November 27, 2024

About Me

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Hi there, I’m Michelle, the brain and heart behind The Geek Sez, a space where technology meets curiosity and passion. My love affair with tech began way back in 1979 when a wise math teacher spotted my potential and nudged me towards the computer club he had just started at our Jr. High. Little did I know, that step was going to be a giant leap into a lifelong journey with technology.

I vividly remember how the meticulous work of coding with computer cards consumed many an afternoon. Each simple phrase or math equation we programmed transformed into a stack of punch cards, the key to speaking with the then-gargantuan computers. After carefully shading the bubbles, we’d race to the card reader, stack in hand, like space explorers ready to witness a launch.

Our cheers for “Hello World” printing on the dot matrix were our own small moon landings. The significance of these moments only grew as we navigated the finicky card reader machines, which demanded perfection. I became the go-to person for clean cards, sharing a tip from my artistic best friend that white art room erasers were our secret weapon against stray marks – one of many quirky memories that still bring a smile to my face.

These early experiences were more than just club activities; they were my first dialogues with machine languages. I found something deeply captivating about the simplicity of zeroes and ones commanding vast possibilities. Fast forward through the years, and it’s remarkable to reflect on the technological advancements that have occurred; my old Samsung Galaxy 8 holds more power than those room-sized computers ever did. That’s not just progress – it’s a revolution.

I’m going to let you in on a little personal history now. After Junior High, like many teenagers, I was swayed by the idea of fitting in. Shows like ‘The Brady Bunch’ and ‘The Facts of Life’ preached the gospel of being true to yourself, but the reality often meant becoming a social outcast. I stepped back from my tech explorations and clubs for a while. It was only during my freshman year at university that I rekindled my relationship with technology, and boy, was that a sweet reunion.

The Evolution of Technology Through My Eyes

Those days of cheering on printouts and sharing eraser tips might seem eons away, but they paved the way for the tech-savvy person I am today. The evolution of technology is not just about the dizzying pace of innovation; it’s a reflection of my own growth and how I’ve navigated these changes over the last 45 years.

It was at university that I truly witnessed what felt like a leap from the Stone Age to the Jetsons. Here I was, a freshman eager to churn out essays without the dread of typewriter errors or the messiness of Liquid Paper. The sight of a blinking cursor on a word processor signaled the start of a new era. I was writing freely, editing with ease, and printing out my thoughts for just ten cents a page. We were living the dream!

The thrill of getting my hands on an IBM computer and tinkering with Microsoft Word is still freshly etched in my memory. It wasn’t long before Adobe’s Creative Suite and a sleek Macintosh found their way into my life, awakening my inner geek to new possibilities. This was when I fully embraced the rapid advancements of personal technology.

My fascination with tech never operated in a silo; it mirrored the accelerating innovations around me. Watching the world transition from bulky desktops to sleek smartphones left me in awe every step of the way. I saw firsthand the shift from the clunky tech of yesteryear to the sleek, potent devices we pocket today.

But it’s not just about marveling at the feats of modern technology. It’s about ensuring that those around me, especially the young and curious, understand the tremendous journey we’ve taken to get here. They press a button or swipe a screen, and magic happens. Yet, there’s so much history and innovation nested in those simple actions, a history I’m keen to share and preserve.

In the next section, I’m going to share with you my vision for The Geek Sez. It’s not just a website; it’s a community I’m passionate about building. One where the tales of technology are told, the ropes are shown to newcomers, and everyone can appreciate just how far we’ve come – and where we’re going.

Fostering a Future-Ready Tech Community at The Geek Sez

Neatly embedded within our modern tech marvels is a rich tapestry of history, a narrative I’m eager to share with the world through The Geek Sez. My goal is to cultivate an environment where we not only revel in the latest gadgets but also honor the journey that brought us here. Think of it as a convergence point where technology’s past, present, and future collide in a community thriving on knowledge and enthusiasm.

