#+TITLE: About Me
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* People In My Life

If you're interested in game engine tech, my younger brother is working on a game engine and graphics engine of his own. You can read about it on [[https://p0ly.com/][his website]]. I like to think of him as my protégé, but he's mostly self-taught.

My fiancée, Oli, also has a [[https://hewwo.ooo/][website built with Haunt]].

* Curriculum Vitae

I currently hold a Master of Science from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_University][Brown University]] in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science from the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Massachusetts_Amherst][University of Massachusetts]] in Computer Science and Mathematics.

I am not an engineer, and I am not a scientist. Perhaps I was in the past, and perhaps I will find myself in one of those roles again some day. But today, I am neither of those things, and don't especially care to be.

** Coursework at University of Massachusetts

| Course        | Course Description             | Grade |
|---------------+--------------------------------+-------|
| CICS 191CICS1 | FYS - CICS                     | A     |
| COMPSCI 187   | Programming w/Data Structures  | A     |
| COMPSCI 220   | Programming Methodology        | A     |
| COMPSCI 230   | Computer Systems Principles    | A     |
| COMPSCI 240   | Reasoning Under Uncertainty    | A     |
| COMPSCI 250   | Introduction To Computation    | A     |
| COMPSCI 311   | Introduction to Algorithms     | A     |
| COMPSCI 320   | Software Engineering           | P     |
| COMPSCI 373   | Intro to Computer Graphics     | A     |
| COMPSCI 453   | Computer Networks              | A     |
| COMPSCI 466   | Applied Cryptography           | A     |
| COMPSCI 575   | Combntrcs&Graph Thry           | A     |
| COMPSCI 590J  | Cyber Effects                  | A     |
| COMPSCI 690C  | FoundationsAppliedCryptography | A     |
| MATH 132      | Calculus II                    | A     |
| MATH 233      | Multivariate Calculus          | A     |
| MATH 235      | Intro Linear Algebra           | A     |
| MATH 331      | Ord Dif Eq/Sci Eng             | A     |
| MATH 370      | Writing in Mathematics         | A     |
| MATH 411      | Intro to Abstract Algebra I    | A     |
| MATH 471      | Theory Of Numbers              | A     |
| MATH 551      | Int Scientfc Comput            | P     |
| STATISTC 515  | Statistics I                   | A     |

I've excluded courses taken to meet general education requirements. My degree was awarded /Summa Cum Laude/ on May 14th, 2021.

** Coursework at Brown University

| Course     | Course Description            | Grade |
|------------+-------------------------------+-------|
| CSCI 1260  | Compilers + Program Analysis  | A     |
| CSCI 1510  | Intro Cryptography + Comp Sec | A     |
| CSCI 1670  | Operating Systems             | A     |
| CSCI 1710  | Logic for Systems             | A     |
| CSCI 1730  | Design + Implement Prog Langs | A     |
| CSCI 1951X | Formal Proof and Verification | A     |
| CSCI 2980  | Reading and Research          | A     |
| CSCI 2980  | Reading and Research          | A     |

My degree was awarded February 11th, 2024. I suppose they don't do Latin honors for the Master's program at Brown.

* My Interests

** Free Software

I like programming and I've found using free software to be a good way to scratch that itch. Bugs invite investigation and hacking on the code. If I want to do something that a piece of software doesn't currently support, I can grab the source code and bend it to my will. And I feel better about releasing my side projects out to the world for anyone to use and benefit from for free, because techbro entrepreneurs who productize everything are annoying, and I make enough money that I don't need to be one.

This is the software I use:

- Gentoo GNU/Linux
  - OpenRC
  - NetworkManager on laptop, netifrc everywhere else
  - Bash
  - MATE
  - xremap
- Mozilla Firefox
- GNU Emacs
- Claws Mail
- Transmission
- Ghidra
- Radare2

I used to be a tiling window manager (Awesome) user but installed MATE after a re-read of Xah Lee's article "[[http://xahlee.info/linux/why_tiling_window_manager_sucks.html][Why Tiling Window Manager Sucks]]" and frankly haven't looked back. I'm usually just using a maximized Emacs window.

I used to be a "Emacs for everything" type, but sometimes specialized tools are better for the job. For example, if I really did believe in using Emacs for everything I would probably be using [[https://github.com/emacsorphanage/org-page][org-page]]. I've come to accept that Emacs inter-operating with other applications is probably a bit better than shoehorning every possible use-case into it.

My Emacs configuration can be found [[https://git.sr.ht/~jakob/.emacs.d][here]].

** Computer Security

People I work with are sometimes surprised by my aptitude here. Truth is, I have literally been into this stuff since I was eleven years old. Amid my early years with computer programming, I was briefly introduced to web development and, in particular, PHP, which has a reputation for the ease with which one can introduce security vulnerabilities. There was a section in the book I was going through full of examples about SQL injection. That was enough for me to get hooked. I found [[https://www.hackthissite.org/][HackThisSite]] shortly afterward and got into CTF. I was an early follower of [[https://yewtu.be/playlist?list=PLhixgUqwRTjxglIswKp9mpkfPNfHkzyeN][LiveOverflow]] and played with [[https://web.archive.org/web/20210518161049/https://0xbu.com/blog/][0xBU]] on the weekends while I was in high school.

