Hi! Whoa, wait a sec. What do you mean, "hacker"?
I mean I love to solve problems. While "hacking" is a term that has bad rep from it's darker meaning, "breaking into a system", the way I use it means "to work on a problem until you've solved it" (kind of like "hacking" at a tree until you've brought it down, see?). Basically, I write computer programs and use them to make cool things that help people. I got a degree for this at the university - which, for me, was kind of like throwing a treat for your dog and telling him to eat it. It was going to happen anyway.
I also love asking questions, helping people and writing, which is why I participate in the StackExchange network. Here's my profile flair from there:
Oh. Right. Cool! So, what do you do?
Currently, I'm working on a blog, www.lovehackdesign.com , about life, passion, and programming. I encourage you to check it out and join me on my journey of figuring out what the heck living a programmer's life really means. I'm figuring it out along the way, you know, so it should be really fun! Maybe we can learn from one another ;)
Finally, I'm doing work on my MSc. in Computer Science thesis, trying to figure out if there are patterns to how breast cancer reacts to different kinds of drugs, based on its genes. It's incredibly challenging, but it's also really, really interesting and fun. Computational biology is a wonderfully complex and useful subject - you should learn about it. There's so much going on with cellular and molecular biology and computing it's crazy. Really, go check it out!
Nice! Anything else you do for fun?
Yeah, you bet! I love animals (last year, my girlfriend and I rescued and found a foster home for a 60-pound German Shepherd "puppy") and have several pets (dogs and cats), with whom I have tons of fun playing. Having and spending time with my pets has improved my quality of life enormously. If you have them, go play with your pets, then come back. I'll wait - it'll be worth it. Hey, really! I mean it!
I also love stories in all shapes and sizes, and I get my fix mainly through travel (making them), reading all kinds of books and going to the movies. My girlfriend and I also really love watching series on Netflix. Suits, Sherlock, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luther and Humans are some of our latest favorites. Oh, and I love languages, too (reading, writing, speaking, you name it).
For exercise, I mostly do indoor cycling. My girlfriend got me started on it, and now it's an activity we do together, which I really enjoy. The thing I like most about is the music. It's awesome! Hearing a great beat and pedaling to it, with proper breathing, is like a meditation for me. If you haven't given it a shot, I really recommend it. I was reluctant at first, but thanks to mi girlfriend's insistence, I went to some classes, and now I'm hooked. Seriously, totally recommended.
Finally, I love to cook. There's something relaxing and artistic about food that's not easy to find anywhere else. I don't think there's another way to engage all of our senses so effectively - which is why I think cooking is such a wonderful form of expression, and such a great way to build connections. Some of my favorite dishes are coconut-crusted fish with mango salsa, mozzarella stuffed meatballs and a killer hummus. I particularly love Italian cuisine.
Please get in touch!
If you're looking to work with me, or just have a friendly chat, you can contact me via e-mail. You can also find me on GitHub (@jccotou), Twitter (), or on StackOverflow (@JuanCarlosCoto). I'd be honored to talk to you!
