How the Hell did I get here! A coding newbie @ 50

How the hell did I get here?

First love.

I finished my studies, industrial computer science - programmer analyst, in 1994. And this, for me, in one of the most beautiful cities in Belgium, namely Ghent.

As a child I was already passionate about computers and the emerging internet.  In our family there was a high technological company, which was engaged in advanced cartography technologies.  So I literally saw the first computers driving in.

Building machines and programming computers in general became my first love!  And first love doesn't rust.

After and during my studies I worked for a subcontractor of a leading car brand.  Started with the production work and so on to a maintenance technician, where I was allowed to maintain, repair and occasionally program the simple robots.

Bye bye my love.

I lost my job due to the then economic crisis in Belgium.  But don't worry, I was able to go to my family where I could build a prototype of a Photogrammetric machine, which was in the design phase.  The designer was my uncle.  So back to building machines.

However, after 2 years, I also lost my job here due to the ongoing economic crisis.

Crisis management

During the last month of employment, I had just signed a contract for my first apartment.  But there was no more income!  A huge mountain of debt and no prospects.  Time for quick action and smooth choices.

I enrolled in state exams and passed.

An unplanned career.

After passing the state exams, I ended up at the Justice Department.  Where I worked as a prison guard for 2 years.  After more exams I ended up at the Belgian Customs.  Where I have been working for 20 years now.  At the moment I work as an analyst.

Wake Up Call

As I got older, I started to become mentally numb at work.  Especially because I can no longer continue to build my career.  I also lost my father recently what hit me very hard! The global Covid 19 crisis, which I have been heavily infected with, has also completely changed my way of thinking.  Priorities have shifted.  Mental and general freedom are now paramount.

Changing Carreers

In the future I want to be able to take my work under my arm. Work from any corner of the world.  My career has to fit in a laptop. Getting to know new people.  And do what I like to do or did?

Hello first love!

And what better than to find my first love again and start programming, but then 30 years later, and with the new technologies. 30 years ago the sky was the limit of programming, now its extended to other galaxies! 

Marriage to my first love.

And this is my Blog.  How do I start, where do I start, what direction do I go?  I am going to describe this in this Blog.

Let this Blog be a digital shoulder, not only for myself, but the many others who have the same goals as me, but also those same fears!

I am going to write down weekly progress and setbacks here.  How and where, who helped me, how lonely I do feel.  And how all this leads to a daily feeling of satisfaction and happiness.

I therefore hope that I can welcome you on my journey, and that we can discuss the course of events.  Or just support each other in a kind of “Fellowship of the code”.

Do, believe and be happy!

Stefaan