Roger Alexander Griffin's Home Page
a.k.a. "Alexander" or "Alexander the Lost"
What I do:

Photo ©2007 Brad Reynolds. Taken in Aerolito de Paraiso in Isla de Cozumel, Mexico. Click to see another photo from Aerolito.

How to contact me:

Vital Statistics:

Career:

Hardware/Firmware Engineer
I've been doing hardware design and firmware programming since high school and it was my major study in college. The board at the right is a design from several years ago - a FLASH-based low power data recording board. It's shown here with a ROM emulation lead attached. I specialise in analog data acquisition, low power applications, digital signal processing. I often do the following for clients: circuit design, schematic capture, circuit board layout, component identification and procurement, prototype testing and post-manufacture evaluation.

Web designer
This is one of those career fields that I keep being in the right place at the right time. I got caught up with World Wide Web fever as soon as it got popular in the United States - around 1994. Since then, I've continued to expand my abilities in website design, marketing strategy, and CGI programming. Most projects involve web page programming with database interfaces. Complicated stuff.

Professional Musician
Want a traditional Irish musician at your gig? Let me know!

Hobbies:(the important ones)

  • Traditional Irish Flute

    The fabulous Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare, Ireland
    One of my oldest and greatest desires has been to play flute. I gained a genuine love for traditional Irish and Scottish ballads, airs, and tunes over a decade ago and lived in Galway City, Ireland for a few years with a mission of searching for the best sessions (musical gatherings at pubs and gatherings). I've been influenced by Altan, Silly Wizard, Bothy Band, Clishmaclaver, Planxty, Solas, Dervish, and others.

    I own a modest collection of simple-system wooden flutes and penny whistles. The keyed flutes I play are made by Eamonn Cotter and Patrick Olwell. My repertoire is mostly Irish airs, jigs, and reels with the occasional hornpipe thrown in. Some of my latest favourites are "Battering Ram" (jig), "Sandymount" or "Sandpiper" (reel), "The Sunset" (slow reel) and "Little Stack of Wheat" (hornpipe).

    My musical interests have stretched to other Celtic cultures, especially Breton music. Some of my favourite Breton recordings were by John Skelton (of the House Band), Alan Stivell, Tammles (now defunct), and the Chieftains (for "Celtic Wedding"). One of the principal instruments used in Breton music is the double-reed bombarde which looks and sounds like a shawm. Standard (no keys) versions of the bombarde are limited to 1-1/4 octaves; thus traditional Breton music tends to have limited note range. However, the music can be difficult to play because of its syncopation, phrasing and changing time signatures.

  • Contradance
    No, this isn't a form of fundraising for Nicaraguan Rebels. Think of it as modern aerobic folk dancing! Contradance has its roots in English, French, and Scottish country dancing ("contra" is a French(?) variant of "country") where male-female couples dance in long lines, usually in a sequence of figures where two couples dance with each other and then "progress" in opposite directions. The same sequence is repeated with new couples down the line. Contra dancing can be one of the best social mixers in a community. But my long-time complaint is that my "peers" in the younger generation can't seem to find an interest in it. The median age (at least in most communities) is somewhere between 45 and 50 years of age.

    My "home base" while in D.C. is the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo, but I have also danced regularly in Durham/Chapel Hill (NC), Roanoke (VA), Blacksburg (VA), and at the annual Augusta dance weeks (WV). In my opinion, the best dance band in the world is Wild Asparagus. Be sure to check out their dance vacation weeks held in St. Croix and Hawaii.

  • Ultralight Aircraft
    I began flying in a Drifter DR277 which I purchased as a kit from Maxair when they were in Glen Rock, PA. This old single seater was a lot of fun, especially in thermals. I have since purchased a Drifter MU582 two-seater. I have a private pilot's license which I acquired while attending college in Blacksburg, so the "new regulations" on ultralights probably won't affect me. Lately I've been without a field to base my airplane, so my flying pursuits are on hold.


  • World Travel
    I got the travel bug about twelve years ago and have had the wonderful experience of living long-term in two other countries. My career gives me a lot of flexibility -- as long as I have internet, I can get my work done. Thus, I've been able to do some truly spectacular travel abroad. Countries that I've visited include: Ireland, Scotland, England, Turkey, Mexico, Australia, Canada, France. Still on my "must go someday" list are: Egypt, Greece, Spain, Thailand, Japan, New Zealand, Bolivia, India.

  • Cave Diving
    This is a highly specialized area of scuba diving that very few (estimated at less than 0.5%) divers ever participate. I'll be honest: I find deliberately sunken wrecks to be boring. I also have no interest in diving wrecks for dishes, bells, or any other sunken treasures. But underwater caves absolutely fascinate me! I got the bug first by taking a guided cavern tour at Dos Ojos ("The Two Eyes") in the Riviera Maya region of Mexico. Now that I have Full Cave certification I get to go places requiring complex nagivation and advanced dive planning. I know that this is rated as one of the most dangerous sports in the world, but I do it for the natural beauty and the technical aspects, not for thrill seeking.

  • Hammered Dulcimers
    This wonderfully aethereal instrument has been a major part of my life, ever since I bought my first one after seeing them at a Renaissance festival. Some years ago I made one from scratch, and soon had a serious workshop turning out ten different models under the label of Griffin Music.

  • Swiss Chip Carving
    (picture pending) also known as "Kerbschnitzen." I learned this art while attending Augusta workshops several years ago. This is a very relaxing way to whittle away the hours while making pretty things. I haven't had as much time to spend on it as I'd like the past few years, but someday I hope to expand the talent into relief carving.

  • Historical Recreation
    I participate in the activities of several recreationist groups, including Markland, The Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA), and the occasional Renaissance festival. Here, as in the rest of my life, I am in pursuit of the peaceful arts, including music, dance, crafts, and history. Each August I attend Pennsic War (largest gathering of historical recreationists anywhere) in Slippery Rock, PA. Take a look at the web pages I developed about Pennsic War.

  • The Griffin's Den
    Imagine the adventures travelling with a two-story tent, crafted and painted to look like an old European Tudor inn. The Griffin's Den has been one of my greatest woodworking accomplishments and is truly "home away from home" when I go to Pennsic War. I now have a set of pages dedicated to the structure which you can find here.

  • Beekeeping
    This hobby taught me a lot about staying calm under pressure, especially with 10,000 stinging things flying around your head. Unfortunately, the recent infestation of varroa and tracheal mites (the scourge of the industry) has kept me from getting back into beekeeping.

    • Last Updated 26-Jun-2007