u/Prestigious_Map_2136

Hello,
I recently applied for a Beta Program Manager role at HP (Austin) and wanted to see if anyone here has insight into the team or hiring process.
I’ve been working on Amazon device beta programs for 3+ years, managing a lot of the same work mentioned in the posting: beta participants, device deployments, surveys/feedback, issue tracking, cross-functional coordination, launch readiness, and reporting insights back to product and engineering teams.
It’s one of those rare job descriptions where I read it and thought… wait, I actually do this 😂
I’ve already applied, but we all know applying online can sometimes feel like sending your resume into the void.
Does anyone know what the hiring process is like at HP for roles like this, or have any advice on getting on the recruiter/hiring team’s radar after applying?
Would also love to hear from anyone who has worked on beta programs at HP and can share what the team/culture is like.

Hello,
I’ve been working in large-scale consumer device beta programs for 3+ years, supporting pre-release devices and features before they launch.
My work is primarily on the program side: managing beta programs and participants, coordinating device testing, collecting and analyzing feedback, running surveys, and supporting launch readiness across teams.
I’m actively trying to move into similar work at Apple and I’m also very open to starting in a contract or vendor role to get in the door, especially in the Austin area.
I’m having a hard time figuring out what Apple actually calls this function, so I’d really appreciate any insight into what teams or job titles I should be targeting, whether Apple uses contractors for this type of work, and which staffing agencies or vendors typically hire for these roles.
I’m also open to connecting directly with anyone who has experience in this space or can point me in the right direction, especially if you’ve worked with Apple beta/seed programs, user studies, device validation, or pre-release testing teams.
I’m genuinely trying to understand how to break into this space at Apple and where these roles are usually posted. 🍎

I don’t think I expected the Faroe Islands to change me as much as they did.
At home, our little worlds can feel like they are the only things that matter. Politics, opinions, social issues, trends, where we are going out, what everyone is talking about, our own problems and the constant noise of everyday life.
And then you come somewhere like this and realize there is an entire world beyond all of it.
Being in the Faroes, unplugged and surrounded by this kind of nature, gave me this overwhelming feeling of who cares about so much of the stuff we let consume us.
We loved talking to locals, learning about their lives and traditions, and seeing a way of life so different from our own. It gave me a lot of respect for this place and the people who call it home.
And a suggestion for anyone visiting, especially if you are coming from a very modern, fast moving place like the US: expect quiet. Don’t come looking for exclusive clubs, endless trendy cafes, fancy nightlife or a packed itinerary. This is a place to simply be where you are. Drive. Walk. Look around. Talk to people. Sit in the silence. Let yourself stop caring for a few days about all the topics, labels and debates that can feel so consuming back home.
I went expecting beautiful landscapes. I came back with a different perspective on how enormous the world is and how small some of the things we obsess over really are.
Faroe Islands, we absolutely fell in love with you. We look forward to coming back again. ❤️

I recently spent some time in Copenhagen, and I’ve been wondering about something I observed. I want to be careful not to romanticize what I saw because I was a visitor, not someone commuting to work every morning, paying bills, dealing with deadlines and experiencing the normal grind of living here.
But I noticed something about everyday life that made me curious whether there’s actually a cultural difference behind it.
Oddly, a lot of it came from what I could see happening around the neighborhood in the evenings. Kids still playing outside. People eating on patios. A woman sitting by her window working on what looked like a personal project. A couple on a rooftop, one reading and the other on a laptop. And at around 10:30 one night, a man was in his kitchen working on sourdough bread.
For some reason, the sourdough guy really stuck with me 😂
My very American brain immediately thought, It’s 10:30pm… aren’t you supposed to be winding down for bed? And then I caught myself wondering why I even think that way.
At home, I often feel like life operates within these invisible time limits. It’s 6pm, so maybe I’ll try that recipe tomorrow. It’s getting late, so I’ll work on that hobby another day. Everything gets fitted around schedules and routines—and somehow we’ll still find an hour to sit on our phones consuming other people’s lives.
Another thing I noticed was that many homes didn’t appear particularly large or filled with endless stuff, but people seemed to really use what they had—the balconies, rooftops, courtyards, sidewalks and parks.
Of course, I recognize the huge flaw in my observation: I saw tiny snapshots through the eyes of someone on vacation. Sourdough guy might have been stress-baking after a horrible day at work for all I know 😂. Copenhageners have jobs, deadlines, financial stress, screens and mundane responsibilities just like everyone else. And Copenhagen itself obviously can’t represent how everyone in Denmark lives.
So I’m genuinely curious about the perspective of people who actually live here:
Is there something culturally different about the way people in Copenhagen approach leisure, hobbies, being outdoors and simply using their free time? Or is what I noticed mostly the result of being on vacation and having enough mental space to actually notice ordinary life happening around me?
Either way, it made me examine some of my own habits back home, which I wasn’t expecting.

