They, all six of them in the room, were asking me to be “flexible” with my schedule, essentially being at their beck and call, and I, for some reason, kept saying – yes, I could try and change our schedule, be flexible, hire a nanny, work something out… but why, if I have something better now? Isn’t it why I wanted nothing to do with the Old Company in the first place, even if that trajectory was much more “promising” in superficial sense, but I didn’t like where it was taking me? They are asking me to trade the precious years while L is little – for what – their growth and return to their shareholders, and crumbs that won’t even cover his $400,000 tuition bill which it will be when it’s time for him to go to university? And a continued chance to claw to stay in what passes for middle class in this city of and for the rich. The irony is that I get all these interviews because of the Old Company on my c.v., but they don’t know what it did to me.

But my yeses were very unconvincing because I didn’t believe in it – and they sensed it. Which is a good thing I suppose.

Their product is far superior to the one I am working with, it is designed and built exceedingly well, and I worry that they will eat us up one day. I wish I cared enough about this “industry” , but I know I never will.

All that wasted time and stress interviewing with company 1 – I met so many people there already – only to reconfirm to myself that I really don’t want to be doing any kind of sales or pre-sales role. Maybe 2 years ago.

Then there’s company 2 that I talked to last night – a senior Russian guy who looks like he might be riding Harleys on his spare time – really pleasant, really smart – but a workaholic who gets up at 5am on his own (what is it with these people), and it is not impossible that he is a trumpist.

And I have lunch with my boss tomorrow and I know he will be pushing a product role for me – something I’d die for 3 years ago – but I know this product is beyond saving. I worry that this nice company is doomed in the long term.

minus229k1:

A new study shows that the Sun’s UV-radiation enhances learning and memory, activating a molecular pathway which increase the production of glutamate.

This is yet another hint that UV light regulates the brain and the central neuroendocrine system and an interesting way that helps us understand the connection between the skin and the brain. The study shows that moderate exposure to UV light leads to the production of urocanic acid, and might trigger glutaminergic neurons through glutamate-release, which in turn triggers increased skills in memory and learning.

Urocanic acid is able to absorb UV rays and might be able to protect sin against harmful effects; however, in the liver and other peripheral tissues, it is known to be the intermediate molecule created in the metabolic pathway, converting histidine to glutamate.

UV-light has been shown to increase the amount of the acid in neurons that are related with increased glutamate-production; the light also enhanced electrical transmission between glutaminergic neurons.

inthenoosphere:

“One of the things our grandchildren will find quaintest about us is that we distinguish the digital from the real, the virtual from the real. In the future, that will become literally impossible. The distinction between cyberspace and that which isn’t cyberspace is going to be unimaginable.”

— William Gibson

The argument I had with my father over the weekend over the fact that we are trying to keep L away from screens of any kind for as long as possible and want him to learn more about the real world while he can.

His argument: why do you always think of yourself as better and smarter than everyone else. All other children (that he knows of) are on their parents’ devices all the time from a very young age.

kind of an insane day. reluctant wakeup at 5 or some time around, text from the d.c. just as I was getting to work, 45 mins away, that L seems sick and that i need to turn around and pick him up, finding a 1:20 pediatrician appt, missing the subway stop on the way back, finally getting there, walking a long way home in glorious may weather through a beautiful park with L who is thankfully in good spirits, plenty of time to get to pediatrician but getting stuck behind a garbage truck that took 10 minutes to go through a single block and late 10 mins as a result, losing wallet, getting a call from the coop because someone found my wallet in the street saw my coop id and called them, learning that there’s nothing serious with L, getting my wallet back, interview at 4pm, late by 15 minutes, because R couldn’t make it in time, back to the city, the senior guy looks like a very smart and soft spoken Russian biker with skulls on his hand bracelet, they seem to really want me, and they have great tech, but I don’t think I want doing sales or have that kind of work environment where they would reply to your slack messages at any time in the day and night and the weekend (and that’s considered a good thing – that is not a good thing at all in my book!!!).

astronomyblog: