About

Screenshot from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. So your name is John? I see... Not the easiest name to say, is it?

About Me

I write code both professionally and as a hobby, focusing on designing and implementing efficient, elegant solutions, whether building end-to-end applications or smaller scripts and utilities. I have a BS and MS in Computer Science, and I hold PMP and CISSP certifications.

I’ve spent my career in technology helping teams plan, build, and run systems that get things done. My experience spans software engineering and operations, along with portfolio planning and business management. I focus on using technology, data, and process to make things simpler and more effective.

Over the years, I’ve contributed to modernization efforts, system integrations, and organizational change, often using data, automation, and tools to improve visibility and decision-making. I enjoy making complex systems and processes easier to understand and use, whether through dashboards, models, or workflows.

Even with leadership and management responsibilities, I’ve remained close to the technology itself. I still write code, build tools, automate tasks, and experiment with new ideas. That hands-on curiosity first drew me to computers and programming, and it continues to shape how I approach problems today.

AI-generated image of three stacked comic panels showing a woman and man at a scenic outdoor café. In the first panel she asks what he does for a living and he replies that he writes code. In the second panel she asks what he does for fun and he happily answers that he writes code. In the final panel, the woman looks bewildered while the man smiles bashfully.

My first computer was an IBM PS/1. It had an Intel 80286 running at 10 MHz, 1 MB of RAM (upgraded from 512 KB), and a 30 MB hard drive. It came with King’s Quest IV and Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego? on multiple floppy disks.

Until then, my only experience with computer games was Oregon Trail on an Apple IIGS at school, which we could only use once a year. I was also fortunate to have a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), but computer games were different. They required careful configuration and some PC knowledge to get running, and they were fascinating because you could explore and examine the game files. While the NES was perfect for gaming, the computer was great for both gaming and tinkering.

Screenshot of the opening screen from King’s Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella. — The adventure begins! Opening screen from King’s Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella.

I started programming around age 12 when I found a QBasic game called Gorillas (gorillas.bas). I had upgraded to MS-DOS 6.0, and the game was buried somewhere in the file system. It was the first time I had seen actual source code, and I probably spent more time trying to understand it than playing the game.

I taught myself QBasic by modifying the game’s physics and graphics. As game technology advanced, I kept learning how computers worked to get games running on older hardware. I likely spent more time troubleshooting IRQs and RAM disks to run Doom II, Duke Nukem 3D, and Star Wars: Dark Forces than actually playing them.

Screenshot of the opening screen from QBasic Gorillas (gorillas.bas). — Ready to use physics and throw some bananas. Opening screen from QBasic Gorillas (gorillas.bas).

This early experience led me to pursue a degree in Computer Science. While the curriculum didn’t include many games, the problem-solving, logic, and math behind programming and algorithms were just as rewarding. I continued on to earn a master’s degree in Computer Science, setting the stage for a career focused on building and improving real-world systems.

That same focus on practical problem-solving is what led me to create this website.

About This Website

This website focuses on programming and technology as practical tools for solving problems and getting things done. I don’t favor any specific platform or language, so you’ll find posts covering a range of tools and technologies, using whatever is best or available for the task.

If I couldn’t find a solution to a problem, I assumed someone else might be looking for the same answer. I share my solutions to help others avoid hours of trial and error, while also creating a personal reference for when I forget how I solved something.

It’s a small contribution to the wealth of knowledge shared by others that has saved me countless hours over the years.

This is a personal website, so the posts reflect my own opinions. While I’ve tested and used the code shared here, I can’t guarantee it will work in every scenario or configuration. All content is provided as-is and should be used at your own risk, with no warranties implied or expressed.

Contact

If you have questions, feedback, or just want to send a friendly note, you can reach me through the contact form. Since this site is a hobby project, I can’t promise a reply or that I’ll see your message right away.

Still, your messages are always appreciated (grievances slightly less so), and might even inspire me to fix or improve something later.

Screenshot from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Pay no attention to the average middle-aged man standing by this sign.