A Journey of Adaptation

Why This Blog Exists

So you're a blogger?

No. Not really. I put this site together primarily to learn more about web development and if I'm being honest, it started sometime in 2019 when I was learning about networking (TCP, UDP, HTTP, etc. — not to be confused with happy hours and LinkedIn). It wasn't until 2025 I actually got the site up and running which is due in part to shifting priorities, learning new technologies, and not knowing enough existing tech to get things looking "good enough." Plenty of learning happened along the way and I'm proud of what I've deployed thus far and eager to continue working on improvements and additions.

It's a bit of a cliché to include a blog on a personal site, but I've always liked the idea of having my own little corner of the internet to share things I'm interested in and get feedback from folks in hopes of developing and refining my ideas. That's all this is. I have total creative control over what information is shared here, and I offer it to the world free of charge. I believe it's at least valued appropriately.

What You Can Expect Here

My goal with this blog is to share insights that translate complex technical concepts into practical knowledge for decision-makers. Having navigated both technical and operational roles, I've learned that the greatest value often comes from bridging these worlds. Here, you'll find:

• Practical applications of data analytics across different industries
• Lessons learned from career transitions and adaptability
• Straightforward explanations of technical concepts without the jargon
• Occasional reflections on how athletics prepared me for the business world

Who Am I?

For the first post, I think it's only appropriate to share a little on my personal background (FYI - if you're looking for my CV, I'd point you to the About Me page of the site). Otherwise, continue on (or do both - no rules).

The Early Years

I was born in Plainview, TX and grew up as the middle child with 2 sisters. My father worked in construction and my mother was a school teacher. Going back to as early as I can remember I was always a BIG kid. Tall, but also "Husky." I was also very active. My older sister was very tall too and we both grew up with a serious passion for the game of basketball - and our parents did everything in their power to afford us every opportunity to pursue this passion. My most fond memories growing up are of car trips to play in weekend tournaments from Colorado Springs to Dallas, playing 2-3 games a day and late nights in the driveway playing pickup games with my family. A couple of years before High School started, my family moved to Wolfforth, TX and eventually I would attend Frenship High School (Yeah, I had notes on the spelling there too, but it is what it is).

High School: Finding Football

Wolfforth sits just outside Lubbock, TX (home of the late Buddy Holly and Texas Tech University). It was a quintessential West Texas farming community and fit every stereotype of what folks see portrayed in movies about Texas High School Football. While basketball was my first passion, I'd played in various organized and school football leagues over the years of my youth but wasn't really too interested until I started going to High School varsity games and envisioned myself out there playing under the (relatively) big lights.

Being a large human is an advantage, and I had that in spades - but I also had really good athleticism from years of playing basketball. That in addition to being highly competitive made for a stand out high school athlete and by my Sophomore year in High School, I was already receiving offers to play College Football from D1 programs around the nation. I ended up being a very highly recruited high school athlete and eventually decided to accept a scholarship to play football at The University of Texas at Austin.

College: Challenges and Growth

I graduated from High School a semester early and enrolled at UT during the Spring of 2009 in order to participate in Spring Practice and hopefully compete for playing time as a Freshman (not the route I'd recommend looking back, but that's a topic for another day). I was off to a really good start my freshman year, but I'd put on a significant amount of weight between enrolling and the first season, resulting in a painful stress fracture in my foot that would eventually require surgery to fix.

Ultimately I was medically red-shirted after playing 3 games my freshman year and forced to watch UT go on to lose the National Championship to Alabama that year. I was able to use that time to refocus on school, developing physically and even met a girl that somehow I convinced to marry me later! I'd go on to start the next year and every game on until graduating in 2013.

I was relatively lucky to not have many significant injuries during my time at UT, but unfortunately they occurred as bookends to my time there. My senior year I had a nagging issue with my knee the doctors believed was superficial and could be handled with a "routine" arthroscopic procedure to clean up some frayed cartilage. However the nagging injury turned out to be more than they'd initially thought and I underwent a micro-fracture surgery after losing in the Alamo Bowl to a very talented Oregon team.

The Pivot: From Athletics to Industry

I attempted to chase my dreams of playing professional football for a year. However, for reasons I still wonder about, I never recovered from my micro-fracture surgery. After racking up some serious debt training and recovering, I made the decision to give up and walk away from the sport. That in itself is an entire chapter of my life I won't bore you with - but it forced me to make a few other tough decisions.

Shortly after I made my decision, I was traveling with my longtime girlfriend to Lubbock to attend the wedding of one of her high school friends when the transmission failed in my truck. By the grace of God I had just enough money to rent a car while mine was towed to the closest auto shop and continue the trip to Lubbock, but I was completely tapped out financially.

After the wedding that weekend I was able to get a loan to fix my truck. My girlfriend flew back to Austin. I picked my truck up and drove to Midland. I'd dug a hole for myself financially and needed to fix it, quickly. Oil was trading around $110/bbl at the time - and when that's happening anyone that can swing a hammer, pass a drug test and show up on time can make good money in the oilfield. That's what I did.

Midland: Learning from the Ground Up

I leveraged a few "connections" from the University I thought would be helpful, but I hadn't really focused on academics while I was enrolled. It's a stereotype for a reason and I wasn't an exception to it, so while those I spoke with were generally supportive, you can't hire someone just because you like them.

However, I did get some sage advice from one man who shared: "If you want to get good at the oil business go start at the well head and you'll know you're good when you don't see it anymore." The next week I got a job as a Frac Technical Specialist, where after a month of working as a frac hand I was responsible for overseeing the logistics and execution of High Pressure Well Completion, better known as Hydraulic Fracturing.

I spent the better part of the next 2 years on various well pads in West Texas. On the occasional break I'd high tail it back to Austin to spend time with my long distance girlfriend. After a couple of years I'd made enough to repay anyone I owed money to and buy an engagement ring. I wasn't quite ready to pull the trigger though - my girlfriend had made it clear she wasn't moving out west thus I needed to figure out how I'd get back to Austin.

The Present: Bridging Technical and Business Worlds

Eventually I made it to Austin and things worked out better than I could have hoped. I married my college sweetheart in 2017, we had our first daughter in 2023. I went back to school for a certificate in Data Analytics and Visualization in 2019 and have worked at the intersection of Data and Operations across various industries since then.

This journey from athlete to technical specialist to data professional has given me a unique perspective on how to translate complex technical concepts into valuable insights for decision-makers. That's what I hope to share here - drawing from my experiences to help others navigate the increasingly technical business landscape.

Moving Forward

In future posts, I'll dive deeper into specific projects, share lessons from my career transitions, and offer perspectives on emerging technologies without getting lost in the jargon. My aim is to provide content that helps bridge the gap between technical possibilities and business realities - something I've found tremendously valuable in my own career.

Thanks for taking the time to read about my journey. I look forward to sharing more and hearing your thoughts as we go.

Until then, take care!

Best,

Mason