Construction
2 Tech
Weekly Reflections
Looking back on the conference I realize that the reason I'm upset -- isn't just because I had to bear the cost of the trip on my own -- but because if I was wealthy (which I'm not) I would have gone all in myself! I'd come to the conference 2 days early with an upgraded badge to hang out with the girl out there, left two days later so we had enough time to explore the national parks like my roommate wanted to, and we'd have a hotel to stay in so our other traveling companion could run around as much as he wanted to.
After the power went out a few days ago and I had to interview at our local library, yesterday I ended up getting the invitation to come on-site! Of the 200+ people who applied I'm surprised to think I'm their first choice despite not having a degree or the experience of some of the other candidates. It feels like my body being sore after working out and digging trenches leaves almost no room for my mind to perform programming-related tasks, which is why I really wish I was working in the industry full-time. Over the past year I've laser-treated floors, bulbed thousands of lightbulbs, took on roofing contracts, and worked with some of the finest house-builders in the Midwest. Quite an impressive track record with some good references, and I think it could score me some points in the IT space.
In the latest app I'm building I'm hoping to include some new features and learn about you as you keep engaging with it. The challenging part to implement is going to be the mini-games where you can earn in-game currency and now I'm contemplating either to have a "loot-drop" system or a risk-based "gambling" one. Getting the AI output to be reliable is also gonna be important as well as voicing companions to add an element of depth, perhaps even using local models that are continually improving. As far as my graphics projects go and the visual effects tool that I'm planning to release in 2027, I want to start with simple decibel level value before including fast Fourier transform analysis on discrete frequency bands. I think it would make some pretty neat overlays for music videos!
Needle in the Stack
I patched a roofing leak for 250$ yesterday which would technically be my first contract since I made the client sign the check directly to my business. Everything I thought could go wrong did go wrong when I was working with the attic since the insulation was spread everywhere like a giant pink cloud where I ended up losing like 3 drill-bits! After cutting out sheet metal to match the hole I was patching and going over it with tape, I also applied the asphalt sealant to the shingles on the roof before hammering them down. Washed off all the tar on my hands with gasoline which surprisingly did a good job considering I want to look clean for my interview today. The on-site meeting is only a few hours away and I was planning to read some books to prepare but my experience yesterday was even more valuable because it forced me to stay calm under pressure.
The interview went well today and I could tell there were some very serious engineers at the vehicle diagnostics and tool manufacturing company who invited me on-site. They asked me lots of C++ questions, some on the mobile development side, and the hardest part was grappling with math and explaining why I decided not to pursue my degree. I also explained that it was refreshing seeing a business that supported Windows, a custom RTOS system, and a more recent product line with Android, with nearly every generation communicating wirelessly via Bluetooth. They'd been around for 100 years after all and lots of things in the automotive world have changed since then. Honestly, if I were to guess my odds of receiving an offer I'd say it's 50/50, but I would definitely not envy the person interviewing after me because of how high I just set the bar. The competition may be higher than it was for my last tech position for twice the payrate but I don’t think it's nearly as competitive as when I was flown out to California a year ago for a senior mobile developer role. I'd say the competition lies somewhere in the middle. What I really like about this job is that the commute is only 30 minutes and they even have a San Jose office if I decide to go there in the future!
I ended up going out with the family after the interview and then hitting up a dispo where I ran into my really attractive Latina friend who transferred there. I told her we might have a gig lined up later this month and that she's welcome to go there. I also told her about the business, how I just patched a roofing leak the day before, and how the company I started is in construction, music and tech simultaneously! That's the moment I realized since I'm already writing checks out from yesterdays contract, the upcoming bar gig, as well as proceeds from ads and in-app microtransactions to the company, so I am already practicing what I preach. I can support 3 income streams in one LLC and I think that fact alone can make me more attractive to the women I want in my life. I even told the interviewers earlier that different industries can have more overlap than meats the eye, and formatting or structuring code well is a lot like laying out the foundation, blueprints, and measurements of a house before building it.
