your autobiography

edX

edX

mac shaman
seems like we ar always trying to find better ways to get to know one another. so ithought it might be fun for each of us to tell their own life story here. you might even have some fun recalling the events of your life that you havn't really thought of much lately. since i'm getting older, i'll give the annotated version as the server might not hold the long one :p

i was born in tenn. and moved to so. calif when i was 12. after high school i went to SDSU where i majored in partying. this was in direct conflict with being a student. after taking a year off from school , i went cback to JC and finished all the requirements for an AA in fashion merchandising. then my dad died when i was 25 and i moved to ohio to be with my mom and younger sister. I never bothered to apply for that AA degree becasue i ended up with my own business - a monthly free entertainment rag. i never made much money at it, but i had all the fun a young man could possibly want. free concerts, backstage and photo passes, free drinks in bars, etc. it was during this time i got my first mac - a used 512Ke. the paper was primarily typeset on this machine. At age 31 i got married and dropped the paper but kept the mac. :D
the marriage lasted just over a year. i had encouraged her to go back to college and she fell in love with her prof. :( one week before i was divorced i met the woman i have been with for over ten years. i'm that one guy that really did leave his wife. :p ithen went bqack to Ohio State and finished up 2 BA's - psychology and religious studies. I then moved to the SF bay area to attend psych grad school. i am still a student though moving a bit slower than my classmates.

online history here - i found this site by accident while checking out bookmarks in one of the browsers. I ended up hanging around. i had never done anything like this in my life. i still don't im or chat. i started the herve's bar and grill thread, which turned out to be a huge success. lots of friends were made there. i invite you all to stop in as the place is coming back to life. eventually i made moderator back in june. people seem to either like me or hate me for my actions as a mod. but i guess i did good because now i am a co administrator for this site and very proud of it. i'm excited about seeing what the future brings.

now it's your turn :)
 
I knew someone would start a thread like this sooner or later! :p :D

Ok I'll post, but not yet as I have to chose what I want to post and edit it down for size. :D

Hey, I've been thinking of writing my life's story, but yet I'm too shy and nervous about letting people into my world... heck I don't even think anyone here knows my real name! And you are all lucky you got a picture out of me! lol :D
 
Life story, eh?

Born in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky in 79. Lived in NKY all my life save a few months in Florida when my dad's company sent us there. First computer was a Commadore 64 with a 300 modem...finally started messing with computers more when I was 10, running DOS on a 386DX33 w/2400 modem to connect to a local freenet (Tristate Online) then hop a telnet through CUINFO (Cornell University) to access a lynx browser and their Unix system. Joined the local EMS/Fire dept. when I was 16, certified as an EMT-B at 18, been in it since. Was supposed to enter the University of Cincinnati's DAAP program for Architecture out of highschool, decided to wait a year. 1 turned into 2 into 3, etc....and so on. Currently in class to liscense as an EMT-P, will complete a few extra hours after that for my AS in Paramedicine from Western KY University. Thinking about going back after that to complete a BS in Computer Science, then try my hand at Medical School (University of Kentucky or FSU) after that. Been a certified Mac fan since the first time when I used one in 4th grade...been a die-hard, pry my Mac from from my cold dead fingers, type for the past 4 years.

I spend alot of time working on my 2nd car getting it ready for a major build-up...funny thing is it's a Volvo. I've participated in SCCA races in my area, but not as much as I'd like in the past 2 years. I travel as much as possible, and New Orleans is my favorite destination. Was down there for Mardis Gras 02...if you've never been, you've gotta go...and the National Association of Realtors conference in November.

Currently workd as a Marketing/IT consultant in the Real Estate industry, do some freelance web & digital design, and just left a part-time position as a EMT for the local Fire/EMS dept.


