I Am A….. CodeNinja

I wrote my first basic program (Actually using BASIC) way too many years ago to mention the date, Lets just say my first working program’s were an ASCII graphical story written on a Commodore Vic-20, and a text adventure game written on the Schools network of BBC Micros and leave it at that. Although the type of computers used should give you an idea of the time frame. In the years that followed I kept up an interest in Computers and Coding.

During my time in University doing an B.Eng Electrical Engineering degree, I was introduced to Talkers and ended up as a coder for several, until finally writing and releasing my own talker base-code along with some friends. This then led to me coding a MUD for a mud-mad friend of mine.

The Engineering course I was on also had modules on “Structured Software Design”, “Computer Programming”, and my final year project was actually a network program to allow remote management of multiple systems from one place. Which is probably why, after doing an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Degree I wound up working first as a freelance web developer, and then as a Developer/System Administrator for an ISP.

I Am A….. Hacker

Wikipedia describes the origin of the term Hack as thus :-

The term “hack” was first used by US university computing centre staff in the mid-1960s. The context determined whether the complimentary or derogatory meanings were implied. Phrases such as “ugly hack” or “quick hack” generally referred to the latter meaning; phrases such as “cool hack” or “neat hack”, to the former. In modern computer programming, a “hack” can refer to a solution or method which functions correctly but which is “ugly” in its concept, which works outside the accepted structures and norms of the environment, or which is not easily extendible or maintainable. The programmer keeps beating on it until a solution is found.

In a similar vein, a “hack” may refer to works outside of computer programming. For example, a math hack means a clever solution to a mathematical problem. The GNU General Public License has been described as a copyright hack because it cleverly uses the copyright laws for a purpose the lawmakers did not foresee. All of these uses now also seem to be spreading beyond MIT as well.

The word should be kept as it was originally intended, to describe those people who are curious about how things work, whether it be computers, networks, phones, electronics, math’s, whatever. People who find ways to use things in ways that was not in the original specification. We used to cherish these people as innovators, explorers, etc. (Well apart from the early days when the church would burn them as heretics). We should go back to using “Hacker” as a positive description, and just call criminals “Criminals”.

I am one of those people, I am curious about how things work, and what else they can be used for that maybe outside the intended use. I hack, and consider myself a Hacker. Just not so much in the way Mass Media has been corrupting the term over the last few years.

Yes, I am a criminal. My crime is that of curiosity. My crime is that of judging people by what they say and think, not what they look like. My crime is that of outsmarting you, something that you will never forgive me for.

Hackers Manifesto.

I Am A….. Blogger

I have been a blogger for a lot longer than I have been aware of the word/term. Possibly longer than the term “Blogger” has existed. My original website built back in 1993 on Tripod (Before a temporary move to Geocities, then onto my first Linux shell account) had a news section, which I would update every couple of days on what was going on, where I’d been, Music reviews, and similar things. (I should point out for the newer people on the internet, that posting stuff online was similar to “Influencers” today, it would get you free music CD’s, free entry to gigs and events, etc).

In 2005 A couple of us in the office created LiveJournal accounts to keep up with what our friends were doing, and so we could post random gibbering’s on-line during the slower parts of the day to try and keep us sane (It failed since most our posts ended up insane). It was also very much easier to update posts on, than the old days of manually editing php files. Our posts covered mostly the insanity of work, random thoughts & meme’s, and what we had been up too. Including a few funny themed posts like the “ICE phone scam“. Our little community grew with some constant interactions and comments from the same group of people.

Then in 2009 With LiveJournal being sold off to a Russian businessman, and the reported rumours it was closing down (Plus the niggling voice telling me as an IT person I should have my own hosted blog) I decided to start my own self-hosted Blog. Before I’d even finished setting up my new blog, I was asked to be a writer/blogger on some large Geek & Gamer lifestyle blogs.

I Am A….. Writer

I have been an excessive reader for as long as I could remember, I love nothing more than the feelings you get from getting lost in a good book.  I think as is the case of many people who grew up reading everything they could get their hands on I started imagining my own stories, they would play out in my head but I never wrote them down. I would often say “I fancy writing a book“, or the more common “I should try and write a book“, but never got around to it.

I had been planning to write something for years, I had several Ideas and projects I had started on but never really finished any of them. Then after much gnashing of teeth and growling from friends and family, I decided why not. SO what if what I did was no good, or no one ever read them. I would at least write, so that I could say I had, and at the end it would be one less regret.

I started out writing some articles for various magazines, before publishing my first “real” book in 2022, which hit the Number one spot on Amazon in the categories “Freemasons” & “Motorcycle History” multiple times both in the UK and the USA.

I Am A….. Poet

The first thing I recall writing that I was proud of, was a poem I wrote in school when I was 8. Since then, I will occasionally absent-mindedly doodle poems,  Well I am not sure doodle is the correct word, but it feels right for what I do (Poem Doodle, poem-doodle, poodle? No that is worse!).

I should also admit. I am an Old Romantic, and have written poems for several past loves…

It may not be macho to admit to writing or liking poetry, but I am Welsh, I am from a race of Bard’s and Warrior-Poets, it is in my blood! as Brian Harris (kindof) wrote in “In Passing”

To be born Welsh is to be born privileged.
Not with a silver spoon in your mouth,
But music in your heart and poetry in your soul.

I Am A….. Mason

First off I should quickly address the question “What is Freemasonry?”. Freemasonry means different things to each of us who join. For some, it’s about making new friends and acquaintances. For others it’s about being able to help deserving causes – making a contribution to family and society. But for most, it is an enjoyable hobby. Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations. It teaches self-knowledge through participation in a progression of ceremonies. Members are expected to be of high moral standing and are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry.

For those who know Masonry I will just say :-

• I am a Freemason.
• I am a Companion of the Holy Royal Arch.
• I am a Prince of the Rose Croix of Heredom.
• I am a Frater of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia.
• I am a Speaker for the North Wales Association of Masonic Study
• I am a Founder Member of the Widows Sons Masonic Bikers Association North Wales Chapter.

For those of you who have no idea what the above mean. Feel free to poke me online and ask questions. We are not a Secret Society, and we are open about who we are, and what we do!

I Am A….. Public Speaker

In 2017 I was asked by a Lodge if I would give a talk on the Widows Sons because they had nothing on the schedule for their meeting, another Lodge then contacted me to say they also had an empty evening and could I give the same talk to them. It turned out their empty night involved the Provincial Grand Master visiting along with a large number of visitors. That talk then led to further talks across the Provinces of North Wales and Cheshire.

In 2021 I joined the North Wales Association of Masonic Studies as an official speaker, and have gone on to give multiple talks on their behalf.

I am also part of a team that goes around giving presentations/talks on Blood Bikes Wales to various groups to help advertise the work they do.

I Am A….. ???

Who am I?

I am a person. And as a person I can not be easily be pigeon-holed into a nice labelled box. We are all many things, and these things change over time as we ourselves change.

Who am i? I am A Blood Biker, A CodeNinja, A Gamer, A Hacker, A Blogger, A Writer & Poet, A Speaker, A Freemason, A Rosicrucian, A Reader, A Spod, A Son, An Uncle, A Brother, A Man, AN INDIVIDUAL!

Who am I?

I AM ME!!!