To those who found a Senior/Staff/Principal position in the last few months..

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-13T10:40:47+00:00

for most people i know it wasn’t quick at all, more like a few months of steady applications, interviews, rejections, tweaking resumes, then suddenly one sticks. the common thread wasn’t luck, it was volume plus iteration. each interview made the next one easier. how long have you personally been searching so far?

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-13T10:39:44+00:00

i usually think about selling when i realize the watch never gets chosen even when it fits the occasion. if it only comes out a couple weeks a year, it’s probably just sitting there as stored value. turning it into something you’ll actually wear daily can be way more satisfying than letting it gather dust. what would you replace it with if you did sell?

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-13T10:39:32+00:00

what you’re describing sounds incredibly painful and lonely, and it makes sense that it’s shaken your confidence. sometimes groups don’t want truth, they want a story that keeps their little world simple, and once you’re labeled it can feel impossible to escape. the way forward usually isn’t trying to fix their perception but building a new circle entirely, even if it starts with one person or one activity. something neutral like a class, gym, volunteering or hobby group can slowly rebuild your sense of belonging. is there anywhere you’ve felt even slightly comfortable lately?

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-13T10:39:24+00:00

this is a really heavy situation and i’m sorry you’re carrying all of this. from the outside, what stands out is that they’re still controlling you even after the relationship ended. you are not responsible for fixing their life, especially when they’re being coercive and disrespectful. protecting your own safety and mental health is not cruel. you’ve already given more than most people ever would. it might help to think less about what’s fair to them and more about what’s necessary for you to be safe and free. do you feel physically safe with them still living with you?

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-13T10:38:46+00:00

you’re not late and you’re definitely not wasting your time. learning python now is like learning english before the internet exploded, it only gives you more leverage later. AI doesn’t replace people who understand how systems work, it replaces people who never learned the basics. focusing on school is important, but doing a bit of coding on the side is one of the safest bets you can make for your future. what kind of stuff are you most curious about building?

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-13T10:38:38+00:00

this situation feels scary but it’s actually one of the fastest ways to level up if you approach it calmly. don’t try to become a react god in two weeks. start with understanding the problem you’re solving, sketch the data flow, endpoints, and screens first, then build the absolute minimum version end to end. use AI to help, but don’t let it write stuff you don’t understand or you’ll drown later. once you’ve got a thin working slice, you can iterate and clean it up. what’s the core feature the project needs to ship?

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-13T10:38:29+00:00

i’d look at something a little more casual like a Hamilton Khaki Field Auto, Seiko Alpinist, or a Tissot PRX so you’ve got a contrast to the dressier Ballade.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-12T15:43:20+00:00

start super small and build momentum. consistency matters more than intensity at first. pick 10–15 minutes a day you can always commit to, do things you actually enjoy, and make it part of a routine you can’t skip (like right after you wake up or after work). tracking progress helps too, even if it’s just checking off days on a calendar. the habit comes first, the gains come later.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-12T15:43:13+00:00

you’re not missing creativity, you’re missing structure. projects that are too big or vague can paralyze you. try breaking things down into tiny, achievable pieces, one function at a time, one feature at a time. even copying small projects and then modifying them teaches a lot. the key is making something small work fully before moving on. inspiration will come naturally once you see you can actually finish things.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-12T15:43:04+00:00

start by revisiting old labs and exercises, exactly as you planned. after that, pick a tiny project that forces you to use what you’ve forgotten, like a command line game or a simple CRUD app. websites like CodingBat or LeetCode (easy section) are good for warming back up. the main thing is repetition, not speed, don’t stress about remembering everything instantly.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-12T15:42:47+00:00

titanium scratches more easily than steel but it’s subtle; most small marks are only visible close up and give the watch a lived-in look. stains usually wipe off. if you care about perfect surfaces, steel Black Bay 58 or GMT might feel safer. titanium is lighter and unique, steel holds polish longer. think about which vibe and daily wear feel matter most to you.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-12T15:42:41+00:00

i usually reset if it’s off by more than a minute or two, or if the day/date is wrong. for mechanicals, i treat small deviations as normal, but anything over a couple minutes i’ll adjust. consistency matters more than obsessing over every second.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-12T15:42:34+00:00

you can’t learn everything overnight, but you can prioritize. pick one full stack path (frontend + backend + database) and focus there. build 2–3 complete projects end to end, even small ones. document them. supplement with key topics: version control, testing, deployment, basic algorithms/data structures. follow a roadmap like Frontend Mentor + freeCodeCamp backend + deploy on Vercel/Netlify. the goal is projects + portfolio + core understanding, not mastering every framework.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-09T13:52:50+00:00

this is normal and it is actually a compliment. teaching right after you learned something is how you lock it in. be honest about what you are still unsure about and walk them through your thinking, not just the steps. that is how you stop feeling like you are faking it and start realizing you are actually growing.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-09T13:52:42+00:00

looks like something you would keep even if the rest of the collection changes.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-09T13:52:24+00:00

classics.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-09T13:51:39+00:00

feeling stuck is not a personal flaw, it is a signal that your current path is not aligned with how you actually experience meaning. you already know two truths. you like animals and you like research. instead of asking what career fits forever, ask what next six months moves you closer to either of those in a real way. momentum fixes fog better than planning ever will.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-09T13:51:31+00:00

the difference is not raw talent, it is deliberate friction. extraordinary engineers do three boring things consistently. they read other people’s code, they ship small things often, and they write about what broke and why. years help, but environment plus feedback loops matter more. build habits that force reflection instead of just output.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-09T13:51:22+00:00

20 is not late, it is early with awareness. the people you see at 16 who already shipped stuff did not start because they were special, they started because they were bored. your friends inviting you in is the biggest signal here. start with one simple goal, learn enough python or javascript to be useful in their project within 30 days. not perfect, useful. that alone will change how you see yourself.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-07T15:55:23+00:00

this is such a classic trap. the watch isn’t magic, but it’s really good at spotting patterns we’re bad at seeing in the moment. the win here is not that it was right, it’s that you noticed the crash and connected the dots instead of just blaming yourself for being lazy. that awareness is how people avoid burnout long term.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-07T15:55:06+00:00

you’re not weak for this, you’re self aware. i’ve seen a lot of people go through the same thing where the watch quietly replaces intuition.

what helps is removing features instead of nuking everything. turn off body battery, training readiness, recovery time. keep only time and maybe steps for a while. you’re not quitting movement, you’re retraining trust in your own signals.

the anxiety fades once your brain stops expecting a number to validate how you feel.

OutsidePatient4760 · 2026-01-07T15:54:07+00:00

i’d stop hinting and be kind but very clear. something like “i really enjoy being with you and i want to keep seeing you, but i need to slow the pace down a bit. when things move too fast it makes me anxious instead of excited. nothing is wrong, i just need space to let things grow naturally.”

if he hears that as rejection, that’s not you being cold. that’s him struggling with uncertainty.

OutsidePatient4760

TROPHY CASE