centurion's recent activity
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Comment on What's the best counter argument to "Well, if I don't do it somebody else will" in ~talk
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Comment on What's the best counter argument to "Well, if I don't do it somebody else will" in ~talk
centurion Link ParentI related a lot to that "glue" work talk you linked. It's how I feel I'm slipping in my current job because I'm the only one that cares enough about certain work - others do care, but won't go out...I related a lot to that "glue" work talk you linked. It's how I feel I'm slipping in my current job because I'm the only one that cares enough about certain work - others do care, but won't go out of their way. Although I'm also quite lucky in that it's gotten me recognition and raises, thanks to my department lead and line manager being proactive about getting me those, without me needing to praise myself too much (quite shy naturally).
There is a downside to being the glue that it enables a pattern of it always falling to you, and the people in other parts of the organisation start giving less rope to help you out (mainly thinking of bugs coming in with few details - "the status is wrong on my ticket <EOF>"). I'm glad the speaker mentioned stepping back towards the end. Saying no is an important skill to learn, and sometimes letting the proverbial shit hit the fan highlights how much you actually do, making others step up. It's what I'm trying to do more of, since my scrum master is (lightly) complaining that I'm spending too much time helping others and not enough delivering work.
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Comment on How do you go about learning a new language? in ~humanities.languages
centurion LinkI used a combination of Duolingo and Language Transfer (a collection of free audio lessons) for learning Spanish in preparation for travelling around Latin America a few years ago. I never got to...I used a combination of Duolingo and Language Transfer (a collection of free audio lessons) for learning Spanish in preparation for travelling around Latin America a few years ago. I never got to the point of fluency but my Latino friends were pleasantly surprised at how well I managed to cope speaking to others (who very often had no English, forcing me to immerse).
Language Transfer was quite useful for helping me pick up the way the language works while Duolingo helped to expand my vocabulary and written form. The LT structure is by listening to the instructor teach a beginner how to speak in the target language and the lessons were bite-size so you could dedicate a couple of minutes each day to it. Greek does appear to be offered by it, but I can only speak to the quality of the Spanish lessons.
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Comment on Be aware of the Makefile effect in ~comp
centurion Link ParentAye, using Maven as the build system, which is also abstracted away with the use of a parent pom in all our microservices. There is a certain complexity in our setup with various starters...Aye, using Maven as the build system, which is also abstracted away with the use of a parent pom in all our microservices. There is a certain complexity in our setup with various starters available (like integration with databases and/or Kafka) but a well structured codebase will make things optional.
If your scripts always spin up a postgres Docker to run migration tests, then yeah, it's wasteful to do it on a DB-less microservice pipeline. Most places I've worked at has reached this level to have options available. The only one that didn't was a startup where the idea of templates or parent poms were rejected by the CTO for some reason and everything was copy-pasted to each microservice. Made upgrades so painful and slowed down a lot of development over time.
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Comment on Be aware of the Makefile effect in ~comp
centurion Link ParentI wholeheartedly agree. As a software engineer who focuses more on Java dev, I want my CI/CD pipelines to just work and let me focus on writing business logic code. Will I ever be an expert at...I wholeheartedly agree. As a software engineer who focuses more on Java dev, I want my CI/CD pipelines to just work and let me focus on writing business logic code. Will I ever be an expert at writing Gitlab CI yamls? No, but it's not what I'm primarily paid for.
Maybe if my job involved managing the pipelines across multiple teams, I'd put in the effort to learn this stuff from scratch and truly understand the deep internals. But reinventing the wheel for the sake of it just doesn't seem like a beneficial use of my time. I'll pick up the understanding over time as I need to make changes to the configuration, but for creating a new repo for a new microservice, I'm going to use what's in place already.
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Comment on Ryanair sues passenger for €15,000 after flight was diverted due to ‘inexcusable behaviour’ in ~transport
centurion Link ParentI have occasionally seen articles on RTE (like this one) where flights have had to be diverted and police called to deal with an unruly passenger. I don't think it's all that rare, but suing the...I have occasionally seen articles on RTE (like this one) where flights have had to be diverted and police called to deal with an unruly passenger. I don't think it's all that rare, but suing the passenger is definitely a first.
