Hi. My name is Jay.
MI VA
I am a thirty-something displaced Michigander turned Virginian. I grew up in Ludington and now live a few miles outside of DC in traffic-infested Northern Virginia.
Two Wheels
I’ve always loved being on two wheels. When I was a kid, my bike was permanently attached. I imagine when I become an adult (not sure when that happens), I will still be passionate about bikes. The past few years I’ve spent most of my two-wheeled time on motorcycles. But now that I’m in between Harleys, my mountain bike is my only outlet.
Guitar
I love playing guitar. It’s crazy to think that I’ve played for over twenty years now. In the next twenty years I hope to make the jump from “guitar player” to “guitarist.”
I played in a band for a short while and at church for a long while. Some of my best memories are those with my strat slung around my neck.
I have a Fender American Standard Stratocaster, a 1989 G&L SC-3 stratocaster, a Schecter S-1 Elite, and a Breedlove acoustic. I play through a Fender Hot Rod DeVille tube amp and Line 6 effects board.
Photography
I love freezing reality. I put the ‘a’ in amateur but I have a good time. I have a handful of photos here and thousands in my Aperture that will someday be shared.
Writing
I really like to write. I’ve blogged on and off since 2003. I write web-related stuff on The Ghostblog. I also do a metric ton of technical writing in my day job. I hope to publish a book or two before my timer expires.
Work Timeline
I’ve worked in Internet Land since the late 90s, getting my start with an Internet Service Provider in West Michigan. I did all manner of technical things on equipment with flashing lights and cryptic interfaces. Around the same time, I fell in love with web development and started freelancing.
After years of technical and web stuff, I took a position with an organization called Gospel Communications International (GCI). GCI was the non-profit behind the most visited faith-based websites on our little planet. My time on the Internet Team was a blast and very rewarding personally. (Sadly, GCI closed their doors after over 50 years due to insufficient financial support.)
My move from Michigan to Virginia was for a job opportunity with the government. I was offered a contract position with U.S. Customs & Border Protection. I’m still there today, over eight years later. Time really does fly.
When I’m not doing technical stuff I can’t tell you about, I run a small company of my very own. I do WordPress and custom web app development at Layer 8 and work behind-the-scenes for creatives at Ghostbilt.
Family
I have an amazing wife and four awesome kids. I know that husbands are expected to say their wife is amazing and their kids are awesome, but I really mean it.
