I've been fascinated with the world of computers from a very young age. In my earliest years I spent a lot of my time browsing the web and playing numerous online games. At 10 years old with help of a friend, I learned to host my own game servers, learning skills such as SQL and Apache Server configuration along the way. At age 12 I was gifted HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites by Jon Duckett and read it through many times. Utilizing my newfound basic front-end skills, I started building a plethora of different websites so I could share all of my many hobbies and interests with the world. At 13 I was gifted a JavaScript/jQuery textbook and a C++ textbook and read them through as well, furthering my knowledge both in web development and general software development. Around this time, I also started a YouTube channel where I produced and shared coding tutorials; Highlighting my passion for computer science education early on. At this time I also started getting into game development learning Unity and C# and built a couple simple first-person shooters. Throughout all of this time I continued learning about hosting game servers and providing those servers for my friends.
Moving into my high school years, I spent much less time coding but still built some fun projects here and there. I made a massively-sized text-based RPG in VB.NET, various small online games using visual scripting tools, and mods for many of the games I enjoyed playing at the time. During these years I also began experimenting with Linux, learning about the many benefits of that operating system. Beyond my technical interests at the time, I also spent a lot of time learning more artistic skills. I learned the basics of graphic design, 3D modelling, and illustration. I originally intended on going to college for game design, but that didn't end up happening.
Instead, I spent a few years working in various service and manufacturing jobs and eventually went to college for computer programming after I had rekindled my desire to create cool projects utilizing the power of computers. In college I didn't learn much more than what I already had taught myself in my childhood, so it was incredibly boring for me. I spent most of my time during college working on various small personal projects trying to utilize any new concepts I learned. During this time I learned C and Java, reading books such as The C Programming Language, Second Edition by Kernighan and Ritchie as well as various Java books my professors recommended to me. I spent a lot of my time at college mentoring other students and trying to convince professors to teach more about Linux and other open-source projects.
After leaving college I struggled to find employment in the industry, eventually landing on a computer science teaching job, which is work I excel at and genuinely enjoy. Despite this, I'm still searching for a better employment situation and spend a lot of my free time building all kinds of websites, games, and tools. Feel free to check out my portfolio page to see some of my projects I've made since my time in college. I've also provided some articles and guides on this website for my students to help them succeed in their computer programming journeys.