Hello, my name is Scott. I write software and ride bikes. Over time, I’ve come to appreciate the overlap between these deep disciplines. If you’re uncomfortable with egregious bike puns, it’s probably best to part ways now. It’s sort of the point.
I have been working as a software developer for some time now at Stratasan. I like to say that I turn data into internet. At Stratasan, we work to make healthcare data more actionable so that our clients can better serve their patients. It is a pleasure to work with such amazing humans, together solving difficult problems on a day-to-day basis. I play the role of Principle Engineer, mostly focusing on making my colleagues work-lives as best as possible.
For the past couple of years I’ve also been riding bicycles, both indoors and out. Early in 2019, I began attending spin classes at the local YMCA. I did this 3 to 4 times a week until March of 2020, for mostly-obvious reasons. As the world came to a halt, so did I. By June or so, I was deeply depressed, struggling at work, and knew I was missing something. In July, I purchased an inexpensive used road bike and put on more than 800 miles over the next 4 months. It’s not hyperbole to say that it saved me. I’ve since upgraded to a really great bike and am on pace to put down 1,500 miles this year.
The best way I learn about something new is to build analogies and metaphors about it, connecting it to other parts of my life. The fun part is poking those models, figuring out where they fall down, and updating my mental map accordingly. I’ve come to find some fascinating similarities between these two disciplines, each of which means a lot to me. I am by no means a world-class developer nor will I ride in the Tour de France anytime soon (or ever) but exploring the similarities and differences in a breadth-first manner just sounds like a lot of fun.
Let’s go for a ride.