Continue reading #56 – What a toddler taught me about quarantine