About Me
From a dismantled toy robot called "Tobor" to a homelab full of containers — a bit about who's behind binglab and why self-hosting is the hobby.
Professional summary
I'm a technology professional with a background spanning software development, project management, and systems engineering. I've got a strong foundation in both hardware and software — backed by a formal engineering education — and I bring that blend of hands-on experience and technical knowledge to everything I build. What keeps me going is a genuine love of continuous learning: I like exploring and implementing cutting-edge solutions, while never losing sight of reliability and efficiency.
Where it started
My love for technology started in childhood, driven by curiosity and a habit of taking things apart. The most memorable early example was a robot called "Tobor" (robot spelled backwards):
- It arrived as a Christmas gift.
- Out of the box it did the basics — forward and reverse over a remote.
- I promptly dismantled and modified it to do more than it shipped with.
That experiment — concerning to my mother at the time — was the first real sign of where I was headed: engineering, and the itch to improve things.
Early computing
I got my hands on computers early, and was one of the pioneers at my school:
- One of two students picked to work with the Apple IIe.
- Learned LOGO, which built my foundation in computer logic.
- Moved up to the TRS-80 in 6th grade.
- Graduated to IBM desktop systems in junior high.
Those machines laid the groundwork for everything that came after.
Formalizing the technical side
Eventually I went back to school to put theory behind the practice:
- Graduated from DeVry Institute of Technology.
- Earned a BS in Electronic Engineering Technology.
- Combined years of hands-on tinkering with academic fundamentals — hardware and software.
Away from the keyboard
Athletics and fitness. I've had a lifelong passion for sports, especially soccer, and I'm a dedicated runner. I believe physical and mental well-being are connected — running is both exercise and meditation for me.
The outdoors. I'm an enthusiastic hiker and explorer. I like the balance between technology and nature, and I often combine the two — GPS, tracking, and photography turn a hike into a small technical project.
What I'm focused on now
These days I channel all of it into:
- Building and maintaining a sophisticated homelab.
- Exploring containerization and virtual environments.
- Implementing automation.
- Documenting and sharing what I learn (that's a lot of what this site is for).
- Continuously learning whatever's next.
Technical skills
Infrastructure — Docker containerization, virtual environments, network architecture, system administration.
Development — multiple programming languages, CI/CD pipelines, version control, documentation management.
Hardware — system building and maintenance, electronic troubleshooting, hardware optimization, performance monitoring.
Philosophy
A few things I genuinely believe in:
- Continuous learning and improvement.
- Sharing knowledge with others.
- Balancing technology with well-being.
- Keeping both physical and mental fitness.
- Finding creative solutions to complex problems.
That last one really traces all the way back to a taken-apart toy robot — and honestly, the homelab is just Tobor at a much larger scale.