A cowboy coder.

About me

Hey there, I’m David! I’m a Principal Software Engineer at FireHydrant (where I write APIs) out in Portland, Ore. (where I drink IPAs). I write about tech (rarely), food (often), and whatever else is on my mind.

Work

Company

FireHydrant

Role

Principal Software Engineer

Date

2021 Now
Company

Stripe

Role

Staff Software Engineer

Date

2019 2021
Company

HashiCorp

Role

Senior Software Engineer

Date

2017 2019
Company

GitHub

Role

Software Engineer

Date

2016 2017

All Posts

I checked in at 音楽と珈琲 / 奈良市 / 奈良県 / JP

A man in a black rimmed hat brewing a pour over coffee behind a wooden bar. The book I’m reading is open on the bar top in front of me.

Black coffee in a small porcelain cup and saucer with gold rims and a gold handle, with a small, silver spoon

Mar 24, 2024 ❤️ 1

I checked in at Todai-ji Temple / 奈良市 / 奈良県 / JP

The main gate of Todai-ji Temple visible from across a pond

A shinto shrine from the Edo period: a small, red torii in front of a smaller altar, painted red and black and surrounded by a red fence

A tower made of stone slabs, decreasing in size until the apex

A skewer of mochi-yaki in front of a group of deer all laying under trees, blurred by a bokeh effect

Mar 24, 2024 ❤️ 1

I checked in at Izasa Todaiji store / 奈良市 / 奈良県 / JP

umai.

A tray filled with many small bites for a kaiseki meal. There’s a small basket of tempura vegetables and shrimp, with dipping sauce and daikon radish; a small bowl of somen noodles; three little cups with a cube of tofu topped with ikura and wasabi, pickled bean sprouts, and ika with tobiko; a plate with five kinds of leaf-steamed sushi; and one final plate with a few places of grilled meat and fish along with a sweet matcha mochi ball.

The tray of food in front of a window overlooking Todai-ji Temple

Mar 24, 2024 🔁 1 ❤️ 11

I checked in at Kofuku-ji Temple / Nara / Nara / JP

The front of a hexagonal, red east asian shrine temple. In front of the temple is a large iron lantern surrounded by a small stone barricade. People mill about to take photos.

A closer view of the temple, all worn, red wooden support beams and white wood above the rafters. A large piece of cloth descended from a small gong as someone grabs it to ring it in prayer.

A Japanese pagoda below a cloudy sky

A deer laying on astroturf while I pet its neck

Mar 24, 2024 ❤️ 3

I checked in at Nara Park / 奈良市 / 奈良県 / JP

i love them

My hand extended toward a deer, holding a cracker as an offering while the deer approaches cautiously

The deer taking the cracker from my hand

The deer after having taken a step back, happily munching on the cracker

Two deer, one in the foreground eyeing me while another deer walks by in the backgrouns

Mar 24, 2024 ❤️ 4

i swear there are even fewer trash bins in Japan than the last time i visited 🥴

Mar 24, 2024 💬 6 ❤️ 1

i’m in Nara, where the main thing to do is Nara Park (you know, the one with the deer). i’m only here for today. the cherry blossoms aren’t blossoming and it’s gonna be rainy all day! let’s gooooo

Mar 23, 2024 💬 1 ❤️ 1

I checked in at aka tombo coffee / Nara / Nara / JP

I checked in at Kamaiki / Nara / Nara / JP

umai.

A bowl of piping hot, thick udon noodles in a concentrated broth, garnished with a mound of green onions, grated daikon radish, and grated ginger. A small plate with two perfectly fried shrimp tempura sits next to the bowl.

Mar 23, 2024 ❤️ 6

I checked in at Kintetsu-Nara (Nara Park) Station / Nara / Nara / JP

konnichiwa, Nara!

Mar 23, 2024 ❤️ 2

I checked in at Kyoto Station / Kyoto / Kyoto / JP

K11 🚆 A28

I checked in at Shinagawa Station / Minato / Tokyo / JP

SGW 🚅 K11

Mar 23, 2024 ❤️ 1

I checked in at Mikkeller Kiosk Bar / Shibuya / Tokyo / JP

I checked in at Katsukichi Shibuya / 渋谷区 / 東京都 / JP

IG loves showing me videos of those excessively thick katsu on small bowls of rice but i just love the traditional way of serving tonkatsu 🤤

A plate stacked with slices of tonkatsu, fried vegetables, and shredded cabbage

Mar 23, 2024 ❤️ 3

I checked in at Dogenzaka / Shibuya / Tokyo / JP

A small corner coffee stand. A woman in a motorcycle helmet is walking up to grab a take-out order.

Mar 23, 2024 ❤️ 2

I checked in at TOLO PAN TOKYO / 目黒区 / 東京都 / JP

A dizzying array of pastries all on shelves

Even more shelves of french-style Japanese pastries

Mar 22, 2024 ❤️ 3

I checked in at Edo Mae Zushi SUSHI TSU / 港区 / 東京都 / JP

HELL YES

A grid showing nine pieces of nigiri including toro, kohada, kanpachi, and more

Two pieces of masu (trout) seasoned with grated lime zest and yuzu kosho

A piece of grilled fish and seasoned, grated daikon

Two pieces of iwai maki (sardine sushi roll)

Mar 22, 2024 💬 3 ❤️ 6

a buncha go karts just blasted past me and their backs looked like torii all lit up with LED strips??? incredible

I checked in at DIG THE LINE DOORS / Shibuya / Tokyo / JP

I checked in at Meiji Jingu / 渋谷区 / 東京都 / JP

The main Otorii Gate at Meiji Jingu

A wall stacked high with barrels of sake wrapped in straw, offerings to Meiji Jingu

The main shrine at Meiji Jingu from the plaza, with many people milling about and taking photos

A votive tablet with a stylish drawing of a cat underneath a prayer, written in a language I don’t know.

Mar 22, 2024 💬 1 ❤️ 3