Yahoo! Cool Thing of the Day

Here's some handy-dandy Hack Day hints, should you ever feel the need to use them.

1. Cheat
   This isn't Iron Chef. There's no secret ingredient. As much as I keep suggesting raising up a tableau from some misty realm so that the cloth can be pulled back to reveal "Mark and Sweep Garbage Collection Algorythms", that's just not going to happen. Have an idea or two you might want to do. Talk to other folks, find out what they're doing. Get involved, preferably beforehand.
2. Avoid questionable food/restaurants Seriously. If you got the trots last time you ate there (or hell, even near there) avoid it. It's amazingly hard to code while holding your head (or other body part) over a bucket. (Hmm... too much info or some advice I could have used last time? Or just way too much info)
3. Conspire. Find folks that are doing something cool. They want your help. Find folks that have skills you need, they want to help. Post messages, ask boards, stand on a soapbox and scream "LFG", whatever works. You'll be amazed what you can pull off together.
4. Sleep now Ok, probably not right now, but make sure you're well rested before hand. Lay off the sugar and caffine too, since they'll screw up your sleep cycle, and if you abstain for a while, they really pack a wallop when you need it.
5. Start buttering up the partner This is for those folks in a relationship. Maybe it's buying them flowers or dinner, maybe it's spending a night "cuddling", maybe it actually involves butter. We don't need to know, but it's important that they're taken care of so that you can focus. It sounds silly ("who'd want to get in an argument before you go hack?") but it's surprising how many folks get hit by this. Take time to make their lives better, and they respond in kind.

Most importantly, if you're going to be in the area and want to see what a bunch of well rested, happy folks with too much sugar and caffine can do, be sure to sign up.

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