peregrinebalas

What role does empathy play in your life and how has it helped you?

Empathy has played a prominent role in my development, not only empathy for people but also for things. I grew up trying to fit in but wanting to stand out; which for me came from a confusion over my purpose that empathy has taught me to grow out of. Empathizing despite how different circumstances might appear has helped me to understand abstraction. Empathy has taught me the value of acute perception, such as both hearing words and listening to tone of voice: both are to be valued. I find empathy as a necessary tool for design and collaboration.

How does empathy help you build better software?

peregrinebalas

Activity #1 - '29 Behaviors That Will Make You an Unstoppable Programmer'

8. Say "I Don't Know",
9. Identify and resolve bigger issues,
10. Learn under pressure

I've been practicing saying I don't know, I love the peace it brings to plainly admit. I find that even if I do believe that I know and attempt a description of the subject, the result can still be finding I don't know. I have found that the best way for me to focus in on an feature is to start with awareness of the larger picture. For me this has been designs, "I don't know" and learning to appreciate that every person is both good and bad, it simply depends on the grace of whoever is judging them.

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Norms and Empathy

The take away, or impact, that I have of this first gear up has been that we aim to do good here. On that subject, I thought that we do not all have the same definition of good. However, we are connected and that connection gives us languages not limited by spoken words to relate to each other. In accepting and yielding, to that connection we better our awareness of the forms of self found inside and out in the world.

In adrian maree brown's poem (she doesn't capitialize her name so neither will I) I felt this impact. The proceeding state was a familiar pairing: feeling gratitude, while thinking on the great fortune of having positive growth in a time like this.

Intersectionality

What I'm left thinking about today in image is the video from Girls Who Code, and a feeling parallel to that of the Norms and Empathy Gear Up. I feel vulnerable, open and quiet. I'm thinking about the idea of 'Is it enough?' Is it enough to motivate me to be my best self, to listen to others and find a relevan

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Project: Battleship

Group Member Names: Trevor Nodland, Peregrine Balas

What are each of our learning goals for this project? What drives us in this project? T: Satisfy project learning goals outlined in the Turing Battleship Project. P: Explore working in a pairing. T: Learning how to work with Git and GitHub better. T: Drive is to get top scoring on the project. P: To complete a larger scale project than previously faced with.

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Q: What have you learned about the use of agile vs. waterfall in software projects?

A: Agile's approach of several small cycles of the the steps from design to deployment, which waterfall does in large chunks, left an apparency of practicality and flexibility.

A: How did you and your group approach project management in this project (what tools did you use, how did you hold each other accountable, etc.)?

Q: In our group project, Cross-Check, we organized tasks through use of Waffle.io, Slack direct-messaging and in face-to-face conversation, when able. We formed a standard of frequent progress checks and updates, giving honest feedback to each other. In the span of this project, we did have instances of work not being completed to the standards we outlined in our DTR. In this, we discussed how to reassign the workload to complete the project.

Q: What role did you take on in the project?

peregrinebalas

Most of the time I prefer to ask myself 'who am I?' than to describe the answer. I suppose this comes from flux in growth, if not introversion. On this subject of identity, I've realized how much I've always liked challenges. I care about what is going on around me and view it as much a part of my reality as how I feel, or how hungry I am. It can be hard to support this ideal, I'm young and I'm still learning how to take care of myself, let alone my surroundings. Questioning I'll compare to perception, with answers to perspective. Hopefully this comparison says something about me, if not I hope to supplement with why I'm here.

I'm here, in this textfile, trying to sort out what my story is. I love stories, I grew up watching a lot of movies. I ended up being one to reserve final judgement until the story was over. Now I do this with conversations, which inadvertately has helped in developing listening skills. I love the interaction of elements, I chose to pursue being a developer after deciding to not be afr

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Mod 2

Priviledge, Gear Up 1

How to support exchange of ideas, specifically in the form of expression of individual stories (history, culture, values, identity).

I am motivated to create accessibility software to disadvantaged peoples. In relation today's gear up I'm thinking in terms of creating a means of communication between people in a format to encourage self expression and to offer opportunity through information exchange that might otherwise not be available. The comparison I'm thinking on is to that of before and after the invention of the phone, but in the context of disadvantage of those with identity not represented or misrepresented.

I'm wondering what equalizers are out there, if there are any for software and how to actualize my ideals into a usable tool.

peregrinebalas

I've found fulfillment in life from artistic expression. In my teens when I entered the workforce I came into work that mostly didn't align with my expressions. I split my time between earning income to support myself and my art. I struggled with this contrast to what I was used to, being free to express my values in new imaginings and artistic experiments. It was a new challenge to learn responsibilities I had to myself and others.

I decided to take a risk and I move away from my hometown and known community. Living below the poverty line taught me that my interests were rooted in people's dialogues with themselves and the world. I invested more time in organizing, both in my workspace and with the people around me. My focus evolved from my self expression to our self expression: from my physical sculpting, to social sculpting. At this point I lived in Madison, WI and had a job designing jewelry and managing a local shop: I no longer lived below the poverty line. I had independant projects too, that not onl

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