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Comment on Ryanair sues passenger for €15,000 after flight was diverted due to ‘inexcusable behaviour’ in ~transport
centurion Link ParentHaving been on some Ryanair flights going to the sun holiday destinations, it's typically passengers who get shitfaced drunk at the airport bar, then are loud and aggressive on the plane for the 2...Having been on some Ryanair flights going to the sun holiday destinations, it's typically passengers who get shitfaced drunk at the airport bar, then are loud and aggressive on the plane for the 2 or 3 hour flight.
It's not uncommon to see the same kind of behaviour on a night out in Ireland and the UK.
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Comment on What long book series is worth its page count? in ~books
centurion Link ParentI think it'd be confusing just to pick up on Book 7, having only watched the show. As you say, TV Drummer is an amalgamation of other book characters so it would be quite a big whiplash. Not to...I think it'd be confusing just to pick up on Book 7, having only watched the show. As you say, TV Drummer is an amalgamation of other book characters so it would be quite a big whiplash. Not to mention the other big difference between the show and the books.
TV Season 5 spoilers
The death of Alex due to the actor being fired.I personally found the books quite a light read, easy to get through them in a short space of time to get to the same point in the show. You'd also miss out on some of the novellas (such as The Churn), which deserve to be read too.
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Comment on I'm visiting the region you're from, what's your favorite food I should try? in ~food
centurion Link ParentI remember being in Guayaquil and a friend decided to basically heap ají into his encebollado (an amazing fish stew for those unaware) and regretted it immediately. His European mouth was not...I remember being in Guayaquil and a friend decided to basically heap ají into his encebollado (an amazing fish stew for those unaware) and regretted it immediately. His European mouth was not prepared for how spicy this particular restaurant made it. Our Ecuadorian hosts were telling him to go easy on it and weren't surprised at his reaction.
Definitely have a soft spot for Ecuadorian cuisine, I occasionally make seco de pollo and bolón de queso/chiccarón, at least as good as I can with the ingredients available here in Europe. Tamales are amazing but too much effort for me to attempt.
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Comment on In Norway, children walk to school aged six, or even travel across the country. Why do these kids have so much independence, while other countries are so risk-averse? in ~life
centurion Link ParentPeeing standing up is not against the law. Making excessive noise after 10pm is, but you can't be punished for peeing standing up. You may get a passive aggressive note on your door by a...Peeing standing up is not against the law. Making excessive noise after 10pm is, but you can't be punished for peeing standing up. You may get a passive aggressive note on your door by a overzealous neighbour.
But yeah you see kids here walking to kindergarten or school from 4 or 5, especially in villages. In bigger cities, there's usually a parent or two accompanying a group of children.
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Comment on Help me ditch Chrome's password manager! in ~tech
centurion Link ParentFor multi-user usage, I can see syncing issues happening with KeePass but thankfully I haven't had any. I think the apps/programs I use for it can merge external changes for it and last saved...For multi-user usage, I can see syncing issues happening with KeePass but thankfully I haven't had any. I think the apps/programs I use for it can merge external changes for it and last saved entry wins. As a lone user, I don't get conflicts frequently (can't remember if I ever actually got one).
Ultimately it's great to have options for everyone and not have to rely on a single application that may not cover everyone's particular use case.
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Comment on Help me ditch Chrome's password manager! in ~tech
centurion LinkI use KeePassXC on my larger devices and Keepass2Android on the smaller ones. For ensuring they're always in sync, the kdbx file is stored on a cloud provider (pCloud in my case) which is...I use KeePassXC on my larger devices and Keepass2Android on the smaller ones. For ensuring they're always in sync, the kdbx file is stored on a cloud provider (pCloud in my case) which is accessible by all devices and can be cached if my internet connection is spotty.
The kdbx file is protected with a key file in addition to the master password so that only explicitly onboarded devices can use it, even if my cloud storage is compromised.
For actual usability, KeePassXC does have a browser extension to allow auto insert of username and passwords but I've had a mixed experience with it. I just resort to Alt+Tab to manually grab the password instead.
On Android, my experience is much better, Keepass2Android prompts to link the relevant password to the app when you use it there, so that it will auto fill next time. QuickUnlock also lets you only put in the last 3 characters of your master password to save time, but will occasionally ask to enter the full master password.
