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    Information about myself (Stephen Mifsud)

         
  1. Introduction
  2.      
  3. Computer History
  4.      
  5. Studies + Work
  6.      
  7. Hobbies
  8.      
  9. Personal Information
  10.      
  11. Contacts
  12.      
  13. Back to Main Page





  14. 1: INTRODUCTION


Hello guyz'n'girlz

Congratulations, you are very lucky that you are going to know me from my home page. Apart from the opportunity of getting to know a freaky cool demon like me, this site may contain lots of information that you like and find useful. One of my theories is that on the Internet, everything is free. It is so boring that after hours of browsing you finally find that something you really need but then discover that you have to register and pay. So every single bit of data on my web page is free to download.

I shall talk a little about myself and about some historical events of my life, but if you want to immediately view a list of my characteristics, and personal information, just =click here=





2: COMPUTER HISTORY

I have been using computers from the age of 13 years, when my father kept his promise and bought me an Amstrad CPC 6128 after reaching good marks in the secondary school - Savio College. Why an Amstrad not a Commodore? - because my cousin had an Amstrad!. Like every teenager I wanted a computer to play games. My favourites were Fruity Frank, Frankenstein, Gryzor, Zorro, Everything is a Wally, Head over Heels, Batman, Mask 2 and more. But soon after, I began to show interest in programing in BASIC language and I did lots of interesting programs, especially programing music melodies and graphical demos. Nothing extra-ordinary of course - but what do you expect from a 14yr old schoolboy. Everyone at my age used the computer for playing only.

After a year or so, the Amiga arrived on the island and after seeing one of my friend working, I wanted one at all costs. The only method I knew for buying something expensive was to persuade my father to buy me something if I do well in my exams. In fact in that occasion I did very well, keeping in my mind a sparkling amiga while I was studying those boring geometric formulas !!!

The Amiga arrived in Summer 1989, and I was really happy with it. 4096 colours, 4-voice sounds, wonderful games - I don't dare to mention all my favourite games, but the ones I liked most in the first months were boulder dash (+ level editor!), Zak Macraken, Legend of the Sword (have anyone completed this adventure!?), Fighter Bomber, and SpeedBall. Again, I did not stopped on just games, and few months later I began to discover how the system works, and started to create my own game compilation disks. I have been an Amiga user till the age of 26 - yep!, a good 11 years!!! In the year of 1994 I exchanged my Amiga 500 with an Amiga 1200 and bought more peripherals such as accelerator, HD, Extra Ram, to power its use.

I ended up an amiga expert, and I virtually did everything that it is possible to do with this computer. Some of these were: Music / Game / Utilities disk compilations, Graphics (hi Dpaint) 4-channel Music (hi NoiseTracker), Midi sequencing music (hi Music-X2) my Univ thesis (hi FinalWriter5), Internet applications, database of my 88 CDs, University and electronics notes (tones of notes!), my life diary, Computer CD-Roms (after buying a CD-Writer),Game music ripping and lots of assembly language programming. From all of these, my favourite hobby was that of composing music (4-channel till 1994, and then MIDI) and ripping music from games. The latter was even a challenge which I think it was very useful to develop my brain to a smart one!!! I could spend hours and days trying to rip a music tune from a game. I really miss the Amiga life, and all the Amiga friends I knew.

In Feb 2001, the amiga was out of business in computing (it was actually few years before)and so I decided to build my own PC. I didn't had lots of problems so far, and the system is very stable. I already have some great cool games, and downloaded dozens of useful programs. I use most Internet progs (including ICQ, PalTalk, AudioGalaxy, MSN Messenger), CakeWalk & Fruity Loops (music sequencers), Winamp, DeliPlayer, Nero CD Burner, Amiga and Amstrad emulators and more. Om May/01 I decided to create my own home page on the Internet - it is a new experience for me as I do not know anything how to program html, but thanks to some cool web design programs such as HOTDOG, life is made very simple. For the moment do not except any shockwave flash animations and pro-art graphics. But I am sure that you will find something useful in my page. It had taken me more than a whole year of programing (but with many interruptions and breaks) to have decent material for this home site

Technology gets old quickly, whereas the Amiga computer lasted more than 10 years, the new PC I assembled in 2001 needed a major upgrade (mother board, CPU, PSU, Rams, Fan, etc) in Sep/Oct 2004. I too got a bit older and this time I did not assembled the PC completely on my own, but with the help of a PC expert,and good neighbour friend of mine - Pierre Abela. Malta is the land of friends! You can view the new specs [ HERE ]





3: STUDIES and WORK

At college I opted for science subjects (Chemistry, Biology, Physics) as I always was fascinated by experiments and how things work out. In fact one of my first hobbies, apart from playing football and watching local feasts fireworks, was that of making chemistry experiments in my father's garage. All started when I bought a chemistry set, and then began to buy chemicals and glassware from some pharmacies. I also began to do my own chemicals and the this hobby kept developing and getting better. I could spend hours in the garage discovering and performing new experiments. My favorites were: the formation of colorful precipitates between alkalis and metal salts, crystal growing, and formation of salts between acids and bases. I kept practicing this hobby till the age of 22yrs!, then I began to spend my time on other interests.

