What if the real hustle isn't more money, but more peace? My old high school buddy Chris Corriere, a data scientist, mathematician and DevOpsDays Atlanta organizer, sat down with me to talk about play, tech, and what actually makes a good life.
Chris travels the world speaking at tech conferences, maps complex systems for a living, and even value-stream-mapped his barbecue. We talk about the three types of fun, why AI has sucked the air out of the room, why the next data center might be on the moon, and why in-person conversation never goes out of style.
In this episode:
Tech conference season, coffee chats with no agenda, and keeping work playful
Type 1, type 2 and type 3 fun, and finding your learning zone
Smoked ribs, Cozy Coop, and DevOps for your barbecue
AI, quantum computing, Waymo, and lunar data centers
Data gravity explained for non-techies
Crypto, contentment, and why the real hustle is hustle for peace
Doom scrolling, libraries, and getting kids off screens
First-time home buyers, debt, and the coyote that catches the roadrunner
Fasting, airport temptation, and letting go of what you don't need
Whether you're building a career, raising kids or running a business, it's easy to chase more and still feel empty. This conversation is a reminder that curiosity, play and real connection are what make the work worth it.
You'll walk away with a fresh way to look at fun, technology and contentment, plus a solid tip for reheating barbecue.
About Chris Corriere
Chris Corriere is a mathematician, data scientist and DevOps practitioner from Albany, Georgia, and the founder of Ecology Computing. He has spent more than 20 years working with data, phones, networks and software, and for over a decade he has organized DevOpsDays Atlanta, a small, research-minded tech conference. Chris specializes in socio-technical systems, using value stream mapping, Wardley mapping and the Cynefin framework to help teams get on the same page. He speaks at tech events across the U.S. and Europe, raises tilapia and vegetables in aquaponic systems, rewilds his yard for pollinators, and has a repeatable process for smoked brisket.
Connect with Chris
Website: https://ecology-chris.com
DevOpsDays Atlanta: https://devopsdays.org/events/2025-atlanta
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-corriere
https://www.instagram.com/ecology_chris/
00:00:00 Tech Conferences and Playful Work
00:11:24 Types of Fun and Fear
00:21:52 Barbecue, Value Streams and Systems
00:26:30 AI, Quantum and Space Tech
00:56:30 Contentment, Debt and Ten Years
Chris travels the world speaking at tech conferences, maps complex systems for a living, and even value-stream-mapped his barbecue. We talk about the three types of fun, why AI has sucked the air out of the room, why the next data center might be on the moon, and why in-person conversation never goes out of style.
In this episode:
Tech conference season, coffee chats with no agenda, and keeping work playful
Type 1, type 2 and type 3 fun, and finding your learning zone
Smoked ribs, Cozy Coop, and DevOps for your barbecue
AI, quantum computing, Waymo, and lunar data centers
Data gravity explained for non-techies
Crypto, contentment, and why the real hustle is hustle for peace
Doom scrolling, libraries, and getting kids off screens
First-time home buyers, debt, and the coyote that catches the roadrunner
Fasting, airport temptation, and letting go of what you don't need
Whether you're building a career, raising kids or running a business, it's easy to chase more and still feel empty. This conversation is a reminder that curiosity, play and real connection are what make the work worth it.
You'll walk away with a fresh way to look at fun, technology and contentment, plus a solid tip for reheating barbecue.
About Chris Corriere
Chris Corriere is a mathematician, data scientist and DevOps practitioner from Albany, Georgia, and the founder of Ecology Computing. He has spent more than 20 years working with data, phones, networks and software, and for over a decade he has organized DevOpsDays Atlanta, a small, research-minded tech conference. Chris specializes in socio-technical systems, using value stream mapping, Wardley mapping and the Cynefin framework to help teams get on the same page. He speaks at tech events across the U.S. and Europe, raises tilapia and vegetables in aquaponic systems, rewilds his yard for pollinators, and has a repeatable process for smoked brisket.
Connect with Chris
Website: https://ecology-chris.com
DevOpsDays Atlanta: https://devopsdays.org/events/2025-atlanta
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-corriere
https://www.instagram.com/ecology_chris/
00:00:00 Tech Conferences and Playful Work
00:11:24 Types of Fun and Fear
00:21:52 Barbecue, Value Streams and Systems
00:26:30 AI, Quantum and Space Tech
00:56:30 Contentment, Debt and Ten Years
