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Welcome to the online home of Rob Shepherd.

Last Updated: 08.01.2010

ABOUT ROB & RShepherd.net

Welcome to my little spot on the web. I'm a computer game producer and web designer living in Southern California.

rshepherd.net was created to link together some of my different personal websites and professional accomplishments. Right now this is 100% informational and is not intended to make any kind of design statement. (In otherwords, I'm busy with other projects at the moment!) So this site will be a work in progress for some time. I'm not really sure where this site is headed at the moment. Also I lean a bit towards Celtic art, so I'm thinking I'll try to integrate some of that into this site.

WIKI Page

I've added a WIKI page with a photogallery and other features. This is my first WIKI so its a bit of a work in progress. Please be patient while I work through the kinks.

<click here to go to the RShepherd.net Wiki Page>

In 1997 I started working in the game industry after graduating from Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University) and spent the first 7 years of my career as a game development producer. For the last few years I've been working at THQ, Inc. and hope to continue a productive career there. I'm very excited to be able to work on the NextGen platforms and look forward to possibilities that are emerging in the interactive game industry.

I spend some of my time trying to stay up to speed on technology and trying to keep my art chops in reasonable shape. To that end I do some web design and coding in my spare time. I also try to utilize VBA to streamline things I do a regular basis and it at least keeps me doing some scripting.

When I'm away from the computer, which is often in my spare time; I'm usually doing something outdoors like gardening or off hiking with Michael and our dogs. I need to update some of my photo galaries with some our latest day trips around California. As usual I have more projects going than I really have time for, but that's what keeps life interesting!

If you need to reach me, my new e-mail address is now rob at rshepherd dot net. Sorry for not putting in a link, I'm trying to keep this one spam free.

I have strong background in software development, IT and information services and have paired those skills with my knowledge of the issues and challenges that face orchid growers. Time permitting I offer the following consulting services to help orchid growers.

Advice on tracking software and database design for record keeping of plants and lab work
Ploidy screening for hybridizers that want to know the ploidy of thier breeding stock. I can teach Root Tip Chromosome Counting for those that want to learn the process. I'm also available to do the screening on individual plants.
Orchid Society Presentations available on subjects like coerulea orchids, orchid information management and orchid hybridizing/ploidy issues.

PERSONAL WEBSITES

For those of you that don't know me that well, most of my free time is spent doing something outdoors and I'm usually found at the greenest spot around. I have a passion for growing orchids and was gifted with the proverbial "green thumb". I find orchid growing and gardening to be a rejuvinating activity that helps me diffuse and regain focus from spending my days in the tech world. So most of my websites have something to do with plants.

These are some of my personal websites with information on some of my ongoing hobbies.

	S.S. Laela (sslaela.com) - We have a 30' sailboat named S.S. Laela. We created this photo blog and ships log so our friends and family can follow our adventures sailing around Southern California. Additional Sailing Photos

	Orchid Vault (orchidvault.com) - I started Orchid Vault as a place for orchid growers to get information on hybridizing, ploidy and other orchid related issues. There is also a private forum for discussions.

	Orchids -N- Inks (orchids-n-inks.com) - Orchids -N- inks started as a Pen and Ink note card business back in the early 90's after some of my artwork was developed into a series of note cards. The website later evolved off this basic idea and was my first personal website. You'll find some of my artwork here and an online editorial about some of my outdoor adventures hunting orchids and other native flowers across the United States.

	Sapphire Dragon Orchids (sapphiredragonorchids.com) - SDO is information site and photo gallery about coerula Phalaenopsis.