About This Site

I created this website to document my journeys and serve as a way for others to get to know me. Although a variety of social media platforms exist to accomplish the same thing, I appreciate the creative opportunities that having my own website offers me.

A Little Bit About Me

I was a shy kid

I attended a small elementary school in Clifton, Virginia. I was quiet, shy, and a homebody who couldn't wait to get home after a long day of school to devour a sleeve of Oreos while watching television.

Now of days, though, I love good conversations and meeting new people.

I loved the Internet

Unlike most of my peers, I didn't invest much time into video games (except for RuneScape, which will always have a special place in my heart). Instead, I was usually surfing the web whilst creating my own digital footprint.

In particular, I created my own computer graphics, partook in message boards (online forums), and even created my own message board for my elementary school classroom so that we could keep in touch when we got home.

In retrospect, it's fitting that I ended up with a career in web development.

I played baseball

I played Little League Baseball starting in my early years of grade school. I traveled around the state of Virginia with my teammates to compete in a variety of tournaments, which heavily influenced my free time and social circles. Baseball practically became a separate lifestyle outside of school.

In high school, I primarily played as a pitcher. On the surface, this might seem like a repetitive and unexciting task, i.e., simply throwing a ball to an opponent. However, I found that there was a strategy and technique behind each pitch (or "throw") that I came to enjoy.

Although baseball was a stressful, time-consuming activity, I walked away with a great group of friends, a good sense of perseverance and discipline, and a quote I still think about to this day: "If you're on time, you're late".

I studied information technology in college

I attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. I took my studies very seriously. By the time I graduated, I had come to realize that I love learning, especially about technology.

I got my first job as a web developer

I got my first job as a web developer in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. I spent my first day happily and willingly staying after work with a colleague to inspect our web application's network traffic, solely to appease my own curiosity and fascination; I loved my team and what we did.

I relocated to Austin, Texas

I desperately wanted to relocate out of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Two years into my first job, I felt like it was finally time. I eventually I deemed Austin and Phoenix my two candidates. After some phone calls, research, and nerves, I decided to move to Austin, and I couldn't be more happy.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite things about where I live:

I enrolled as a part-time computer science student

Although I have a degree in information technology, I've always wanted to peel back another layer of the onion and gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental theories and principles of computation.

To start, I enrolled in math classes at Austin Community College to prepare for a computer science program. After completing those courses, I enrolled in Oregon State University's postbaccalaureate computer science program, designed for people like me who want a second undergraduate degree.

Since I don't live in Corvallis, I take all of my courses online. However, I'm still in the same classes as on-campus students who opt for the virtual sections.