About Me

Hello there, I’m Rein Spanjer, a software engineer living in Drenthe, Netherlands. I’ve made my home in a quiet part of the country where nature surrounds me.

Professional Journey

My path wasn’t straightforward. I began studying Psychology but eventually found my calling in Software Engineering. What attracts me to this field? The technical challenges and complex coding problems, certainly. But I’ve learned that the human aspect matters just as much.

Currently, I work at Nationale-Nederlanden on various projects that span frontend, backend, dev tools, and security. When I spot something that could work better, like a process that needs automation, I don’t wait for someone else to fix it. I build solutions that make life easier for myself and my colleagues.

What gives me the most satisfaction is starting new projects from scratch and then bringing other developers into the mix. There’s something special about watching these projects evolve into something that exceeds my initial vision.

Personal Interests

When my laptop closes, you might find me:

  • Transforming our new garden to a natural space
  • Taking walks with Delsy, our Romanian street dog
  • Relaxing with Tomi, our cat (also Romanian)
  • Playing guitar (while occasionally glancing at the piano I haven’t found time for yet)
  • Cooking and trying new recipes
  • Working on house projects and improvements

Here is my dog Delsy and my cat Tomi in our garden-in-progress. photo of Delsy and Tomi

Philosophy

I like to learn on my own and at my own pace. Whether it’s teaching myself to code or picking up musical instruments, I enjoy the journey of figuring things out independently.

My current goal is growing my own vegetables and becoming better in DIY projects around the house. Though I admit I sometimes want to learn everything too quickly.

About This Blog

This site is just something to write stuff down, as a collection of my thoughts and research basically. You can think of it as a personal archive that happens to be open to anyone who finds it interesting. There’s no posting schedule or grand strategy here, just a place where I share things when I feel like it.

I prefer straightforward communication without unnecessary enthusiasm. Being Dutch, I value directness while keeping things casual.

While there aren’t currently options to comment directly on posts, you can reach out via email if something catches your interest. I don’t maintain a social media presence beyond LinkedIn (which I might eventually delete).

Thanks for visiting.