Ok....probably more than anyone wanted, needed, or liked to know. My fingers hurt now, thanks Ed...:D
 
I'm coming up on eighteen years of age. All of my life, I have lived in a suburb of Albany, NY. I attend a mediocre public high school. I am a mac user for he simple reason that my non computer literate parents put one in front of me at age 5. I am self taught in every aspect, including programming langauges and command lines. I have been at Macosx.com basically since the beginng. Even, *gasp*, predating Ed a bit. I think the site it great, although my college applicaiton crunch has basically brought my post rate to zero. Some things that define me, other than my love of apple machines: I am the captain of my science olympiad team, which is one of the best in the state, and arguably among the top 30 in the nation. I have performed about 800 hours of research on a chemical in grapes which I have proven can stop prostate cancer in its tracks. This has been published, with my name on the same line as Ph.D's from Havard Med. I say this not to brag, but to underscore my feelings of irony. After all this, I don't even think I'm going into science. In fact, though I'll start in computer science, I have a feeling of destiny that I will become a lawyer. Perhaps I will marry the interests and become a patent lawyer in the computer industry. Or better yet, maybe I will join Apple's ravenous team and issue cease and desist letters left and right. Suffice to say, there is nothing like being in a battle of wits. Apart from that there isn't much to say, I consider myself an internal dork. I like many other things.

Though I haven't been vocal lately, just let me express my thanks that this is a great community that sponsors threads like this.
 
Ed, you went to Ohio State!!??! Oh man, I'm upset. I used to have a bumper sticker on my truck that said "OH HOW I HATE - OHIO STATE"
hehe, well that was in 97 after they beat us in the Rose Bowl. Anyhoo....

I was born in Mesa Arizona back in '79, grew up in Phoenix and now live in Tempe with a couple friends. We all go to ASU, I'm a Conservation Biology major working with AZ Game & Fish whome I hope to eventually be employed by. I'm an amphibian and reptile biologist (that's the label) but I primarily work with toads and frogs.

Actually, I'd like to move somewhere up north like Colorado or Oregon and work with their Game and Fish departments, but that's a year or two off and I can't be too picky.

That's my life. :)
 
Hee Hee, macko. the funny thing is that until i went to ohio state i hated them too. growing up in pac 10 country this is pretty much instilled upon you. but i was living in cols when i decided to finally get on with my college career and it was the best choice. now i'm a buckeye thru and thru.

"be true to your school" - beach boys

(oh, and macko - that was my senior year buckeyes that won that rose bowl. i wore a rose bowl pin on my graduation robe!! :D )
 
Hokey...

Was born at the tender as of 0 on Wallasey, near Liverpool, UK... Oct 1974 (share the same birthday as Pelé, which has it's irony later, as you will see)... Grew up as a happy not-so-well behaved kid, as all boys should... dividing my time between football (I refuse to call it soccer) and computers (my first being a BBC Micro B... gotta be English ;) ).

Anyways, had a really bad secondary education... came out of it with nothing but a need to go out and party every night, and the odd arrest...oops. Bucked my ideas up (1991), trained as a Sound Engineer, realised had no future in it, trained as a typographer/graphic designer, ended up graduating with Honours from the prestigous London College of Printing (LCP).

Met the girl of my dreams at LCP, a Brazilian who turned out to be more bizarre than me, was on and off for a while (men:rolleyes: )... on leaving LCP we immediately setup our design company in London, 1999. Struggled and struggled, and struggled... took a break for the 2000 New Year celebrations, on Copacabana beach, Rio :p ...

Got engaged in Bulgaria Spring 2001, got pregnant Autumn 2001, had beautiful 9.8Ib (4.3kg) baby July 2002... just made some money, moving back to Liverpool...

to be continued over the coming years ;)
 
....WAIT....I have to run and get some more coffee real quick....brb!

OK, I'm back.

I was born in Southern California in the summer of '75. Less than a year later my biological father was stationed in Germany in the Air Force. So my parents, me and my twin borther left for what was then West Germany--sounds weird to say that now. 2 years later we moved to Kansas where my little bro was born and my parents were divorced. Moved back to SoCal with my moms family. Shortly after that my mom met my Dad (really my step-dad, he's dad)...she met him through a friend she met while in Germany who herself was from Maine, where my dad's family lived and where friends with them.

