Tech Warrior Tales

The thing about Instagram and other social media is that everything looks easy. I mean who wants to watch hard work, rejection and tears of despair while scrolling? We want to see satisfaction, inspiration, the realization of dreams. We want to escape our miserable existence or subpar existence. And that’s OK, when it inspires. But it fails when you want to follow these steps while avoiding looking into yourself. You think if you do what they did you’ll make it big but there’s one big problem...

I have a lot of calls where I’m asked how to act and talk during an interview and when I tell them just be the best version of themselves there’s surprise. As if the expectation is to not be yourself at all. So when it’s realized that you get to be yourself with a bit more makeup combed hair and a shirt it’s like “That’s it? I know how to be that!” Yes that’s it and you know how to be that better than many people in Tech because well we tech people aren’t known for our sense of style. Workin...

When you climb a mountain what determines the majority of the difficulty is your mind. I’m not saying that fitness, hunger, tiredness don’t have an effect. I’m just saying that the mind is the biggest part. If you’ve slept well, ate well are fit and your mind is off then you’ll bomb but if you’re hungry, tired and unfit and your mind is motivated you’ll likely climb that mountain. We all know people like that. Similarly if you want to break into tech and you have skills, education, experienc...

Let’s talk about fear. If you’re swimming in the middle of the ocean alone what’s the worst thing that can happen to you? Get eaten by a shark? Get a cramp and drown? Get chopped up by a fast boat’s propeller? All of these are pretty scary things. What’s the worst thing that can happen to you while walking through a dangerous neighborhood? Get mugged? Get raped? Murdered? All three? That’s really scary. What can happen if you fall off your safari jeep in Kenya and they keep on driving not re...

Today I woke up and felt somewhat rejuvenated. I had a great breakfast with my woman and got ready for my bike ride. I had a weird feeling as I headed down the stairs to my building's basement and saw the door unlocked. I proceeded down the narrow basement stairs and saw the aftermath of someone working violently on breaking into my basement compartment, and I looked inside. No bike. I wanted to be angry, upset, and shocked, but my first reaction was, "At least I have insurance." I went out to...

The truth is you’ll have ups and downs in tech. You’ll do well and not so well. You’ll meet great people and not so great people. This includes managers, colleagues and customers. Your money will hit your account on time most of the time but sometimes it won’t. And sometimes you’ll have to fight for your payment. For your bonuses. For your commissions. You’ll love your job, you’ll hate your job, you’ll feel neutral about your job. Tech isn’t immune to life’s trends. But you can get more of...

Everything is all right. Nobody's disrespecting you. They pay you on time. It would be best if you were grateful that you have a job, especially when so many don't. But you want more. You're just not feeling it. "What's wrong? Are they mean to you?" It's not that. "Is the pay too low? Well, at least you're making money!" I guess it's kinda low, but it's not that. "Do you not like your boss?" I don't mind the guy, but it's not that. Change that perspective already, and be grateful for what yo...

Hump Day is the best time of the week to feel discouraged. Not close to the weekend yet and too close to Monday. Let the countdown start...to what? To Friday night's Netflix binge? To catch up on all that sleep that you're missing out on? But you promised the kids things! You're not sleeping this weekend! And you did promise your spouse that thing you haven't taken care of for almost a year because you're so damn wasted. The weekend takes forever to come, and it's gone so fast, especially w...

$200,000. That's my credit card limit—$ 200,000 per month. Is it really, is this wishful thinking? I don't know, but the drop-down menu in my account gives me the option. So my bank thinks I can ask for it. But do I think I can ask for it? Why am I scared to choose that option? What will happen? The worst case bank says "no"; best case, I'll have another way to indebt myself into oblivion. But maybe I fear they'll shut down my bank account because I dared to dare. Or is what bothers me that some...

So there’s a now old movie (Green Card 1990). Some of you may know it, and some of you may not, but this French man (Gérard Depardieu) wants to immigrate to the US and finds this American woman (Andie MacDowell) who pretends to be his fiancé. They practice every day asking each other questions to know each other, and when it’s finally time for his interview with immigration, they ask him a question about her, and he responds, “I don’t remember.” Not knowing something about his "fiancé" is not t...

I stumble out of bed and rub my bleary eyes, trying to shake off the last remnants of a dream where the US Congress forgives me for making fun of them and offers me a $25,000 contract. Ah, the joys of being a tech consultant! But I have a call scheduled with the owner of a German adult website, and I'm ready to tackle the challenge. I log into the Zoom call and I'm greeted by the sight of a hip but nervous-looking client based in Thailand. He's worried that his website is losing customers due t...

Once upon a time, in a forest filled with bears, there was a bear named Benny. Benny had always dreamed of becoming a Sales Engineer, but the other bears laughed at him and told him that he was too clumsy and dim-witted to succeed. And besides, he was also a bear! Benny was heartbroken but refused to give up on his dream. He studied tirelessly, pouring over articles and attending trainings whenever he could. Despite his efforts, the other bears continued to make fun of him and belittle his ambi...

Once upon a time, a bear named Benny lived in a forest far, far away. Benny is a bear who aspires to become a Sales Engineer, but he's faced much rejection in his job search. However, despite his lack of formal education and experience, Benny remains determined to achieve his goal. He's invested in online training and connected with experienced instructors but still needs to land a job in the field. Benny often feels frustrated and out of his depth. He curls up in his cave and sobs himself to s...

I unlock the gate, and the wind slams it shut. I'm already regretting leaving my flat. But I need to get something to eat. No street lights and the road is a mixture of mud, snow, ice, and slippery asphalt. I look up at my building and see a few lights on, the more intelligent people staying home. Torn cardboard boxes are flying everywhere. An empty tram races by through the mixture of snow and mud. A few people in the distance running home while holding tight to their umbrellas. Is it raining? ...

Escape from Kharkiv: A Journey Toward Freedom It was a grey, dreary morning in Kharkiv, and the heavy clouds overhead seemed to be dripping with menace, like the foreign oppressive government that controlled every aspect of their lives. The air was thick with tension, and the distant thuds of artillery fire only served to increase the anxiety that had settled over the city like a shroud. Winston Smith, a middle-aged man with weary eyes and a gaunt face, had decided that it was time to flee. He...