So… what am I doing here?

Hello there and welcome to my personal blog! I’m Zander Otavka, and I’m glad you’ve found your way here. You might be wondering what this blog is all about, so let me share a bit about myself and why I’ve decided to start this space.

Who Am I?

I’m a software engineer with a B.A. in Computer Science from Grinnell College, Class of 2020. I’ve been coding since I was ten years old. Over the past few years, I’ve worked with some incredible teams at companies like Chipper Cash, VMware, and Athenahealth. My journey in tech has been filled with learning, growth, and a fair share of challenges. Through it all, I’ve been driven by my enthusiasm for the beauty and complexity of computing.

Why This Blog?

Before tech was my profession, it was my hobby. I find great joy in learning, solving problems, and creating solutions through software. This blog is my way of sharing that passion with you. Whether you’re a fellow engineer, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about what goes on behind the scenes, I hope you’ll find something here that resonates with you. I have a few goals for this blog.

Completing Projects: Often, when working on personal projects, it’s easy to get sidetracked and leave things half-finished. I have a bit of a perfectionist streak, so it’s sometimes hard to know when to wrap up a project. Blogging is my way of pushing myself to complete these projects and give myself that sense of closure by writing up the process.

Remembering Processes: It’s easy to forget how we did something looking back months and years later. This blog will help me remember how I did things that might be useful in the future.

Practicing My Writing: I’ve found one of the most important skills for both thinking and communicating is writing well. With the emergence of LLMs, the writing process is changing, and I want to learn to use these tools to continue to grow as a writer.

Posting Wrong Answers: Cunningham’s Law says, “the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it’s to post the wrong answer.” There’s a relevant XKCD comic. I’ll probably be posting my fair share of wrong or incomplete answers as I learn, and I’d like to encourage constructive criticism so I can continue to grow and learn.

What Can You Expect?

Technical Deep Dives: I’ll share detailed posts about the projects I’m working on, the hurdles I face, and the solutions I come up with. From Python scripting and cloud storage optimization to big data infrastructure—there’s a lot to explore.

Career Insights: I’ve learned a lot about navigating the tech industry, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on job hunting, career development, and working in different environments. I hope my experiences can provide some guidance for your own journey.

Personal Reflections: Beyond the technical aspects, I’ll be sharing some personal reflections on my experiences, the lessons I’ve learned, and my thoughts on the ever-evolving tech landscape. Sometimes, the road isn’t easy, and I think it’s important to talk about that too.

Learning and Development: Continuous learning is something I deeply believe in. I’ll be documenting my learning journey, sharing useful resources, and exploring new technologies. Let’s grow and learn together.

Join the Conversation

I welcome your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Your perspectives are invaluable, and I’m eager to learn from them. While I haven’t built in comments on my personal site, feel free to reach out and mention me on LinkedIn, and I’ll do my best to respond.

Thank you for stopping by. I’m excited to start this journey and share it with you. Stay tuned for more posts, and let’s dive into the fascinating world of technology together.

AI Disclosure: This post was drafted with the help of GPT-4o, but has been prompted, reviewed, and edited by my own human eyes and hands. All views expressed are mine, and any errors fall to me.