A Little About Me

I've always been curious about how things work. I don't really remember a time when I wasn't.

When I was a kid growing up along the Alabama Gulf Coast, we had a little Honda QA50 minibike. It ran perfectly well, but that didn't stop me from taking it apart one day. I was probably not even ten years old. Nothing was wrong with it. I just wanted to see what was inside and understand how everything worked.

That curiosity never really went away. If anything, it expanded as I got older.

I grew up as the oldest of five boys, which meant learning responsibility fairly early. There were younger brothers to look after, things around the house that needed doing, and situations where somebody had to make a decision. I learned that responsibility wasn't always about being in charge. Sometimes it was simply about making sure things were taken care of.

I also grew up around airplanes. My dad worked in aviation, and being around aircraft and the people who maintained them was a normal part of my childhood. I was fascinated by the machinery, but I also loved the idea of flying. I still do.

Learning by Doing

After high school, I joined the United States Army and trained as an aircraft structural repairer. The Honda QA50, incidentally, was still in pieces in a few boxes.

My first duty assignment took me to Hawaii, which was quite an experience for a young man who had grown up on the Gulf Coast. I had joined partly because I wanted to see more of the world, and the Army sent me to another place with beautiful beaches. I certainly wasn't complaining.

Later, I served in Virginia, working on military hovercraft. That assignment gave me opportunities to learn skills I probably wouldn't have encountered otherwise.

I remember working on a damaged hovercraft that needed a particularly difficult structural repair. Several components had to line up precisely for a hydraulically operated door to function without binding. I ended up designing and fabricating a tool from materials we had available to establish the correct alignment.

What I remember most about that job isn't simply getting the repair completed. It's the process of working through something unfamiliar, understanding the relationships between the different parts, and figuring out a practical way to make everything work together.

The Army also introduced me to welding, which became a trade I pursued professionally for years afterward. Over time, I worked with different metals, learned machining techniques, and developed a broader appreciation for the skill and craftsmanship involved in making and repairing things.

I've worked in several occupations over the years, including skilled trades, commercial transportation, and building operations. Each exposed me to different people, environments, and ways of approaching problems.

Looking back, I'm grateful for that variety. There's a tremendous amount to learn from people who spend their lives doing things you've never done yourself.

Finding My Way into Technology

Computers had interested me long before I considered working in information technology.

Years ago, I had an old Windows 98 computer that I spent an extraordinary amount of time using. Friends would occasionally comment that every time they visited, I seemed to be sitting in front of it.

They weren't entirely wrong.

I enjoyed exploring what it could do, how the software worked, how the hardware interacted, and why things behaved as they did. There was an underlying order to it that made sense to me.

Eventually, I decided to turn that interest into a profession.

I returned to college, studied business administration and information technology, and began building a career in computing.

One thing I appreciate about technology is the variety. There are so many different disciplines, from networking and infrastructure to software, security, communications, and systems architecture. And they don't exist independently. Understanding how they interact is often as important as understanding any one component.

I've enjoyed the technical challenges, but over time I've found just as much satisfaction in the people side of the work.

Technology can be incredibly useful when it's applied thoughtfully. It can simplify someone's day, improve communication, make an organization more dependable, or give people capabilities they didn't previously have.

To me, that's ultimately what makes it worthwhile.

The Enjoyment of Helping Others

I get a great deal of satisfaction from helping somebody understand something that previously seemed confusing or intimidating.

I've always believed that if you're going to explain something to someone, you first need to understand what they already know. There's little point in overwhelming a person with technical terminology that doesn't mean anything to them.

Sometimes an analogy works. Sometimes you have to break a subject down into smaller pieces. And sometimes a person just wants the problem fixed so they can get on with their day. That's fine too.

But when someone genuinely wants to learn, I enjoy spending time helping them get there.

I've had opportunities to teach and mentor people in professional settings, help fellow aviation enthusiasts work through technical challenges, and lend a hand to friends dealing with mechanical, electrical, or other problems.

One of the most satisfying moments is watching somebody begin to understand a concept that had been difficult for them. You can almost see the moment it starts making sense.

As I've gained experience, I've become increasingly interested in helping other people develop their own abilities rather than always being the person doing the work.

There isn't necessarily one correct way to accomplish everything. Two people may approach the same challenge differently and arrive at equally sound solutions.

I think people learn best when they have room to experiment, make reasonable mistakes, ask questions, and develop confidence in their own judgment.

And I think we all benefit from being willing to learn from one another.

