About
The Strong I.T. Guy
Two sides, one habit of not quitting until it’s figured out — fixing the machine, and building the body that runs it.
The I.T. side
I’ve been in the I.T. world since I was about 13. My grandfather gave me five computers and none of them worked. I didn’t know a thing — thermal paste? Eww, let me clean that off. It took about a month of piecing them into one before I got a single machine running: an old IBM Aptiva. I loaded up Windows ME, and while most people hated ME, I loved it — it was my first system.
From there I tinkered and explored. Teachers started pulling me out of class to fix computers, and once one paid me to fix her personal machine, I realized I could make some extra cash. I worked residential, graduated to business customers, then moved into surveillance systems and large Wi-Fi networks. Basically, if it paid, I played.
I’ve done work for SONY, Dell, HP, VIZIO, and Samsung in some way — a lot of it warranty work, which meant a huge variety of systems and problems and making the call on whether to replace a part. I’ve seen roach-ridden machines, tar from smoke, and files that required bringing in the FBI. I haven’t seen it all, not by a long shot. Any IT pro will tell you: you have to learn to learn, or you’ll fail. Today I’m the sole IT guy for a small engineering company — couldn’t ask for a better place to be.
The whole point of this blog is to post about the weird, crazy issues I come across — hopefully it helps another tech at some point. I can’t tell you how many times a forum post from seven years ago got me exactly where I needed to be.
The strong side
I’ve always had a passion for fitness and running, and I wanted a place to share the workouts I come up with — plus a few I’ve come to favor. I love Mud Runs: Spartan Race (trifecta tribe!), Tough Mudder, and random local races. If it challenges you to dig deep, it’s my grind. I don’t give up easy — my wife and mother could attest to that.
I mostly train in my garage gym and with a local workout group I started, focused on bodyweight movements — you can sum up my workouts as HIIT-style. I also help coach youth wrestling at a local high school. I hope you enjoy these workouts; feedback is always welcome.
From time to time I review products I’ve personally used — some of those include affiliate links. We’re a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.