Shaaf Shahzad · Shaaf Shahzad

hi, i'm shaaf. i'm a pakistani-canadian computer engineering student at tmu, based around toronto. i spend a lot of time moving between software, electronics, and design, but those are only part of the story.

hiking, biking, exploring

i like getting outside and seeing somewhere new, whether that means hiking, biking, or just exploring without much of a plan. a recent trip to mount rainier was exactly that kind of reset: mountains, forest, water, and enough distance from an ordinary week to make everything feel new again.

the milk deserves its own explanation: i really like milk. enough that a half pint of whole milk somehow became part of the mount rainier photo set.

Mount Rainier rising above a forest and lake on Shaaf's recent trip.

A sunlit mountain valley seen while exploring Mount Rainier.

Shaaf holding a small carton of whole milk with Mount Rainier in the background.

food, all of it

i really like food, and i am not especially selective about where it comes from. i can get equally excited about a café sandwich, a proper steak dinner, a giant shawarma platter, or whatever happens to be available at home. trying somewhere new is usually part of the fun.

the last photo is not a recipe recommendation. it is a tortilla with ketchup. i included it because it gets to the truth faster than the nicer photos do: i will genuinely eat almost anything. all food is tasty food.

Two café sandwiches and iced drinks on a table.

A steak dinner with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables.

A large platter of shawarma wraps, fries, pickles, and sauces.

Two plates of eggs Benedict and breakfast potatoes at brunch.

A plain tortilla with ketchup, held up as a deliberately questionable meal.

getting into watches

i've also started getting into watches. it is definitely an expensive hobby to discover, so i'm easing into it rather than pretending i know everything already. what keeps pulling me in is the combination of engineering, history, and design packed into something small enough to wear every day.

my collection is still small, but i'm enjoying figuring out what i actually like: interesting dials, mechanical movements, and watches that feel good enough to wear often instead of leaving in a box. i'm only just breaking into the hobby, which is probably the most fun stage to be in.

Shaaf's growing watch collection in a six-slot watch box.

A silver-dial Seiko Presage automatic watch on Shaaf's wrist.

A red Seiko Prospex automatic dive watch on Shaaf's wrist.

A blue-dial Tissot watch on Shaaf's wrist during a boat ride.

football

soccer is probably the sport i follow most closely. i've been an arsenal supporter since 2012, which has meant some great moments, a lot of patience, and the 2018–2022 stretch—which was, honestly, hell. i stuck around anyway. at this point, following the club is one of those long-running parts of my life.

one of the less great moments came on my birthday. the ticket was for manchester city away, and i had to sit among the city fans while arsenal lost 5–0. having five goals celebrated around me was not exactly the birthday atmosphere i had in mind. not the best birthday.

Shaaf's red and white Arsenal home jersey laid out on a bed.

Shaaf's ticket for Manchester City versus Arsenal on his birthday.

music

me and my friends make music in fl studio. it does not always happen in anything resembling a real studio; sometimes it is a laptop on a dining table at a friend's house, with whatever headphones and space we can find. that looseness is part of what i enjoy about it. a normal room can become a makeshift studio for the night.

i listen to music more than i make it. the stats.fm list is probably the closest thing to my all-time favourite artists, although "all time" really means from around 2024 onward, when i switched to spotify. (i swear my taste is more diverse than this list makes it look.)

A makeshift music studio at a friend's house, with FL Studio open on a laptop at the table.

Shaaf recording vocals with a microphone and a makeshift acoustic setup.

Shaaf's most-played artists on Spotify since roughly 2024, ranked by stats.fm.

the restroom archives

some people say this is weird. whenever i am handling business in a restroom, i take a photo of whatever is directly in front of me. no face, no landmark, no attempt at composition—just shoes, tiles, and the occasional strategically placed portable bidet.

i call it memory fortification. years later, one look at a particular grout pattern can bring the entire day rushing back. historians keep journals; i keep bathroom-floor establishing shots. it may not be dignified, but the archive is remarkably specific.

Shaaf's shoes facing a grey restroom wall and tiled floor.

Shaaf's shoes and keys against a restroom's beige tiled floor.

Shaaf's shoes, a blue jersey, and the fixtures of a warmly lit restroom.

Shaaf's shoes and a blue soap bottle on a public restroom floor.

a few things about me

i learn best by making things and breaking them.
i care about small details and have a hard time leaving something alone when it could feel better.
i'm drawn to ideas that are useful in everyday life, not only impressive on a screen.
i value personal authorship, independence, and being able to see the result of the work i put in.

why this blog exists

this is where i want to keep the parts of my work and life that do not fit neatly on a project card: the ideas, false starts, lessons, interests, and details that make the finished thing matter to me.