Alex Karp (he/him) :clippy:

EM @Thumbtack. #Autistic. Posts: #Tech, #Leadership, #Autism. Lifelong learner. Prev SayMC (npub1wdx…6vcy), @Wayfair. More scared of you than you are of me. Views = mine.

Also on Bluesky at autistic.af

Running Start: How to get a job in tech, keep that job, and thrive: https://www.runningstart.dev/l/hpffo
My Manager README: https://alexkar.ps/readme
My Blog: https://cryingundermydesk.com
Twitter: https://hello.coop/Twttr/AutisticManager

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Last Notes

2024-10-21 01:09:08 GMT

Spoiler alert: Bad Monkey
Is it just me, or does it feel like they spent the first half of the series establishing 10 different plot lines only to basically abandon all of them in the most anti-climactic, least satisfying way possible?
Also, I kept waiting for Owen Wilson to show up.

2024-10-19 07:38:42 GMT

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Thank you!

2024-10-19 07:38:24 GMT

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Thank you!

2024-10-19 00:44:32 GMT

Roughly two weeks ago, my wife and I welcomed our first child into our family. We’re so excited that he’s finally here! Even if it does mean very little sleep…
Here is a photo! I’ve redacted some parts for his privacy, though.
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/113/331/317/774/265/019/original/39c24a0e63b79979.jpeg

2024-10-02 13:07:41 GMT

Perhaps Biden’s full-throated declaration of support for the Israeli government and their right to further escalate violence in the Middle East wasn’t a good idea?

2024-10-02 03:36:18 GMT

I’m seeing a number of people saying that Vance is the better debater, but I think that’s the wrong takeaway. It’s easy to debate when you don’t feel constrained by the facts or the moderator’s questions.

2024-10-02 02:23:30 GMT

The entirety of the GOP debate strategy seems to be: lie through your teeth, goad your opponent into showing how much they know about the issues, and then scoffing and saying “get a load of THAT nerd!”😂

2024-10-02 01:39:23 GMT

Whack-a-mole seems like a great description of the job Walz has to do during this debate. Only the mole is Vance.

2024-10-02 01:36:37 GMT

“We’re not going to stop this by listening to experts.” 😂

2024-10-02 01:33:55 GMT

Vance seems to have a fundamental misunderstanding of what power the Vice President has. Or more likely, he understands it and just likes making shit up.

2024-10-02 01:22:55 GMT

I love how it’s undocumented immigrants who are taking American jobs and not businesses who are exploiting desperate people to pay lower wages.

2024-10-01 17:26:00 GMT

If you have to keep saying “this job isn’t for everyone”, perhaps what you should be saying is “this job shouldn’t be for anyone”.

2024-09-29 19:32:10 GMT

What do I bring to my marriage? I’m the one who can confidently and consistently draw an ampersand, an underrated skill.

2024-09-13 18:12:28 GMT

I just realized that I've been singing to myself "Master of the house, keeper of the keys" for as long as I can remember, as if Hagrid is teaming up with Jean Valjean to storm the Bastille. 😂 #LesMiserables

2024-09-12 03:07:00 GMT

The discourse around Harris’ racial identity is 100% driven by racism, but it is also a familiar struggle for biracial folks.
Feeling or being told that you’re not pure enough to be of one race or the other. Feeling like you’re appropriating your own culture and heritage.
It’s tough.

2024-09-09 18:51:36 GMT

How's today going? I just ended a big meeting with "thank you every much!" #ActuallyAutistic

2024-09-05 19:00:24 GMT

Just pushed code from my phone while at #LeadDevNewYork. What could go wrong?

2024-09-05 01:44:09 GMT

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This reminds me of one time I was having bad seasonal allergies about 10 years ago and I went out to an Indian restaurant with my team and ordered Chicken Korma, which I love. But that time, it tasted like chicken in a curry made out of American cheese. It was one of the worst things I’ve put in my mouth.
But others tasted it and it tasted normal to them. So it was just my taste buds.

2024-09-05 00:40:04 GMT

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I’m a super-taster too. It feels like the world's worst superpower. But I wonder if the amount our moods affect our taste buds varies from person to person.

2024-09-05 00:12:57 GMT

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Luckily, it works with both “Wins” and Mac OS!