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Comment on How can I best keep my room cool in summer? in ~life.home_improvement
centurion LinkAlso Zürich based and having the same intolerance to the heat, made worse by living in an attic flat, getting the sun on all sides of the roof. I do have the possibility to make a cross breeze...Also Zürich based and having the same intolerance to the heat, made worse by living in an attic flat, getting the sun on all sides of the roof. I do have the possibility to make a cross breeze through the flat to help cool it at night, but sounds like that isn't feasible for you.
I looked into it last year as well but couldn't settle on an AC unit to suit the awkward windows here. I did see some posts where people cut out a glass shape to suit the window and a hole for the tube, there's also window kits to attach to the window directly as another commenter mentioned.
I did find closing the bedroom door a while before sleep and sticking on a humidifier for a while to help slightly, but that may be more specific to me as I find the air very dry here, coming from a country that rains a lot and is usually above 70-80% humidity all year round.
I'm basically looking for another flat outside the city that isn't an attic so I don't have to deal with it again this year.
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Comment on Adult Swim Games titles are being pulled from stores by Warner Bros in ~games
centurion Link ParentOne point to note is that delisted Steam games don't get removed from users' libraries. They are still playable even if they're not purchasable on the storefront. Online features may not work of...One point to note is that delisted Steam games don't get removed from users' libraries. They are still playable even if they're not purchasable on the storefront. Online features may not work of course, depending on if the devs wants to support it.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
centurion Link ParentIf you're on Android, I recommend BuzzKill to manage notifications. I use it to silence and batch news notifications during the working day, and also to not vibrate my phone if someone is sending...If you're on Android, I recommend BuzzKill to manage notifications. I use it to silence and batch news notifications during the working day, and also to not vibrate my phone if someone is sending a bunch of texts in a short space of time.
There's a lot more customisation available and I think Tasker integration.
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Comment on Side trip from northern Italy in ~travel
centurion Link ParentCheers for the details. I can only comment on Switzerland as I haven't visited the other two yet. I've focused more on nature in my comment since June is quite a nice month for it. There is some...Cheers for the details. I can only comment on Switzerland as I haven't visited the other two yet. I've focused more on nature in my comment since June is quite a nice month for it. There is some nice architecture, old buildings and cultural/food experiences but generally, I wouldn't say that Switzerland is renowned for its architecture or culinary treats.
Luzern is a gorgeous spot in central Switzerland, the lake and surrounding mountains are just spectacular. If you buy a travel pass (linked below), you can get a boat and mountain railway tour from Luzern out to Rigi Kulm - itinerary linked but I think a day pass is better value since it's all included in that. It's stroller friendly and no hiking involved.
Pilatus is also nearby though you would may need to pay extra to access the cable cars. There's also a toboggan course there which might be fun for the little ones. Stoos is a close-ish car-free village with the steepest funicular in the world. You can grab a chairlift up to Fronalpstock, relax at the restaurant and still get great views. Short walks involved.
Interlaken/Jungfrau is also near to Luzern but not as easy by train if I remember correctly. Jungfrau is pricey and I'm not sure it's worth it, but there are a few things kids there. Views are spectacular though and you can see a glacier or two.
Zurich is only an hour by train from Luzern so it would be quite accessible for day trips if you wanted to go to the Kunsthaus (art gallery), Landesmuseum (national museum), and also Uetilberg mountain (views overlooking Lake Zurich but not as good as Luzern in my opinion). There's also plenty of restaurants around, but be prepared to pay high prices. Le Dézaley near the lake is a lovely fondue restaurant (which you can eat in June although it's more winter food). The Niederdorf area on the east side of the Limmat river also has a lot of cafes and restaurants. Lochergut area also has a lot of food places.
A bit further north in Winterthur, there's a science museum called Technorama, which has a lot of interactive exhibits aimed at children if you just need an easy day to occupy them.
Links:
- https://swissfamilyfun.com - for planning stroller-friendly hikes
- https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/obstacle-free-routes
- Swiss Travel Pass which may be cheaper than buying individual tickets - if you know the days in advance and your itinerary, you can also buy SuperSaver tickets for cheap (tied to a particular connection though), but your children would need their own tickets (if above 6 years) compared to the Travel Pass. The Pass is also a lot easier to manage since it's valid on all public transport (national and local, but not all cable cars) without time restrictions.
