Programming · by Tola Ibrahim · 2026-09-20
What debugging looks like when you stop optimizing everything in Cairo
I started this because my Monday morning felt a little stuck, and debugging seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
69 sparks · 13 comments
Comments
Curious River · 20 likes
Good reminder that boring can be good. My friend tried it in Istanbul and had the opposite result.
Sleepy Sparrow · 10 likes
I am saving this for the next time I overthink looks. I would test it for 5 days before deciding.
Omar Hassan · 4 likes
Great point, especially the part about debugging. This pairs weirdly well with ramen.
Mina Chowdhury · 2 likes
This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. The Jakarta example makes it feel concrete.
Jiho Lee · 2 likes
What would you change if you started over? I learned that one the expensive way.
Tiny Mango · 1 likes
Fair point, but I had the opposite experience. The 3-minute rule is underrated. I would love to see the benchmark numbers.
Rohan Mehta · 0 likes
This is adorable and oddly motivating. I noticed the same thing in Toronto.
Hugo Sánchez · 0 likes
That last line is excellent. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.