Work Hard, Play Harder
I got the news from the automotive company that they weren't sending me an offer which is understandable considering they are looking for a C++ developer in a competitive candidate pool. Out of the 200 or so people that applied they picked about 5 or 6 and I was the first of the top 3 folks to come on-site, so fingers crossed. In the meantime I've got another talk with another company coming up that develops facial recognition software and is based in San Diego. My dad might have been able to pass the bar at the interview last but who knows? I might still break back into the industry given the time and drive.
I've been working flooring with my mentor along with his company of Polish guys. Sanding floors is the easy part, but scraping the edges and corners with a crude tool is another story entirely! Of all my bosses, the guy I work for now is the best even though he was on my ass for working while sitting down, not shaking hands, and making me dress nice for construction. Waking up at 5am is taking getting used to but it's far better than waking and baking before going back to bed until like 10 or 11. I definitely feel like I'm in a growth mindset with him since he wants to expand his laser restoration business just like I want my company to make money from multiple income streams. I'm also hoping to introduce him to my house-builder friends soon because I look up to the boss there too. If the Polish guy is the one telling me to "get yourself together", then the Italian boss is the one yelling at me to "put my back into it".
The manager at the bar close to my dad's at got back to me, but unfortunately it looks like our gig there might be postponed till later. It's a real shame cause I really wanted to play a real show this summer and I know we'd absolutely crush it! I really want to bring the band to the NAMM show this winter but I know I want to plan ahead a little better, especially if we are planning to jam out there or link up with a girlfriend. It's funny because I was never expecting to get female attention when I went to SIGGRAPH with my friends but time and money ended up being the real constraint for me. The one I was actually hoping to be with in San Francisco saw a picture of me with the conference girl and now seems posting jealous pics with her boyfriend when she sees me with other girls. For as long as I can travel I think I'm going to just continue meeting the baddest women in every city. I already have one in Vegas who runs a media company!
Moving to Finish
I followed up with the facial recognition company in San Diego today and I think my combination of mobile development and low-level C++ experience definitely impressed the interviewer. I felt like I learned a lot from talking to him about hashing algorithms and how AI has shaped the landscape, with many potential candidates not even being able to pass a live coding interview without AI assistance. Since security is such an important concern for them and they don't want anyone infringing on their proprietary technology I think it's actually an advantage that I know how to write things from scratch! To be honest I don't even remember applying to the company to begin with, but I'm really glad that they kept reaching back out after I got the news that I didn't land the position at the vehicle diagnostics place. Maybe I'll even get to go to their office out on the West Coast!
I've been getting up super early to work with my Polish mentor and I'm definitely making good money working all day, in some cases for over 12 hours. It's been hard to find consistent construction work so I've been meaning to get back to him for a while, but between the flooring, restoration, and laser business I know he's definitely got his hands full. Just the other day I was cleaning up a flooded basement. I told him my goal is to return to tech full-time but while I am in construction I want to learn as much as I can from him, but just like he has his business my ultimate dream is to build my own company that focuses on the software side. He also told me I need to really be honing in on the apps and other projects by really maximizing my time in the evenings. Success will definitely take planning and a lot of dedication.
My biggest priority with the music has been going over forgotten material since we have a massive backlog of unfinished songs accumulated over the years. Even though we haven't played a show in a while, I'm glad that at least some of our stuff is going on streaming platforms thanks to our new drummer. It's not the best quality recordings but we are currently in the process of doing studio versions of tracks. One of the venues I want to play at is finally bringing live bands back and I found this out through a friend who DJ's there every other week who ended up getting me dinner last month. I'm also hanging out with our newest female singer later today who might be interested in going out with me and doing a show with the band. I might even consider bringing her band to other venues or invite my friends since the new venue could be lucrative for all of us. Ideally, I want to grow and make money from construction, tech, and music.
