Where do you see yourself in ten years

This is one of my least favorite interview questions. I get what they’re trying to ask me and for the most part its a fair question. The problem I have is that technology is changing so quickly, I have no idea what it is I’m going to be doing.

At the weekend, I ran into an old school friend and we got chatting about how scary it was that it was 10 years ago since we left secondary school. It got me thinking about how things have changed over the last 10 years.

2006 was a very different place. Facebook was just opening up for general access and the first tweet was being sent. iPhones and Android didn’t even exist yet. Many of the technologies that we take for granted barely existed and neither did a lot of the jobs that use those technologies.

Who knows what the next ten years? Are we finally going to see the rise of AI? Is the future smart homes or smart cities? Will drivable cars take off? Will we see the convergence of VR and Live Streaming? Will it be something we’ve seen before or will it something completely unimaginable?

So where do I see myself in 10 years? I haven’t a clue but I look forward to finding out.

Why I'm voting yes in the Presidential Age Referendum

Did you know there's a second referendum happening on Friday? The one that proposed to reduce the candidate age requirement for presidential elections from 35 to 21. I'm voting YES for the same reason I'm voting yes and here's why.

As a 27 year old, I find is odd that I'm technically old enough to become a TD, a minister or even taoiseach (all roles that effect people's daily lives) but I'm considered "too young" to become what is largely a ceremonial role. Why does someone like Dana (for example) have more of a right to stand for President that I have. We have this idea of a "elder statesman" president but are the qualities of a good President that age specific. In my mind, things like being confident, inspirational, a good public speaker, a good ambassador, knowledgeable about constitutional law, passionate about society etc are all things that make some "Presidential". Sure, life experience is something to consider but I've met people in their twenties and thirties that have far more "life experience" than some people in their sixties.

So you might think that a 21 year old is too young to be President? You could be right. But this referendum doesn't mean that a 21 year old will automatically become President. They still have to win an election and to be fair, we're probably never going to elect a 21 year old. This is more likely to apply to someone aged 30-34. That said, even with a threshold of 35, the youngest president elected was 46 and I'd say the average age of a President when they office is a lot higher.

Its not easy to become a candidate, especially for an independent candidate without the backing a political party. Before you start you'd actually want to be President. Then you'd need to know you have the financial and logistical support to run a grueling national campaign. You'd need to confidence to put yourself out there knowing you're automatically at a disadvantage because you're "too young". And then you need to get the support of 20 members of the Oireachtas or 4 county councils to get on the ballot paper, which again without the backing of a political party is a big ask. So if despite all those barriers, in the unlikely event that a 21 year old (or someone aged 22-34) can pull all that off, then why shouldn't they be able to put themselves forward and get on the ballot.

And if you still think this candidate is too young, then guess what? You vote for the other guy! We live in a republic. That means we get to vote for our representatives. No body is forcing you to vote for the younger candidate, all this referendum means is that they can ask for your vote. And who knows, having a younger candidate might make for a more interesting election and engage more voters which can't be a bad thing.

Respect and the Referendum debate

This post is an editing version of something i posted on Facebook this evening. I've received a lot of positive feedback on the post and it generated some interesting discussions on the topic so i'll put it here.

You might be wondering why I decided to post this message (there's a point to all this at the very bottom I swear). I expect as this point that you've noticed there's a referendum on same sex marriage happening in Ireland this Friday. It's generated a lot of debate and has got a bit heated at times. There's also another referendum on changing the minimum age of presidential candidates to 21. If you weren't aware of this, i'm not surprised as its got very little coverage in comparison to the Marriage Referendum.

If you you're friends with me on Facebook, you'll probably have gathered that I'm voting Yes in both referendums. I've put up a number of posts and statues over the past few days about the referendum on marriage and got a fairly positive reaction. It hasn't all been positive but I expected that. I wasn't going to say anything but today I received a rather negative message from someone I know. I won't name and shame this person (I'd like to think I'm better than that) and I'm not taking it to heart. However it has got me thinking about the nature of respect in this 

I have 1980 "friends" on facebook. That's a big number and with a number like that its inevitable that there are some no voters within that group. While trying to further both campaigns, I've tried to be respectful to those of different. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion but that doesn't mean that opinion can't be questioned - I constantly try to question my own arguments and openly welcome those with a different view to point out if they disagree. If we don't question and discus these issues, then society cannot be expected to move forward. 

