Living the INTP dream

[DetachedRetina]

So I recently got set up with a job for the summer and I think you guys will be able to relate, and understand why I am in such bliss.

I am working in a lab at my university and I have a key to the lab and the building. I can work whenever I want to, I log my own hours and nobody is looking over my shoulder. I can even work from home on my labtop if I want to, as long as I record my hours, but I also have access to my own little cubicle thingie in the lab if I want to be in a place without distractions (my house has roommates and such.) I can and do work in the middle of the night in the lab. I am there right now, and I could basically be working naked if I wanted to.

My boss is a professor of geology and I am doing basically a lot of programming in MATLAB for him. He knows nothing about programming nor does he really care to, as long as I produce results. However, he is not by any means an idiot. If I do have a question or something interesting to talk about he is extremely competent and quick to understand. I am actually thinking he is an INTP too. He is the exact opposite of micro-managing. I meet with him exactly once per while, when I feel like it is about time, and discuss my progress (if any.)

What I am doing is trying to generalize an existing and well known algorithm (dynamic time warping) to N dimensions. Then eventually apply that to deep sea sediment cores to form a picture of global paleomagnetic signal. So basically I'm working on something abstract that covers a lot of ground on my own time in my own way and without hassles of bureaucracy.

I am even paid by direct deposit from the university. I enter my hours online and money gets deposited into my bank account. The only person I ever have to interact with is my boss/advisor who I mentioned before.

So basically I have total freedom to get the job done. I tried to express to my friends why this job is so great for me, and they didn't seem to understand. My ESTP friend said "I could never work an office job." and my ESTJ friend said "I would make you keep a record of what you're doing and when if I were your boss."

What are your best work experiences? Could you think of something better than this?

 

[Sanctum]

Sounds Awesome I wish i could have a job like that. I'm only 16 so the only jobs i can get require constant human interaction ex: foodlion, target, etc. so congrats

 

[DetachedRetina]

Sounds Awesome I wish i could have a job like that. I'm only 16 so the only jobs i can get require constant human interaction ex: foodlion, target, etc. so congrats

I've done my fair share of that. I also am doomed to do more of that in the future, when this summer ends I will go back to school and eventually will probably be forced to get a real job working with other people.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

MATLAB

What are your best work experiences? Could you think of something better than this?

To answer your question, my best work experiences have been similar to yours, e.g. working in a lab as a work study student with complete autonomy, conducting undergrad research of my own design with complete autonomy, leading a field crew of delinquent youth with complete autonomy, etc. (Theme much?) The only thing I can say is better for sure is being paid to be a grad student, in my case being paid to live on the coast of Lake Erie all summer and kayak to work everyday, chasing tourists around with snakes. I'm assuming academia wouldn't be all that bad either. There's bureaucracy but at the same time you have both achieved and ascribed authority.

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The other thing I want to note ties into something you mentioned in the "What is your major?" thread. IMO Geology does indeed have limited applications, it's the stats programming that applies broadly and gives fields like Geology an increased dimension.

What are you capable of doing in MATLAB? (as opposed to what is MATLAB capable of doing).

 

[individuo]

Reminds me of my Master Thesis... Oh Lord please make me go back in time when I was not yet stuck in a 'normal' job

 

[Architect]

That is very similar to my present situation as a software engineer. I work from home in the early morning, then show up for an hour or two in the morning, go home to exercise and eat lunch, and depending on when I get up I'm done by 12-2. I interact with coworkers very little and same with my boss, mostly a little socialization which I enjoy. My schedule and tasks are up to me. I can't describe what I do other than to say it's extremely interesting, challenging and creative. I'm paid well into the six figures for it plus loads of benefits. This is my Normal Job.


Bliss indeed.

 

[Czech Yes or No]

That is very similar to my present situation as a software engineer. I work from home in the early morning, then show up for an hour or two in the morning, go home to exercise and eat lunch, and depending on when I get up I'm done by 12-2. I interact with coworkers very little and same with my boss, mostly a little socialization which I enjoy. My schedule and tasks are up to me. I can't describe what I do other than to say it's extremely interesting, challenging and creative. I'm paid well into the six figures for it plus loads of benefits. This is my Normal Job.


Bliss indeed.

Just interested, but how did you get into software engineering? As a kid, in college?

I really need an idea of what to do for a career.

