I've begun to find that, in so many cases, the basic, boring path - for learning a skill or achieving some result - ends up being the correct one. It's not the fancy twelve-point program that costs $899 to unlock. Nope, not even close.

It's time for another Q&A. This week, we'll discuss everything from how I'd build Laracasts differently today, which controversial ideas I subscribe to, reflections on having a two year old child, and, of course, code editors...

Every developer goes too far at some point in their career. It's unavoidable.

Too many ideas and practices in programming are accepted as basic truths. "Don't do it like that! It's dirty." What I'm concerned with is who gets to determine what is and isn't acceptable code to write. Today, I'd like to share four common practices and ideas that I tend to disagree with.

Do you ever feel like you opinions are being spoon-fed to you? Even worse, what if you didn't even realize it was taking place?

You've seen the same headline all over the web: "This one technique can triple your income overnight." Really? And I only have to click through your article, split into fifteen pages full of ads? Where do I sign up!? But what if there was a simple technique to drastically improve your chances in the job market?

It doesn't matter which new thing I want to learn, step one is always the same: immerse yourself.

In this episode, we'll begin with a five minute discussion of Home Alone, because I know my audience - and that's what you're truly craving from me. Then, we'll move on to a variety of realizations I've come to 2017 - and they're not all related to code.

Every year around this time, I feel it. "Oh, yet another email from that business, asking me to buy their thing...again." The abuse of power is what makes marketing efforts like these feel so slimy.

It's okay to internally kick and scream your way through, just as long as you do the work. Such practical and obvious advice, yet few of us are able to follow it.