Math Academy, part 1: My eigenvector embarassment
(frankhecker.com)
This all started because I don’t know what an eigenvector is.
This all started because I don’t know what an eigenvector is.
The ideal candidate will be punched in the stomach
(scottsmitelli.com)
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
My Time at MIT
(blogspot.com)
Twenty years ago, in 2004-2005, I spent a year at MIT’s Computer Science department as a postdoc working with Professor Nancy Lynch.
Twenty years ago, in 2004-2005, I spent a year at MIT’s Computer Science department as a postdoc working with Professor Nancy Lynch.
Sharing a ChatGPT Account with My Wife
(startupbaniya.com)
I was curious to see how ChatGPT would respond to this question, and the answer was interesting because my wife and I share the same ChatGPT Pro account, but we use AI in different ways.
I was curious to see how ChatGPT would respond to this question, and the answer was interesting because my wife and I share the same ChatGPT Pro account, but we use AI in different ways.
How A Skeptical Philosopher Becomes a Christian [Larry Sanger]
(larrysanger.org)
It is finally time for me to confess and explain, fully and publicly, that I am a Christian.
It is finally time for me to confess and explain, fully and publicly, that I am a Christian.
My Wife's Enemies Are Now My Enemies, Too (2019)
(thecut.com)
Until about five years ago, I got along with basically everyone. Sometimes, I knew, people didn’t care for me, but my impeccable get-along instincts and crushing fear of confrontation prevented things from coming to a head very often. And if I didn’t like someone, I’d try to never let them know, because even if the sight of them made my stomach curdle, I still wanted them to like me.
Until about five years ago, I got along with basically everyone. Sometimes, I knew, people didn’t care for me, but my impeccable get-along instincts and crushing fear of confrontation prevented things from coming to a head very often. And if I didn’t like someone, I’d try to never let them know, because even if the sight of them made my stomach curdle, I still wanted them to like me.
Escaping surprise bills and over-engineered messes: Why I left AWS
(travisbumgarner.dev)
I love building side projects. They've been a way to push myself and explore new ideas and technologies. Each site has needed hosting. I started my hosting journey with WordPress. I moved on to raw Linux servers and finally ended up on AWS. Hosting on AWS felt like a badge of honor, but it also felt like a ticking time bomb of complexity and cost.
I love building side projects. They've been a way to push myself and explore new ideas and technologies. Each site has needed hosting. I started my hosting journey with WordPress. I moved on to raw Linux servers and finally ended up on AWS. Hosting on AWS felt like a badge of honor, but it also felt like a ticking time bomb of complexity and cost.
Three AM 911 call, 9 AM salesman
(wholelottanothing.org)
A few days ago, the smoke alarms in my house went off at 3am, so we got up and took it seriously when we smelled smoke everywhere. But after 20 minutes of searching high and low, we couldn't find a source, so as a precaution, we called 911 to let our fire department stop by to check things out too.
A few days ago, the smoke alarms in my house went off at 3am, so we got up and took it seriously when we smelled smoke everywhere. But after 20 minutes of searching high and low, we couldn't find a source, so as a precaution, we called 911 to let our fire department stop by to check things out too.
Living with Nausea: My Story in Six Charts
(c82.net)
I used to have boring health. I never had more than the flu, been admitted to the hospital, and I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. In late 2023, that changed when I developed chronic nausea.
I used to have boring health. I never had more than the flu, been admitted to the hospital, and I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. In late 2023, that changed when I developed chronic nausea.
I use ChatGPT daily (scientist/coder perspective)
(bartwronski.com)
We all know how the internet works—lots of “hot takes,” polarizing opinions, trolling, and ignorance.
We all know how the internet works—lots of “hot takes,” polarizing opinions, trolling, and ignorance.
My Impressions of Gleam
(snarky.ca)
When I was about to go on paternity leave, the Gleam programming language reached 1.0. It's such a small language that I was able to learn it over the span of two days. I tried to use it to convert a GitHub Action from JavaScript to Gleam, but I ran into issues due to Gleam wanting to be the top of the language stack instead of the bottom. As such I ended up learning and using ReScript.
When I was about to go on paternity leave, the Gleam programming language reached 1.0. It's such a small language that I was able to learn it over the span of two days. I tried to use it to convert a GitHub Action from JavaScript to Gleam, but I ran into issues due to Gleam wanting to be the top of the language stack instead of the bottom. As such I ended up learning and using ReScript.
Cal Newport: What Happened When an Offline Person Tried TikTok
(newyorker.com)
In 2013, I wrote a blog post titled “Why I Never Joined Facebook.” Social media had grown so ubiquitous that I felt obligated to justify my abstention; I pointed out that I didn’t need it because it didn’t solve any actual problems in my life.
In 2013, I wrote a blog post titled “Why I Never Joined Facebook.” Social media had grown so ubiquitous that I felt obligated to justify my abstention; I pointed out that I didn’t need it because it didn’t solve any actual problems in my life.
What I Learned Failing to Finish a Game in 2024
(georgeallen.dev)
2024 didn’t go as planned. Despite the title suggesting I “failed,” I actually learned a tremendous amount about game development last year.
2024 didn’t go as planned. Despite the title suggesting I “failed,” I actually learned a tremendous amount about game development last year.
Reflections on 1 Year of (Trying to) Become Successful on YouTube
(chaserensberger.com)
In 2024, my friend and I started making YouTube videos. This article is just some housekeeping I’m doing to keep track of progress for this channel. I hope that some people find it valuable. I offer some advice in this article, but everything should be taken with a grain of salt, as we are not (hopefully yet) a successful channel. If you’re interested in getting in touch, there is contact information at the end of the article.