After passing my O-Level exams, I began to study for the A-Levels in Chemistry, Physics and Biology, and again I did well. Then I started the University, and I made a little mistake because I opted for a course which I should not have taken, hence that for a teacher in Chemistry + Biology. I got bored, and wanted money to buy a synthesizer, and so I decided to quit and instead start working.

I found work almost immediately, and began to work as a Laboratory technologist in an industrial factory (KPH animal feeds, Marsa). There was a nice big lab, and it was kept in charge by just a single person, hence myself! I really liked the job, even if the salary could have been better. Unfortunately I had to do also some accounts work (such as purchase day book, salaries and product reconciliation) and I hated this sort of work.

After a year and a half, a friend of mine told me that he is in a university course called Medical Lab technology, and he persuaded me to take this course. I was 21yrs old by that time. I had to say bye to my dear friends who worked at that factory, and it was very difficult to tell them that I am quitting from work.

In October 1995 I started the new course and it was very interesting. I made new friends and I am sure that i did a right decision. The course was 4 years long, and these 4 years flied by very quickly. I passed the course brilliantly (I got the highest grade) and I was very satisfied. I graduated on November 99. I remember that one of my most beautiful days was that when I finished my last final exam in early July 1999. I was euphoric.

About 2 months later I started to work at the National public health Lab (Evans Building, Valletta) as a Microbiologist. The work is quite interesting but I am getting used to it by now, and so it is getting a bit repetitive. But I have wonderful working conditions and friends, so I will stay there for the moment. Another advantage of this work is that it is situated in the Capital City of Malta, Valletta and so one could access to the numerous shops and administrative offices during breaks at work. In 2003 I have changed my duties from a microbiologist to a chemical analist at the Cheical section of the Public Health Laboratory.

During the University course I studied another completely different course - that of electronics servicing and repair. I took this course as a trial, and eventually I did well in the exams and kept studying till the end. The course duration was also 4 years, between 1996 and 2000, and I got 5 distinctions and 1 credit in the City and Guilds exams. The course was really interesting and challenging. I don't know how I did manage to follow two courses simultaneously, but if I enjoy it, I will do it. Thanks to this course I have been gaining some pocket money from electronic repair for the last 5 years. The latest important achievement is that of repairing stuff for a HiFi/TV shop in Zabbar, Malta.

In October 2004 I went back to the school benches, or better to say University chairs. I decided to undergo a Diploma course in Agriculture, and it was a good decission for 3 reasons. First I learned several interesting facts about agriculture. Secondly it was a good challenge for me and something new in my life that was getting a bit boring and monotinous. Last and not least, I made some very good friends which since they are at their early twenties, they make me feel one like them! Of course the decission to take the Agricultural course was not just for this, but mainly becasue of my ambitious dream of working entirely on my website about the Wild Plants of Malta, and for this dream to come true, I needed some official certificate. University did not offer Botany courses so Agriculture was the nearest I could get to Botany. The ambitious drive made me to study hard and eventually passed with distinction, getting 11 A grades out of 14 subjects (4 credits each). [ Click here ] for the list of results





4: HOBBIES

I have/had many different kinds of hobbies. Some were for just a short period, while few others I hope that will remain for my lifetime. My character is very curious, creative, like to discover new things, and full of initiative. This makes me to have lots of different hobbies. However I end up starting a new hobby, and loose interest in the previous ones. Here is my list of hobbies and some information about them. Era is the time period when I practiced the hobby, while fun factor is sort of a score of how much I enjoy(ed) the hobby.



WILD PLANTS OF MALTA
My most recent hobby started in Summer 2002 and it is more of a Project than a hobby. It concerns of making an online databse about the Wild plants of the Maltese Islands. This includes many sections such as photography of the plants and flowers, photo editing and enhancement, research for information about the species plant, and html programing to make the detailed profile of the plant nicely presented on the internet.