To date only a small view have come forward and questioned my beliefs (mostly undecideds). I'm sure there are more people out there who feel the same way but are afraid to voice their opinions in the fear of a social media witch hunt. This is not what I would want. As I've said, I've tried to respect others. If i have offended you, I sincerely apologize- this was not my intention

In this instance, this person (you know who you are) has decided not to be respectful. In fact he was very offensive to me personally. Thankfully I'm (currently) in a position where I can read it and not take it to heart. Another person however might not be fortunate. If someone recieved that message while struggling with their identity and/or mental health issues, who knows what could happen. This debate has already got nasty and I fear it will get worse over the coming days.

So my point (I told you there was a point), if you are going to engage with someone online, please so respectfully or don't do so at all. Question the idea and not the person. If you find you disagree with someone so much that you can't engage them in respectful discussion then ignore them or hide/block/delete them on facebook. If you're willing to be respectful, i'd love to hear from you.

Here we go again.... My Fitness Goals for 2015

So in 2014 I went from doing no fitness training to running two 5Ks NS six 10Ks, playing my first few games of tag rugby, completing a Summer Fitness Challenge and the 12 Days of Insanity, doing a beginners rock climbing course and taking part in a Marathon Relay challenge. I've achieved so much more than I ever expected to and in 2015 I aim to set the bar higher and achieve even more. I'm writing this blog so that I'm publically

Starting next week I'm begining the LSP's "New Year, New Start" challenge. Similar to the Summer Fitness Challenge, its an 8 week programme with the Campus Run (or Track Attack) on a Monday, Track Attack on a Wednesday and a taster of different activities on Friday evening. At either end of the eight weeks, there's a fit test so you can see how much you've improved. Last time I had huge gains in all areas and this time around, I want to go even further.

Secondly I want to run more. I've sent the Great Limerick Run as my target with a goal of 60 minutes or less. This is a big ask but I'm confident if I put my mind to it I can do it. Other races coming up in the meantime include the Milford 10K, the Adare 10K and the Plassey 10K

Thirdly I want to hike more. With Mount Fuji coming up in the summer I need to get out on the hills more and become mountain fit. One of my goals this year is to finally summit Galtymore - the one mountain in Ireland that has defeated time and again.

I'd also like to play a bit more tag rugby and get to a few more Insanity and Body Pump classes.

On The Dry For January

So the other day I made a decision. It was an impulse decision. Within five minutes of first having the initial thought, i had signed up and posted it up on facebook to make sure others knew what I was doing (to make sure I kept my promise). The challenge - go "On The Dry" for the entire month of January.

Now I'm not an alcoholic and wouldn't even class myself as a heavy drinker but I do like to drink. I'm partial to a nice pint of Guinness and enjoy discovering new beers. Like many I probably indulged myself a bit too much over the Christmas period so perhaps a few weeks of sobreity might not be a bad idea,

Another reason for taking on the challenge is the charity. Two years ago this month, my Grandfather passed away after a stroke. Since then I have done my best to raise money for the Irish Heart Foundation which funds research into stroke and other heart deceases. So when the IHF launched the On The Dry campaign, I thought it would be a great way to raise some money for this worthy cause. I find it fitting that this is taking place during January - the two year anniversary of my Grandfather (a committed teetotaler). To me this is a nice way to honour a man who meant so much to me growing up.

Like the Movember campaigns, the On The Dry campaign works through online donations. You are encouraged to share your online profile via social media and drum up donations. You (or a friend) have even buy an "On The Sly" pass for €20 which allows for one days drinking in case of a wedding, birthday or Tuesdays.

So i'm two days in and so far I haven't touched a drop. My first big challenge will be tomorrow night - my first night out of 2015. There will be lots of tempations to be have a drink, to fit in or to make the night go faster. I'll report back on how it goes but i'm sure I should be fine.