In 2024, my friend and I started making YouTube videos. This article is just some housekeeping I’m doing to keep track of progress for this channel. I hope that some people find it valuable. I offer some advice in this article, but everything should be taken with a grain of salt, as we are not (hopefully yet) a successful channel. If you’re interested in getting in touch, there is contact information at the end of the article.
Narcolepsy is weird but I didn't notice
(fortressofdoors.com)
There are certain kinds of experiences that most human beings know very little about because a) they are rare, b) they can only be felt from the "inside", i.e., by the people who have them, and c) not all of those people choose to, or are good at, writing about it.
There are certain kinds of experiences that most human beings know very little about because a) they are rare, b) they can only be felt from the "inside", i.e., by the people who have them, and c) not all of those people choose to, or are good at, writing about it.
VR Has Had a Phase Change and I Didn't Know It
(jerf.org)
To set expectations, this is not a sweeping review of the entire industry; indeed, quite the contrary. This is just one guy’s story about his limited experiences with VR gaming.
To set expectations, this is not a sweeping review of the entire industry; indeed, quite the contrary. This is just one guy’s story about his limited experiences with VR gaming.
Ask HN: What is the Most "Impressive" Person you know working on?
(ycombinator.com)
Ask HN: What is the Most "Impressive" Person you know working on?
Ask HN: What is the Most "Impressive" Person you know working on?
Laid off for the first time in my career, and twice in one year
(dillonshook.com)
So, I got laid off again… This time it was the week before Christmas, last time it was a week into paternity leave. Both great timing, I know. Last time I didn’t feel like writing about it since it was a swirl of emotions with a new baby in the house and the first time I had been laid off in my career, 13 years in at that point.
So, I got laid off again… This time it was the week before Christmas, last time it was a week into paternity leave. Both great timing, I know. Last time I didn’t feel like writing about it since it was a swirl of emotions with a new baby in the house and the first time I had been laid off in my career, 13 years in at that point.
How I program with LLMs
(crawshaw.io)
This document is a summary of my personal experiences using generative models while programming over the past year. It has not been a passive process. I have intentionally sought ways to use LLMs while programming to learn about them. The result has been that I now regularly use LLMs while working and I consider their benefits net-positive on my productivity. (My attempts to go back to programming without them are unpleasant.)
This document is a summary of my personal experiences using generative models while programming over the past year. It has not been a passive process. I have intentionally sought ways to use LLMs while programming to learn about them. The result has been that I now regularly use LLMs while working and I consider their benefits net-positive on my productivity. (My attempts to go back to programming without them are unpleasant.)
In my life, I've witnessed three elite salespeople at work
(slate.com)
In my life, I’ve personally witnessed three elite salespeople at work.
In my life, I’ve personally witnessed three elite salespeople at work.
How my indoor air made me sick and dumb (and how I fixed it)
(christian.gen.co)
Have you ever felt tired, fuzzy-headed, or vaguely sick and then walked outside and immediately felt better?
Have you ever felt tired, fuzzy-headed, or vaguely sick and then walked outside and immediately felt better?
My history with Forth and stack machines (2010)
(yosefk.com)
This is a personal account of my experience implementing and using the Forth programming language and the stack machine architecture. "Implementing and using" – in that order, pretty much; a somewhat typical order, as will become apparent.
This is a personal account of my experience implementing and using the Forth programming language and the stack machine architecture. "Implementing and using" – in that order, pretty much; a somewhat typical order, as will become apparent.
When I was lonely, I used to hate weekends
(bubblic.app)
During the loneliest phase of my PhD, I used to dread the weekends.
During the loneliest phase of my PhD, I used to dread the weekends.
I Was a Health Insurance Executive. What I Saw Made Me Quit
(nytimes.com)
I left my job as a health insurance executive at Cigna after a crisis of conscience.
I left my job as a health insurance executive at Cigna after a crisis of conscience.
Half My Life with Perl
(perladvent.org)
I had never met Randal Schwartz before, but when I reached out to him about contributing to year 25 of the Perl Advent Calendar, he immediately agreed.
I had never met Randal Schwartz before, but when I reached out to him about contributing to year 25 of the Perl Advent Calendar, he immediately agreed.
The Most Expensive Eating Disorder
(desmolysium.com)
In my early twenties, I had a multi-year-long period during which my body fat was ultra-low (4.8% on the only DEXA scan I had done during that time). I became very obsessive and tolerated an unbelievable amount of self-torture to reach my goals. I also developed very weird eating habits and was rigid about my meal timing – I could not stand breaking my fasts by even a few minutes.
In my early twenties, I had a multi-year-long period during which my body fat was ultra-low (4.8% on the only DEXA scan I had done during that time). I became very obsessive and tolerated an unbelievable amount of self-torture to reach my goals. I also developed very weird eating habits and was rigid about my meal timing – I could not stand breaking my fasts by even a few minutes.
I'm daily driving Jujutsu, and maybe you should too
(drewdevault.com)
I’m not the first to write about how Jujutsu won me over. I’ve seen it off and on, and each time it came across my feed it was bumped a bit higher in my “list of things to look at eventually”. It finally reached the top spot, I think, when I saw Tony Finn’s post and made some time for it that week.
I’m not the first to write about how Jujutsu won me over. I’ve seen it off and on, and each time it came across my feed it was bumped a bit higher in my “list of things to look at eventually”. It finally reached the top spot, I think, when I saw Tony Finn’s post and made some time for it that week.
My Smartphone Was Ruining My Life. So I Quit
(thefp.com)
Five years ago, I was sitting on the tile floor of a rental kitchen, trying to take a photo of myself to share online.
Five years ago, I was sitting on the tile floor of a rental kitchen, trying to take a photo of myself to share online.