Unfortunately this project requires so much time that I hardly can continue it, but my heart and ambition are still there and I will keep making new plant profiles. It really involves hard work but when I see the finalised plant profile and reading the complemts and comment by the viewers I get quite satisfied. I have now decided by all will to work dedicatedly and entirely on this project and currently I am trying to make all the necessary contacts so that this project can be done on a National level and it becomes my everyday work... Looking like a dream, BUT I can tell you that I am on the good way for this achievment !

The target of this project is to have most important maltese wild plants in the database, and this is about at least 400 different plants - only 50 reviewed in 2.5 years!!! if you would like to see this project, [ click here ]
.
ERA:   August 2002 till present date RATING:  18/20.




WEB SITE DESIGN AND CODING
This hobby could not been born before the internet became so popular around 1997 or so. At that time I was studying for my Diploma in Medical Lab Science and Electronics servicing, so internet meant only browsing, chatting and emailing at that time. In year 2000, all my studies where over, and free time got back in my life. So came my brilliant idea of creating this web site - the MARZ KREATIONS Website. I took me several months reading tutorials on my own and mastering html coding till 1AM in the morning, but when there is a will, there is a way. After about 2 years of work, the first official release of my website was launched on 30th of August 2002. From then updates and improvements kept going on a regular basis [ read news and update page here] , except in 2004-2005 when there was a pro-longed pause due to another 9-month studying course at the university.
ERA:   August 2002 till present date RATING:  17/20.




FOOTBALL PLAYING and WATCHING
This was my first hobby in my life. I started to play football from the age of 7 or so with my friends in the streets, and till today I never stopped practicing this sport. I never opted for something professional or training with a team but I play with my friends every now and then. At average I play once a week. I find this sport really relaxing, I concentrate so much on it that I forget all problems during playing. It is also healthy as a physical exercise, and I never had serious injuries except once that I broke my hand. It is a challenging game were you have to use your physical skills, co-ordination, thought and imagination. During my peak of studying and examination, the only thing that relaxed me and gave me mental strength to keep going on was playing a football match every Sunday afternoon.

The best period of football playing were between 16 and 20yrs. I had many friends to play with, we had a nearby football ground available all the day, and I was physically in an excellent form. I hope I will keep playing football for more time as it is really relaxing and healthy.

Recently, in the late twenties and early thirties, football playing has decreased considerably, but I still go and play a football match with my friends. My physical form and skills are however getting more far away from those in the twenties.. but I am still good in it :-)
ERA:   From the age of about 7 years to present date (1981 - 2002+) RATING:  18/20.




MUSIC LISTENING AND COMPOSING
It all started with a simple toy organ were I used to produce known melodies by ear. Then I started to use music makers on computers such as , Aegis Sonix, NoiseTracker and ProTracker on my Amiga. I never studied music theory or practice but I was good in playing tunes by heart from the computer or my small home synth. I started to make many songs on the amiga music makers and I like to do teckno songs. I had to wait till 1995 to buy a professional synthesizer, and it was a Korg X3 - really wonderful sounds folks. Then I began to compose more professional songs with Midi sequencing programs like Music-X2. I added more instruments and music hardware and eventually I built my own home studio setup. To see my list of instruments =click here=

Strange but true this hobby was at its best when I had the least time available hence during my univ course, hence between 1996-2000. During this period I produce about 14 songs. Then I sort of lost the inspiration and preferred to spend time on other things like repairing electronic devices, and and Internet applications. But now that i have bought a new PC, I am determined to start making some more songs with the powerful sequences that there are available. More info about music is found on a dedicated area on my home page =click here to go there now=
ERA:   From the age of about 14 years till present date (1988 - 2002+) RATING:  14/20.




ELECTRONICS
My father's friend, who was servicing our TV, suggested me to go for a course about repairing and servicing electronic devices mainly TV and Radios. I was not very optimistic about the idea because I was already attending a University course and a part time job, but then my mother encouraged me and I began this 4 year course as a trial. I passed the first year and made some good friends and so I decided to take this course seriously. It turned to be very interesting a was worth as a new part time job. After the course I began to fix several electronic appliances, from TVs to videos to music Hi-Fi and gained a little money too. A dedicated section about electronics, including data sheets, repaired items, and projects are found on my home page = click here to go to this section now=
ERA:   From the age of 22 years to present date (1996 - 2002+) RATING:  16/20.




