About Me — Kristof
Software Engineer and Writer. I love art and genuine human expression.
My name is Kristof, and I’m 28. I live in Canada with my wife and my little dog, Remi. She was my first dog; she kept me up all night for the first month we had her. That was three years ago. Now we’re inseparable. Both of us get moody if we are apart for too long.
Writing
When I was in second grade, I remember sitting on the floor of my room and making myself read, because I knew in some abstract sense that it was good for me. From there, I fell in love with it. Both because of the enjoyment, and because it allowed me to learn and grow. Reading also became an escape from the challenges of my environment.
Adversity is the greatest teacher of all. I was surrounded by malicious people, and from them I learned love. From the angry people I learned patience, and from the manipulative ones, I learned to stand up for what I believe.
I formed a habit of challenging my own thoughts. I was a curious, inquisitive child, and am still that way. I want to understand everything, and don’t mind suspending my preconceptions to do so. My nature runs me head-long into problems, and yet it has also brought me everything I love.
A few years ago, I began to write. I started by writing my thoughts, of which there are many. Then, I began to write some stories, and started a writing group. I knew again, in some abstract sense that this would be good for me. I’ve been doing it for a few years now, and finally it feels natural for me. I tend toward perfectionism; I spent most of this these past years rewriting the same few things. But I am at the point where I am satisfied with some of my work, and am going to begin to publish it.
Software
After finishing my degree in Software Engineering, I began working in the industry. I have invested a lot of time into this skill, and I do enjoy the challenge of software problems. That being said, the 2024 Stack Overflow survey found that 80% of developers are unhappy. I have worked in a number of different companies, and it is rare that anyone will even make a good show of being happy.
Get Kristof In Colour’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
The undercurrents of others affect me deeply. Our most important choice in life is who we surround ourselves with, even at the cost of financial security. Contractual obligations are not a replacement for genuine friendship.
For these reasons, I haven’t been feeling optimistic about this career path. I plan to take a step back to work on other things for now.
My other interests
People
I am profoundly interested in people, what they think, and why they think it. I love nothing more than good conversation. I read and study psychology, but I would usually choose to interact with people as opposed to study this topic from an intellectual perspective.
Music
When I turn on my favourite music, I feel present. There is nothing else that can make me feel this way. I started playing the piano at the age of six. I never learned to read music, instead learning by listening to my teacher play. This was a limitation for me always; I am only now learning to read sheet music. I learned to play in a purely intuitive way, and I suspect this made me appreciate music all the more.
Religion
I have been experimenting with religion and spirituality for some time. I have come to believe that the greatest problems of our time come from a feeling of religious/spiritual uprootedness. The feeling of spiritual connectedness is essentially the same as the measure of love we can feel for a stranger. Without this love, societal interdependence is doomed to fail.
Books
I grew up reading mostly fantasy, but branched out to the classics in my adulthood. Right now the writers I am enjoying the most are Dostoevsky and Tolstoy for their unparalleled ability with characterization. I especially like to read in nature when I feel like there is nothing else that needs to be done.
Exercise
I don’t like the idea that the mind and body are disconnected in any way. I train regularly at the gym. I also like to run long distances and bike. If my mind is stressed, my body hurts. If my body is stressed, my mind hurts.
Nature
My dog and I are similar in this, we get a feeling of frustration if we are not able to feel the natural earth beneath our feet.
Why I joined medium
I joined medium to share my thoughts, and to connect with others who share my interests. I plan to leave my job as an engineer to focus on my writing. I will share what I’m doing here. I’m looking forward to hearing feedback about my thoughts.
Thank you for taking the time to read my about me page.