Foreword to adventure

Hard to believe that in three nights time, I'll be sleeping in a hostel in Hungary. I've wanted to go to Budapest for the last two years since I read a fascinating article about the city in an inflight magazine while flying to Helsinki. I'm not sure why but a lightbulb went off in my head and I knew then I had to go there. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it there on my last trip around Europe so this year

I've hardly had time to even think about my trip. It's always been something that's up ahead in the future but still so far off. Even as the days remaining have narrowed to single digits, I still haven't grasped the concept that the time has come. But come it has and I think the timing is just right. The last couple of months have been stressful and tiring. This year I've push myself to the extremities in many aspects of my life and I need to break out and disappear if only for 2 weeks.

There's always been something that appeals to me about just putting my bag on my back, grabbing a map and off I go. As the old phrase goes "its the journey that counts, not the destination". This year i've decided to be more flexible in my travel plans. Only the start and end point are set in stone. The rest I'll decide as I go on. A friend of mine once told me that having a plan goes against the spirit of interrailing. There's a big internal battle being my need to organised and my desire to be spontaneous. Last years trip was carefully planned and at times I felt under pressure to meet deadlines. I'd like to see how my friend's approach works for me.

And yes I am travelling alone. I find it fascinating how alien this concept seems to be for people to grasp. For me the idea of the sole traveller is the ultimate experience as it pushes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to interact with strangers.

I'll try to keep the blog up to date as a I travel... let's see where this journey takes me

another fitness update

One of these days I'm gonna write a post that isn't about fitness I promise. That said, an update is long overdue. My last post was the mungret 10k which was well over a month ago and a lot has happened.

I've run two 10ks. At the end of May, I took part in the sixmilebridge 10k which was a nice route but very tough at times. A bit frustrated with my time of 76 minutes. Then last weekend I had the Clare10k which was an amazing event. An ankle injury about a mile into the race left me hobbling for the next 2km which was very frustrating but after the 4th KM I managed to get back on track and completed it in a shocking 75 minutes which makes me wonder how quick I would have been if it hadn't been for the injury. But there's no point dwelling on what could have been. No permanent damage seems to have been done and I've taken steps to (hopefully) prevent a recurrence of this injury.

And after 8 weeks, the Limerick Sports Partnership's Summer Fitness Challenge has come to end with the second fitness test. All week I was bit nervous about it. I'm still waiting for the results of both to be sent to me but I'm pretty sure I improved in all areas. The one part I was dreading was the Mile. On the first night I managed to run the mile in 13.50 minutes. Despite my legs feeling a bit weak all week, I took off around the track and completed the seven laps in an astonishing 8.58!! I was shocked, lost for words at the end. That's five freakin minutes off my time in just 8 weeks. I couldn't believe it. Just goes to show what you can achieve with regular training and dedication. Well done to all the other participants who finished, it was smiles all round so everyone must have improved.

I can't finish this without thanking our instructor Derek who was fantastic. From the first night, he decided i was going to be the butt of his jokes and didn't let up. With every joke and smart remark, I was even more detirminded to succeed. He was full of great advice when it came to running and general fitness and kept encouraging me to improve. Couldn't have done it without him

Gonna continue with the Campus Run and Track Attack for the summer months. Next up on the race calendar is a nightime 5k in an amazing location - the runway of Shannon Airport! This is something I'm really looking forward to as it's such a unique opportunity to do something like this.

Till next time folks...

Mungret St Pauls 10k

So after a productive 5k run on Thursday and an insane workout on Friday night, Saturday was well earned rest day ahead of Sunday's race - the Mungret/St Paul's 10km.

On the morning of the race I was feeling a bit nervous that I wouldn't be able to reach my target of 75-79 minutes. I was feeling sluggish and my legs were a bit shaking. On top of that the weather in the morning looked miserable.

I wasn't sure what the route would be like having heard everything from "its a nice flat route" to "its full of hills" and everything in between. Those who mentioned the hills all talked about the monstrous hill from the cresecent shopping centre up towards the Regional Hospital and St Paul's church.

