Why I love taking buses now?

(CSDN Jan 25, 2007)

Every time I go home I have to stay on the bus for an hour and a half. It seemed to be boring in the past, watching through the windows. However, I start reading books during this period. Yep, I know it is bad for my eyes. However, I only read the titles and pictures, and ignore those tiny little letters.

For example, Martin Fowler’s UML Distilled is my latest favourite. I love the sketches he draws. Personally I prefer Together to Visio but I think no matter which tool is used, the meaning of the diagram is the key. When I watch a diagram I will first try to guess its meaning. As a matter of fact, most of UML diagrams are not hard to understand. What’s boring is the details but they can be ignored at first. After knowing the diagram’s meaning I try to focus on the details. I have drawn a few diagrams before I read this book, so I can see what in these diagrams I do not understand. Then I can choose to read only a few lines of Martin’s description and find it out. Thus, in all, I spend most of the time thinking, not reading.

Travelling on a bus is now more pleasing than ever. In this way, I have finished reading Refactoring to Patterns and Design Patterns twice in the second half of 2006. And thanks to the efforts, CBC have evolved a lot.

Reading is fun.