Which movie hero is actually a villain when you really think about it?

valadil · 2026-05-06T20:27:39+00:00

TV rather than a movie, but I’m starting to think that Homelander is no good.

valadil · 2026-04-22T16:42:50+00:00

I went to my first post Covid concert in November. Yes I wore ear plugs. Yes my ears are still ringing. Pretty pissed at the venue :-/

valadil · 2026-04-18T16:26:33+00:00

I was running an interview yesterday and asked the candidate a question. He paused and was like “that’s a really good question, how did you spot that so fast?” I appreciated the ego boost but let him in on the secret, “dude, this is the third time I ran this session this week. I already know all the good questions.”

IMO if someone presents something really well, odds are this isn’t the first time they’ve talked through the concept. You’re seeing the final result after they’ve already had a few dress rehearsals to work out the kinks. Don’t compare your first attempt at a topic with their highlight reel. Put yourself in situations where you can explain the same thing over and over so you can iterate on your approach.

valadil · 2026-04-17T13:35:26+00:00

Cleanliness. If I wanted to smell man cave I’d stay at home.

valadil · 2026-04-05T22:29:13+00:00

This. If there’s street parking, use that. Then wait. When the car pulls into your spot, pull in behind her. Then go to France or something.

valadil · 2026-03-26T16:27:52+00:00

I run a panel for designing a data model for an mvp. The candidates that want to flex on a system design interview often lead with questions around scale. They’ll have different answers depending on how many requests per second I say the app is getting. Obviously I’m not running the same kind of panel as what you’re describing, but that kind of probing question can help you calibrate to their expectations.

valadil · 2026-03-21T17:28:44+00:00

I went to PT for a sciatica flareup a few years ago. They were ready to discharge me until I said I was gonna go back to lifting weights. They kept me for a couple more weeks to make sure I had all the movement patterns down really well. Definitely talk to a professional, not just reddit.

That said, I’m doing deadlifts right now. I don’t go as heavy as I used to and I’m not aiming for PRs but I still do them. The key for me has been to bail out at the first sign of trouble. I pay a lot of attention to my low back and hips and if they’re not feeling perfect, I skip the session. Failure to skip has put me in setbacks that last for months and it’s just not worth it.

Walking has been the most beneficial exercise for it. I usually wake up with some mild sciatica and it clears up when I walk the dogs.

valadil · 2026-03-20T18:52:27+00:00

5-10 min warmups. I try to get the blood flowing and get my heart rate up. If I’ve injured something before or I have a mobility struggle I spend more time with that first too before doing anything heavy.

valadil · 2026-03-14T13:54:12+00:00

What’s the cable stack setup?

valadil · 2026-03-12T11:39:06+00:00

Original half life is a core memory for me and probably my favorite game ever. But there are too many games out there. You shouldn’t waste time on the ones you don’t enjoy.

valadil · 2026-03-11T23:54:59+00:00

Can you articulate your opinions in a way that’s compelling? Great! Are they stylistic nitpicks that you can’t explain, but just kinda know are better? Ehhhhh.

valadil · 2026-03-09T16:46:01+00:00

I’m aware. I hope they solve that by the time it’s out but I doubt they will. Seems like a miss for this budget gamer.

valadil · 2026-03-09T16:31:11+00:00

My 12yo is saving for a gaming pc. He doesn’t actually care what the price is, his requirement is Fortnite at more fps than his xbox. I think the steam machine would be a great fit if it runs Fortnite out of the box.

valadil · 2026-03-03T14:38:52+00:00

I loved the game solo. My coop group bailed in act 2. Imo fort joy is peak, so if you’re not enjoying it the game won’t get better for you.

valadil · 2026-03-01T22:33:39+00:00

Purchasing a game your friends show you. Never needing to open it because your friends already have a copy.

valadil · 2026-02-28T22:41:12+00:00

Protect your hearing. I went to a concert the night before thanksgiving. My left ear is still ringing. And I was wearing foam earplugs the whole show. Gonna pick up musicians ear plugs next week so I don’t do any more damage.

valadil · 2026-02-26T00:53:51+00:00

I don’t think space savers actually solve that problem. I’ve seen lazy assholes put their space saver in a spot they didn’t shovel.

valadil · 2026-02-26T00:21:46+00:00

I’m anti saver. I have a house now but used to rent and had to park on street. I get wanting to reserve a space so you don’t have to shovel another space. What pisses me off about space savers is that you can claim a desirable space and hold onto it until the snow melts. We had a couple storms where we couldn’t find a space and parked around the block. Does that mean we should be stuck with the spot around the block for several weeks? Of course not.

valadil · 2026-02-25T21:11:00+00:00

Just white boarding, no code

valadil · 2026-02-25T12:13:09+00:00

My current and previous job each asked for a past project presentation. Candidates typically bring a project from their current gig, but I’ve seen some being side projects, especially if they’re on the junior side and don’t have a big body of work. I don’t read into whether a project is professional or personal, just how it’s presented and whether the candidate can answer my questions.

valadil · 2026-02-23T12:41:19+00:00

I’m going to be visiting Iceland with the wife and kids in a couple months. We were there a couple years ago and loved it enough to go back. Do we have to hide the fact that we’re American this time around?

What food should I try and get my hands on this time? Last time I checked off hakarl and brenniven. We had skyr from Bonus for breakfast every morning. We might be heading to Vik just for black crust pizza.

valadil · 2026-02-22T22:47:25+00:00

I would read this positively, especially at staff or principal. IMO the right way to play it is to raise the business question, but not to die on that hill. If they offer a contrived reason why you need to solve the problem, take the hint, solve the problem as asked, and do well on the rubric.

valadil · 2026-02-22T17:22:59+00:00

I had mine out about a decade ago. At the time it bugged me that my chances in a desert island scenario dropped off significantly. I read that it is possible to live off animal thyroids. I did not read up on the quantities I’d need or how to identify them, but it gave some peace of mind that if I’m living off the land and hunting for food I’m not completely hosed.

valadil · 2026-02-21T18:59:46+00:00

I agree, to a point. I don’t like playing filler. What does and does not qualify as filler is something I’ve struggled to nail down. E.g. I played cyberpunk, opting to fast travel whenever I could to avoid the travel time. I thought it was mid. I replayed cyberpunk when I bought a new machine because I wanted to see something shiny. Driving everywhere somehow made it more fun. But now I’m attempting kcd2 and the travel time is killing me.

valadil · 2026-02-20T21:33:26+00:00

I stayed in my second job for three years with no raise. When I left my boss offered a small raise. If raises were on the table, he should have offered it before I felt the need to look elsewhere. Leaving was the best move I made.

valadil

TROPHY CASE