Hello! I’m Denny!
Musician. Gamer. Evil Genius.
I’m also a Second Amendment Supporter. A Privacy Advocate. I can also do Web Design, Graphic Manipulation, Video Editing, some PHP Scripting and much more. In addition to my skills and talents; I also aspire to take over the world with Flying Monkeys, a Freeze-Ray, Death-Ray and a Secret Island Lair.
OK, so seriously… So you came here looking to know a bit more about me? I am a tech geek, moderate gun enthusiast and play the drums. I was bo and raised in Northe Lower Michigan. I moved to Virginia during my Navy years (1994 – 1998) where I picked up my love for doing tech support. After a year back in Michigan, I pursued a career with Gateway. So I moved back to Virginia in 1999. After Gateway outsourced Tech Support to India in 2001, I opened my own computer business CR Computers Plus (+). Only lasted 2 years. Then I moved on to Ventur.net and Widomaker for the remainder of my 20 year stent in Tech Support. Part of which I did after moving back to Michigan in 2013. I’m now just a humble driver who still enjoys tech.
I’m not big on reading books unless it teaches me something useful in the real world. Otherwise I’ll wait for the movie 🙂 I love movies. I love to snuggle up at home and watch them with someone special or to go out and get some overpriced but yummy popco, a cool drink and a friend or loved one to share the time with. I do have a phobia sadly. I fear stupid people. It’s called Dumasaphobia. Now this isn’t the typical everyday oopsie stupid things people do. This is the mindless, never thinks of the consequences of others (like texting while driving) or just refuses to take a serious look around themselves and lea anything that should be a common sense kind of thing. I have written a short film script and have all the voice acting and stuff done but have never filmed it due to the lack of equipment and actors. I once conceded to Facebook. But as an advocate for privacy, I deleted it. I still can’t stand twitter and all the other social networking hype. Although I feel I’ve been a web designer for years and wish to focus my talents to have my chunk of the inteet that doesn’t look just like everyone else. I’ve never been one to do exactly as everyone else does. Not that I’m a huge socialite that needs constant attention and must text about my latest retarded moment that I just uploaded on YouTube. I’m more of a person who enjoys a close circle of friends and family over having to have millions of people I’ve never met “like” me. Besides, having my own presence on the web and my own design gives me individuality.
Other informative tidbits…
- Hobbies: Playing the Drums, Writing, Gaming, Tech Gadgets and Guns
- Favorite Songs: In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel / Whole Lotta You – A Rocket to the Moon
- Favorite Movies: Breakfast Club, Empire Records, The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Pirates of the Caribbean (all) – Harry Potter (all) – All Kevin Smith Movies (Clerks, etc…) – Pretty much everything with Robert Downey Jr, and of course Serenity.
- Favorite TV: The Orville, The IT Crowd, The Originals, Fallout, Twisted Metal, The Boys, just about anything from Joss Whedon (I’m pissed they canceled Firefly), Skins (UK), Sherlock & (old school) Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- Favorite Internet Show: The Guild
- Favorite Color: Depends on what it’s used on.
- Favorite Bands/Musicians: New Found Glory, Story Untold, Foo Fighters, Cartel, Waterparks, State Champs, American Hi-Fi and (old School) Def Leppard, Ratt, Poison, Van Halen (Hagar Version)
- Favorite Car: 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
- Foods I like: Lasagna, Pizza, Meatloaf, Hotdogs, Salad and just about anything from a BBQ Grill.
- Countries I have visited: St. Martin, Spain, Greece, France, Italy, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Pompeii as well as Jerusalem, Bethlehem in Israel and Canada.
- Countries I’d like to visit: I’ve never been to my beloved homeland (family home land) Great Britain – Good old UK!
- American States I have visited: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Do I drink? Rarely.
- Do I smoke? Gave it up 15+ years ago.
CastleRain 1999 – 2022
CastleRain.com was my website for 23 years. Where did the name come from? It actually came from when I was in France in 1996. I was on a bus heading to the coast of Cannes. Along the highway, I saw what looks like an ancient Castle just off of the road. I tried to grab a great picture, but couldn’t switch my lens fast enough. So you get what you see here.
It’s actually called Château Robert Hansen. It’s south of Vallauris, France on the shoreline. Picasso came to live in Vallauris where he stayed until 1955. During his time there, he created a great many sculptures and paintings including War and Peace. IF you know something more, please share it with me! I still call it CastleRain.
Music
I have a wide variety of music tastes, but I generally hang out in Pop-Punk to Hard Rock and some 80’s Metal. In the 80’s I aspired to be a Rock Drummer. Even made it into a few bands. Sadly, none of them went anywhere. Most went no where fast just because it was the whole “everyone wants to be in a band, but none of us have decent or no talents at all and don’t have the drive to really go through with it”, syndrome. My first band was called Shady People (yeah, looking back, really bad name). My final band White Steel, actually started to do something, but fell apart too quickly. We had the actual talent, but our guitarist who, in my opinion, could rival Eddy Van Halen himself, decided to be a martial arts specialist. We did manage to record messing around in a studio in New York. Now I simply aspire to join a band of friends that jam on weekends and such. Although, I haven’t had one in a couple of decades, and I’m more than rusty. I do dream to perform in at least one concert in my life time. Though it tus out, my oldest son Allen, is a far better drummer than his old man. My last two public performances as a Drummer were at the Busch Gardens in Williamsburg on the Drumscape machine playing Cult of Personality by Living Colour and My My by Seven Mary Three.
What’s with the Black Rose?
