Hello World

Ever sense I got a Super Nintendo when I was about five years old I always wanted to understand the technologies and tools behind my favorite games such as Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country and Super Metroid.

Unfortunately, I grew up in foster care and none of my foster parents would allow me to divulge in this curiosity. While my classmates would have their own personal computers, I had to type my assignments with a typewriter. Going to the local libraries or having any other means to access to any information to learn outside of school was also forbidden. I spent my free time practicing arts that are related to game development such as drawing, writing and playing on a four octave keyboard a music teacher gave me.

I aged out of the system when I turned eighteen. At this time I was building a website for Mark Westcott in exchange for piano lessons. At that time I was in school as a music major and wanted to go into composision or conducting. After a few quarters I realized I really enjoyed web development. I switched into a web development degree and been in working in it ever sinse then.

After graduating I worked briefly at a small design company in Portland. Not only did they not pay me what we agreed on, they paid me less than minimum wage. I quit after a few months and shortly after started working at Dorey Design Group, another design agency, for a few years before I branched out on my own as a freelancer.

I specialize in building websites and web applications with WordPress and Symfony. I follow the agile menifesto and work with interactive prototypes instead of mocking up designs. I find prototyping to be quicker to make large design changes and more effective for testing how well a design works.

This blog will have a mix of post about web development and some of my hobbies. In addition to web development I will be blogging about game development and design. I also play the piano and do ballroom dancing but I do not think I would blog about them. I am tempted to blog foster care and other social topics important to me but at this time I will refrain from doing them. I may change my mind at some point in the future.

Until next time.