Timeline
2004-2017
2004-2017, I did not really do much with my life as I was 0-13 years old.
June 2004
I was born on June 7, 2004. Not much to say here about it. I likely started to use computers at four years old; around 2008-2009.
2008
It is unknown when I started to use computers for the first time, I presume it was in 2008.
May 2011
In May 2011, I used the "crazyblocks" name in the form of "crazyblocks18" for the first time for Roblox. Roblox was much different back then.
This name later became the default for referring to myself on the internet. I see this as when I have established an online presence.
Up to 2017
Up to 2017, I always had some interest in computers though I mostly did not do much with them other than to play games. I started using Scratch in May 2015 where it introduced me to some programming concepts.
May 2017 - March 2018
My current interest in computers and electronics likely started in April-May 2017 after I found a few Qimonda SDRAM ICs in a set-top box that was given to me for me to take apart. A day after, I looked into what Qimonda was and found that one of its major semiconductor plants were here in the Richmond, Virginia area that was originally part of Siemens-Motorola (White Oak Semiconductor) then Infineon Technologies.
August 2017
In August 2017, I first heard of Jerobeam Fenderson and his work. He later ended up being of great importance to myself for many years after. He was the initial inspiration for me to start growing out my hair in March 2018.
2018
In 2018, I started to make great progress in personal development.
January-March 2018
By February 2018, I mainly had interest in digital signage and semiconductors. In presumably February 2018, I have used the name "Crazyblocks Technologies" for the first time to put something on a notebook for an engineering class. The name was chosen as part of a class assignment to come up with some sort of logo to print and stick to the notebook cover. The initial logo had the "Mechanic Pig" from the Rovio Angry Birds/Bad Piggies game series that in subequent revisions, the pig became red instead of green.
The name "Crazyblocks Technologies" was inspired by Infineon Technologies as I had great interest in Infineon due to the Qimonda Richmond plant. At an unknown time later in 2018, I have switched to just "CrazyblocksTechnologies".
On February 2, 2018, I had my last haircut and I officially started growing out my hair in March 2018.
June 2018
In June 2018, I designed some sort of logo that used the "CBTS" acronym for the first time. An acronym I am not really proud of. The logo looked quite awful and the Impact font was replaced with Cooper Black in late 2018, which I had no license for. "CBTS" was used up to January 2022 where it was replaced by the currently used "CTCL", using custom-made "pixel" fonts.
2019
2019 was a somewhat productive period of time while at the same time I did many things I would not be proud of.
March 2019
On March 14, 2019, I have done a successful test of the first MediaCow which just consisted of a wood case with a polycarbonate screen cover, Amazon FireTV stick and a battery pack.
2020
I was greatly productive in 2020 and was, like for many, a transistional period.
February 2020
In February 2020, I started to use Linux on a Toshiba Satellite laptop from 2007 that I got at Goodwill for US$8. I used the Ubuntu-based distribution, Lubuntu 18.04. I have briefly used Linux distributions such as Debian (Raspbian) and Ubuntu (GNOME version) prior to this but I have not really got into Linux usage until this time.
March 2020
On March 15, 2020, my high school closed down due to pandemic that has just started. Class attendance became optional so, probably like many, I stopped attending classes virtually for that school year.
Around the same time, I have received a large amount of ThinkPad laptops from my friend's father, who ended up giving me even more laptops in December 2022 and the server hardware (HP BladeSystem) that I use now in April 2023. This further allowed me to explore Linux distributions.
These two events lead to my further introduction to Linux and computers and I owe a lot to them.
July 2020
On July 21, 2020, I have started to work at 2nd Life Inc for the first time. This was my first ever job and it was a great experience.
October-November 2020
I have started the development of MediaCow Touch (1) "Nashville" in October 2020 after semi-successful attempts at building the original device in early 2019.
By November 24, 2020, I have successfully built MediaCow Touch, this was a great achievement for myself at the time while the device ended up not being that useful.
2021
2021 was seen as not really a productive period of time for myself though I did some interesting things.
March 2021
In March 2021, while I was still in class at the Tech Center at Byrd High School, I started to come up with ideas for MediaCow Touch 2 for the first time. The initial plans were greatly overcomplicated, significantly more so than the current 2024 plans.
September 2021
In early September 2021, I did something I really am not proud of. The incident had a significant impact and changed a lot of my views.
October 2021
In October 2021, I have started to learn the Python programming language. Though I have used Python before in classroom environments in 2018, I have started to learn it for use in personal projects. This was done in order to be able to work on CAMS.
