1st Birthday

Posted by Andy Baio

So, Monday was my weblog’s first birthday. My guidelines were pretty simple, and I think I’ve kept to them. I’m going to make one exception today, and talk entirely about myself.


A Biographical Sketch.

My name’s Andy Baio. I’m turning 26 years old later this month. I’m a Southern California native, born and raised in Burbank and later in Ventura. I graduated high school in my junior year, skipped my senior year and prom, and eventually graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications.

I worked for San Francisco-based Gettingit.com in 1999, a Los Angeles-based web design firm called Kick Media for a couple years, and currently manage the website staff for Dimensional Fund Advisors, a multinational asset management firm headquartered in Santa Monica.

I’m 75% Italian and 25% Scottish. I have terrible eyesight, curly brown hair that needs to be cut, and I’m too skinny. With all the boba tea that I drink, you’d think I’d gain some weight.

There’s been much happiness in my life. I’m in love with my wife Ami. We married in Cambria three and a half years ago, on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I have many close friends, including some from as early as elementary school. My family is tightly-knit and very loving. I get paid to do what I enjoy.

There’s been some unpleasantness, too. My parents divorced when I was two, but they still remain close friends. My friend Travis was accidentally shot and killed on Christmas Eve by another close friend when I was in 10th grade. My aunt killed herself a couple years ago. My grandmother is losing her memory and is not long for this world.

I taught myself how to play guitar. I love music, and collect it voraciously (1300+ albums). I’m drawn to singer-songwriter music across all genres, a quality that interests me in any medium. I strongly believe that sincerity and vision drive all good music, art, books, and software.

I love the Internet more than almost anything. I started using computers when I was 8 years old, dialing into BBSes at age 10. I used the web in 1994 and never looked back. I taught myself PHP, Perl, database programming and Unix. I’m in love with the open source movement, web culture, and memes. If I wasn’t writing this biography, I would be programming.

Comments

    Beautiful, Andy! Congratuations on your blog-iversary!

    Er, in the same tone… “I’m Destiny. I started reading Andy’s blog when he told me about it a year ago. Andy and I met in 1999 when we worked together at GettingIt.com, where he impressed everyone as geek wonder. Through Andy I’ve learned many things and met some cool people, too. I’m writing this from the guest house of Andy’s friend’s friend Eddo…”

    You forgot a few things: You skipped kindergarten and went to first grade at age 5 because you told the kindergarten teacher to give you instructions for class so you “could just read them.” You have an IQ off the charts, yet you are down to earth and have a hilarious sense of humor. You know how to break dance. You’re the best son on this earth. Congrats on the weblog, and keep it up. The info I extract from it makes my college professors think I know what I’m talking about.

    If any wacky video should be displayed on this site, it should be the one showing Andy breakdancing. Bust a move to the camera, son.

    Yes, I took breakdancing classes in 1986. (Picture a line of white kids awkwardly learning to dance to “White Lines.”)

    Unfortunately, I was never able to turn it into a career.

    That’s nice Andy. Very honest and sincere. Congrats on the first year and thanks for bringing me into this world too.l

    I also met Andy at Gettingit.com. He is very level-headed and worked very hard on a project that was completely an utterly doomed from the start. Of all the fabulous people I met through the magazine, Andy has made the most of his time since then. I expect great things from you, my man. Comgratulations on your anniversary.

    Happy anniversary, Andy. Waxy.org is such a great site. Now, I want more stories about robots!

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