Hi everyone!
We’re a family of three visiting the Faroe Islands for the first time this summer and we’ll be staying in Kaldbak for a few nights. We’ll have a rental car and plan to explore quite a bit, but I’d love to get some local recommendations.
A few things I’m curious about:
• What are your favorite spots within 15–20 minutes of Kaldbak that most visitors overlook?
• If you were showing a friend the Faroe Islands for the first time, what would be your “don’t miss” places, even if they’re already popular?
• Any cafés, bakeries, restaurants, or coffee spots that are genuinely worth going out of the way for?
• Is there a grocery store you’d recommend stocking up at before heading to Kaldbak?
• Are there any local foods, pastries, or seasonal specialties we absolutely shouldn’t miss?
• Any practical tips that first-time visitors often don’t know until they’re there?
We’re traveling with our 6-year-old, so we’ll probably take things at a slower pace than most visitors. We love beautiful drives, simple hikes, good food and coffee, photography, and places that feel uniquely Faroese.
Thanks! We’re so excited to visit.

I’m honestly just looking to see if anyone else has gone through this.
I only made it through 3 shots of tirzepatide (1.25 mg). The medication definitely worked. My food noise was almost gone, I naturally ate less, and for the first time in a long time I wasn’t constantly thinking about snacks.
But every stomach sensation sent me into a spiral.
A little nausea? “What if something is seriously wrong?”
Some bloating? “What if I’m hurting my stomach?”
Every burp, every weird feeling, every ache…I analyzed it.
I eventually stopped because I felt like my brain wouldn’t let me relax.
Now that I’ve been off it for over a week, I realize a few things:
The nausea seems to have gone away.
The food noise is slowly coming back.
I genuinely miss how quiet my brain was around food.
The frustrating part is that I’m also doing all the “right” things without it. I’m lifting weights 3x a week, walking 6–8k steps most days, eating more protein, and the scale has barely moved. It’s hard not to think, “Maybe I gave up too soon.”
Part of me wonders if I let anxiety make the side effects feel bigger than they really were. Another part of me wonders if I simply wasn’t willing to push through what many people experience during the first few weeks.
Has anyone else stopped because of fear or anxiety, regretted it, and then restarted later?
Or did you realize stopping was the right decision for you?
I’m not really looking for medical advice—I’m more curious about the mental side of this. Did anyone else struggle with constantly questioning every sensation in their body while on a GLP-1?

Need some honest career advice because I’m feeling pretty stuck lately.

I’ve been working full time for the last few years at one of the top FAANG companies, but as a contractor/vendor role. I’ve actually been renewed for 4 years straight, so it’s stable and the work itself is genuinely good. I work in program/project management and before this I always held full time PM/program roles.
ps- I don’t want to convert, because it would require me to move to Bay Area.

Lately I’ve been trying to transition back into a full time position and the rejection rate has been brutal. Probably 95% at this point. I know the market is rough right now, but I’m starting to wonder if being in a long term contract role somehow hurts perception even though I’m literally doing full time work every day.

The weird thing is I’m not even trying to leave because I hate my current role. I think I just miss feeling like part of the company again. More ownership, growth, stability, benefits, career progression… all of it. Contracting for years can start feeling emotionally disconnected even when the work is meaningful.

Has anyone successfully transitioned from long term FAANG contracting back into FT roles? Did you have to position your experience differently? Any advice would genuinely help. Also open to referrals for PM/program manager roles.

PS: If it helps, I’ve been in the PM/program management field for about 12 years now.