However when it came time to get going, everything came together. I ran comfortably along with the 60min pacer for the best part of the first 2km before dropping back to my own pace. To my surprise I was very comfortable running along and was doing longer sprints than I've ever managed. I kept my pace at consistantly at 7.98km/hr from 2km to 9km. Despite the warnings I found the hill from the Crescent to St Paul's Church to be grand - it was a gradual climb with a nice road under your feet. I was very happy with my progress and looked like i'd be able to meet my target time.

As I hit the 9km mark, I was hit with a proper hill. This was one tough bastard of a hill. I could see the finish point of the GAA Club ahead but it was taking everything I had to keep going. The thoughts of reaching my target started to see less and less likely. It seemed to be taking forever to get up that hill.

Even as I turned into the GAA Club, every step was a challenge but as I crossed the finish line I was shocked to see a time of 1hr13mins. I couldn't believe it. Not only had I got in under my target, I had smashed my Personal Best by six minutes! On top of a new PB, I've managed to go from 86 minutes to 73 in just six weeks!

I'd like to thank fellow Scouter Theresa Kielly and her gang of cheerleaders at the roundabout who gave me great support at the start and finish of the race. Really pushed me through. Also to Derek from the UL Arena who's advice during the Campus Run sessions has really helped me along. Thanks to everyone else who has encoruaged me - you're all amazing

I'm still on a high and i'm all set for my race in 2 weeks time - the Sixmilebridge 10km. This time we're aiming for 70 minutes or less. Watch this space

fitness update 3

So after the excitement that was the Great Limerick Run, it was time to recover and start working towards my next race - the Mungret/St Paul's 10k which is coming up this Sunday. Probably a bit nuts to try another 10k so soon but make hay while the sun shines.

So the next few days were spent recovering from Sunday's run. A bit of walking and some light stretching before heading back to circuits on Wednesday. I must say I found this week's session touch. In particular anything that involved jumping seemed like a real struggle.

This week's Mystery Friday session was.... circuits again! This was due to a school's basketball tournamenet and the national gymnastics championships. Must say I felt much more comfortable on Friday than I did on Wednesday.

I was hoping to get out onto the hills on Sunday but an orange weather warning. Monday was an other running session. This time we were covering 5k from the arena to the kilmurry roundabout up to the vistacon roundabout and back down via the Plassey park road. After doing the last run in 45minutes, I set 40 mins as my goal for the night and managed to get around in exactly that time.

Another circuit session tomorrow and a mystery session (not circuits) on Friday before the race on Sunday. I'm setting a goal of between 75 and 79 minutes to do the route. Might be a bit much to ask so soon after the GLR

***************************

I should probably thank my sister Katie who has been a great source of encouragement and support in my bid to become fitter. Katie and I have been swapping streching techniques and discussing tips for improving our running in the lead up to the GLR. On the day of the race, I joined Katie on the starting point but she took off flying ahead and finished in an amazing time of 01.00.01. Since then the two of us have been discussing other races we could do.

Another friend who I must thank is Daan from the Netherlands. Daan is a nutrition coach and has kindly offered to give me some coaching on my nutrition. This is one aspect of my life that has always been negelected so I think its time I work on it. I had a very productive skype chat with Daan last Thursday and we discussed my standard diet and how we can improve it. It'll be interesting to see what I can achieve with Daan's help. (Might do a special blog post on this)

Great Limerick Run

So this year I took part in the Great Limerick Run for the first time. I was blown away by the sheer scale of the event. The buzz around the city was incredible.

As I've been concentrating on my general fitness instead of just running and my endurance isn't the best, I wasn't expected anything spectacular out of the day. My aims were to do better than the Plassey 10k (87 mins) and run for as much of it as I could.

I finished in 1 hour and 20 mins which is equal to my PB (Human Race 2013) and 7 minutes faster than the Plassey 10k. The big difference from the Human Race is that I was feeling fantastic both during and after. I was much more comfortable running and my calves didn't hurt anywhere near as much as previous races. I was feeling so good was actually able to go out around the town later that evening - something i've never managed to do before this.

The banter along the route was fantastic. Everyone was cheering each other on. The crowds along the route were amazing - especially the marathon runners from earlier and the kids with the arms outstretched for high fives.