We stayed there until after 8th grade (moved a couple of times in SoCal, but basically stayed there) which would have been around the late 80's. Oh yeah, during the 80's my parents had 2 girls...my sisters....they're cool! We moved to Minnesota when my dad got a new job...he was always in computers, which is where my introduction came from. But with the exception of a short time when the Quadra was out, he was always a Windows guy.

Stayed in MN for highschool and one year of college...then I got in 2 car accidents in 9 days and decided I needed to get out of town. So me and a budy joined the Navy and I was off to my first duty station in Keflavik, Iceland. Spent 2 years there and met my future wife there. She was a Navy photographer, and the hottest girl on base. 3 months after we started dating she got stationed back in DC....but we stayed in touch and after a year of dating I got sent to a ship in Virginia. One more year together and we had officially survived a 2 year long distance relationship. We both got out and got married and moved back to MN so I could finish college.

Did that in 3 years and got my BA in history from the University MN in May of 2001....another Big 10 school! We then moved back to Pennsylvania where my wife was from. After floundering in the job hunt in this backwoods area of the country we decided that starting our own business would be best. I did however finally get a job (while we were working on starting our businesses) to help tied us over. I do CAD drafting for a company that makes the machines that make drugs. Personally this work does nothing for me--oh wait, yes it does, it bores me! But hey, it's work.

Anyway, in April my wife, her mother and my wifes sister-in-law agreed to open an espresso bar in this little pass through town. On top of that, my wife and I are opening a photography and design studio--which by the way will finish construction some time this week! And on top of that, on mothers day this year we found out that my wife is pregnant. Now, she is HUGE...due on January 10th, but I am voting for a New Year's baby...do I get a vote? :)

Got my Mac because of the photo and design studio. Love it super much. Can't wait to get bills paid off enough to quit CADing and shoot all the time, and hang out with our new baby and Connie (my wife). We really are best friends and even after 4 years of marriage (6 together) and more stories than most people are age have, we are still totally stupid for eachother. It irritates other people that think the newly wed thing should've worn off by now...if it hasn't by now, it must NOT be a newly wed thing...we're just best friends.

So that's about it...things are sooooo busy in my life these days, but I really can't complain.........2 businesses going strong and a healthy baby on the way.....everyone should have my problems.

Macko....still didn't get those epson 820 factory inks yet for the test--see the previously mentioned life--very busy...but it will get done! One more thing...I don't know anything about what you are studying, but I have a budy that does Forrestry and whose wife does Fish and Wildlife. They are both studying at Humbolt University in Acadia, CA. Never been there, but apparently it's cool. Just thought I would throw that out.

Alright, I'm done...really...not really.

Eddie
 
So watch the vB server reject my story! LOL :D

Well, this is from what I feel is ok to be made public… :p

Growing Up:
I’m a Southern Californian…
I was born, raised and still live here (except for about 6 months living in Mexico at the age of 6), actually I think I’ve always lived in the County of Los Angeles (I’m in the Valley now).

Most of my childhood is a blur at best, a bad experience caused my mind to block most of it out. This part stays private.

My “adulthood” started the day when my stepfather died, making me the head of the household. Soon after (like the next week?) I had a job-related accident at College that severely injured my leg in two places – both my hamstring and ankle where torn, almost yanking my leg off in two places. My hamstring recovered with therapy but my ankle never did, which I now finally had surgery for (you might have notice me mentioning that now and then).

The worst thing about it was that – I was always very active and was about to join the Football team in College… Now I’m a “couch potato” waiting for Doc to release me, and Physical Therapy to begin so I can regain – or salvage what I can of my former life, lose the extra weight I’ve gained and be active again.

Love life:
I’ve dated more girls than I’m willing to admit - I lost count, and I don’t think anyone that knows me personally really has any idea, most would probably be in shock as I don’t seem like the type (I’m not, that’s just what life dealt me), I was engaged twice but never married (while dying to have my own little family, my friends think I’m crazy!).