I’m on a mission to ensure that the tech-savvy, as well as the merely tech-curious, have a place to gather, free from intimidation and judgement. A place brimming with lighthearted conversations, shared discoveries, and collective learning. If you’re as excited as I am by the beep of a motherboard or the history of punch cards, then you’re going to feel right at home.

Envision a future where my grandchildren – and yours – can understand the weight of a floppy disk in their hands and appreciate the evolution to cloud storage. It’s critical that they not only know how to use the technology of today but also respect its origins and use it responsibly. The Geek Sez aims to be a beacon of responsible tech use and appreciation, ensuring that understanding enriches every interaction.

As you wind through the pages of The Geek Sez, I hope you’ll find comfort in the familiar and excitement in the new. I aim to create a legacy with this website: a space where a lighthearted tech community can flourish, where memories like the whir of a dot matrix printer are shared with the same zest as the predictions of tomorrow’s innovations. Don’t just stand on the sidelines; join in, share your story, grow with us, and let’s together demystify the wonders of the tech world.

5 thoughts on “About Me

  1. Hi Michelle,

    I really enjoyed reading about your journey with technology—it’s inspiring to see how your early experiences shaped your passion today. The imagery of racing to the card reader with stacks of punch cards brought a smile to my face! I love how The Geek Sez blends tech nostalgia with the excitement of new innovations. What are your thoughts on the role of budget-friendly tech for consumers, especially as we continue to see rapid advancements?

    Looking forward to seeing where The Geek Sez heads next!

    Opa

    1. Thank you Opa for visiting and sharing your kind words.  Our generation has see so much rapid growth in this Information Age we dwell in. My Grams passed in 2017 and she lived through 98 years of human evolution.  She was a pandemic baby born in 1919 in a different country and quarantined with my great-grandmother for the first years of her life.  She saw so many firsts she said it boggled her mind sometimes (the biggest change I recall her talking to me about is when she compared the “bathing costume” of her teen years with the Body Glove diving bikini I wore to the beach.)   Her home was the first in her village to have a indoor bathroom and a telephone installed.  She confused cellphones with calculators in the late 90s.  

      I wonder what will boggle my mind if I am blessed to have a grand-daughter to care for.  So much has changed and while it is exciting, I get a little sad sometimes because we are losing connections with things like physical reading materials or library buildings and services that not only educated me but gave me awesome memories.

      Rather than just budget-friendly tech, I am a big supporter of renewing tech.  Sustainability today is crucial for the entire world to have a decent tomorrow.  Look for future articles on this valuable resource we need to tap into.

      Thanks again for visiting!

      The Geek Sez

  2. Hello Michelle, I found this about the Geek sez because I read your article “Top 10 Emerging Technologies To Watch In 2024.” I am an old school girl, a generation in front of you; my mother was born in 1917. I am old school because when I land on a new website, I want to read the About Me page. If that is not there, I won’t stay. 

    Your Geeksez page brought tears to my eyes. I do remember NASA in 1969, when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. My old phone had more power than all the machinery in that room, but at the time, it looked so state-of-the-art. It opened a world so full of promise.
    One question I would like to ask: over the last sixty years, I have noticed a trend, and that trend is the merging of humans and machines, a singularity, as it were. The concept of singularity, in my head, refers to a point where humans and machines could merge or where artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence. We’ve seen steps toward this integration, specifically through technologies that enhance human abilities by merging biological systems with machines or advanced computational intelligence. Examples would be cochlear implants and prosthetics with neural interfaces.

    I look forward to your reply and have bookmarked this site because I am no  geek but right brained through and through

  3. I really enjoyed your “About Me” page on The Geek Sez! Your journey through technology is so inspiring, especially your memories of coding in the early days. I love how you’re trying to connect tech enthusiasts with those just starting to explore this world. I’m curious—how do you envision engaging younger generations who might take tech for granted? It’s such an important conversation!

  4. Michelle, What a wonderful trip down memory lane. It is the very thing that scared me away from computer programming in High School – !Punch Cards! Wow! I remember watching people carrying those things around and trying very hare not to get them out of order. It is amazing at the progress all the way to AI. Thank you for this wonderful post!

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