Who am I? |
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Who am I? |
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I'm Mark Lilback, of course. That's not enough? OK, then go ahead and feel free to read these chapters of my life:
For the curious who don't have time to read:
| Height: | 6'4" |
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| Weight: | 230 lbs. |
| Ancestry: | 50% Finnish, 25% German, 25% Scots-Irish |
| Favorite Color: | Purple |
| Favorite TV Shows: | The Sopranos, Alias (yes, the only two shows I don't miss air at the same time) |
| Favorite Musical Group: | The Cure |
| Favorite Authors: | Robert Heinlen & David Eddings |
| Favorite Movies: | Star Wars Trilogy, James Bond films, Heathers, Matrix, Akira |
| Hobbies: | Playing games, cooking, bowling, skiing, rollerblading |
| Shoe Size: | 13 |
| Main Computer: | PowerBook G3 500 MHz, 512 MB RAM, 30 GB HD, Mac OS X |
| Favorite Alcoholic Drink: | Amoretto Sour |
| Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink: | Water (that's all I drink now) |
| Allergies: | Caffeine |
| Favorite Restaurant: | Virgil's BBQ (Times Square in NYC) |
I was born in Ashland, Kentucky. I don't really remember anything about Ashland, as I had just turned two when we left.
My father, who worked for Dupont, was transferred to Orange, Texas, where I spent the majority of my life until I went to college.
Life in Orange was pretty bland, but I became an avid gamer, and occupied myself with that and the only other activity for youth in town, drinking. (Louisiana, about 5 minutes away, only had an 18 drinking age, which they didn't enforce.)
I did spend one year of my life outside of Livingston, Texas, right near the Big Thicket. I lived in Camp Ruby, which had a population of around 100. We had a small rural house by a lake, where I had to chop firewood for our fireplace to stay warm at night. Luckily we had a phone, but lack of cable TV was a nightmare for a TV-addicted youth. My mom left her job (teaching third grade) after 1 year, and we moved back to our house in Orange.
My parents divorced when I was in the fourth grade. Fortunately my father and mother lived at most about a mile apart (only 2-3 blocks throughout high school), so I was able to grow up with both of them (although I lived with my mother).
My father remarried when I was in sixth grade to Judy Dwyer. She is great. We talk all the time, even more than I do with most of my friends. Since I went to college, and especially after, I feel like she is one of my best friends (and definitely one of my closest confidants).
My mother remarried in the Summer of 1994 to Harry Risher. I get along fine with him, but since I've only met him on my visits back home (less than 3 months in the last 3 years), I don't really know him that well.
My brother, Kenny, still lives in Southeast Texas where he does hydro-blasting. He is divorced but has a daughter, Morgan Ashley, who was born in December '95. I've never gotten along well with my brother (sibling rivalry), but we talk a few times a year.
My favorite relatives have to be my nieces, who are Morgan, Britni, Michael, and Bailey.
Britni is the daughter of Michael, Judy's son who was 3 years older than me. Mike was brutally murdered my freshman year of college, which greatly hurt my entire family. Britni is all we have left of Mike besides memories, and we spoil her with our love.
Michael and Bailey are the daughters of Mike's sister Lisa, and her husband Geoff. Lisa and Geoff are great people, and I had a lot of fun last time I visited them. I hope to see them again soon.
I've got lots of other relatives out there, but most of them I only remember from visits when I was a child. Maybe as I see them again, I'll add more stuff later.
I attended George Washington University, where I earned a BA in Journalism, with Computer Science as a secondary area of study. Early on I was very active in journalism. I was News Editor and later Production Manager for the Insider, a weekly magazine published for 2 years by a group of students.
I also interned at Who Cares Magazine (a magazine about community service) and the Washington Monthly. At Who Cares, I created their Website as my senior project. Putting the magazine online was a lot of fun, combining design (which I love doing), computer skills (I've always been a computer nut), and writing. That's what eventually led me to get into web publishing.
During school, I consulted for various companies, including work on Time-Warner's Pathfinder site. After school, I took a part-time job as Production Manager for the Washington Monthly, and continued to consult and do freelance web-design.
After 6 months at the Monthly, I took a full-time position at Internet Interstate, an Internet provider in Bethesda, MD (known as DC Verio last time I checked). I worked there for one-and-a-half years as Webmaster. I also did a lot of system administration work, and gained a lot of experience related to the Internet and computers. (I was the only full-time employee besides the owners once I started. When I left, we had built the company into a 10+ employee firm. Early on I was doing everything from system troubleshooting to customer billing.)
In October of 1996, I started work for Cybergrrl, run by Aliza Sherman. Aliza and I had become friends about 4 years back at a Who Cares event. We stayed in contact after that, and I like to think I can take some credit for getting her on the web. In 1995 she decided to start CGIM, and I helped her purchase a server and maintain it for the next year. Finally in October of 1996, I was brought on full-time as Technical Director, or as everyone always introduced me, "our tech guy."
I really learned a lot while working at Cybergrrl. I build two versions of interactive community software for them (web-based email, chat, forums, instant messages, etc.) along with running multiple Unix and Macintosh servers. Client work got to be pretty boring, but it was definitely a learning experience.
After two years at Cybergrrl, I felt ready to move up a notch, and in January 1999 I took the position of Chief Technology Officer at B-12, a marketing and promotions agency (later purchased by Aspen Marketing). My job there was to build a software and web development department from the ground up. When I left in December of 2000, I left behind a technology department of 4 people and nice portfolio of websites such as Motorbooks.com, Nowlending.com, Nowprinting.com, and MRI.
In the Summer of 2000, I started my own company, Runtime Labs, hiring a couple of my friends to work on back-end website development and my database software MacSQL. In December of 2000 I left B-12 and started working full-time at Runtime Labs. I'm very excited to be working for myself and we're planning on doing a lot of interesting things.
In 2000 I also moved to Manhattan from Jersey City. I've got a fabulous apartment in Battery Park City along the Hudson River. From my balcony you can view the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island, and New Jersey. I'm so in love with the neighborhood and plan to live in this area for quite a while.