Hey! So Glad You're Here.

Who, What, Where and Why?

Who? My full name is Charl Arthur Henry Cowley. I drink my coffee black and strong. I am the writer of this blog. That's why my name is at the top.

What? This is a blog containing stories, thoughts, experiences and musings about things I've seen, people I've encountered and experiences I've had that have amazed, intrigued and inspired me. Some pieces may be nostalgic. Some posts are bound to be nerdy and all gave me lots of pleasure to write. I hope they give you similar feelings on the other side of the screen.

Where? I live in Gauteng, South Africa. That in itself is worth a million stories. I write from the comfort of my home, with the aforementioned coffee, two naughty cats, wonderful wife and toddling toddler never far away.

Why? I enjoy the process of gathering information and then using the written word to give a voice to the thoughts and feelings that are invoked - and sometimes provoked.

Here are the things I currently do to keep me off the streets. These are also some of the things I will be writing about here.

Data Science: My day job entails the analysis of data generated by safety systems used on mines. There is zero sarcasm when I say that it is my dream job. Not so much the mining industry, but the challenge of building and being part of a high performing Data Science team is what gets me up in the morning. You can find more information about my professional journey on my Data Science page (coming soon...).
Running: I run to keep myself sane. The further I go, the more I enjoy the experience. I have run more than 20 marathon (and ultra) distance races.
Music: I have a long history as a chorister, but am currently choir-less. I am desperately trying to prepare for the UNISA Grade 6 Piano Exam after taking up the instrument in 2017. Most of my time behind the piano now is devoted to Erik Satie's Gymnopedies.
Reading: I won a trophy for reading in the First Grade and I haven't stopped since. You might find a review or two on this site.
Hiking: To pack a bag and hit the trail is one of my all-time favourite things. No future hikes have been planned, yet. Not that I'm not dreaming of them, though.
Parenting: Our first first baby boy was born in January 2024. Of all the adventures under the sun, this is the greatest.
And of course Writing on this blog.

Read away by going to the Blog page