grvdrm

Would enjoy chatting offline if up for it. I am an external consultant acting as more of an operations/product lead to insurance, but come the insurance side.

Curious about consulting model? Are you external (full-time) lead or fractional? Embedded in their tech and security stack or just helping organize/lead through communication channels?

I agree with you. Maybe a better phrase: learn from the experiences of others, but don’t be afraid to make your own way.

Interesting. What motivated you to explore that and what helped support you taking it?

In my experience with Fielder material, the only truth is what you said. I never know if what I see and hear is real or some flavor (if not entirely) acting.

I’ve lived in NYC buildings with doormen and without. Making friends with them is key. They are very helpful to the residents that treat them with respect.

But if you never bother talking to the person at the door then you won’t see much value and thus an intercom seems just fine.

I’d choose the building with rather than without.

> how are you sure?

This is not just a software problem. I see it everywhere. Folks in business roles just as much as any other role. There is a surface-level operating framework to get a job done but the why/how is sometimes lost.

I always come back to an example in my past. Somehow automated a report. From Excel to Power BI. Then for months Power BI was wrong. Automation (more code involved for sure) made it run faster but then people forgot about the how - how to check/validate/etc. And since it was code - for many non technical people the whole thing was a lot harder to deal with needing to deep investigate issues.

The electric machines are way less intrusive. Ok with them.

Notice that I didn’t say “I love leaf blowers”

The ban is useless because the only way to enforce it is to catch it in the act (in my town). Basically impossible. So it is a ban that could be enforced (other ways) but instead is just a suggestion - and not one that most people follow because there are almost no repercussions.

You are speaking deeply to me about leaf blower bans in my town. They are useless.

Just an anecdote but I had a huge number of LED MR16 bulbs in my house. Bunch of different brands. They were all crap so we replaced every downlight in my house with an LED disk instead. I’ve stopped thinking about light bulbs altogether.

I am so mad / ashamed that I tossed my big CD book not long ago. Now would be a perfect time to rip those CDs - especially as I am getting into DJ work on the side!

Why aren’t they practical? A rotating collection seems quite practical and frankly easier to style.

Jacket and pants don’t need any coordination - they already match. Turn the shirt underneath up or down the style meter as you please. Same with pants and socks.

I don’t get the commit thing. I see it too. “I’ll see how work is and let you know” or something like it. My view is always that an advance plan reduces rather than increases anxiety.

For those of us with kids - it’s the restaurant and the babysitter cost. Or you can bring kids but that’s not always desirable or feasible.

Little confused by your example. Your wife hosts (let’s say on a Saturday) but prepares for it all week and doesn’t help with kids? Is that right?

Agree completely. First thing that stands out about it: unique design. I immediately enjoy looking at it.

A gem of a point. Thank you.

Indeed. You’re with me!

Amused by a claim about writing composition that uses “clearly mostly” back to back.

Awesome. Top of bookmark list for a daily zen!

Just another day in this admin.

How do you orchestrate the various machines? Sounds like a great idea.

Do I understand correctly that by using your machine and Claude Code or something like it you are avoiding API pricing?

Completely agree. You tell the best story for your product doing it that way.

Well said. It's not that I disagree with the concept, just that the action itself is not meaningful to the overall process (not without a lot more people doing the same).

I've never written a name not on the ballot but wonder sorts of feelings arise afterwards. Is it "Good, I did the right thing"?

In a way if people can’t yet use spreadsheets correctly (but they think they do) then it’s impossible to move them away.

Also the OP has much about the programmatic components, but Excel is also an interface. The front end of an unofficial corporate app. And people know (they think) how to use it.

I just listened to a demo of an insurance industry SaaS that isn’t yet public. Goal to move many things out of spreadsheets. Had AI agents built in and all sorts of bells and whistles. But the screens were chaos. I immediately thought it was just too “complicated” to switch a person off the busy/messy system they know - Excel.

Fair take, I think.

But we didn’t have to vote DJT into office as a counteracting force. Whether every decision is bad or not, not my point. It just seemed obvious that he wasn’t the right guy.

Some people can’t vote against their party. Some people believe write in is the move.

What I would expect!

I suspect (anecdote) vaping is just as bad if not worse. People vape EVERYWHERE. Almost any place you can't smoke, people still vape. So - that it happens that way makes me think the total exposure is a lurking problem.

Doing something similar with audio equipment. I have an older USB midi controller that doesn’t seem to have official support. Claude helped bring it back to life!

> Some figures in technology (Paul Graham, DHH, Jeff Dean, even Mark Zuckerberg) seem to be pushing on both fronts with rare success

Possibly true, but who knows. Especially Zuck, who does not lead a remotely ordinary life (imo).

Dad of 2 girls. 8 and 4. Maybe this should be titled “being ambitious because you’re a dad”

I am better than ever post kids. Always great, no. Always amazing, no. Not sure I agree with the post otherwise, especially quality vs quantity. High quality interactions are the best.