CALIFORNIA.SYSTEMS

  California, IT, Vintage Computing, Earthquakes

This is a personal website unaffiliated with any office, agency, or service of the State of California.

Introduction

Welcome to my personal website. I'm an IT systems engineer working in the Los Angeles area. My interests include the geology and history of California, earthquake science, vintage computing, *nix systems, classical music, and volunteer work. I'm proudly a sustaining member of the KUSC radio station, and would encourage you to pledge support if you listen.

I have comprehensive professional background as a systems engineer in the MSP space, with expertise in Linux, Azure, Office 365, firewalls, networking, and storage. Systems engineering is a living for me: my main passion is vintage computing (it turns out being good with a Commodore 64 gives you a unique perspective that's highly applicable to modern computing).

While I'm not a qualified geologist by any means, I've driven to see extensive stretches of the San Andreas Fault. I fear it like any Angeleno, but all it took to become awestruck with and enamored of our mysterious seismic neighbor was the decision to try and find it (turns out it's not easy).

I'm an avid classical music listener, filled with strong, but unqualified, opinions on the subject. The music of Scott Joplin, Chopin, and Schubert is dearest to my heart, though I find it hard not to also lose myself in Bach's soulfulness, Vivaldi's fury, and Mozart's uncanny humanity.

California is a jewel and a lifetime isn't enough to explore it fully. Work keeps me busy, but I nevertheless make an effort to take in my beloved homeland. I'll even go so far as to say I love Los Angeles... whatever it is (last I checked, "city" runs the paradoxical danger of both selling it short and giving it far too much credit).

Finally, this website obviously presents a curated view of who I am. I say so because it would be shamelessly superficial to not. I conceal weaknesses and show my proudest interests... don't we all? Hopefully I've sufficiently acknowledged my humanity with this little observation.

Updates

Morse Code Trainer - Koch Method (Beta)

Published: March 23, 2025

A Morse code trainer utilizing the Koch pedagogy method (play characters at speed with a wide gap, reducing the gap as the student gains familiarity). The UI is lazy in this stage, and improvements are planned.

Multi-Base Arithmetic Calculator (Beta)

Published: March 13, 2025

A multi-base (hex, decimal, octal, binary) arithmetic calculator inspired by the intuitive command-line calculator built into Mikro Assembler for the Commodore 64.

Challenging IT Questions

Published: March 11, 2025

Here are some challenging IT questions to stretch the brain of any technician. The questions are rooted in either concepts which seem difficult for most technicians (e.g.: subnetting [ . . . ]

Semi-Professional Biography

Published: March 10, 2025
Threw out a quick summary of my personal and professional background.

My dad is a software developer, so I grew up surrounded by discarded computers and disparate technical publications. My first clue that I liked computers came when I pined for the Windows 9x-style UI [ . . . ]

San Andreas Fault - Trip 2 - Palmdale

Published: November 9, 2024
A short account of my second trip to see the San Andreas Fault in Palmdale, complete with pictures.

My second trip was short and sweet. My work dispatched me to a Chatsworth customer to shut down and bring up servers for a limited power outage. There were a few hours to burn while waiting for power [ . . . ]

San Andreas Fault - Trip 1 - Cajon Pass-Wrightwood-Valyermo

Published: October 25, 2024
Finally published! A detailed record of my first visit to the San Andreas Fault, with citations and photos!

I took my first itinerary largely from Geology Underfoot in Southern California's 19th "Vignette", assisted by the BackroadsWest Trips Blog "San Andreas Fault Tour near Wrightwood." They're essentially [ . . . ]

San Andreas Fault

Published: October 5, 2024
Starting off my California-themed personal website expressing what seeded my obsession with California's sculptor and mysterious seismic adversary.

In 2022, I got the idea to see the San Andreas Fault.

My work dispatched me to Indio which, somehow, I knew was two miles from the fault. Figuring it was a landmark as conspicuous as any feature, like [ . . . ]

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