Before the Offer
I had a really good interview with the facial recognition company who's clients include governments, banks, and some of the largest dating apps on the market. It went really well with topics like C++ programming, app development, cryptography, storing data, and much more. I could really tell by the people I was speaking with why their company had stayed successful for the past decade in a relatively volatile market. At the end one of the founders told me "we like and want to send you an offer" and that I could expect it either the end of this week or Monday. To be honest, I'd probably learned more from interacting with these two guys that it felt like I was interviewing them more than they were interviewing me! I really liked them while they really liked me so I pretty much spent the rest of the day telling friends and family that I've got this job in the bag.
If working with the house-builders made me stronger and spending time with the roofers made me look more tan, then flooring with my Polish mentor is making me more put together as a person. It's nice to have a boss that cares about good morals and etiquette and is trying to pass life lessons on to me, although I'm hoping him and my house-builder friends can pay me soon. I ended up going negative in my bank account balance and after depositing 150$ my balance was still only 16$. The banker ended up being a cute girl I'd never seen before. I told her "no more collecting" after handing her my cash deposit and explained I'd been going between construction and tech my whole life before we both reminisced about California. She told me that sometimes it's nice to make a change to which I replied "It gets tiring… I do one to survive and the other out of love". I think I have a shot with her but if I continue on my current trajectory I think I'll able to get any girl I desire in the future instead of putting all my eggs in one basket like I did with the one in San Francisco.
A few days ago I ended up hitting up my favorite jam in Chicago where I've recruited some of the best musicians in our group, including the chick drummer we had as well as our newest hot singer. Fortunately I got to jam on stage this time and even made some friends who decided to smoke me up before I left. I mentioned I might be lining up bands at a really cool venue in the suburbs soon after which we we talked about LA and the music scene in Nashville, which got me imagining how popular our bands music would be on the West Coast. I certainly don't want to suffer another winter in Chicago if I end up moving close to the office on the West Coast. I can't say anything with certainty right now and I don't even know what the salary range is for the position I applied to, but it looks like my California dream might come true after all!
Gunpoint to 6 Figures
I brought a knife to a gun-fight today after my roommates friends had gone into my place, trashed some things and stole a couple of my house-hold items: including a crossbow, a knife, my heist mask, as well as the shitty laptop I had on my desk. The worst part is the whole situation was completely avoidable if my idiot roommate just locked the doors like I'd asked him to before going back to work. Apparently he slept through the robbery and left the house unlocked again when I came back! I couldn't reach him earlier that day when I got into it with one of the trespassers telling him that his friend had to pay the money he owed me and that they shouldn't just be waltzing into my place whenever they feel like it. When he refused to leave I came back on my lunch break with hammer in hand ready to kill the dude; I'm just lucky that his friend and my roommate where there to dissipate the situation. Getting shot over 250$ is frankly not worth it and at this point I'm just giving them their bikes back and I don’t expect to get a thing in return. This is the thanks I apparently get for letting the wrong people into my home and trusting the dumbass I live with.
The next morning I woke up to a six-figure offer from the facial recognition company based in San Diego. They are even offering a signing bonus of several thousand dollars to relocate which is pretty sweet! I accepted the offer and am now just in the process of filling in things like tax forms and figuring out the starting date which I recon will be closer to labor day. I told my current Polish boss and mentor about the good news and thanked him for everything, since I know the skills I learned in construction are going to come in super handy if I decide to move out to build on the West Coast. With 3 to 4 grand coming into my bank account every paycheck I know I won't have to worry about money for a long time! Right now I'm a month behind on rent flooring 50 hours a week, but it's much like when I was covered in sunburns before I got my first tech job and knee deep in sewage before starting at the speaker company. Life works in mysterious ways sometimes but I try to spot the patterns when I can, and construction to tech is just one of them.