CHEMISTRY
This was also one of my first hobbies, at my early teenage years. It started up when I got a chemistry set. I remember that I was absorbed by this hobby, spending hours, even at late night doing chemistry experiments and discovering new reactions. This was sort of unguided discovery learning and in fact I always did very well in chemistry at school. When I began to grew up, I began to buy more chemicals, glassware, and apparatus, and eventually I made my own mini home Lab in the garage. My favourite experiments were producing colourful precipitates between metal salts and alkalis, discovering what metals are present in alloys, such as coins and other junkies, crystal forming of various salts, and more serious experiments when I was 18yrs and over. A dedicated section about this topic can be found at my home page. [ Click here to go to this section right now ]. You will find almost everything I did during this loved past hobby. Now I have lost almost all interests due to new hobbies, however the chemistry set and apparatus is not trashed, it is moved to garage serving as a store place.
ERA:   From the age of 13 years to 24 years (1987 - 1998) RATING:  18/20.




FIREWORKS and TRADITIONAL PARISH FEASTS
Malta celebrates traditional feast of various saints and martyrs around many villages, especially during the season of Summer. These are very beautiful, and joyful events that I like very much to attend. However the most important attraction for me is the fireworks. When I was young (8yrs) I used to spend nights to see fireworks of some villages. When I was young, there wasn't much to see as many villages were distant, and the village I lived (Paola) did not used to make fireworks. But then we moved house to central part of Malta (Qormi) and the story was completely different.

One day, about 2 weeks we moved to the new house I began to hear powerful blasts. I rushed to the roof and I saw morning fireworks fired from a distance of 300m or so! I was startled! Also it happened that this feast (Saint George) was on of the best to in the fireworks department. It was now that I fell in love with fireworks and till today, I am always eager to wait for June to see the fireworks. Of course there were other villages which were near our situation at Qormi, and so I could enjoy viewing fireworks nearly every weekend during Summer. I was so crazy about them that when I was a youngster, i used to write how the fireworks were of some nearby feasts.

Today I still go to fiestas to see fireworks regularly every Saturday evenings. I am planning that when I buy a video camera, hopefully this year (2001) I will shoot a video on the fireworks demonstration of my village feast of Qormi (St.George). You can view a more detailed document about fiestas and fireworks in a dedicated link in my web page (=click here=)
ERA:   From age of 10 years till present date (1984 - 2002+) RATING:  15/20.




TEKNO PARTIES & CLUBBING
Before Tekno was created, hence before 1990 I did not like to listen to music very much, because I hated pop music, except few hits such as those of Duran Duran. I preferred to listen to classical music. But then the music scene was changing thanks to new electronic music instruments and computers and techno music was born. The first, (sort of) tekno song that I heard was Pump up the Jam by Teknotronic. (=click here= to download and listen the song - note: MP3 format / 5Mb). At that time such songs were known as rave, but now they term 'techno' is generally used. I began to like many songs of this genre, and soon became a techno fan. I was very crazy about the song Energy Flash by Joey Beltram (=click to listen=) and by 1992 teckno and dance songs were also appearing in the charts. By 1993-94 Tekno was very famous, in most western Europe - not so much in Malta - but yet there were a good number of supporters and fans. In the New Year of 1994 I went to my first techno party. It was also one of the first on the island. I really had fun, as if I entered a new dimension. Powerful bassy sound, thumping music, eerie but sexy girls, dancing, - it was innovative a new thing for me. Well you are maybe expecting drugs with the list, but sincerely I never get involved in these things, and I never was tempted by someone to take them. Throwing drugs in your glass of beer is a huge falsity. In few words I became a techno fan, and use to go many parties dancing till late nights (till 6:00 in the morning sometimes). The boom of techno and parties was stated about 1997 and today they are so popular that they became boring. Every tekno party event will be full of people. In fact, because of this reason, and because I have grown older, I don;t go to tekno parties very often, and I am not in the tekno scene very much nowadays, but I still listen a lot to tekno music.
ERA:   From the age of 20 years till 27 (1994 - 2001) RATING:  13/20.




OTHERS
Other past hobbies when I was teenager (approx 12-16yrs were:
  •    Watching Airline Airplanes (including listening to the radio communication between pilot/tower and writing data about the airplanes that landed / departed from the airport)


  •    Collecting living insects ( Golden ages during my teenaging with my best friend Brian ! !


  •    Building airplane toy models


  •    Playing Computer Games (Amstrad CPC and Amiga home computers)







5: PERSONAL INFORMATION







6: CONTACTS


I will not put my snail home address or home phone number here, so you can contact me only by email or through the forums present on my website. The forum are open to the public to share their comments ideas, opinions, etc etc. I welcome you to participate and perhaps form a smal lcommunity. N.B. Such comments or opinions presented on these forums are solely those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent mine as the administrator.


General email: info@marz-kreations.com

Please click here to view the contacts page with detail contact information


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