When I was at UMass, I was an e-board member of the [[https://umasscybersec.org/][UMass Cybersecurity Club]] and made a dozen or so challenges for their CTFs.

** Radio Spectrum

I am a licensed (general class) ham, but I am rarely active. My callsign is KR3UZE.

** Food and Cooking

Fitness and diet go hand-in-hand for a lot of people, and that was certainly the case with me. I had always been interested in cooking, having grown up around two decent home cooks who watched [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Eats][Alton Brown]] et al. (I've seen him live!), but I got really into it when I started my extensive fitness regimen. I was making supper for my family most nights starting when I was fifteen.

When I started, I didn't really consider it an interest, because I saw it as just another thing that everyone has to do (like doing laundry or cleaning the house - two similar tasks that no one considers a hobby or interest), but I get a great deal of enjoyment out of exploring different flavors and textures. I love learning about new techniques and new cuisines. There's a cultural piece to cooking and eating food that simply isn't present with other household chores, and so I put a lot of importance on the task of feeding myself.

My favorite things are soups and stews, spicy curries, and American barbecue.

** Electric Vehicles

Most of my adult life was spent uninterested in cars. I was fortunate to have one, but I rarely worked on it myself because I didn't care to learn how and I had a mechanic I trusted. It lasted me a pretty long time, but failed inspection when I moved down to Virginia because the frame was rusted to hell. That's when I got a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang_Mach-E][Ford Mustang Mach-E]] (RWD Select), which was probably one of the better purchases I've made in my life. I love it. Maybe because it's more of a computer on wheels than a car.

It's reliable, doesn't demand much in the way of maintenance, and I can charge it for virtually no cost at work. I'm firmly sold on electric cars.

#+CAPTION: My beautiful blue Mustang. I'm still deciding on a name.
[[file:mach-e.jpg]]

I had originally wanted to hold out until [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_battery][solid-state battery]] tech made its way into EVs to get one, but it will probably be some time before the cost is reasonable and the kinks are worked out. I think my pony will at least last until then.

** Marksmanship

I try not to let this be a big part of my personality because I really do not want to be regarded as a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_culture_in_the_United_States][gun nut]], but I do enjoy shooting and working with firearms. Despite getting out to the range only once in a blue moon, I'm a pretty good shot. Probably due to my perfect eyesight and being fit enough to have exceptional control over my breathing.

#+CAPTION: Me and my weapon of choice.
[[file:weapon-of-choice.jpg]]

I like the AR-15 platform because it "just works" and I can wrap my head around it enough to build one. And I like Glocks, but I'm not otherwise huge into handguns.

** Video Games

Like many, my interest in computer programming started with video games. The wedding gift my uncle gave my parents was a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64][Nintendo 64]]. That's what I grew up with. Some of my earliest memories were of playing video games -- I was definitely playing them at the age of 3 if not earlier. I have a soft spot for [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Ocarina_of_Time][Ocarina of Time]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Majora%27s_Mask][Majora's Mask]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Majora%27s_Mask][Super Mario 64]].

I did a lot of PC gaming throughout elementary school and middle school. Most of that time being spent on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_(game_engine)][Source Engine]] games like [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Fortress_2][Team Fortress 2]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Source][Counter-Strike]], and other old first-person shooters like [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_(1993_video_game)][Doom]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quake_(video_game)][Quake]]. I played [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Global_Offensive][Counter-Strike: Global Offensive]] quite a bit at the beginning of high school, and then my interest in games started to drop off.

Now that my life involves a lot of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurry_up_and_wait]["hurry up and wait,"]] I've been getting back into them somewhat. I mostly play on, in order of portability, an [[https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xxsp?srsltid=AfmBOoppIyaVcQ5BXlz0KT2ibHKBGXNEOckDhiI8RqHC_z60s0bzptl5][Anbernic RG35XXSP]] running [[https://muos.dev/][MuOS]] (Tael), a [[https://www.goretroid.com/products/retroid-pocket-4-handheld?srsltid=AfmBOop2ePZOKFk_AR1gx--7UrZHzKIAb8jbGAr-yntF7IsVu0gKdmpI][Retroid Pocket 4 Pro]] (Navi), and a [[https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck/][Steam Deck]] (Saria). When I have an aching to play some shooter games or something with very complicated controls (like [[https://cataclysmdda.org/][Cataclysm]] or [[https://cataclysmdda.org/][X-COM]]), I do it on my old tower.

* My Fundamentals

** Fitness

Every day of my life begins with exercise. I am impeded only by an act of God.

#+CAPTION: Current body as of April 13, 2023.
[[./cbt-2023-04-13.jpg]]

I've been working out almost daily since I was fourteen.

Sports don't interest me much. I just like looking fit and trim, so exercise is either long-distance cardio (most often running) or hypertrophy-focused weightlifting.

** Substance Use

I don't drink (though I do cook with alcohol). I also don't do anything conventionally considered to be a drug or controlled substance. I could probably considered [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_edge][straight edge]] if not for being a heavy user of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine][caffeine]] and an occasional user of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine][nicotine]].