Published in The Autistic Engineer·Feb 13The journey to becoming an open-source developerRediscovering the love of software development as part of the open-source community — I never actually contributed to open-source software during the 12 years I wrote code full-time for a living. It was only after an 8-year break from software development did I truly realise what I missed, and how I found it again as an open-source contributor. Coding in my 20’s and 30's I graduated from university around…Open Source4 min readOpen Source4 min read
Published in The Autistic Engineer·Jul 30, 2022The lost years of a young software engineerNo one leaves university with the goal of contracting for the rest of their working life, and yet, that is exactly what happened — A story about discovering the workplace adjustments necessary for an autistic software engineer with a PDA profile to thrive. The lost years Apart from the first few years that I stuck it out in a graduate position, I’ve been self-employed for nearly 20 years now (nb. …Engineering4 min readEngineering4 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·Apr 18, 2022Is David Attenborough the Modern-Day Freddy Krueger?Nature documentaries have become more like ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ thanks to the unfolding climate crisis — Calm before the storm David Attenborough wouldn’t be out of place reading the bedtime story on CBeebies. Mild-mannered and softly spoken, his rather grandfatherly appearance imparts a feeling of safety and comfort. A slow, almost melodic style of narration draws the listener in and puts them at ease. …Short Story4 min readShort Story4 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Mar 31, 2022Samaritans, can I help you?Volunteering for the Samaritans during the pandemic was incredibly rewarding — I volunteered on the Samaritans (suicide) helpline for 3 years, listening to people in varying states of distress and despair. Most of the callers were not contemplating suicide at the very moment of calling, but a few were. Phones rang non-stop and emails arrived around the clock as people reached…Suicide Prevention2 min readSuicide Prevention2 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Mar 17, 2022The builders next doorFeeling good about damaging our world — The builders are next door, drilling away making a hell of a racket. I can hear them now. I don’t think they are being inconsiderate and there was no reason we should have known in advance. But nonetheless, I find it very unsettling. They took down some of the adjoining…Environment2 min readEnvironment2 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·Feb 6, 2022What On Earth Are We DoingA personal reflection on the suffering of being alive and having enough — If you stop and think about it for just one minute, nothing we do has much meaning in the broader context. But give me a chance to explain what I mean by this. I enjoy getting lost in my coding world for hours at a time, hiding away from people…Life3 min readLife3 min read
Jan 24, 2022Samaritans TimeIn the evening after bath and stories, my daughter and I have “Samaritans Time”. This is a dedicated, private moment where I pretend to be a Samaritans listener, and my daughter calls up to talk about whatever is troubling her. …Anxiety2 min readAnxiety2 min read
Published in The Autistic Engineer·Jan 16, 2022I’m Autistic, But Not As You ImagineThe story of Frank Ray, a self-employed software engineer who was diagnosed autistic in his mid-40s — I’m autistic, but probably not as you imagine. I’m married I have two children I have been self-employed for 20 years I have run Frank Ray & Associates since 2011 I have supported my family and been the sole breadwinner I have relocated internationally I volunteer for the Samaritan’s helpline …Autism3 min readAutism3 min read
