About me

I’m David Smale and I’m here to blog about my adventures with the R programming language. I first met R many years ago at university but we inexplicably remained separated for some 10 years or so, until reconnecting towards the end of 2017. Since then I have been making up for lost time and discovering all the ways R has changed (hello tidyverse!). I have a BSc in Mathematics and over 10 years’ experience as a data analyst where I mainly code in SAS and SQL. However, R is my new love and since 2018 I have been using it to explore data that interests me. These interests include wonky indie-pop music, Test Match cricket, cryptic crosswords and true-crime podcasts. Expect to see blog posts covering some, if not all, of these subjects. And Wes Anderson colour palettes. Always Wes Anderson colour palettes.

In April 2019 I was awarded ‘Best Design’ in RStudio’s inaugural Shiny Contest for an app exploring the lyrics to the album ‘69 Love Songs’ by The Magnetic Fields.

In a previous life I wrote and recorded songs that no-one ever heard. After penning a 6-minute epic on the life and death of 1972 chess world champion Bobby Fischer, I realised I had truly jumped the shark and dutifully retired. I live in Brighton, UK, with my wife, son and cat named Henry Blofeld.