imagine the possibilities @openai. i like learning new things—say hi! 🏳️🌈 [email protected]
NYC, SF, and here and there
Joined February 2008
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around the same time, i was spending my days supporting our users. "nobody's dream project" was ironically addressing an issue that was by far and away the *worst* part of a user's day. unglamorous problems are a ripe opportunity to own what's overlooked, and make a real change
My first project as a new grad at @stripe was a service to turn chargeback evidence submitted through our API into PDFs and fax them to our banking partners. I'd never seen a fax in my life.
It was nobody's dream project, and I was sure I'd get fired, so I went deep. I learned how much complexity we could hide behind a simple API, even when our banking partners still relied on paper faxes. Two years later, I got to build the first version of Stripe Radar to stop fraudulent chargebacks in the first place.
You often don't get to choose where you start, but going deep, becoming the expert, and earning the trust to take bigger swings is still a great way to build a career. AI has changed how we work, but I don't think it's changed that playbook.
@vikrams039 wrote the guide I wish I'd had as a new grad: vikramsingh.me/increase-your…
my piano started playing in the other room while i was home alone, i rushed to my phone thinking codex picked up my old player piano work
…was just our cat taking a stroll
make Codex great at the boring parts of shopping by telling it to remember these tips:
* use Chrome, reuse existing carts/tabs, and keep live checkout state intact
* build every cart as far as possible, then batch blockers/questions for me
* exhaust discounts: online codes, email/SMS signup, stacking; use best code and unsubscribe later
* prefer Shop Pay/Stripe Link over normal checkout; authorized to use emailed/texted auth codes
* accept required checkout terms/steps, but don’t opt into marketing unless needed for a discount
* don’t final-submit/pay without action-time confirmation
* prefer reputable retailers; flag sketchy sellers, spec mismatches, bad return terms, weird lead times
* verify exact qty/color/specs, delivery type, lead time, returnability, and total before handoff
* use white-glove only for heavy/fragile/assembly-heavy items; flag absurd shipping and consider alternatives
* on vintage/marketplaces, make aggressive offers; batch same-seller items for bulk leverage
* in live support chat, check it every 30–60s and respond fast
* authorized to share order/customer details with checkout/support channels when needed
* keep monitoring email & texts for order updates until delivery, work with support to resolve any issues
codex is a great shopper. part of my home depot order didn't arrive; it repurchased just those items for delivery tomorrow morning
codex windows uses past few days:
* Turned LG rolling TV into remote workstation: connected to monitor to setup Homebrew, Moonlight, and on the PC Sunshine so I can use my desktop anywhere in the house.
* Built OBSBot camera plugin, logging in to UniFi dashboard to find camera, downloading SDK from Gmail, and vision to fine-tune camera API perf.
* Put NAS on Tailscale, setup Plex Media Server, diagnosed slow transfers from NAS admin & UniFi network topology. Got my father-in-law remote access to his favorite media -- oh, and it used Chrome to go find out how to buy him an iPad remotely in Maine and deliver it.
* Built a safer webOS dev token refresh flow, the Homebrew channel option sends tokens to a remote server, so after a security audit decided to make its own.
* Made my Mac bootstrap repo cross-platform & setup entire PC in Windows native way: PowerShell native dev env (wrapped w/ Socket Firewall of course), PowerToys config, keyboard mapping, taskbar cleanup, path normalization, WSL w/ dotfiles installed, and common apps like VLC, OBS, Tailscale (full setup via admin on browser).
* Built a "record every window" automation for OBS screen recording: automatically notices new windows, adds to OBS as a window capture source, tiles them into a scene, and records for easy demo compilation.
now to go wheel ’dex out to my new metal fabricator!
codex for home repair: replaced a broken AC unit, new one makes this annoying noise. HVAC proposed invasive work to add new return supplies. asked codex about the issue while talking to him; it found the invoice in my email & looked up unit… variable fan speed simply set wrong
daylight is a beautifully built device, well worth it
Instead of an iPad get a daylight tablet for your kids.
It’s a paper like Bluelight free display.
It’s easier on the eyes and far less stimulating than an iPad. This means less dopamine driven overstimulation and cravings.
It functions more like a calm reading and drawing device than an entertainment device.
Way better suited to kids if your goal is focus and reduced screen addiction.
