Talks

Summarized using AI

Let Me Code

Liana Leahy • April 22, 2014 • Chicago, IL

The video titled "Let Me Code" features Liana Leahy presenting a humorous lyrical adaptation inspired by the challenges faced by programmers, particularly in the Ruby on Rails community. This creative take is a parody of a well-known song, repurposed to express the frustrations and triumphs associated with coding.

Key Points Discussed:
- Coding Isolation: The lyrics open with the metaphor of a glowing laptop screen, highlighting the solitary nature of coding and the struggles with making pull requests (PRs) that may not perform as expected.
- Imposter Syndrome: The song humorously touches on feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome that many developers experience, acknowledging the internal battle with oneself while coding.
- Defense Against Criticism: Liana emphasizes a resilient attitude against negative feedback from peers or trolls in the tech community, promoting a message of self-acceptance regardless of others' opinions.
- Embracing Freedom in Coding: A critical message conveyed is about breaking free from limitations, illustrated by lines expressing a desire to explore coding capabilities and techniques without strict adherence to rules. This notion of 'freedom' in coding encourages creativity.
- Technical References: Throughout the performance, there are several references to programming concepts such as SQL queries and Ruby, which help ground the humor in the technical aspects that resonate with the audience.
- Community Connectedness: The lyrics respond positively to the challenges faced in coding and how distance from negative feedback can help developers thrive.

The overall theme revolves around the liberation one feels when embracing their coding identity, shedding insecurities, and celebrating the journey of being a developer. By merging humor with relatable programming experiences, Liana Leahy delivers a powerful message about resilience and the joy of coding, while acknowledging both the struggles and victories within the tech community.

In conclusion, "Let Me Code" is not just a light-hearted take on the coding life but also a reaffirmation of passion for software development, encouraging others to push past their boundaries and enjoy the process regardless of external pressures or criticisms.

Let Me Code
Liana Leahy • April 22, 2014 • Chicago, IL

LYRICS:

The screen glows white on my laptop tonight
And my rSpec won't go green
I'm coding in isolation
So my PRs are obscene

My doubts are howling
Like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in
Heaven knows I've tried

Don't let them in
Don't let them see
My GitHub repo's
Mortifying me

Conceal, don't feel
Don't let them know!
Oh god, you know!

Let me code!
Let me code!
Can't hold it back anymore
Let me code!
Let me code!
I want to play with Rails 4.0.4

I don't care
What they're going to say
Let the nerds rage on
The trolls never bothered me anyway

It's funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the imposter syndrome
Can't get to me at all

It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong Sandi's rules for me
I'm free!

Let me code!
Let me code!
Matz is my favorite guy
Let me code!
Let me code!
DHH will never see me cry

Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the nerds rage on

I'm watching SQL queries
data from top down
I'm using Ruby
to draw frozen fractals all around
And one thought solidifying
Like an icy blast

I'm never going back
The past is in the past

Let me code!
Let me code!
When I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let me code!
Let me code!
That perfect girl is gone

Here I stand
With the apps I've made
Let the nerds rage on
The trolls never bothered me anyway

Help us caption & translate this video!

http://amara.org/v/FG1p/

RailsConf 2014

00:00:17.000 Hi, I'm Liana Leahy, and this was made with lots of love.
00:00:36.719 The screen glows white on my laptop tonight, and my RSpec won't go green. I'm coding in isolation, so my pull requests are obscene. My doubts are howling like this swirling storm inside. I couldn't keep it in; heaven knows I've tried. Don't let them in, don't let them see. My GitHub repos are mortifying me. Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know! Oh God, you know!
00:01:20.920 Let me code! Let me code! Can't hold it back anymore. Let me code! Let me code! I want to play with Rails 4.0.4. I don't care what they're going to say. Let the nerds rage on; the trolls never bothered me anyway.
00:01:53.320 It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the imposter syndrome can't get to me at all. It's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through. No right, no wrong; Sandi's rules for me, I'm free!
00:02:26.120 Let me code! Let me code! Matz is my favorite guy. Let me code! Let me code! DHH will never see me cry. Here I stand, and here I'll stay. Let the nerds rage on!
00:02:54.840 I'm watching SQL queries from top down. I'm using Ruby to draw frozen fractals all around, and one thought solidifying like an icy blast. I'm never going back; the past is in the past.
00:03:29.040 Let me code! Let me code! When I'll rise like the break of dawn. Let me code! Let me code! That perfect girl is gone. Here I stand with the apps I've made. Let the nerds rage on; the trolls never bothered me anyway.
00:04:09.200 Thank you! So, now we're ready for 20 more letdowns. Okay, let's do this. Great job!
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