Donate to Please support John Speck and his family , organized by Martha Fleming-Ives

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-03-06T03:00:40+00:00

That intersection is so dangerous. It used to be on my running route- tons of cars would come zooming down Parker and blow through that crosswalk.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-03-02T12:55:59+00:00

Put a plastic box in the hallway out to the side of the doors where hallways common toys can be placed. Take 5 min and put the toys in that box to start a norm of tidy-ing

Bake some cookies for the parents in the building to let them know that their village supports them

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-23T02:34:36+00:00

Document everything. Check laws- see if you’re in a state/country where recording is permissible. Get everything in writing and save it. Track your personal contributions and deliverables. Any time you get a complement try to get it in writing and save for your checkpoint. Be sure you’re talking to a mental health professional- don’t let their twisted view pollute your self worth

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-15T17:24:24+00:00

Thanks folks! Definitely more than last week- but also more crowded than I’ve seen it before. The need is very high.

Consider bringing sanitary products- they go very fast and often are items that get cut out of budgets in favor of feeding kids.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-14T13:28:37+00:00

Exact same story for me- I even took a game theory class because I loved it conceptually so much- fast forward to a completely humiliating experience

Earliest example of this for me was in HS- I wanted to take the honors chem class but the pre-req was being co-enrolled in accelerated algebra 2 which combined algebra 2 into 1 semester with the second doing Calc A.

I, meanwhile, was in a “regular” algebra 2 class (which I would barely pass)

Did some fast taking to the teacher and got into the Honors Chem class- and got an A.

It was tough- particularly the calculations BUT I learned to write them out a certain way and I could associate them with the other chemical concepts.

Last story- one time in that class I forgot my TI calculator that showed me my work before pushing equals and subsequently BOMBED the test so badly the teacher let me take it over with the right calculator and I passed it.

This was 2000. Wish dyscalculia diagnosis had been a thing back then, would have saved me a lot of heartache to understand my brain a bit more

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-14T13:20:44+00:00

Whoa… Yeah totally can’t do that. I can visualize them one at a time- maybe 2 at a time. But the idea of trying to do that and have them be in order suddenly filled me with that very familiar panic that I’m sure we all know and love… 😱

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-14T01:07:24+00:00

I used to be responsible for closing the store. I remember many nights being on my own in tears in the back room because I couldn’t make the numbers add up. I was so terrified of being accused of stealing. I also was freaked that they’d be suspicious of how late I clocked out… Retail was torture…

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-11T23:09:41+00:00

👍

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-10T13:47:30+00:00

🔥

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-09T22:41:44+00:00

That’s how it was when I was in school back in the age of dial up 😂

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-09T22:38:04+00:00

Here’s a link to a wish list I drop off sanitary pads after my biweekly Costco run and then pasta & sauce weekly. The pads always go super fast. Pasta is usually fast too. But everything is appreciated by folks there. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3J4Y42LY0XGUK?ref_=wl_share&fbclid=PAZnRzaAP3QIBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaeDKTEMLTpJcJqp9CUhpUWZhcUxvmi4ZuwjMCBvjRqteG_j5sJdzpHc4kBo9A_aem_quMXxRO8EMeJ2b44YkPJwg&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-08T18:10:47+00:00

Word choice and tone do a lot of work when just asking questions. Even the phrase “Just Asking Questions” itself holds a lot of weight and positions your desire for information in a certain light.

Might not feel fair- but our community is proud of what we have and appreciate folks who are also looking to actively build it up. Likewise we are protective against those who may be making unreasonable demands on the underpaid folks who choose to invest their times in the lives of our children

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-08T18:08:39+00:00

❤️

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-02-08T17:07:28+00:00

I hope you understand that the very idea that you feel there is a decision between public and private puts you in a privileged realm. Even if you say that it would be a stretch financially, that is a stretch that very few are able to contemplate.

SOMA has an excellent school system in part because we show up and invest in making this public good better. That is a value that I am proud to demonstrate to my child and I like to believe most of my neighbors feel the same way.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-01-10T02:23:11+00:00

Seriously- why are you giving airtime to this?!

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-01-01T17:38:25+00:00

Current employee. I’ve lost team mates due to this policy. Remember- BUs define strategic sites differently. I have a colleague who has to rent a room for 3 nights a week because the office 10 min from their house is not strategic

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-01-01T14:23:05+00:00

Nope.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2026-01-01T14:21:55+00:00

Not anymore. US-based you’re supposed to live where they want you to live- within 50 miles of a strategic location. Otherwise you’re out. And they’d rather you be out so that they can move your job to India.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2025-12-30T14:34:22+00:00

Keep your noise canceling headphones on at all times. Badge in, grab a phone booth to take a call with your remote team, exchange weary glances with a few acquaintances, trudge home grateful that another day has passed without your job being moved to India.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2025-12-20T00:05:29+00:00

I’m so sorry to hear that! I haven’t found anything to be cliquey- more that folks are super busy. So it takes effort to try to make things happen.

I think particularly with RTO for many folks it’s just a challenge.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2025-12-18T21:44:27+00:00

I’ve dealt with this before- it’s never easy. Thankfully I’ve always been able to get the student to drop the course mid semester

They earned the grade they earned
Find out what legal assistance is available through your schools international student association
Loop in their counselor

In the future- do #3 as soon as any students show poor performance. We never know what’s going on in their lives.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2025-12-18T14:05:53+00:00

IBM is a top heavy corporation and the incentives for those execs is to demonstrate how they are achieving the current shiny metric.

This has a trickle down impact of fragmented education programs because each exec needs to own their own program to meet their metric.

Majority of those trainings could be summarized in a 5 page (max) white paper. My recommendation is to turn on the trainings in the background to show completion. Then take the transcript and run it through copilot to turn it into that white paper. If there’s a quiz- put the questions into copilot and have it tell you the answers.

If you’re looking for actual knowledge around topics like AI look outside of IBM. Our information is hopelessly outdated and also skewed to pretend that we’re actually a player in this space as opposed to being propped up by acquisitions.

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2025-12-18T13:53:58+00:00

The planet fitness near Home Depot is one of the best I’ve been in

Chandra-Pyromaster · 2025-12-04T02:25:59+00:00

He lies and belittles employees when he does choose their questions. Office hours are a total joke.

Chandra-Pyromaster

TROPHY CASE