"About Me" ... A self-centered topic to be sure; for a personal webpage is such an egotistical endeavor ... But then that's what a personal webpage is for, isn't it? In general I think I'm a decently nice guy... or I'd like to think so.
I am a computer geek, eeking out an existence here in California's beautiful Central Coast. I live in the small town of Arroyo Grande, about 20 miles south of San Luis Obispo. It is very pretty here, and generally cool all year 'round. I do computer tech work when I can get it; and, as you can see, I can write webpages. I also have a workshop in my garage, full of old "undead" computer parts. When I assemble a working computer out of such parts, I call it a "frankencomputer". 8) I have multiple computers running - see "my computers" below. In fact my goal now is to have as many computers working as possible, and then see if someone can use them.
I am both a computer geek and a science geek : that means that I tend to be technical minded, and realistic. I like to solve problems and reach realistic solutions. I am a scientific person and like to learn new things. I like to discuss and argue scientific ideas. Or argue, babble, or pontificate about scientific subjects. I find that tends to make a lot of people (mainly non-geeks) run away. (I am not the only person who does this, nor the only person who has noticed and written about the strange behavioral patterns of "normal" people.) Oh - Playing with chemicals can be fun, too. 8) (My friend John teaches me that.)
But I am also creative, and spiritual, with a liking for the far-out or spacy... I used to be an introvert, but now I've turned into an extrovert. I like to be with different and interesting people and appreciate the unique things that each person has to offer. Nevertheless I haven't been "extrovertive" for most of my life, so I am still very shy (in person) with people I don't know. Many people are more bold on the computer than they are in person. In recent years I've also learned some things about psychology, which I always find interesting. Sometimes I find myself playing amateur counselor to my friends. I don't mind. I like being helpful to people when I can. More recently I've learned to meditate, and am interested in improving in meditation and self control. And I have even taken an interest into things metaphysical. It can be fun to try to "suspend disbelief" for a while and read about psychic phenomena.
One of the things I've concluded about this life is that people need to be quirky or "eccentric" in some way to be interesting, and all true geniuses are a little insane. Intelligence and a bit of insanity seem to run together.
I'm philosophical too. I love to discuss concepts, and I enjoy a good argument; as long as one can stick to ideas and not get personal, or resort to ad hominum. Yet I am also a romantic. I know it's matters of the heart that matter the most in this life. Honesty and "being real" with people are very important to me. I am very ingenuous. [ That's ingenuous - not ingenious. Look it up. I did. Though I'd be flattered if you thought I was ingenious too. 8) ]
I love Nature and the outdoors : camping, hiking... and just experiencing spending some time out in the Real world, away from this fake world of cities and money that we have created. I always draw strength and calmness from the beauty of nature.
I tend to see our society as koyaanisqatsi, and believe that the people we displaced had better values than we do. I think Leaver cultures are better than Taker cultures.
I've been described as spacy and laid-back, by some. I'm into Oriental philosophy in general. In religion I call myself a Taoist, and in philosophy an antinomian, though neither of those is quite exactly right. I think you can learn about Tao from sitting by the lake and dangling your toes in the water. I'd like to think I'm the type that with sufficient state of mind might wander the streets at noon with a lamp - looking for an honest man.
Well, of course computers and things scientific, as I've already said. I'm also a science fiction fan : I love Babylon 5 and Star Trek. I like reading books by such people as Clarke and Asimov and Heinlein and Ursula K. Le Guin. (By the way, Ursula has a lot of very good stories that defy classification.) I also like to make candles. I make some nice "squish" candles that have a marbled effect. I like just about anything creative.
Yes - I am a coded geek !
I urge all geeks to "come out" and be proud of your geekyness!
Here is my .plan - something only a
real geek would include in an HTML document.
It contains my
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_|
Rhyader ___| ~the perfect square has no corners
~~~+~~~ _____| the highest notes are hard to hear~
________|
___________| ______
--------------|-------------- \ / be
|----------- \ / who
He who flys afar |-------- \/ you are
from the sphere |----- reach for the stars
of our sorrow |---
is here today |-
and here tomorrow
rhyader@surfari.net http://www.surfari.net/~rhyader
Geek Code: GS/CS/O -d+ p-- c++ l(+) u e+* m+ s++ n--@ h f+ g+ w++ t+ r yy+
Peace, Love, and French Fries to All !
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Like wOw!
I have even attempted to define the term geek in my glossary.
You can take a look at the
Glossary
and see what you think.
