Personligt

Efter att ha haft en period av att prova nya saker så är jag tillbaka här igen. Bort med alla superambitiösa funktioner och åter till det som jag faktiskt brinner för: att skriva.
Det var länge sedan jag skrev nu, men det är för att jag provat olika saker och experimenterat med olika typer av skrivande. Det har gett olika perspektiv på saker och ting och trots allt spännande som finns därute så är det ändå här som jag trivs bäst.
Varje år brukar det bli en liten paus här och jag kikar på andra plattformar och provar andra sätt att vara kreativ. I år blev det en väldigt lång sådan och det är av olika anledningar.
Jag har tagit bort en hel del här redan och kommer att ta bort ännu mer för att renodla sidan. Back to basic helt enkelt så jag kan fokusera på skrivandet igen.
Vi får se om någon fortfarande vill läsa vad jag skriver...

His hands are numb and his heart is pounding hard in his chest, almost bursting out of his chest through his broken ribs. He wait for another assault, one he know he will not stand through.
 
For three days he have fought the horde and in each wave he has been pushed back, inch by inch by the sheer number of attackers falling around him. His blade ha long been lost and he hold the mace of a fallen foe in his only usable arm. His body is covered in blood, both that of his enemies and his own. He slip on the blood covered ground and stagger until his broken an exhausted body find it's balance once more.
 
He see his enemies starting to move again, encouraged by their commander and this time the black ogre that have been standig like an obsidian statue for the past three days take the lead. Twice the horde have sent an ogre against him and twice he has defeted them, but at great cost. This black ogre make those past encounters seem like childs play and he can barely lift the mace, let alone put up a fight against such a formidable foe.
 
Three days he have cut down the horde and defeated all they have thrown at him. He send a silent glance towards the sky and pray that his suffering have not been in wain and that his death will be quick. A reflection of the sun high above him make him look up. He notices the dwarven scout and smiles relieved.
 
He made it after all.
 
Pale broken lips form the words and aching lungs fill the words with melody as he sing a farewell and get ready to fight one last time.
 
"You look towards the sky hoping for a miraclebut time has cometo sing your farewell
 
the time is nowstand tall and always knowyour time, forewer locked awayin my heart
 
farewell my love,know that youwill be with me forever..."
 
The song end as the Ogre comes near enough to attack. He look the beast into it's evil eyes and as it strike he fokus all his might to do one last battle.
 
It is over quickly.
 
---
 
"My Lord!"
 
The scout run to meet the king with rage marked in his face.
 
"Speak quickly, are we to late?"
 
The king's woice is tense with worry and even before the scout say the words he know the answer as he notices the tears in the scout's blue eyes.
 
"He held out until he knew we had arrive my lord."
 
The words knock the kings legs from under him and his men hold him firmly so he will not fall down. In a moment his face changes from chock and sorrow to ironclad determination and he stand firmly and lift his battlehorn.
 
The deep sound echoes down the pass and make the air vibrate as if alive. Behind him another horn sound, then another and another until the air is filled with the sound of a thousand battlehorns.
 
On the other side of the entry to Greystone pass the deep howling of a wolf join the battlehorns, then another. Soon the howling match the Dwarven battlehorns in numbers and it is joined by the sound of a thousand drums.
 
Then as sudenly as it begun the sounds stop. The silence is almost deafening.
 
An order is shouted and the sound of thousands of hands drawing their weapon cut through the silence like a flash of lightning cutting through darkness.
 
Buzzing sounds like a miljon bees fill the air and for a moment the sun is blocked out as if Gods wrath itself is descending upon the pass.
 
The king wipe away a tear from his chin with a ironclad fist as he watch the first volley of arrows hit the horde with the force of a tidalwave and lift his royal axe high above his head.
 
He need not utter any command for no words are needed now. Instead he scream out his anger and sorrow. His cry is soon joined by thousands of dwarves under his command and a moment later from across the entry to the pass.
 
The Dwarves move like a tidalwave of death towards the horde with a single purpose. Today the Grey Wolf's death will be avenged and the horde crushed without mercy. Halfway towards the horde the elves join their Dwarven allies with tearfilled eyes that gleam with sorrow and hatred.
 
