📖 Thoughts: The Last Four months

A couple of winters ago, I read A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I was so taken with his writing style that I made the bouillabaisse recipe from the book and savored it with bread and rosé. The novel tells the story of Count Alexander Rostov, sentenced to lifelong house arrest in a hotel in Moscow in 1922, shortly after the Russian Revolution. Despite his circumstances, Rostov finds ways to live a full and meaningful life.

This summer, I started reading The Lincoln Highway, an adventure story in a different style from Towles's previous novels. The novel follows four young boys who set out on a cross-country road trip in 1954 in an old Studebaker. They are all searching for something different: a new start, a sense of belonging, and a way to escape their past.

Continuous Learning and Growth

It is a priority for me to stay current and constantly improve my skills. I’ve been working on projects that push my boundaries and help me grow.

One of my key projects is CraftPort—a tool I’m developing in Golang to simplify managing networking resources across cloud platforms. Currently, CraftPort handles DNS zones, security groups, and virtual networks, with plans to add route tables and firewall management. While I’m the sole developer, I plan to open-source the project soon to foster community involvement, which I believe is crucial for its success.

Since November 2020, I’ve contributed to RealTheory, a Kubernetes SaaS startup focusing on observability, governance, and cost management in cloud-native environments. This work has significantly deepened my knowledge of cloud-native technologies. Although I’ve stepped back to focus on personal projects, my time with RealTheory has been valuable.

Additionally, I’ve been tackling coding challenges to keep my problem-solving skills sharp and documenting these to share on my blog, contributing to the broader tech community.

Navigating Professional Transitions

After six and a half years with my previous employer, I sought new challenges, which led to a tech engineering management role at a startup in February 2023.

During the interview, I asked questions about the company’s vision, challenges, and digital transformation journey. This helped me get a clear sense of their direction and culture. However, I’ve learned that some things can only be fully understood once inside the organization.

Looking Ahead

Moving forward, I’m committed to applying the lessons I’ve learned, continuing work on projects like CraftPort, and contributing to the tech community. I’m excited about open-sourcing CraftPort and building a collaborative community around it.

The past few months have been a period of significant growth for me. While challenges have arisen, they’ve provided valuable insights. I’m eager to continue making meaningful contributions in my professional role and through my personal projects.