Hi!
I'm Christian, and I'm a software engineer.
If you're on this page, you might be considering hiring me, or maybe you just want to know a little more about me. Hopefully this website can help you!
For the basics—I'm a guy, I'm 27 years old, I live in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. I prefer remote work.
What you should know about me as an engineer
- I respond well to feedback. I'd like to think so, anyway. No one is perfect, and sometimes we need to have difficult conversations. At work, I leave my ego at the door and understand that constructive feedback is necessary to improve.
- I like agile development. I think teams of engineers work best when employing agile principles, and it's fantastic that the tech industry has embraced it so much. I think it should be adapted to each team's needs rather than followed to the letter, but most teams I've been on have understood this well, and were much smoother to be a part of because of it.
- I understand where I fit in on my team. I've been in positions where I've led projects and I've been in positions where I've taken a back seat to others. Those roles tend to be fluid, especially on small teams. I have experience with that, and I'm comfortable no matter where the responsibility lies. I think everyone on a team should be able to give feedback about projects, but sometimes you're in charge and sometimes you're not. I have a solid amount of experience across that spectrum and I do what I can to conduct myself in the role that fits the team the most.
What you should know about me as a programmer
- I'm meticulous. Sometimes it takes me a bit longer than others to write similar code, but I think I output better quality code as a result. I'm committed to doing things the right way, not the quick-and-dirty way. Tech debt is a real problem, and one that's bitten me in the ass too many times. I think there are exceptions in the professional world, where sometimes deadlines are more important, but I still strive not to take shortcuts that will become hindrances later down the line.
- I'm a strong proponent of accessibility. I believe that no disability or condition should hold anyone back from experiencing the things everyone else can, which is why I think it's so important to work to make things accessible. Whether that's colorblind support in video games, screen reader-friendly websites, or just accurate subtitles on YouTube, we as programmers should strive to achieve maximum accessibility—for everyone.
- I'm pro-open-source. I cut my teeth working on open source projects, and I continue to learn from programmers who have been kind enough to open-source their code. I've seen dozens of projects flourish due to the efforts of the open source community upholding them, and it heartens me that this kind of collective effort works so consistently. It allows beginners to learn more effectively, and it allows projects to benefit from the generous contributions of talented coders and thoughtful discussions. Open source is truly better for everyone involved, from maintainer to end user.
What you should know about me as a person
- I love to learn. Whether it's a new programming concept, an interesting period in history, or just something I think is cool, I love to learn new things. Going to the library and just picking out a book that seems interesting is one of my favorite things to do, and I always learn something interesting.
- I'm an . Nah, I'm just kidding, I don't really believe in personality test stuff. In fact, if you refresh the page it'll probably say something different. I guess the point is I don't believe in sorting people into little boxes. I'd like to think that means I get along with most people pretty well. (I've heard some jobs make you take that personality test before they hire you. I would very much like to stay away from those positions.)
- I like sports and games! I play a lot of video games, and I get especially sucked in by ones with a lot of moving parts, literally (like Factorio) or figuratively (like Europa Universalis 4). You can also find me watching a sports match pretty often. I especially love baseball and the Blue Jays, but I like just about everything. I don't want to take up space listing all my favorite teams, so here they all are at once. Maybe you can find yours! Toronto RaptorsMinnesota TimberwolvesToronto Maple LeafsVancouver CanucksToronto ArgonautsBuffalo BillsSan Francisco 49ersJacksonville JaguarsToronto Blue Jays
Well, I guess that about sums it up. If you want to talk to me, feel completely free to reach out to me, and check out the rest of this website to learn more about what I've been doing for the past few years.