--- title: Eric in the Present --- [infinity]: https://iinteractive.com [nowff]: https://sivers.org/nowff [Derek Sivers]: https://sivers.org [profile]: https://nownownow.com/p/2ugf [/now]: https://nownownow.com [blog]: https://blog.kestrelsnest.social [mastodon]: https://toots.kestrelsnest.social/@eric [pics]: https://pix.kestrelsnest.social/@eric [locallygrown]: /posts/locallygrown-origin-story/ [randomrecipe]: https://www.youtube.com/@RandomRecipeProject This page is all about what I am doing *now*. It was last updated on March 7, 2026, and will be edited as things change. ## Where I am now Still living in Athens, GA in the home my partner and I bought several months into the pandemic. Same house, same neighborhood, same roots growing deeper. ## Who I am around now Our house has three people and two cats. The people include me, my partner, and my youngest daughter who spends every other week with us—she's a sophomore in high school and doing great things. My eldest is now a senior at Georgia State University. We [lost Charlie](/posts/2023-07-24-goodbye,-charlie/) but our two remaining cats continue to keep me company while I'm working. You'll find plenty of photos of them in [my gallery][pics]. ## What I am doing now I just joined [Natera](https://www.natera.com) as a Staff Software Engineer. Natera is at the forefront of cell-free DNA testing, with work in oncology helping detect and fight cancers earlier and more effectively. After more than ten years at [Infinity Interactive][infinity]—the last several as VP of Technology—this is a big change, and a deeply personal one. Cancer took my mom. Writing code that plays even a small part in that fight is not something I could turn down. [LocallyGrown.net][locallygrown] has settled into a rhythm of steady improvements after the massive six-month migration from Rails 3 to SvelteKit. The infrastructure work is behind us; now it's about new features, better tools for market managers, and growing the platform that serves 70+ farmers markets. ## What I am reading now Currently a few chapters into *Service Model* by Adrian Tchaikovsky. ## What I am playing now - **The Outer Worlds 2** — A whimsically dark RPG from Obsidian in the tradition of Fallout. Delightfully cynical corporate dystopia. - **Assassin's Creed: Valhalla** — Viking exploration on the Xbox. - **Gloomhaven** — Back at it after a two-month break. Approaching the endgame now, maybe three quarters through the story, and every scenario comes down to the wire. ## What else? ### Writing Again After months of silence, I'm writing regularly again. The words are flowing. ### Creative Projects - Recording, editing, and posting cooking videos for the [Random Recipe Project][randomrecipe] again - Still have that corset vest sewing project waiting—fabric ready, pattern chosen - Leather working supplies sitting ready for when I find the time ### Upcoming Events Nothing on the calendar yet — just getting settled into the new role. ## Where my head is Week one at Natera is behind me. The firehose is real, but the familiar faces help—several colleagues are people I've worked alongside at previous companies. I'm absorbing everything I can while looking for the places where I can start to make my mark. The creative projects that feed my soul are still in motion. Writing is happening. Gloomhaven is happening. Life is good. --- Checkout the [/now page movement][nowff] started by [Derek Sivers][]. You can get a [profile][] if you set up a `/now` page. [/now][] — so many people doing stuff in the now!