About

Software

I made my first website when I was 13. I started doing client work in high school. By the time I graduated from college, I had clients in education, construction, law, and photography, to name a few. My portfolio enabled me to get hired as a tester and customer support rep at a small, local software shop. I quickly moved into engineering and spent more than a decade there. I've worked across verticals like education, human resources, aerospace, and climate tech. I have experience in full-stack web development, mobile apps, embedded systems, serverless stacks, and big data pipelines, including the full software lifecycle from design to implementation, testing, deployment, and support. In May 2023, I put my career on hold to focus on parenting and household management. During that time, I worked odd jobs in education, music, writing, and even bartending. But I never stopped learning, keeping up with software trends, and translating my ideas into code.

Education

I struggled in high school. After I got my GED, I flailed around in college until an enthusiastic professor kindled my interest in mathematics. She made algebra seem fun, even at 7 a.m. every Monday and Wednesday, and set aside hours of her time whenever I needed help. Ever the idealist, I changed my major to mathematics with a minor in secondary education in order to help kids like me. I graduated in December 2009 with a 4.0 GPA. But, after only a semester of teaching, the housing bubble burst and my teaching aspirations along with it. The school districts let go of anyone who wasn't tenured. I fell back on my software background and spent more than a decade there before returning to education, subbing in K-12 schools, tutoring, and teaching private music lessons.

Music

I first learned to play the piano when I was six. I played the clarinet in middle school, then the saxophone in high school, before picking up a guitar. I quickly became obsessed, playing classical, flamenco, blues, and jazz. I continued studying music in college before I changed my major to mathematics. My career took a sharp turn when the housing bubble burst, but I still play and teach private lessons. My musical interests are eclectic, leaning toward the avant-garde and experimental.

Writing

Most of my words live in my blog, but some have escaped into the wild. I've written articles for gaming, politics, and tech sites, and several short stories which I'm still working up the nerve to publish. In May 2024, I edited and published my neighbors's memoir on Amazon KDP in paperback and Kindle ebook format.