What does John do?

Professionally

I am currently a senior security systems technician, specializing in access control and CCTV technologies. I perform duties that cover every aspect of my clients' security systems, from design to maintenance/repair. I have been working with these technologies (got into this field by mistake, a commonality with all my colleagues) since around 2008 and it has definitely turned into a career and I don't have much desire to leave it.

Hobbies

There isn't just one, so here's a (really) short list.

Photography

Not so much people photography, but destination/documentary photography. Landscapes, architecture, and astronomy. I travel to remote and hidden/little-known places with the goal of capturing a few shots. I have explored derelict buildings with the goal of capturing their current presence, and some of which I have returned to grab an update and their progression into nothingness as nature reclaims them.

Home Networking / IoT

My background is in computer sciences. I have built up my home network based on performance and reliability and often toy with small servers and IoT tech. There is currently 3 Raspberry Pi boards running different functions on my home network: IoT server, a DNS-based ad blocker, and the one serving this page (naturally, I'm not going to publicly disclose which software or versions - that'd be a security risk).

Programming

I've dabbled in numerous programming and scripting languages. I absolutely hate repetitive computer tasks or doing tasks that can easily be automated. I have found things at just about every job I have had to either automate or reduce the time it takes to perform tasks. I've had managers ask me why I would want to "work more" when others "work less" for the same pay, and my only reply is "it's what I do, and I feel it sets me apart from my coworkers and proves my value to the company".