Who I am, From Hard Drive Loss to Homelab: The Persistence of a Self-Taught Developer
Posted on 05 Nov 2025 by Wez — 4 min
I'm Wesley, and my passion for computers, tech, and video games started back in the 90s. My journey is a testament to the ups and downs of a self-taught developer, marked by exciting progress and frustrating setbacks. It often feels like I have nothing to show for the amount of work I've done, but I’m finally learning the hard truth: if it's not documented, it disappears.
The Early Years (2003–2008): Building and Burning Out My journey started early. At just 14 (2003), I was building simple websites. By 2004, I was writing PHP scripts and contributing to downtownmafia.com, fixing bugs and reworking features for a game that regularly hosted hundreds of players.
My first attempts at formal education were quickly derailed:
2005: I quit college after being secretly placed in an under-subscribed programming course.
2006–2008: My second attempt at a Software Development course left me learning Visual Basic 6—a language Microsoft stopped supporting before we even graduated.
The real devastation came in Late 2008: The Great Loss. While working a bar job, my Maxtor 80GB hard drive failed. I lost months of work on a "mini Facebook" community site I was building—code updated to be Object-Oriented, utilizing CSS3 and the new HTML5 standard. No regular backups meant months of effort were completely gone.
The Valley (2009–2018): Frustration and Shifting Focus I tried to get back into coding by investing in a book to learn C# and XNA Game Studio. This attempt was crushed by the toxic online forums of the time. I was ridiculed for using software the book recommended and told to abandon beginner code for expensive, professional alternatives.
I lost interest in programming, focusing on working and playing games. But my passion didn't die; it shifted. I became fascinated with game servers, Linux, and infrastructure management. I moved from a cluster of old PCs to a single system running Proxmox to handle NAS and server duties—my own homelab.
In 2018, I bought my first home. Finally, I had the dedicated space to fully pursue my renewed interest in technology.
🏡 New Home, New Builds (2018–Present) The Homelab and C++ Challenge My growing interest in Linux and servers culminated in a new Proxmox homelab. I treated it as my hands-on school for system administration and networking.
Determined to learn C++, I bought a popular book, Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days. True to form, I immediately hit the same old roadblock: deprecated code instantly outdated by the C++17 standard. Rather than quitting, I changed my approach. I used the book to grasp the C++ basics and then quickly pivoted to the wealth of free, up-to-date online guides. This new foundation led to practical success working with ESP8266 devices, building simple network-connected tools.
🦠 The Pandemic Boost (2020) When the 2020 COVID pandemic hit, my job put me on furlough, granting me a massive, unexpected block of free time. I shifted my focus entirely to building and repairing:
Electronics: I built multiple iSpindel kits (a DIY sensor for brewing).
Retro Repair: I repaired and refurbished several old Gameboys and retro consoles, combining my love for gaming and hardware.
Modern Programming: I returned to programming with the more powerful ESP32 and the versatile Raspberry Pi Pico, working on microcontroller projects now integrated into my homelab.
I'm now in a space where my passion, my skills, and my projects are finally aligning, fueled by practical building and an active homelab environment.
🚀 Looking Ahead: Goals and the Path to IT My journey has been winding, full of self-taught achievements and frustrating setbacks. But through it all, two things remain clear: my passion for technology and my ability to learn and adapt.
Current Focus & Future Goals My goals are now focused and practical:
Level Up Programming: I want to significantly improve my programming skills, particularly in modern C++. I aim to build more complex, robust applications beyond hobbyist projects.
Grow the Homelab: I plan to continue expanding my Proxmox homelab, treating it as my personal development and testing sandbox.
Document Everything: I am committed to documenting my projects, successes, and failures. This blog is the start, ensuring that this hard-won knowledge doesn't simply disappear again.
Building a Career from Passion Ultimately, I want to pivot my decades of interest, self-taught skills, and hands-on homelab experience into a professional role. I'm actively looking toward a career in the IT industry that aligns with my skills in system administration, server management, networking, and hardware/software integration.
The goal isn't just a job; it's finding a role where I can continue to learn, solve problems, and work with the technology I enjoy every day. The setbacks have shown me the work I'm capable of, and now, I'm ready to finally turn that history into a lasting, rewarding career.