View on Customer Support

I still have some ideas about “customer support” that I would like to relinquish, but other than those ideas, I’d say there’s certainly an element of pride I feel as being a part of this team. I find some comfort in this old RFC, specifically the heading linked.

In some ways, I see customer support as a team of people who protect people from frustration, where we get to use our familiarity within a domain of knowledge as the primary means in which we protect those people. An interesting bridge between how people can feel and what people can know.

Preferred learning style

I wish I knew exactly my learning style. But I think that I need to know that I can make mistakes without major consequence. Trying things out, being forgiven, being able to reset and start over. I think those are important to me.

Communication style

I largely prefer text/text-messaging. It gives me some time to think, and to articulate. And I think emojis are a wonderful way to add some levity and also to communicate certain ideas. Video chat, phone-calls, those types of mediums… I can struggle to feel at complete ease. Or rather, sometimes the conversation gets a bit more chaotic, as I say things out but want to withdraw my statements.

Collaboration style

I think this depends on the person I’m working with. The way I kind of see things, I feel like it’s necessary that both/all parties get up-to-speed so that everyone has a common foundation of knowledge and understanding. And then, afterwards, the party can move forward, knowing that people are following along.

Approach to problems

I think this also depends on the problem at hand.

Preferred way to be recognized

Aaa I don’t really do well with public recognition. I guess 1:1 recognition might be alright? I am not good with attention nor praise nor things like that. I feel like jobs and duties are simply what must be done, and being praised for them feels kind of weird? I don’t know haha.

What I enjoy at work

Well, so far, I’ve only been onboarding. But I quite enjoy the expressiveness of the emojis that are offered by Slack. I encourage the reader to visit this Slack thread.

Thoughts on asking for help

Very hard, for me I think. I have lots of anxiety and apprehension about looking like I am unresourceful. But I also think there might be something here about… my expectations or anticipations of how I might be helped? Sometimes I just want to poke someone’s brain for some information that is readily available/off the top of their head. I don’t necessarily want someone to deep-dive with me. Hm. Perhaps if I make this clear in my asks, I can be more at ease? This is worth pondering about I suppose.

Preferred time to work

I think this varies, probably just due to an inconsistent sleep schedule. But I’d say… I probably prefer starting around 10am? Doing tasks until 3pm? The last couple of hours feel more like reflections and evaluating my progress. I’m not sure. What I’m saying now differs greatly from my previous job, where I worked maybe 11am–7pm, usually coding all the way up to the end. I suppose the tasks, the job, my sleep, etc. all factor into my preferences.

Feelings to receiving messages outside work hours

I’m totally fine with this. I know I can either accept or decline to work outside of work hours. And I feel like I’d rather know that my teammates need help, as opposed to having them isolating themselves. Perhaps, because I feel like I usually fall into the latter category (of isolating myself when I’m fraught with anxiety about asking for help).

How to show up when I’m feeling off

I find some comfort in the idea that the passage of time can sometimes be enough to dull an upset mood. I have not yet found proactive ways to dispel an upset mood. But perhaps emotions aren’t that simple. Maybe just remind me to go eat something haha. That’s not a bad way to pass the time. Or sleep?

Things that make me anxious

Asking for help. Software engineering. Stackoverflow. Unuseful error codes. I feel like code really has no logical constraints, the same way that physical systems have constraints, so the types of problems you can run into with code can be… very non-sensical. That’s kinda scary.

Technical areas of knowledge

I was formerly a Front End developer, but… I am reluctant to suggest any sort of expertise here. I don’t think the information sticks with me, as much as someone else who perhaps enjoys computers much more than I do.

Technical interests to learn

I’d like a little dip into a little bit of everything. I think they’re less so personal interests, and more so things to learn for the job. Ultimately, my satisfaction will come from helping people, not whether I learn about a specific technology.

Current personal project

Being happy. I think about how to be happy every day.

What I fear

Never finding or creating long-term friendships with like-minded people. If people notice that I’m sweating when I’m talking to them, which just makes me sweat more.

Favorite quote

• A funny one
• “For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.” - Carl Sagan

How I eat fries

I sometimes prefer them with no salt. Or just a little bit of salt. I wish restaurants wouldn’t salt them so much ]: I have also recently enjoyed fries with mayo.

Sun, moon and rising signs

Virgo Sun, Pisces Moon, Virgo Rising(?). Can I have Virgo in both? I don’t know if I did this right.