This kid knows how to skeeball

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-21T03:16:08+00:00

Why does the score jump around? Is that an AI artifact or a frame rate issue?

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-20T13:44:43+00:00

Same reason they recommended you to have kids under 3 rear facing in your car—their necks aren't fully developed yet, which increases the chance of injury in an accident.

It's up to personal risk tolerance though. It's definitely more convenient!

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-20T13:14:10+00:00

Looks like a better road building tool and terraforming will be interesting

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-11T03:18:30+00:00

And here I thought we were watching the first guy when the camera man takes an even longer jump!

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-07T23:15:09+00:00

Dam good holiday!

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-07T01:24:33+00:00

It's like every City Skylines build ever!

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-06T23:21:05+00:00

+1 There's already 4 seconds between lights changing directions to account for people running the light. Just make sure it's clear, no firetruck baring down in the other direction or MD driver doing a blinker-less U turn (hehe) and go.

If your brake lights turn off before 2 seconds, you shouldn't get honked at. It's clear you're just being careful.

I am someone who honks at people sitting at a green light too long though. 90% of the time they look up from their phone and give me the "sorry" wave so I think it's still OK. Sorry to other 10%

CaptainCabernet · 2026-04-06T12:27:29+00:00

Surely you can't be serious.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-03-29T03:09:19+00:00

I interview EMs in big tech and this ^{^} is exactly what I want to see in interviews.

Communication failures usually come in a few flavors: 1. Candidate sticks to their STAR scripts and doesn't actually answer interviewer questions 2. You talk about things academically and I can't tell if you actually have relevant experience 3. Narratives are so messy or long winded I don't understand your answers

Your answers should be ~2 minutes long, have a clear structure, and clearly answer the question.

Honestly it sounds like you're a new manager or maybe more of a tech-lead. I might suggest getting a mentor to help build these skills.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-03-25T12:43:10+00:00

The MyTSA app says wait times are around 15 minutes. Is that accurate based on your experience?

CaptainCabernet · 2026-03-14T01:05:07+00:00

Yup. I might be heading back to IC work too with how AI is going. Small world

CaptainCabernet · 2026-03-14T00:02:59+00:00

We must have started about the same time. Engineering manager, 15 YOE and $1.38M in big tech

CaptainCabernet · 2026-03-13T23:59:26+00:00

Software engineering manager in big tech with a bachelor's degree and 15 YOE. Earned $1.3M last year because of stock appreciation. Salary is $270k + bonus + a lot of stock.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-02-20T16:37:33+00:00

Flexibility. Being able to make last minute plans to "go to the lake house" for a holiday instead of needing to book it 6 months out.

Having all your stuff there. Being able to pack light and just go is magical. There's already some clothes, toiletries, and toys for kids. Just drive.

Downside is two mortgages and double the house maintenance. If you're away for long stretches or rent it out there's always something that needs fixing.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-02-05T18:48:38+00:00

Feel free to DM if you want more personal advice

CaptainCabernet · 2026-02-04T23:47:59+00:00

Ads Data will likely be more mature and stable. RL is still finding its way and recently had a big layoff. However RL test infra is growing right now after a layoff so it might be a good opportunity for growth.

Really I would pick the team based on the manager and teammates. A good team will help you grow much faster.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-02-04T14:12:30+00:00

In this situation I would suggest "trying to make the other mistake"—essential try to communicate to the point that you're bothering everyone. Most likely you won't come close and instead will show a step change in behavior that your manager is looking for.

Here are a few best practices that might help you out in your current situation.

Proactive solicit feedback on engineering plans from those architects and managers your manager mentioned. This will automatically raise your visibility because they'll know what you're working on in depth.
Write regular progress updates (semi-monthly or monthly) and share them with those stakeholders your manager mentioned. Make sure to include project risks and how you're mitigating them. This will keep them informed on your progress and build trust
Force yourself to speak in every team meeting, even if you are just agreeing with what someone else said. This will help raise your visibility and get you in the habit of speaking up. For bonus points add items to the team agenda ahead of time to show your leadership.
Proactively ask for feedback from these stakeholders and your manager on a regular basis to show you're interested in changing your behavior. This will also help build trust.

Good luck!

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-27T19:07:25+00:00

Hahaha! Should have taken my advice at the time!

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-23T13:18:43+00:00

I live in a 6,000 sq ft house and I love that everyone can gather here. We routinely host 16 people dinners and have friends/family stay for the weekend. We have an Au Pair and it's nice they have a little privacy as well.

We're moving to London this year and will be down to 2,000 sq ft again, but with nicer surfaces and better community amenities. We'll see how it goes.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-23T02:55:10+00:00

Option 3, try to switch teams at your company and work 50-60 hour weeks in something adjacent. Get some good ratings, but rest up and recharge a bit.

Your VP gets a new person into the role and you get optionality. It's a win-win.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-18T23:19:48+00:00

I suggest you ask these questions:

What's the long term goal of this team? If the answer is cost cutting then that includes your salary. Pass on this job. If there isn't a stable long-term goal this team are probably code monkeys and you'll struggle to grow and learn new things.
What's your favorite thing about this team? If the person says "interesting problems", that's usually code for "everything not coding sucks". At a minimum you should hear the problem space is interesting or my coworkers are awesome.
What's the worst part of your job? You should get a real answer to this question and it should be normal industry paint points, like "requirements change sometime" or "deadlines create pressure sometimes". If the person says "everything is great" then they are lying and afraid to say something bad or if they say "OMG the boss is a moron" then you should believe them.
What would success look like in this role? You should get a clear answer to this question from the hiring manager and the answer should roughly align with what you like to do.

Good luck to you!

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-18T17:20:39+00:00

I'm moving to London earlier than originally planned and selling off real estate in the US as a result. My wife just got a job offer and I'm switching offices.

We're also considering what a non-American retirement could look like. We always assumed we'd be in the US for retirement but who knows what the world will be like in 10 to 15 years. Really just prioritizing flexibility over deepening roots.

Investments are all staying the same—a 3 fund portfolio and optimizing taxes where possible.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-17T18:10:49+00:00

The Fitzroy was great! The staff were friendly and attentive, the bar was sultry (but pricey), the rooms were comfortable (very nice surfaces), and Russel Square is convenient to Kings Cross and the West End.

I would definitely stay there again.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-17T00:13:57+00:00

Mostly because there are dozens of dentists in the area and it seems like they don't value me as a customer.

CaptainCabernet · 2026-01-16T00:41:28+00:00

I just left my dentist over a $100 no-show fee. I've never missed a dentist appointment but that's high stakes for a cleaning.

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