On all their minds one thought is burning...
 
They arrived just a few moments to late.

He blinks twice to clear his vision from the tears that fill up is clear blue eyes and swallow hard in an attempt to reduce the nausea that the fear clawing in his stomach causes. Twice he changes his hand around his sword and takes comfort in feeling its cool weight in his hand.
 
Then he sees them on the horizon.
 
So many. Thousands upon thousands break the horizon like a tidal wave, slowly as if in a dream. Suddenly his blade feels insignificant and almost ridiculous against such numbers and he shifts the weight a little and looks at the ground around him. It is all prepared and he has picked a good spot.
 
He shifts his eyes back to the oncoming horde and he can hear them now, their screams of hatred and their demand for blood.
 
It will not be long now before they will see him and the battle will begin. He move his feet’s again in an attempt to get a better standing and smiles as he realize what he is doing.
 
Footing will mean nothing once they come, it will be over quickly…
 
---
 
“My lord!”
The messenger run into the king’s war chamber and is rewarded with angry eyes from the lords assembled there to discuss the matters of going to war.
 
“What news do you bring, speak quickly boy.”
 
The king barely looks up from the battle map before him.
 
“It has begun Sire, the Horde has been challenged”
 
The king looks up from his map with a confused look in his face.
 
“That’s not possible. No army could have reached the Horde yet. Where have the challenge been made?”
 
The messenger steps forward and the look up at his king.
 
“At Graystone pass my king”
 
The king looks down at his map and locates the passage with his finger.
 
“Graystone pass is the perfect place to hold the Horde, even for a smaller army…but there are no armies near that location. Who stand against the Horde and how many men stand in Graystone pass?”
 
The king looks up and notices a strange expressing on the messengers face as he struggle with the reply.
 
“Only one my lord”
 
The king frowns and takes a few steps toward the messenger.
 
“What do you mean? Are you saying that only one man stand against the horde at Graystone pass? That’s ridiculous!“
 
The messenger’s eyes look up and meet the kings.
 
“It is true my lord. “
 
The words cause mumblings and deep frowns from around the table.
 
“…and he is holding his ground.”
 
The silence is almost deafening, almost like the world suddenly stopped. When the king breaks the silence it sounds like a lightning strike in the large hall.
 
“Who?”
 
A tear fall down the messengers bearded face and vanishes in its tangled strands. The emotional impact is clear even before he say the words.
 
“The Grey Wolf stand alone against the Horde at Graystone pass.”
 
The assembled lords display many emotions as they all turn their heads towards their king, only to see his face display the same emotions of shock followed by shame and embarrassment. Then he lean in heavily against the table as if a sudden weight has been placed on his shoulders.
 
“He asked us for our help and we refused him and sent him away because we were afraid! ”
 
He slams his hand against the table and screams out his anger and frustration. Then he turns to the lords around the table.
 
“The time for talk is over. I march for Graystone pass. Join me or stay, it is your choice.”
 
As the king intends to walk out in anger, a nobleman stands to speak before he can do so.
 
“I have been opposing your will to go to war my lord and I still do…but I will follow you to Graystone pass. I owe the Gray Wolf my life and I will either stand with him against the Horde or make them suffer for an eternity. You have the support of house Terrog.”
 
The nobleman next to him stands as well.
 
“As will the house of Gwydon”
 
One by one the lords stand and in less than a minute the shouting of discord in the deep halls has been replaced by silent agreement and deadly determination to stand as one against the Horde. Just as quickly it empties and the first orders are given to prepare for war.
 
An hour later the iron gates open and the first warriors march out, strangely silent and with a silver ribbon tied to their left arm as a symbol of their dedication and in remembrance. As they reach the plains they begin to run. It is four days march to Graystone pass, but they are determined to reach it in two, no matter the cost.
 
In thousands they pour out towards the battlefield. Warriors, scholars, merchants, outlaws, blacksmiths and noblemen march side by side, united for a single purpose. They have a debt to pay and they pray that they are not to late…
 
The Dwarves march to war.

