From 47cd885bfda725b5bfda58a8c2a31800e0e5ee85 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: James Ravenscroft Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2025 07:02:23 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] weeknote 9 --- .../content/posts/2025/03/weeknote-09.md | 36 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 36 insertions(+) create mode 100644 brainsteam/content/posts/2025/03/weeknote-09.md diff --git a/brainsteam/content/posts/2025/03/weeknote-09.md b/brainsteam/content/posts/2025/03/weeknote-09.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b0e4bab --- /dev/null +++ b/brainsteam/content/posts/2025/03/weeknote-09.md @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +--- +title: "Weeknote 9" +date: 2025-03-02T06:17:46Z +draft: false +description: Week 9 of 2025 +url: /2025/03/02/weeknote-09 +type: posts +mp-syndicate-to: + - https://brid.gy/publish/mastodon + - https://brid.gy/publish/twitter +tags: + - weeknotes + - personal +--- + +This week was definitely a return to normality as compared to last week [where I was ill](https://brainsteam.co.uk/2025/2/23/weeknote-08/) or the previous week [where I had just come back from holiday](https://brainsteam.co.uk/2025/2/16/weeknote-07/). I've been enjoying the brighter mornings, the fresh air and the contrast of commuting up to london and working from home a few days a week. + +On the work front, I've been able to get stuck in to project work to a larger extent and I managed to get up to London a couple of times. I've been making some serious progress with the projects I am working on. I used VLLM to host a model that we've fine-tuned go a lot faster and use less compute power. As part of this work, I've been learning a lot about AWS CloudFormation, Serverless Application Model (SAM) and CodeBuild pipelines. + +I've also been fact finding and helping with some project scoping and architecture, building working relationships with my reports, managing recruitment for some engineering interns and helping out with an internal "Unconference" event we're running later in the year. I'm definitely busy at work and feeling useful and productive but I don't feel stressed or overwhelmed, at least not yet. This is a good level of activity that makes the working day go quickly, captures my curiosity but allows me log off and switch off afterwards. + +When I first joined TR I was accidentally allocated a Dell laptop running Windows rather than a macbook pro. It's not the Dell that's the problem (I'm actually writing this post on the dell laptop I bought myself to write up my PhD in 2022). It's Windows that presents more of an issue. After a few weeks of gently nudging my manager (sorry Leo), he kindly organised the delivery of a new 16" MBP with an M4 Max CPU and 48GB of RAM which is an absolutely insane spec but it's also exciting since it means I can play with running some fairly large quantized models locally. I'm also very nervous about taking it anywhere as that thing is the most expensive computer I've ever owned. + +![a screenshot of the MacOS About Device prompt showing 48GB RAM](https://media.jamesravey.me/i/6811c192-2143-4b7d-86d1-7dca1236c7a1.jpg) +**_The most powerful laptop I've owned/had access to thus far_** + +I'm finding that a couple of days a week up in London is a good amount. Mrs R and I have put in some early starts this week, getting up at 5:30am some days so that we can both get in and out of the bathroom and get ready in time for the 7:30am train (which we walk 25 mins to catch together). I get home from London around 7pm most days. I'm trying to keep a stoic attitude towards railway delays. I don't mind sitting and watching TV on my tablet or reading and I typically get to claim a partial refund on my train ticket if the train 15 minutes late or more. Working from the office is a nice chance to catch up with my team and have a laugh and it makes me appreciate working from home more. Coming home from London on Thursday evening is like a mini-friday. I can relax and enjoy knowing that I'll be in the comfort of my own home on Friday itself. + +Another aspect of hybrid commuting that I'm really enjoying is being able to meet up with London friends for lunch or dinner. I used to do this to some extent at Filament but I am trying to take advantage of this to a fuller extent now that I'm in town more regularly. This week I met up with a friend for lunch on Thursday and we ended up in a low-key cafe specialising in both Thai dishes and fried breakfasts. It was quite fun having a menu with Green Thai Curry on one side and All Day Breakfasts on the other. + +{{< youtube _2qsU8FGU_E >}} +**_I'm a huge fan of the laid back funky sound of Parcels_** + +At home we've managed to find a carper and floor fitter who is going to come and make over our living room flooring in a couple of weeks time. Mrs R went with her sister to watch [a one man retelling of Buffy the Vampire Slayer](https://buffyrevamped.co.uk/) which she reports to be very funny. We booked to go and watch Mickey 17 at the cinema next week and we also booked to see [Parcels](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2qsU8FGU_E) in London Wembley Arena later this year. I've managed to walk every day either IRL or on the walking pad Mrs R bought for under her desk. Our diet has been relatively healthy this week although we did end up having takeout on Wednesday. I'm still trying to shift the pounds I acquired during our cruise holiday. + +Next week I'm going to be in London Monday and Tuesday instead of my usuall Tuesday/Thursday pattern because I have a doctors appointment on Thursday. I'm hoping to meet up with my Filamnt colleagues again for a cheeky nandos midweek and we're off to the Cinema on Friday to wathc Mickey 17.