Welcome to 'Solo But Social'

So, I built myself a new website.

Okay, technically, I moved my website from Weebly to Wix. I had been using Weebly for a free website, but it became too complicated to change and update. Wix's free plan is much easier to work with, so I'm giving it a try for now. If things keep improving, I'll probably consider paying for a basic premium subscription later, especially if I want to accept donations and add other features.

I've had my old site for a while, but I've also changed A LOT since I originally threw it together. My interests have shifted a bit. My career goals have narrowed from something broad to something more specific. I took a short leave from college, but I'm heading back this coming Fall term, which starts next month. I'm working my ass off to get into entry-level backend IT roles, so far to no avail. I'm not just seriously planning a visit to Ireland, but my partner and I actually plan to immigrate there permanently.

At some point, looking at the old website started feeling a little like looking through an old Myspace profile. It's still a part of me, technically, but it's not really where I'm at now or where I'm headed. So I figured, fuck it. Time for a rebrand and overhaul.

And while I was at it, I decided I didn't want to make another website that tried to shove me into one specific category. I'm not just an IT guy. I'm not just a college student. I'm not just a writer, gamer, musician, or whatever other label you could possibly slap on me. I'm actually all of those things, and a bunch of other things that probably don't make much sense when you put them all next to each other.

That's what Solo But Social is about.

So what exactly is this site actually for?

Honestly? I guess a little bit of everything.

This is going to be the place where I can share the stuff I'm working on, the things I'm learning, projects I'm building, photos I've taken, thoughts I've had, places I've been, and probably a bunch of random shit I find interesting enough to research and maybe even write about. Some of it might also be professional; who knows.

So, I'm working toward my bachelor's degree in Information Systems with a strong concentration in cybersecurity, and I've been trying to get my foot properly into the IT field since about 2016, when ITT Tech. got shut down for fraud. Yes, fraud. Many might be aware, while some may not have even heard of the school, but it was a shambles. Still, I've got an older IT education, and recently, while not even 3 months' worth, I gained a little experience as a support tech for Open Dental Software. I'm still at that awkward point where I'm trying to turn all of it into an actual career instead of just saying, “Yeah, I have a degree in Networking Systems Admin.”

Diagram illustrating the interconnected elements of achieving a balanced life, emphasizing personal growth, financial stability, social connections, caring for others, and self-care.

That all said, I'll be writing about that process, too. The job search, school, projects, things I'm learning, things that royally piss me off or just confuse the hell out of me, things that I've found to actually work, and hopefully, eventually, some stories about getting established in the career I'm working toward.

Some of it will be personal. I've got a TON of interests that don't necessarily have anything to do with IT. I like photography, though I never formally took classes or anything. I LOVE music, and if you guessed I've been a lifelong gamer, you'd be right (34 years, to be exact). I like movies and TV. I love learning random shit just because I randomly got curious about it. And if you already know me, you already know I can dive down a rabbit hole over something nobody else would have thought twice about.

Then there's Ireland.

Not many know this, but I've been working alongside my partner, Kyler (Ky), toward getting us to Ireland, starting with me going over initially via Ireland's Working Holiday Authorization. The longer-term goal is actually building a life there. Obviously, there's a lot that has to happen before that actually becomes a reality, so you can bet I'll be talking about the whole process here, too. You never know what info might help someone else trying to navigate a similar idea.

The planning, the research, the money, the visa & passport paperwork, not to mention the career stuff, I've never traveled that far let alone by myself, and the inevitable “well, great; this fucks up that plan” moments.

Sheep grazing peacefully in the lush, rolling hills of the Irish countryside.

Basically, you're going to get a chance to sort of watch me figure it out as I go. Of course, I'm happy to answer any questions that might come up that aren't explicitly covered in articles; just reach out through the contact form or via my social links!

So...Yeah, I'm a Lot of Things All at Once

One of the main reasons I wanted to put this website together is to just be a personal portfolio of sorts. That's because I've never really liked the idea that people have to fit neatly into one box, and I want to document what I've experienced, not only to reach those who might find solace or advice in my articles that pertain to their own experiences, but also to keep a record of what I'm up to. A sort of memoir, just not the conventional one.

We're constantly trying to categorize each other: our political alignment, religious views, introvert/extrovert, college-educated or high school dropout, skilled trade worker or tech executive, creative person or math genius, masculine vs. feminine; whatever.

Sure, those things can tell you something about someone's views, opinions, etc. But they're not that whole person or their entire story.

I don't care what someone wears, what or who they believe in, what music they listen to or movies/TV shows they watch, what their political opinions or alignment are, what kind of job they have or if they have a job, or whether we necessarily have anything else in common. There is still a human being underneath all of those labels and identities. There's humanity in their story regardless of the twists and turns their story has.

That's where Human Beings First comes from. It's something I've come to believe pretty strongly: people are people before they're categories.

You totally don't have to agree with me, of course. You don't even have to understand every part of who I am. Hell, you don't even have to like me. But we're both human beings. That matters to me, and I'm sure it'll come up here from time to time.

Why “Solo But Social”?

Because I'm basically an introvert and an extrovert in one. Someone who somehow still likes people and hates them all at once.

I'm perfectly happy staying home with my partner, our dogs, some music or a TV show in the background, some gaming, and whatever random projects I've decided need my attention that day.

I don't like to be surrounded by people all the time, but I do generally enjoy people's good company. I like having conversations with people who think differently than I do. I like learning about other people's experiences. I like finding those weird little points of connection where you realize that somebody whose life looks completely different from yours actually understands something you thought only you understood.

That's the “social” part.

The “solo” part is pretty self-explanatory. I like having my own space, doing my own thing, and not feeling like I have to constantly be somewhere or around someone, especially new people I don't already know well.

So yeah, Solo But Social felt right. It's my little corner of the internet.

This is a Work in Progress (WIP)

I don't have this whole thing figured out yet...at all.

The website will always change up. The portfolio will definitely grow as I complete projects through school and/or work, or even personal projects. The photography section will grow as I take more pictures along my life's journey. The blog will probably wander around and likely into topics I haven't even thought about yet. I'll even take suggestions for things people would like to know about my experience with something, or my research and interpretation of something.

And honestly, that's exactly how I want it. Eclectic like me.

I'm in the middle of a pretty significant period of my life right now. I'm going back to school more than a decade after I graduated with my first degree, and I'm doing it at almost 40 years old. I'm trying to change from the jobs I've typically done and have experience in to my desired career, with distinct preferences now that I've worked for 20+ years. I'm working toward getting to Ireland as a dual citizen. I've figured out what kind of work I actually want to do and what kind of life I want to build around it, and now I'm making intentional strides toward those goals.

I'm not anywhere near the end of my story. I'm somewhere early on in the middle.

So this website isn't supposed to be a finished résumé with a pretty background, a specific-topic or advice blog, or anything polished.

It's more like a record of where I am, where I'm going, what I'm learning, and I suppose just stuff I find interesting enough to share along the way.

Some of it will be serious. Some of it won't be. Some of it might actually be useful. Some of it might just be me going down a weird rabbit hole and dragging everyone else into it. That's kind of the point.

So welcome to Solo But Social. I'm glad you stopped by. There's a lot more coming, so stick around. 

I'm still trying to figure out how to create a subscription/email list so that I can notify you directly of any of my updates/posts to the website, but check back now and then to see if I’ve added new things!

Click here to check out more...

...or click here to connect directly!!

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