Before the race my sister and I took part in a workout session led by Ireland's Mr Motivator Richie Clifford. As being the only male participant near the front I was dragged up near the stage as an example by Richie. Later on, during the race, I met three women who "remembered my arse from" earlier. These women were great craic on the final two miles and really helped me to keep going - even if they had me in stitches.

Today was a real boost for my confidence on so many levels and I can't begin to describe how ecstatic I felt as I crossed the finish line. Its amazing how much an impact a day like yesterday can have on you. For now, the attention turns to the Mungret/St Paul's 10k (May 18th) and the Irish Runner 5mile (June 28th). In the distance, loom October's Human Race and next year's GLR.

Well done to everyone who took part no matter how quick or slow you did it - you did it. You are all legends each and everyone of you. Well done to the organisers and volunteers on running a fantastic event (its no mean feat organising an event with 12,000 participants and countless number of spectators and shutting down a city for an entire day).

BarryGetsFit - update 2

So I've achieved a lot since my last post. After six weeks of track attack on a Wednesday I'm really starting to get the hang out it. I'm more comfortable doing the stations and I'm increasing my reps each week.

I started the Limerick Sports Partnership's Summer Fitness Challenge. This is an 8 week programme (lead by Derek who runs the Track Attack sessions) that runs 3 nights a week out of the UL Arena. We started with a fitness test that included a BMI test, a grip test, sit ups and a mile run. All our scores we're recorded and we'll compare them to our scores in 8 weeks time. Turns out i'm even unfitter than I thought I was but now I was a score to beat. And I will beat it!

The challenge is quiet varried. On Monday's we take part in the Camus Run. Last week we had to walk and/or run 5km from the door of the Arena up to vistacon and back. I've always found running tough but persevered and managed to run most of it.

On Wednesdays we'll be doing the Track Attack session. Having been doing it for a few weeks, I took two beginners around with me. It was interesting to watch the perspective of a beginner and it made me think how far I've come in the past seven weeks.

Fridays are the only session that changes. Each Friday we're going to try a different activity that the Arena offers such as Step Arobics, TRX, Kettlebells, Boxercise. Due to the GLR Expo being set up we were restricted to the track on the first night so we did the alternative Track Attack course (normally run on Tuesdays and Thursdays). This meant we got to try a number of different stations or variations of the stations I'm used to. For this session, I was paired with Andrew who is a lot fitter than I am but that pushed me to keep going even when I felt like given up.

So that's 4 sessions out of around 26 done. I'll post more as I go on. So that leads onto yesterday - the Great Limerick Run, but I think that deserves a post of it's own

BarryGetsFit - 2014 update

So the #BarryGetsFit campaign of 2013 started and stopped and started and stopped.... well you get the picture. So March 2014 rolled around and my fitness was edging towards a new low. I had stopped running and was walking a hell of a lot less. Add to that, I was putting on a good bit of weight, I was exhausted a lot and I was stressed out to the max.

I decided if i was going to do something I needed routine so I decided to go for a group class in the UL Arena. If I had a scheduled session to go to, I reckoned I'd be less likely to skip it. So the following week I packed my sports gear and headed off for my first attempted at track attack.

Track Attack is a form of circuit training. After two laps of the track and some exercises, you have to complete 16 stations on the circuit (eg burpees, spinning, hurdles, press ups etc) for 20 seconds. Following a break you have to do a circuit of 20 stations for 40 seconds and then a final 16 stations for 20 seconds.

I won't lie - its not easy. Some of the activities really take it out of you. Also its impossible to do the hurdles without looking like a twat. But some of the activities are fun and there's good banter with the other people there. While you're body may be cursing you during the workout, afterwords you feel great - both physically and mentally.

After five weeks, the results are incredible. I feel stronger, more alert and my mood has definately improved. The different activities are becoming easier to do (while still challenging).

I've also started running again. At the start of April I attempted the Jacinta O'Brien Plassey 10k run around UL. I found this tough and got nowhere near my target for the day. This failure of sorts has been a motivator to do better. In May I have the Great Limerick Run 6mile and in June I'll be heading up to Dublin to a 5 mile in the Phoenix Park. I've a training plan in place

Overall things are looking up. I've a lot of work to do to get to where I need to be (both physically and mentall). Watch this space

here's to 2013.... a great bunch of months

So on the morning of January 1st 2013, I climbed out of my igloo and said "this is going to be a good year". I can't say everything has gone to plan. In fact quiet a bit has gone wrong this year. But looking back I think there are more UPs than DOWNs. And that's the way life goes. You have to take the good with the bad and no matter what still come out smiling because that's the only way you'll make it to the next year.

