Who I Am
Ooh this is always my favorite part of blogging. Telling everyone just enough to give them an idea of your credentials, but not enough for them to send you death threats or wait outside your house. Well, here we go.
I go by the name stillraven online. I’m not trying to hide behind the name, I actually prefer it to my given name. The nice thing about the Internet is that people don’t judge a name like that. Can’t use it in the real world though. I thought it up when I found I needed a name to go by in online shooters I was playing at the time. Before that, I never had a single name to call myself online, but I usually went by the name Quiet Badger. Not anymore. You might see the name elsewhere across the Internet. Sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s a cheap imitation. I’ll let you be the judge of which it is on what sites.
I grew up in the northern Plains. I live several states away (by land) from where I grew up, but it’s still the northern Plains. It gets very cold here, which is why I grow a bushy beard in the winter.
I’ve been working in information security for a half decade or so. I’m currently a consultant for a major security vendor, which is a glamorous job as you might imagine. However, since the company is very tech-forward and social-minded, I have digital content guidelines to follow. I don’t plan on discussing anything related to my specific job role at my specific company, but just in case: “The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent
I am a student of the German language, although when I speak it I sound like a child. I’ve also been told I speak German with a French accent. I’m an American. I dabble in almost everything and am constantly trying to learn a dozen things at once. Consequently, I learn nothing.
I like playing odd video games but my tastes don’t fall along genres very well. I like Spiderweb Software games, but I’m not a huge fan of a lot of other CRPGS. I like MMOs, but hate having to rely on other people. I used to play Counter Strike and Unreal, but really suck at every other FPS. I play BeamNG Drive and Euro Truck Simulator 2 and I think GTA IV was the best in the series because it got the driving physics right for once. Can’t stand Saint’s Row or GTA V. They’re too goofy.
I like blues and indie rock. I like electronic music, as long as there is no one talking. I used to say I like country music, but my opinions are too strong about that these days. I don’t like country. I like folk and Americana, though not as much as I used to like country. I really like baseball, although the season is a bit too long for my attention span.
I have a cat and a dog. I have two guitars. I have seven Arduino Uno boards and 12 Arduino-compatible boards. I used to own a Raspberry Pi until I forgot why we have voltage regulators. Luckily I remember why we had circuit breakers. I like Bigelow Constant Comment tea in the morning, green tea through the day, and earl grey when I’m finishing up work. I drink bourbon, rye, and scotch. My favorite of each is Wild Turkey, Bulleit, and Johnnie Walker Black. Maybe it’s not the most sophisticated, but I like it.
I write for another blog with local restaurant and beer reviews. I’m not very good at it. I felt that was too restraining, so I started this blog in the hopes that I could get more practice writing about a broader set of subjects to a smaller audience. Plus every time I get into an argument on the Internet I feel bad and shy away from commenting on anything where I might be challenged again, so I guess this gives me another place to air my opinions even if no one is listening.