I’m a software and web developer with an active right brain. Please enjoy my explorations, and the ghosts of hobbies past and dormant.
Writing
Once upon a time, I drew picture books based on fairy tales and misunderstood concepts from the covers of my parents’ reading material. I averted the white plague – a freezing wind to my five-year-old-self – with a $1 blanket sale so people in their houses could loaf at will. Middle school was all about sci-fi mashups of video game aesthetics and wish fulfillment. My superhero Mary Sue had a green flying car, a grappling hook gun, and a scimitar used to disembowel her nemesis in a paragraph-length spill of guts.
After years of rare fruitless scraps, NaNoWriMo 2005 kicked me in the ass to run with a horror concept languishing in my documents folder. The result was an adverb-laden idea farm that brought back my inspiration for words. I improved my style and mechanics through short stories and more NaNo mayhem.
I am working on my first novel.
Exercise
I took my first steps out of college couch potatodom by jogging around the neighborhood. I bought a 40-pound dumbbell set, inched it up to my dorm room step by step, and declared myself done for the night. I worked up to pulling my own weight in various ways, from deadlifts to chin-ups and dips. I focus on powerlifts and bodyweight exercises, supplemented with walking to work and the cardio hamster wheel.
Visual Arts
Drawing
The fan art bug bit me after a 10-year hiatus from high school visual arts coursework. I got back into it way over my head, struggling with stiff lines and flat form as I banged my head on anatomy textbooks and works of professional artists. I gravitate toward digital pen, realistic faces, and stylizations inspired by various flavors of comic illustration. Visit my deviantArt for a history of improvement.
Photography
Oh, the places I go and the cats I spoil. Check me out on Instagram.
Three Kingdoms China
Blame the friend who grabbed Dynasty Warriors 3 from the bargain bin and subsequent installments for developing the characters past basic avatars. I heard about the history behind the legend, went digging for context, and grew a collection of references and an itch to put my own spin on my favorites. I paid a visit to Sun Quan and the resting place of Liu Bei. My novel in progress is a modern day interpretation of Cao Cao, a ruthless, pragmatic anti-classist vilified in the popular tradition.
Video Games
Back in the day, an addiction – lately, more of a side note. I’ll get into a good game from time to time, and I periodically like to show off. Browse my guides, or visit me on YouTube for gameplay commentary and meta.