This year I've lost some friends and family and gained some more. Some people have drifted away and others have drifted closer. I've had successes and defeats, happiness and sadness. But each and every moment in 2013 has made me the man I am on December 31st 2013. I have much clearer idea of where I am and where I'm going (but still with a good bit of room for surprises).

So here I am, counting down the hours, minutes and seconds until 2014 knowing that 2014 will be a good year, just like 2013 was before it. So as I look back on 2013 all I have to say is "Thank You". Thank you to everyone who made 2013 the year it was. If you're still with us, I look forward to our worlds colliding in 2014 and to those who have passed on I can only hope you have found peace from suffering. All I ask of my friends is to stay in touch with each other. In a world where everyone is connected, it can easy to get isolated.

I'll finish with a nice quote by Neil Gaiman:

'May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.'

Confessions of a jobbridge intern

So last year I finished college and off I went off into the world looking for work. I applied for job after job after job. In the rare cases where the company bothered to give me feedback, I was told that I was lacking experience (the viscious cycle of working to get experience and need experience to get work). After a few months on the dole, I decided to start looking at Jobbridge - the much critized National Internship programme.

Why you might ask? Well for one I needed the experience and I wasn't going to get it while I was on the dole. Secondly I was bored sitting at home doing the odd bit of freelance work and emailing off CVs. An internship would get me out of the house, build up my experience and give me a small bit more money in my back pocket. And if something better came along in  the meantime, I could easily take up that offer.

I've finished my internship with Avvio at the end of last month and I must say it was a very positive experience. I got to work on some interesting projects that helped me develop my skills (both development and design wise), I got back in a daily routine and I got to work with some amazing people who accepted me as part of the team. They didn't look down on me for "just being an intern". At the same time, they gave me the guidance I needed to improve myself, I got to sit with coworkers in other departments to get a broader view of how the company works. They respected the fact that I didn't get paid that much (e.g. I wasn't expected to pay for things like Sports & Social nights-out) and I was given a bit flexibility in regards my work hours.

At the end of my nine months, I was offered a contract which I accepted. Before the offer I was asked if I would be disappointed if I wasn't kept on. I replied that while I would miss my coworkers, I had gained a lot from the placement and that I was in a better position to find work than I was back in January so I could be happy about that.

I'll admit, the scheme isn't perfect. In fact there are a lot of problems that need to be fixed but from my point of view it worked. I got the experience and a lot of the knowledge that was holding me back from getting work. I can now apply for jobs and feel a lot more confident about my application. 

The Poker Project [coder dojo]

I recently set the older kids in CoderDojo limerick a project to work on. I picked the poker project I did in first year of college because it covers a lot of the concepts of programming. I'd noticed a lot of the kids were coding without really understanding what they were doing so I decided to stear clear of OO for the time being and concentrate on the basics such as loops, conditions and arrays.

The challenge is create a one player, text based poker game that does the follow:

• Create a deck of 52 cards
• Deal a hand of 5 cards
• Sort and display the hand in a user friendly manner
• Allow the player to make a bet and then compare the hand to traditional poker hands (royal flush, straight flush, two pair etc) to see if the user has a good hand

Originally we were working in C++ but I told the kids they could work in what ever language they wanted. I've now got kids working in C++, java, php, javascript and phython. Mentoring simultaneously in 5 languages is an... interesting challenge to say the least

I've broken the tasks down into blocks to be covered during the weekly dojo sessions but we're moving at the pace of the group. The aim is to get the kids thinking of how to solve the problems rather than just tell them what to type. Every Tuesday I'm going to put up a review of the concepts covered and then on Friday I'm going to post the code I've put together. To get access to the code, the kids must email in their work. 

When the above steps are complete, each kid will be challenge to modify the code in a way of their choosing. Suggestions so far include adding additional (computer) players, a GUI or using ardunio to add hardware element. 

