MISC
My IP; SpeedTest.Net; Floss Manuals;

I began writing HTML and JavaScript for website building in 1998 and launched my first personal site on July 4, 1999. The idea of building a website for myself began back around 1996-97 when the internet was being popularized by the various online services, such as AOL, Earthlink, and Compuserve.
I had no idea what I wanted to do with it, but I thought I could try it. After a few on-and-off phases of tinkering with HTML I almost gave up completely. My lack of creativity and the difficulty of learning something new that required some patience was overwhelming. It wasn't until I started reading and hearing about the kinds of people that were building websites that I decided to seriously hit the books.
Like everything else in life, it is somewhat difficult at first, but then it does get much easier as you go along.
Since first posting the site, there have been many changes to it, but they have been gradual, and are always ongoing.
Even though this website was created to do the things on the internet that I normally do, It is my earnest desire that it will have a little of something for my family and many of the people that I've had the pleasure of meeting and working with over the years, and to be a place where I can always be reached. Enjoy!

Since 1996 or so I have built several of my own computers for myself, family and a few friends. The one I used previously was built in 2009 and was in use until May of 2024. I never expected it to run that long and be so efficient, but it did everything I needed! Some crashing and sluggishness issues began a couple of months prior that made me consider building another one. I could have just fixed the problem but decided to replace the old computer and build a new one, I think it was time for that.
I also ran an FTP server in the early 2000's on another computer using the Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Ubuntu operating systems. After 2010 or so cloud storage had grown so much in popularity there was really no need for that anymore, so after 10 plus years of service I took it down permanently in 2012. However Cloud storage is another fee I could do without, so I will probably at some point have my own cloud server here at home for my personal files.
As of 2016 I Have been running a media server which I use for a KODI media center and a PLEX server on a Synology 923+ NAS. I have a fairly large collection of movies and TV shows, mostly older ones from the 50's thru the 70's, and the server stores digital copies of them that I ripped. It is only for my own personal use.

I am a regular Linux user because I'm a big fan of open-source(OS) software and because I can do just about everything I need to do with it and it is free..
My old ISP stopped hosting web file services back in 2018 so I decided to run my own Apache Web Server from home. I created one using a Raspberry Pi 4B single board computer (SBC). It's nothing flashy but it serves a small website like this one just fine. I just don't want to pay a monthly fee for file hosting. I got my Pi for 35 dollars back in 2017 and that's all I had to pay.
The Pi served me well until early 2024, when I decided to upgrade it for one of those mini PC's on the market, the Bosgame N95. There are plenty of different models on most shopping websites. I settled for something in the 150-200 dollar range. It runs an Ubuntu Linux server with a similar setup to the old Pi. So far I am very happy with it.
if this is something you may want to try, there are many people online that will help you and instruct how to set it up, including myself. But I won't kid you, and I guarantee you will hit a roadblock on the way, it just never fails. You just have to be persistent. If you're up for a new challenge then this could be just for you.
When you are finished then it will have been all worth it!
If you'd rather do something else with your server there are many other things you can do, everything from file serving to a media center to home security or automation and more.

A SHORT BIO:
I was born in Los Angeles and raised for the most part of my younger years in the San Gabriel Valley, in the cities of Whittier and San Dimas. The best part about being a kid and growing up for me was the fact that we didn't relocate any more after we moved to San Dimas when I was 5. It wasn't perfect, but I am thankful to my parents for giving us some good memories to reflect on. Living there for the 13 years or so allowed me to make some lifelong friendships. Sadly to say, I hardly see any of them these days because many have either relocated due to their careers or economics or other factors. We all have to make a life for ourselves and family.

I attended Gladstone Elementary school(K-5), Ramona Intermediate school in La Verne, and graduated from San Dimas High School. My favorite subjects were mathematics, the social sciences, and physical education. I liked playing rugby and soccer in P.E. but I actually only competed in tennis and baseball. I'm a big football and racing fan these days, but I will attend just about any sporting event out there, if I could afford it, which is another subject........

After high school, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do as far as a career in something was concerned. I definitely was not college minded then.
A good friend of mine had already enlisted in the Navy and we talked about it and I ended up speaking with his recruiter. I had no idea there were so many things a person could do in the armed forces. After taking their exams they recommended I enlist in their nuclear power program. I chose to be an Electrician's-Mate. I knew nothing about electrical systems at the time, but I was always fascinated and curious how it made things work. It turned out to be a great decision for me.

The Navy was a great experience for me personally. I was doing something I really liked and I was able to travel to many diverse places, which was the best part of being there. I had a chance to re-enlist with a huge money bonus, but turned it down because I just wanted to make my own career. The military takes great care of its own, but I just felt If I remained there I was limiting myself, and I wanted to learn other things in the electrical and electronics trades.

Since becoming a civilian again I have obtained employment with some great employers, but since the majority of my work was involved with defense contractors (aerospace, civil service), and was in the Production and Manufacturing Industries, it was difficult to stay employed for any period longer than 5 or 6 years. California has seen many employers shut down or leave elsewhere since the 1980's.
During those times, I did manage to continue my education and take courses in Industrial Electronics, Computer Programming and Networking, and Robotics, which has been invaluable in my work.

There is also a fun side of life which we all share, but I won't elaborate on my personal experiences here, you have better things to read. Suffice it to say that life for me has been good and quite normal, but not necessarily uneventful. I think everybody has a story to tell.
The previous being said, I will now part with well wishes to all. So, without further delay, these paragraphs are now ending. Happy browsing and if you wish to make any comments about my website or just make contact then please E-mail Me.