About Ready Captain

The Story behind Ready Captain

Three books changed the outlook on my life at the age of 16. The first is the Bible. Second is "The Magic of Thinking Big" by David J. Schwartz and the third is "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale.

One week following my high school graduation I got my first job as a landscaper earning $5 per hour. My puny frame and working outdoors pushing lawnmovers in the blazing summer heat led to my firing at the end of my first day. Life happens...

I soon applied for the US Marines and passed the initial screening. However, I got my next job at Architectural Millworks which made custom mahogany doors and windows. My responsibilities were cutting the trim and nailing the glass panes and wood panels to the finished doors. When completed, I had to use a palm sander on all surfaces of the finished product before they were sent out to the customer. I loved that job. With only a 10 minute walk going to work was such a breeze. Additionally, making my lunch each morning left me feeling proud and downright happy. I was employed again!

While working I applied for the MIT Aerospace Engineering degree program in Cambridge, Massachusetts but was not accepted. To this day that feeling of not being good enough never strayed too far from my memory. Although discouraged, I applied to Northeastern University in Boston. One day I got my acceptance letter in the mail. Back then there was no email. Classes began the Winter semester which meant I had to tender my resignation after working for only 5 months.

My first job in Boston was working as a computer lab assistant using IBM machines and also the Apple 1 since laptops were non-existent. Many students came to the lab to complete their class assignments, projects and have them printed. How did I get this job? I needed to find a work-study job as part of my financial aid package and just happened to be given a one day assessment to prove whether or not I could manage this new kind of position without any prior knowledge or experience. I was a natural fit and loved every moment working my shift and becoming an expert using DOS commands. To this day I like to do what may seem impossible by others.

What did I get myself into? The brutal temps in my freshman year made even my Lands' End down winter coat feel ineffective. My toes and fingers were usually numb and I paid the price of old man winter seemingly every year.

After doing 2 work study jobs at different mutual fund companies I ended up with my first contract assignment at Fidelity Investments in Boston. My performance earned me a full-time position as an Operations Audit & Analysis Administrator. Fidelity Investments taught me about the benefits of hard work, respecting the job and delivering the best customer experience. Everywhere I have worked since I am reminded to treat each day as my last day at work and leave nothing on the table. Those cold, frigid winters were my reason for leaving Boston and heading as far south to "my heaven on earth" Florida.

I soon got my first car, my brand new white Infiniti G20 sedan which I used to drive to Florida using printed route maps from MapQuest. What an experience driving more than 1,500 miles (2,414km) without a cellphone. There was a time in America where phones lined the highways for those who needed help.

While in Florida I worked freelance or full-time jobs at T1MSN, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Citrix and did many other side projects long before the term side hustles was a thing. Technically speaking, I've had titles ranging from Administrator, Freelancer, IT Consultant, Web Designer, Web Master, Programmer Analyst or Game Designer. The main point is that I always get results.

Currently, I enjoy console, computer gaming, building websites, computer artwork and travel.

My love of aviation started when my brother Emile was learning to fly Cessna airplanes.

My hobby on weekends was begging my mom to drop me off at the Henry Rohlsen airport and I stayed until the big jet flights left for the mainland. My only meals where Pizza Hut Supreme Pan personal pizza which I today still crave but now enjoy Motor City Supreme Pizza. I told my mom I would instead walk 20 minutes go to the city of Christiansted and watch the VI Seaplane Shuttle Tropic Bird which used the Grumman Mallard G73 and G73 Turbo. Many weekend nights I stayed until the last flight arrived sometimes right at dusk. Both of those airplane types became my favorite of all time.

As time passed I got my first copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 which I then followed with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight which I used to create the add-on product Hopping Round the World Adventure which has surpassed 330K downloads and totaled 796 takeoffs and landings.

After completing this amazing journey and without a significant update to the realism of the world everything stood still until the announcement of the new Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. 17 years had past and now I found something worthwhile to start a new EPIC adventure.

Ready Captain, the sequel to the HRW Adventure will be the World's BIGGEST Flightsim Adventure.

As a gamer you tend to be in control of your avatar exploring beneath the ocean, battlefields, air, space and everything in between.

In the real world you fight fires, save lives, give orders on submarines, carry out your mission using a stealth aircraft, tank, drone, helicopter, launch & dock your spaceship, dominate the battlefield, win trophies in sports plus protect & serve. Time and time again we look towards the Captain to set the table for mission success.

There is none BETTER than you!

Ready Captain. You Have Control.