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February 1st, 2012
11:07 pm - giving interviews
So life is pretty good right now. I've been working for a new startup here in San Diego with HUGE potential, and I'm enjoying my coworkers. I'm fired up making this thing succeed in a big way - and knowing I have the power to do so.
I've been interviewing people recently and wanted to journal about that experience. We have logical mind puzzles we give (when I joined they gave me a few but none took me more than a minute)... one of them was first given to me by Jay and I think its my favorite to give to people because it takes the smartest people I know more than a minute to figure out, and most people can't get it at all. The ones that do usually are hinted along the way and you get a great feel for how they take advice, what working with them will be like, if they get frustrated easily, etc.
I'm looking for other solvable (non open ended) problems like this.
My problem with this one is that it highly favors anyone who has done information theory work. (which I would consider a pre-req for any DB admins so it works for them, but what about UI/UX or designers?).
I would like a similar test for a designer that doesn't require even mathematical or critical thinking skills. The problem is all of those are open ended usually. I gave one girl a laptop and asked her to redesign a certain area of the site with a few leading questions and suggestions (even a purposely lame suggestion to see if she just does what people tell her or comes up with what she thinks is best). Then let her open photoshop/illustrator/whatever and mock up her changes to that area of the site. Then we discussed it afterwards. I wasn't impressed with what she made; granted she had only 15minutes or so. It was a decent interview scenario that I'll have to give to more people to see how they do, because I'm not sure if she failed or passed.
I would like to work with this person even though I wasn't impressed with their work. Annoying mismatch. San Diego just doesn't have enough people that I can give these things to 5 different people a day and learn quickly enough to know if they are the right fit for a small team.
Does anyone have a non open ended yet non quickly solvable riddle or task for a right brain type person? ;0
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April 19th, 2011
06:12 am - Dollhouse
A great series everyone should watch, I don't know how it went under my radar. In college I wrote some cyberpunk about a similar powerful corporation that ended up running its massive computer system on human brains. It was more about shared memories and defining if humanity had anything unique to offer, or if everyone's feeling of self-identity was just a persistent dream fueled by incomplete perception. The conclusion I reached, and why I stopped writing, is that even cyborgs will be in a similar 'dollhouse' predicament, constantly changing their definition of self, and not having any real reason to live. It was depressing.
Every state of consciousness involves perception to generate, and every state of perception is flawed. Nobody can see everything, or be aware of what everyone is thinking, planning, dreaming; even when connected in a group think like star trek borg system... at that point the bandwidth slows down the thought, so even if every human in the universe was assimilated, the borg still wouldn't be fully self-conscious. And still while each unit is perceptive of each other's perceptions, they will never truly be aware. Eliza Dushku's "Echo" had to shift her states of consciousness from one identity to the next, which was the power she held... if she was just the sum of her parts, there would be only ever one thread and the strengths and weaknesses would blur together and average out into a dulled self-model (think borg), taking away from the strength that comes from a single identity each with a unique sharpened edge able to focus on a particular task and be less perceptive of the rest. The comment on self-models is interesting. When actors get into a role and find it hard to get out, or when a young adult is suicidal and wakes up every morning feeling terribly empty... why are we unable to easily switch our model of self? Or grow new ones quicker than we do?
Are actors who perfect this talent skilled in some way, a kind of meta human? After watching this series, I would argue so. Although, is it any coincidence that Heath Leger killed himself while becoming the Joker? Got into role a little too much... perhaps even taking many of those drugs in order to find the self identity the Joker would have?
The conclusion I come to, is that everyone is in the dollhouse. Acting, having to come to terms with the fact that they will never be able to perceive accurately. Alcohol makes people 'happy' in the sense that it stops (or at least slows) their self model, and their thread of consciousness returns to a more base level at some point in the BAC spectrum, not unlike the 'dolls' in the show. Happiness and relaxation with the sentiment "I try to be my best"... I loved that - we really are programmed with an idea that we can be 'better', that we're broken, and will have to always strive to become more than what we are.
Often relationships start at a subconscious level because people want to 'become more'.
How many divorces happen simply because people become connected and are unable to find any way in which they can 'become more' together, so they simply get bored and feel like they have to look elsewhere to 'be their best'?
And how many relationships (at least sexual) start after alcohol? Men all over the planet, creating dolls by having them drink, then imprinting them.
These (somewhat negative) thoughts aside, I wish there was a Topher episode, entirely centered on his character. My favorite episodes were the ones where his identity was implanted into Victor. He would have built a lot more interesting gadgets and toys, and he never got to play with these.
