I started out with hacking/modding video games. After messing around with that for a while I wanted to start making my own projects. These projects were fangames and other tools, but I learned a lot from them. Eventually I started making my own little games.
I run a homelab hosting virtualization, networking, and containerized services for learning, backups, and self-hosted apps. Services include Proxmox, Unraid, Pi-hole, Nginx, Pterodactyl, Jellyfin, Navidrome, Kiwix, and tools for automation and backups. Below is a snapshot of the dashboard and services I maintain.
Setting this up gave me practical skills in virtualization, storage and backups, networking (VLANs, DNS), container orchestration, and service monitoring. I focus on reliable backups, automated deployments, and keeping services isolated while maintaining easy access for development and media consumption.