Who am I?

I was born 33 years ago in November and given the name "Michael Christopher". I am mostly of Italian heritage but am also of part German and Slavic descent. I have two younger siblings: one sister and one brother. I am married - no kids yet. We have two dogs, a Bichon Frise named "Peeps" and a Bichon-Poo puppy named "Dibs".

Why "voyd"?

I have been using voyd (or some variation thereof) as an internet alias for almost 10 years. Voyd was originally an abbreviation for "Voyager Dragon", a name chosen for membership in the UDIC, an online community of fans of the Ultima series of games. I chose Voyager in part for a love of adventure (whether real or fiction) and also for its Star Trek significance. Since that time, voyd has evolved into an alias I use for many things I do online.

I've also begun using mcmagi as an alternative alias/domain.

Where am I?

I was born and raised in New Jersey. I have lived here most of my life except for a three-year stint in the 'burbs of Atlanta, Georgia when I was a teen. I am currently based in Belle Mead, an unincorporated hamlet within the Township of Montgomery, and located squarely in the heart of Central Jersey. Although our state is sometimes unsatisfactorily referred to as the "armpit of the nation" by those who do not live here (presumably, they have only seen Newark or smelled Secaucas), Jersey has the unique distinction of being sandwiched between two major metroples: New York City (often just "The City") and Philadelphia (or just "Philly"). Belle Mead and Montgomery are unique in that it is surprisingly rural for its location, though like most communities afflicted by the plague that is suburban sprawl this is changing rapidly. Both New York and Philadelphia are equally about a 1.5-hour drive away.

What do I do?

I am a software engineer for a consulting firm based in Piscataway, NJ. My specialization is in the area of web development and internet technologies. I code primarily in Java, though I often work in PHP outside of work and have been delving quite a bit into Erlang. For more information about my professional history, please see my online portfolio.

Other than my employment, I love computers; good stories (often science fiction and fantasy); discussing controversial subjects such as philosophy, religion, and politics; listening to and singing music; skiing; and travel. I consider myself a computer geek, a road geek, a reniassance geek, a book worm, and -- in some form -- a musician. And yes, as is fitting for the "geek" stereotype, I do get obsessive about these, as my friends, relatives, and wife can all attest to. For more info, see my interests page.