A dream recorder - it would have been great to see the dolls', void of memory, dreaming up reality before they ever knew it. The concept of The Attic, a shared dream... why did Topher not see that coming? Or take place in its creation? He definitely should have had at least some tech related to it. Also, he should have cloned himself in all the houses and developed the group awareness module, (the borg chip) or at least tweaked it after getting it from Echo. This was a MAJOR hole in the series, one I consider unforgivable. Joss Whedon, I am going to meet you someday, and slap you for thinking you could maintain the curtain over the geek population without them realizing Topher would have tried to hack into the Attic.
Also, in the last episode where they had him building at gunpoint, they would have had 50 of him working together. 1 is just not nearly as efficient, especially with bodies being so cheap. I was very confused that he would be malnourished with a boss that pigged out on a feast amidst a population resorting to cannibalism because finding food was difficult. Wouldn't you feed the guy making your tech? ;0
IMDB is so weird. I end up wanting to stalk the writers of the show. Its awesome that Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon helped write it and are engaged. I love it when writers give themselves minor roles in the film in some way. But Hollywood seems so odd to me. Even the biggest stars are somewhat at the whim of what work is going on that year and have to accept small parts in it, only really touching the art piece in small ways. Was Dushku fully conscious of the levels of meta going on in her character, or just saying her lines? God she's gorgeous. I can't imagine she's all there though, choosing a boyfriend (Rick Fox from Celtics/Lakers) who previously dated Tyra Banks, then wed Tyra's friend Vanessa, and divorced (after having a kid, the ultimate crime). I suppose you can't judge a person on their past though, since we're always becoming something different, right? Learn through mistakes?
Then I wonder how up to date IMDB is on its star-stalking and if it matters if I know these sort of things anyway. Why do I care? Why am I judgmental?
Dushku's tattoo is somewhat related, I looked it up (I'm considering getting one, always curious why others have gotten theirs and what they mean to them).
Her tattoo is "Lead Kindly Light" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead,_Kindly_Light which somehow comes from Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." -- very awesome for an actress to have. Her path is definitely written, and I was bummed to find out she once said someone would sooner see God than see her naked, yet she did film topless. And why haven't you shut down such sites as http://www.elizadushkunaked.net/ yet? Obviously fake and tarnishing your image. If I was you I'd be google stalking myself every day, just to pick the weeds from my garden. I'm so glad I've never had to date anyone famous, I'd go crazy trying to protect them.
Jamie Lee Curtis: "It is nobody's business, and it's interesting because obviously in today's marketplace people don't abide by that. There are no boundaries that people won't cross...We're in a bit of a "Wild West" thing with media, and, I think, it's just kind of like no holds barred - the Internet. You know, there are no criteria on the Internet..."
I REALLY like the 'Wild West' Internet analogy. It is a gold rush still...
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April 3rd, 2011
09:30 am - denver and dreams
I wish I could record my dreams. I had several last night, and perhaps because I recently read the script for eat pray love in an attempt to understand why I found the movie so boring, my dreams were about relationships.
the first dream I don't remember in too much detail. It involved a relationship I had and a girl that wasn't ready to commit, who dated an older guy. I made her jealous by dating an older girl.
I wake up. the next dream was more memorable.
I picked her up, and held her legs so she was sitting on my waist facing me. I twirled her around. "So then you'll distract me with kisses and feed me tangerines?"
Then I glanced at her. She had seen us and overheard our sweet flirtings. She looked very hurt, on the edge of tears. "I'm so sorry, but you played me too much." I tried to justify this new relationship to her.
Her sadness turned to anger, and she approached, brandishing her weapon. A cell phone with a picture of me looking at another woman. "Look at this creep!" she shows the girl.
I wake up.
Jealousy is so dumb. the girl I like from denver was in the dream, but the one I saw eat pray love with wasn't. Weird.
In the script there is this part where tutti wants more money than Liz raised, and Liz says "you don't fuck with people you love", then looks over at her 'lover' and realizes that they're both kind of fucking with eachother's lives, ruining them, changing them, etc... and that indeed we do fuck with people we love.
Some tourists continue to think the Balinese are sweet even as they are getting ripped off. Others begin to hate the Balinese for ripping them off. I think it is the same with love. He says "and then it's a shame, because you've lost all these wonderful friends".
