While I’m a software developer and love my craft and that sort of material will get a lot of play here, it won’t be all geeked out stuff.  It takes more than solid technical skills to be a good team member.  Since you bothered reading this, I want to offer a sense of who I am and what I have to offer as a human being.

It is my underlying goal to leave everywhere I go better than I found it, even if it is nothing more picking up a piece of litter or rolling that shopping car next to my car back to the store even if I don’t need it (I’m walking that way anyway).  Sometimes it’s much bigger stuff than that but the point is the same — make sure the world is at least a little better off because you’re in it — be a net positive.

Hmm, some more personal details:

  • I’m a software developer, have been for quite some time.  Fell into it, actually.  I was a journalism major at the University of Maryland, when the professor drew me aside and said “You’ll have quite a career at this if you want one.”  It was the first time I really thought about doing it “forever”.  I came back from Christmas break and changed my major.  The upside is that I’ve always been pretty good at organizing my thoughts, writing and presenting.
  • I’ve worked for quite a few different companies in different industries in different parts of the country doing different sorts of things using different technologies.  On the whole it has been cool to see many different facets of my craft — I certainly haven’t had the same year of experience over and over again. And I’m not done yet.
  • I’m a musician (or I at least do a reasonable interpretation of one at times).  Guitar and bass (mostly bass as a band member).  I’ve been in several rock bands and have had a helluva good time playing dingy little clubs as well as stages that have hosted the truly famous.  Live performance demands your attention and awareness in ways few other things do.
  • I’m a dad!  And a pretty good one — I had a great role model.  My son is at least one of the truly great things I’ve brought into this world and the world is better off because he’s here.  I’ll do anything for him, from getting beat up at Tae Kwon Do, to Cub Scout Leader, to Wrestling Team Dad to dragging him and a car full of friends to the best regional concerts.  The only thing I really won’t do is his homework.
  • I’m a husband.  Still on my first wife, so I must be doing something right.  She still seems to like me.
  • I’m a hippie at heart.  I think the world would be a better place if we could want a little less and give a little more, if we looked for the gentlest explanation when we have no data to the contrary, and if every word that came out of our mouths started from our hearts.