I tend to have a creative itch from time to time, and I keep finding new ways to scratch it. My folks sent me to computer classes when I was very young.... learned EZ-Logo, then Logo, and then Basic. I have been very comfortable with computers since then, and I always seem to adjust to them easily. I took some electronics classes when I was a kid when I showed some interest in shoving things in electrical outlets. Played around with pyrotechnics for awhile too.. I cringe a bit when I think about some of the things I did, and some of the things I tried to do. I have been a bass player since 1992, and played in a few bands. I enjoy music, and writing music. I suppose I should throw in poetry too. I also enjoy art... pencil sketching, cg, ceramics, and my lawn (ha!), and other forms of media. These minor hobbies have led me to many many others.
I have been doing web design since around 1997. Had my first website at xoom.com. I think it was called "Adams Stuff" or something like that. (Yes, I am oh so creative!!) Made a few website for a couple bands I was in, and then I started to a bit of web consulting work... mainly, I would get paid by people to put together simple web page or website for whatever. Also did a website for the "Latin Mass Society of Peoria". I now do php / mysql combos... far cry from the html I used to do. I am currently working on "102.7 Radio KTJT". Just waiting for some content to put on the webiste!
I love playing bass, and really like my 5 string. I got interested in the hobby not because I thought I could build a bass cheaper... but because I knew that I could build exactly what I wanted. Got me really interested in lots of other hobbies too.. pickup winding, preamp design, effect-tronics, string making, and machining.
Check out one of my other ugly websites: "Ziegler Pickups". (Yes, I was lazy, and needed a quick site.) Simple concept... wind wire around magnets, and said product becomes a transducer of sorts for music strings. Started this in 2001, but haven't been doing much of it lately. Preamp design goes along with this a bit, but haven't been doing much of that anymore either.
Notice I didn't say gardening... I have always loved the attempt at getting a plant to grow. I love poppies... just somthing about them that is very beautiful.
I make wine and mead... about 5 gallons at a time. Started this back in 1999... made dandelion wine from the flowers picked in a field across the street. I turned out ok, but at the time I was scared to drink it! My last batch was a cyser mead... I wanted it strong, so picked a strain of yeast that helped me achieve that goal... its defiantly strong.. about 15% -16% alcohol! Its good, but to strong to enjoy in my opinion.
Yeah.. I like Linux... I use Gentoo. Its a hobby since I basically spend enough time on it to make it a hobby. Got into Linux when I was looking for some desktop publishing software, and found scribus. I got into it even deeper when I learned php and mysql. Now its all we have on our home computer, and my wife is more than comfortable using it!
I have built a small foundry that can melt down Aluminum, brass, bronze, using charcoal. Using a propane burner, I can event melt iron. I primarily use green sand as my molding medium. I prefer to use a no-bake sodium silicate binder for my cores... they set with CO2! Molten metal is just so beautiful to pour. I have plans to add an oil burner to my foundry, and to start doing investment castings. I got into casting because I wanted to make a lathe... turns out there are some books on building your own shop from scratch... by casting the machines. I have been hooked since those books arrived!