When will you?
 
 
For each day our freedom is reduced
 
for each day our integrity is cut down
 
for each day our human rights are violated
 
for each day greed grows stronger
 
for each day the police grow weaker
 
for each day the law is corrupted
 
for each day politicians get more distanced
 
 
 
When will you speak up?
 
 
 
For each day our forests are cut down
 
for each day our seas are polluted
 
for each day our health drops
 
for each day hatred grows stronger
 
for each day fear becomes prominent
 
for each day our children’s future get darker
 
 
 
When will you react?
 
 
 
For each day criminals grow stronger
 
for each day insanity spreads
 
for each day another species are lost
 
for each day we consume more
 
for each day we create less
 
for each day we come closer to our fate.

 

When will you demand a change?
 
 
 
Today may not be the end of days
 
but tomorrow will be.
 
Our children will live in a world
 
created by our shortcomings and fear.
 
The only way for evil to win,
 
is for good to do nothing.
 
 
 
When will you fight for our future?

En av fördelarna med att minska på krav runt omkring mig är att jag kan göra lite saker som jag alltid drömt om. Ett sådant projekt är på gång nu och det känns roligt och spännande för att jag får utnyttja så mycket av min kunskap på en gång.
 
Min hemsida här har börjat kännas lite liten. Det är en ganska liten och privat sida och även om jag har en hel del kul funktionalitet så känns den lite klaustrofobisk ibland. Så jag har påbörjat ett litet experiment där jag tänkte köra från ax till limpa och bygga en sajt på en annan plattform med lite annorlunda fokus.
 
Så jag har förnyat en gammal licens för Invision Community och börjat leka lite med det. Confluence är uppe och jag har börjat lite branding arbete som sedan ska födas in i Jira för att byggas. Jag har skaffat Affinity Designer för att lära mig ett nytt verktyg (det kommer en review framöver) och det blir både PHPStorm och förmodligen Bitbucket framöver när jag ska bygga nya designen.
 
Jag vet inte om det blir något av det här projektet, men jag har kul och det är så inspirerande att få bygga på ett helt annat sätt. Bara att sätta mig ner och fundera på vem jag är och vilka värderingar jag står för har gett mig en helt ny syn på vad en ny hemsida ska innehålla och vilken tonalitet som faktiskt är jag.
 
Förmodligen så kastar jag lite tankar på mina kollegor framöver för att få lite feedback och om allt går bra så kan det bli en parallell hemsida framöver där jag testar mina teorier om en ny tonalitet. tills dess tänker jag bara ha kul och prova nya saker!

Det är full fart på alla fronter just nu. Jag har fullt upp på jobbet och trivs fantastiskt bra. Jag har blivit accepterad som gruppledare för Atlassian Stockholm där första eventet är om några veckor bara. Jag planerar mina certifieringar för Jira och Confluence och i ett svagt ögonblick registrerade jag en ny domän för Atlassian så jag ska sätta upp ett litet community där tänkte jag.
 
På jobbet så är varje dag en ny lärdom  och jag träffar hela tiden nya fantastiska människor. Lite gamla bekantskaper springer där också så det är en fantastisk tid just nu. Stor komplexitet, tungt och bitvis lite trögt, men alltid med driv och passion. jag älskar det!
 
Gruppledare för Atlassians Stockholmsgrupp är ett stort ansvar och det känns bra att ha ytterligare en gruppledare så vi kan dela på ansvaret. Första mötet för mig blir 5:e April så det ska bli spännande att se hur det fungerar så vi kan göra Stockholmsgruppen till världens bästa och mest aktiva grupp.
 
Det är dags att certifiera sig också så det blir lite ordning bland kunskapsloggorna. Det är ACP-100 och ACP-200 som jag ska ta och jag kikar just nu på de förberedande kurserna så blir det att boka in en tid att åka och göra själva certifieringen senare i vår.  Funderar på om ACP-500 kan bli intressant längre fram också eftersom det är så många som ber om hjälp med just uppgraderingar och konfigurering.
 
