Hi there HackThis!!
I have been involved in many online communities and i must say that the caliber of helpful and good people on HackThis!! is incredible! I am very glad that my little brother told me about HackThis!!
I apologize in advance about this long post, but i thought rather than the usual, of some people using the introductions forum to post “I AM NEW GIVE ME PASSWORD!”(just kidding), that i would actually introduce myself properly without fear of the “Enumerators”(just kidding) out there and just be honest about who i really am, especially if HackThis!! is to become my new /home. If this post is too long then don’t read it :P (side note: Admins/ Mods, if you feel this post is inappropriate and TMI then you are welcome to delete it) :)
Here is a little background on me:
In my earlier years i qualified as a chef, however cooking food for approximately 200 people 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, 3 months on and 2 weeks off, was not my cup of tea. I do not regret the experiences and knowledge earned during that stage of my life though.
I have a degree in sound engineering and have toured with many of the bands in my country doing the live sound setups and mixing during shows (loads of fun!). Out of sheer boredom, I built my own recording studio just for the hell of it and have helped many young bands, for free, who cannot afford the exorbitant costs of recording their demos and albums (I am very passionate about music). I majored in vocals and in my past taught advanced vocals at a music school. I also used to teach beginner and intermediate guitar and piano to kids privately. Violin and drums are a personal interest which i play purely for the fun of it and the furthering of my music knowledge. On a random note, Post Rock FTW!
From working in factories, on farms, in offices and in the field; i have learned many different valuable things. From printing, to manufacturing, distribution, production, marketing, graphic design, 3D design, animation, web development, basic programming, catering, sales, teaching, cattle farming, horse riding, basic electronics, recruitment and more. As you can see, knowing a little about everything as apposed to knowing everything about one trade is quite important to me. Knowledge is power! As cliche as that sounds, it is true. Side note: Gaming is a favorite pastime. All genres are great in my books.
I now own a business in the music industry (I am not going to bore you with exactly what it is that we do), in order to provide work for younger musicians who have just finished their degrees and need a “stepping stone” into the industry.
The hacker culture has always fascinated me! Although i am not extremely knowledgeable with regards to programming and such, i have always identified heavily with the hacker culture. The belief in free knowledge and the wonder of curios minds is something i have always loved, cherished and honored. I am now learning Python, Java and C++, as well as furthering my knowledge of HTML and PHP. To be quite honest i am not sure what hat i belong to.. probably neither for now.. just a knowledge hungry individual :P
Although i am quite an introverted type i have forced myself to be a little more extroverted in order to find a balance. I can be quite loud and over baring these days and i ramble a hell of a lot (As i am sure you have, by now, noticed). I have a short attention span and get bored rather easily. I was born with higher functioning autism (apparently i am told, but i don’t believe them, i just think i am odd and eccentric.) and have areas of my brain that are over developed and areas of my brain that are under developed. This is apparently why i can sit at my computer working for up to 70 hours but don’t ask me to run a bath or i will flood the house. This is also why i can adapt and understand many different things rather quickly but i have trouble reading analog watches and tying my shoe laces on demand amongst many other things, almost like i have blocked out certain aspects of life. I hate banks! I repeat i HATE banks! I do NOT deal with money of any sort, i just don’t like it. Everything i earn goes to my family and wife and they use it to pay for the things we all need.(Thank Buddha they are trustworthy and love me, else i would be screwed, living in a ditch somewhere.) I am a very passive person and do not like violent behavior, although i will fight, die or kill for the people i love.
I have more faults than the San Andreas fault but i am working on that :D especially with regards to my health and physicality, but i am now participating in Ninjutsu, Tai Chi and Zen classes which are making a huge difference. I grew up in a Buddhist family (Although i am from Scottish/French decent) and take many principals of it to heart, however i am not religious as i feel it wastes my time and hinders my open mind(however i do honor peoples rights to believe in whatever they choose). I believe in acceptance, understanding, compassion and kindness. My mind set has always been “You and me, here and now”, how i affect your life and how you affect mine is what counts. I also very strongly believe that the cake is a lie!
If you want to add me as a friend, you are welcome to. If you see there are challenges that i have completed that you are stuck on, you are more than welcome to PM me. However don’t PM me to ask for the answer, rather ask me relevant and specific questions and i will try to answer them the best i can and point you in the right direction. :)
I hope this has been a good read and i hope my grammar is bearable, alright enough rambling xD