This all got me thinking about music, the business, and the people I surround myself with. I just find it crazy I was at gunpoint with someone over 250$ a day ago and landed a 6-figure offer the next! I'll finally be able to dedicate myself to the tech stuff 100% and invest real money into the business and band. That including hiring the right people for consulting, booking shows, finding customers, and just helping me build out a home-office of my own. Ideally I can keep my current place to visit family and spend the nights by the ocean next to one of my favorite spots in America. Things are definitely looking good but I hope I can make some more substantial progress with the apps, software, music, and other endeavors I've been working on. Things are looking good now but I know my ultimate goal is to succeed in my own company and achieve complete financial freedom.
Kicking the Habit
I'm living on the margin and just took some toilet paper from a jobsite where we were I just did trash disposal. Yesterday I had to get creamer from the Jewel Starbucks cause I couldn't afford a 3$ carton of half-and-half. II also just realized one of my big toe-nails is broken, probably cause something heavy fell on it. If I was tanned out covered in sunburns before my first tech job and covered in literal excrement before my 2 year career in the audio space, being scratched up by dozens of cuts isn't too far off what I was doing before landing my other tech gigs. I never thought I'd go from Bluetooth products to working on facial recognition software but life is full of surprises. I'm excited to be starting the next job soon!
Ended up working with my Polish mentor today and had a moment of nostalgia when we ended up at the old house where we first met. I must have been a teenager back when we first met so the fact that I still remember this spot is a little mind blowing! Pretty much ended up going from early morning to late at night where we got gyros and I told him about my crazy my career path. I don't wanna leave him and he doesn't want to leave me but I know tech is where the moneys at and I've been dreaming to live in California for years now. I told him that leaving him to party in Vegas was one of the biggest mistakes I'd ever made since my car broke down shortly after. I also told him that the goal is for us all to succeed in our businesses, become millionaires, and maybe even get to travel internationally someday since I haven't really been.
There is a saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks and despite all the talks I have with my roommate about staying sober I might still need small doses of kratom to stay healthy. In case you aren't aware, the drug is like this nasty green that is very popular at drink shops in Florida, which is how I first got introduced to it. I haven't done the substance in like half a year so I thought my dependency was gone but I was wrong. I feel more healthy, alert, my kidneys and skin pores feel open, and all from one tiny capsule 2 days ago! It's just a reminder to me how bad it is to get hooked on something: I used to a heavy user for many years and am still feeling the effects on my body which is a reminder to stay healthy, stay fit and make sure not to put the wrong things in my body. I won't be able to enjoy the fruits of my success if I don't live long enough to experience it.
The Intervention
Had to have an intervention with the roommate yesterday which wasn't easy but ultimately came to a fortuitous outcome. A few weeks ago after having to knock his ass down, break up a fight between him with his other friends, and then us having weapons drawn with knives, hammers, and guns we needed a long conversation about what comes next. I've been in a band with the roommate for nearly 3 years and besides the alcohol leading to violence and potentially homicide, I know we are never going to progress with the music if he's under the influence. It's important that we finish songs and be prepared if we are ever going to build a life in a new city.
I can't believe its over 90 degrees in September and I'm still paying off the vacation I took in July. Now I'm falling behind on rent with a 362$ traffic fine to pay off and I only got lucky because my Polish mentor decided to take me under his wing again. I ultimately don't want to be in construction though and have only done it in the past to get by, but I know I might need all these skills once more if I decide to build out in San Diego. I know that the transition is going to be very good for me financially even if it means living like a hippie by the beaches for a while. I sent over my tax forms to the new company at the end of last week and was told I'd be in touch with the HR person soon, so I'm hoping to start after labor day and make it out there fully by winter. We
I've got some very ambitious plans for the future and I know my roommate/guitarist is going to be a big part of it if we both stick on the right path. I think playing at the NAMM show will be a big part of it but I wanna line up at least another show this fall since I think I've been off track when it comes to doing live gigs. Money will certainly make things easier and being back in tech full-time means I can give my apps and other projects the attention they deserve. I've been gaming a little bit lately just to get acclimated to sitting behind a computer screen again and I've got to say that Mortal Shell 2 might become my new favorite souls game! I know good things are coming ahead, but that means staying sober and keeping the momentum going.
