I am an opinionated (and occasionally belligerent) system administrator who moved to Massachusetts to work for a mid-sized engineering software company. It was a strategic decision. I'm a strategic kind of guy. See?
Ryan McKern is a classy guy…
Born in upstate NY (not Westchester but also not Canada) and now living in Mid-eastern Massachusetts (Not Boston but also not Athol), I design and build web infrastructure solutions to withstand a digging, a fireballing, or a slashdotting (if those are still relevant?). One of my stacks even survived a round on 4Chan's /b/ board once… but only once.
A short summary of work history and idiosyncrasies follows.
Previous to my current role at an engineering software company, I also worked for a hardcore record label's merchandising arm, a regional headquarters for a small telecommunications/cable television company that you've probably never heard of, a handful of someone else's failed dot-com startups, and a bakery. It's a safe statement to say that I miss the bakery.
While employed by the cable company I ran an independent web hosting business called Webslum with my cohort Matt Miller. Then we turned corporate, mortgaged our integrity for The Good Life™, and shut it down in the face of a consolidating and tumultuous market we couldn't afford to play ball in. As a side project I maintain the infrastructure for a web hosting co-operative, where we specialize in WordPress and Drupal administrative upkeep.
I have taken a solemn vow to never work another job which requires me to wear shoes, slacks, a collared shirt, or a tie. There will be no loafers, hush puppies, or patent leather anything in my professional future. My daily work attire shall consist of dirty jeans, dirty sneakers, a disheveled t-shirt and a zip-up hooded sweatshirt, save only for laundry day when it may consist of a pull over hooded sweatshirt.
I probably don't like your band. I am almost absolutely positive that I don't like your friends.