It’s Week Two at Code Academy and we’re moving along at warp speed. Before this class started I cleared my plate and I’m really glad I did. In my previous post I talked about the concept of the “empty cup” and for me it was important that I not only emptied my cup but gave it a thorough scrubbing (I phased out of my jobs, adopted a ruthless inbox-zero policy and purged the to-do list) and it’s a good thing because my brain needs all drive space, RAM and processing power I can give it. I need all the time and practice I can get, and while I’m not necessarily seeing how all of the pieces fit together, I can see the overall picture and I’m practicing the parts of the puzzle I know.

My reading list is up to seven books now but I’m still spending most of my time with *[Apprenticeship Patterns](http://ofps.oreilly.com/titles/9780596518387/index.html)* and *Learn to Program*. In the beginning of *Apprenticeship Patterns* there is a Software Craftsmanship Manifesto and they include a map of Software Craftsmanship. The [manifesto itself](http://ofps.oreilly.com/titles/9780596518387/sc_manifesto.html) is powerful, but it’s the map that has stuck with me. It includes patterns and practices that they cover in the book such as:

>- The White Belt
>- Find Mentors
>- Make Breakable Toys
>- Read Constantly
>- Expose Your Ignorance
>- Retreat Into Competence
>- and Practice, Practice, Practice.

In my mind I’m consistently referring to how I’m experiencing or can apply the patterns in the map. I’m most definitely a “white belt” so “exposing my ignorance” hasn’t been a problem. In class and in our reading we’re learning enough to allow us to put together tiny programs so during lab time we often make a breakable toy if we have time. Programs that good-naturedly tease each other or trash talk a sports team are usually pretty fun. And when concepts are just too big to wrap my brain around or I need to take break from learning something I’ll retreat into competence and practice, practice, practice. At this point every line of code I write, no matter how simple, helps. I think of the “10,000 hour” principle or how many practice free throws Michael Jordan shot. Goals are good and the practice is fun. I probably only have 9,950 hours to go.