California Dreaming
I tossed and turned in my sleep all of last night as my mind raced to the suburbs where I was raised, back to the oceans where I was traveling recently. I spent my labor day weekend smoking weed, playing a souls-like, and resting before my final day of construction. It's gonna be a long day with my Polish mentor for sure and there is a saying that goes "saying goodbye is the hardest part", although I hope I can introduce him to some people that can help with his business, including my house-builder boss, potentially a sales guy, and my dungeon master friend who tends to give good common sense advice.
In the meantime we gathered with some friends to talk, play magic, and discuss new campaign ideas for the TTRPG's we were interested in. I will try taking over D&D where I've added some really detailed lore but my story-telling skills still need refinement. Meanwhile my dungeon master who ran a few of our sessions will run a new campaign set in the Rifts universe. Between the fights, revelations, musical jams, reminiscing and having philosophical conversations I'm convinced that my porch is where all the magic happens. The squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits that come to my birdfeeders are just an added bonus to the already enchanted atmosphere.
I'm planning to go out with a new Ukrainian girl next weekend and -- looking back on my life lately -- I'm starting to realize how lack of money has affected my romantic life. I really wanted to link up with a chick in Vegas for a conference last week that's hosted by a very successful podcaster and businessman that was simply out of my budget. Previously I ran into money issues with the girls I was seeing in California where either the cost of travel or the lodging was prohibitively expensive; I might even still be dating one of the bands singers if I had the capital. Luckily the facial recognition company who sent me an offer is really eager to have me on board and I just talked to their attorney regarding taxes, so I'm super excited to start a day after tomorrow! I'm going to earn more money than I'd ever made, the quality of my life is going to increase significantly, and the best part is I'm never going to miss out on a girl again. If I make it out with the band to California by this winter I can only imagine the kinds of lives we'll be leading and the women we will attract out there.
After the Offer
I just came to the shocking realization that with the new role I'm starting tomorrow I'll earn more in my first month then I've ever had to my name at once. Having over 4k a paycheck in addition to a 5000$ sign-on bonus for relocation is insane to me! The first thing I'll probably do when I get out there is get a pickup truck and install a little camper module in the back, that way I'll be a true digital nomad. My first day starts tomorrow and I know I'll make huge strides in my own projects since I'll finally be able to devote 100% of my attention to programming. Thinking about all the nice things I'll be able to buy, fixing up my grandparents car, and getting my cavities taken care of is another thing I'll have to keep in mind. I didn't think I'd ever go from working on Bluetooth products to writing facial recognition software but my life is full of much grander surprises
I finished my last day of construction expecting something more cathartic at the end of it with my Polish mentor, such as grabbing food one last time as we said bye. Instead I met up with him briefly in the morning with one of his coworkers whom I told my improbable career path, stating that my biggest regret was not spending enough time with his boss. Perhaps it's best that it was just another ordinary day of demo since we'll have a better reason to meet later on, at least before my departure to a new state. Once the money starts coming in, I'll probably start making some trips to their office and hope to be out by December. In the meantime I'll start checking out some properties for sale and -- because I know the best house-builders and restoration experts -- perhaps I can get something run-down for cheap and renovate myself. I don't care if there was a fire or mold or insects since I think I can handle pretty much anything.
It's been a slow year for the band but I know that going out to California will be a big gamechanger for us. I've been behind on booking gigs for us and we didn’t even play out this summer which was on my bucket list, but maybe we'll get something in the books before starting over in a new city. I'm hoping to hit up our best chick singer again to see if she's up to do a show with us, I've got to tell the roommate to start finishing songs by going over old material, and commit everyone to consistent practice times to keep us on track. I've got some really big plans for us -- like signing up to get some clout at the NAMM show -- but that means dedication and hard work. I know money is simply going to add fuel to the fire and allow me to invest in advertising more seriously. The babes out on the West Coast will definitely want to jam with us too so I can only look forward to our lives going forward