If you have seen it on me or other art I have; that is my one and only tattoo. It’s on my upper right arm (covered by t-shirts generally). But this was back in the day when I wore tank tops (or wife beaters) and was skinny as a rail. Got it while in the Navy. At the time I was heavily into Vampires (and not the twinkling bastards!) and a game called Vampire: the Masquerade. The rose itself is a representation of a clan of Vampires known as the Toreador. I had it customized to hang down with blood dripping from it. The Toreador are described as lovely and seductive. The members of this clan are as much prisoners of their artistic vision and sensitivity as they are its beneficiaries. They are often overcome by the beauty they see around them, and become immobilized with fascination. Such things as paintings, neon signs, or even sunrises can captivate them. Toreador will stand, awed and helpless, for minutes or even hours. This trait explains why
Toreador so often fall in love with mortals.I still want to get a tattoo of Bugs Bunny showing off the musical and rascally part of my personality. This would be a custom work as well. At one time my nickname was Bugs. Because I was tall and slender, and liked to be a bit hyper and mischievous. I played the drums then too for a few local bands that failed. So the tattoo would be Bugs Bunny standing leaning, with 1 leg over the other just like in the picture to the right. Only he’d be wearing a pair of jean shorts and white tank top (what I frequently wore at the time), with a set of drumsticks instead of the carrot.
ÜberGeek Extraordinaire / Evil Genius
I’m a geek and I’m damn proud of it 🙂
Computers
I love computers. I can make them do some of the most amazing things. It’s truly interesting that the majority of the people that own computers, have no idea or the knowledge to take full advantage of their computers. It doesn’t matter if you use Windows, Mac or Linux. Computers are the tool of my trade. I build them, fix them and make them do loads of different things. My computer is my whole entertainment and work center. It’s my Radio, my TV, my Gaming Console, my Movie Theater (even in 3D!!) and more! Yet, unlike most people. If there’s an issue that keeps me from using my computer, such as no power, I can easily amuse myself with a magazine or get out of the house without getting all angry over not having Inteet.
Web Design / WordPress Themes
When I’m not building a network or repairing a broken machine, I’m fiddling around with a website or new theme for a WordPress install. It’s my creative time. I really like making a website. I’ve been at it since 1998 when my first iteration of CastleRain.com was nothing more than part of the original social networking (pft, you weenies and your MySpace and Facebook… we were cooler because we knew how to make ours look original) on web hosts like Geocities and Tripod (way back when animated gif’s were all the rage). It makes me feel good to take content and make it look professional and artsy while putting it in a functional layout. I probably mess with a website at least 4 – 5 times a week. Just because I like to bury my head in code for a while. It’s not as difficult as software programming and not nearly as lucrative, but it’s enjoyable. To me website design is my equal to those that like to read books.
Scifi and Fantasy Movies
I’m more than the average movie buff. I love to go to the theater. Even if the movie I’m watching sucks. I love the atmosphere. I’m not so much into horror flicks, but I do like comedy horror. I mainly watch science fiction and fantasy movies. I’m not so much a fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek. (sorry fanboys) I have equal amounts of nitpicks as well as favorite parts. Instead I’m Browncoat fighting the Alliance on Firefly. Love me some Harry Potter. In so much, I’m sad it’s over. Although I think I’ve wo out Lord of the Rings. As when my kids would come to visit, that’s all that would play. So I can’t sit down to watch them anymore. I also love some comedy, action and drama flicks. Even a chick flick or two. (in moderation 🙂 ) I even geek over watching The Fifth Element and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Vampires (Original Vampires, not that Twilight romance BS!!)
Like so many from my time period (the 80’s), I got into Dungeons & Dragons. Although, I didn’t get into it hardcore. I liked it and all, I just didn’t spare the time. I was too much into my music and friends then. It wasn’t until later, I got into Vampire the Masquerade. I didn’t even get into that as much either. Was a fun game, but I was (and still am) heavily into Vampire myths and legends. Something that in recent times has been so distorted into romance novels and just destroying all that is Vampires. Unlike the hedonistic Tru Blood, or Twilight teen romance or roommates with Werewolves and Ghosts and immune to sunlight bologna… I got into the evil, soul sucking, must kill every human vampire lore. The only vampire romances I got into, ended in a bloody massacre of one vampire destroying another or all innocent bystanders. Vampires are, in my opinion beautiful killers. I even considered getting custom caps made for my teeth. Alas, I’m just left with a tattoo and fond memories in my head.
Playing the Drums
If there is anything in this world that makes me happy. It’s the beat of a kick-ass song! (also a good drum solo) I’ve never been much of a dancer. I can’t sing very well. But I love a good happy beat to a song that will encourage others to sing and dance. I really wished I had put more into my playing drums. I’m going back to that and spending time once again making others happy in joining in to making music. I’ll never be a rock star, but I’ll be content 🙂
Evil Genius
What makes me a Genius? The fact that I can do so many things that others can’t. I find it amusing sometimes that I can do things that simply baffle other people. Some even get impressed. Others may not be amused at all. For all my knowledge, it’s never made me a rich man, but it has made me handy. I’m a very logical thinker. I even have a good amount of that thing the world sometimes seems to be very short on. Common Sense. You’d be amazed how much that stuff helps in day to day life. So what makes me Evil? It’s because I can think like a criminal. I can be just as imaginative at doing harm and crime as I can in working with computers, being creative and helpful. I’m not a criminal, nor have I ever hurt anyone. I’m not sure if I ever could. At least not directly. I’d use minions 😉 Create a chain reaction of sorts that would lead to the target handled and the blame would fall on someone else.I’ve even adopted a theme song 😈