Here at WordCamp Northeast Ohio, we are pretty big fans of the Lifehacker series “How I Work”. We asked our speakers to do a WordPress take on that idea, and thus was born “How I WordPress”- a series where some of the best minds in WordPress share a bit about their process with our readers/attendees.
Name
Steve Grunwell
Location
Columbus, OH
Current Gig
Senior Web Engineer at 10up
Career Summary
Boy meets Web. Boy and Web fall in love. Boy spends too many late nights learning everything about Web. Boy travels the country talking about Web.
One word that best describes how you work?
Caffeinated
Current Mobile Device/Why
iPhone 6; back in the day (2011), I was going to get a Galaxy S2 but they decided to delay it for Verizon. Meanwhile, AT&T exclusivity lapsed for the iPhone, so I picked up a 4S instead.
Current Computer/Why
13″ Retina MacBook Pro – all the screen real estate I need when I’m on the go and so darn light. My first laptop was an ’08 MacBook Pro (I was doing video at the time and required OS X for Final Cut Studio), and I got a solid five years out of that machine. Now, as someone who’s constantly working on the command line, I need a machine that speaks Unix (something Windows is *just* starting to do well).
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
I have my preferred software, but feel it’s important to be able to use the more universal tools (e.g. Vim and CLI programs) so I’m not paralyzed when I’m working on a remote machine. A machine does feel crippled without Alfred or a hotkey-accessible terminal window, though.
What’s your workspace setup like?
MacBook Pro plugged into a 19″ Samsung LED monitor (which needs replaced with something better but about the same size); browser + editor live on the main monitor while Slack, iTunes, and my email are over on the 13″ screen. Wired Apple keyboard (with 10-key) and old-school Mighty Mouse act as primary inputs. When I have music on, it’s being pumped through a bluetooth speaker next to my laptop.
What’s your favorite to-do list method?
A simple text file, launched via Alfred. I still synchronize them via Dropbox (a habit from my multi-machine days), but that’s not really necessary anymore.
After your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without? Why?
An electric drumset is a great way to pound out work frustrations while getting a good cardio workout and not waking the neighbors. It doesn’t have to be an expensive kit, either.
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else?
Roasting small-batch, Bourbon-infused coffee in my kitchen.
What do you listen to while working?
I have a few specialized playlists, but it’s mostly just throwing my iTunes library (mostly classic rock and blues) on shuffle; I can’t listen to podcasts and focus, nor does electronic/ambient music do anything for me.
What do you do to stay inspired?
Find things that are broken and think “well heck, I can fix that!”
What’s your sleep routine like?
I’m a night owl by nature, but I have to maintain something closer to a midnight-to-7am routine by necessity for the sake of my daughter.
