Lore

I have been terminally online since the mainstream introduction of DSL/broadband; all starting from a Packard-Bell Machine with Windows 98 to the daily driver of a Dell Optiplex with Windows XP. Unfortunately, nobody in my family was a super nerd about literally anything in tech, so I don't have any cool old backstories of old computing hardware, or owning 'rare' equipment. (My husband on the other hand....)

Earliest memories I have of the Internet had to be Y2K era. I can recall my grandmother telling me not to use the house phone, as it would interrupt my grandfather's session. I distinctly remember picking up the off-white telephone (probably a Cortelco) and hearing static gibberish. My grandfather paid for 10 hours of Internet a month. When my grandparents finally got DSL (shout-out Embarq), the chains were broken, I was going to be ONLINE (2005). All thanks to that Dell.

There are photos of me playing through endless sessions of Spider Solitaire, Pinball, Chip's Challenge, Rodent's Revenge, and SkiFree. Considering I did not have reliable connection online in my earlier years, I missed the era of Geocities. However, I did just fine playing Jumpstart, Freddie Fish, and Hotwheels on CD-ROM, along with MSPaint and KidPix. Some other games I fondly remember are Magic Artist Studio, Tarzan (PC, 1999), Pokemon Project Studio (PC, 1999). My older cousins would visit for the summer and we would all gather around the monitor and compete for the Pinball highscore, and jot down the cheat code phrases to skip ahead levels on Chip's Challenge.

I plan on adding relevant photos here!

I am extremely competent on the hardware side of computers, I have built countless machines for myself and others. I also have had my fair share of disassembling laptops never to be put back quite right again. (lol) Formally, I have taken Cisco networking courses, and A+ Hardware/Software courses in the early 2010s. Networking wasn't really that exciting to me, but I know plenty to get by.

Side Quests

When people ask me what I 'enjoy', it's embarassing I can't give them a solid answer. I can instead take an indefinite time thinking what to say.

Pops

The biggest and most obvious touch grass hobby I have (at the moment) is my community's Pops band. It's consisted of mostly boomers who have been playing their instruments for years, retired band directors, or local high school band students. It's actually directed by my old band director from high school. The turning point to actually go back to playing an instrument was just a casual idea that was thrown about. Before I knew it, I had a Yamaha YEP-321 Euphonium, the same one I was borrowing back in middle school.

I played euphonium and tuba throughout my middle and high school years (2008-2014). I did marching band, concert band, honor band, jazz band, and now a community band. As I was going through an actual bandcamp, I hated a lot of my band career. It wasn't until 10 years later did I decide that I wanted to rejoin in an ensemble, playing my euphonium. It's truly one thing I feel decent enough at, but not godlike enough to not want to hone in skills.

Since starting this site out, I decided to become more invovled in the band, particulary by joining the Board of Directors. I started off only volunteering my time as the librarian's assistant. It consisted of me meeting the librarian at her house, and sorting out music in concert sections. I was only requested this single time. Even though I could tell she needed help or even ideas, but she never really came to me with specifics.

Then I was hit with, "I'd like to take a year break from being the librarian" 2 rehearsals before the end of the 2024 season. I had to be "voted in" by my fellow bandmates (running unopposed and by a show of hands). I desperately want to organize this band's catalogue of music, because there has to be some kind of really neat music that the band has played once, if not at all. Perhaps I catalogue it here too?

This year, we were able to accomplish giving out 3 scholarships to the high school seniors in the band. We made enough money to give each one $500! We ask for donations in the middle of our concerts, which usually covers the years' expenses. This was apparently never done before with that large of an amount and to that many students, and it's great to give kids a real nice boost to continue their education.

I've considered making my band a page of it's own, but for now it will stay here.