 

[DetachedRetina]

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The other thing I want to note ties into something you mentioned in the "What is your major?" thread. IMO Geology does indeed have limited applications, it's the stats programming that applies broadly and gives fields like Geology an increased dimension.

What are you capable of doing in MATLAB? (as opposed to what is MATLAB capable of doing).

What am I capable of doing in MATLAB? Well pretty much anything MATLAB is capable of doing, if given enough time I suppose.

I do not viciously vectorize everything like some do because it makes the code too unreadable: e.g. I could do

d=bsxfun(@plus,bsxfun(@plus,bsxfun(@minus,t,r).^2,bsxfun(@minus,r,z).^2),bsxfun(@minus,z,t).^2);

as opposed to

%for o=1:O
% for n=1:N
% for m=1:M
% d(n,m,o)=(((t(n)-r(m))^2)+((t(n)-z(o))^2)+((r(m)-z(o))^2));
% end
% end
%end

The nested for loops are probably a bit slower, but I prefer them.

So why even use MATLAB, you may wonder. The answer is I won't be for long. I'll probably be switching the program over to C++ later this summer. But while I am in the concept phase it's really nice to be able to see the matrices I'm working with. (interpreted language is also nice for me)

I agree about the stats programming. Pretty much anywhere that computers need to recognize visual patterns or features DTW could be used. Pretty cool stuff. But like Architect said I can't describe too much what I'm doing. I don't know why he can't, but I can't because it would take a long time. PM me if you're actually interested though.

 

[Dapper Dan]

Just interested, but how did you get into software engineering? As a kid, in college?

I really need an idea of what to do for a career.

I don't know about architect, but I never did any programming until college.

If you're interested, there are plenty of online resources out there that you can check out. You could honestly teach yourself if you wanted to, but that takes a work ethic. :P At any rate, if you get to college and have no idea what you want to do, you could certainly do a lot worse than Computer Science.

 

[Architect]

Just interested, but how did you get into software engineering? As a kid, in college?

I really need an idea of what to do for a career.

Degrees in physics, worked it into a software job. Wasn't all roses - it never is, but I love it and it was the only thing for me ultimately.

 

[scorpiomover]

One of my best work experiences, was when I was working in the in-house software department of a perfume factory. My boss would always take the time to explain exactly what he wanted. I would be left to do the work by myself. If I had some questions, then I could pop into his office, and he would always answer them, no matter how inane they were, or how often I asked.

 

[DetachedRetina]

One of my best work experiences, was when I was working in the in-house software department of a perfume factory. My boss would always take the time to explain exactly what he wanted. I would be left to do the work by myself. If I had some questions, then I could pop into his office, and he would always answer them, no matter how inane they were, or how often I asked.

That sounds pretty nice too.

I think I value the ability to take a problem, solve it, and return the solution without a lot of interference from other people or worry as to how I actually go about getting the work done.

I also like programming because it is abstract and stimulating, and you are creating something. Also you never really have to (at least in theory) solve the same problem twice, because all your code is saved somewhere.

 

[pernoctator]

So basically I'm working on something abstract that covers a lot of ground on my own time in my own way and without hassles of bureaucracy

...

Could you think of something better than this?

No, I really can't think of anything better, that sentence sums up the whole ideal. Maybe it could be improved by waiters serving you coffee every few hours. Without disturbing you of course.

So why even use MATLAB, you may wonder. The answer is I won't be for long. I'll probably be switching the program over to C++ later this summer. But while I am in the concept phase it's really nice to be able to see the matrices I'm working with. (interpreted language is also nice for me)

http://scipy.org/Getting_Started - Does this look like something that could interest you?

 

[DetachedRetina]

http://scipy.org/Getting_Started - Does this look like something that could interest you?

Yes it does. Thanks.

 

[Anamnesis]

I take it you're an undergrad, DetachedRetina? You have a pretty sweet setup there.

I lecture math. I get paid to talk about what I love, hold office hours for those that are even more interested in hearing about what I love, I get a month off twice a year, and have most of the day after lecture to study whatever topic I wish (topological manifolds are the flavor of the week). Going to enjoy this while it lasts.

(Can't believe it took me 30 minutes to type all that!)

 

[interstate8]

I'm also living the intp dream. No job, attending community college, using financial aid to buy weed, books, food.