MY BIRTH

I was born on Friday, September 12, 1975 in Chippewa Falls, WI. I was
one of the last babies to be born in that hospital before it was converted
into an apartment building...

MY HISTORY AS A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER

I have always been thrilled by the thought of how much power lies in
the hands of computer programmers. The idea that I can make the computer
do nearly anything that I want it to do, by writing programs, has always
excited me.

I remember a day long ago (I was 12) when I thought something along
the lines of "I'm going to remember this day a long time from now."
I had just talked to one of my parents' friends about programming and
had gotten all fired up about it. I had known that I was going to "go
into computers" when I grew up, but I wasn't sure what I was going
to do with them.

My parents had gotten our Apple //e about two years before (I was 10
or so) and I had read the manuals and written a few simple programs
(I think my first program was one that printed my name on the screen
an infinite number of times), but I hadn't really been sure if programming
was something that I could do for a living.

However, all doubts left my mind that day. I went into the computer
room of our house where the Apple //e sat on its computer desk, in all
of its glorious wonder, and pulled out the manuals and started reading
them again. I think that I wrote a program called "ICEBREAKER"
sometime not too long after that day.

ICEBREAKER actually had nothing to do with starting up conversation
at a get-together where no one knows anyone else… At the time I didn't
know that definition of the word. I was metaphorically referring to
breaking through ice. The program was sort of a game which requires
that the player break codes (I can't remember what type of codes, but
they couldn't have been all that complex) in order to get into someplace.
As I recall, there really wasn't an ending. I think that it just said
that you had broken through… Some day I'm going to have to get the
code for ICEBREAKER and see what I wrote (it's hopefully still intact
on a 5.25" floppy sitting in one of the disk boxes next to the
Apple //e at my parents' home). When I get around to getting the code
(next time I go home) I'll post it here for all to see. Wow… I'm already
getting nostalgic.

In 1996 I wrote the winning essay for the Buhler Memorial Scholarship ($1000). It doesn't mention
the day when I thought about how I was going to remember this day a
long time from then (I didn't remember that day until after I had written
the essay), but it does cover many other important memories and feelings
that had to do with how and why I became a Computer Scientist.

!!Steve Trustworthy Steve

I just thought I'd mention my friend Steve (trustworthy Steve) Ruzicka (that's Roo-zee-kuh).

The story of how we met: Steve and I became aquainted in middle school. At that time Steve didn't like me at all. One day, I followed him home on my bike. He tried to lose me, but wasn't able to, so when he got to his house he threw down his bike in his front yard and dashed for his front door. I threw my bike down and dashed after him. Just as he was slamming the front door closed I stuck my foot in the door, thus preventing him from getting it closed. He kept pushing the door closed and I kept pushing the door open. His mother then asked who I was. Steve said he didn't want me to get inside. His mother ended up insisting that he let me in and he eventually reluctantly let me in. The rest is history. Somehow we ended up as friends. smile How many friends can claim that they started their friendship with a high speed chase?

We had lots of interesting story-worth experiences. In retrospect it seems that all the stories seem to in some way involve me doing something silly. I've come to the conclusion that Steve is a catalyst that encourages silliness when mixed with Geoff.

In early 1997 Steve got married to a woman named Crystal whom he met over the Internet. For his wedding present I made a video of our first meeting. (it's hilarious!)

Crystal's grandmother has apparently willed 150 keychains to me.

On 1997 September 18 they had a baby girl that they named Kahlen.

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