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Get a Hobby

September 5th, 2021

I think one of the most predictive features for personal happiness is whether you have high-quality hobbies. My friends and acquaintances with hobbies seem consistently happier and more fulfilled than those without, independent of other factors like job satisfaction, financial success, and physical health.

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August 2021 Review

August 31st, 2021

My time in Montana is coming to an end—I’ll be spending the next few days camping in Glacier National Park, then heading back down to Atlanta. This past summer really was something special—Livingston and the whole state just have great vibes.

Goal Tracking

  • 🟢 Get 1% faster. Not much to say here—I hit this goal and it’s the offseason! Since preseason is coming up again, I’ll probably change this goal next month.
  • 🔴 50% less discretionary spending. I spent just 1.8% less this month than my 2020 average. In retrospect, expecting to hit this goal while in Montana was probably foolish—I’ve been way more lax about eating out and paying for experiences than normal.
  • 🔴 One hour of solitary free time a day. Still not tracking this—clearly I’m not prioritizing this goal. A good lesson for next time.
  • 🟡 Twice-weekly live conversations with friends. Managed this all but one week this month.
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A Taxonomy of Software Engineering Taxonomies

August 22nd, 2021

Laddered

Engineering ability can be boiled down into a single “level”. Levels are often based on both current ability and track record, and build on each other—a L4 engineer is expected to fulfill not only L4 expectations, but also those of L1-3. Levels are often used by management for titling and compensation bands. Levels can be either discrete or continuous, though in either case, despite the window dressing, they are often somewhat arbitrary.

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Interview More

August 14th, 2021

When’s the last time you looked around for a new job? If the answer is “more than a year ago”, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Even if you’re happy in your current role, simply looking around offers many benefits.

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