2022
January 2022
In January 2022, the first version of my website that uses backend code went live. Shortly after, within the same month, I have started to use the name "CrazyblocksTechnologies Computer Laboratories" and "CTCL" where the addition of "Computer Laboratories" was inspired by the fictional Aperture Science from the Valve Half-Life and Portal game series.
September 2022
In September 2022, I started to go to college for the first time. It was a new experience and I seemed to not be ready for it just yet. I immediately met others there.
On September 16, 2022, I received a Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-G930F phone that I got off from eBay following water damage to the iPod Touch that I used since December 2019. This was my first ever Android smartphone and I used it alongside the iPhone XR I used at the time for music, communication (Discord) and various other things that are difficult or not possible to do on Apple iOS. The S7 ended up being much more important to myself than I thought. The phone was used for photography during the November 2022 business trip to Fort Myers Beach, Florida as I have considered it to have a better camera than the iPhone XR while having expandable storage.
October 2022
October 2022 was a somewhat dark period of time for myself. In late October 2022, I had my first ever contraction of the COVID-19 virus which lasted for two weeks, this postponed the business trip to Fort Myers Beach, Florida.
November 2022
On November 1, 2022, I left Virginia to for the week-long trip to Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The trip ended up being a turning point in my life. The sights of Fort Myers Beach during this time I have considered being a blunt introduction to the impact of climate change where I completely attributed the strength of Hurricane Ian to.
Later in November 2022, I started to use the Rust programming language for the first time to rewrite my website using the Actix Web framework.
2023
2023 was a dark period of time for myself though I made some strides in PC hardware and software development.
April 2023
In April 2023, I have stopped using the full name "CrazyblocksTechnologies Computer Laboratories" and instead "CTCL" is used almost exclusively. This was done to separate "CTCL" from "Crazyblocks" which is a name that was literally made up by a six year old child. At that point, I have also associated the name with things I have done prior to 2023 that I am not proud of. Among those things were the game Roblox, which at that point, I really did not want to be associated with it especially in its current state.
At the same time I have retired the "elf" theming that I was using since 2020 and instead I started to associate myself with Alucard from Castlevania as I looked much more like him than fictional elves. The theming was also greatly inspired by the Terraria developer, Leinfors. The name "Alucard" was started to be used as an online nickname, exclusive to Discord, as CTCL or CTCL-Tech would sound too much like a business name.
In late April 2023, a friend's father (the same one who supplied the ThinkPad laptops) gave me an HP BladeSystem C3000 chassis along with blade servers compatible with it among other server equipment such as UPS systems and cables. I did not set up the equipment until late May where it took place of the Supermicro X8DAi that I was using temporarily.
June 2023
In June 2023, I returned to Fort Myers Beach, Florida to look over a property I helped work on. I released the first version of ContactList while I was there.
August 2023
From July 31 to August 4, 2024, I started the "nonmonolithic" photography project that I regularly updated until November 9, 2023.
2024
2024 continued to be a dark period of time for myself but with great personal developments.
February 2024
In February 2024, I started to use the Rust programming language again for server software projects.
Instead of making the attempt to start a project that uses the Rust programming language, I made use of the Rustlings course to properly teach myself how to use Rust.
In early February, 2024, I have became active in a club Discord for VCU LUG (Linux Users Group). Later, on February 24, 2024, I have went to the VCU Harris Hall for the first time to help move and service server hardware.
March 2024
In March 2024, I registered the domain "ctcl.lgbt" originally as a joke though as result I have became more open about being LGBT (bisexual, though I made it obvious at this point) and the domain, unintentionally, became the main domain name for the website. With my discontinuation of using Namecheap, I would no longer have the ctcl-tech.com domain. I have noticed with analytics data (logging feature part of the website itself), I have gotten more website activity ever since I started using the ctcl.lgbt domain name.
As of September 2, 2024, this website is within the 3500-4000 registered domains that have the .lgbt TLD.
June 2024
In June 2024, I have been approved for receiving a LattePanda Mu and its "Lite" carrier board after proposing using the hardware in MediaCow Touch 2.
The deadline I stated was September 1, 2024 which gives me just two months to design the device. Though, by then, I would have been four days into the Fall 2024 semester. My personal deadline for the hardware design of MediaCow Touch 2 is August 26, 2024 which is when classes actually start.
July-October 2024
MediaCow Touch 2 gave constant pressure during this time period.
On August 26, 2024, I started my third attempt at community college.
November 2024
In November 2024, following the 2024 US Presidential Election, I have started to be more careful about LGBT expression with the laws that could be possibly passed in the United States in the following years.
On November 26, 2024, I saw signage for the future Micron Technology DRAM plant in Clay, New York that was not there in previous years.