The first sign that I was very curious comes from the fact that at 5 years old I had learned to read simply because I pestered my parents asking them to read me cartoon titles or the words written on cookie boxes.
I believe I started reading very early precisely to satisfy this curiosity of mine as soon as possible without having to always depend on someone else.
As the son of a metalworker and a housewife (following good southern Italian tradition), I didn't receive much encouragement towards technology from my parents, even though technology found me early anyway.
After constantly asking for a computer, a friend of my sister managed to assemble an old Pentium II with 128 MB of RAM and Windows 98 for me. I had no idea what an operating system was, but I still remember the excitement of turning it on for the first time.
From that moment on, I spent hours and hours tinkering with that computer, learning everything I could as a self-taught enthusiast and getting help from my cousin who was 4 years older from time to time.
It was he who introduced me to RPG Maker 2000, a software that allowed me to create my first pixel art video games. I spent entire days importing sprites, creating maps with events, and writing complex stories. Even though it was just a game, I was taking my first steps in software engineering.
When in middle school I had my first encounter with LOGO, an educational programming language based on text commands to move a virtual turtle on the screen, I understood that maybe I could make a career in this field and be paid for my passion.
Obviously, besides building video games, I also loved playing them: when I was in elementary school, Pokémon was at the height of its success and I too got my Game Boy Color; but the Italian copies of Pokémon Yellow were sold out, so at 8 years old I found myself with the English version of Pokémon Yellow in my hands.
Despite not knowing English (and neither did my parents), by comparing notes with school friends and always having a small dictionary with me, I managed to complete the game in a few months. Years later came the PlayStation and Final Fantasy 7 (never released in Italian): they were my first English teachers.
In those years I also started watching One Piece, an incredible story full of ambition, mystery, and freedom that fascinated me a lot and that I still follow today, more than 20 years later. Even though it was born as a Shōnen Manga, therefore for a very young audience, it deals with very deep themes such as friendship (the family you choose), sacrifice, and determination that helped me grow as a person.
Even though I was always considered a bit "nerdy" by my peers, I never neglected sports and being together: I played soccer first and then tennis for many years. Now I limit myself to running and doing some weights at home because life as a father requires spending my time very wisely.
Sports helped me always keep my feet on the ground because I admit I fall into perfectionism too often: sometimes I have to force myself to complete something and consider it finished even if it's not perfect. This website is a perfect example: I postponed and delayed a lot in creating it because I kept studying how to do it perfectly, but always remained unsatisfied with the result.
Curiosity has also pushed me multiple times towards physics, particularly astrophysics and quantum physics. Even though my academic path exposed me limitedly to these subjects, I'm a voracious reader of everything that is popular science, like Brian Greene's books: why does time flow in this direction? What is matter really made of? How did the Universe originate? Even if the answers aren't always definitive, I love getting lost in these questions!
Now that I'm happily married and father of 2 wonderful children, I'm noticing that my curiosity also helps me in creating empathy with them and understanding their needs, even though they are still very young.
It may sound a bit strange, but many of the things I do like actively listening and putting myself in their shoes, are skills I learned in my work role as an Engineering Manager. Of course the relationship is totally different, but I believe that being kind and listening can take you far in any role in your life.
Finally, the thing that makes me most proud is having managed to build my path while always keeping my word. If I promise something to someone, I don't accept not keeping it, even if this has sometimes led me to having to manage anxiety and pressure beyond the limit.
I remain optimistic about the future because I believe it's the most pragmatic thing to do: what sense would there be in moving forward if I didn't believe things could get better?
