Things I Like
Posted May 15, 2025 by Benjamin Anderson
- I like training models.
- I like learning.
- I like plugging things together and making them work.
- I like the magic feeling of automating something.
- I like bringing a new project into existence from nothing (a website, a CLI, anything).
- I like open source.
- I like "power tools".
- I like organizing things.
- I like saving things for later, knowing I have them somewhere safe.
- I like tweaking something to see what happens.
- I like making small useless things that might come in handy later.
- I like the feeling of achievement after finishing something hard.
- I like hoarding Arxiv papers.
- I like opening many things in new tabs.
- I like listening to the same song over and over again.
- I like poking fun at people who are self-important.
- I like starting a fresh Git repository.
- I like going out to dinner by myself and people-watching.
- I like feeling clean and energized after taking a shower.
- I like set-it-and-forget-it cooking — sous vide, overnight oats, sourdough bulk fermentation.
- I like having my own little seat-row on the bus.
- I like teasing my friends.
- I like writing in block capital letters.
- I like drawing a picture to understand a math problem.
- I like seeing happy gay couples in public.
- I like wearing fragrances and smelling nice.
- I like interesting jackets.
- I like shoes with no laces.
- I like playing blitz chess to check my cognitive function.
- I like Pilot G2 pens.
- I like when my code formats on every save.
- I like walks with a destination.
- I like being a "regular".
- I like putting punctuation outside of quotes, because you aren't quoting the punctuation.
- I like short words that pack a punch, like brusque, grim, dire, bleak, terse, bold.
- I like collecting cookbooks.
- I like winning at anything, especially games.
- I like cold drinks.
- I like ice cream and cheesecake.
- I like science fiction.
- I like shows where people have supernatural powers.
- I like memorable quips, like "Did you fall and smack your little head on the pavement?"
- I like whiling away a morning or afternoon in a cafe.
- I like doing something because I want to, not because someone told me to.
- I like mid-century modern furniture.
- I like light wood.
- I like silver appliances.
- I like sour fruit like green apples.
- I like crispy roasted vegetables — almost burned.
- I like teaching and helping someone understand something.
- I like treating friends and being treated and not worrying about if it all balances out.
- I like a really crunchy baguette, or a banh mi on a really crunchy baguette.
- I like very technical writing — legal or philosophical writing where ideas must be clear and arguments must be airtight.
- I like going into the grocery store with no agenda and seeing what calls out to me.
- I like the idea that I can learn or do anything I set my mind to.
- I like "having potential."
- I like the Computer Modern font and nicely typeset equations.
- I like aggressive, sharp, asymmetrical games.
- I like ideas that come to me in the shower.
- I like saying things that are true, but that you're not supposed to say.
- I like saying things that are obviously not true, but funny to think about.
- I like when something seems impossible but then you figure it out and it wasn't that bad.
- I like printing webpages as PDFs.
- I like smart, medium-sized dogs.
- I like unhealthy muffins with toppings.
- I like sleeping on airplanes.
- I like spontaneous hang-outs.
- I like hanging out and not really "doing" anything.
- I like when people think I am funny or clever.
- I like when people admire and appreciate my work.
- I like living near ALL the transit.
- I like leaving home a little early, just in case.
- I like making friends with my friends' friends.
- I like solving competition math problems, even though I'm not that good at it, just to double-check that my brain still works.
- I like hearing the same family stories again and again, from when I was little or before I was born.
- I like making lists.
- I like silly shirts that are conversation pieces.
- I like cleaning my house before a date and making sure everything is just so.
- I like short hikes with shade.
- I like ideas to save money that don't really save money.
- I like opening and unboxing a new phone or computer.
- I like type hints.
- I like furnishing a new space after moving.
- I like tying my jacket around my waist when I take it off.
- I like low-stakes bets about future events.
- I like visiting my family, and my family visiting me.
- I like texting.
- I like peeling back the layers of someone I don't know that well to understand what their deal is.
- I like riding the elevator.
- I like stretches that open my hips.
- I like taking notes with pen and paper.
- I like the concept of free refills even if I don't use them.
- I like the idea (illusion?) that there are competent adults in the room who will make sure things can't get too bad.
- I like taking a nap in the park.
- I like trying to figure out the logo on someone's backpack or laptop sticker without looking too conspicuous.
- I like when I can help someone a lot at no cost to myself.
- I like giving advice.
- I like hedging my advice and saying that I don't really know anything, so you should probably ignore my advice.
- I like references, callbacks, and inside jokes that represent shared memories.
- I like seeing what people I haven't talked to in years are up to.
- I like catching up with old friends when there's years of stuff to catch up on.
- I like feeling like I discovered something secret or surprising that not many people know, and sharing it with the world.
- I like idle gossip.
- I like curating a really good dataset.
- I like implementing something from scratch to understand how it works.
- I like graham cracker crust.
- I like the smell of freshly ground coffee.
- I like playing with new AI models and adding them to my SDK.
- I like taking as much advantage as I can of things that are free or cheap.
- I like old video games like Super Mario World.
- I like the sense of wonder and excitement that children innately have, which seems to dull with age.
- I like cool maps and diagrams.
- I like the anticipation of surprises.
- I like opening gifts and watching people open my gifts.
- I like shopping for other people and thinking about what they would like.
- I like graphic design, even though I don't have the best eye for it.
- I like home goods and kitchen gadgets.
- I like toast and jam.
- I like focusing with white noise and rain sounds.
- I like learning what different chemicals do.
- I like the word "surfactant."
- I like DIY/copycat recipes.
- I like physical books.
- I like understanding how the economy works.
- I like being liked.
- I like being relevant.
- I like being vaguely aware of the news.
- I like when effort, caring, craft, and thoughtfulness are rewarded.
- I like when fake and stupid things are exposed as fake and stupid.
- I like gas stoves.
- I like clear-framed glasses.
- I like refilling fancy soap bottles with cheap soap.
- I like taking an hour to dawdle while cleaning up after the gym.
- I like self-checkout and Waymos.
- I like mood lighting.
- I like quiet and dimly-lit restaurants and bars where I can hear what people are saying.
- I like the aisle seat on planes (if I'm not sleeping).
- I like collecting different candle flavors.
- I like opening a new deck of playing cards and fidgeting with it.
- I like absently playing with my hair.
- I like sleeping in a very cold room with the fan on.
- I like seeing snow at least once a year.
- I like updating my webwite.
- I like making websites for other people.
- I like getting a mani-pedi with a friend so we can chit-chat while getting our nails done.
- I like spending money to save time, so I can later waste that time trying to save money.
- I like reality TV with drama, and competition shows.
- I like calling things "awesome" that I actually think are terrible.
- I like falling asleep thinking about something I'm looking forward to.
