Hey there!

My name is Alexander; people who know me call me Sasha.

Interestingly I haven't had a blog for my whole 20+ career as a developer. I've never considered myself to be worthy of having a blog. I am just a regular guy who enjoys crafting software with like-minded people. But the idea that my thoughts might be encouraging for someone made me change my mind.

So this is my first attempt to create a semi-technical blog. I have no idea how well I'll do; we'll see.

Since I don't know where to start, I will begin with an introduction.

Here are five traits that define me as an engineer:

1. I am a kind and empathetic teammate

I know first hand how important empathy is for enabling people around you. I believe that my emotional intelligence allows me to recognize work situations that call for empathy and kindness, unblocking the team to do its best work.

2. I believe that TEAM == PRODUCT

Not that long ago I worked on a team that lived this mantra, and this was the most amazing experience I had in my career. The slogan is not metaphorical, a product is a direct projection of the people that worked on it. I’ve been through a journey of building a highly aligned and performant team. I understand that forging one using seemingly unfit parts is an art, and would like to believe I mastered it at least to some degree.

3. I hold myself and others to a high standard

The act of creating software is a craft that takes time and deep focus. I am ecstatic about clean code and beautiful and elegant solutions. This is why I strive to write simple, consistent, and maintainable code, and consider myself on a personal crusade against entropy of the Universe.

4. I make things happen

I practice what I preach. When I see a problem, I own it. I don’t consider perpetual “running” sustainable, but I can definitely run when there is no other option. Last two decades I’ve worked with a wide range of technologies. That allows me to learn and adapt fast to make things happen.

5. I enjoy mentoring others, and I’m good at it

Mentorship is not the same as teaching and of course it has nothing to do with "managing". It’s leading by example, doing together, not leaving people alone, and, most importantly, genuinely caring about a person you’re working with. I do all of that.

That’s me. Or at least that’s me reduced to five bullet points. If more than a couple of things on this list resonate with you, keep reading my blog.

Thanks!