Hello and welcome to our Meet the Team series, in which we aim to give you deeper insight into the minds and personalities of those who make up this eclectic, close-knit group. We are developers, marketers, and technical support engineers, and at work we craft everything from Microsoft reporting APIs to mobile email applications. And outside of work? Let’s just say racing against the machine during hackathons, building architecturally sound beer towers during retros, and paddling down the Charles during the warmer months are simply the beginning.
Meet Seth – our quality control man, subscriber of (and living) This Developer’s Life, most closely personified by a strong spring lager, and powerless to the smile a clever line of code brings.
1. What do you do?
I’m a software engineer on the OfficeWriter team, so I spend my days hunting bugs, implementing cool new features, and trying to come up with new products.
2. What are you listening to right now?
Lake Street Dive – Clear a Space
3. If you could build any app, what would it be and why?
A contact de-duplication/management app that actually works well.
Also a bus/train app that just shows all departure times at the nearest stop…why do I need to choose a stop? My phone knows where I am!
4. When you were 5 what did you want to be and why?
In my early years I wanted to be a nature and wildlife photographer, working for National Geographic. I was always going around taking pictures of landscapes and animals. On our family trips to national parks, my younger brother and I would always get as close as we could to the wildlife (including a grizzly bear once) to get a good photo.
5. If you were a beer what would you be and why?
Maibock, light and easy-going, but deceivingly powerful and complex.
6. What is your favorite tech blog and why?
Not really a blog, but a podcast, but This Developer’s Life. It’s just too bad they’re so slow at making new episodes.
7. Fill in the blank. Contrary to popular belief I am not yet in my 30’s.
People must think I act old or something.
8. Describe your perfect Saturday afternoon in 10 words or less.
Taking a stroll outdoors during the golden hour.
9. When did you last laugh?
Reading xkcd on the train this morning.
10. Describe your personal style in one word.
Awesome.
11. What is your worst nightmare?
I’ve always had this irrational fear that my wife’s plane will crash when she’s on a business trip, so I save every voicemail she sends me while she’s gone. I guess I’m just a hopeless romantic.
12. If you were a superhero, what would be your superhero name/power?
My name would be Seth, and my power would be teleportation (with the ability to teleport anything/anyone touching me). My power would be used solely for the purpose of going to work and visiting cool and exotic places on the weekends. People would most likely hate me.
13. What 3 things would you bring to a deserted island?
- Large tarpaulin
- Knife
- Rope
I would plan on using my Eagle Scout skills to build a boat, catch some fish, and someday sail back to civilization.
14. Who would play you in a movie of your life?
Everyone says I look kind of like John Mayer. I’m not sure I believe them, but it would be fun to see if he can act.
15. What is the last thing you bought?
Apple trees…seriously, two of them.
16. What are your biggest pet peeves?
I’m usually pretty easy-going, but improper use of turn-lanes (e.g. using them to pass everyone else) can get me riled up…good thing I ride the train!
17. Name something that makes you smile.
A clever piece of code, and a crisp fall day, and of course being with my family and friends.
18. If you could teach a college course what would it be?
Either embedded computing, computer architecture, or networking architecture. In all of those classes I suddenly had this moment of understanding, and I think it would be awesome to be the one that guides people to that moment.
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