The most unbalanced I've ever been in my life was my freshman year of college. I couldn't sleep, I was depressed. I loved Liz with all my heart and she was sleeping with another man. I didn't want to hate her and lose a friend, but it was very hard on me to keep a friend that my heart was so attached to; every time I saw her it was ripped and torn apart in a new way. I was foolish to allow myself to love so deeply. "Sometimes to lose balance for love is part of living a balanced life." - I never took anti depressants or any of that, because deep down I knew this truth. It is what Ketut, the Bali guru teaches Liz.
I have taken the last few years of my life off from really being in a close relationship. I've had a few brief regular girls I dated, but nothing serious. I have really found myself, and happiness. And the sweetness of loneliness. The sadness that fills you in being unable to share yourself with anyone, having nobody that understands you, or even tries to... which turns into a kind of clear understanding of yourself after you get over it.
Before I went to bed, I was txting with my lover across the world, who I never got romantic with except in emails. I think I may move to australia for the next year or two while working on this company. She randomly txted me out of the blue because she was watching city of angels and the main character's name is Seth. Pretty wild as an hour earlier I was telling friends I missed Sydney and wanted to go back.
I've never been afraid to lose my balance; recently quitting my job, throwing my security away and embarking on a voyage to create a company... a much longer voyage than sailing the 8000 miles to sydney, yet I don't hesitate to set sail. Somehow I'm confident and see myself and my part in the future clearly. Its a nice feeling. The only part I can't see clearly is a girl in my future. I know I want kids and I'm jealous when my friend tells me he's going to start having them with his wife next year. I don't even have a girlfriend, let alone a wife.
They all seem so crazy though. Especially in my dreams. I fear the unbalance.
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October 16th, 2010
06:07 pm - thoughts
first reaction - that comic was pretty good. Then I thought about it a bunch.
The public does not ask the armed forces to "defend their rights", if killing people and losing our own overseas can be called that. I think the comic would be in much better taste if it was a veteran from a specific event on our own soil like pearl harbor.
Even then, hawaii wasn't a state at the time, and the only reason it could be considered 'our soil' is because we kept our weapons on it. 9/11 was definitely 'an attack' although terrorism is an interesting enemy, especially with all the conspiracy theories - firemen criticizing the lack of investigation done on explosives and what not. It is difficult for a child to understand the 'war on terror'.
There are many children that don't understand the concept of serving for the country and those are likely the same ones that don't understand the pledge. So this comic doesn't target them, although the ones that already do understand the issue get a laugh out of it at the others' expense.
In that sense I feel it is in bad taste, and not something that will help the issue, and may even hurt it.
The only real way to get people to stand for the pledge is to make them proud to be American. This is not done by making them feel guilty for injuries of people doing things they didn't condone. I'm proud to be american, but this kind of attitude is part of the reason why I'm not as proud as I could be.
It would be more apt to show perhaps a famous Jew that was crippled during a concentration camp that made it to the us, using a similar analogy, only talking about how his rights were taken away at a young age instead of given to him like in the US.
I messaged someone that posted it, and he said it wasn't meant to help the issue, just condemn those who aren't standing.
We cannot condemn children. They hardly know why they are or aren't standing. And all the comic does is have an negative attitude towards them instead of a nurturing educational one.
It's like slapping your kid for burning his hand on the oven...
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August 19th, 2010
02:20 am - youtube auto posting
I posted a youtube comment that came out really awkward because it was automatically posted to facebook and cut off and made me sound REALLY racist.
It was about dr laura saying the n word a bunch of times and basically being forced to apologize and thus quit her job.
Dr L is always such a complete bitch and she was being in her usual form on that call, but her specific use of the word was in saying that other people say it. Although, she did pronounce it like an ignorant white racist instead of like the awesome black comedian chris rock, who has earned his media n card =) People definitely need to earn the right to use certain words without fear of causing pain. I personally don't think people should allow words to hurt them, but unfortunately, they do and its really difficult to change that, especially for this word.
I liked one of the video responders who claimed she calls people ninjas instead.
What up ninjas?
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August 10th, 2010
05:10 pm - quick freewrite
Summer kisses my skin, and it responds with radiance.
Like a salsa dance; shy at first it builds my confidence.
Tan and happy, a new body it authors.
I kiss back, enthralled by the sun's romance,
my tongue isn't shy, but has patient elegance.
I know that soon it will taste all of life's offers.
