My Story
I was born in Vancouver BC, Canada. I currently live in the same city. I suppose though that I'm the poster boy for life really being about what's between the covers, since I'm most certainly not "born and raised" in this locale.
The first memories I have are of Italy, where I lived with my family for a year and first attended school, followed by the cold in Edmonton, living on a farm in Olds, moving to Toronto at 10, and joining the Canadian Army at 17.
I spent five years in the Infantry, first with the reserves (Toronto Scottish Regiment) and then with the regular force (1 PPCLI). I was a lot younger and fitter then, but many of the lessons learned over those 5 years still resonate strongly with me today. You never really leave the Infantry, I guess.
Returning to civilian life in 1997, I bought a computer and hopped aboard what was fast becoming the dot com crazy train.
I took a full time intensive program at a professional school (CDI College) and 13 months later graduated as "valedictorian". Thankfully, my interest in the
subject matter made up for the fact that my school of choice was more a money grab than an institution of higher learning. Regardless, I collected a decent grasp of
the basics - including about as much Assembly as anyone would want to know - and just enough coding time in C++ and Visual Basic to be dangerous employable. It was 1999 after all!
I started making web pages and tought myself a bit of Perl, a lot of ASP and the mechanics of the internet. I've since grown to include PHP and my current primary language Python in my repertoire.
In 2001, I took a snowboarding trip to Whistler, BC on a one way ticket. A few months later, I met the girl who I'd eventually marry.
The following year, I happened upon the Group Benefits industry and found myself involved as much in the industry as in making web applications. I continue to work within this interesting though often overlooked field attempting to bring some innovation to an industry that often views change as something slightly less desirable than a lobotomy.
I'm also currently taking part in the most challenging - albeit rewarding - experience I think life has to offer, being a father to two very active little boys. My wife's job is to maintain sanity in the household. Given that, I'm often excused from this particular encumbrance. I apologise in advance.
A Bit About This Website
This website is my personal home on the web; it is both professional and personal. It's an evolution of various incarnations that have existed since 2004. One would think that this wouldn't need to be said, but to be clear, everything I write on this website is my own personal view and should never be taken to be the opinion of the company I work for nor any other entity that I may in some way be connected to.
A Bit About "run4yourlives"
"run4yourlives" is my internet handle, and has been since about 1997. Odds are if you see it on the interwebs, it's me. There's not much of a story behind it. When I bought my first computer I bought a Homer Simpson mouse pad to go with it. On the image he was sitting at his desk at the nuclear plant eating a donut or something, oblivious to the meltdown in progress. "Run4yourlives" was on one of the read outs. When I needed a name for the internet, I picked the closest thing I could find. I've used it ever since.
Random Oddities
I've set foot in every Canadian province and territory west of the maritimes.
I think I have, a habit of overusing commas, no seriously, I do.
I've driven across Canada and the US at least 6 times. I once did Calgary to Toronto (via the US) in 36 hours.
I've slept in an igloo that I helped make. In Nunavut. In February. I learned that when it comes to making igloos, white men should just use a tent.
I have one major regret in life so far - not learning how to fly; I wanted to be a fighter pilot when I was younger. I intend to change this within the next few years.
I did a lot of things people would consider crazy in the army, but I ended up breaking my foot on a simple route march. Of course, I continued walking for a good 2-4 km on said broken foot in full gear, but still; walking.