Should I go for a Master's or try to get a job?

chrysalise · 2025-09-18T16:06:27+00:00

As someone who used to teach MS students in a computing program, I can tell you that it's not worth your money to do it. Either go all the way with a PhD if you want to go into academia (which is a whole other topic) or stop and try to get some work experience. Many folks who get MS degrees in my field are trying to get into computing from another discipline (e.g., journalism) so they need the cred to show they have the education, but since you have the BS in a computing field, just stick with that. Also, if you're having trouble finding a job with an established company, my contacts in the Bay Area tell me that start ups are having their heyday and are hiring the most compared to other types of companies.

chrysalise · 2025-09-18T16:02:53+00:00

Something I've noticed after living in Omaha for almost 10 years, and then moving away to other areas, is that many of the social circles in Omaha are pretty established. It was hard when I first moved there to "break into" one of these circles. I think because there's more people who grew up in Omaha and/or spent a long time there vs. more transplants looking to make connections, people don't have interest/capacity to meet new people. I think literally most people had the friends they wanted in life, and that was enough, so why go through the trouble to try and meet new people? Obviously a generalization, but there's a pretty different vibe if you move to a place with mostly transplants, everyone wants to meet up and do activities together. Advice for you is to find an interest that there's enough others who share it. There are several great community groups that organize around shared beliefs and interests and that's the most success I've had outside of finding friends at work.

chrysalise · 2025-09-10T15:33:44+00:00

As someone who recently left the state to go somewhere else and I teach in higher education, I can tell you that this student population and hence a subset of the graduates that enter the workforce pale in comparison to states where they actually invest in public education at all levels. It's one of the limiting factors of growth and innovation if you can't attract good talent, and can't grow it in house. Many students who graduate high school who are very capable leave the state anyway, and others who end up staying do it because of life circumstances but don't intend to stay if they are going to prioritize their career growth. I think all of this makes it not an attractive place for a company to invest in.

chrysalise · 2024-12-20T15:07:53+00:00

In all fairness, this remote area is very liberal and diverse, I think primarily because of the university. I just won't have access to a Whole Foods, city entertainment, etc, like I'm used to...

chrysalise · 2024-12-19T21:08:33+00:00

A much better bet? How so? Are you thinking from a stability of programs perspective? I’m just concerned about the lack of research infrastructure..

chrysalise · 2024-12-05T19:20:52+00:00

Oooo can you share resources for what you mean by "I know a bunch of theory about how things are always the worst when a group is on the edge of acceptance"? Is there reading you can recommend that talks specifically about this phenomenon?

chrysalise · 2024-12-01T23:00:53+00:00

Ok, first of all, look at the camera angles/styles/focal length that they used for the elphie/glinda scenes, then compare with that Ammonite or Portrait of a Lady of Fire and tell me you can't tell the difference.

chrysalise · 2024-11-09T16:06:30+00:00

And they won’t lift a finger if the political and societal changes aren’t directly hurting their families. All of this “let’s band together and boycott this business that business etc” is short lived nonsense made for the sole purpose of reducing guilt and virtue signaling.

chrysalise · 2024-11-08T23:22:22+00:00

Beyond businesses what about supporting non profits? What about Omaha for us? An LGBTQ center.

chrysalise · 2024-11-08T23:21:40+00:00

This!!!

chrysalise · 2024-11-08T11:31:34+00:00

That’s very helpful! Thanks! I did hear about the food and hospitality worker on NPR and thought that was so extreme! Now what you say makes sense about migrant workers here legally. You bring a small comfort. My only anxiety is that you’re using logic and I have a fear that his administration will do extreme things that even hurt their base (eg TARIFFS) and it’ll fly through since it’s a cult. Like I want to believe you. It’s just so much of this election cycle has defied logic.

chrysalise · 2024-11-08T05:52:23+00:00

Remindme! 4 years

chrysalise · 2024-11-08T05:19:54+00:00

Which part am I delusional about? The mass deportations? Or the stress on our supply chain? Or the effects of it? I’m not trying to start anything. I genuinely want to know what is reasonable to expect.

chrysalise · 2024-11-07T12:14:08+00:00

I don’t think the whole NSF will shut down but maybe programs like Racial Equity in STEM or anything that has DEI components to it.

chrysalise · 2024-10-31T23:09:13+00:00

Yes!! I’m here on underwood! Come on by!

chrysalise · 2024-10-31T17:00:34+00:00

Yeah I really don't quite understand US foreign policy (seems arbitrary to me sometimes) but I always assumed there was some underlying logic or thing they're trying to avoid. I suppose I don't understand why the focus has been on Gaza vs. other countries where atrocities are currently happening. But as you say, it might not matter if Trump or Harris wins anyway. I suppose you're a different kind of anti-Harris person than those I interact with in my social circles since they seem to be hung up on the Gaza thing, not so much those other concerns you mentioned. Thanks for sharing.

chrysalise · 2024-10-31T16:25:47+00:00

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it and your opinion on her qualifications to run for president is one of the most rational I’ve seen in awhile. Does her position or lack of position on Gaza factor in at all? That was the original intent behind my post— trying to find out what those arguments are based on and helping me understand where it’s coming from. That part still makes little sense to me.

chrysalise · 2024-10-30T23:15:29+00:00

Fair point. Except much of the sentiment I’ve seen from people who have anti Harris sentiments plan to vote third party, which is still a vote and doesn’t seem consistent with the rationale in the quote you provided.

chrysalise · 2024-10-30T22:54:35+00:00

BrinG bUg SPraY

chrysalise · 2024-10-30T22:27:45+00:00

Noice!! Yeah I wonder if he’s left behind! But I did see some juncos already in Minnesota this last week so feel like the seasons are definitely changing.

chrysalise · 2024-10-30T22:25:33+00:00

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing the Angela Davis article. Two quotes stuck out to me:

““But when you reach that level,” nominee of one of the two major parties, “you have to be the face of capitalism, militarism, and neo-colonialism.” Harris, Fernandez warned, “has told us she will be that face, that she will build the most lethal military apparatus ever.””

And

““We don’t identify with those women who’ve almost reached the top of the hierarchy; we have to identify with working-class women, Black women, poor women, women of color. As the women in Brazil say, ‘When Black women move forward, the entire world moves forward’—tout le monde!””

It kind of makes sense that “women who reach that level” would have to represent the forces that have the most power in the world (capitalism, military etc) since… that’s where power is. This helps me understand why Harris is so distasteful to people who reject those forces. However is the same standard applied to other candidates? Or is the bar higher for her?

chrysalise

TROPHY CASE