That's a drawing of me and my dog, Luna. We walk a lot — usually around the neighborhood,
but we often veer off into easements, chasing bunnies and spotting deer in the woods. Those walks aren't
just exercise — they're when ideas start to take shape. With the rhythm of walking and Luna happily
exploring, my mind starts solving problems I didn't even realize I was thinking about.
One day, mid-walk, I had been mentally spinning through a ham radio wall mount design when it hit me —
rotating the part and chamfering the bottom at a 45-degree angle would not only reduce overhangs but
dramatically strengthen the print. That sort of “aha” moment is exactly why I make time to wander.
I love to build. My favorite project so far? A Morse code sender that runs off an Orange Pi Zero. I printed
a skeletal frame, wired up a custom harness, and used a relay to trigger the push-to-talk on a Baofeng radio
— all controlled from a web page. The GPIO interface made it possible, and the whole setup feels like
something between a hacker project and a ham radio art installation.
Ideas tend to start with problems. If the challenge is about organizing or accessing information, I build
software. If it's something I can hold or wear or fix, I go physical and start prototyping. And sometimes,
when the problem is made up but too fun to ignore, it turns into a short story or screenplay. My brain loves
spinning through possible outcomes, and the best of them — real or imagined — end up right here.
Software — I enjoy building full-stack applications from concept to deployment. One fun example: I
wrote a Caesar Cipher encryption system for passing secret messages through an Android app. I also share
some of my projects publicly on GitHub
(@randomsilo), where you'll find tools and experiments related to the hobbies listed here.
3D Printing — I focus on functional parts, often designing them in FreeCAD and printing on an
Anycubic Kobra. I've learned that PETG holds up better for outdoor use, while PLA is faster for prototyping.
TPU is powerful but tricky — especially on Bowden-style printers. I've found that direct drive is essential
when working with flexible filaments. Also, .8mm nozzles don't pair well with the Kobra, a lesson learned
the hard way.
Sewing & Serging — I got hooked on sergers back in middle school and never looked back. They're ideal
for working with stretchy or heavy-duty fabrics. One of my favorite long-running projects is a sling bag
that's evolved into a state-of-the-art go bag. It combines vinyl, canvas, and Z coil zippers — stitched for
durability and refined with each iteration.
Ham Radio — Most of my time is spent on UHF (70cm), VHF (2m and 1.25m) hand-held radios. I'm working
on a communication flow that scales from person to vehicle to home. The idea is to move from hand-helds to a
mobile GMRS or CB setup, and then to a G90 HF radio with a portable antenna system for wider coverage.
Firearms — I like building AR pistols in various barrel lengths — 5.5", 7.5", 8.5", and 10.5" — to
test different performance profiles. The focus is always on maximizing capacity while keeping weight low and
portability high. So far, the 7.5" configuration strikes the best balance between functionality and
maneuverability.
I like to write in the worlds of crime, espionage, and zombies. The zombie genre in particular speaks to me
— not because of the monsters, but because it strips life down to its rawest form and forces everyday people
to band together. In the worst-case scenarios, we get to see the best parts of humanity: grit, loyalty,
sacrifice, and ingenuity.
Years ago, I self-published a book called Special Operation Team: Raptor. It wasn't great — but I'm
proud of it. Writing it taught me discipline, pacing, and structure, and pushed me to grow as a writer.
Since then, my focus has shifted toward shorter formats.
I'm currently exploring flash fiction and zines. My goal is to build a shared world — something with
recurring characters, overlapping events, and a strong sense of place. I'm still sketching it out, but the
foundation is forming. These bite-sized stories are more than experiments — they're puzzle pieces for a
larger picture.
My mind is full of thousands of fragments: scenes, conversations, questions, conflicts. Long walks with Luna
help me piece them together. I'll spin a single idea like a cube, trying different time periods, character
genders, or narrative perspectives until it becomes something fresh and worth capturing. From there, I just
need to fill in the blanks and polish the frame.
Growing up in Nebraska, winter always came with a checklist: food, water, heat, power. That mindset followed
me to Texas — and it paid off when an ice storm shut down power and water for several days. Events like that
reveal how thin the line is between normal and emergency. We're all just one storm, fire, or infrastructure
failure away from testing our readiness.
I've experimented with a wide range of preparedness gear and supplies. Over time, I've learned that more
isn't better — everything has a shelf life. Canned food expires, batteries degrade, gasoline turns bad, and
even tires crack with age. Stockpiling too much becomes a burden to manage. Simplicity is the key. My focus
now is on maintaining 60 to 90 days of basic shelter-in-place supplies — a balance between practicality,
cost, and peace of mind.
There's a stereotype that “preppers” are doomsday fanatics. But in truth, preparedness is just common sense.
If your power, water, or mobility suddenly vanished for two weeks, would you be okay? That's the question I
try to answer — not with fear, but with logic.
I approach preparedness like a layered system: strategy is the big-picture plan, while tactics are the
small, repeatable actions that support it. Strategies are hard to rehearse, but tactics — like starting a
fire, filtering water, or navigating without a GPS — can be practiced in isolation. The more you practice
those building blocks, the more confident you become when the plan is put to the test.
During my daily walks with Luna, I often listen to the Amplified Bible. My first goal is simple: make it
through the entire Bible, front to back. Once that's done, my focus shifts to a more deliberate study —
especially on the words and teachings of Jesus. Eventually, I plan to revisit each book in the New Testament
to extract key takeaways and themes.
What draws me to this isn't just tradition or theology — it's the contrast between ancient wisdom and modern
life. I've noticed a cultural drift toward self-interest: "What do I get out of this?" is replacing "What is
the right thing to do, regardless of the outcome?" Principles like loving your neighbor or caring for others
are being eclipsed by hyper-optimized side hustles and individual gain. But the truth remains: he who
dies with the most toys, still dies.
The articles I post are usually one of two types: either I spotlight a chapter or verse that stands out, or
I work toward a conclusion using multiple references. The second type takes more effort — it's not always
easy to ensure a verse is being interpreted in the right context, especially considering its original
audience and purpose. But I think that's where real insight comes from — careful attention, not quick takes.