My Computers
My "Main" computers used to be Calvin and Hobbs. But now they are Spiff and Calvin. Hobbs is running, but not used much. Spiff is my "new" computer, a K6 266 Pentium Class Clone. Spiff is the most temperamental and unstable of my computers. Calvin is a 486 DX 100. Hobbs is a 486 DX and currently has a 66 MHz processor. These names come from the "Calvin and Hobbs" comic strip, of course. "Spiff" is when Calvin turns into "Spaceman Spiff" ! Someday I want to turn one of these computers into a linux box with X-windows.
Then there's my working original IBM PC, with the IBM 10 meg hard drive, yet. I plan to keep it, thinking it will be valuable someday as a museum piece. It still plays CGA games. Then there is the MAC SE with the original blazing 68000 processor on which I enjoy games and using Superpaint II - a program I have yet to see equaled by anything in the PC World, unless it is at least a thousand times as big and takes a million times the computing power. I make drawings on the old MAC SE, export them as Tiffs, and print them on the IBM with Photoshop. I also have an old industrial strength 386 DX that I'll get running someday, and a couple of extra XT type computers. A menagerie of ancient computerdom.
Uh Oh. Here's where I start saying things that some people won't like. I may even piss you off. But that's politics, you know.
In politics I am an "ultra-liberal". And yet also a moderate socialist. I believe that the benefits of technology and society should be available to everyone, not just those with a lot of money. I don't really espouse any political party - though I do like the Pansexual Peace Party.
"Ultra Liberal" :
That means I believe in real freedom - not the illusion of freedom.
And I would like it if people could live more according to the Wiccan Creed:
An harm done: Do what thou wilt.
(As long as what you do does not harm others, do what you like.)
For example, if you have a problem with what someone else does behind closed
doors in their own house, be it wild gay sex or smoking a little harmless weed
... then you have a problem.
As an "ultra-liberal" I oppose political correctness;
I know that "affirmative action" and "equal opportunity" are mutually exclusive
("affirmative action" is discrimination). I support Gay Rights, and
your rights under the first and second amendments.
I believe in freedom and equal rights under the law for
all people.
Freedom of speech is our most important freedom.
Here's a dichotomy for you: "real-life socialist" and
"Net Anarchist" !
I oppose all censorship, laws, or rules of any kind that would restrict the
content of what people may present on the web.
I've found that a difficult conviction to stick to,
both because that means you must allow the bad with the good, and also
because certain corporations and web-engines have made the web an invasion of
privacy; they display or give away information about you without your knowledge
or permission. Then again - as has been pointed out to me - the information that
these corporations make available about you is all public record anyway; and
the spamming on the net is no worse than junk mail and telemarketing - and
perhaps essentially the same kind of thing. So I'll stick to my convictions
and say that if you have a problem with the information that a person or
corporation has made available about you in the internet, then go after that
person or corporation, not after the vehicle they communicated it by.
By the same token, if you have a problem with the content of what someone has
made available on the web, take it up with them, not their
internet provider, employer, government, wife, father, or chihuahua.
I believe in personal responsibility for one's actions, a concept that
unfortunately seems to be lacking in todays legal environment.
Spamming and privacy invasion on the internet will continue to be problems, but ones that we must be willing to accept in order to oppose censorship. But a word to the wise: especially if you are using Microsoft programs, give some thought to net-privacy and you. Ask your service provider not to release information about you without your permission, and check to see what kind of information about you your Windows programs send out in your E-Mail headers and/or attachments. No one wants to be spammed. I know there are people out there with the ability to do fancy stuff on the web. I don't want to take any of that away from them. I just want such "ability" too, to keep potential spammers away. I have some limited abilities, and I shall learn more...
Computers are, as Timothy Leary said, the new printing press. And just as with the old one, there are certain quazi-religious "powers that be" who don't like such freedom; and want to contain it. Just as before, they will fail.
Everything Changes. Yet the more things change, they more they stay the same.
The future will be the same as before - except
different.
We are creatures who have the power to create our own reality.
It is through belief that this is accomplished.
Limits are things we make up and impose upon ourselves, because we cannot handle infinity.
--- Rhyader
I have added pages for philosophical or political comments : they are my "commentaries" under "writings". I hope to have other "writings" as well. And some creative artistic kinda stuff would be nice, too.
Suggestions - anyone?
Questions? Comments? Compliments? Complaints? ... E-Mail 'um.
Licentious proposals? Offers of money? ... Come on over!
8)
And if you'd like to know more about me, or if you just feel like writing, please communicate by sending me some E-Mail.