Interests

Ordinarily I would start off by telling you my name… but if you’re here then I’d think you’d already know (Clue: look at the URL, silly!).

Website design and development

As you might guess, websites are a specialty. Not ENTIRELY a specialty, though. I DO have a life y’know, despite actually working with this interest. The kind of websites that I like are either clever ones (Web 2.0 and all that) and social ones (B3ta, Facebook etc). I’ve made quite a lot of websites over the years, some of which can be seen in my portfolio. In some of my spare time I work on developing my knowledge of PHP and web design. My approach with regards to design tends to lean more towards the professional abstract look.

Computer building

The internal workings of a computer fascinated me in the past. Now I know generally how it’s all been made possible. I’d even gone as far as to build a File/HTTP/FTP server for my old home network. My own computer is built from scratch. I didn’t buy it from a dealer. I actually bought all the components myself and built it by hand. The advantages of this is that I can add anything I want to enhance the power and functionality of my computer, while keeping costs down.

Music

Ahh, music. Who doesn’t like music? I prefer Heavy Metal and Rock, favouring the sounds of bands like Linkin Park, Metallica, and Iron Maiden. Other bands I like are Oasis, Offspring, Beatles, Robbie Williams, Blur, Green Day, Stereophonics, Feeder, Travis, Gorillaz, and Stone Roses. I’ve quite a wide range of musical interest. I also play guitar and used to play in a band, but had to leave when I moved away from the North East. I’m in two minds whether to start a band at my new home, but I’ve not had the time.

Video games

Like any young 21st century male, I have an interest in video games. I have two consoles from the current generation: Nintendo Wii and a PlayStation 3, and have a number of consoles from previous generations (most of which still work!). The types of games I’m into vary, but mostly I’m into racing games, first person shooters, platformers, and most type of games that’ve been adapted extremely well to work with wireless controllers.

Cooking

Since moving away from my home town, I’ve actually started developing an interest in cooking. This is probably down to the fact that I have to cook all of my own meals, but after a short while I started to enjoy it. I now attend a weekly dinner party with some friends, where one of us cooks for the rest of us, and I also cook biscuits and treats from time to time. I’m told that my Millionaire Shortbread is to die for!

Photography

I first developed an interest in photography when I took it upon myself to take photographs of cars at the monthly JapNorthEast meet in Sunderland. After that, it all took off. I now like taking abstract photographs and pictures of landscapes and monuments. Sadly I do photographic work with a point and click Hewlett Packard camera, but a good photographer can take really nice photos with any camera. One day, I’ll get myself a proper SLR camera to do my photography work.

Socialising

Where I live, there are plenty of pubs but only one or two nightclubs (and they’re rubbish). Drinking venues in Middlesbrough, my home town, changed quite a lot over the years. With the demolition of Blaises to build a bloody Walkabout, my usual drinking holes were The Isaac Wilson and The Crown. My drinking preferences lean more towards Jack Daniels and Coke, but I’ve a varied taste. I’ll try anything once (I mean drinks… and that doesn’t apply to anything like Aftershock or Pernod cos they’re just awful!). Whenever I’m on a diet, I strictly stick to lager, as they’re two Weight Watchers points a pint.

DJ-ing

Playing the role of the disc jockey has always interested me. I’ve done some practice mixing at a pub in Middlesbrough called “The House”, when I was working there, and also had a chance to DJ at my brother’s 21st birthday party held at The Middlesbrough @rena. Not only that but during my employment at The House I got a lot more practice there too. I would like to get a Pacemaker, which is a portable MP3 device that allows you to mix songs together as you would with a deck, but they’re close to £300 each!