I got my best ideas for Ken's World in the shower.  If you need a burst of creativity sometime, take my advice: Go soak your head.  It works.  Over time, I've kept adding to these web pages.  This has justified my getting some new "toys", like the scanner I bought when I first launched Ken's World.  Often, I'll get an idea for a new page when I see an image that I want to use.  For instance, I built my Virtual Fortune Cookie pages after a friend sent me the humorous fortune cookie picture (I went a little overboard).  I love the power of the Web, where I can build virtual worlds.  ("We are what we think.  All that we are arises with our thoughts.   With our thoughts, we make the world." -- Buddha)  Visit the Temple of Tranquility and imagine being in this peaceful sanctuary.  If you're in the mood for something lighthearted, try consulting my Thought for the Day.

The comment I frequently get about Ken's World is "Ken, you obviously you have too much free time on your hands."  Well, that's not really true -- there are lots of things I enjoy doing (too many), but working on this has been great fun.  I enjoy creating things that are visually exciting.

I've always liked to read.  Too often I do the "just one more chapter" thing until way too late at night while reading in bed.  I enjoy science fiction and fantasy novels, and historical fiction and alternate-history stories.  Some of the novels I've enjoyed are are David Weber's Honor series, Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books.  I love Humphrey Bogart and Jackie Chan movies.  I like Jackie.  Everyone says he's just as kind and gracious in real life as his characters are in the movies.  My all-time favorites are Tolkien's The Lord of the Ring books (I've read them several times), and the Lord of the Ring movies (the extended versions, naturally) directed by Peter Jackson.

I'm a Cat Person. My boy cat sprawls on the computer table and places one paw on my arm, to let me know he's here for me if I need advice on life's thornier problems -- or if I just want to scratch his ears.  His sister has a fascination for socks, but only when they're on feet (or is it feet when they're in socks?) so she curls up on my feet.

I'm one of the last two people in the Denver area who does not have a high-priced mobile phone.  I smile when I think of the marketing people at Verizon who are losing sleep over that.  I don't have cable or satellite television (lost sleep in more marketing departments).  I used to have one of those rabbit-ear thingys (that's the technical term until I found a high-tech flat one that works better).  But if I had to choose between food and high-speed Internet access, the DSL folks would be smiling.  And it would be a practical decision -- I can use the Internet to order out.

My Myers-Briggs type indicator is INFJ (interestingly, the same as my sister).  If you don't know what that means, a brief definition is "'Author'. Strong drive and enjoys helping others. Complex personality. 1% of the total population."  If you're interested in this kind of personality analysis, you can take a personality type test or visit the Keirsey web site.  The Myers & Briggs Foundation provides well-organized information about this subject.

I spent my first 22 years in Florida, and earned my Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Florida.  After six years in the engineering field, I decided that I enjoyed software development better, and that's now my profession.  I moved to Denver when I was 30.  It's my home now, and I love it here.  (Denver truly is the Mile High City -- the 15th step on the west side of the state capitol building is 5280 feet above sea level.)  The culture is generally health conscious, and there are great recreational activities to choose from in each season of the year. The Denver area has a marvelous selection of good restaurants (if you were familiar with my cooking ability, you'd understand the importance of eating out).  We also have talented local jazz artists. 

I visited the country with a tour group in April 2016, just in time for the cherry blossoms.  I visited Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka.  It was a great time, and I plan to go back.

The Japanese language has remarkably little profanity.  So if you want to tell a person off, you'll have to list his faults.  Now you know.

I like the J-pop groups Perfume and Wagakki Band.  Perfume is composed of three gals from Hiroshima.  They formed the group in 2000, when they were only around age 11.  They're now internationally known, topping the Japanese music charts, and have performed in America and Europe.  I had the opportunity to purchase their latest CD when I was in Kyoto.  Wagakki ("traditional music") Band blends traditional instruments (koto, shakuhachi flute, and shamisen) with modern guitars and drums, with Shigin style singing for the lyrics.  They have visually impressive music videos.  (Both groups have videos on YouTube.  Check them out!).

KenCam
in space

My mother passed away when I was 27.  Several years later, my dad met and married a neat lady named Sandi (I was Best Man at the wedding).  They live near Montgomery.  My dad says he has less free time now than when he was working.  He gets absolutely no sympathy from me.  If you would like to see more, I have family pictures.
     

This is for those of you who, like me, are easily amused