Welcome To My World
Hi. I use this site as a sandbox for the multiple blogs and websites I've launched in the past which others can of course view and critique at will. I taught myself a lot of what I know while migrating from a mainframe environment to the internet culture, in hopes of working at something that I really enjoy doing. I found out after-the-fact that going back to school was merely an act of getting the paper (and adding up a big school loan payment) because I already knew a lot of the web technology that was being taught. To be honest, using WordPress for all my blogs was the biggest help, and because of this, I'm greatful for all the tips I've picked up along the way.
A Little Background
I suppose I could fill you in on a few things you probably don't know about me while you're here. I was born on the East Coast's 4th largest island, part of Charleston, SC. I first lived only a few hundred yards from the 1,500 year old Angel Oak Tree, but by kindergarten, had already moved to the 4th largest city in the USA.
I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and how I got involved with the 'underground art world' is a subject for another day, but by time I was 16, we had moved back home to South Carolina. Oh yeah, I lived in Los Angeles for a year too while in 6th grade.
I joined the Navy in '85 (during the calm Ronald Reagan years) and served on a brand new aircraft carrier, U.S.S Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) out of Norfolk, Va. I was a radar operator (OS/2) who also sat as FOTC for the cutting-edge JOTS satellite communications system. I worked hand-in-hand with the Admiral's staff when they were onboard for seatime exercises and even received the Navy Achievement Medal for my work. Just today (2/1/7), I came across this framed notation from a previously classified Naval document.
One of the most important parts of the exercise was training in a concept called Force Over-the-Horizon Track Coordinator. The Battle Group Commander must track enemy and friendly forces for hundreds of miles around the battle group. During FLEETEX 1-89, TR was Force Over-the-Horizon Coordinator. By the end of the exercise VADM Johnson said he had never seen it done better, "The performance by TR is going to be used as a bench mark for evaluating others using the procedure."
Anyway, that felt good because I know I was an integral part of that exercise. Enough of that... Listed below are some of the Caribbean, Mediterranean and North Atlantic places I visited while in the Navy:
Location | My Impression |
|---|---|
| Bahamas | - the island was Paradise, the casino wiped me out, but the white sand beaches were awesome |
| Belgium | - expensive but very European, the architecture was incredible |
| Egypt | - Cairo was extremely crowded, saw King Tut, the pyramids, and the filthy Nile |
| France | - Monte Carlo's casinos & yachts, the Eiffel Tower, French Riviera, Louvre, and of course, Paris cuisine |
| Israel | - a step back into Biblical history - Haifa, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and the Massada retreat |
| Italy | - Pompeii, Rome, my Motherland - tourists everywhere, but so much to see (NY's pizza wins!) |
| Morocco | - snake charmers, brass and leather goods marked the gateway in and out of the Med |
| Netherlands | - a cheese factory, windmills, and trendy Amsterdam - which reminded me of NY's Greenwich Village |
| Spain | - bullfights, sangrias & siestas, fun Mallorca is Europe's playground |
| Turkey | - incredible Roman ruins, oil-slicked bazaar birds, with gold & leather for sale everywhere |
| W. Germany | - castles, Oktoberfest beer, sausage, and sauerkraut, what timing! |
Finally, some icons to the right point to my professional interests - you can learn a lot about me there too. Other than that, not much to say; drop a line anytime and thanks for visiting!