After that's complete we're going to move on to tackle Object Oriented Programming and all that goes with it.

Mentoring @ CoderDojo

My name is Barry (or Baz to most people) and i’m a 25 year old Computer Systems graduate. I’ve been mentoring at the Limerick Dojo since I attended DojoCon last October.

I made my first webpage in 2001, it was a simple webpage with just a few html tags and probably said something like “Hello World” or “This is my first webpage” but I was excited as I rushed from notepad to Internet Explorer to click refresh and watch my webpage come to life. To me it was the coolest thing in the world. Here was something that I had created myself and I could put it on the internet! This was the start of my voyage into the world of coding. I had days when I was excited when my code compiled and days when I was pulling my hair out over a misplaced semi-colon.

Unfortunately I was never the most academically minded person and I did struggle through University. By the time I finally finished my degree in April 2012; my love of technology had waned. I wasn’t sure what I was doing anymore and had no enthusiasm to code.

But then in September of that year, I got talking to a 14 year old kid that I knew and (knowing I was a Computer guy) he started asking me questions about code.. He told me was part of something called CoderDojo and that every Saturday morning, he and some other teenagers were working on a C++ text based adventure game project called Zork (the bane of most UL Computer Students’ life in second year). I was intrigued. Like most mentors, I wished this had been around when I was a kid.

So I did a bit of searching online and found out there was a conference on in LIT. So I went along to find out more about CoderDojo and by the end of the day I volunteered to mentor. So next Saturday off I went to CoderDojo and was immediately tossed in with the “Advanced” group helping with C++. After a few minutes of observing and answering questions, I noticed one of the boys in the corner of the room throw his hands up in the air shouting “I did it, I did it”. And then I remembered why I started coding, the joy of realizing that I made the computer do that, the trill of watching your code compile and even the agony of the misplaced semi-colon.

Each week, I can’t wait for Saturday to come around again. Every week I love watching the kids overcoming their bugs and glitches and challenging themselves to improve their projects (be it a scratch game, a website or C++ application). And as the kids develop, so was I. I started going over my notes from college to keep up with the kids but soon I noticed I was learning for me. I was inspired by the kids to code again. I started making website and apps again. I started doing the CodeAcademy courses, watching the New Boston videos. I started reading techblogs again and going to community events. I’m now working as web developer and loving it.

Being a CoderDojo mentor has had such a positive effect on my life. If you have any time at all, I’d strongly recommend you get involved.

Barry Gets Fit - week 3

I know it a cliche if you told me back in December that during January i'd be going running three times in one week, i'd have laughed  But today i'm after going for run number three and I feel fantastic! On Wednesday I started the Couch to 5k running plan, a 9 week programme that uses "interval running" (a mix of walking and running) to turn you from coach potato to running 5km.

During week one, you have to do 30 minute three sessions (with a rest day in between). Starting off with a brisk 5 minute walk you then alternate between 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of running followed by a 5 minute warm down walk. I won't lie- it's not easy especially the first few runs but as you push on your body eases into it and by number number 7 you're flying. When you finally finish the 8 and final run, you get a great feeling of accomplishment.

To help me, I'm using the NHS Choices c25k podcasts in which a chirpy English woman named Laura tells you when to walk and run and occasionally says "well done you're doing great" along with some music with the right bpm for walking and running. There are plenty of podcasts available so look around and find the one that suits you.

Wednesday's running took place along the canal bank by UL. Friday morning saw me visit the equally impressive Phoenix Park in Dublin. On Sunday I was running through hail, rain AND shine, along Limerick's North Circular Road. Next week i'm on to Week 2 of the C25k and starting the first week of the NHS "Strength & Flex" plan, a five week exercise programme that fits perfectly into the rest days of the c25k.

So three weeks into my fitness attempt and despite making I'm feeling fantastic. I can't get over the amazing physical and mental benefits in such a short time. When I started this three weeks ago, I'd didn't think beyond improving my fitness and being able to hike again but the benefits have far surpassed that goal and improved several other areas of my life. Earlier in the week I decided that a definite end goal would be beneficial - more on that one to come.