2024-09-04 23:32:04 GMT

Am I actually introverted or is it just the conscious and subconscious effort of interacting with neurotypicals that drains me? 🤔 #ActuallyAutistic

2024-09-04 22:43:04 GMT

Today’s eating-related discovery? Mood affects our taste buds. Positive moods can make our taste buds more receptive to sweet and less receptive to sour. Negative emotions do the opposite. Depression can blunt our taste buds. Anxiety, fear, and stress also play a role. 🤯 #ActuallyAutistic #ARFID #ED

2024-09-04 22:08:53 GMT

Sitting in a park and there is a group near me learning Cuban Salsa. The teacher just told them to start by “taking a step toward Macy’s”. Doesn’t get more traditional than that! 😂

2024-09-04 18:28:33 GMT

As much as I enjoy Mastodon, going to a conference is one of those times where I really miss Twitter. Not what it is now, but what it used to be.
Interacting with folks feels much more fragmented than it used to.

2024-09-04 12:09:36 GMT

So… I guess we’re doing this! 😁 #LeadDevNewYork #a11y
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/113/079/207/567/395/268/original/ed67cfcb873fd515.jpeg

2024-09-03 23:48:55 GMT

Hello. I am 32 years old and I just learned that if there is too much meat on your sandwich, you can simply take some of the meat off of it. #ActuallyAutistic #ARFID

2024-09-03 11:03:29 GMT

There seems to be a rule that in any YA fantasy series longer than 5-6 books, book 5 or 6 has to be completely separate from the rest before merging back into the main storyline. I’m not sure how I feel about it.
“I know you’ve grown to love these characters, but let’s forget about them and try something else in a different setting for a bit.” #books #yafantasy

2024-09-02 22:23:18 GMT

By this point, I shouldn't be surprised that every reasonable question on the Atlassian Community forums is met with outright hostility. They're not shy about JIRA being built around a strongly opinionated version of Agile, but...
...why does *every* hill have to be the hill to die on?

2024-09-02 19:37:24 GMT

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You know, I didn’t see any terms or conditions. So I assume so!

2024-09-02 17:02:25 GMT

Just saw a moving truck with an American flag on the back that said “If you don’t love this flag, we’ll help you move!”
I can’t wait to tell my wife that I’ve found us free movers for when we buy our next house! #ActuallyAutistic #DeliberatelyObtuse

2024-09-01 14:50:41 GMT

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Thanks!

2024-09-01 14:32:28 GMT

My wife: “Don’t forget to go to CVS.”
Me: “Who is VS and why do we need to see them?”
I feel fully prepared to be a dad.

2024-08-27 22:04:12 GMT

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Nice! I'll add you to the list. Hoping to find a few more and then figure out what to do next.

2024-08-27 15:25:08 GMT

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Sounds good! I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do just yet, but I figure the first step is to figure out who else is out there.

2024-08-26 23:28:06 GMT

I used to think I was the only one struggling.
Now I think we struggle because we have been kept apart.
So I want to work on creating more community for #AutisticLeaders. Can y'all help me discover who is out there? #ActuallyAutistic

2024-08-25 00:31:58 GMT

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If you need me to download an app just to put a set of drawers together, something is wrong.

2024-08-24 23:14:58 GMT

Me: “It said ‘Easy to Assemble’. But it neglected to mention that it was only easy to assemble if you were the sort of person who was good at following directions.” #ActuallyAutistic

2024-08-24 18:19:10 GMT

If I were those astronauts, this wouldn’t make me feel particularly confident on the timeline. Nor that I’d survive the trip. 😅 https://www.wcnc.com/article/tech/science/aerospace/astronauts-stuck-international-space-station/275-4a5d5b45-e333-4dba-be30-9ad20bcc2303

2024-08-24 12:22:01 GMT

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Not in the US though. 😂

2024-08-24 11:56:54 GMT

Often when I drive, this gets stuck in my head:
🎵 Well, if you want to drive fast, drive fast
And if you want to drive slow, drive slow
There’s a lane for every flow
You know that it’s so. 🎵
May it now get stuck in yours too.

