About Me

I am a husband and father of two wonderful boys. I have an educational background in the hard sciences and have worked in various Information Technology roles since 1996.

Career
My IT career has generally been focused on building, repairing and maintaining computer systems, starting as a PC technician installing and repairing PC hardware and culminating in my most recent position as a global service line leader of VMware and Unix systems for BP.

Although I've generally been focused on Systems Administration and IT Operations Management, I have always liked to build software to assist in my job, and have kept my development skills fresh regardless of the position that I've held.

Background

I grew up reading comics and science fiction, playing role-playing games, studying mathematics and science, and exploring rural America.

I like to make things. When I was young it was dioramas, models and painting miniatures. As I've gotten older this impulse has broadened to include paintings, web applications, home additions, robotic turtles, gardens, motorcycles and all number of esoteric devices, scripts, gadgets and hacks.

Some people see these interests and topics as diverse, but I see in them the same central creative spark, and the same central desire to make something where there was nothing before.

I like to consider myself adventurous and have traveled to many corners of the world to climb mountains, hike trails, eat strange food, learn about local people, and install large computer systems.

I consider my life split into 2 necessary halves: the Clean and the Dirty.

The 'Clean' half represents being able to put on a tuxedo and attend a function of high society, to travel first class and stay in fine hotels and to be able to have deep discussions about philosophy, mathematics, or politics at a cocktail party.

The 'Dirty' side represents the enthusiasm to rebuild a motor, frame a house, dig a ditch, backpack for days through a slot canyon and go a few weeks without a shower. It's about sandbagging on the Mississippi in the '93 flood and sleeping in my car. It's about smiling when you're without the comforts of society, or to be slightly joyful at the prospect that you might in fact be lost in a large forest.

I feel you need both of these sides to be a full person and I seek out people who have the same breadth of desire.

I also believe in the immense civic responsibility everyone in this country has, and our obligation to help ourselves and our fellow countrymen. I believe in the individual but I also believe that in the end we are in this together and that we are our brother's keeper.

My theory of government is progressive but pragmatic. I prefer good policy over rigid ideology.

Oh yeah, and I really enjoy a fine Single Malt Scotch.

... and I don't like the cold very much. My body has a high surface area to volume ratio which works against heat retention.