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Comment on Side trip from northern Italy in ~travel
centurion LinkAsking for general recommendations of 3 countries without much information of what you're interested in leaves it a bit hard to narrow down possibilities. There's a lot on offer in the region....Asking for general recommendations of 3 countries without much information of what you're interested in leaves it a bit hard to narrow down possibilities. There's a lot on offer in the region.
- What's your general budget? Mainly asking because Switzerland is pricey, especially as a tourist.
- Time of year you'd like to go? How long do you want to go for?
- Age range for the kids? Are they able to walk by themselves for long?
- Any particular interests of what you or your family would like to do?
- City break, museums or trying restaurants? Hikes or winter sports?
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
centurion LinkWatched Orphan Black: Echoes the last few days after never hearing about any of the marketing for it. It's not very compelling compared to the original series, where Tatiana Maslany's acting was...Watched Orphan Black: Echoes the last few days after never hearing about any of the marketing for it. It's not very compelling compared to the original series, where Tatiana Maslany's acting was such a treat.
The writing in the spin-off just seemed a bit predictable and the characters did things because that's where the plot needed to go, not because they were making logical choices. A bit of the same concept was just reused/rehashed rather than delving more into the mythology of the original show.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
centurion LinkBinged Castlevania last weekend. I had started it before and watched up to Season 2, I think. Then the long wait between seasons made me forget all about it. Quite enjoyed it, even if some of the...Binged Castlevania last weekend. I had started it before and watched up to Season 2, I think. Then the long wait between seasons made me forget all about it. Quite enjoyed it, even if some of the dialogue felt like it was written by a edgy teenager. Some incoherent pacing issues in seasons 3 and 4 that felt like they didn't know how to continue on. The music was quite good in parts, unfortunately only the first season OST is available to stream.
I started on the Nocture spinoff as well, but I can't say that I'm particularly drawn to teenage characters in shows. They tend to be overly whiny and very cringy, which is not my cup of tea. I'll finish it out anyway and then forget about it when S2 releases in 3 years.
Loki was also a welcome return last week. Ke Huy Quan is bringing a bubbly character, which I'm definitely enjoying. Might share a lot of mannerisms as his character from Everything Everywhere All At Once but can't say that's a complaint.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~transport
centurion Link ParentOn the flip-side, I recently took a direct train from Berlin to Zurich with DB, which made its scheduled connection time in Basel, but SBB had its own train ready. It refused to let the DB train...On the flip-side, I recently took a direct train from Berlin to Zurich with DB, which made its scheduled connection time in Basel, but SBB had its own train ready. It refused to let the DB train continue for 1.5 hours, but DB only told us after 30 minutes waiting in Basel and missed the SBB train to switch.
The trouble I've gotten into is becoming the subject matter expert on a few business domains, where the others have left the company. These areas have become more support/maintenance as they're pretty feature-complete but the occasional bug comes in. It's hard to train up others on it as it does require hands-on experience and documentation/code dives can only go so far. Probably a bit self-fulfilling in that attitude.
It came out in one of our team meetings that we collectively need to learn to push back on external demands. We're not there yet but we're at least aware of where we need to get to. I'm very thankful for our scrum master who has a growth mindset for us, so it does help us avoid dead-end paths for our team - like being stuck on support roles for these feature-complete areas with no learning opportunities.
I'd say it's definitely something I picked up from my mother who also has a very conscientious work ethic and a attitude towards just getting things done. Contrast that with my father where everything gets put on the long finger and left to the last minute (infuriating the rest of us). On the thread topic, I would say "If I don't do it, my mother will have to" is the pattern I learned growing up and I like my mother, so I don't want to make her take on more work.
I forget where I read this but someone made a comment about trying to form a new habit or pattern, and they would ask themselves "Do I want to be the type of person who doesn't do <thing>?". I know myself well enough that I don't want to be the type of person who leaves work for others to do when I am capable of doing it. That would be my argument against the thread title on a personal level. I get satisfaction from being that person, not from being recognised (though that helps in a professional setting), just that I feel I'm doing the moral and right thing.
Someone else mentioned The Good Place on this thread, which helped me solidify some of my opinions. To quote one of the characters, "Why not try? It's better than not trying, right?". Now, I guess it's time for (another) rewatch of that show.