Balancing Code and Wellbeing: Michelle Bakels on React and Developer Health

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Michelle Bakels, Program Director at G2i and co-organizer of React Miami. They cover a range of topics, from developer health initiatives to the challenges of organizing a growing tech conference. They also discuss their experiences with React, the evolution of developer culture, and the perks of working in tech.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (03:43) - Whiskey: Old Forester 1910
• (17:11) - Inferred types vs explicit types
• (18:07) - Tailwind vs vanilla CSS
• (20:59) - Git rebase vs git merge
• (23:08) - Third party vs roll your own
• (24:40) - VS Code sidebar on left or right
• (27:35) - Vercel vs cheap VPS
• (31:07) - Whiskey.fund
• (31:40) - React Miami
• (39:10) - Dev Health OS
• (44:58) - Inter Miami
• (49:37) - Phoenix Open and TGL
• (52:44) - Non-tech careers

• React Miami: https://www.reactmiami.com
• Old Forester 1910: https://www.oldforester.com
• Ken Wheeler: https://x.com/ken_wheeler
• Jack Rose: https://www.jackrosediningsaloon.com
• Tailwind CSS: https://tailwindcss.com
• Typescript: https://www.typescriptlang.org
• Adam Wathan: https://x.com/adamwathan
• JetBrains: https://www.jetbrains.com
• Vercel: https://vercel.com
• Vs Code: https://code.visualstudio.com
• Atom: https://atom-editor.cc
• Cursor: https://www.cursor.com
• Netlify: https://www.netlify.com
• Dax: https://x.com/thdxr
• Next.js: https://nextjs.org
• Laracon: https://laracon.us
• Sentry: https://Sentry.io
• PHP: https://www.php.net
• React: https://react.dev
• The Dev Health OS: https://www.devhealthos.com
• Gabe Greenberg: https://x.com/gabe_g2i
• How We Work by Leah Weiss: https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Work-Purpose-Reclaim/dp/- 0062565060
• Inter Miami: https://www.intermiamicf.com
• Phoenix Open: https://wmphoenixopen.com
• TGL: https://tglgolf.com
• Tiger Woods: https://x.com/TigerWoods
• Jupiter Links: https://x.com/jupiterlinksgc

• Website: https://www.michellebakels.com
• X / Twitter: https://x.com/michellebakels

• Robbie Wagner: https://x.com/RobbieTheWagner
• Chuck Carpenter: https://x.com/CharlesWthe3rd

• Website: https://whiskey.fm
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whiskey-web-and-whatnot/id1552776603
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19jiuHAqzeKnkleQUpZxDf
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1552776603
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhiskeyWebAndWhatnot

Enjoying the podcast and want us to make more? Help support us by picking up some of our fresh merch at https://whiskey.fund.

Veteran web developers RobbieTheWagner, Charles William Carpenter III, and Adam Argyle host this informal, whiskey-fueled fireside chat with your favorite web devs. They discuss all things web development including JavaScript, TypeScript, EmberJS, React, Astro, SolidJS, CSS, HTML, Web3, and more. They take a unique approach and focus on getting to know the human side of developers and their hobbies outside of work, all while sampling a new whiskey that they rate on their unique tentacle scale.