Bill Bruschi

Finally wrapped up Advent of Code 2025 over the weekend. Practically all my code at work is AI generated nowadays, so it was nice to get some hands on coding in for a change.

I did use AI for the not so fun parts: scaffolding files and documentation.

I just completed all 12 days of Advent of Code 2025! #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com

#CommonLisp github.com/brewski82/ad...

I just completed "Reactor" - Day 11 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/11

#CommonLisp github.com/brewski82/ad...

Yes, and it has been great! Thank you for creating it. It is now my primary emacs tool for working with AI agents.

I've completed "Factory" - Day 10 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/10

#CommonLisp github.com/brewski82/ad...

I've completed "Movie Theater" - Day 9 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode #CommonLisp

adventofcode.com/2025/day/9

github.com/brewski82/ad...

I've completed "Playground" - Day 8 - Advent of Code 2025
#AdventOfCode #CommonLisp

adventofcode.com/2025/day/8

github.com/brewski82/ad...

I've completed "Laboratories" - Day 7 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/7

github.com/brewski82/ad...

#CommonLisp

I just completed "Trash Compactor" - Day 6 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/6

For emacs claude code integration, currently using github.com/stevemolitor... and have been very pleased.

Also want to try github.com/xenodium/age... at some point.

GitHub - brewski82/claude-code-tools.el: A robust Emacs integration for Claude Code that supports multiple concurrent sessions, Magit integration, and git worktree workflows. A robust Emacs integration for Claude Code that supports multiple concurrent sessions, Magit integration, and git worktree workflows. - brewski82/claude-code-tools.el

I've been toying with my opinionated Emacs package containing tools for working with Claude Code.

github.com/brewski82/cl...

GitHub - MostlyAdequate/mostly-adequate-guide: Mostly adequate guide to FP (in javascript) Mostly adequate guide to FP (in javascript). Contribute to MostlyAdequate/mostly-adequate-guide development by creating an account on GitHub.

I've been really enjoying this free ebook about functional programming: github.com/MostlyAdequa... .

Only grip so far is that it lack of a YOLO mode because it can spend minutes churning on a task, then prompt you asking if it should run a tool and continue. I would rather it run to completion while I multitask.

I've been happy with the results from claude-code. However, I would be cautious using it for personal projects, as it loves to chew up tokens and 💰.

Claude Code overview - Anthropic Learn about Claude Code, an agentic coding tool made by Anthropic. Currently in beta as a research preview.

Seems like I'm using a new AI coding tool every week. This week, it has been claude-code along with the claude-code.el emacs package.

docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agen...

github.com/stevemolitor...

Home aider is AI pair programming in your terminal

So far, the AI coding assistants I've tried in earnest are GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and Aider. I think Cursor is the best in terms of usability. But I'm rooting for Aider because:

1. It's terminal-based and not tied to an editor.
2. It's open source.

aider.chat

Currently reading the computer science paper Out of the Tar Pit. Quite the gem!

curtclifton.net/papers/Mosel...

Just finished listening to The Pragmatic Engineer's podcast episode with Grady Booch - highly recommended! Hearing him talk about the history of software and his enthusiasm about the future of the industry lifted my spirits.

It's great to see such passion from industry pioneers!

I've seen many systems that use Kafka for fan-out and throughput but don't require the strict ordering it offers.

It seems like Share Groups could be a valuable consideration. I wonder if they will reduce the need for DLQs in some cases?

Queue Support in Apache Kafka 4.0 via Share Groups Queue support in Apache Kafka 4.0, enabled by share groups, lets you accommodate traditional queue-type workloads through cooperative consumption.

Apache Kafka is going to support queues?

www.confluent.io/blog/queues-...

map-combinations came in handy with this one - alexandria.common-lisp.dev/draft/alexan...

I've completed "Resonant Collinearity" - Day 8 - Advent of Code 2024 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2024/day/8

My solution in #CommonLisp: github.com/brewski82/ad...

I've been exploring Common Lisp libraries while solving these problems. Sometimes, I found myself spending more time searching for a good library than it would have taken to roll my own. 🙂

My #CommonLisp solution: github.com/brewski82/ad...

I just completed "Bridge Repair" - Day 7 - Advent of Code 2024 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2024/day/7

common lisp timing advent of code solution

Very inefficient, brute-force solution to part 2 🫣

Another #CommonLisp solution:

github.com/brewski82/ad...

I've completed "Guard Gallivant" - Day 6 - Advent of Code 2024 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2024/day/6

Common Lisp using cl-arrows macros

Been having fun solving these with new libraries. I've been enjoying using the cl-arrows library, which "borrows" from Clojure's threading macros 🙂

github.com/nightfly19/c...

clojure.org/guides/threa...

Another solution in #CommonLisp . Ran into a little trouble as the rules contained a circular dependency 😵‍💫

github.com/brewski82/ad...

I've completed "Print Queue" - Day 5 - Advent of Code 2024 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2024/day/5

I've completed "Ceres Search" - Day 4 - Advent of Code 2024 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2024/day/4

In #CommonLisp github.com/brewski82/ad...