Get to know Lijit

Today we meet Lijit's tallest employee, Derek. Here he is, pictured with his friend, the white board, pointing to what we are all working hard on...

Derek gets the unique distinction of taking the longest to answer his interview questions, but then again, quality does take time.

1. What is your Lijit contribution?

I develop a lot of the back-end code that powers the Lijit website and overall experience; the knobs and levers that hook up your content and network and other things like that. Right now, I'm also responsible for a lot of Lijit's data collection stuff - for example, when the website can look at your blog and figure out your blogroll, what services you use, what your username is on all those services, et cetera, and keep it updated, that's mostly me. Conversely, when someone's content or network isn't deduced correctly or is otherwise funky, that's my fault, and I'm the guy who fixes it.

    2.   What sound or noise do you love?

The greasy mechanical sound of certain locks, like heavy deadbolts, when they lock or unlock; lots of satisfying, low-pitch clicks and thumps. I just find the sound pleasing.

    3.   What turns you off (creatively, spiritually, or emotionally)?

Reality television. It's a lot like politics. None of what you see on reality TV (or campaigns) is actually real, it's just what writers (and campaign managers) think their viewers will plausibly believe is real - so it becomes really fake.

    4.   What occupation, other than your own, would you like to attempt?

I'd like to be a professional writer, maybe a comedy writer. People tell me I'm funny. I've always thought it'd be awesome to have that validated by someone paying me to be funny.

    5.   Something you're guilty of...

Putting off errands until the last minute. Especially laundry and dishes. I hate folding laundry.

Besides the fact that he rocks the Guitar Hero expert level and reads Japanese, Derek has another amazing talent...

 

Glad I could share the goodness of Derek with the world. I also wanted to note that he's a patient guy, because I often come into his office, whining and begging for help with some tech issue or another. Thanks for being you, Derek, and for introducing me to the wonderful world of guide horses.