Who, Me?

Generics

Welcome. Bienvenido. Benvenuto. Khush Aamdeed.  That’s about it for languages that I can reasonably pretend to speak.  In any case, thanks for visiting my site.

I am Shanif (don’t even worry about pronouncing my last name), currently a 20-something living on the East Coast of the United States.  I’m a self-proclaimed adventurer, a former software engineer and consultant, a future options trader, and a wannabe entrepreneur.  On top of all that, I’m a full-time fitness enthusiast, a guitar hobbyist, a travel junkie, an adrenaline seeker, and your typical “not-so-typical” guy.

Suffice it to say, I have a lot of interests and not enough time, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to be super-awesomely-amazing at everything I do.

Background

A few years ago, I graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS (great name for a degree, right?) in Computer Science, and I also double majored in Information and Systems Engineering.  You can probably tell that I like technology.  And numbers.  And simulations.  Throw in some other geeky things and you’ll have an idea of where my professional interests lie.  Or used to, anyway.  After working for a few years at a large consulting company in an IT position (and failing miserably at a couple of web startups along the way), I realized that it’s time to get my 5h17 straight (if you can read that, you’re just as bad as I am, and you know it).

I’ve always wanted to run my own company, and I’ve been trading options for the past couple of years, so I recently decided to go the full nine yards and do everything I can to start my own options services business.  As a means of doing so, I’m attending NYU’s Stern School of Business to learn everything I can about trading while building up my entrepreneurial connections and aspirations – all while trying to have a great social life and pursue some of my other passions.  The idea is that by the time I graduate I’ll know enough about trading that I can actively trade options to generate enough income so I’ll never have to work for anyone again.  That’s the idea.

Details

When I was coding heavily (heck, even now that I’m not), my favorite web development language and framework was Ruby on Rails.  I love the Goo Goo Dolls, they create the best music that has ever existed.  I’ve traveled to more than 30 countries – I’d have to say that Aruba, Phuket, and Venice were my favorite places.  Somewhere along the line, I turned into a huge foodie, which makes for an interesting balancing act with my hardcore fitness routine (6 meals a day, 2,400 calories daily, 1-2 workouts a day, healthy – and gross eating, etc).  I’m incredibly passionate about a handful of things in life.  I love playing ultimate frisbee, volleyball, football, basketball, what have you.  I’m a little narcissistic, but I’ll be one of the best friends you’ll ever have.  I don’t think I ever want to go back into consulting.  I’m incredibly fortunate to have the lifestyle, and more importantly, the friends and family, that I have in my life.  I think our purpose here is to find our own happiness and satisfaction with life.  And I value relationships with others above most everything else.

This site

Back in 1998 (wow…) I made my first website.  It sucked.  But it was a great way to express myself.  That site slowly transformed into a different site (Shayweb v1.0).  On that site, I had some pictures, a few makeshift blog posts (all written in plain HTML pages), and other random things here and there.  Shayweb v1.0 became Shayweb v2.0, which then became the original shanif.net (it looked nothing like this), when is now the new shanif.net.  I see a trend.

I’ve always liked writing and having a venue for my thoughts, even if nobody is listening to what I have to say.  That’s what this site is for – it’ll be a way for me to document my way through life.  Hopefully you’ll find it a little educational, a little entertaining, and a little insightful.  If you do, let me know – get in touch, send an email, follow me on Twitter, whatever.  I love meeting new people.  After all, you never know when you can form one of those all-too-special life relationships!

Ciao for now.