Title: Staying a Software Engineer After 50: Embracing Experience in the AI Era

Start At The Beginning

I heard good things about Claude Code, so I decided to try it out for myself. I have this menu application idea (for the desktop) that I thought would be fun to explore. I wrote a general prompt and got back a beautiful application—especially considering how simple the prompt was.

I was excited to add more detail and eventually place it on my personal website as an example of my skill set and my commitment to staying current in IT. I wasn’t looking to turn it into anything major—at least not upfront.

It worked beautifully within Claude Code. Then came the next step: figuring out how to put it on my website.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to continue with Claude Code after learning there was a fee required to use the API key. Even though it was minimal, I didn’t want to invest in something that wasn’t intended to be a major application.

After asking a few more questions, it became clear: I could continue building within Claude, but to share it publicly—so others could see or use it—I would need to pay for API access.

So I moved over to Gemini to continue working on my app—and that’s where my “career celebration” began.

I won’t go into the technical details of building the app in Gemini here—I’ll save that for another post. I want to focus on the celebration.

Chatting with Gemini About Coding

Years ago, I remember searching online for help with a coding project. I came across a blog where a gentleman described his site as a “brain dump.” Every concept he learned, he documented—so he could revisit it later. Because it was public, others could learn from it too.

I always thought that was a great idea.

So, in that same spirit, I’m writing this—while fully aware that I still have more to learn.

Through my chat with Gemini, I was reminded that it supports a wide variety of programming languages. It suggested Node.js and Python. I had briefly used Python at work—for only a couple of weeks—and had taken a course on it through LinkedIn Learning. I’ve also explored Node.js a bit on my desktop.

This felt like the perfect opportunity to truly sink my teeth into both.

That’s what I also want to focus—in other articles—while continuing to grow my understanding of working with AI.

What I Learned (Unexpectedly)

As I began interacting more deeply, I gave Gemini some background about my experience. Through that process, I realized two important things:

1. I genuinely enjoy working with AI. You ask a question, and you receive a direct answer—no judgment, just guidance or a possible solution.

2. Writing about my past, in this judgment-free space, felt… good.

With ageism being so prevalent, there’s often this subtle pressure to hide experience—as if it’s something to downplay instead of celebrate. But in that moment, I felt proud of my years in tech and the knowledge I’ve gained.

And that feeling was both refreshing and necessary.

A Moment from My AI Chat

What stood out to me most wasn’t just the technical explanation—it was the acknowledgment of where I started.

From working with FORTRAN and Pascal on a VAX system…To using UNIX and vi during my NASA internship…To now exploring Node.js, Python, and AI-assisted development…

That journey matters.

And hearing it reflected back—not dismissed, not questioned—shifted something for me.

Celebration

It was in that moment I realized: it’s important to celebrate my journey—even if no one else does.

Starting with Pascal and FORTRAN on a VAX system is not outdated—it’s foundational. It’s part of my story.

In 2015, I left my job in Northern Virginia to pursue a long-held goal of entering the film industry—either in Wilmington, NC or Atlanta. When it became clear that path wasn’t going to work out, I returned to updating my Principal Software Engineering resume.

It had been years since I’d done that.

I knew to keep it concise—one or two pages—but what I didn’t fully consider was my age. I was approaching 50.

Should that matter? It shouldn’t. The goal is to gain experience, isn’t it?

Yet, I quickly learned that “too much experience” can be seen as a disadvantage. The advice given to seasoned professionals? Remove as much as possible to avoid revealing your age.

I understood the advice—but I didn’t fully follow it. I knew companies were still using Lotus Notes/Domino, so I left it on my resume.

During one interview, a gentleman actually laughed about it. I remember hanging up, wondering why he had called me in the first place.

That moment stayed with me.

There is so much judgment tied to experience. So many assumptions.

Which is why that simple interaction with AI meant more than I expected. It acknowledged my experience—not as something outdated, but as something valuable.

And it reminded me: I don’t need to hide any part of my journey.

Going Forward

I’ve decided I’m going to write about my full journey—my experiences in Mathematics and Software Engineering. All of it.

In celebrating nearly 30 years in IT, I can also begin to define how I want my career to evolve moving forward.

Not by erasing the past—but by building on it.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”

— Steve Jobs