Hello, my name is Matt Cooper. I’m a father, husband, purveyor of dad jokes, and PC gamer. I’ve been an IT “Pro” and Security Engineer for a while but, I’ve been dabbling in home-labbing (yes, that’s a verb I made up) for even longer. I enjoy breaking things and putting them back together, in order to learn how they work.

Career

I cut my teeth in the private security sector and as an insurance, litigation claims adjuster. Eventually, I ended up redirecting my career to the IT field. I eventually shifted the focus of my career path, within IT, to Information/Cyber Security. With over a decade of experience in the physical security industry, this has been a natural fit and something I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

Interests

I’ve been called a jack of all trades and, as far as I can tell, that’s a pretty accurate statement.

Technology, Privacy, and Homelab

I enjoy tinkering with tech in my homelab which consists of a full height, enclosed cabinet that’s nearly filled to the brim with servers of varying types/sizes. Most of it is for virtualization or labs, in one form or another.

Given the nature of my interests and career path, I would consider myself a strong privacy advocate. I’ve done my best to de-google where possible and support TOR. In fact, I host several Tor Relays to help strengthen that Network. If you’re interested in Tor and it’s many benefits, I would encourage you to take a deeper dive or feel free to ask me.

Firearms

For several years, I managed and operated a gun shop so, naturally, I have an appreciation for firearm nomenclature and an affinity for shooting/range time. I’m never pushy about the subject and reserve my thoughts but, I’m always happy to talk shop if you’re genuinely interested.

Cooking

I enjoy cooking and, more specifically, grilling/smoking meats of varying types. Chances are, at some point, I’ll write about making beef jerky, smoking pork butts, or preserving foods.

Family

I’m a father to the coolest little girl in the entire world and husband to the most amazing woman (not to mention, she puts up with me and allows me to do all of my nerdy/geeky stuff, without questioning it).

Social Media

I’ve been completely removed from the “traditional” social media platforms for several years (since even before it was trendy). Many things led up to this decision but, at minimum, the significant privacy concerns were enough. I’ve made my home on Fosstodon, which is an instance on Mastodon. If you’re looking for more enriched social media experience, I’d highly recommend it.

You can reach me on Fosstodon, here and, if you feel inclined, you can buy me a coffee, here.