Thanks to everyone who's supported me so far. I couldn't have done it without ye. I'll leave ye with this:

Barry Gets Fit - Week 2

Another week done and dusted. I wrote last week about how I didn't think I'd get much walking done this week due to my wisdom teeth. The surgury didn't happen due to a family bereavement  Despite the craziness of the week I managed to get out walking on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Due to the miserable weather, my pace slowed down to 10mins/km on Monday and Wednesday but by Friday I was back on 9 mins. Didn't make it to the climbing wall this week and it'll probably be two weeks before i make it there again unfortunately.

On Saturday morning I was off out on the hills of Tipperary to climb Keeper Hill with my Scouts. Great day out. Not only did I do the hike with no bother, I managed to help a young scout who was struggling to make up the mountain with I was really happy with. And when I got home, I still had enough energy to hit the town for a night out

Two weeks into my fitness attempt and i'm feeling great. I'm sleeping better, I have more energy and confidence and I'm able to enjoy a night out again with feeling wrecked after one pint. This coming week the bike comes out and i'm started the Couch to 5k plan. I've also signed up for the Castleconnel 10k walk next month. Onward and upward.

Barry Gets Fit 2013

I've never really been on for new year's resolutions. Usually because I know I can't be bothered keeping them. But 2013 is different - it has to be.

My fitness has always been a funny thing. I've never been the most athletically fit, running was never my thing. I like to walk and to hike, its one of the few physical activities I was good at. But during 2012 I became a couch potato and my fitness hit an all time low. I had no energy and (for the first time ever) I started to put on weight. Not only was I unfit but it was starting to feel the mental effects as well.  I could blame a lot of external factors such as the stress of college or job hunting but I won't. I'll admit I dropped the ball big time.

I spent new years at the incredibly amazing Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland. Being out in the Alpine fresh air, trying out all kinds of new activities with some amazing new friends, I regained my lust for life. I spent new years night sleeping in an igloo and that night I decided that in 2013, something needed to be done. To quote one of my favorite films "Get busy living or get busy dying".

So I can home with a new sense of direction in life. I was going to get fit, fitter than ever before. My fitness wasn't going to be a barrier in my life anymore. So the day after I got back (Saturday 5th Jan) I downloaded the RunKeeper app for my phone and I started walking again. RunKeeper was great in that it kept telling me how far I had walked and my pace. After two days I had settled back to an average pace of 10mins/km which i decided was a steady pace to keep for the week. If i could maintain that pace for the week i'd be happy.

One week later, I've walked ever day (with the exception of Friday), I've gone for a walk. Some days this has only been a quick 30 mins but other days I've gone for over an hour. By Thursday I had reached a surprising average pace of 9 mins/km which I was very impressed with. This morning I had a nice change of scenery by going for my walk along Galway bay at 8am.

On Thursday I spent two hours at the Nevsail Indoor Climbing wall doing a beginners lesson and from here on in, I'm going to try make this a weekly activity. Thanks to Dave for his help so far.

Next week will be a challenge as I'm going to be mostly bedridden from dental surgury on Monday so hopefully I won't loose the momentum. On Saturday i'll be going hiking up keeper hill with my scout troop. Going to try get out on the hills once a week where possible.

In the next few weeks I'm going to added cycling to the mix and I'm even contemplating giving a "Couch to 5k" running plan a go (this is going to be the hardest part I think). From February I'm even going to look at my diet to see what changes can be made (although this might give my poor mother a heart attack)

I;m going to try keep a weekly record of my progress here as well as updates on facebook and twitter (hastag: #BarryGetsFit) to help keep things on track. Let's see how this works out

Photo of the week

Been a while since i've had a photo of the week but i saw this while walking home last night. It's a pair of crocs (am i spelling that right) neatly place against a wall on Denmark Street in Limerick. I mean loosing a single croc is one thing but loosing two is bad. It also raises other questions

• Did this person walk home barefoot? 
• Did they realize they were now "Croc-Less"? 
• If they did this intentionally, what sudden catastrophy cause this person to discard their footwear on the street?
• Did they place them neatly by the wall themselves or did some concerned passerby do this?

I know i'm definitely over thinking this but it was one of those nights