Blake @blake@qoto.org

Here is my obligatory #introduction.

I’ve worked in the fields of #science and #engineering for over two decades. My degrees are in mechanical engineering, but I’ve spent many years both professionally and recreationally crossing over into the computer science realm when it intersects with my interests and projects.

I’ve been a #Linux user since the mid-90s, and I’ve been paid to admin Linux and Unix number-crunching boxes, including Irix, HP-UX, AIX, and other fun OSes that either don’t exist anymore or you probably haven’t heard of.

I enjoy programming, especially #Python, #Golang, and #Julia, although I’ve used another dozen or so languages along the way, everything from FORTRAN to Perl and TCL to Haskell (and lots in between). I’m an electronic hobbyist, and you may find me tinkering with #RaspberryPi and #Arduino boards.

My technical interests also include #woodscience, #mathematics, #numbertheory/#numericalmethods, #statistics, #datascience, #sliderules, and #TeX.

I like making things, so my hobbies include #watercolor, #drawing, #woodworking and #blacksmithing. I also love #books and reading, with a proclivity towards #history, #art, #religion, #BiblicalCriticism, #scifi, #fantasy, and classical #literature.

I like to listen to and play #music. I play #guitar and dabble in lots of other instruments. My favorite styles of music are #folk, #celtic, and #Americana, but I enjoy a diverse mix of genres, so you might catch me listening to Cat Stevens and Tom Lehrer one day and Johnny Cash and Eminem the next.

I love #nature, mountains and oceans, #hiking, and #birding. I like to #travel to new places, see new things, and experience the local food and culture. Speaking of #food, I like to #cook.

I also like gaming, especially on my #Nintendo #Switch and #Steamdeck.