2024-08-23 22:34:22 GMT

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I also made a video of a short passage later on in the exposition. Interestingly, it’s because of this passage that some professional pianists refuse to perform this sonata. Why? Check out the description of in the video!
https://youtu.be/7OnfxmAQ3mU?si=R9EvNM21aTHfalfS #Piano #Beethoven

2024-08-23 22:33:46 GMT

Time to start something new! I’ll still be working on polishing up the Appassionata for an eventual recital, but I’m moving on to my next of Beethoven’s 32 sonatas: Op. 2, No. 2 in A Major!
Here is a bit of the exposition while trying out my new Ivory III VST upgrade! #Piano #Beethoven
https://youtu.be/pbqE4SZU8pA?si=-6_BVjTCgfWWL-j4

2024-08-23 14:24:49 GMT

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And that’s one of the many reasons why we need more autistic people managers!

2024-08-22 14:27:02 GMT

A year and a half, two orthopedists, two six-week stints being non-weight bearing in a cast, a corrective ankle surgery, and several months of 7am physical therapy later… I’ve been cleared to begin dancing again! #LindyHop
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/113/006/137/996/788/567/original/c43c40fcc44ada1a.jpeg

2024-08-21 16:08:01 GMT

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Absolutely. For software engineering interviews, sometimes we'll simulate actual software development and the interviewer(s) will play different roles, like product manager. And then the candidate has to explain the work that needs to be done, negotiate on how long it should take, etc. Things that they would be reasonably expected to do on the job.
I'm also a big fan of telling the candidates exactly what each interview will consist of, the signals that each interview is looking for, etc. If your interview process relies heavily on the element of surprise, then it's likely that it's poorly thought out.

2024-08-21 12:29:42 GMT

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Absolutely! I call it outcomes-based interviewing. You start from what it is that you want the person to do on a daily basis and you design interviews that test a candidate’s ability to do just that. And as much as possible, trying to replicate the actual conditions that they’ll be doing the work under. Like being able to access the internet to look things up.

2024-08-21 02:08:12 GMT

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Yeah… that reminds me that I want to write a blog post/rant about reactive devaluation and how it affects hiring processes.
Reactive devaluation is the bane of my existence.

2024-08-21 02:05:50 GMT

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I assume they had some deadman switch situation set up, just in case.

2024-08-21 02:01:02 GMT

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I think that brings up a good point about pushing for change and accommodations, though. It’s true that they are the most helpful for autistic, neurodivergent, or otherwise disabled folks, but I don’t think that enough neurotypical and/or abled folks think about how these same things would also be helpful to them.

2024-08-21 00:40:44 GMT

This is quite possibly the coolest thing that has ever happened on C-SPAN. https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5129051/rapper-lil-jon-makes-appearance-dnc

2024-08-21 00:20:59 GMT

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Yeah. I feel like my need for consistency and to reduce the risk of sensory surprises has led to trauma around eating, which is why I also do a very quick visual inspection before putting any food in my mouth.

2024-08-20 21:42:37 GMT

Eating with ARFID:
Food that you’ve had before, liked, and is cooked and presented exactly the way it was the first time you ate it? Ambrosia.
Food that is the slightest deviation from the above, even if still good? Immediately turns into spiders in your mouth.
#ActuallyAutistic

2024-08-20 18:30:13 GMT

Just saw a man wearing an “If you don’t like Trump, then you don’t like me” t-shirt.
Fact check: true.

2024-08-20 18:08:59 GMT

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Very true. As someone who has a very hard time with executive functioning, things just feel impossible a lot of the time. I often describe it as being trapped inside my body. I’ll know what I need/want to do, I just can’t get myself to do it. And there is SO MUCH executive functioning required to apply, interview, and get a job.

2024-08-20 17:56:06 GMT

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How to be an ethical manager under capitalism is something that I struggle with as a middle manager myself. There are definitely people who are driven by gathering power, and unfortunately, they’re the ones who have the easiest time moving upward. But I worry that it’s the ones who don’t think critically about the impact of the culture, practices, and policies that they rubber stamp who are enabling this to perpetuate.
To some extent, there is a desire not to rock the boat. Being the squeaky wheel, after all, isn’t always seen favorably. But I do think there is a lot that we can do to help shield those under our protection so that they don’t have to deal with the chaos around them. That’s one of the reasons why I love management.

2024-08-20 17:32:55 GMT

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As a software engineer myself, and one who has spent a lot of time on both sides of the table, I agree in general. I’d say it’s less likely to sway the final decision. But I’ve seen a lot of candidates get too much benefit of the doubt based on vibes and I’ve interacted with engineers where I wonder how they actually got their job.

