I'm glad you stumbled upon this little guide to all things me. Think of it as your handy manual for getting to know me better, figuring out what makes me tick, and learning how we can work together like a well-oiled machine.

First things first - I'm a pretty chill person. I love cracking jokes, especially the silly kind that might make you groan. Don't worry about offending me; my skin's pretty thick. Feel free to throw some jokes my way or even poke fun at me. Just give me a heads up if my humor's getting old. I can take a hint!

Now, here's the thing: I've got some strong principles and beliefs that guide pretty much everything I do. You'll notice I'm always pushing to do things the "right" way, even if it takes a bit longer. I'm not totally inflexible, but I like to at least give the ideal approach a shot before compromising.

When it comes to work, I'm all about high-quality engineering. I firmly believe that doing things right from the get-go is the key to moving fast in the long run. Sure, cutting corners might give you a quick win, but trust me, it'll come back to bite you tenfold later on.

That said, I don't think that runs contrary to being pragmatic. I try to pick my battles and figure out when it's worth investing in the "proper" solution and when we can get away with something quicker.

Something else you'll notice about me: I'm pretty intense when it comes to eliminating waste and keeping things lean. Whether it's our software or our processes, I'm always on the lookout for ways to streamline and simplify. If I spot something that seems unnecessary or overly complex, I'll probably bring it up and try to eliminate it. Don't take it personally - I just believe that leaner systems and processes make our lives easier and our work more efficient in the long run.

One of my missions is to help the non-tech folks understand why we care so much about engineering quality and tackling technical debt. So don't be surprised if you see me pushing back on unrealistic deadlines. I expect all engineers to do the same - we've got to stand our ground sometimes!

Oh, and I'm a big believer in sustainable work practices. In my book, steady, consistent work beats crazy overtime and burnout any day of the week. I'll be the one encouraging you to take time off when you need it, clock out at a reasonable hour, and actually rest when you're sick instead of trying to power through.

I usually kick off my day somewhere between 8:30 and 9:00, wrapping up around 18:00. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and I'm pretty passionate about it. But as I said, I also value my free time and try to keep a healthy work-life balance. When it's time to clock out, I clock out. Unless the production system is on fire, then it's indeed time for overtime.

I'm all about that async life on Slack. It lets us both work at our own pace. But hey, if things start getting complicated, I'm always down to hop on a call and hash it out.

Here's where my German side really shows - I try to keep the way I give feedback as nice as possible, but it’ll probably still come across as very direct. If I’m not feeling something, I’ll tell you straight up and without sugarcoating. Just remember, it’s about the work, not you as a person.

The flip side? I want the same from you. If you think my work is subpar, go ahead and tell me it's crap. I won't get mad. But be ready for me to ask a ton of questions about why you think it's crap. I'm always looking to improve and do better work.

I see criticism as a positive thing - it's a chance to level up. And yeah, another German stereotype that fits me: I tend to spot the negatives first. So if I come across as a bit of a downer sometimes, that's why. I promise I'll get to the good stuff eventually!

I'm a big fan of pair programming. It keeps me focused and I think it leads to better results. I can do it all day, but I know not everyone's the same. If you're new to it and want to give it a shot, just let me know.

When it comes to PR reviews, brace yourself for lots of comments. Don't stress though - I see it as a learning opportunity for both of us. I'm just putting all my thoughts out there to kick off a good discussion. If there's something that absolutely has to change, I'll make that crystal clear. Otherwise, we can always tweak things post-merge.

One of my favorite parts of the job is diving into software architecture and design. I can chat about this stuff for hours. So if you ever want feedback on some code or an architecture diagram, hit me up. I love the discussions that come out of these chats.

When I'm not working, you can probably find me playing video games, binging anime, lifting weights, or rolling dice in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Fair warning: if you bring up any of these topics, be prepared for me to go off on a tangent. When I'm passionate about something, I tend to talk... a lot.

So there you have it - that's me in a nutshell. Hope this helps you get a sense of who I am and how we can work together. Looking forward to collaborating with you!