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August 2nd, 2010
06:29 pm - epic weekend
life is pretty damn incredible for me right now. Work is insane and keeping me up for an all nighter once or twice a week, but I'm living in the most amazing place I've ever lived in, meeting all kinds of awesome people every day, constantly having life changing experiences where I feel myself growing as a person, while still maintaining the geek within.
I wanted to make a quick list of awesome memories from this weekend:
- passed on going out thursday night with roomie and the 3 cute girls visiting from out of town to finish off the starcraft II campaign (completed every single achievement in normal/hard modes, going to go through it again on brutal as I eagerly await the zerg and protoss campaigns), and catch up on sleep from the tuesday all nighter I pulled to enable our contest setup to include facebook integration.
- fluxx friday night: amazing trumpet solos during techno, the hottest gogo dancers and best sound system in san diego. Bumping and grinding with a copious amount of fine women... After I was thankful I'm strong enough to lift girls all the way up to have them sit on my shoulders and walk around downtown in such an inebriated state.
- going motorcycle riding at 3am after, and having a very heart to heart talk on the bay near my boat with a pretty amazing 36 year old who has a 19 year old daughter. Its odd that I would consider a relationship with a woman who has a daughter older than another girl I was dating... I guess I've reached the point where I don't judge age, and realize life and humanity is just about shared experiences... and I'm having the time of my life simply being alive!
- kyle and angie's wedding Saturday at karl strauss gardens, most epic! Hearing their vows was so touching... and seeing all the friends that attended, I really am jealous they have such a good support network, and felt privileged to be involved. I only hope my future wedding can be half as amazing (assuming I ever find the right lady).
- rode home afterwards for a 11pm party with beer pong, flip cup with vodka shots, and inception watching that turned into spending time with a girl I've been wanting to spend time with for about 3 months now... girlfriend material! The future will tell, I'm excited.
-sunday i had breakfast with said girl after a long walk along the boardwalk and up garnet to longboards. Bought 2 top notch beach cruisers and rode back to yacht club to show her boat, wish we coulda went sailing weather was perfect but she had to go to work. Napped on beach instead.
- rode downtown with a cute 22year old on the back of my bike to meetup with friends at cafe sevilla, followed by dinner at yard house. Wheelies with girls on the bike rule.
- today was disc golf in the am with hank and greg with a 25mph - 140mph in 4s motorcycle acceleration on both a freeway to the course and to my 1pm meeting at work afterwards.
- about to leave work to go to a surprise bday party for my roomie
- salsa lesson tonight, followed by going to la jolla briefly possibly for live salsa at prospect and hookah at the living room, hanging out with greg some more, drinking + last night with the 3 girls at the house.
Mel (my coworker): What one word sums up your weekend?
Me: Manslut. Different girl in my bed every night. Two last night. Definitely not typical Seth behavior.
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May 19th, 2010
11:03 am - morning flow
hey there little kid
a little scared of what you did?
things moving fast you got cold feet
but don't worry cuz your drum's got a good beat
things work out in the end
you earn money so you can spend
stop thinkin about where its goin
or you'll be like a pimp ho'in
you can only be sure of one thing
if you try to squash a bee its gonna sting
so sit back and relax
earn your fat stacks
be true to yourself and your heart
life's just a game and you've got to play your part
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May 18th, 2010
02:05 am - weekend
white water rafting was great, mostly for the feeling of friendship and teamwork. The danger level wasn't so apparent (even in class 4/5 rapids), and I want to go back with a kayak to get my life threatening thrills.
Random internet browsing uncovered these awesome jeans. If a future girlfriend is ever reading this, please surprise me by creating and wearing them on my birthday or something ;p
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April 9th, 2010
03:20 am - short film
A friend and I are gonna make a reallly short film (5mins) for fun. I have two ideas and I'm still writing the script for each, and kind of need some inspiration/help.
One is about an 8th grader who was going to kill himself but instead is talked into stealing an airplane with his friend and flying to mexico to get away and start fresh.. the other is more of a horror, about a clock with demonic powers that causes strange things to happen at 1:11, 2:22, a demon to manifest at 3:33, 4:44, a conversation with the demon at 5:55, and in the final scene at 6:59, the clock turns 6:60 and anticipation builds as it goes towards 6:66. I'm not exactly sure what happens at the end, but that's basically the jist of it, I just need to get creative and think of something stunning and entertaining. =)
I'm actually going to be making this clock as a project, its going to use something... maybe electroluminescent wires to basically draw a pentagram within the clock.
Anyway, the goal is to have one of these films done in a few months by just working on them randomly when we get time.
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wiz's journal