I ett svagt ögonblick så registrerade jag en domän eftersom jag hade en forumlicens som låg och skräpade. Atlassians community är trevligt, men det är lite spretigt ibland för oss gamlingar som föredrar mer strukturerad uppsättning. Tänker att det kan bli ett kul sidoprojekt som inte behöver så mycket uppmärksamhet som också kan ge lie synergier med Stockholmsgruppen. Vi får se vart det bär med den ambitionen.
 
Jag har också någon slags fundering på att skapa lite material här på sajten som eventuellt kan forma en kurs eller guide till hur man jobbar i Jira och Confluence. Ingenting avancerat utan mer en start guide med lite bra tips som kan hjälpa de som ska börja använda Jira och vill ha en liten snabbgenomgång som är mer praktisk. Kommer att börja med lite inlägg i bloggen och om det blir bra så lägger jag ihop det till en kurs eller liknande.

En lite historia som jag skrev för många år sedan som nu får återse dagens ljus efter att ha försvunnit i ett plattformsbyte. Den är på engelska, men jag hoppas att det ska fungera ändå.
 
Live your life to the fullest, no regrets and no sorrows,
for tomorrow you enlist.
 
To fight for king and country,
for family and friends
in a far away land
facing an enemy I have never known
 
Do your duty,
fight to death,
against any odds,
against any foe
your command point out
 
To fight for king and country,
for family and friends
in a far away land
facing an enemy I have never known
 
Remember your loved ones
as you bleed on the battle field
know that every pain
you endure
will keep them safe
 
To fight for king and country,
for family and friends
in a far away land
facing an enemy I have never known
 
Close your eyes
and gently slip
into blissful darkness
know that your duty
has been fulfilled
 
To fight for king and country,
for family and friends
in a far away land
facing an enemy I have never known
 
On a nameless battlefield
resting silently
missed by loved ones
and brothers in arms alike
 
A soldier you are
A soldier you were
A soldier you will forever stay
Do your duty, for king and country

Senaste tiden så har mycket av min energi och tid gått åt till att lägga ner mitt företag och skära ner på aktiviteter. Trots detta så har inte min bok hamnat i limbo, tvärt om. Mina senaste tre uppdrag har gett mig mängder av nya insikter och stöd för att min process fungerar. Jag skriver lite här och där, vilket betyder att det går framåt.
 
Det är något magiskt när företag efter företag som jag jobbar med har samma "pains" och att samma saker kommer upp hela tiden. Pains som jag identifierat och har med i min bok tillsammans med lösningar som är testade och fungerar.
 
Idag kikade jag i mina anteckningar och hur långt jag kommit i Scrivener för det har känts som det knappt har hänt något senaste tiden. Det är fortfarande mycket som saknas, men när jag läser det som jag skrivit så känns det väldigt bra.
 
Knappt 50.000 tecken så omkring 35 sidor text bara än, så det är långt kvar. Jag har gott om anteckningar som ska renskrivas med allt från hur Confluence ska struktureras till skillnaderna mellan projektbaserad utveckling och produktbaserad utveckling. En del specifika saker som hur man säkerställer teknisk stabilitet i Jira, Git strategier utifrån GitFlow och GitHubFlow och hur design kan jobba med brancher med hjälp av Abstract.
 
En del skisser för illustrationerna ligger lite här och där och måste samlas ihop också. Det blir en hel del av det för jag anser att det visuella är väldigt viktigt, speciellt för personer som jag som behöver just den visuella representationen för att förstå helheten.
 
Så, det går lite långsammare än planerat, men det går onekligen framåt.

Inte helt oväntat så åkte jag dit på influensan rätt ordentligt förra veckan. Jag har haft det på gång ett tag och med tanke på den stress som jag haft i kroppen senaste 6 månaderna så var det nästan garanterat att jag skulle insjukna när allt blev klart. Och så blev det.
 
Efter lite trassel med hälsan tidigare i år så slog influensan till med buller och brak när jag till slut lagt mitt företag i backspegeln och kunde slappna av igen. Familjen åkte till Falun för lite sportlovsmys och det gav mig möjligheten att djupdyka ner i alla känslor samtidigt som febern suddade ut tid och rum.
 