Beyond the Working Day

There's quite a bit more to my life than technology.

Aviation has remained a longstanding interest. I've taken flying lessons and become involved in the recreational gyroplane community, where I enjoy both the flying and the friendships that come with it.

Gyroplanes are fascinating little aircraft, and building one has introduced me to an entirely different collection of things to learn. There are always questions to answer and new ideas to explore.

Boating has also become one of my favorite ways to spend time.

Growing up on the Gulf Coast, boats were simply part of the environment. It wasn't until much later, when my wife, Gina, and I bought our own boat, that I really discovered how much I enjoyed being on the water.

These days, I especially enjoy spending time out on the lake with Gina and our friends. There's something about being on the water, sharing a meal, swimming, talking, or just enjoying an afternoon together that makes it a welcome change of pace.

I've also ridden motorcycles since childhood. Over the years I've owned quite a few, worked in motorcycle dealerships, and even owned and operated a repair shop.

My interests have changed somewhat with time. I used to enjoy spending hours working on motorcycles. Nowadays, I'd generally rather be riding one.

Gina and I enjoy taking our Gold Wing out when the weather is pleasant. Riding requires enough attention that the usual distractions of daily life fade into the background. It's a chance to enjoy the scenery, have a conversation through our helmet communicators, and spend some uninterrupted time together.

Another interest I've taken up is the guitar.

I've wanted to learn to play for a long time, and I finally decided to do something about it. I found a guitar, started learning, and eventually began taking lessons.

I'm interested in more than simply learning where to put my fingers. I enjoy understanding music theory, how chords are constructed, how rhythm works, and why different combinations of notes produce the sounds they do.

I'm still learning, and that's part of the enjoyment. I hope that eventually I'll be able to sit down and play something that brings a little enjoyment to friends and family, too.

The People in My Life

If there's one part of my life I particularly appreciate, it's sharing it with Gina.

We have interests we enjoy together and interests that are our own. I think that's a healthy thing.

I enjoy supporting her in the things that matter to her, whether that means helping with a project, encouraging an ambition, or simply being there when she needs me. And I enjoy the ordinary time we spend together just as much as the special occasions.

Some of my favorite moments aren't elaborate or particularly noteworthy. They're the little things that make an ordinary day enjoyable.

I also value the friendships I've developed through the different things I've done over the years.

I've met people through aviation, boating, motorcycling, work, and other interests. Their backgrounds and experiences are often quite different from mine, and I enjoy that.

There's always something to learn from another person's perspective.

A Few Things I Believe

I've always appreciated structure, responsibility, and the value of doing things properly.

I like understanding why rules exist, what they're intended to accomplish, and how they affect the people working within them. I also recognize that not every situation is black and white.

Experience has taught me that some things deserve serious attention and others are better left alone.

I try to approach decisions with sound reasoning and reliable information. I'm willing to reconsider a position when new facts warrant it, and I don't see much value in arguing simply to win an argument.

I'd rather have a thoughtful conversation than a confrontation.

I also believe that people deserve to make their own choices. I may offer an opinion or suggest an approach, but ultimately I respect another person's right to decide what's appropriate for their own circumstances.

When I get something wrong, I believe in acknowledging it and making things right when I can.

And while I enjoy helping people, I don't believe that means I need to involve myself in everything. Sometimes the most appropriate thing to do is simply respect somebody else's decision and step aside.

Those aren't complicated principles, but they've become increasingly important to me over the years.

Still Curious, Still Learning

A few years ago, I began taking a more deliberate look at what I wanted from the years ahead.

I realized there were interests I'd spent too much time putting off, things I wanted to learn, and ideas I wanted to explore.

I didn't start with an elaborate plan. I started taking manageable steps.

Learning guitar was one. Pursuing recreational aviation was another. I've explored additive manufacturing, software development, and ideas for businesses that could make useful products or services available to others.

Not every idea becomes a finished project, and I don't expect it to. Sometimes the value is in what you learn along the way.

I've also become increasingly interested in finding opportunities to share what I've learned over the years, particularly by helping others develop their knowledge, confidence, and abilities.

There's something very satisfying about being able to contribute in a way that helps several people accomplish things they might otherwise have struggled with individually.

And I still find myself interested in an extraordinary range of subjects. It might be physics one day, woodworking another, or something about chemistry, music, manufacturing, or the natural world that catches my attention.

I don't expect that curiosity to diminish.

I hope there will always be something new to learn, something worthwhile to explore, and people with whom I can share the experience.

That's a little about me.