Jared Picou

About Me

I guess it depends on who you ask - but to summarize:

South Louisiana born and raised

I grew up around the Houma area of south Louisiana. Basically the toe of the boot. I'm married with a kid, living in a house where I pay way too much for insurance due to the constant threat of Hurricane Force Winds. We did get a butt whoopin from Hurricane Ida but we were more fortunate than many.

Just an IT guy

I graduated from Nicholls State University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems. This led me down a few job paths. Currently I'm a Systems Analyst at a local govenrnment driven company. I work internal IT but have been spending more and more hours on AWS and SQL Server to support an in house 'Permitting' software. The software is sold around the US. My focus currently is importing new customer data from their legacy permitting software into our own software so they do not lose important historical information.

I'm learning more about moving around large datasets and entering more automation territory. I'm also learning more about what AWS has to offer and how it fits in our environment. Due to the recent data tasks, I've been (slowly) studying the Comptia Data+ to eventually get certified. It's not a job necessity but adds more knowledge to my skillset about statistics and how to better handle large datasets. I hope to use my site to assist with studying by condensing notes and sharing thoughts.

Strike up the band

I'm an avid music player and listener. I started playing trombone in the 5th grade where I fell in love with music. I continued to play trombone and tuba, eventually venturing into electric bass guitar territory. Once I reached college, I had to drop band class to focus on academics and jobs. Fast forward to around 2020, I joined our local community band which provided an opportunity to play trombone again with a group. This led to me joining their side group which focuses more on jazz and swing, which really challenged me and improved my playing. Our bass player moved away which left a needed spot to fill. After some intense learning I found myself reading bass charts just as easily as I could read trombone charts, landing me in the bass guitar role of the band. I've been really enjoying it and it's helped my music knowledge improve much faster than before. I hope to be in this role as long as the band will have me.

I'm not an expert in music but I do enjoy diving deep into artists of the past and seeing the whats and hows of music generation. I'm sure I'll have a music tag at some point to put my thoughts on some of the more interesting artists I come across on my music journey.

Gaming is for losers

I've always been a 'gamer' if I want to label myself that. Since a young age I've always enjoyed playing. As I got older, I always used gaming as an escape in the evening. I enjoy a good story and gameplay but not a fan of horror. I equate it to reading a book or watching a movie - except I think it adds a layer of active thought and problem solving that I enjoy. I don't really have a favorite title or series, but RPGs would probably be my favorite genre these days, with first person shooters and puzzle/strategy games next in line. This site (if I can keep up with it) will most likely cut into my gaming time, but I don't think it will replace it completely. I still hold on to gaming as a guilty pleasure.

Too many hobbies

In general I've always had too many hobbies and interests. This leads to being poor at a variety of things but knowledgeable enough to talk about them casually. I've tried many different things but really haven't stuck to anything fully except working, gaming, and playing music. I'd like to add to this (obviously) but time is limited these days along with finances. I think the site will give me a way to learn and explore hobbies and write about them without actually committing to them - unless one is just that good. Currently I'm interested in watchmaking and repairs. I spend way too much time on Youtube but I do think I'm going to take a shot at this one soon. I have a personal watch that I want to fix myself and I think the idea of fixing watches scratches a lot of itches I have at the moment.