Hi everyone!
My husband, my 6-year-old son, and I are visiting Copenhagen next week for 6 days and we can’t wait!
I’ve watched so many videos and read plenty of blogs, but I’d love to hear recommendations from locals. We’ll be staying near close to Brobergsgade
and we’re planning a day trip to Sweden and, of course, Tivoli Gardens.
A few questions:
Where do locals actually love to eat and shop? We love everything—pastries, pizza, traditional Danish food, artwork, fashion, BEST coffee recommendations please… we’re not picky!
Any hidden gems, neighborhoods, or family-friendly spots you’d recommend?
What should we pack? Is a light jacket enough, or is there anything you’d definitely recommend bringing (or avoiding)?
Thanks so much! Looking forward to exploring your beautiful city and hearing your favorite local recommendations. 🇩🇰😊

I started compounded tirzepatide recently and took a very small dose (about 1.25 mg) last week. The plan was split dosing, but after that first shot I never took the next one.
What’s funny is that I didn’t even have a major reaction. Some mild nausea here and there, but nothing serious.
The problem is that I started obsessing over every little body sensation. I was constantly checking my Oura ring, noticing my resting heart rate was a little higher, and immediately assuming it had to be because of the shot. I actually took off my ring for now for that reason. Looking back, I know that wasn’t necessarily rational, but my brain tends to do that.
Now I’m stuck worrying about all the rare side effects. My mind keeps going straight to, “What if I’m the one person who ends up with pancreatitis or some serious complication?”
Logically, I know millions of people take these medications and do fine. But anxiety doesn’t really listen to logic.
Any other overthinkers deal with this? How do you get past it? Do you just push through and take the shot anyway? Distract yourself? Stop researching? I’m genuinely curious because right now I feel like I’m fighting my own brain more than the medication itself. 😅

Took my first tirzepatide dose today (12 units) split dose and honestly the hardest part was getting over my fear of the injection. 😅
Overall, Day 1 has been pretty manageable. I had some nausea on and off throughout the day and felt a little cold at one point, but nothing terrible. The nausea actually improved after I had a pear and some electrolytes in the evening.
I’m focusing on hydration, protein, magnesium, and trying to stay ahead of constipation since that’s one of my biggest concerns.
For those who’ve been on tirzepatide for a while:
What do your meals typically look like?
Are there foods you avoid now?
What do you drink throughout the day?
Any favorite high-protein snacks or meals that sit well on your stomach?
Just trying to learn from people who’ve been doing this longer than I have. 🙂

Going at the end of July.

Looking for some advice from anyone who has traveled to Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands with kids around age 6!

We’re considering spending 4–5 nights in Copenhagen and 3 nights in the Faroe Islands this summer with our son. We tend to enjoy a mix of sightseeing, good food, parks/playgrounds, nature, and slower-paced travel rather than trying to see everything.

A few questions:
• Which area would you recommend staying in Copenhagen with a child? We’d love to be walkable to restaurants, attractions, and family-friendly activities.
• Is 4–5 nights too much, too little, or just right for Copenhagen?
• For the Faroe Islands, where would you recommend staying as a base?
• Is 3 nights enough to get a good feel for the islands?
• Any favorite kid-friendly activities, hikes, restaurants, or hidden gems we shouldn’t miss?

Would love to hear what worked (or didn’t work!) for your family. Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I’m starting compounded tirzepatide this week and honestly feeling a bit nervous going into it.
About 2 years ago, I was on compounded semaglutide and within ~2 months I developed gallstones and eventually had my gallbladder removed last year. It was a rough experience, so I’m a little cautious this time around.
On top of that, I already deal with some gut imbalance / digestion issues, and my biggest concern is things like constipation, bloating, or just feeling off in my stomach again.
I really do want this to work, but I want to be smarter about it this time.
For those of you who’ve been on tirzepatide (especially if you’ve had gallbladder issues or sensitive digestion):
What helped you avoid constipation?
Any daily supplements that made a real difference?
How are you managing fiber without making bloating worse?
Anything you wish you did from day 1?
Would really appreciate practical tips (hydration, electrolytes, probiotics, magnesium, etc. — open to all of it).
Trying to go into this prepared instead of reactive this time.
Thanks in advance 🤍 and wish me luck.

I just had a consult with a small local clinic (2 people, NP-run) for compounded tirzepatide and I’m trying to gut-check this.
They quoted me:
$149/month for 2.5 mg (weeks 1–4)
then $249+ as dose increases (they showed a full pricing chart)
They said:
meds come from Texas-based compounding pharmacies (they named them, and they are legit + certified)
next step is a telehealth consult with another NP for approval before starting
What’s throwing me off is… the starting price.
I’ve been seeing way higher pricing everywhere else, so part of me is like:
👉 is this just a good deal?
👉 or is this one of those “cheap now, gets expensive later / lower quality” situations?
Also — I know many people stay on lower doses for a while, so $149/month feels almost too reasonable?
Would love to hear from people who:
have used smaller/local clinics like this
are on compounded tirzepatide (what are you paying at 2.5?)
know what questions I should be asking before committing
I’m interested in starting, just don’t want to overlook something obvious.