Buck Hedges
Technical Writer
About Myself
A resume can list many facts about a person, neatly jammed into a single 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper. All the work-related facts a hiring manager would care to know. They seldom say much about the individual, however. Someone who looks great on paper may not be that pleasant to work with. Just by looking at a resume, any applicant, no matter how well qualified, is still an unknown quality.
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All right, let's be honest: After about 5 minutes (or less), all resumes start to look the same.
If you are here, you are looking to find who exactly what kind of person I am. This page contains a brief biography, which will hopefully give you an idea of what kind of employee I am—backstory, if you will. If you're only perusing to see what kind of work I can do, skip this and move on to my portfolio. Your time is important, after all.
Philosophy and Work Ethic
My experience in a wide variety of fields—heavy industry, technology, service, and agriculture—has given me the ability to relate to clients, no matter what their field is.
More importantly, my background has given the the ability to communicate effectively with any audience.
I strive every day to live and work by the standards I hold dear:
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People are more important than things.
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Limits exist only in your mind.
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You can do anything if you're willing to face the consequences.
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Fear is only an emotion. It can be controlled, fought down, and ignored.
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Honesty is the best policy, especially when it isn't easy.
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I believe in the idea, "Always under promise and over deliver."
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I am a firm believer in planning for the Murphy Factor: never expect things to go perfectly, and be prepared.
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At the same time, I believe perfection can be achieved. I have even done it once or twice.
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There is always a solution.
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Knowing the "Why" behind the process is more important than knowing the process.
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There is always opportunity for improvement.
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Always look for the humor in the situation. Even if it's gallows humor.
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Finally, Truth is what it is. Whether we like it or accept it is completely irrelevant.
My History
I was raised on ranches across Nevada and Idaho, mostly in the Great Basin area of the American west. Most of these were rural. A mere fifty miles separated one from the closest town. The furthest was 108 miles, forty of which were dirt.
School was done at home, and I graduated from BYU's Independent Study program in the top 2% of the nation. I also competed in 4-H and produced the Grand Champion Steer three years in a row.
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During one of our stays closer to town, I began taking Tae Kwon Do, and developed a passion for martial arts that is still with me today. The moves and distances made continual study difficult, but I was able to study Kyokushin and Okinawan Karate from time to time. I am now a First Degree Black Belt, and an Assistant Instructor in Pocatello, Idaho. I am also the Instructor of a new dojo in McCammon, Idaho.
I graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor's in Technical Writing, and a minor in Sociology. I now live in McCammon, Idaho on a small farm. My wife and I raise horses, weeds, and boys—not necessarily in that order.
Hobbies and Interests
My hobbies are as varied as my experience. I enjoy everything you would expect a modern-day computer nerd to enjoy: reading science fiction, watching movies, miniature wargames, and long, Pepsi-filled nights of computer games.
At the same time, I enjoy both eastern and western martial arts, camping, blacksmithing, paintball, and mounted archery. I am as happy working at my computer as I am operating a D-9 bulldozer. I can easily stop work in my office, walk into my shop, and forge a knife from a piece of steel.
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I am proud to say I really don't fit any stereotype.
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I'm just
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Not Your Ordinary Nerd.