I work at IPI, Inc., a company that primarily does property inspections for the insurance industry.  We also have a set of fairly cool software, which is why I'm there. I'm 100% virtual; I write all my code from home, and have only seen my (also virtual) boss five  times in 4 years.  While there's been some ups and downs to settling into a virtual work environment, I generally like it a LOT!

I also run my own Software Company, on the side.  I've been writing various interesting (and not that interesting) software since 1991, under the name Ratajik Software.  It's mostly there for when I want to write something fun (that doesn't apply to my day job), or explore some new technology.  My latest project is StationRipper - which seems to be at least somewhat interesting, as I have a user base of several million.  Ratajik Software produces mostly shareware, public domain, and open source.  I've written lots of other software over over the years.  You can see the newer ones on http://www.ratajik.com, and some of the older ones here and here.

Before I worked at IPI, I worked at Affinity Technology for six years, as a Senior Systems Architect and then Chief Architect (I wrote client/server, web, GUI, et. al, software.)  I tend to be a fairly hard-core OO and C++ (and now C#) kind of guy.  I've programmed at some other cool places, including IBM (Hey!  OS/2 was COOOOL!), National Geographic Society (the project blew chunks a bit I got there, but it would have been a rather extreme project), PMSC (a really big shop with lots of business types in suits). 

I've been programming since I was 12, staring off on a Commodore Pet (soon followed by a Vic-20 and C64), writing all kinds of useless stuff in BASIC.  By 14, I realized how much FASTER sprites moved when done using assembly code, so I spent a couple of years writing mixed BASIC and Assembly.  I'm currently into C#/C++, OOD/OOA, Distributed Computing, and the 'net.  If there's been one constant in my life, it's been my passion for programming and technology. 

I also read a lot (I'm up to around 3900 books in my library now!).  I'm also constantly reading technical books (must.. learn... more!)   I'll eventually put up a recommended reading list someday...

I tend to customize my office in odd and interesting ways, if you want to see. (See more office pics in the Affinity WebCAM Archive...).  

I've done around 92 abstract oil paintings over the last ten years (and am usually showing them, or some of the mixed photo/computer art I do, at various local coffee shops and galleries).  I've set up a fairly cool site to show them, if you'd like to take a look.

I cook a bit, and am starting a Cooking page (hey, programmers really CAN cook!  Of course, I generally DON'T, as it's hard to prepare big dinners when you're working 80 hour weeks...  but it's still fun to do occasionally).

I bought a 1998 Corvette a couple of years ago, which I enjoy a lot.