2024-08-20 17:15:59 GMT

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Even the minimum level of competence can be flexible if the vibes are strong enough. Unless you're interviewing to do something involving social engineering, encouraging someone to stretch the truth (or outright lie) and be fake seems like a really terrible way to pick good candidates.
I suppose if a company were specifically looking to hire sociopaths, then it’d would also be a good choice... 🤔
Too many companies explicitly or implicitly use some version of the airport layover test.

2024-08-20 17:09:29 GMT

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Exactly. And you don't technically "have to" do it, but then they'll use crappy AI to get all of the details wrong and summarily reject you. Just another one of those unwritten rules. 🙃

2024-08-20 15:26:21 GMT

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I definitely feel that. I'm always thinking “Which one of you should I be looking at? Have I spent too long looking at you? Should I look at the other person?”

2024-08-20 15:24:59 GMT

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Absolutely! To help design the process, to participate in interviewing panels, and to be in hiring decision meetings.

2024-08-20 14:16:49 GMT

Interviewing is hard for everyone, but it’s especially hard to navigate if you’re #ActuallyAutistic. Not only is it an additional barrier to employment, the company loses out on potentially great employees. This is why it’s important to design interviews with a diverse range of neurotypes in mind.
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/112/994/773/200/433/434/original/21f3918ea2da5725.jpeg

2024-08-19 18:26:06 GMT

I had no idea my oven was this sassy. 😂
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/112/990/091/106/130/645/original/6a65e0e14051f055.jpeg

2024-08-19 15:00:41 GMT

We need more openly neurodivergent folks in leadership positions.

2024-07-26 01:09:39 GMT

Just recorded almost 30 minutes of piano performance only to realize that a) I accidentally deleted it, and b) it didn't matter anyway because I wasn't actually recording the piano, just the sound of me hitting the keys. 🙃🙃🙃

2024-07-21 18:34:12 GMT

I bet therapists across the country are asking themselves today: “I wonder what my patients will be talking about this week?”

2024-07-21 14:25:51 GMT

My wife, upon returning home from my birthday breakfast: “Aren’t you coming into the living room?”
Me: “I’m going to put in a load of laundry first.”
My wife: “32 has made you wise and responsible.”
Me: “I think it’s the Ritalin more than anything.” #ActuallyAutistic

2024-07-12 00:53:15 GMT

Most of what makes requesting workplace accommodations so difficult is a) figuring out what kinds of accommodations are even available, b) deciding what is “reasonable” ask for. Perhaps what we need to do is crowdsource this data… 🤔

2024-07-10 14:16:53 GMT

I wrote a thing! #ActuallyAutistic
https://aane.org/autism-info-faqs/library/traveling-while-autistic/

2024-06-12 22:34:34 GMT

Meeting Jon Taffer was not on my “Week at the Cape” bingo card, but it was still a really cool experience! I’m more of a Scotch and Irish Whisky drinker, but I’m excited to try this out. 🥃
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/112/606/030/797/834/180/original/e034c8a641b07c86.jpeg
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/112/606/030/937/489/770/original/8cd079a311d4c8da.jpeg

2024-06-05 18:33:18 GMT

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It's amazing how much difference a supportive manager makes. It's both very cool and completely terrifying.

2024-06-05 18:32:35 GMT

One of my favorite responsibilities an an Engineering Manager is explaining why we can't just reuse UI components made for web on iOS/Android.

2024-06-04 20:11:01 GMT

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This is something that I wish more companies offered. At previous companies, they explained to me that things like calendar management were basic skills that were required for a junior engineer, let alone a senior engineering manager.

2024-06-04 19:38:10 GMT

As an #ActuallyAutistic professional with executive dysfunction and a pervasive drive for autonomy, I can't overstate how helpful it is to have even fractional access to one of my company's executive assistants.
Specifically for calendar management. Meeting scheduling is my biggest struggle.

2024-06-03 15:52:51 GMT

Why even add an "Accepting New Patients" flag if you're not going to keep it up to date?

