Jeff was the son of a general contractor, working for his dad from the age of eight through leaving for college.
Jeff loved science, learning about orderliness of the universe, astronomy and the space program (he grew up west of Kennedy Space Center). When he realized that he had the grades and a resume that could potentially get him to the Air Force Academy - and potentially an Astronaut he was all in.
After two years he transferred to the University of Florida and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering - a logical extension of his construction upbringing. He initially did engineering aligned with what he was familiar: supporting residential and commercial construction. After a couple of years he was lured into the software side of the industry. His career as a Professional Civil Engineer has been split into engineering design and civil engineering software support. Influenced by his father's life, he ran his own civil engineering software consulting business, publish training manuals, training engineers and leading software engineering implementations at corporate and municipal and state agency levels. After spending over a decade developing training with software vendor, his is currently works on infrastructure megaprojects for Parsons Corporation.
When growing up with entrepreneurial parents, you are constantly exposed to their mindset:
- what's the value proposition?
- how do you present it?
- how do you differentiate your extra value?
- how do you anticipate and get around obstacles?
Driving around Orlando, he's always pointing out homes, office parks, and subdivisions his dad built, and when he passes some highway bridge or ramp he designed he can't help but point that out. Grandpa built things, Dad designed things. It's inevitable that I will be things as well. So far a trebuchet and a pedestrian bridge. But it's a solid start.
He also harps on me that a career is about two things: subject matter expertise and the ability to communicate it. He likes to set up websites and have me help manage them. See mine: DashMartin.me
He's also very funny. Not nearly as funny as he thinks he is. Quick-witted, but not as quick as he thinks. I have taken his sense of humor and bettered it.
He's always talking about the inherent value of kindness.
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Dash Stash
VB Pix:
210827 - Sand VB v Parker 210827 (Note: Dash and Trevor play the #1 Varsity slot and sweep!)
Dash with a facepopping hit (video)
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Hey!
My giant bucket of personal stuff.
2024
Another pivotal year.
Mom passed (MomMartin.com and Call Your Mom).
I had to evaluate what I wanted to do professionally. Even this late in my career, I found I want to do Growth (vs Core). I'm pursing that focus as part of a team vs independently (it surprised me that I found joining a big corp advantageous). Interestingly, I'm with the company that I worked with when Dash was a baby.
It was great to have Dash home for the whole summer.
He's back at school now. It's been a lot easier as he's living on campus with three roommates he chose. Sending us frequent photos of the meals he and his roommates cook...
2023b
The year 2023 must be broken in two. A huge life milestone for Leigh and me and Dash as Dash gets his second address ever. He's now at Cal Poly SLO as an Industrial Engineering Major.
Empty Nest.
A milestone in my life unlike any other. The great joy and pride with each of his accomplishments (sweet!) is accompanied, apparently forever, by the melancholy of his absence. Sweetancholy ("bittersweet" is wrong (sweet is first, and it's not a bitter ache)).
But "Launch a bird, gain a flock". The Cal Poly Mustang Parents group on Facebook kept me sane. An amazingly supportive group. I've got excerpts of my posts here: JeffPen.net/launch (Note: the responses were the best part, but they belong to the responders, not to me.)
2023a
2023a - Dash At Home - was highlighted by the capstone of Dash's amazing two-year volleyball career. Leading his UCHS Indoor Volleyball team. He was expected to carry the team, but he great exceeded the high expectations.
(Eighteen months later, these memories remain very moving. I think it's because once he started driving, we just didn't see that much of him. But we knew where he'd be during volleyball matches).
He finished the season with 61 Aces (1st in the League) and 357 Kills (2nd in the League).
- Goodies at UCVolley.com
- Dash highlights at UCVolley.com/dash
2023 Coach's Remarks and Awards
2022
A great indoor High School Volleyball Season:
Christmas 2021: Christmas-2021
August 27, 2021
For the first time in two years, UCHS had a Sand Volleyball Match. Then, Dash was a new player paired with a new player. Way down in the JV pecking order.
This year, he and his friend Trevor started the our first match as our Varsity #1 Team. They swept Parker's #1 Team in true Dash fashion, by the scantest of margins (by 3 and by 2).
full-story: Sand VB v Parker 210827
March 2021
Just got back from SpaceX Boca Chica to hear the Starship SN11 Launch.
Detail Pages: Cusco Area Photos | 2019 Peru: Trekking the Salkantay Trail | Amazon Jungle - Peru
2017
August: Eclipse 2017 - Totality in Oregon
December:
The Loop of Betrayal (2012)
Congrats alex !
My giant bucket of Dash Stuff (dashpotato.com)
I'm posting Photo Dumps of Dash at: Dash Stash
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2022
This is a big milestone.
A great indoor High School Volleyball Season:
Goodies at UCVolley.com
Dash highlights at UCVolley.com/dash
2019: Peru!
Click here for Peru 2019
2017 was a slow weird year but ended really well:
- The "Great American 2017 Eclipse" - Totality in Oregon!
- Australia 2017, Diving the GBR, and Beijing.
June 2016
Did a quick one-day up to Snow Summit to take advantage of the miracle of chairlifts. That's Leigh and Dash in the background and the Jekyll in the foreground.
(2015 Jekyll 3: Fox Dyad Rt2, Rockshocks Pike RCT3 160mm fork, Mavic CrossMax wheels. Bikemag's review.)
| Sunset Soaring |  |
Had some cool solar observations: May '12 Eclipse and June '12 Venus Transit
Note: I have an "Learn to Observe" web at GoOutLookUp.net. I don't know much, but I compulsively share what I do know.
| Fun astro gadget: I have one of these Yes Watches and love it (I always know where the moon is now (as well as sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, moon phase) without having even to touch any buttons.
I liked it enough to a write up on it on my astronomy site.
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| 11/11/29: Interesting experience with a hawk today. |  |
Out of Date Stuff
Random Musings (the blogjam)
I learned today that I unexpectedly lost a friend today (well, Monday). There aren't a LOT of people that I admire and love. Fewer that I consider role models.
I've been working out of the house for 12 of the past 15 years and the last seven. I am happy to do so and am still reasonably okay. I don't do a lot of things outside the family, Dash's friends families, school dropoff and the volleyball group. It works well for the most part. Days like this are harder.
I wrote about it here.
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