Hi, my name is Alex! I’m a software engineer, novelist, and digital artist. I received a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science with an emphasis in Digital Animation from Brigham Young University. I also received minors in Mathematics and Creative Writing. I served as the president of BYU’s Theme Park Engineering and Design Club for 6 years.
Currently, I’m self-studying PLC programming (via the PLC Dojo) and embedded systems (via the Embedded Engineering Roadmap and Embedded Artistry) with the goal of working as a controls or animatronics engineer for theme parks. In the future, I’m planning to go for a full ABET-accredited engineering degree, which in retrospect I should have done as an undergraduate, as a double major alongside my CS education. But we can’t go back in time.
I’m currently located in northern Utah, but I am planning to move out. Culturally, I don’t really fit in, and I have a deep dislike for the winter. I do love the summers here, though, and visiting Lagoon and all the water parks in the area: Cowabunga Bay, Cherry Hill, Splash Summit, Classic Waterslides, and some of the excellent rec centers and community pools with water slides in the area.
I’m originally from California, and am looking to move back there. Florida is another option, specifically the Orlando area. After getting a job in the industry in California or Florida, my dream is to design and operate my own large-scale theme park resort, at a scale close to that of Walt Disney World. With that, it’s important to add that work-life balance is very important to me. I am determined to excel in the theme park industry, while avoiding a crazy schedule.
I grew up in Ventura, Southern California, only a few hours away from some of the major players in the theme park industry. I have many happy memories of visiting theme parks as a child. My favorite roller coaster as a kid was Jaguar at Knott’s Berry Farm. Despite my love of sleeping, I always begged to stay at amusement parks from opening until closing. I never wanted to leave!
Ever since childhood, I’ve enjoyed analyzing the most efficient ways to tour parks, while minimizing waiting in line. Furthermore, I was an imaginative kid, and I loved how theme parks would immerse me in faraway, fantastical worlds. At the age of 7, I knew I wanted to work in the theme park industry. That goal has never changed.
As you can see, I’ve had a lifelong passion for theme parks and roller coasters. That, combined with my interest in writing, meant it was only natural for me to start a blog.
This blog will focus on theme parks, from the perspective of both an enthusiast and an aspiring designer and engineer. I’m equally interested in math/physics and art, so I am always thinking about both. Additionally, anything adjacent to theme parks is fair game, including water parks, community parks, zoos, carnivals, and such.
As you can probably guess, my biggest passions in life are computers and computer programming (especially graphics programming, and anything close to the hardware! But to be honest, anything involving code and computers is enjoyable to me), 2D and 3D art, reading and writing, and theme parks. My other interests include gaming, watching animation, cybersecurity, distance running, lifting weights, and playing clarinet and piano. With my interests, I like to go all-in. My unofficial motto is to do nothing in my life casually. I don’t really have laid-back hobbies; I just have pursuits and passions. Either intense or nothing at all.
I’m pretty involved in the roller coaster enthusiast community. I am also huge into Disney, so I’m kind of split between two worlds. I love coasters for the thrill, and Disney/Universal for the immersion in fantastical and faraway settings. In internet brainrot lingo, I run in both thoosie and Disney adult circles. If you think that obsessing over Disney as an adult is weird and there must be something wrong with me, I can assure you: there is.
My current roller coaster credit count is 148. I’ve also ridden over 90 water slides. And counting!
Here is a picture of me on Expedition Everest (I’m in the orange RunDisney Groot 5K shirt). I have no idea who the other people are, but they seemed pretty cool.