2024-06-03 15:30:53 GMT

I took 2.5 weeks of medical leave in mid-March after ankle surgery. I returned to work nearly two months ago, but the short-term disability insurance company is *just now* calling to see if I've returned to work yet. 🙃

2024-06-01 01:44:21 GMT

I bet Trump is Googling “how to transfer campaign funds into commissary account” right about now.

2024-05-31 18:01:09 GMT

If they make Trump pick up trash along the side of the highway, would his secret service also have to pick up trash? Would they have to wear orange too? 🤔

2024-05-31 17:11:26 GMT

Yikes. The "tech bro" mentality that if you're not writing code, you're not adding value is disgusting. There is this misguided belief that if you just keep everyone focused on keeping their head down and working hard enough, then everything else can be solved with a foosball table and a snack wall. https://leaddev.com/team/what-andreesen-horowitz-got-wrong-about-engineering-management

2024-05-31 16:01:29 GMT

Ooh. A message from my new prison pen pal!
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/112/536/537/380/752/962/original/76f1a8f9c2d0b4a8.png

2024-05-31 12:47:11 GMT

There is a very real possibility that, come November, Trump could be *on* the ballot, but not legally able to vote on said ballot. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/30/donald-trump-vote-2024-election-00160430

2024-05-30 03:02:14 GMT

If you use the term “Stealth PTO” unironically, I am ethically required to vomit on your late-stage capitalist shoes.

2024-05-29 01:46:37 GMT

Coworker: Oh wow! These changes will really help us put our team execution on autopilot!
Me: Yeah, and not that crappy Tesla autopilot — an autopilot that actually works!

2024-05-28 13:46:48 GMT

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The scary thing is that it still seems to work.

2024-05-28 12:06:19 GMT

Israel accusing countries that recognize Palestine as “being complicit in genocide” is wild.

2024-05-24 14:47:56 GMT

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Perhaps a TikTok dance instead?

2024-05-24 02:16:15 GMT

I wonder if future children will sing “Ring Around the Rosie”-esque songs about COVID?

2024-05-21 12:16:41 GMT

Just heard the Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs equivocate *dozens* of Israelis killed due to friendly fire with the *tens of thousands* of Palestinians killed as the “realities of war” on NPR. 🙃

2024-05-18 18:47:22 GMT

It has been far too long since I’ve pimped my last waffle. Terrible hotel, great waffle. BRB while I book another trip to Berlin. 🤤
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/112/463/579/546/597/596/original/d7ed2e6da855d7a9.png

2024-05-16 19:58:12 GMT

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Interesting. For me, it was:
Internships: all by Product
1st job: all by Product
2nd job: mostly Product, with some help from the EM
3rd job: mostly product, with some help from the EM
Now at my current job, we're just setting up 2 week sprints, but people seem to want it to be solely eng-driven, which feels siloed.

2024-05-16 16:39:13 GMT

In people's experience, are Agile ceremonies like sprint planning more often lead by Engineering or Product? I'm trying to check an assumption.

2024-05-15 14:49:01 GMT

Just saw a Cybertruck out in the wild for the first time and I feel like photos do not do it justice. However moronic you think it looks in pictures… it’s about 1,000 times worse in person.

2024-05-14 21:50:43 GMT

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I would pay BIG for an app or service that could tell me whether I was being reasonable.

2024-05-14 20:56:36 GMT

One of the hardest things about being autistic, for me, is never truly knowing if I'm being reasonable when someone suggests that I'm not. It feels isolating, like I'm the only one who sees something. Especially when I have pretty solid reasoning and the other person isn't open. #ActuallyAutistic

2024-05-13 14:44:38 GMT

Warmish take: "Say what you mean" cannot coexist with "the question behind the question".

2024-05-11 20:28:12 GMT

TIL that Xfinity only allows you to change your account password if you're on the home network associated with that account. So if you have, say... a nearly 20 year old email account, you can't change your password unless you fly back home to your parents' house. 🙃

2024-05-10 23:58:34 GMT

Does anyone use ChatGPT to help with executive dysfunction? If so, what do you use it for and how? i just started using it to create meeting notes and summaries from transcripts, but I’m wondering what else I can do! #AskingAutistics #ActuallyAutistic

2024-05-07 13:36:36 GMT

There is something about Israel’s invasion of Rafah and the closure of the crossing that makes less likely to believe that they’ve been negotiating a potential ceasefire in good faith. But I can’t quite put my finger on what it is… 🤔