Projects
Fractional CTO:
Blockskye is redefining how corporations pay for corporate travel. I first engaged with Blockskye when they hired my software development consultancy to design and develop an early version of their software. They have since hired an a high-functioning internal development team to evolve the product and by all measures appear to be knocking the ball out of the park. Currently I act as a technology advisor for the software team.
Drumroom the innovative creation of Zach Fields, who has over 20 years of experience teaching both adults and children how to play drums. As a successful entrepreneur, Zach founded and expanded a thriving
music school and
performance venue. Drawing from his expertise, he envisioned an improved method for teaching drums that would boost student achievement, minimize instructor workload, and broaden the potential student base. To realize this vision, Zach developed Drumroom, a unique software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform designed specifically for drum instructors. I act as an advisor to Zach and his team, helping with product management and go to market strategy.
RotatingRoom is a platform that helps medical students and professionals find temporary housing when they are going through a short-term clinical rotation, externship, or internship in a different city or country. By connecting people who have available rooms or housing with those who need accommodations, RotatingRoom offers a convenient and efficient solution for medical trainees who require temporary housing during their clinical experiences.
Initially hand coded by the founder, and launched in 2004, RotatingRoom engaged my software consulting firm Purpose Built Software to redesign their application in 2018. I currently advise on technical issues, and work on some special projects when they let me. It's an amazing team, and it's really fun to have the priviledge to help out.
Non-work Projects:
Little Free PiBrary
We added a Little Free Library in front of our home in 2009. My wife and I each added our own touches. As a decorative painter, she decorated the exterior to look like a Bostonian brownstone, repleate with faux brick facade and green copper windows. Having once been an electrical engineer, I added solar panels, interior lights and a motion sensor.
Then I got a little carried away with Version 2.0 of the lighting system... still working on that, it's in the lab, but not ready for prime time yet.
RRWC is a non-profit youth wrestling club in Newburyort MA and the surrounding towns. We offer a winter season program for kids in K-8, teaching them introductory and intermediate wrestling techniques. Our philosophy is to use the sport of wrestling to help build better humans.
Baking:
Like many others, I started making sourdough bread during the pandemic. Our family has some gluten sensitivey issues and we learned that long-fermented sourdough could be a great alternative to regular store bought bread for us. I'm lucky in that my brother has been making sourdough since 2012, and has tons of great advice. I mostly use other people's recipes, and sometimes tweak them to our preferences, and am documenting those here:
After experimeting with hydration levels and flour combinations, this is my go to sourdough boule recipe.
This is a bit of a non-traditional Challah, that uses butter instead of oil, and also uses the Tangzhong techniques for extra soft fluffy bread.