About me
My name is Albert Sema, and I’m a Software Engineer who builds backend systems. I live in Cary, North Carolina with my lovely wife Minette and our two beautiful daughters. Life here is a blend of family, code, design thinking and workouts.
I write about software that holds up over time.
I also write about the things that shape how I think about it.
Most software problems aren’t only technical.
They’re about time, responsibility, and the cost of decisions that linger longer than expected.
Some of what I’ve learned comes from building backend systems, leading technical teams, and working with long-lived codebases.
Some of it comes from life — learning, change, and occasionally grief.
This site is where I try to write those things down clearly, without rushing or performing.
How I think about the work
I believe good software is shaped more by judgment than by tools.
Tools change quickly.
Decisions don’t.
I tend to focus on:
- Tradeoffs instead of best practices
- Constraints instead of optionality
- Simplicity instead of cleverness
- Reversibility instead of optimization
My background is in backend systems (Ruby, Go), infrastructure, and AI-enabled tooling. I use AI daily, carefully, and I’m as interested in where it doesn’t belong as where it does.
What you’ll find here
I write sparingly.
Most posts are short. Some are longer.
All are attempts to make thinking clearer.
Common themes include:
- Designing long-lived systems
- Refactoring as a signal, not a virtue
- Abstractions that age well (and those that don’t)
- Using AI without making systems fragile
- Technical leadership without theater
- Personal reflections that change how I think about work, life, and time
This isn’t a tutorial site or a feed of opinions.
It’s closer to a working notebook.
About my work
I’m a senior software engineer and tech lead with over 15 years of experience building backend systems and supporting teams through change.
Alongside my full-time role, I run a small software studio (brimtech.co), where I work with a limited number of clients on complex backend and AI-related problems.
I don’t advertise services here.
But if you read long enough, you’ll have a good sense of how I work.
A final note
I believe clarity compounds.
Writing is one way I try to reduce future regret — in code, in systems, and in life.
If this way of thinking resonates, you’re welcome to stay.