• Decisions I’ve Made

    I just started reading Ray Dalio’s Principles. I’m really just at the beginning, but so far the way he’s talking about principles is different from what I was expecting. It’s less about moral ideals (like “honesty” or “humility”), and more about creating shortcuts in decision-making frameworks. It’s about creating a set of guidelines to any…

  • What I Learned in 2018

    There is a ton of overlap in philosophy, religion, meditation, and general self-help. Drink lots of water (all the time, every day) to keep the kidney stone fairy away. Marcus Aurelius was surprisingly relatable. A proper old fashioned is far superior to the stuff they drink in Wisconsin. 43 is not too old to start…

  • Merry Christmas from the Ralians

    Maybe for Christmas somebody could get me a decent mic, because this sounds pretty weak. Props to Jonathan Coulton for writing one of my favorite Christmas songs.

  • Personal Mission Statement

    One of the better pieces of advice I’ve read is to write a personal mission statement. This came from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. I know it sounds hokey, and that’s because it is. But it’s important to be purposeful about your plans and choices in life or else…

  • Learning TypeScript: Part One

    What follows is a stream-of-consciousness replay of me messing around with TypeScript. It’s from the point of view of a vaguely competent JavaScript hacker. I’m including the warts and brain-farts in the hopes they’re either interesting or useful. > Google “getting started with TypeScript”, click to TypeScript in Five Minutes. OK, cool, so types are…

  • Five Parts of an Honest Apology

    An honest apology is a powerful tool that will serve you well throughout your life. It can ease your conscience and it can strengthen a relationship. It’s not easy, and some people never master this skill. Having the ability to make a heartfelt apology is a mark of emotional maturity. I believe you need five…

  • Management Responsibilities

    A few months ago I transitioned into a new role that is somewhat of a hybrid of division lead and team lead (independent division with a business-critical function, but only one large-ish team). Many of the responsibilities for these roles overlap, but I found it helpful to think through what I think is most important…

  • My Buddy and Me

    My buddy Matias and me, we’re the beeest friends that could be…. 🎶

  • Florence + The Machine + Pavlov + The Zombies

    A few years ago I read a review of a mobile app called Zombies, Run! It’s a neat idea, basically a narrative that you listen to while you go out in the real world and run. It’s kind of like a radio play, where the DJ is the “dispatcher” who has sent you, a runner, out…

  • Golden Slumbers – Ukulele

    Noodling around on this. Hope you enjoy it.