Leaf

When I first started as a tech lead, I often made my decisions based on what the tech lead before me had done.

Fails to ask when stuck? Fails to ask when overloaded? Something else entirely? (Does it matter, Leaf? Hmm.)

😂 Excellent, glad I could help.

I was working with an AI that couldn't even do things I directly asked it to do. So there was really no reason it would say, "Hey, you have existing automation that watches this same RSS feed. Maybe shut that off before we set the feed to show every post?"

Whoops! Automation gone wild, posted like 40 times, haha.

You’ve already got a full schedule when the boss asks you to take on a special project.

A recent poll on LinkedIn from Alex Ewerlöf asked: “Would you read AI-generated posts and articles that are attached to a human name and picture?

I’m looking forward to having more time to write in the next few months.

Three conferences in three months That's right, I went to three conferences in three months (2.5 months, really). Enterprise Technology Leadership Summit (ETLS) in Las Vegas in September, I spok

I went to three conferences in three months (2.5 months, really).
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/11/13/t...

Writer enjoying speaking I'm a writer at heart, so enjoying speaking at conferences is a bit of a surprise for me. Speaking at LeadDev StaffPlus went even better than I was hoping, a

I'm a writer at heart, so enjoying speaking at conferences is a bit of a surprise for me.


Speaking at LeadDev StaffPlus went even better than I was hoping, and it's got me thinking about what works for me as a speaker. #LeadDev #speakingtips #StaffPlus
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/10/20/w...

Vibe coding made less terrifying It's been a long time since I've felt I like I was hanging on every word of a book. I was so done reading about AI. Then I saw that IT Revolution was publis

It's been a long time since I've felt I like I was hanging on every word of a book.


I was so done reading about AI. Then I saw that IT Revolution was publishing a new book...
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/09/17/v...

Developer's checklists Posted just now about writer's checklists - so let's post about the developer's checklists here too! As a developer, I maintained a checklist of troubleshoot

Posted just now about writer's checklists - so let's post about the developer's checklists here too!


As a developer, I maintained a checklist of troubleshooting tips.


I would have conversations like this...
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/08/19/d...

Writer's checklists Some of the best writing tips I learned were from a summer class I took as a teenager. I'm still adding to my writer's checklists, decades later. However, I

Some of the best writing tips I learned were from a summer class I took as a teenager. I'm still adding to my writer's checklists, decades later.


However, I have mostly kept these checklists in my head...
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/08/19/w...

Job seekers beware of scams Beware of the scams targeting job seekers. I'd say "it's a new low" for scammers to target people who are looking for work, but no, unfortunately... the scammer

Beware of the scams targeting job seekers. I'd say "it's a new low" for scammers to target people who are looking for work, but no, unfortunately... the scammers seem to reside at those depths. #jobseekers #scammers #tips
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/08/11/j...

Did I chat with an AI? I try to avoid posting about AI, but today I found myself wondering: did I just chat with an AI? Trying to decide which of several products to purchase onlin

I try to avoid posting about AI, but today I found myself wondering: did I just chat with an AI?
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/08/06/d...

Neon sign that says \"what is your story\" glowing in an office window at night.

I've been listening to books on storytelling recently. Here are three I recommend highly.
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/07/28/b...

You know what doesn't help overcome resistance? "So, I put a lot of pressure on myself. All the time." My husband stared at me. "Yes," he said emphatically, as if I'd just pointed out that ice is cold or n

Turning up the pressure when I’m not getting stuff done sounds like it should work. But it absolutely doesn’t.
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/07/21/p...

I attended networking events so you don't have to People say that networking is important. Does this mean you should attend networking events? I say no. Not that these events are completely useless, but

Made up statistic: 99% of people dread networking. Here’s why and here’s what to do instead.
www.beyondwritingcode.com/2025/07/09/b...

Anyone have a favorite solution for keeping up with multiple social media accounts, specifically Mastodon and Bluesky?

@robynlihau.bsky.social potential origin story for your comment on this same thread??

If the people you work with are in the same location, in office is great. If most of the people you work with are in other offices, commuting to spend all day on calls is not great.

The Weather & Climate Livestream Join us starting May 28th, as meteorologists and climate scientists from across the US share their research and answer your questions.

wclivestream.com

Implicit in the vilification of “woke” is this message: we would prefer the people asleep.

Thank you! :)

I'm writing a book :)

It will be about career growth as a developer, including leadership skills and the big-picture thinking skills that I learned along the way.

If you like, sign up for thoughts and updates on the book's progress at leafjessicaroy.com.

If you've known me for eons, you may remember that I used to write a newsletter. I'm bringing it back! Updates about my writing, art, and adventures.

Check this out. Much more fancy than a text file of email addresses I paste into the bcc field in pine.

Sign up! leafjessicaroy.kit.com/connect