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Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

gavinray97.github.io

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Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#241

Post by dadpassthebeans »

whatever1 wrote: post #161
mapassthebeans wrote: post #148

Had similarly unorthodox path to tech, albeit without the drug addiction or prison. 90s early internet/BBS punk rocker/computer nerd. Hated school angry. Dropped out to work as a bike messenger for 5 years before packing a bag and moving west randomly. Couldn't sit still. Rode freight trains around the country for a few months. Washed dishes and landscaped to cover my cheap rent till that fell thru. Discovered shop l…

Looking In retrospect, if you were a policy maker today how would you try to prevent the new generation for having to go through this (today your path likely would not be viable due to fentanyl).

(Lost my passwd to my throwaway so i had to create another, sorry)

I dont know if you intended to reply to the OP/author or my reply. In my case, I dodged hard drugs for $reasons and can safely say that I chose my own adventure. I was had anxiety and apprehension about status quo and what was expected of a HS graduate circa 2000 so I said F it and did my own thing.

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#242

Post by dadpassthebeans »

angled wrote: post #219
mapassthebeans wrote: post #148

Had similarly unorthodox path to tech, albeit without the drug addiction or prison. 90s early internet/BBS punk rocker/computer nerd. Hated school angry. Dropped out to work as a bike messenger for 5 years before packing a bag and moving west randomly. Couldn't sit still. Rode freight trains around the country for a few months. Washed dishes and landscaped to cover my cheap rent till that fell thru. Discovered shop l…

Did you ever bounce around the crackmonkey list? nick and friends seemed to know people with similar backgrounds.

I did not but would not be surprised. Scattered among the survivalist, bomb makers, pedos and neo nazis of the early internet there were some amazing communities. I like to think that I found my ppl back then but maybe those ppl found me and set me on my way. Either way, I'm thankful

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#243

Post by dadpassthebeans »

throwaway89864 wrote: post #177
mapassthebeans wrote: post #148

Had similarly unorthodox path to tech, albeit without the drug addiction or prison. 90s early internet/BBS punk rocker/computer nerd. Hated school angry. Dropped out to work as a bike messenger for 5 years before packing a bag and moving west randomly. Couldn't sit still. Rode freight trains around the country for a few months. Washed dishes and landscaped to cover my cheap rent till that fell thru. Discovered shop l…

Was there any bullying at school that kept you away from it? Or boredom? Or just culture ? Grade schools seem all right in the US. Ridiculous amounts of activities/sports right there, teachers are well paid (compared to the rest of the world), the program difficulty seem pretty chill for any kid that learned to read early enough.

(Lost my passwd to my throwaway so i had to create another, sorry)

No, mostly just American 90s suburban boredom and at-home dysfunction.

At around 12/13 my old siblings drug addiction began tearing my house/family apart. The only escape available to me at the time in my town was a nascent, opioid-fueled high school party scene. Other kids might have followed their brothers footsteps but computers and music really interested me. I retreated to my bedroom and dialup modem for the next 5 or so years. I discovered the local BBS scene and (via that) the internet. Likewise, discovered a lively punk music scene in my region. Both connected me to other like minded ppl in my region and beyond. Very thankful for that.

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#244

Post by dadpassthebeans »

chamomeal wrote: post #215
mapassthebeans wrote: post #148

Had similarly unorthodox path to tech, albeit without the drug addiction or prison. 90s early internet/BBS punk rocker/computer nerd. Hated school angry. Dropped out to work as a bike messenger for 5 years before packing a bag and moving west randomly. Couldn't sit still. Rode freight trains around the country for a few months. Washed dishes and landscaped to cover my cheap rent till that fell thru. Discovered shop l…

That is an absolutely crazy story, I hope you have it written down somewhere besides HN comments lol

(Lost my passwd to my throwaway so i had to create another, sorry)

Nah, just throwaway here. A few tech/work friends know of it, most of my non-tech friends know of my background but most them have crazier stories. And those folks dont really understand what I do for work or how much money I'm making. I'm too much of a dirt bag for the tech world and too much of a yuppie for my old punk friends. Its double-sided imposter syndrome.

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#245

Post by TylerE »

moi2388 wrote: post #240
shrubby wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well said here. We don't have a honest discussion about the progression of addiction so the choices are not visible, until later. The first beer is the most critical choice, yet it's made for us (in 99% of the cases) by our peers. So is it a choice really? We're routine (addiction) prone herd animals and as long as we pretend otherwise (free will and the likes) we're stuck in repeating this.

Why is the first beer the most critical choice? Why isn’t the last beer the most critical one, for example?

Without the first beer there is no last beer.

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#246

Post by zuzululu »

stringfood wrote: post #204
zuzululu wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you are projecting your own opinion here. I've commended him for turning away from his wrong path while condemning him for his actions individually that have destroyed lives through the same exact suffering he experienced. I offered no advice.

The worldwide death penalty you're endorsing still kills him at 19, so you're commending a redemption your own proposal would have prevented.

You dont care that a drug traffiker kills/destroys countless lives?

Why not apply the same empathy for terrorists? Maybe they can turn their life around too.

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#247

Post by dadpassthebeans »

isityettime wrote: post #168
whatever1 wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looking In retrospect, if you were a policy maker today how would you try to prevent the new generation for having to go through this (today your path likely would not be viable due to fentanyl).

Maybe also worth asking what he's doing along those lines as a father. Probably some interventions are in reach for the state, and there are some other things that parents are best positioned to do. He might have some insight into both.

(Lost my passwd to my throwaway so i had to create another, sorry) Me? I have nothing to offer. My elementary aged kids will be in middle school soon and I am not looking forward to having to try and keep them on the straight and narrow. At home my parents afforded me a long leash and I rejected most of what my superiors at school/etc fed me. As soon I was able, I GTFO. Took many risks and things worked out okay for me in the end. I could tell my kids to do the opposite but I'd be lying and they'd know it.

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#248

Post by zuzululu »

buttercraft wrote: post #223
zuzululu wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think earlier there were few HN users who didn't like my opinions on another thread, came here to flag and downvote my comments and leave rather mean replies all over my profile. I don't think much of it and I forgive people who do it. Or maybe there really are people who think its okay to use AI to hire/filter candidates but not when candidates use AI to optimize to get around that screen. Using AI, I've been able…

[flagged]

> because you wished death upon a member of this community in an earlier comment

where did i say this ? this is getting weird now. can you please follow HN guidelines and keep discussions relevant ?

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: Building from zero after addiction, prison, and a felony

#249

Post by zuzululu »

smithoc wrote: post #224
zuzululu wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think earlier there were few HN users who didn't like my opinions on another thread, came here to flag and downvote my comments and leave rather mean replies all over my profile. I don't think much of it and I forgive people who do it. Or maybe there really are people who think its okay to use AI to hire/filter candidates but not when candidates use AI to optimize to get around that screen. Using AI, I've been able…

So you've used AI to do fraud and you're confused why people are opposed to this? You're the reason companies are pushing return to office and putting candidates through gauntlets of interviews and homework - because otherwise they end up hiring someone who lied on their resume and is trying to collect 3 salaries until they get caught and fired.

where is the fraud ? you are making outlandish accusations.

how am I to blame you cant work remotely ? I dont even know if you work!

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