One of the girls I wanted to settle down with (but not one of the ones I was engaged to) was going back home (Japan) and, back then I didn’t feel I had enough (read: good enough) to tell her to stay or even marry - and, basically, two guys (me included) where in love with her (the other in Europe) – the better man won (at least, he better be! Or I’ll yank his arms off!), to my misfortune. This was some years ago.

I’ve dated and been in a few more relationships since, the last few being so bad that I just decided to take a vacation and from dating for a while – I’ve been on this “vacation” for about a year now – unless you count going out with my best friend (who is female of same age) dating! :D


Work:
Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to work with computers, in Jr. High I kinda had an unofficial “business”, a “print shop” of sorts with my first computer (a Tandy 1000 EX), printing up flyers, “posters”, and banners for school (mostly students, some teachers) and I really loved it! Then my best friend wanted to take over, we got into an argument and disbanded the “company” (what’s the company without the owner, right?). The funny thing is – that she’s still my best friend, and that was the ONLY argument we ever had! :)

But I had a taste of having my own computer-based business… and I loved it!

At 18, I got my first “Windows PC”, a Packaged Hell – err I mean a Packard Bell with Windows 3.11 (have I mentioned I hated Macs back then? I had experience with tiny grayscale Mac at a Typesetting class that, after my color Tandy with “HUGE” monitor was just not going to cut it) to help with my homework (I ended up being a few years late to graduate from HS due to a back injury – am I accident prone or what? :D).

After graduating High School I started building my first computer to replace that POS Packard Bell… and I liked it (having previously taken apart the Packard Bell out of frustration while on hold with Tech Support, then putting it back together and actually working right for once)!

I was also introduced to the Internet, HTML and Photoshop. Soon after I volunteered as a web designer for a community site when my “big break” happened.

I was discovered by a small ISP and was soon hired as a Web and Graphic designer. I saw Windows NT 4, Linux and Servers… and something stirred in me…
I started doing much more than HTML, I started to learn how to run the servers and before long I was the Administrator running Windows NT4 Server, Caldera and Redhat Linux… Soon after my higher-up had left and I had full control. Everything started to be upgraded to Windows 2000 (but no Linux – as much as I kicked and screamed).

I then got a job for a sub-division of Xerox as a Tech and Web/Graphic Designer. I then bought my Mac and started to renew my childhood dream, attempted to start my own business – but then 9/11 happened and I got laid off... Talk about having the rug pulled from under you.

I went back to the small ISP – firing the kid who replaced me (not because I was coming back, but what I caught him doing – that the owner wasn’t smart enough to see, kid didn’t expect me coming back! LOL).

I then was offered a job as the IT and Technical Manager for a small Software Company (Windows) and at the same time I FINALLY got my own business up on it’s feet… Design for Web, Print, Multimedia, Computer Consulting, Computer Technician and whatever else I can get my hands on. :)

And that’s basically where I am now… on leave from the small software company, running my own business from home, trying not to go crazy from being cooped up recovering from surgery. :)
 
Very well, where should I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen-year-old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink, he would make outrageous claims, like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. A sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical.

Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. If I was insolent, I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds. Pretty standard, really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fifteen, a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shawn scrotum. At the age of eighteen, I went off to evil medical school.
 
*argh*

i hate writing my life story.

i was born in 2 different places. and i have never seen my birth certificate. then.. well. i could divide the life as "pre-mac" and "mac" life.

maybe i just don't feel enough poetic today... :-/
 
born 28/10/1984, same day as bill gates and 9 months 4 days after the Mac's unveiling (I came out early otherwise that'd really scare me). dont remember much of the first 5 years or the next 7 really. Reasonable secondary education, learnt important things like football should be played every day, windows 3.1 is M$'s best product and Macs rule. Got a Quadra 700 september 1999 which I did loads of work on then an iMac Christmas 2000 which lessend the work cos I could now play music and games :). Since then gone to college which is boring and all done on AMD 1700+ comps with Windows 98 and floppy drives (some archaic technology the younger members might not remember) which is a confusing mix that leads to loads of crashes. Other than that havent had a chance to do much.
 
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