Early Life
I was born in 1983 and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin by two parents who are still together. I am the oldest of four and an uncle five times over. There are so many members of my extended family I cannot possibly name them all.
As a child I attended a small WELS Lutheran school, but started to realize around 6th grade that faith was not for me. As a teen I was perpetually grounded for causing trouble and staying out past curfew. But I loved tinkering and technology, and that natural curiosity would be useful later in finding a career.
College Years
As a C student in high school no one really expected me to be on the Deans List every semester at UW-Oshkosh. I obtained an education degree in German and Communications and was licensed to teach K12. I studied for a semester at Philipps Universitaet in Marburg, Hessen, which was a very formative experience. In Germany I further developed a love for bike riding, photography, and adventure.
This was followed by a masters degree in library media and technology from UW-Whitewater. I married my coworker and girlfriend of several years before moving to Charlotte, NC to start work full time in IT.
Post-College
A strong desire to return to Wisconsin unfortunately led to a divorce, and settling into downtown. Since 2014 I have been employed at UW-Madison.
During this time I began to experiment more with my creative interests, which included a podcast around my explorations, speaking at live events, costuming, hosting Geeks Who Drink, traveling to unique locations, expanding my photography skills, and eventually 3D printing.
In the course of my adventures over the last decade I have been held at gunpoint, tear gassed in riots, met celebrities and political figures, explored the Pripyat Nuclear Exclusion Zone, discovered a Nazi shrine in Wisconsin, and snuck into Mike Tyson’s mansion just to name a few. I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, Germany, Ukraine, Ireland, and would love to travel more places to satisfy an intense Wanderlust.
Bucket List
- Oktoberfest in Muenchen
- Tokyo / Fukushima
- Rome / Paris / London
- Drive to Alaska
- Visit an active volcano
Random Facts
Barack Obama follows me on Twitter.
I have seen The Empire Strikes Back so many times that I can tell you specifics about a scene with just a slight audio clue.
If you don’t like Taco Bell we are not going to work out.
I can do a fairly decent Bill Clinton impression, but my Randy “Macho Man” Savage is the cream of the crop (ooohhh yyyeeeaaahhh).
I programmed a horse racing simulator for the Apple II computer in 2020 and sold four whole copies.