wildlogic

Hey HN,

I got badly hurt a couple years ago when I fell 20 feet directly onto a 3 inch PVC pipe and got impaled. I was stuck in bed for 6 months, lost my job of 8 years and my wife of 12 years. I gave up the house to my spouse in the divorce, and moved into a van which was pretty quickly and unceremoniously stolen from me at gunpoint. I've been living outside on the street for the past nearly 2 years after 16 years working 9-5 as a developer and I'm really dreading the upcoming winter.

It's a cold and rainy fall, but I still spend my days in the library coding. I've managed to hang onto a laptop for over a year, but by now I don't even have a change of socks let alone a change of clothes. Recently I made a cool puzzle game <https://geonot.github.io/korokoro> and a font <https://geonot.github.io/retrocide-mono>. I'm adept with most programming languages and paradigms, and while I spent most of my career in DevOps, I'm also a cybersecurity expert with a Defcon Black Badge in CTF, a low-level systems developer with hardware experience and a competent full-stack web developer.

I've worked in all sorts of environments from bringing fledgling startups through IPO or multi-billion buyout to long tenures as a Principal Engineer at Oracle and most recently as an AI DevOps Engineer at NVIDIA.

I'm looking for any sort of remote contract work or gig - if you have any app ideas that you haven't found the time to code up, small business websites needing development or modernization, or APIs that need integrating, I'd love to help for the low.

I'm also looking for any sort of help or resources in the pacific northwest, be it housing, food, clothing, anything, I would greatly appreciate any advice or help. I spent a lot of time and a good amount of my salary helping people in need when I was fortunate enough to have disposable income, and now I'm the one in need.

Despite my situation, I'm easy to communicate with and still extremely productive technically. I'm not looking for anything unreasonable in terms of compensation, so hopefully getting a principal engineer / architect for a few bucks an hour is compelling enough to someone on here that needs some technical work done.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate your time and wisdom! I've been reading HN every day for 15 years, and I've gotten an immense amount of knowledge and inspiration here, so thanks a lot.

digiphilo at gmail dot com

Hey HN,

A few years ago I was impaled in a climbing accident - I fell 20 feet straight onto a 3" PVC pipe (https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201216284). I couldn't walk or take care of myself for most of a year, and the recovery was extremely difficult. A fantastic 15+ year systems development career to came to an abrupt halt after my company was acquired while I was on medical leave, and I found myself without work to return to. Shortly after, I separated from my partner of 20 years, giving her and my son our family home and opting to stay for a while alone in a Dodge Ram van. Unfortunately my van was stolen at gunpoint, along with everything I owned, and I have been homeless on the streets of Tacoma, WA for the past 2 years.

I'm mentally and physically ready to get back to work, but it is difficult navigating this challenge without a computer or a roof over my head. I'm an adept hacker, having won a black badge in CTF at Defcon. I specialize in build and release automation, and am comfortable wearing any hat as long as I am writing code.

I'm hoping for advice, help, or maybe even an interview or contract offer from someone in a position to offer me a chance. I'm a tenacious, thoughtful and creative developer that excels at solving intractable problems and quickly resolving critical issues.

I still try to read HN every day, write code, and stay up on the latest and greatest tech. Walking is still a challenge, but the rest of me works just fine. Please let me know if you have any help or advice to offer. Thanks kindly.

Brandon digiphilo@gmail.com

HN,

I'm reaching out, hopeful to find some assistance during a challenging time in my life. This past year has been bad. I suffered a serious climbing accident that destroyed my tailbone and sacrum (the fused vertebrae above the tailbone) and severed many nerves in my left leg. This ordeal left me bedridden for four months, requiring me to relearn basic tasks such as walking and using the bathroom.

In the aftermath of my accident, I was featured on the cover of the digital edition of Climbing Magazine ("Anal Impalement Accident" made quite the enticing headline...) and in the publication "Accidents in North American Climbing". However, during my recovery, I suffered additional hardships. I lost my job at a disaster modeling company, a position I had held for eight years, and my spouse of twelve years left me while I was still bedridden. In an attempt to start anew, I relinquished our house and savings to my spouse, and purchased a 2021 Dodge Ram Promaster van to live and work from. Tragically, this van — and everything I owned — was stolen at gunpoint in Tacoma, Washington, leaving me destitute in an unfamiliar city.

Prior to these events, I had enjoyed consistent employment in the tech industry for sixteen years. Despite my current predicaments, I'm eager to get back to work. I have managed to secure a cheap car. However, I lack essential tools, such as a laptop or a tablet, to aid my job-seeking efforts.

For those unfamiliar with my work, I have extensive experience as a software developer and DevOps specialist. I'm proficient in automating software delivery, managing CI/CD pipelines, and handling cloud infrastructure. I've competed at DEFCON with ACME Pharm, landing a win one year. In my last role as a Staff Engineer, I managed the build, versioning, production delivery, cloud environments, and full-stack troubleshooting of several enterprise platforms, overseeing over 100 diverse software repositories. I'm well-versed in most common languages and paradigms and am comfortable in nearly any individual contributor role.

My professional experience spans both early-stage startups and large enterprise organizations. I've made significant contributions to two startups that each sold for over 2B. I pride myself on being a strong technical communicator with the ability to quickly grasp the technical aspects of large projects and make an immediate, positive impact.

I'm currently in dire need of a laptop to complete essential tasks such as updating my resume, writing cover letters and applying for jobs. If anyone has a spare laptop, it would greatly assist me in my current situation. A few other items would also make a significant difference: an inverter, a large battery pack, portable chargers, a jump box, a solar setup, clothing (shirts XL, underwear M, 32/32 pants), hygiene items, a sturdy water bottle, a thermos, and a hotplate or Jetboil stove. If you can provide or facilitate acquiring any of these items, please contact me at digiphilo (at) gmail.com. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I am currently seeking remote work opportunities. I'm a versatile professional, competent in frontend, backend, and full-stack web development, systems and database administration, DevOps, SRE, and cybersecurity. If you have employment opportunities, please reach out to digiphilo (at) gmail.com.

Despite the physical challenges caused by my accident, such as residual pain and difficulty with mobility, these issues do not impact my capabilities as a remote tech worker. The primary challenge I face is the circumstance I find myself in.

I humbly ask for your consideration. If you are able and willing to provide any form of financial assistance during this period while I'm seeking work, rest assured, any donation will go towards necessities such as a computer or motel ($330/wk).

Sincerely, B

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