Lite mörka drömmar och märkligt nog lite tårar, men inte av sorg utan någon sorts utrensning som triggades av
av alla saker! Det var skönt att få en liten stund för mig själv, speciellt som jag är så otroligt ynklig när jag blir sjuk. 
Just nu försöker jag skaka av mig det sista av sviterna från en vecka i sängen och det är bihålorna, käken och ilningar i rygg och ben som är kvar. Lite frisk luft och rörelse ska nog kunna fixa det så är jag redo för en ny vecka igen.
 
Ibland går det upp, och ibland går det ner här i livet. Precis som det ska.

Slowly he lift his head and gaze over the the enemies that wait at the horizon. A tear linger on his cheek making another path down his face before it fall down towards the floor wet with tears.
 
He place his hand on his brothers stone coffin, carefylly avoiding the sharp thorns on the roses placed upon it. Slowly he stand once more and takes a deep breath. The cold air form a white cloud from his mouth as he exhale and draw his sword.
 
His brother has been mourned, his body laid to rest. Now it is time to put sorrow aside and prepare for battle. For the first time he will stand alone without the aid of his brothers strong arm and courageous heart and it make him hesitate.
 
A firm hand lands on his shoulder and he turn to see his fathers gentle smile. On the other shoulder another hand toches his shoulder and he turn to meet the kind and caring faces of his brothers friends who have come to stand against the coming tide. Behind them he see his son standing tall in front of his brave wife and mother. He is not alone in his battle or mourning.
 
High up on the sharp and icy mountains he hear a wolf howl. Deep and seemingly wrecked in sorrow, but slowly the sound changes into a howl of comfort and then unforgiving rage. The howling echo through the valley below them and before it fades another wolf answer, then another and another until the valley is filled with the cry of the Wolves.
 
The hand around his heavy blade grasp the hilt firmly and he pick up his shield from beside his brothers coffin and secure it firmly to his arm. His gaze is fimly fixed on the enemies below and his eyes burn with fury. Behind him he hear his family and friends do the same and then as the wolves howling suddenly stops silence wrap them all in a blanket of defening silence.
 
He give his brothers coffin one last look and nod softly in farewell and then march out towards the enemies line. Around him he see the shapes of wolves march with him towards the battlefield below. One large white wolf comes closer to march almost by his side and he meet its gaze for a brief moment and then fixate his gaze on his enemies once more with a soft smile on his lips.
 
He now know that his brother has reurned to their ancestors. He recognise his brother soul as it walk next to him. His brothers body may be gone and buried, but his soul will always be with him and it comfort him.
 
The white wolf next to him bare his fangs and attack as he do the same. Blood and death mixed with sorrow and suffering will drown the enemies on this day.
 
His brothers death will be avenged and anyone standing to harm his family or friends will be destroyed. No mercy will be given on this day, no prisoners taken. Only unforgiving rage and suffering to those foolish enough to stand against the wrath of the mourning tidalwave pouring down the mountainside...

The tide is coming,
like a wall of hatred and fear,
and he braces himself,
preparing for the battle,
that is before him.
 
His back agaist the wall,
shielding his son and wife,
he clenches his jaws shut,
his heels dug in deep in the ground,
a low growl deep in his throat.
 
Today he is not a man,
today he forsake all sanity,
today he will bleed,
today he will suffer and die.
 
The faceless horde closes in,
he raises his sword in a salute,
"Morituri te salutant" he whisper silently,
and let the blade fall,
"We who will die salute you"...
 
The battle is long and fierce,
the pain intense and endless,
the blood is hot and crimson red,
the anger glowing in dying eyes,
then it stop.
 
The silence is deafening,
he look up and find the faces,
of his wife and son,
they are both safe above.
 
He let his blade fall,
on bloody ground.
he fall down on his knees,
weak from his wounds,
smiling over his victory,
 
His laughter is soft,
yet his wife and son,
can hear his words clearly,
before he fall.
 
"Unus sed Leo",
One, but a lion.
 
So he lived,
so he died,
so he will be remembered.
 
Requiescat in pace.